May

Why, why does every group feel that they must have a year end event, award, party? It's crazy around here. I also threw in a trip to Riley Hospital and after much worry was reassured S's arm will be fine and so will he. Very, very thankful here. Interspersed with that? Award luncheons, band concerts, Girl Scout picnics, Cub Scout Raingutter Regattas, eye appointments, orthodontist appointments, Spanish Class Fiestas, 8th grade trips to D.C., soccer and t-ball games, graduation parties....... You get the idea. Exhausting. And it leaves no time to waste on the internet.

Award Night

Look at that fistful of awards BUT see the medal her friend is looking at? You guessed it, they got her name spelled wrong. Geesh!

Menu and Still Thinking

Food, I'm too busy to make food. Soooo much to do this week. This is a brief respite before I head out for orthodontist and surgeon appointments (which are 30 miles apart of course). S needs to be back by 5:00 to go to a meeting about his Eagle project. Mel has a 6:30 t-ball game and I need to be at the High School awards night ceremony at 7:00. The rest of the week is just as bad. Maybe I'll type up another post while I'm here to post later. It's mostly to keep me on track anyway. Food this week is coming from freezer stash

Sun-turkey (I baked two, picked them and packaged the meat for later), broccoli, grapes, angel food cake

Mon-ham (freezer), mac&cheese (box, blush), leftover broccoli (I made double), fruit bowl

Tue-stir fry, rice, mandarin oranges

Wed-hamburger casserole (freezer), green beans, applesauce

Thu-spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, grapes (sale)

Fri-pizza, relishes, fruit bowl

Sat-potato soup (freezer), bread, fruit bowl

Reading

So it's 6am. Couldn't sleep. Probably because I went to bed at 9pm. I just couldn't stay awake. A very busy,hectic week and Saturday. (Today isn't any better or tomorrow~sigh). I did finish a book last night before bed. I love to read. LOVE IT! I tend to go in fits and starts though. It almost seems like movies. Tons of good stuff, then alot of nothing. If you've got time I recommend
Wolf Hall~this is huge but good and you'll know more about Henry VIII and his time period than you thought you wanted to know

The Happiness Project~I just like peeking into people's lives so I enjoyed this. A little gimicky but nice to know other people think about this stuff too. I'm always up for a little self improvement. I wish it would stick better though

The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Purse~the second mystery featuring a mad chemist named Flavia De Luce, who is 11 years old. E disliked the first book (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie) but I enjoyed it. We usually agree on books so this was surprising.

This summer I'd like to reread some childhood favorites. I can get away with that if I call them read alouds. Or I might just read them anyway. Yes, I am reading A Wrinkle in Time. So there. I admit it, I am juvenile. I promise not to re-read the entire Nancy Drew though. I don't like the new versions anyway. Sacrilege. I grew up on these.

180

We hit our official 180 days of school yesterday! Yeah! Now shhh, cause I didn't tell the kids.

Old business~ I've got two lasagnas, 5 lb of browned meat, 3 packages of ham in the freezer and I've got two turkeys yet to bake. I'm on my way to a 'mama ain't cooking' summer.

I'm also still pondering homeschool programs for the summer and next year. So many choices, so little time. I find we're not very good at box checking so bits and pieces are where we end up anyway. I might as well start that way. We're going to finish up some things next week then take 2 weeks off (lots of field trips and fun though). We're then going to do a 3 week mini session, break for 2 more weeks for vacation and the holiday, do 3 week session number 2 and then break 2 more weeks for church camp and general fun. The kids get 6 weeks of vacation but we still get lots done. We'll see how it goes. My thoughts are:

Session 1

LA

Begin Rightstart D and continue B

finish up world history~they like this and see it as story time

Session 2

LA

Math

keyboarding for F, Bible school and day camp for Mel

Of course we're going to do the summer reading program and may throw park tennis lessons and craft time if we feel like it. Oh, and lots of swimming.

Check out other great ideas check out the Homeschool Blog Carnival at

Appolo's Academy

My Ringtone!

Happy Mother's Day

Got Away

The whole week got away from me. Four appointments with docs/orthodontists, breakfasts, car repairs, school, t-ball, soccer, soccer, soccer, hail storms. Whew! I accomplished not much other than keeping my head above water. School wise we'll hit 180 days on Wednesday the 12. We'll probably take a little break and then dive back in. It seems stupid to waste summer when they are just sitting around here anyway. Of course some things we'll do we do every summer. Camps, library reading programs, sports. All that is learning and doesn't need a text book. I think if we can devote a little time to grammar/writing and a little time to math we're good. We (ok the kids) like to play math card games and Trivial Pursuit and Risk and...well you get the idea. I think that all counts too. And I'll keep reading to them which they think is fun but we secretly know is (shhh now) good for them. We'll see how it goes.

Proud to Announce

E is the salutatorian of her class! Which goes to show you can overcome your upbringing!

From the paper:

"Emma is the oldest daughter of Phil XXXX and Lisa XXXX and she has 3 brothers and 3 sisters all younger than she is."

"She plans to attend Manchester College and pursue a degree in Elementary Education. She has a real passion for working with and helping young people. She would like to try and make a difference in the lives of these people through education. She is humble, kind, considerate and obviously very bright.

Her accomplishments are many.

She was ranked in the Top 25 students, 4 years
Treasuer of National Honor Society
She is a 10-year participant in 4H
Member of Future Educators of America
Student Council member, 4 years
Class Council, 3 years
German Club, 3 years

Debate Team, 2 years
Freshman Mentoring, 2 years
Kids Club assistant in Warren for the last 6 years (Christian Outreach program for young children)
Junior Troop Assistant in Girl Scouts, 4 years
Service Learning Club at HNHS
babysat and tutor young children, last 2 years

She hopes to enter the Peace Corps after finishing college.

So

I haven't got the menu made because I've been running around like crazy. A breakfast for E at school. Many doctor's appointments (3) in 2 days for S (cyst on his arm), orthodontist appointments and fitting school, soccer and t-ball in there. My eyes are glazing over. I've also been trying to finalize in my head what we'll be doing this summer for school and coming up with a schedule. Oh, and fighting allergies and a virus. I'll get to it all, just not in my time.

Monday Again

No menu today because I'm working on a OAMC plan. I try to do this when summer heats up and we get so busy. Also, I can micro most stuff and not turn on the oven. A big plus in my circa 1900 kitchen. Today was filled anyway with an ear recheck (finally all clear!), school and lots and lots of laundry. The rainy weekend meant I backed everything up since I'm trying really hard to hand everything and not turn on the dryer again for a long time. I'm also trying to nail down just what we're going to be using next year for school. I need to narrow it down. There is so much great stuff but needless to say you can't do it all. I've got ideas and I'm going to see what I find at the used curriculum sale in June. Now on to Spanish class and stopping at the park because it's too pretty not to. Oh, and Paula, relishes are just raw veggies, usually with hummus or ranch to dip.