Homeschool Mother's Journal - Week 35

In my life this week....

Well pretty much the same.  Lots of balancing and trying not to drop any of the many balls that I am trying to juggle.  Funny thing is....I cannot juggle.  I am so uncoordinated!!!  We are seeing the ugly side of autism continually.  I feel like that is all I post about, but really that seems to be at the forefront of our lives on a daily basis.  Typical calming techniques are not working, and our house feels like a loud orangutan preserve most days.  (I say this because Brayden screams and grunts loudly like an orangutan when he decides to meltdown and not actually use words for why he is upset.)

We all have come down with stuffy/runny noses.  A couple with sore throats, a couple with earaches (because of their noses), and some even have all the symptoms.  I am running a cold medicine schedule right now and the dishwasher constantly.  There is always a pot of hot water in the coffeemaker for hot tea (which is what Joe and I are living on), and I have been making soup a lot this week.  I also have been living on Elderberry syrup and doses of Oregano Oil in hopes that I can avoid being hit too hard.  With all my food allergies that have emerged in the past year, medicine sensitivity also has appeared, so I cannot take almost anything.

I have been trying to come up with a way to clean up some more shelves in our house also.  I just feel like the walls are pressing in on me.  More like the clutter is moving in on me.  I am still trying the 31 Days to Clean Challenge, and have finished up to Day 5.  I just haven't posted it yet.  I knew that I would be running behind and always trying to keep up, and would have to move at a slower pace.  I almost feel that if I could get my office/work area (which is also the dining room), can get under control.....maybe the rest of the house could get under better control.  It might be a pipe dream....but who knows.

In our homeschool this week....

We just had a field trip to a Popcorn Museum....yeah behind on that post too.  It was pretty cool to see so many different ways that were invented to cook popcorn.  The gentlemen that gave us the tour was super knowledgeable!!!!  And the kids loved the popcorn!  

We read more about Ethiopia, learned about Groundhog's Day, groundhogs and shadows.  We also learned where the State of Georgia is and made Peach Cobbler.  Hoping to maybe make our Ethiopian meal this weekend...soup just sounds so much better right now!!!

Changing up our science this week and learning about germs again tomorrow.  Think we need a refresher in handwashing and coughing.  I know our kids caught this from somewhere, but at least I can emphasize with them how to try and prevent spreading it.  The main reason Joe and I have it is because the kids do not always catch their coughs....yuck!

What I am working on....

I am trying to clean out my office/work area.  I feel closed in and too much clutter closing in on my.  I need to give up curriculum, but I am afraid to get rid of stuff that I may need for Caty yet. So may have to start boxing up stuff that is unused and make sure that the boxes are clearly marked with what is inside.  Then if I need it, I will know exactly where the items are located.  That could take me a whole weekend, but help me out a lot!!!

I have been working on the mailers for the Bowl-a-thon that we are planning for Special Olympics this year. It is going to be our biggest fundraiser, or at least we are hoping that it turns into that.  I am also working on planning an indoor garage sale for our Special Olympics Cheerleaders.  They are going to Lexington for competition in March, and we need some extra funds to make sure they can make the trip.

In between all of this, I am trying to train for the 5K that I will be running in.  It's not until the end of April, and this week wasn't a good running week.  The kids and I have been walking and riding bikes this week though because of the all the wonderful weather we have been having.

Places we are going.....

We went to a Popcorn Museum!!!  We also had to run errands today.  Joey had a blood test, so aftewards we stopped and got a few things that we were out of.

My favorite thing this week....

Bet you thought I was going to say the Popcorn Museum...lol.  And as much as I liked that, my favorite thing was actually Lydia grabbing a clipboard and walking around the house trying to write words all by herself.  She was spelling what she could and asking how to spell any other word.  And if I didn't spell quick enough...she got very impatient.  I was very funny!!!

I'm reading....

Still trying 
It's a great book...just not finding enough time to read.

I'm cooking....

Soup, and lots of it!!   I made homemade chicken noodle yesterday.  Today for lunch I made homemade creamy chicken and mushroom.  It was all very yummy!!!  Going to make homemade potato tomorrow.  Pretty simple also and very yummy.  Usually the kids are licking their bowls clean!

A photo from the week....

I left the room for a few minutes.  Caty who was playing with coffee beans, a major export of Ethiopia, had decided to use some of the trains to create a pile in the living room.  Yeah it was funny, but took me a bit to clean up.  They really loved playing in those coffee beans.  Joey and Lydia enjoyed getting to try coffee.  I controlled it alot!  Joey is restricted from caffeine, and I allow Lydia, but also controlled.  They thought it was soooo cool though.

Linking up with other homeschool moms at The Homeschool Chick.