Friday, October 7, 2011

Homeschool Mother's Journal - 5

In my life this week.... I was sick and my heart was just not in schooling.  My wonderful girls created games to reinforce their knowledge of the state capitals and Latin & Greek roots and played together and quizzed each other.  They also did a lot of independent work in grammar, math and writing.  

In our homeschool this week.... we released our butterflies.  We were very thankful that temps have consistently been above 65 since we released them!  It is unseasonably warm here.


We also finished Chapter 5 in our history book and enjoyed looking at pictures of Buddhist caves in India and reading a book about Buddha.

In addition, we began a wonderful photosynthesis experiment - have I mentioned how much I LOVE Real Science 4 Kids - this experiment is so awesome that it deserves it's own special post!  (Oh and I am THRILLED to realize this week that there is a Real Science Curriculum for Grades 7-9!!!)

Helpful homeschool tips or advice to share... having some things your kid can work on independently when you are sick is a blessing.  I was so sick this week - I haven't been that sick since I had swine flu two years ago, seems early for flu, but the symptoms were similar - anyway, the girls did grammar, math and writing completely on their own.  We read history and science together and did the map work and conducted the experiments together.  I was so pleased that the girls were able to work independently so well because a lot of our homeschooled high schoolers we know do a lot of independent work and I am hoping we choose that route!

Helpful blogging tips to share... having some posts in your queue to publish when you don't feel like writing is also a blessing - my chicken soup recipe and the Grammar Giveaway posts were both written a week or two ago when I had time to write a bunch of posts, but only published one per day.

Places we are going and people we are seeing... The girls came to work with me and went to piano lessons, both their regular lessons and a free trial lesson at a nearby music school to see how they liked it.  Neither girl was feeling well Tuesday so they missed choir and the first week of youth group which was a bummer :(  I was feeling better Thursday so I over did it went to homeschool soccer, did some shopping and got my car serviced.  Then I went to bed early with a headache.  I have such a bad habit of feeling just a little bit better and getting so excited that I go crazy trying to do everything I didn't do when I was sick!




My favorite thing this week was... spending time Sunday with my brother and sister-in-law and niece.  We have had some rough patches, but we seem to all be in a really good place now.  I could not be happier.  I REALLY enjoy being with ALL of them.  My sister-in-law and I have some great, funny chats and some great serious chats and she is very helpful...and I think we have more in common than we may have realized.
I never said we were sane; here is my brother sporting his "bro-stache" on his iphone.
I spent a TON on my brother's gift ;-)

yep, lots of fun with the bro-stache

What's working/not working for us... since we homeschool, we don't have work to make up when we are sick!

Questions/Thoughts I have... how do other moms handle being sick when their kids are healthy?  Do you have them do independent work?

I'm reading....  One of the best things about being sick is that I don't feel guilty doing what for me is the MOST luxurious, decadent thing in the world--laying in bed all day reading!  That is my happy place!  I read Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations On Life with John F. Kennedy, which I enjoyed.  I started Alice Hoffman's new book The Dovekeepers and am still not quite sure how I feel about it.  

I'm cooking....  I made sausage and broccoli rabe this week...Jason and I love it!  It's a little bitter for the girls, but they eat some.
sausage and broccoli rabe


This weekend I am looking forward to.... we are supposed to go apple/pumpkin picking and the hubinator wants to get some projects done around the casa.


What I am praying about/grateful for... a man who inspired millions and changed the world.

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. - Apple Inc.

        Rest in Peace Steve Jobs ~ 1955-2011