School Saturday

A relatively quiet weekend here so I have the chance to get this done early. Phil is working evenings this weekend so no big plans. A basketball game today and a Wii party tomorrow. That's it! This week we

F(3rd grade)
LA~We worked on adjectives and he took a quiz on them. He is reading A Knight at Dawn independently with narration and we're reading a bunch of world tales out loud.

Math~worked on multi-digit multiplication and introduced simple division

Science~finished up blood/circulation/respiration

History~Clovis and the Franks and the Islamic empire comes to Spain

Mel(K)
LA~I moved her into the first grade reading program. We're just practicing, practicing and working on some phonics informally.

Math~I think she's finally got the 10's facts. I think this week we'll just play some math games. I don't want her to dislike math.

Science~we studied the weather and what to do in snowstorms, thunderstorms and tornadoes

SS~American symbols

We did Spanish class, library time (F played Oregon Trail while Mel went to story time/craft), Daisy Scouts and Cubs. We also went to a homeschool skating party on Tuesday and Kid's Klub on Wednesday so they're not lacking in social outlets. A pretty quiet week all in all.

Pictures

No pictures lately because I was too lazy to get them from the camera to the computer. I finally did and found Christmas pics still on there. Ooops! We're just not big into saving for posterity I guess.
The carousel from our trip in Jan.

More museum pics

Trying on clothes at the Egyptian exhibit

Displaying their own sense of style

Intact

We went to a skating party last night and I am still here intact. All limbs working. I don't think I'm ready to join the roller derby though.

Test

Next week our elementary and middle school students will be taking the ISTEP (Indiana's standardized test). I've already been receiving the give them a good breakfast/get them to bed early/tell them not to stress reminders. As if the rest of the time I send them to school hungry and exhausted? Anyway

Menu and Almost Monday

So I planned these in my sleep last night, along with weird homeschooling ideas and worried about paying for college. In. My. Sleep. Argh!!!! Of course I also dreamed I made cabbage rolls and the kids ate them all. Proof it was a dream.

I hate to waste all that effort.
Sun~spaghetti, salad, garlic toast
Mon~chicken tenders with rice and broccoli, berries
Tue-going to a Soup Supper
Wed~chicken pasta, carrots, grapes
Thu~meatloaf, mashed pot&gravy, pumpkin pie
Fri~potato or chili soup, sandwiches, fruit salad
Sat~mac&cheese w/ ham bits, cauliflower

School Saturday

So much to chew on this week. Last night I went with C to sign up for his high school classes. He was recommended for Honors Geometry, Honors English and Honors Biology. We skipped the honors English. Have they spoken with my son? He's also got the required PE, World History, German and required computer apps/career exploration. Then today I went with E for her further scholarship interview. We had to be there at 9am and of course she was in the last interview group at 1:30pm. We did get some good info on overseas study (I would so do that) and their fast forward program which is basically 4 years of college in 3 years. She signed up for more info on that and for more info on the honors program. Next week is middle school sign up. Now I just need to decide if I'm going to send Ads to preschool/play time for 1 day/week. I think it might be nice for her and for Mel and Fletch to have a little space where I"m not jumping up to get her while doing school with them. Ok, what did we get done this week?

K
It's kindergarten, so it doesn't look like much. She worked on memorizing all the addition facts for 10, more phonics and reading, science books from the library and our field trip, history was pretty much Abe and George. She also went to story time at two libraries with the attendant crafts.

3rd
Reading aloud from the reader
Verbs- action, linking, helping and verb phrases
Science-field trip and a further study of circulation/heart/respiration
Math-fractions and memorizing the multiplication tables cold and fast
History-rise of the Muslim empire

We also did a study in the mornings of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit which was a hit. We did lots of sledding and went to Spanish. It seemed like a full week. It doesn't look so impressive in print. Tomorrow is an open swim day at the local school so I think we're going to go and let them burn off some energy without me having to get cold.

Another School Cancellation

Urgh! My older kids will never be done with school at this rate. I would say the cancellation was warranted though, as E put her car in a ditch. Gotta love black ice. The boys and I dug and pushed her out but not what I had planned for the day.

Field Trip

We went on a field trip to a science center yesterday. The highlight for F was being chosen to pump the pig lungs. Not something we would likely do here. Where does one buy pig lungs? We had a class in respiration and circulation and one on physics. They spent the rest of the time running around while the 2yo spent every minute at the water table. She was soaked but happy. We had swim practice, late basketball practice and Boy Scouts last night. That led to lots of running around. Now that we've got sport overlap going on it's going to be a little crazy for a month. The kids have decided on their own to just play soccer in the spring and not baseball too. I'm not going to argue. Today is library storytime, Kid's Klub and a meeting with the high school people tonight. It was supposed to be last week but it got cancelled for the snow. It should be beyond boring but since they change the requirements constantly I need to go, even though I've got two in high school already. Now I see we've got a two hour delay of school this morning. I guess I have no reason not to get moving. Blech!

Languishing

So the blog has been languishing because life keeps getting in the way.

Yesterday E and I went to her college of choice for aid day. Surprise, surprise, nothing from the government (well, except loans but we're not going there) but the college did give her $2900 based on needs. That combined with her academic scholarship sure helps. We're hopeful that some of the other scholarships she's applied for will come through. Come on Lilly Scholarship!! Or anything for that matter. After that I had to fly to a Girl Scout meeting. So much for romance on Valentine's Day.


Last week thanks to the snow the older kids were home for three and a half days. They did go to school Friday and then they are off again today for President's Day. The homeschool kids were not enthused that they did not get a snow day. Having the other kids around does make it more difficult to get things done. Not that they did nothing, I have to say that E, S and C all worked ahead for stuff in school and L devoured more books. I think it's just the principal of the thing that irks F and Mel. We did accomplish some things:

We worked on our
Writing with Ease
Spelling a couple days
Lots of reading aloud

F worked on fractions and multiplying 2 digits by 1 digit
We covered proper and common nouns and pronouns

I've gone ahead and moved Mel into first grade T4L.
We worked on her math facts that make 10

We talked about the olympics and President's Day. Truthfully they didn't really care so I just hit the highlights.
Spanish class is this afternoon. I hope to get in LA, Math, Science and History/SS this morning. Wish me luck.

They have both been watching Bill Nye Circulation in preparation for tomorrow's field trip. We're going to Science Central for a class in respiration and circulation. They don't want to go (they are so weird) but I know will have fun once we are there. After the class homeschoolers have run of the place for 2 hours.

C has a swim meet on Thursday and L has her first school basketball game that day too. Of course she plays in Upward BB on Saturday. Kid's Klub starts on Wednesday and Cubs are Friday. Tuesday I have to take the boys to Scouts but at least I don't help with that one.

I haven't stopped making menus. As if you were all waiting with bated breath.

Mon-roast, potatoes, carrots (thank you crock pot)
Tue-chicken alfredo, broccoli, oranges
Wed-beef stew, dumplings, grapes
Thu-spaghetti, salad, berries
Fri-tacos, beans, corn, ice cream
Sat-chili or potato soup, sandwiches, fruit salad

What Freezing Really Means

Not One of My Reasons

This made me chuckle.

Sixteen Years Goes So Fast

Cute

Deranged, and counting the days to his driver's license.