Off

to the funnest place in IN, if not on earth.

Vacation Day 1

We haven't actually left yet but dh is officially 'off'. After 8am t-ball practice and a trip to replace the now dead weed eater I dropped L off to work concessions at the ball game and took Mel, Ads and F to pick up his new glasses. We went to the splash park after. Then we came home and the girls swam for another 1 1/2 hours while F chilled with a friend that showed up. Everyone looks sun kissed and sleepy. Me too.

Again?

So after that quick drive by post, I had another cup of coffee, hunted up stuff for the 6yo to go to camp and again. with . the. lightening. 11yo is already at camp, spending the week. A glorious week of no showers, porta-potties and sleeping on the ground. The very wet ground. I'm also wondering how safe it is for her to be sleeping in a tent with lightening and thunder and gale force winds. The 6yo will just be going in the daytime. Which means as an extra special treat I get to drive her twice a day and listen to her griping about the heat, wet and bug bites over dinner. The piece de resistance is that the oldest two are going to go get meningitis vaccines today. I'm sure their arms may fall off if they are to be believed. And while I'm whining, the 14yo has scraped the garage in preparation to painting it. Evidently it will never be dry enough to paint it though, so it just adds to the Hillbilly Goodness that is our landscaping. Four cars sitting around. Check. Toys strung all over. Check. Popsicle sticks decorating all surfaces. Check. And now chipped off paint. I have arrived!

Weather or Not

Rain, rain, more rain. Intersperse with stifling humidity. Rinse, repeat. At this rate we'll be playing t-ball in August.

Spelling? Grammar

Yes, an English teacher organized the rally. Ironic, no? Read the whole story here http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_87b69a30-7f7a-5f93-a93c-497b8860511e.html

Funny Things They Say

From the two year old today (between wracking coughs)

Hey, those are my guys. (referring to L, F and Mel coming home)

I can't take it anymore. (while in time out. At least she didn't use the whole quote from Network)

This is my home that I love. (coming home after a trip to the drug store)

Summer School

A busy week here. It was hard to buckle down and do much after the fun of visitors and a couple weeks off. For my own memory, here's what we accomplished

F~started RS D, we only made it through 1.5 lessons but he's getting it which is more important than speed, continued reading The Door in the Wall and he read about Asia from a geography text. We began IEW and he has watched the dvd and done his KWO, today we write.

Mel~a couple easy phonics readers, some phonics review and 2 lessons of RS B, our read alouds have been classic fairy tales Three Billy Goats Gruff, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty

F&Mel~Bible School which covered art, PE and music at least. We've also been reading for the library summer reading program.

Other kids? My public school kids don't escape. I guess technically what we do with them is called after schooling but I just consider it giving direction. C & L are doing IEW with F and L is taking free drawing and tennis lessons from the park department. Gotta love free. Oh, and summer reading programs. I leave the 16yo alone. I expect I'll leave C alone next year. They do alot of reading and watching educational stuff anyway. I think E is reading some required stuff for college.

Thanks to The Cheap Stuff

I think I've got a plan for next year, at least loosely. I'm not a real good plan follower. Cost was a real issue so I've put things together from the library, used curriculum sales and e-bay/amazon/half price books. I really like Sonlight but just can't afford a whole core so for my 4th grader we will be using

Writing/LS~Institute for Excellence in Writing SWI A~this will touch on spelling and grammar

Reading~Sonlight reader's list from the library

Read Alouds~Sonlight from library, we do these at night and they tie in very well with history

History~US from explorers to 1850, using The Complete Book of US History and lots of library stuff

Science~Christian Kids Explore Chemistry (he requested Chemistry)

Math~Rightstart D and possibly into E

Extras? Homeschool PE and field trips, Spanish, recorder, soccer, Cub Scouts

Mel is a little harder. She's been doing 1st grade stuff since Dec even though she was technically a kindergartner.

Writing~Writing with Ease

Reading~Bob Books, Sonlight Readers 1 and an old First Grade reader I have Reading is Fun

Read Alouds~Sonlight P4/5, Addie will listen in too I'm sure

History~America and My World

Science~Usborne Science Books and Health

Math~Rightstart B

Extras~PE, Spanish, Soccer, Daisy Girl Scouts

I also use the Core Knowledge Scope and Sequence (What Your X Grader Needs To Know) to check for gaps. It can't be worse than what I remember 4th and 1st graders doing.

Catching UP

Last weekend saw dd graduate

and my SIL's from FL visit. We even arm twisted them into spending Saturday morning in the rain watching soccer. Sunday I took the Girl Scouts horseback riding and we did their bridging ceremony to Cadettes. This week is also Bible School and L is taking a (free!) drawing class and tennis lessons in Bluffton. I've had to have S & E help out with that driving. I'm so thankful they can drive now. How did I keep from losing my mind when they were all younger and helpless? I also fit in a used curriculum sale in Fort Wayne yesterday. It rocked and I hit the free boxes and tables hard. Gotta love free. This weekend is just as packed as last with t-ball games, Bible School programs, the last soccer games and the boys needing to be at Boy Scout camp Sunday morning at 10am. Oh, and Phil is working so it's all my party. And I should probably get some food in the house. If I have time.

Poor Neglected Blog But...