Homeschool Mother's Journal - Week 40

In my life this week....


I had a last minute change of plans in our school work path.  Bug was not feeling well Monday and Joey was manicky.  So we actually did very little "educational" stuff on Monday or Tuesday.  I spent those days cleaning out my 1200 emails, cleaning off my desk, cleaning up in the house, and catching up on paperwork and scheduling for our Special Olympics activities and homeschool activities.  The laundry isn't folded, and Joe's office area needs a serious snowshovel taken to it....but you can see the top of my desk and we can use our kitchen table again.  Because there are roughly 400-500 letters off my table and finally in the mail for our upcoming bowl-a-thon fundraiser for Special Olympics.


I also realized this week just how fast the 5K that I signed up is approaching.  This is the first time I will be running in a race.  So I am just not sure how to really train and am actually very nervous.  But today Joey decided that he would like to sign up for the Kids 1 mile marathon on the Saturday before the race.  So I signed up with him for that.  I will consider that my workout the day before my big race.  Let the training program kick into full gear!!!


I also am working on helping Joey get his first business up and running.  He is going to work on selling molded crayons for party favors.  We have a possible store to place the product in.  I just need to get more up and running.  We opened the Facebook page...be sure to like it.  So you can get all the information...it's Krayon Kreations.  This will actually help him in Math for the next couple months.  He is pretty excited.  We will probably set up at a few craft shows in our area too.


In our homeschool this week....


We didn't stay on track.  We need to actually finish our World Travelers project.  We missed today because of doctor appointments, but I still want them to finish up what they were trying to learn.  It was a fun topic on elephants.


Lydia is super excited to be learning cursive.  Print has become a real issue with her, so I thought we could try something new.  Since I am working with Lydia, I threw Joey in the mix too.  They both did pretty well their first time today.  Joey has done cursive before, but didn't enjoy it well.  So giving him another go at it.  I just reminded him that it's easier than print because you don't have to lift your pencil as many times.


Lydia also had her first violin lesson this week.  She really...really liked it.  She is actually practicing.  


Places we've been this week....


Violin lessons, med checks with psychiatrist, post office....lots and lots!!, oh yeah and Mommy got to go to Traffic court.  I got my first ticket in like 14 years.  I was clocked doing 42 in a 25.  I didn't realize the speed limit dropped that quick there and I sneezed.  I had let off the gas, but our van does not decelerate very fast.  I went through the whole court process, and by doing that the judge was super nice and lowered my fee by $40.00. Not a lot, but it is right now.  Every little bit of money is needed.


Next week is a full week with zoo class, a cool program a local book store, Girl Scouts, and their last ballet until summer camp.


I'm cooking....


Not much this week.  My allergies have kicked up in the last few days due to the up and down of the early spring weather.  We had hot dogs a couple times (I buy the good nitrate free kind and they are yummy).  We had steak burgers one night.  I did make hm steak and potato soup tonight and yesterday made chicken N noodles (the kind that is like noodles with gravy) that they enjoyed over toast.  Sunday I did make a big kettle of beef veggie soup.  That lasted us a couple days.  Tomorrow they want sphagetti...so thought that sounded yummy.  Haven't decided on next week's menu yet.  Work on that tomorrow.


I'm reading....


Actually some new curriculum.  We are so fortunate to be on the TOS Review Crew, and we got three cool packages this week to try.  Two new Science items and one English.  Joey is going to love the new Chemistry program since he is not enjoying what we were using.  Lydia still likes Earth Science, and we were fortunate to get a cool Earth Science book to review.  


But the biggest thing I did was finish Book 1--Hunger Games.  I really liked it...and would like to point out how much I hated that final page.  I had to start Book 2--Catching Fire right away.  So am working my way through that book.  My parents bought me a Kindle Fire for an anniversary present (14 years in a couple weeks), and they let me have it early.  Since we are prime members, I was able to borrow Catching Fire free.  I figure at the rate of free time that I actually have...I'll be able to borrow MockingJay for free too. (You are allowed one title a month for free as a Prime member if you own a Kindle.)  I also have a new Downton Abbey book to read.




Questions that I have....


What do you think of this blog background?  I like the dots...but think it may be hard on the eyes when you are reading.  What do you think?

My favorite thing this week....


Next to getting all those letters mailed and off our kitchen table, it would have to be getting use my Kindle Fire.  Trying to use it as much as I would like.  I have my appointment calendar downloaded on it.  I can update it on my computer and it downloads directly to the Kindle and vice versa.  Joe has access to my calendar then also.  I also have discovered some really great educational apps that include site word Montessori games and some critical thinking puzzles for Caty and Lydia.  We are seriously considering getting them each one of these...if we ever get any money...lol.  I have to hide it because the girls are enjoying using it so much.  We also have been reading lots of kids books together on it.  


Joe has one of the original Nook readers from Barnes and Noble, but I am amazed how much they have changed in the last two years.  The scary thing.  This Kindle was $50.00 cheaper than what I paid for his Nook for our anniversary two years ago.  (And that figure doesn't include the rebate that lowered the price of my Kindle Fire.)


Things I'm working on...


Lots and lots of Special Olympics items.  LOTS!!  I have to say that was the majority of one of my office days.  I also getting the basics of Joey's business venture going.  So I can have my mind set going as we start working on this together for him to learn.  Oh yeah and there has been some homeschool group stuff this week.  My mind has been in overdrive thinking of cool field trip opportunities to take in the future.  Have 3 possibilities to work on right now.


Photo for the week....


I love the color of the case...bright.  And when I'm done with this post...will be reading more Catching Fire!

Linking up with other moms at The Homeschool Chick.