In my life this week.... I spent the week in awe of the Met. I have been there when I was a know-it-all kid, but as an adult the place was really so much more powerful...I am still in awe! My wish is for you all to experience it--it truly is a beautiful, wondrous place!
In our homeschool this week.... The girls continued with their math and are both doing really well! I am absolutely amazed at how the skills they learned in Math U See has stuck with them!
We took a break from our Writing program and the girls have been working day and night to write a play with roles for each of our guests on Thanksgiving. It will be performed and videotaped on Thanksgiving! We spent several hours this week on set design as well ;-)
We have also been working with the Life in Plymouth Colony history pocket.
Helpful homeschool tips or advice to share... We love the History and Lit Pocket books by Evan Moore. The one we are using presently is the first book that I got in paperback form, all of the other ones I used were PDF files. I think PDF is the way to go! The activities in the paperback are printed on the back of important directions and stories, so I still need to make photocopies!
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I am inspired by... the fact that our read-aloud The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh is about the first settlers of the town where we used to live - the town where A was born. I did some research and this little girl lived a few yards from the hospital where A was born and played by the Housatonic probably in the area where I used to walk our dog!
Hanging out with our wonderful friends on Thursday :)
Places we are going and people we are seeing... We had another busy week - I am sure that in January I will regret saying this, but right now I am looking forward to those weeks at home! Monday I worked and the girls had sewing lessons (thanks to my parents!); Tuesday I worked and the girls came with me (choir and youth group were cancelled this week); Wednesday was the girls art and Drawing classes; Thursday we hung out with friends and had a wonderful impromptu sleepover that lasted until Friday - I LOVE homeschooling!
My favorite thing this week was... discovering that the book we are reading took place in an area that I know and love so well! As someone who has always loved books about the settlers and pioneers, I just love knowing that I walked in this little girl's footprints; I pushed A's stroller past the site where her father built a house (on the Green in New Milford, CT - near Bank Street) and that I walked my dog on the paths near the Housatonic where she used to play. I can envision the Indians carrying her across the Housatonic River on their shoulders! I can picture the hills just to the East of her home. I know that town like the back of my hand! I lived there for five years and A was born there!
What's working/not working for us... Adolescent attitudes are not working for me. Not at all. Eye rolling, sighing, muttering under breath...
Questions/Thoughts I have... For those of you who have 12 year old girls...how do you get past the eye-rolling and the sighing? We have our good days and then our days when everything I say to A annoys her and she wants to be in charge or at the very least, she does not want to listen to me.
Things I am working on... getting ready for Thanksgiving! We have family coming in from out of town! I can't wait -- it's been YEARS since we saw them!
I'm reading.... I read Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto in one night. Now I am re-reading (skimming, really) How Children Learn by John Holt. I am also reading a Harlequin Superromance, there I said it. The cat is out of the bag. Sometimes I just need something light with a happy ending. Feel free to think less of me now.
A is still loving The Hobbit. She and Jason discuss it all the time. She has convinced Jason to read The Lightning Thief, one of her favorite books and they are discussing that all the time too!
P is reading Meet Rebecca from the American Girl series.
I'm cooking.... pork chops smothered in mayo then breaded and cooked at 375 degrees for 20 minutes...it's the only way we cook breaded pork chops anymore!
I'm grateful for.... Math U See-- last year math was our struggle, we could not find a program that A liked and now she doesn't mind Math U See and has learned a lot and grown a lot in her ability with math! I love the Math U See scaffolding approach, it is perfect for her learning style!
I'm praying for.... my aunt who was in a car accident this week. Also, that we can get peace of mind with our roof.
This weekend I am looking forward to.... Tonight I am filling in for a Bunco game! The girls are attending a Magic Workshop on Saturday and I am hoping to meet with this roofer! Sunday we are going to Home Depot to get all the supplies for the soffitt vent project.
