Homeschool Mothers Journal - Week 11

In my life this week.....

It's been hectic just trying to keep up with all that is going on.  Lots of helping various organizations at the Fair this week.  This was on top of doing our regular schoolwork.  We managed though to get through everything.

In our fitness challenge, I lost 6 pounds....and wasn't really trying.  My other levels came back weird though, protein down, water down, calcium down....which I had just elevated.  My metabolic age went from 22 to 24 also.  She said it could be hormones or wrong data input....so I guess we will see next week.  I was able to continue biking and tried running again yesterday after pulling a muscle last week.  The 3 mile bike rides were pretty tough, but I survived.  Yesterday, I had no pain when jogging a short distance on the treadmill at the gym.  So will attempt that this week again.  I don't want to injure myself further.

In our homeschool this week.....

With some bitter struggling from Brayden (oh yeah he had some med changes....ugh), all the kiddos finished their schoolwork!!!

My mom got the girls some tiny desks to use, since they love to do schoolwork on the couch and floor.  They can sit and use them for just about any project.  Caty loves using hers for school and then works on drawing afterward.

I took Lydia and Joey to our local extension office and we took a course in "Getting the Most from your Food Budget".  Yeah very little was stuff I didn't already know and do, but it was good for Joey to hear.  He even took notes.  Then he knows that it's not just mom who does those things.  I did have some issues with a few of their suggestions, and quickly corrected them with the kids when we got out to the van.  It was mainly nutrition information that I disagreed with.  We are going to continue the series through the end of September though.  I think he will benefit from hearing them.

Projects I am working on.....

Decluttering my kitchen.....YUCK!  Decluttering some shelves in the living room we use for school.  I am a bit of a packrat and very afraid to give stuff up because I have a kindergartener and never know what she will like and not like.  Because quite frankly, she doesn't know what she likes sometimes.

I am working on the study guide for the American Girl books that we are starting in September/October.  Our American Girl Club is reading Samantha.  Lydia and I are loving them so far.  We just started, and I need to get some activities into our lesson plans....not just the reading.

Things I am reading.....

Nothing....yet again :(

Things I am cooking.....

Lydia and I made grain - free sunflower seed butter cookies on Tuesday, and boy were they yummy.  Very simple.  Chick peas, sunflower seed butter, cane sugar, a touch of salt, baking soda and viola.....cookies that are like peanut butter cookies!!  The hubby really liked them, and he is not a cookie person!

I rewarded the kiddos with.....

Well Joey, Lydia and Caty did a great job getting their work done everyday.  Even on days when things were hectic.   Lydia even took it upon herself to take up helping with the dishes on a daily basis.  I didn't even ask her.  So I had actually pre-planned their schedule to allow for them to take an extra day off this week from school.  We also gave Lydia a couple extra dollars in her savings envelope for helping out extra this week.  All the kids got a prize out of the treasure chest also.  Joey was allowed an extra hour of game time in the evenings.

Some pictures from our week....

We walked in the Henry County Fair Parade for Special Olympics.  Caty and Joe getting ready!

Joey was unable to serve his 4H project at the Tasting Bee.  So Lydia and I served what he cooked up. It was corn and black bean salsa.  It was a huge hit!

After the Tasting Bee, we had volunteered to do booth patrol with our 4H Club. Basically we watched and made sure that no one touched any of the projects from the clubs that were on display.  I took advantage by working on Art class lesson plans.

Lydia had to wear cowboy boots and shorts, just like all the girls she saw walking around the fair.  She got this hat at one of the Fair stands.  She was very happy.

But we weren't at the Fair every minute (although it seemed like it).  Here's some of Caty's schoolwork.  We talked about the Planet and what it looks like from space.  This is Caty's version of our planet from Space.

Here is Lydia working on her spelling words and other daily work.  We got these little lap desks at Rite Aid for only $7.00.  We moved the extra table out of the living room because of the clutter.  So that we could still work on the floor easily, the girls have these now.  We can move around the house very easy now.

Lydia learned a bit about Vikings this week.  She has decided though that she wants to learn about Ancient China now, so instead of moving forward with Columbus....we'll be starting a unit on Ancient China.  (BTW...she is coloring pages while watching a documentary on Viking on my Kindle that is streaming from Amazon Prime.)

More from Caty.....These are here F-F-F-F feather F's.

Lydia and I  made a recipe that I saw on Facebook.  They were Peanut Butter cookies, but grainless and healthy.  We made them with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.  They were sooooo yummy.  They were a great snack. 

 For her "art" this week, Lydia looked at some Ancient Egyptian art/sculptures.  She used modeling class to make a cat casket that she said you would find in the pyramids.

Caty did her first pages in her newest Coloring book from Usborne.  I love this book!!!

Another night at the fair....Lydia loves selling peanuts and popcorn in the Grandstand during the Pony Races.

Didn't want to take her spelling test.....whined about it.  Said she didn't know her words.....yeah right!!!  I told her to take a few deep breathes and try.  She got them all right!!!

Playing Snakes and Ladders with Caty.

Another Fair night....passing out Fair Premiums for the Jr. Fair Board. I could not believe how much we passed out in such a short amount of time!!

On Friday, Grandpa had a real treat for the kiddos!!!  He had the control-line RC planes up and going.  Everyone was able to go outside and take a turn if they wanted.

Lydia had so much fun...here she is flying with Uncle Bobby.

 Joey took a turn too.

 Lydia's first flight.

 This is what Lydia and I did when we crashed it.....I forgot how dizzy this makes you.

 Grandpa was able to perform field surgery and they were up and flying again in a few minutes.  Thank goodness for Hot Stuff glue!

Lydia thought the RC Planes was sooooo much fun.  She and Joey both want to build more planes this winter.  Guess that is one more project to get under control :)

We had a great week......it had it's ups and downs, like always.  But we survived.

Linking up with other moms at So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler.....