Thursday, June 4, 2015

Week 51 & 52 - Fossils, Writing paragraphs, and Fitness Goals



So I have been very busy!!  I mean overwhelmingly busy with outside activities.  There's yard clean up and getting last minute items cleaned up.  We have a massive remodeling project we are undertaking.  We are getting a ton of help from my brother and sister-in-law.  It's definitely going to be a long summer though of building, re-budgeting and hopefully by fall we will be done.

I am also working on our next school year plan.  I am way behind.  I working on keeping them busy with projects and activities to feel like they are getting a break without giving them a full break while I do my planning.  This also gives me time to do projects around the house that need done.

 There have been a bunch of emotional roller coasters too.  Joey has food sensitivities that result in manic episodes and fits of rage.  He blew up a couple times and his pork allergy has now been confirmed in my eyes.  The smallest amount can set him off, so I need to make sure to read and watch what he eats very closely.  I have an allergy to pork also, so I know to watch but Joey doesn't remember to watch what he eats.

I was proud of myself this week.  I managed to do my strength exercises every day and was able to run 3 days this past week in up to 1 mile sessions.  This is a HUGE deal for me.  I was sick for so many months and no idea why. When I started really getting sick, I had to stop the exercising.  Walking across my living room was too much.  When I exerted myself, the histamine levels in my body would go up very high and I would find myself itching, nauseous and facing low blood pressure issues.   I made some more life changes and hopefully let my body do some healing.  I finally got the courage up to exercise again a few weeks ago.  I started just on strength training at first.  I also stopped drinking so much tea.  I was drinking green tea, but had to cut that back because of the high histamines.  I switched to herbal peppermint and chamomile.   I allow myself one cup a day and upped my water intake.    It's been a rough road traveling the last few months, and I am no where near 100% but I have been able get a little stronger and keep working on that.  I feel like I can at least keep up with the kids now.

Here are some of the things we done the past couple weeks.....

We are in full 4H mode trying to finish up projects and get them ready in the next two weeks.  We have 3 done now out of 10.
 Lydia working on her IEW writing course.

 Working on her multiplication tables with Hershey Kiss multiplication book.
 Science project...learning about how scientists think.  She was going through the scientific method and also learning how craters are made on the moon.
 Caty wanted in on this one.
 Caty spent two weeks learning about fossils and dinosaurs.  She made "fossils" of objects she found in the backyard using Model Magic.

 We watched the video of the book Bones, Bones.  Then she created dinosaur art.

 I buried dinosaur pieces in some sand.
 She had to be an archaeologist.
 And then put the pieces back together.
 We played this Dinosaur Trivia game I found at Dollar Tree a while back.
 Identifying and marking dinosaurs we have.


Measuring how big dinosaurs really were in our side street.

Measuring how big a triceratops footprint would have been.
 Joey is working on his Magic of Electricity 4H project book.  Made a compass
 Making an electromagnet.


 Caty has been enjoying playing on Teach Your Monster to Read.
 Brayden working on his Science book.
 Lydia did some of her cooking projects.  Homemade baked fries:
 And a dry vs wet measuring ingredient comparison.
 We went to an area Farmers Market.
 We had remodeling chaos begin.....

I learned how to put in a subfloor.
 Our local Walmart had the fire department there for Memorial Day.  The kids were able to try on their equipment.
 Even Brayden wanted to try....this shocked us!
 Of course his hero was there.

 And they got to meet Officer Andy

 We had our first campfire this year and enjoyed burgers, hot dogs and smores.


 Caty finished up her Science Sleuths class from MamaTeachesOnline on Currclick.com.  They learned about pollination.  This was her experiment to see how pollen is spread on bees from flower to flower.
 We got the coolest stamp package from the National Stamp Collecting Society.  The girls spent a couple days sorting and starting their stamp books.

 Lydia found a Wizard of Oz Stamp.

 We have been trying to walk/bike every other day, one morning we found a dead garter snake.  YUCK!!  But the kids looked anyway.

 Enjoying the nice weather on the back patio and reading the rest of her I Survived book.
 Lydia finished her photography class.
 Caty was learning about community again in History.  She practiced making an envelope we would mail.
 Some of the neighbors beautiful flowers.
 Playing lawn tennis in the rain...because we could.

 Caty making a cake.

 Lydia made cupcakes.
 In 4H, they built cages to drop eggs safely in.  Then they dropped them from the monkey bars.  4 out of 5 eggs survived!

It's been a busy couple weeks.  Trying to find a balance for all the work has been a challenge.  Every season means a shift in something.  I will find my feet her soon...and then it'll be time for another change, like always.

Hope everyone had a great 2014-2015 and an has an excellent start to their 2015-2016 school year!!


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