Another Friday...Another Week in Review 2/8-2/12

What week are we in?? Well, I have been homeschooling for the past almost 15 years....14 years, 10 months2 weeks and 3 days to be almost exact...give a day or 2. This week was Ham's birthday. Wednesday to be exact...which means the anxiety of it coming meant he couldn't concentrate on his seat work...then the big day...well, who could ask a newly six year old to do seat work on his birthday....then of course no one else could do their seat work...and of course all the schools have a snow day....so why should anyone else do THEIR seat work?? Thursday and Friday, well, we already blew off Monday-Wednesday...so why should we bother on Thursday and Friday????


So, Here it is Friday and I think maybe, one lesson per subject has been completed by the kids this week....so Mama flips into un-schooler mode and asks, what DID WE DO THIS WEEK?? And strangely, I am happyLOL!!!!

Elvis: Yuggie's college Chemistry book arrived by mail on Monday. Elvis was curious and wanted to compare it to his Apologia Chem book. Conclusion: Elvis spent all of Monday reading Yug's Chem book. We have switched back to Teaching textbooks after a 1/1/2 year doomed trip with other Math programs....(Chalkdust/ Jacob's Geometry) becaue TT was deemed "NOT RIGOROUS" by the powers that be....YET, after TT Algebra 1 Elvis was one of the only kids in his Geometry class (online) that remembered and could explain the Algebra review....sigh.....I should have stuck with my gut. BUT, once again, I let the RIGOROUS POLICE take hold of my common sense....

Elvis and Daddy were supposed to go to a Well Pump School in Massachusettes on Tuesday...Highlight was to be a hotel stay and indoor go-carts. Life interfered....our well pump died on Monday night...Tuesday brought a pending blizzard. So, on Tuesday in stead of a 5 hour car-ride and go-carts.....Elvis actually helped pull and install a new well pump.
Ham and Cubby were close at hand "Helping" and lending a hand when needed.
Homeschool learning at it's best.

Elvis returned to Yuggie's Chem book and snuggled down to learn about balancing chemical equations and converting units of measure....

Dr. Kazam spent her week antagonizing brothers, making stuff out of construction paper, and painting GORGEOUS tops for her friends birthdays. Her talent is definitely NOT Math. She is a born artist...very creative. I could not believe she painted these shirts freehand...I am totally amazed! She also found my copy of Lightning Thief and is in the process of voraciously reading it. I told her I would not take her to see the movie if she didn't read the book first...so she is reading....and loving this book.


Cubby and Ham spent the week learning how to be friends...how to share...how to play nice and build snowmen, snow balls, snow forts. They learned to pitch in and shovel off the steps, take out the garbage, help empty the dishwasher etc.

I realized that I never taught these little ones to do jobs that the older ones could do by their ages.

I spent this week trying to review my goals in our home school and my educational philosophy. The plans I painstakingly created over the summer are almost useless from tweaks and changes in our curriculum. This happens every year. I lead those horses to water, but they insist on drinking in their own way. No one is excited about learning anymore. Our studies have become very stale...no fun...just nag...nag...nag and rebel...rebel...rebel....

My intial thought is we need a break...but reality is we do not need a break...we would have those breaks if the kids accomplished their assignments in a reasonable amount of time.

We have been progressing nicely overall. When I look at my "finished" folders, I am encouraged...but that TO_DO list kills me every time...sigh....