In School this Week...

Monday:  Katy decided she was going to have a bad day while she was doing her chores after breakfast.  Therefore, costing everyone their trip to the library, since she didn't start her school work until late morning.  Kaomi had fun reading new short-vowel words with double consonants at the end of them.  She also made a picture to show the Smiling Pool from our new story, The Adventures of Grandfather Frog.  Kent worked hard on all his individual work to get it done in the morning.  Kent, Kaomi and Felicity got to play outside after lunch until it started to rain.  We read some more in Stuart Little for storytime and read our history all together.  Katy was back on track after working on school after lunch and both she and Kent were done by 2:30-3:00.

Tuesday:  We worked hard to get as much done in the morning.  In the afternoon some friends came over to craft and play.  We made harvest placemats.  We used the same stamps we used in our fall craft last year.  This time we just stamped them on 8.5 X 11 computer paper and laminated them.  I intended to take a picture while everyone was stamping, but forgot to.

Wednesday:  We were supposed to go to church, but Clark has had a fever and the other kids all have snotty noses so we stayed home.  We worked on Thursday's history, caught up on Tuesday's health, Kent and Katy worked on English lessons and then they were to choose one or two things from their individual work from Thursday to complete.  Kaomi worked on reading a story that Mimi sent her.

Thursday:  Today is a lighter day.  Kent and Katy worked on completing their individual work.  We had an early lunch and worked on things everyone needed to do with Mommy

Friday:  We finished reading John Audubon for science and Stuart Little for storytime.  Everyone worked on their individual work as well.

Bountiful Baskets #'s 7 and 8

Basket #7 was an organic box, Mexican theme veggie pack, harvest pack and 9-grain bread.

Basket #8 was a conventional box (left), an organic box (right) and 9-grain bread.  I traded some of my original onions for some extra pomegranates that's why there are several of them.

We have really been enjoying having a variety of "new" foods.  Sometimes we find things that we don't like as much, but usually I can try a couple different recipes and come up with something we can do with everything, that almost everyone will eat.  It's time to try squash again.  This week we received acorn squash and butternut squash.  I also have the squashes and pumpkins from our harvest pack 2 weeks ago that have been decorating our home.  I enjoy the savings by ordering through Bountiful Baskets and I also enjoy not having to peruse the produce aisle in the grocery store.  Then I plan our meals making sure we are using the produce we have on hand.  If we have more than we can use of something I try to freeze it or give it to a friend who will use it.  This also works well if something will go bad before we can use it.

In School this Week...

Monday:  This week we are working through Unit 13.  School went was a little on the rough side.  Felicity was grumpy and Kaomi decided that she couldn't read and had a bad attitude, all day.  Kent and Katy did pretty well on their lessons.

Tuesday:  Was better than Monday.  Kaomi did better reading and we all had fun reading more about John Audubon in science.  Kent and Katy did their science notebooking page about owls.  I enjoyed seeing their drawing of an owl.

Wednesday:  We went to church to work in the classrooms and after we had lunch we finished up some of the school that we didn't finish on Monday and Tuesday.  Kent and Katy also did their English.

Thursday:  Katy's birthday!!!  We had a holiday from school so we could spend the day with Katy, doing things she enjoyed.

Friday:  We did well going through our lessons and we made sure to finish everything up, so we didn't have to catch up this weekend or next Monday.  The kids weren't real happy with me for making them do more school after quiet time, but I'm happy that we got it all finished up.

Happy Birthday, Katy! - 2012

Special Place Setting

 This morning we had a special breakfast of eggs, toast and hot chocolate.  Katy's been asking to have eggs for breakfast lately, so she was quite pleased.

Happy Birthday, Katy!

We are planning a picnic and trip to the playground for lunch today.

Clark is 16 Months

He is taking steps.  Often up to 14 in a row.  He kind of looks like a toy wooden soldier when trying to walk.

He's getting more demanding.  He knows what he wants and isn't very happy if you don't let him have something he wants.

He loves to press buttons (phones, remotes, etc.).

He loves to push things around the house, but as he gets walking down more I can see that being a little less.

He's down to morning and evening nursings and if he asks in the middle of the day is easily distracted by other food, water or something fun to do.

He's not usually quiet, unless sleeping.

He "reads" by looking at a book and yelling sounds and an occasional word.

He loves to be outside and has found that it is fun to be in the grass.

He adores his older siblings.

His hand eye coordination is great.  He likes to put Nerf bullets into their proper places in the Nerf gun. 

He likes to play with Duplo Legos and can even make them stick together.

He loves to chew on his rag and snuggle his blanket.

He doesn't stop for long and is very "busy" exploring everything that he can think of.

His words are increasing and he can say everyone's name, though not always the clearest.

He thinks airplanes are cool, even if he just hears them.

He loves to eat people food.  There are very few things that he doesn't want to eat anymore. 

He loves to climb the stairs.  He thinks he's big stuff if he gets up pretty far without being caught.  He knows he's not supposed to go upstairs, but climbing is just too fun.

He smiles, a lot.

When he goes to the nursery at church everyone is happy to see him.  He loves to be around people.

In School this Week...

Monday:  After having most of last week off from lessons I was hoping to be ready for this week, but I wasn't.  While each of the kids worked on something they could do by themselves for school, I  got our schedule for the week planned.  We also went to the library and they were talking about Fall during storytime.  Everyone made a tree with fall leaves on or around it.

Tuesday:  I had planned a full day of school and then remembered that we were getting together with friends to decorate foam pumpkins and play in the afternoon.  We did manage to get almost everything accomplished before we went to their house.  We had checked a fall craft book out of the Library so the kids have been perusing it trying to find things they could make.  Kent made a Columbus Day craft, since Columbus's birthday is on Friday.  Katy made some caterpillars for her and Kaomi.  I have yet to look through the book, but I'm glad to see that the kids have found some things they could do on their own, with little to no help from me.  They just need to remember to follow the directions.

Wednesday:  I had planned another full school day and then remembered that our Friday volunteering has switched back to Wednesday's.  I informed Kent and Katy that they needed to complete an English lesson and that we would do Wednesday's schedule on Thursday and Thursday's schedule on Friday.  We were gone all day running errands and supper was late.

Thursday:  Trying to get back in the groove.  Felicity kept wanting to know where we were going and when we were leaving.  We stayed home all day and managed to stay pretty much on top of things.  Kaomi even did a great job on her reading lesson, even though she was reluctant to read it with me.  I even got everything corrected after supper, ready for the kids to pick up and start on Friday.

Friday:  Morning started out busy and by 9:30 I suggested Kent and Katy begin their individual work and gave Kaomi her handwriting assignment to work on.  Kent was trying really hard to get everything done he needed to, because he is supposed to be going camping this weekend with Jeff.  We did a great job staying on top of his school and getting most corrections made or at least corrected by me, by mid-afternoon.  I started working on cleaning Felicity's room with her.  We didn't get very far, but she was excited to find her play phone that she had been missing.

I don't think I took any pictures of school stuff this week.

Being a Mom is Tiring

This morning I was awake around 6:30.  Up by 7 to get dressed and have my quiet time.  7:30 Clark is ready to get up.  I nurse him while I check my e-mail and let him down.  He's in the kitchen in a flash.  Katy got Felicity up while Clark was nursing.  She came and snuggled with me when he was done.  I put Clark in his booster seat and get Felicity and his breakfast so I can do my morning chores.  Kent, Katy and Kaomi are already working on their chores.  I take my vitamins, load and start the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, pour cereal and milk for Kaomi, get the apple butter started in the crockpot, fix my breakfast and sit down by Clark to eat it.  He wants to get down so I let him down, it's about 8:45 am.  I finish my breakfast, Katy brings Clark back the the living room, he was interrupting her piano practice.  He turns on the TV, I turn it off.  I start another chore and he is back in by the piano.  I bring him back to the living room and block him in by his toys.  He decided to get in the game cabinet and get out the cards.  I put them away and block the cabinet door better.  Felicity wants to play with him, but she decides they are done being "trapped" and lets them both out.  Clark wants to read the library books, he can't quite get them off the shelf yet so he settles for some books on a lower shelf.  He looks at the covers and leaves them on the floor.  Then he realizes I left my bedroom door open and he's in the bathroom before I can chase him down.  I bring him back to the living room and try to get him interested in a truck.  He decides to look out the window.  Then he's in the game cabinet again (it is off limits, but he's determined and we haven't quite got it through his head yet that he isn't allowed to get in it).  I pick up the cards again and he's in my bathroom again.  I left the door open, again.  I bring him back to the living room.  He's in to the piano again.  I bring him back to the living room, he finds a piece of paper and decides it is trash and takes it to the trash can.  Before I catch him, he pulls trash out of the trash can.  I clean it up and take him back to the living room.  He sees some board books and takes off to look at them.  I finish my chore and the living room and kitchen are trashed and its only 9:05 in the morning.  I'm tired and there goes Clark into something else.  We haven't started school yet: Katy's having trouble with her piano practice, Kent is trying to clean the game room and Felicity is running around with her baby, high heels and getting into her own mischief, Kaomi is upstairs.  By 9:15 am I put Clark back in his bed and put some music on.  Now I have a messy house, school has yet to start, I need to bake gluten free muffins for Jeff to take on Kent and his camping trip.  There is so much still to do and my day has hardly started, but I could use a nap, which won't happen and Felicity wants lunch, even though she just finished breakfast about 30 minutes ago.  I'm off to try to keep my sanity and somehow get everything done that has to be done and it would be nice to get something extra done as well.


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October Sewing Project - Curtains

We have been using a sheet in our eating area to block the sun in the evening.  There are already curtains in that window, but the sun likes to shine in the top window when we are trying to eat supper and makes it hard for whoever is facing the window to keep their eyes open.

We've talked about getting a shade of some kind to put there, but so far we haven't decided exactly what we want.  I decided to take the queen size sheet and make curtains that can go behind the ones that are already there and can be easily opened in the morning and shut when we need to block the sun.

The sheet we have been using tore a couple of months ago, so first I mended the tear and then I mended a couple small holes that had come from something else.  Next I laid the sheet out on the floor and carefully lined the long edges up.  Then I cut up the fold in the middle of the sheet.  I finished and hemmed the cut edges.

Then I purchased an expandable shower curtain rod and made large pockets in the top of the new curtains to slide them onto the rod.   These curtains actually touch the floor, so I am trying to decide how to shorten them without cutting them, as they could actually make fairly decent drapes at another window.  I was thinking maybe I could do something with velcro.  If you have any ideas feel free to share them with us.

This project didn't take very long and having a day to designate working on it made all the difference in the world.  I could have easily finished it in part of one day, but wanted to get the curtain rod first to make sure I made the pockets big enough to be able to slide back and forth easily on the rod.


Our kitchen area looks much nicer now, rather than just having the sheet thrown over the top curtain rod and curtains for a sloppy half-hearted attempt to block out the sun.



         

Happy October!

On October 1st we went to the Frank Buck Zoo.

We stopped to see the flamingos first.  They were quite active and one was even being social strutting up and down the fence line in front of us and making quite a bit of noise.  We took a close look at their feathers, since we have been learning about birds in science.

 The Military Macaw put on quite a show for us as well.

 Ginger, the new baby, female Giraffe.  The zoo traded one of their male giraffes named Nelson with the Zoo in Pheonix, AZ.

 Feeding Maui, the other giraffe.

Baby Ibex.

 The barred owl flew at the cage while we were there and perched on the wire showing off his wings.

 The black bear was up close and awake.

Trying to get a picture of everyone.  This was take 11 and probably the best one with everyone with their eyes open and kind of looking up.

 We finished at the zoo right around noon, so we went back home to eat our lunch this time.  We had bread, cheese and fruit on these squirrelly, Octoberish plates.

Linked with:

Mama Moments Mondays    Raising Homemakers    

Goals for October 1-6

This week I am planning a lighter week.  I would take the week off of school, but if we continue with English we will be sure to finish when we would like to in the Spring and if we continue with reading it just helps a little as Reading has been harder for me to work in for Kent and Katy everyday.

Goals for October 1-6

Monday:  Trip to the Zoo, Write a Letter, Order Produce Basket, Animal Craft (or Tuesday)

Tuesday:  English, Reading, Play Outside, Sewing Project, Write a Letter, Correct English and Reading


Wednesday:  English, Reading, Play Outside, Bake and Clean, Midwife Appointment, Write a Letter, Correct English and Reading


Thursday:  English, Reading, Clean, Chiropractor Appointment(Kaomi), Play Outside, Sewing, Write a Letter, Correct English and Reading, Animal Craft


Friday:  CLC work in classrooms, English, Write a Letter, Play Outside, Make Lesson Schedule for next week, Correct English


Saturday:  Pick up produce basket, Sort and take care of produce, Work around the house, Play Outside

We will see if we do everything, but hopefully the little break from school will have us ready to start up again full swing next week.