Visit with Family & a Broken Crown

So I’ve unexpectedly been away for…well, for too long.

And I know you’re just waiting anxiously for me to tell you all that I’ve been up to. If you follow on Facebook, the last couple of days I’ve given some updates. But before I get to the last couple of days…let’s back track.

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law came to visit from Oregon. It was a great visit. {No, they didn’t break my crown!} Unfortunately it was very hot while they were here. We don’t have A/C. They have naturally curly, thick hair. You can possibly imagine what the heat and humidity did for them. I just can’t empathize with them… the heat/humidity does nada to my thin, straight locks.

They came into town Saturday evening, the 16th. That first night we just spent getting our sleeping arrangements figured out. Most of our week long visit was relaxing, really. Sunday we went to church. Being Father’s Day, dh and ds went to a Father/Son Breakfast (so nice!) before the main service. Us girls went to Starbucks

After church we went to a graduation party for extended family. The kids and I had met some of the relatives and friends once before but we didn’t really know many people. It was a nice event –and it rained! That was a good thing! It cooled it down considerably.

During their stay we went to the Ohio & Eric Canal Reservation (part of the Cleveland Metro Parks) by dh’s work and had lunch with him. We walked the Blue Heron Boardwalk –and did see a Blue Heron! Fox had skinned his toe pretty bad so he and Grammy stayed at the visitor’s center. We also went to the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Great Lakes Science Center. I am missing a place in there, I think. On Thursday, after the Science Center, we went visit with family again. It was a long drive but I thought it well worth it.

 

 

Those photos were done by my talented sister-in-law, Hannah.

Oh yes! On one of the days we spent many hours working on mandalas. My mother-in-law is a counselor and one of her ‘tools’ {might that be the correct word} to help her clients is making mandalas.

But then on Wednesday night I woke with horrible nerve pain under one of my crowned molars. It was the first day for terrible pain that lasted until Thursday of the next week. I was able to get in to the dentist on Monday, the 25th, but the doctor on duty could only numb me and give me prescriptions. The pain-free day only lasted…one day. I’m on my second set of antibiotics and the dentist prescribed a second pain medication. They tried to do a root canal on that Thursday but the infection is too bad still so they did a partial root canal, I guess you’d call it. The dentist tore up my beautiful crown. I hope to get in ASAP but have a set appointment July 20th.

Yesterday I was tired of concentrating on the pain and just multi-tasked all day long. I did laundry, dishes, made tortillas and dinner, wrote blog posts, did a couple of review posts, made many many batches of tea, cleaned the bathroom, and weeded the garden, then put up a barrier around it. I just kept myself busy all day.

So that’s where I’ve been and some of the things I’ve {and the family} have been up to. I hope that I can get myself back into the routine I’d grown accustomed to. Guess we will see!

School starts for us in just one week! I better get myself together!

Finishing up Week 32- Updating Progress & Some Thoughts

It is Thursday of "week 32” but really, it’s only technically the end of week 31 because of our missed days. I’m not splitting hairs. When we get to May 18, 2012, we’re done. *I* need a break.

We have finished with school by between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm this week which is excellent. It’s been a really good week. We get started no later than 9:00 am and sometimes as early as 7:30 am {but that’s a real rarity!}.

For Lee:
Bible: Judges 1-3; Romans 15-1 Corinthians 1; Psalm 139:1-12; Esther commentary (finished Matthew Henry commentary and an article; writing a ‘report’)
Math: Life of Fred Advanced Algebra Lessons 30-32
English: Screwtape Letters (page 52 of the study guide; Letter #20; Excellence In Literature (Unit 3- Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court; Mark Twain author profile, new chapter headings & Yankee ‘report' on technology versus tradition); History of English Literature chapter 58
Gov’t/Civics/Citizenship: Whatever Happened to Justice? chapter 42; Francis Bacon’s “Of Innovation” (this took two weeks to get through)
History: Western Civilization pages 453-457; Galileo online ‘activity’; Queen Elizabeth’s speech to the Spanish Armada; Death’s Duel
Current Events
Foreign Language: Latin review through lesson 20; Greek Level 5, Lessons 34 (she’s dragging it out because it is the last of the level and we don’t have the next one yet)
Art/Composer Independent drawings of a seal and a vase (working on realistic drawing, shading); Bierstadt (On the Saco); Beethoven

For Fox:
Bible: Joshua 13-15; John 18-20; Romans 12:1-14; Saints and Heroes rest of Cromwell and Bunyan; Who Am I? #26
Math: Saxon Algebra 1 Lesson 13-15
Science: Murche’s Science Reader VI chapter 51; Creek Edge Press Task Card #15 (motion: flying); The Sciences (263-284); The Story Book of Science (chapter 52); Amazing Science DVD; The Sea Around Us (to page 56)
English: Jensen’s Grammar Lesson 34-37 & Test 7; The Iliad (chapters 6-8); Pictures in Cursive (penmanship and Art Study); The Age of Fable (Druids); The Bronze Bow (page 27, #14a in the study guide; chapter 8)
History: The Story of the Romans chapters 31-48; Around the World in 180 Days (researching for ‘report’)
Foreign Language: Latin review through lesson 20; basic German (found a children’s book and he’s trying to pick out words)
Art/Composer Bierstadt (On the Saco); Beethoven

That is the ‘update’ part and now here are the comments. Deep breath…exhale… being a teacher is hard work! Being an actual teacher. I have at quite a few points in this homeschool journey *not* been an actual teacher; I’ve let the kids do their own learning. By that I mean I told them what they would be covering, what pages to read and let them go. Come find me when you’re done. Might I say {of course I may} that while that does indeed foster quite independent learners, it does not necessarily create well learned independent learners.

With two very different, yet related individuals, perhaps it is not realistic to expect the characteristics of one to be present in the other just because it is present in the first. {You think?} I have a motivated self learner and I have an unmotivated student. At no point will I say that I never have issues with my motivated self learner {msl} and never will I say that my unmotivated student {ums} doesn’t surpass my expectations. Both of those scenarios do happen.

This week and the previous week of school have shown me the above two paragraphs even though I did know this already somewhere in my head. I started planning for the next school year this month {really planning, not just figuring out that I *might* use ‘this’ or *might* cover ‘that’} and it took me a good two weeks to get it all out on paper. You’d think {or is it just me} that it should be much more simple since my curriculum is already written at Ambleside Online.

Sometimes {just some} I think it’d be easier to plan for a classroom of 20+ students! With only two kids {and yet so different} I can, and have to really, individualize my planning. This is a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But just because I did it such-and-such way with #1 doesn’t mean I can get by with doing that same thing with #2. And now that they are getting into more detailed histories, sciences, thinking, I have to know what it is they are reading and talking about. I have to be able to hold a conversation with them in whatever subject they are going through. I am their teacher. Actually, I am their facilitator.

Being a teacher doesn’t mean that I am giving them the ‘facts’ and that they must regurgitate them. That isn’t how learning works. They must {and I must as well} be able to look at the ‘facts’ that are supplied to them and be able to critically think about what they are hearing/reading/seeing, form their own thoughts about them and then be able to explain why they agree or disagree. They also need to be able to see when a ‘fact’ is in reality not a fact. I want them to be able to say, “I don’t see it that way and this is why…” or “No, that is incorrect and here is why…” and to not just be like sheep, following the crowd.

My brain is getting more of a workout than I can really recall it ever getting! Even when I was in undergraduate classes! A lot of the things we are covering now are at the same level and in some cases, above that. Of course some things I just never learned in the first place, so I am learning as well. Today for a change, with our Latin review, the kids quizzed me. I did very well {way better than they thought I would, so they said}. It surprised me and I liked it.

These past two school weeks have really made me appreciate the way we do school. I have a lot of pre-reading to get done before next school year but I am so looking forward to being in the 8th and 10th grade all over again- as a teacher but really as a facilitator –and a student.

Catching up On the Recording Keeping

…and I just wanted to see my blog background again It’s just so…pretty!

I’ve been sick the past two days, not sure what the deal is but I’m up now not feeling well so I figured I would do something productive {that doesn’t require actually ‘doing’ much}.

So how long has it been? I think the last time I kept record was when we had 45 days left of school. I lied about that, I might add. Not intentionally, of course. Today, March 26, 2012, was actually day #140. There was a day here and a day there that we did no school that I forgot we had to tack on at the end. The kids were disappointed but…I have warned them: put it off today, it’ll have to be done tomorrow…or maybe later than that but it will be done!

For Fox:
Bible: Reading Joshua 3-8, John 11-14; verse Romans 12:1-10 ; Who Am I?, read 109-139, did {some of} pages 78-101 in notebook; Saints & Heroes- William the Silent and Brewster {1/2 of Laud today}
Math: Saxon Algebra 1, up to lesson 10
English: Jensen’s Grammar Lesson 23-30 and Test 5; Age of Fable finally finished chapter 37; The Aeneid for Boys and Girls by Church (finished reading); Bronze Bow (still working with Progeny Press study guide {it’s slow goin’; that’s an in depth study guide!}); Pictures in Cursive (Level E); Animal Farm {finished! and watched the 1954 version cartoon}
Science: Creek Edge Press Task Card #12 {for some reason this was set aside for almost a week- he finished #12 today and will do #13 this week}; The Story Book of Science up to chapter 47; The Sciences (pages 230-262); Archimedes chapter 6 & 7; started The Sea Around Us (for Young Readers) {I’m liking it}
History/Geography: Story of the Romans chapter 10-22 (written narration); A Journey Through Learning notebooking pages; Asia Hands of A Child notebook pages (finished the packet); Around the World in 180 Days questions; Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity has been moved to a ‘free’ read {like he has a choice LOL}
Foreign Language: Review (up to Lesson 14); started some simple German lessons
Ohio Study: Gave presentation on the Wright brothers.

And here is Lee’s work:
Bible: Reading Joshua 14-20, Romans 8-11; verse Psalm 139:1-8; Esther commentary
Math: Life of Fred Advanced Algebra Lesson 15-24
English: Excellence in Literature (Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court); Progeny Press, The Screwtape Letters, working on Letters 5-9; Utopia (finally finished!); History of English Literature (chapter 55); still chuggin’ along with Westward Ho!
History/Geography: Western Civilization pages 421-439 (PowerPoint Presentation on Thirty-Years War; wrote on Peter the Great); Kon Tiki chapters 4 & 5
Current Events Weeks of 3/9, 3/16, 3/23
Foreign Language: Greek Level 5, Lesson 22-31; Latin review (up to Lesson 14)
Government/Civics: Whatever Happened to Justice? chapter 38 & 39; Francis Bacon’s “Of Truth”
Science: Biology, chapter 8 (took test); “Cells” by Ellen McHenry, chapter 8
Ohio Study: researched the ‘creation’ of Cleveland, OH, has to give presentation still

We also managed to get Composer Study in last week, finished up with Mozart. Art study as well {we’re still on Bierstadt because we just love his work!}.

So that’s how it’s gone- on paper. In reality, it’s been okay. I’m trying to work on getting good narrations out of both of them. It seems like it’s a take two steps forward, one step back deal. I prefer to discuss what they read and are learning rather than just write it down because they do not interject what they think in writing. They write the facts; this happened and that’s that. When they narrate orally they are more lively {well one of them has a problem with being too lively} and they give the impression of what their opinions are a lot of the time simply by the way their voice goes up, what words they stress while narrating and also their body language. Both can efficiently write out a general summary of what they read. That’s not what I’m looking for –not completely. So it’s a work in progress –still –and perhaps always.

I am trying to focus more on their education while re-teaching myself. I watched Simply Charlotte Mason’s All Day Seminar {that may not be the correct title} and really have been impressed how important it is for us as parents to have the habits discussed in Charlotte Mason’s work. We can expect them of our kids but if we do not have them ourselves, it will be evident and it will be a struggle. So I am trying one thing at a time; one habit at a time.

First is habit of attention. The goal is to say it quietly and only once. That’s my first habit that I’m working on. I must pay attention to my surroundings {that means my kids when I’m busy lol} so that I do not have to say “what?” If I can do this and get it down, then it will be easier to expect it from them. I’ll figure out the next habit when I’m close to mastering the first

Well, my stomach feels like it’s settled enough for me to try to sleep again. Goodnight!

Oh… There Is Life Outside of the Computer! Who Knew!

Two weeks or so, I think, since I last posted something that wasn’t a review or impersonal. So where have we been and what have we been up to? There has to have been a thing or two if it’s kept me away from the computer! *wink*

I will be honest- I have been at the computer. Almost every. single. day. But my ‘priorities’ were shifted and my blog got neglected. I was going to say ‘sad to say’, but I’m not entirely sad. I feel like I’ve been …living. The kids have been on the computer and using technology possibly more than I have lately. Now that’s just weird.

I’ve been slaving away busy at making things for the new Schoolhouse Teachers from The Old Schoolhouse. I’ve been enjoying that. I get to research events and people that I either didn’t even know about before hand or have thought about digging deeper. My contribution is really small at Schoolhouse Teachers but I really am having fun with it.

Besides that I’ve been catching up on some reading. Not everything I want to read and definitely not as fast as I would like (my attention span has gone w a y down in the last few years) but I am plugging along.

The kids have been doing a lot on their games…computer games, that is. I’m not sure how that is working. The deal was that they could have no ‘screen time’ until after 5 pm and only if school and chores were completed (with good attitudes). Well…wouldn’t you know- they’ve been consistent with doing what they are supposed to do and well. The problem that I am having is that about the time they get on something is when I’m ready to call it a night (when I spend time with my hubby). They are then left to regulate their screen time- with the rule that nothing past 9 pm. So if you think about it, that could be a maximum of 4 hours a day of screen time. They don’t generally get done by 5 pm but by 6 or 6:30 pm, yes. That’s a lot of time! The idea was that they would tire of it and wean themselves. Um, no. Not happening. They become zombies! They’ll know soon enough but the ‘rule’ is about to change –again.

Beside computer and DS playing, the kids have enjoyed the weather (well, when it was nice- today is a tad chilly) and played together in the back field often. We also drove 35 minutes to Bay Village, OH, to a metropark to meet up with some other homeschoolers. We met a nice mother and her son that just moved here from NC. He son is the same age as Fox. Unfortunately the drive had given Fox a case of car sickness so he wasn’t very social. We are going to a different metropark next Friday- same group of homeschoolers. It isn’t quite as far (lol may 10 minutes less!); in Rocky River, OH.

The kids also have participated in a game night at church and decorated eggs (plastic, wood, hard-boiled and styrofoam). Good times :) I was ‘working’ both times and missed out.

Oh gosh! and remember probably two weeks ago when I said we were going outside and I’d try to post pictures? Ah, well, I almost forgot too. Here are just a few of the photos (not that I took many because I only had my phone):

     

Not many that day. But here are a few from our trip to the metropark on this past Friday (very few again):

     

Saturday (why that was just yesterday!) we finally got our taxes all squared away. It took a while this time because we opted to drop them off with H&R Block and just have them call us when they were done. We didn’t specify that we wanted them done in a certain time frame so it took about a week and a half. Next time I think I’ll press for just spending an hour or two in the chair at the office. Maybe.

And now it’s almost Monday –again! Just like bills and dirty dishes, huh? (you always have to pay them even though you did last month; you always have to wash them again…). This will be week #6 in our rotation which means the week after is a break week. I might postpone our break week until the week after because my niece will be here then and we are traveling to South Carolina (I think that’s where Fort Jackson is…suppose I should make doubly sure!) for my sister’s boot camp graduation.

As for school for the kids, I really need to update on where they are! But this is getting long. I will post an update on school later. Maybe tomorrow. But for now I’ll leave off with showing our progress on our continuing art poster. I wonder what it will look like when it’s done. I wonder how long it will take for finish! The last one I took just a few minutes ago. *sorry it’s so blurry!

  

Well,that’s all for now. Until next time!

Week #26- Done! & Some Other Stuff

I’m using the wee little netbook to write this post and although I am still using LW (love it), the formatting is somewhat different than I am  used to! I’m being oh so nice and letting the kids use my big screen laptop- games are more fun on the ‘big screen’.

The week seems like it just was dragging but it really wasn’t so.

In my life this week…
…it’s just been…well, it’s just been! The weather is weird- cold, wet, then warm, sunny and back to snow. It’s getting me all confused. It’s raining right now but I heard something about snow on the radio.

I made liquid dishwasher detergent again and it works okay except for on plastic, like Rubbermaid containers. Some of my glass dishes (my square storage containers) also do not ‘like’ it. It leaves a film coat on these as well as pots, pans and aluminum dishes (such as my espresso scoop). It’ll work until I can buy more store-bought- I think I will quit making it on my own for now lol.

In our homeschool this week…
…we’ve been doing quite well! Only one day, Lee felt just completely unmotivated. So much so unmotivated that not even taking away her ‘screen time’ did anything to motivate her. She did finally get some stuff done but not all…and she felt just fine with that. Fox has been a trooper with every subject EXCEPT math. He detests math. I honestly have no idea what to do but just keep on keeping on. He cannot recall formulas and concepts from yesterday, last week and definitely not last year! My main focus right now, though is to help him try to have a more positive attitude about math. It’s okay that he cannot recall; we just will go over it again. It isn’t the end of the world and it never lasts long- it’s not worth letting it ruin one’s day.

Monday was testing and I finally got the previous week recorded. Tuesday and Wednesday were good and that’s where I posted about my latest dishwasher detergent. Thursday was Lee’s ‘funk’ day but today’s been good.

Here is Fox’s work Thursday and Friday:
Bible: Reading Deut. 33, John 9; verse Romans 12:1-6; Who Am I?, read 76-89, did pages 60-63 in notebook; Saints & Heroes rest of Coligny (narration)
Math: Saxon Algebra 1, Lesson 6 and correcting
English: Jensen’s Grammar Test 4 and Lesson 21; Age of Fable chapter 37 (started); The Aeneid for Boys and Girls by Church (this is for English and History)
Logic: Art of Argument pages 14-17, question set A
Science: Creek Edge Press Task Card #7 (gears and belts), activities 5-7 (PowerPoint Presentation)
History/Geography: Story of the Romans chapter 6 & 7 (written narration), A Journey Through Learning notebooking pages

And here is Lee’s work:
Bible: Reading Joshua 10, Romans 5; verse Colossians 3
Math: Life of Fred Advanced Algebra Lesson 11 & 12
English: Excellence in Literature (essay); Progeny Press, The Screwtape Letters, working on Letters 1-4
History/Geography: Western Civilization pages 413-416; Kon Tiki chapter 2
Current Events no post this week {ahem, she didn’t “like” anything that was going on and so didn’t report on it}
Foreign Language: Greek Level 5, Lesson 16
Government/Civics: -
Science: Biology, chapter 8 (reading about cellular respiration)

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
…LIBRARY! Don’t forget to use the library! OH-EM-GEE! I don’t know why I’ve not tried it more often (wait, yes, I do know why- before our library was, ahem, lame extremely small and underfunded and didn’t have much of anything). If you have the option of interlibrary loan (with out the fees) GO FOR IT! I requested a book from one of the local colleges through our public library. We used to have to pay $3 to have a book delivered from the library 10 miles away- per book- at our old library.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
…other than to the library a few times this past week, Fox will be going to a wild game get-together with another church tomorrow. He will be able to eat various wild game (he’s hoping for squirrel). He will go with our pastor and their two boys. Lee and I have opted to stay home. We also made it to the park once- it was so nice out but cooled off quickly. We had lunch at Euclid Creek Reservation.

My favorite thing this week was…
…playing with my kids. My ds is almost as tall as his sister and she is just an inch or two shorter than I. We love to ‘wrastle’. We used to do it so much when the kids were small enough that I could pick them both up at once…we do it less as they get older but when we do I love it. I love the hugs I get from them afterwards.

Oh and my new sweatshirt:

What’s working/not working for us…
…hmmm, I think things are going well. Other than math being a constant thorn in the side everything else is going well.

Things I’m working on…
…actually finally nothing! I spent all week getting some worksheets made as well as trying to figure out how to get all our review items into the schedules and now I’ve got nothing to work on :) It’s a wonderful thing. Even if it is only for the weekend.

I’m reading…
…too much! Oi vey! Here is my list: More Beauty, Less Beast by Debora Coty; By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer; Light Under the House by Aaron and Donna Dawson; It Could Happen Tomorrow by Gary Frazier; Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock; Heiress by Susan May Warren; The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. I finished a couple of books this week but I feel like I’m overloaded with reading!

I’m cooking…
…well this morning I made blini –a bit like crepes but supposed to be not as sweet. I put more sugar than was called for because we didn’t have anything to put on them or to wrap in them. We got the recipe out of the Who Am I? book from Apologia. They were extremely difficult to make. I’m not sure if it is because I do not have a good skillet and/or my spatula is too old and mutilated (makes it difficult to gently get under the blin). Next time it’ll be pancakes like we are used to; they’re easy. For dinner I might make burgers and hot dogs- easy.

I’m grateful for…
…so much! I was thinking today, but really all week, how wonderful God is and how my life is blessed. We have everything we need and so many things that we want. I am grateful for freedoms and privileges that are taken for granted. I’m so so grateful for my little family. My kids are the absolute best gift that I’ve ever been given and I am so thankful that they are home with me. My husband is so so precious to me. That God has given me so much makes my heart swell and brings tears of joy to my eyes. My life is so blessed- Thank you, God.

I’m praying for…
…the families affected by the school shooting in Chardon, OH, this week. Three of the five teens that were shot have died. One mother spoke about the morning of the shooting: her son was not a morning person and usually was late to school. He wasn’t that morning. She feels that God has a plan and who knows why but her son was on time to school that morning. One of the adults there that morning stayed with the kids who were shot, he prayed with them, tried to comfort them. He wiped their tears. I pray for him- God comfort him. I pray for this entire town. I pray for this country. I pray for this world. Jesus is the only answer to end all suffering.

Photos to share…

That’s been our week. Linking up with the following:

Come on over for a visit :)

Catch-Up! Week 25 and Testing

Please be in prayer for those who are affected by the Chardon, OH, school shooting.

I thank God everyday that my kids are home with me.

So I missed the entire week’s worth of school recording. It was a busy week for me. But here I am getting caught up!

Here is Fox’s work:
Bible: Reading Deut. 30 & 31, John 6 & 7; verse Romans 12:1-4; Who Am I?, read 57-68, do pages 38-44 in notebook; Saints & Heroes pages 81-90 (drawn illustration)
Math: Saxon Algebra 1 Lesson 3, remaining problems and Lesson 4, all problems
English: Jensen’s Grammar Lesson 20 and correcting Lessons; Progeny Press, The Bronze Bow, finished book, pre-reading activities 3 & 4; Reading Eggspress
Logic: The Art of Argument, pages 8-13 (workbook questions page 12 & 13)
Science: The Story Book of Science chapter 41; Creek Edge Press Task Card #3 (more about levers); Archimedes chapter 3
History/Geography: Hands of a Child Asia Note Pack; Story of the Romans chapter 1-3 (written narration)

And here is Lee’s work:
Bible: Reading Joshua 7 & 8, Romans 2 & 3; verse Colossians 3:1-22; Esther Commentary
Math: Life of Fred Advanced Algebra Lesson 7-8 (taking 2 days per lesson)
English: Excellence in Literature (still working with Around the World in 80 Days); Sonnets; Utopia {I’ve put this under English after reading Surprised by Laughter- More himself said that it is not to be taken as a model- it is for reading and for fun}; History of English Literature chapter 51
History/Geography: Western Civilization pages 410-413, essay on witchcraft trials in France; Kon Tiki (chapter 1)
Current Events see her blog post
Foreign Language: Greek Level 5, Lesson 10-13
Government/Civics: Whatever Happened to Justice? chapter 35
Science: Biology, beginning chapter 8 (reading outline, working on vocabulary, 2 quizzes)

Today, the first day of week 26 finds us doing our required testing. We are halfway through the testing. This is all that is scheduled for school today- yay If the weather is nice (and looking outside it looks like it is) we will be going outdoors!

*edited link

What, It’s Friday? Weekly Wrap-Up & Homeschool Mother’s Journal

I’m always at a loss…I never seem to know what day it is anymore! Fully intending to get on here and write up what’s been going on during the week …and I just now get to it…on Friday.

In our homeschool this week…Today is the 102nd day of school {wow}. It’s not been a very good week for school but not so bad otherwise. Just a quick run down of school related things:

Lee:
Bible: Reading (Deut. 30 & 31, Acts 25), verse (Colossians 3:1-14), Mark Commentary
Math: Life of Fred Beginning Algebra (Lesson 105 & 106)
History/Geography: Wes. Civ. (something, but it wasn’t recorded correctly! )
Language Arts: Everyman; History of English Literature (chapter 48); Excellence in Literature (reading 2889 by Jules Verne- she’s supposed to read Around the World in Eighty Days)
Foreign Language:  Greek (Lessons 34-36; FINISHED)
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: Utopia; Current Events (no post again this Friday); Ohio Study
Science: Biology (pages 120-125 and 7.4 chapter outline)

Fox:
Bible: Reading (Deut. 20 & 21, Luke 23 & 24), verse (Proverbs 6:16-20), Saints & Heroes (Loyola & Cranmer)
Math: Saxon Alg 1 (review- very first part of the book)
History/Geography: Heritage History Classical Curriculum (some chapters in Story of the Greeks)
Language Arts: Jensen’s Grammar (Lessons 11-13); The Age of Fable (finished chapter 36), Animal Farm
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: The Fallacy Detective (Lesson 10)
Science: Murche’s (Lesson 40), The Story Book of Science (Chapter 34 & 35); Albert Einstein (chapter 4)

In my life this week…Wednesday was the 100th day of school so we ate 129 skittles (the extra 29 apiece is because we had to split it equally, you know!) < that’s how I felt afterward. Neither of the kids seemed to be affected!

I worked Monday and Thursday, just under 13 hours total. It seems, however, that those 13 hours equate to at least 24 hours wasted. Not sure how that works… but I’m telling you that’s how it is!

I’m thinking, honestly, that Tuesday was the only day that school was truly done. When I sat down in the classroom {or wherever}, with the kids, and did the whole teacher-and-student …thing. I’ve got to plan better next week!

Things I’m working on…I worked on my AO/HEO Kindle Ready Books website {it’s a never ending work in progress, thankfully} and also volunteered to do a few days worth of February history downloads for Teacher’s Toolbox. And then there’s also working with my mom on a project {I’ve not done anything really yet}. Doing those things means I didn’t get to do all my dishes and the making of good, nutritious meals for my family. Nah, I’m just kidding- those things didn’t get done because I chose to do other things {and no, my family did not go without lol- well, maybe the dishes part…}

And here it is Friday…Fox did some school and Lee worked on Greek {that’s not even work to her- she does it for fun}. We shoveled snow and the kids have played on the Wii. It’s just one of those days.

I plan on working more on the things for my mom, getting that last Teacher’s Toolbox item done, making chicken enchiladas for dinner (I’m cooking…) and then promptly crashing on the couch. I’m thinking I might have a head cold today. Me, who is very rarely sick. I am sneezing a lot and my head feels like it is full of cotton.

As for the kids… they will so nicely occupy themselves and/or each other {and the cat} for a few hours. It’ll all be fine …just fine.

 

Hymn (Days # 91-92)

O Come All Ye Faithful
O Tannenbaum & Oh Christmas Tree

We haven’t been doing so swell with ‘school work’ but we’ve listened to hymns thought I’d share what we’ve listened to.

The Week Before Break- Thank Goodness!

Uh huh…so it looks like Thursday through Sunday just totally snuck by me! Or it could be that I was busy and couldn’t take the time to post about it Do you believe that? heehee… it might just be true.

This post is just a (hopefully) quick recap of those days:

School-wise:
12/8 & 9/11

Both:
Hymn: O Holy Night (Thursday), Christmas Don’t Be Late (Friday)

Lee:
Bible: Reading (Deut. 25, Acts 21); Verse (Colossians 3:1-12); Mark Commentary
Math: Life of Fred Beginning Algebra (Lesson 98-99)
History/Geography: Western Civilization (pages 354-356); Heritage History (map work); A Man for All Seasons (watched the movie* {or on Netflix})
Language Arts: Westward Ho!; Sonnets
Foreign Language: Hey Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek (Level 4, Lesson 27-28)
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: Whatever Happened to Justice? (Origin of the Government, chapter 30); Current Events (wrote a post); Utopia
Science: SAS Curriculum Pathways (QL# 449) 
Life Skills: made oatmeal muffins all by herself following a recipe for church gathering (Saturday)

Fox:
Bible: Reading (Deut. 14, Luke 19 [narrated]); Verse (Proverbs 15:16-19); Saints & Heroes (Thomas More; narrated)
Math: ck-12 Grade 6 (lesson 11.1-11.3)
History/Geography: Heritage History (read, narrated); A Man for All Seasons (watched the movie with Lee)
Language Arts: Jensen’s Grammar (Test 1); The Age of Fable (chapter 35; poets of mythology {Homer, Ovid, Virgil, Milton})
Foreign Language: –
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: The Fallacy Detective (lesson 8)
Science: Murche’s (Lesson 35; narrated); The Story Book of Science (Chapter 31; narrated)

Otherwise:

Thursday and Friday we didn’t go anywhere (other than the usual errands- post office, grocery store, etc). I rented Smurfs for the kids from Redbox on Friday. I had wanted to watch it with them but some reason I didn’t. They laughed a lot though so I know it was good. We may rent it again this coming Friday.

Saturday we went to the Christmas Brunch at our church. Lee made some oatmeal muffins to take (and then we forgot to even try them!). It was a fun time with games, singing, and fellowship.

Sunday we went to morning service and then the kids had choir practice before evening service. Lee will have a solo for the Christmas service. All the kids sound really good (just need to be louder ).

And that was our exciting Thursday-Sunday! Now on to the last week of school before break!

*affiliate link

Days # 84 & 85- Saturday School is Sometimes Necessary & Some Christmas Talk

I debated whether to include the Saturday work the kids did for school as an official day. In the end I went ahead and counted it. After all work was done, why not include it?

One reason we had to have school on Saturday is because we were just blah on one day during the week and not much school got done. I think Fox did half of his work and Lee did only 3 subjects. Just one of those needed extra light days.

12/2&3/11

Both:
Hymn: Christmas Carols {both days: Little Drummer Boy- we listened to Faith Hill sing this song- it is my favorite Christmas song}
Worked on and completed making a catapult from Pitsco Education.

Lee:
Bible: Reading (Deut. 22); Verse (Colossians 3:1-10); Mark Commentary
Math: Life of Fred Beginning Algebra (Lesson 95)
History/Geography: Western Civilization (pages 350-351); Francis Bacon (narrated); Heritage History (read about Robert Bruce; narrated)
Language Arts: Shakespeare Sonnets; Westward Ho!
Foreign Language: Hey Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek (Level 4, lesson 23); First Form Latin (Lesson 24, worksheet 5)
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: Current Events (wrote a post)
Science: Biology (chapter 6 test)

Fox:
Bible: Reading (Deut. 1); Verse (Proverbs 15:16-17); Saints & Heroes (Martin Luther)
Math: ck-12 Grade 6 (lesson 10.9)
History/Geography: Heritage History (read, narrated); Read from World Studies (China)
Language Arts: Jensen’s Grammar (Lesson 5); The Age of Fable (chapter 35; statures of gods- Jupiter and Minerva)
Foreign Language: First Form Latin (Lesson 24, worksheet 5)
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: -
Science: The Story Book of Science (narrated)

And now it’s Monday…yet again. It’s almost noon and we’ve still not started on school. Sigh. There’s two weeks until Winter Break…will we make it?? Interestingly, I still haven’t received our letter from the school district pertaining to homeschooling. I did get a membership with HSLDA because it makes me nervous homeschooling here.

We went Christmas shopping this morning instead of working on school. We found some cute things that will be good gifts {I hope, and I crossed out cute because I’m sure the guys on my list don’t want ‘cute’ things lol!}. Fortunately, the individuals we shop for are so easy to please. It isn’t about what we get it’s about the thought that is put into getting the item. Honestly, it’s usually more about the family getting together but this year we can’t do that. We must settle for sending some gifts –as if they could replace our presence…never. Family is more important than any of the material things we will receive or give.

It was fun to choose gifts for the people on our list. And thankfully, I only heard “oh, I want this!” two times. Someone forgot, momentarily, that we were shopping for others, not for ourselves. The kids had chosen a gift for each other a few weeks ago and they wrapped them today. I had one that I could wrap as well. It was so much fun wrapping them. I disguised the gift I wrapped. The person who opens it will never have guessed what’s inside! Mwahahaha!

Christmas Tree 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We had a blast decorating our tree on Saturday night. Then we went to an old building in town to see some awesome lights. It is a GE Lighting shop that is something like 100 years old. They deck out the building, adjoining buildings and the lawn with fantastic displays with lights. Here you can see a photo collection from 2009. The road was so cramped with cars (whether to look at the displays as well or just traveling the same road, I don’t know) so we were not able to actually stop and get any shots to share. It was so neat though. But of course, it’s online! If the video doesn’t work below, click the link in the previous sentence

And I should get off of here and get us going…Monday, Monday, Monday…

What We’ve Been Up To :) Days #40-42

So I said we were taking the 40th day off of school but wouldn’t you know, we found something educational to do anyway

Our 40th day (making 8 full weeks of school down –140 days to go!) was on Sunday, the 18th. We had a family field trip to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Unfortunately it is full of evolutionary views. From planets and galaxies coming into existence due to a random explosion, to humans evolving from monkeys. Bleh. We still enjoyed the museum.

Here is a collection of photos I took while there. With my phone- so they aren’t the best to see them all click ‘view slide show’.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

The kids and I made leaf rubbings in the Discovery Center that we ‘discovered’ 5 minutes before it closed. The special feature for this time of year (through December 31) is about Climate Change. Global warming, rising sea levels, potential disappearance of land and animals, and all that goes along with that. Use and misuse of resources by humans and the damage it is and will continue to cause. I thought it was well done but it definitely was done from a secular view.

Monday was back to real school (you know, the one with books and writing and reading and stuff ). Went well and Lee finished before 2pm. That’s good for her! She’s usually the one that drags it out for a while. Fox also did well. He did a written narration that I was very proud of. He said “Don’t expect that all the time” to which I said “I do expect that every time!” (139 days to go!)

Tuesday we drove by our house –again- to check the mail and finally! I received something! With a piece of mail with my address on it I was able to get a library card. There are at least 28 branches in Cuyahoga County that we can visit (or check out online). And if that isn’t enough (lol, it’s not) then we can get books from the Cleveland Public Library branches (and there are at least 20 of those!). I just discovered that they have BOOKS FOR THE KINDLE!!! Oh, I’m happy happy happy! The librarian also mentioned that there are a few college/university libraries that we are able to get resources from as well. Could it get any better? Better not push my luck (138 days to go!)

We also had dinner with the pastor (and three of his 5? kids) of the church we attended on Sunday at Cracker Barrel. I’d never been in one and it was an interesting experience Unfortunately the pastor’s two youngest weren’t feeling well so his wife and they stayed home. It was very nice to visit with them.

Today, Wednesday, the 21st is a No School day because… Lee is 15! It’s a weird bday for her because there isn’t any cake or ice cream (what she says she’s missing the most). She will get to go to a special dinner with her dad (just the two of them) soon and that will be very nice for her

I will wrap this up because I have clothes in the dryer down in the guest laundry here at the hotel. Finish up with the school work done for the last two days of school:

Lee:
Bible: Reading (Numbers 34, Acts 3), verse (Romans 6:1-16), Mere Christianity (Bk 3, Ch 8)
Math: Life of Fred Beginning Algebra (Lesson 63 & 64)
History/Geography: The Life of Christopher Columbus, Western Civilization (pages 313-315)
Language Arts: Jensen’s Grammar (Lesson 71 & 72), History of English Literature (Chapter 38)
Foreign Language:  First Form Latin (Lesson 19, intro to lesson and worksheet 1)
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: Utopia, Plutarch
Science: Biology (test)
Composer Study: We listened to Vivaldi but didn’t get to the lesson yet because we still do not have our stuff

Fox:
Bible: Reading (Number 23, Luke 1), verse (Isaiah 40:28-29), Saints & Heroes (Langton)
Math: Life of Fred PreAlgebra 2 with Economics (Bridge –third try and chapter 28)
History/Geography: Story of the Greeks (chapters 1-4), On the Shores of the Great Sea (chapters 1 & 2)
Language Arts: 30 minutes of reading (Across Five Aprils), Robert Frost (read and talked about 3 different poems), Hobbit (1/2 chapter 9)
Foreign Language: First Form Latin (Lesson 19, intro to lesson and worksheet 1)
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? (1/2 chapter 8), The Fallacy Detective (Introduction)
Science: The Sciences (Astronomy), Murche’s Science Reader VI (Lesson 17, vocabulary)
Penmanship: Pictures in Cursive
Composer Study: Listened to Vivaldi…see above.

What's Been Up Over Here :)

Today is already Tuesday (and only Tuesday!) and I feel that I've been gone forever. 


Saturday was productive. Out of the list of to-dos I had, we finished at least 4 of them and started or got well into another 2 of them. The rest will have to wait until this weekend (ie: the rest of the fence being stained and the weed extermination). 


Sunday was good, we went to both services at Church. And I should have posted on Sunday because there was something great that I heard/thought because of the service and now I can't recall :( If I think of it I will post it another time. But either way: God is GOOD. Always.


Monday was our second week at Co-Op and a local new friend has started to attend also. She has two children, an 8 year old and a 10 year old. Her son (the 10 yo) is on the autism spectrum - but where I couldn't tell you - and he gets over stimulated easily. We worried some that the new atmosphere and the amount of kids (and people in general) might cause him to have an anxiety attack but he did surprisingly well. Her daughter, so far, is a typical 8 yo (as typical as one can be with living with a brother with autism)- she's super sweet and surprisingly (or not so surprising maybe) mature for an 8 yo. We didn't bring a potluck contribution this week so we had pb&j sandwiches made with the bread I made on Sunday. We came back home and picked up 40 lbs of flour from a generous friend from church that is moving soon and trying to lighten their packing. We will definitely miss them! I'm so grateful for the flour as I was down to my last 5 lb bag and would have had to buy more shortly. God is good :) & she is nice too ;)


Today is Tuesday (lol in case you'd not figured that out yet!) and I feel that the week has zoomed past already -then I catch myself and realize it has really just started! I am still waiting on two books for one of my classes so worry that I will fall behind. Fortunately, he's emailed everyone the first week's reading materials. Perhaps he is aware the books are backordered. I've not even started the other class other than to look at the 'homepage' for the class. Last week I did do the first assignment but haven't actually 'turned it in'. Well, I do think that all is going well.


Today for the kids' school they've done well and are moving along well. I will most likely do Weekly Wrap-Ups for that on Friday (unless I periodically get a moment- like now!). The Monthly Barden will be up hopefully by October 15th! Keep an eye open for it!