Critterfixer Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Finally, a week off! I think. Today I plan to clean up from last week and do most of the cooking. After that, I'm planning to read more of How to Read a Book, and I might take notes. :D I will probably break out CW Maxim and start thinking about how I will work through that course while preparing Homer models and lessons for the boys. Also, I'm thinking about art this year. I never get to art. The boys draw all the time, and they will happily read sections of Sister Wendy's Art, so that's a start. But I think that while I want to cover Late Roman art and then start on Medieval art, I would also like to do some formal drawing or painting this year. And I think I want to do landscapes of all things. Moreover, I broached the idea with the boys, and both of them are interested. I might do some looking around to see if I can find a book or two on the subject for study. My favorite used bookstore often has a fine selection of art books. Aside from looking for art and reading, the only things I plan to do this week are rest, go to the library and make a brisket for BBQ for Independence Day. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Sounds like you have a nice week planned, Critterfixer! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 I hope so. I don't know that it will turn out to be a restful time. My grandfather took a bad fall this week at his home and is not doing well. Keeping the week as open as possible at least allows me to go help there if I'm needed. If I can request prayer for that situation, I sure would appreciate it. The outcome is far from certain right now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Praying for your grandfather, C. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 I think I will try something new this week. I want to make a simplified daily plan and post it here, then I can mark off each day the things I actually get to. Â Still trying to find a way to keep myself and the kids accountable and be consistent. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Thanks, Maize. (And I like Maizgyver!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyB Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015   Still trying to find a way to keep myself and the kids accountable and be consistent. When you get this figured out, please enlighten me. Ă°Å¸ËœÆ’ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Critter-I'm so sorry about you grandfather, I will add him to my prayer list. Â Wonderful day in church for me despite a horrible bout with insomnia last night. This week, I will be doing more praying, reading and getting prepared for our next school year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Critter, I'm sorry about your granpa, how scary. I'll certainly include him on my list as well. It's a silver lining, at least, that you can make yourself fairly available (with less stress) this week, should he need you. I always feel better if I can do something helpful. Â maize, I started home educating my step daughter!! Her other parent is less than homeschool supportive so that really drives me to be consistent and on top of things. Maybe you could start homeschooling a neighbor's child in exchange for some house cleaning :P? Worked for me!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Critter-how is your grandfathers? I'm still praying for him. Â Maize-so glad to see you back in the thread! How adorable is the baby now that she's becoming mobile? Â Hoping everyone has a great day! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Critter-how is your grandfathers? I'm still praying for him. Â Maize-so glad to see you back in the thread! How adorable is the baby now that she's becoming mobile? Â Hoping everyone has a great day! Â Â Baby is adorable, she's been a real sweetheart too and easy to take care of. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 OK, here's today's plan:  Dd12: Jousting Armadillos Caesar's English Typing Violin Dance Tumbling Handwriting  Ds10 Beast Academy Typing Handwriting Cello Dance Tumbling  DD7 Reading: 100 EZ Lessons Singapore math handwriting harp dance tumbling  ds5 100 EZ Singapore Math Handwriting Cello Dance Tumbling  I'll come back and cross things out as we finish. Getting a late start on school so don't really expect to get to everything. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Thanks all for prayers for my grandfather, guys! The report I had this morning from my mother said that he was doing better than expected. He's still very tired and weak, but yesterday they were able to take him outside so that he could enjoy the morning. That's always been one of his favorite ways to spend a morning, so that was a great thing for everyone.  I had a sad start to the day. Our chicken, who had been doing well, wasn't feeling well last night, so we brought her in again. She ate for us, enjoyed a slice of watermelon and nested down in her box. We found her dead this morning. She seems to have gone very peacefully. We took our minds off the sad events by heading out to the out-of-town library. We got some good book, stopped at a nice place and bought some rolls and raspberries for lunch (I had cheese and raspberries) and then we went and helped my father work on his yard. The last storm blew down some trees, so the boys and I hauled brush and he mowed before he heads back to help with my grandfather. I sent some fresh eggs. One of the boys has a cold, so I don't want to go down and risk making my grandpa sick, so I sent what I could anyway.  We came home with a variety of books and audio-books. The boys are listening to Dragon Rider, I polished off Okay for Now (Schmidt) and had to practically carry it around to keep my son from making off with it! He's got it now. I also found a book of poetry called Imaginary Animals, and don't you know, I found an approachable poem in heroic couplets! :hurray: In How to Read a Book, I'm at chapter 14: How to Read Imaginative Literature. With the book pages down and open on my desk, that appears to be half-way there. I think I owe myself a chocolate bar and a quarter-cup of pecans, what do you think? :D 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Go for the chocolate and pecans! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Aw! I'm so sorry for your chickie loss - but glad she seemed so content and peaceful before she died. I guess that's just the way life goes . . . Smart not to go pass your germs on to your grandpa, how fantastic he's doing better than expected! Go for the treat! Â My partner is back :) Nice to have help with all the chores. I've spent the last few days doing chores all day usually doled out among three adults. I managed fine, but I'm so glad not to have to complete that daily marathon on my own any more! Got in a 1/2 a lesson of AAR2 today, will complete tomorrow. Only 4 1/2 more lessons till we're done! Got sidetracked today into Charlotte Mason style morning time and I'm now considering adding in some daily Shakespeare and the like to our morning time. Which brings to mind Sarah Mackenzie's idea of looping morning time read alouds, which would probably work really well! So that's been fun to contemplate while watering the garden today :) Â Just need to grain the milk cow and walk the dogs after supper, everything else is done. Plus we got an unexpected rain shower - which we really needed! Not enough to make a ton of difference, but it was a step in the right direction. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Critter-i'm so sorry about the loss of your chicken! Â I'm so glad that your grandfather is feeling better!! Â I agree with Maize, go for the chocolate and pecans. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Well, we got through about half of our list today. Here's one for tomorrow (adding in chores):  Everyone: Devotional Memory Work  dd12: Math Caesar's English Handwriting PE Dance Violin Chinese Sweep Kitchen/Dining  ds10: Math Handwriting PE Dance Cello Chinese Pick Up/Sweep Living Room  dd7: Math Reading Handwriting PE Dance Harp Chinese Wipe off bathroom counters  ds5: Reading Math Chinese PE Dance Vacuum upper stairs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Ambitious, Maize! I've got to say, though, the music at your house must be fantastic. :001_smile: My list is quite a bit shorter.  Cleaning: Bedrooms, bathrooms (boys are done, they were in a hurry to get to Dragon Rider!) Kitchen, Dining and Laundry Room. Animals care: Sanitize the sick pen, and clean out the chicken house. Take care of all three litter boxes and fluff the kitty blankets, cause you know, they like them fluffed before their 23 hours of napping. Study: Continue reading How to Read A Book and at least get through the chapter on reading history. Picked up Age of Voyages at the library yesterday and Life in the Roman Empire and consider whether it might be worth using the first book (or whether to stick with Vast Horizons which is more narrative) and figure out how I would schedule the readings in the second to go along with OUP Ancient Rome. We got to dear old Julius at the end of last years history, and I plan to just pick up there when we start World History in the fall. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Not so ambitious if you know that music practice around here is usually about 10 minutes long; my kids aren't really super into music, they like it well enough but mostly don't enjoy practicing. It is important to me that they have some music background. I kind hope that one of them will find some passion for music eventually, but if not I am content to keep it at the life enrichment level. Â Chinese today will be with a tutor, so that part is easy; I just have to make sure the dining room table is clear. Â My biggest challenge is just finding the time to work with everyone on things they need help with. That, and the energy and focus to get them through their list. I really dislike directing people. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Critter, what is your plan for World History? Are you planning to study all the way to current times? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Wow guys, I feel like a slacker lol. I have four things on my list: Â -haul water to the horses -water the garden -clean the bathroom -attend wtmonline's latin webinar (I've been impatiently waiting for the the first session of the latin webinar to come out recorded from last week as I missed it, but it's not up yet! ) Â ds and I went for an early morning walk to pick saskatoons before it got too hot. The weather this year has been the perfect balance of rain and heat for them - they are big and juicy and sweet! Maybe I should pick enough to make an apple saskatoon pie? Their season is so fleeting. Really hoping dh comes home tonight. He's on the range with our cows and had a series of unfortunate events that prevented him from coming last night as planned. The sheep and the milk cow need a new pasture and hauling water to the horses is getting old so hopefully things work out a little better for him today. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015  My biggest challenge is just finding the time to work with everyone on things they need help with. That, and the energy and focus to get them through their list. I really dislike directing people.  Same here. Well, except for the directing people part. :laugh: I like the directing. I dislike the being ignored end of directing, though!   Critter, what is your plan for World History? Are you planning to study all the way to current times?  Not this year. I hope to get to current times by the end of eighth grade. I follow the chronological system laid out in WTM, because honestly, history isn't my cup of tea, and the simpler I can make things, the better. This year I want to go through the rise of the Roman Empire, through the fall, and most of the middle ages. I want to be at Shakespeare by the end of this year. I had planned to finish OUP Ancient Rome, then proceed to OUP European World and OUP Age of Empires. Voyages isn't my favorite. I'm just giving it the final read over to be sure I want to do something different for covering early explorers.  2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Wow guys, I feel like a slacker lol. I have four things on my list: Â -haul water to the horses -water the garden -clean the bathroom -attend wtmonline's latin webinar (I've been impatiently waiting for the the first session of the latin webinar to come out recorded from last week as I missed it, but it's not up yet! ) Â ds and I went for an early morning walk to pick saskatoons before it got too hot. The weather this year has been the perfect balance of rain and heat for them - they are big and juicy and sweet! Maybe I should pick enough to make an apple saskatoon pie? Their season is so fleeting. Really hoping dh comes home tonight. He's on the range with our cows and had a series of unfortunate events that prevented him from coming last night as planned. The sheep and the milk cow need a new pasture and hauling water to the horses is getting old so hopefully things work out a little better for him today. I planted a Saskatoon bush last year, it is quite small yet but does have a few berries on it. Â We have had lots of raspberries this year, and the blackberries are starting to ripen. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 I don't have any Saskatoons. :sad:Â They would never bear even if they could survive the heat of the summer. I do, however, have fresh picked peaches and Muscadines to look forward to. Got my eye on a beautifully loaded vine up the road. :001_smile: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 I must add one more thing to my day: one boy wants me to type up his latest story. He's reading it to me right now, pencil in hand, correcting when something doesn't read the way he wants it to. Good boy! :hurray: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 what is a muscadine? And I LOVE peaches. They won't grow as far north as I am, but my province is famous nation-wide for the fruit that grows in the south. My in-laws love to travel and bring us back useful things, so I'm expecting 16 lbs of cherries for freezing and untold pounds of Okanagan Peaches this summer! Can't wait. When I lived in the town in which I grew up, thee was a U-pick orchard with almost every tree fruit that would grow in the area. Such fun to take the kids and come back with a few weeks worth of fruit! Â maize, the lambs broke into our garden several times last year, so I had to restart my rasperries this year :( Blackberries won't grow in our area. . . not warm enough? Wet enough? I'm not sure. but we have josta berry and blueberry bushes in our yard this, as well as a kiwi berry bush. We're also trying a few varieties of grapes - not sure what will survive the winter so we got a few different varieties. I'm about half way up the province of BC, but in an area called the "Banana Belt of the North" right on the Fraser River so it's hard to pinpoint exactly what will survive. We're having fun exploring and experimenting though! Wish we could do peaches!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Take care of all three litter boxes and fluff the kitty blankets, cause you know, they like them fluffed before their 23 hours of napping.I agree! My cat must have his blankets or my pillow fluffed for his nap! We got our phonics lesson done and are headed out to vacuum the pool before the kids get in it. We got it clear but the way!  Forgot to add that I bought 8's newest book and will be reading it while the kids swim. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I must add one more thing to my day: one boy wants me to type up his latest story. He's reading it to me right now, pencil in hand, correcting when something doesn't read the way he wants it to. Good boy! :hurray: Ă°Å¸â€˜ good job! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Â Â what is a muscadine? And I LOVE peaches. They won't grow as far north as I am, but my province is famous nation-wide for the fruit that grows in the south. My in-laws love to travel and bring us back useful things, so I'm expecting 16 lbs of cherries for freezing and untold pounds of Okanagan Peaches this summer! Can't wait. When I lived in the town in which I grew up, thee was a U-pick orchard with almost every tree fruit that would grow in the area. Such fun to take the kids and come back with a few weeks worth of fruit! A muscadine is a little like a wild grape. It's bronze or purple-red in color, smells wonderful, and has a peculiar taste and is very difficult to describe. It's very sweet and well, musky. We have the wild ones around in pretty large numbers. Have to fight the deer for them. We have a winery just up the road that sells them for fresh eating, and they make muscadine wines from other varieties. Â I love the peaches, too! The ones we get here are always hit and miss. About 50% of the time we get a late frost that kills them all off for the year. This year has been almost perfect, so I can hardly wait for the free-stones. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Canada Day today! We're heading into town as soon as the chores are done to take part in the family celebrations at the main park. Last year the weather was gorgeous and all the kids had an epic water fight around the splash pad and ds really REALLY wants to do that again. But it's quite chilly and overcast. They're calling for a gorgeous day of sunshine though, so we'll have to wait and see what happens here. Â There's also a ton of free entertainment and free food (all the cultural groups in town provide yummy samples of their signature foods! And cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes lol. How can you beat that?). So we're all looking forward to a fun day - just hoping the weather will cooperate for us! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Happy Canada Day, Tawlas! Wish I could join y'all. It's almost 90F, cloudy and I think I need to grow gills to breathe out there. I'm supposed to work bees this morning. I don't know if I can stomach crawling in the bee-suit today. Moreover, the bees dislike the heat and humidity almost as much as I do. They get mad. I'm trying to work up the resolve to go get that done, but in the meantime, I think I'll cool off first. The living room needs sweeping and mopping, we need to go to the library, and I need to finish up more reading. I got through one chapter of How to Read a Book yesterday, but my brain was foggy. Nothing came through clearly, so I think I'll read that chapter again and see if I get anything more out of it. It frustrates me more than a little that much of the book is mostly common sense, but all dolled up with excess language. I keep being reminded of a quote from Twain from one of my favorite short stories of his: "...he had not failed to observe how harmoniously gigantic language and a microscopic topic go together." I'm sure it speaks to my lack of mental capacity that I end up thinking that after reading How to Read a Book. But, watermelon pickles! I feel like I'm wading in a swamp! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Happy Canada Day Tawlas! Have a wonderful time in town and get pictures of those cupcakes, lol. Â Critter- you poor thing! I can just imagine how hot that bee suit is, if you muster the courage to get into today, have nice cold glass of lemonade when you get out. Â Well, we got our phonics lesson done today, pool done and I've taken the customary early morning calls from people. Hoping to get more good news from home about my grandfather and hoping to relax. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I keep trying to grow hardy kiwis, they keep dying. I've planted maybe 8 vines, different varieties. One has survived for four years and is finally growing large, but I don't know for sure if it is male or female. I think it is a male. I have a very small Issai vine from last year that is alive but not growing quickly. Â I like to experiment as well, pushing the limits of what will grow here. I haven't had much luck with blueberries, I think the soil is too alkaline and our weather is too dry. Blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries have all done well. I have a small mulberry tree that is flourishing. I planted a fig tree a couple years back, and it has done fairly well; it dies back in the winter, but sprouts again from the roots in the spring. I planted two pistachio trees (male and female) last year, it gets a bit cold for them here but they did survive their first winter. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Sunday -- Church, lunch, nap, back to church (Bible class)  Monday -- Math with Crash, lawn mowing, weed whacking, laundry, cleaning, exercise, hubby's haircut  Tuesday -- Math with Crash, sit with my mother during my father's surgery, get him situated comfortably at home, exercise  Wednesday -- errands, cooking, school prep for 2015-16, kids played outside  Thursday -- Math with Crash, Bible, Christian Doctrine (badge work), FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT, exercise  Friday -- Math with Crash, make taco salad, my parents will visit for the day, FIREWORKS, exercise  Saturday -- Math with Crash, rabbit chores, TIE-DYE T-SHIRTS, exercise, whatever else needs doing ;)   3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 So we did an awesome job getting through our list yesterday, yay us!  Here's one for today;  Devotional Memory Work  dd12: Math Violin Dance Tumbling Biology Sweep Hallway and Living Room  ds10: Math Handwriting Dance Tumbling Cello Wipe off Kitchen Counters  dd7: Reading Math Dance Tumbling Harp Organize Shoes in Entryway  ds5: Reading Cello Dance Tumbling Vaccuum lower stairs 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 MaizeĂ°Å¸â€˜ for getting through the day! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 I still have not gathered my courage to get in the bee-suit. Too hot. Got my housekeeping done, and made my decision on whether or not to include OUP Voyages in this year's curriculum. Nope. I'll do that one next year along with Age of Science and Revolutions. Getting some good stuff out of Adler's topic chapters on How to Read Imaginative Literature and the chapter on Reading History. Take away points included the importance of reading the entire story with deep and complete immersion when it comes to imaginative literature and the importance of reading multiple accounts of an event in history and reflecting on history as "not only to learn what really happened at a particular time and place in the past, but also to learn the way men act in all times and places, especially now."   2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Critterfixer, I would love to come visit you. I'm sure I wouldn't want to wear a bee-suit but I'd sure like to watch someone else take care of bees ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 It does sound interesting doesn't it? Its funny, I have quite a few friends with hives in their back yard, but I've never seen them take care of them - they're all long distance friends. When I was in my early 20s, I worked in a honey house. The people for whom I worked had a ton of hives all over the valley and their honey was nationally awarded. SO GOOD. The honey house smelt amazing and even though it was a pretty boring job (mostly pouring honey into jars) I enjoyed my time there. Do you struggle with the parasites and other afflictions bees are suffering from these days? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I didn't get much sleep last night, thanks to a very restless toddler.  Here's today's plan:  Devotional Memory Work  dd12: Math Tumbling Violin Dance Typing Sweep Living Room  ds10: Math Handwriting Tumbling Dance Cello Wipe off Kitchen Counters  dd7: Reading Math Tumbling Dance Harp Wipe off Bathroom Counters  ds5: Reading Math Tumbling Dance Cello Take Laundry Downstairs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015  It does sound interesting doesn't it? Its funny, I have quite a few friends with hives in their back yard, but I've never seen them take care of them - they're all long distance friends. When I was in my early 20s, I worked in a honey house. The people for whom I worked had a ton of hives all over the valley and their honey was nationally awarded. SO GOOD. The honey house smelt amazing and even though it was a pretty boring job (mostly pouring honey into jars) I enjoyed my time there. Do you struggle with the parasites and other afflictions bees are suffering from these days?   It's hot, that's what it is! And very frustrating at times. This morning anyone watching would probably have heard me using some choice language directed at the small hive beetle. I can't curse them enough. I've been lucky with the mites since I have Russians and run screened bottom boards year round. But I'm probably going to do some mite checks this fall and treat before winter. I lost two hives to the cold, damp conditions last year and it is no coincidence that this hive that is struggling was not as healthy as it should have been this spring. I have neighbors with bees, my folks have bees and it's been an up and down year so far.  So I've got one item crossed off my list this morning: work bees. :001_smile: I've got to braise a brisket this afternoon, mostly hands off work, but I need to get started soon. Then tea. Then off to buy fireworks with the boys and DH, who took a long weekend. Then I'll probably spend the rest of the day reading and working on next week's poetry lesson, which I've been putting off. I ought to take a look at the next math book (starting CLE 5 with the boys and Key to Algebra Book on Graphs for me :ack2: ), go into town and check some mail for Mom, fill up the truck for work tomorrow...better get moving! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I bet it can be frustrating! I'm interested in bees, I still think I may try it out, but probably not until we've settled back on our home ranch (we're currently on a lease). Moving a family of 7 people, 100 sheep, 200 cows and 30 horses is complicated enough without a bee hive lol. Â Today I'd like to get something checked off my list planning-wise but I'm not sure what. I'm listening to the WTM webinar this evening (the one by Sarah Mackenzie) so I may putter away at a few mindless tasks like organizing the SOTW student pages into a binder etc while I listen. I'm done all the big planning tasks, now it's mostly just the details that will make life easier to organize. Â Anyone know how to integrate more review into math mammoth? I don't really want to buy more work sheets. I love the CLE system but I don't know how to recreate that with what I have (the light blue series of math mammoth) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 The way I did MM with my oldest, we worked simultaneously in several different sections. So any given day she might so a page of division, a page of geometry, and a page of fractions. It helped spread each section over a longer period of time and reduced the need for review. Also kept the daily work more interesting. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 You know, that may just be the easiest way. I was trying to figure out if I should leave some of the problems undone and come back to them later or what, but it just got so complicated I gave up. Thanks maize! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 You know, that may just be the easiest way. I was trying to figure out if I should leave some of the problems undone and come back to them later or what, but it just got so complicated I gave up. Thanks maize! Â You're welcome :) Â We kept track of what had been done by clipping the corner off of finished pages. (We used the printed workbooks, you might need a different tracking method if printing your own sheets.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 I use a filing system (in a binder, not in folders) so I can just pull the papers out of the To Do binder and put them in her current week binder. I've looked through the fourth grade book and I think I've worked out a pretty good system. I'm excited! In the past we've occasionally done two chapters at once but I never considered three! That will provide much more variety too. When we did the multiplication chapter in grade three, I got so tired of the same thing every day - it was such a long chapter. That's an advantage to CLE - lots of variety. My ds likes it for that as well. Â So I think we're going to go through Story of the Orchestra as part of our Morning Time :) I'm sure they'll love it. I may get A Children's Introduction to Poetry for them after that. It's very similar (with reading sections and a CD). I've gotten really inspired by Morning Time posts, threads etc lately. Â Ive just helped dh move horses from one pasture to another and this one dumb horse just would NOT go through the gate. My legs are all scratched up from diving through wild rose bushes trying to cut her off. Teach me to help him in skirt lol! At least I put my runners on - I was contempleting my old gardening shoes lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 I'm listening along here, still working on planning although more slowly than I should.  Maize I love your thoughts on MM. We will probably do it that way too. I've also got some CLE work from this year that I left undone, originally because he just didn't need that much repetition but then later on I thought it would be good to have for review so I'm going to have him work on that about 10 min 3x a week. Plans are always subject to change of course :)  I looked through various nature study resources and think I found a journal that will be perfect for dd and save me some prep work, we'll see. I bought ds a guide for survival skills for him to do during our outside time, he just loves that stuff.  I think I have everything else. I made it to the library and got some history and science books for ds.  I forgot that ds had Day Camp next week so we can't start then, oops, slight oversight on my part, week after. I've got to get it in gear to get my to-do list finished though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 critterfixer- my current plan is to rotate on the extras, going back and forth on unit studies for dd1 and 2, while ds reads a bit of both on his own. I also have scheduled some slower weeks around the holidays and decided to hit art and music during that time, it seems the winter is a great time for art when our nature studies will be a bit slower. Ideally I'd like to hit everything all the time, realistically I get wore out and then give it up, this time I'm planning to do less, hoping to do it better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 soror, I'm scared to ask since I have a plan for nature study already, but what have you found for a ns journal? Planning to do less, hoping to do it better has a great ring to it. We should probably all keep it in mind! Â Its early. I told dh I'd help him fix fence this morning, but only until 10. He's still in bed. I'm NOT working midday! Gonna go wiggle his toe one more time, then I'm getting coffee. Trying not to feel grumpy lol. Today, besides fencing, I plan on checking a few more things off my planning list, maybe getting my rising first grader all squared away. Â I should also look into next week's stuff as it's the first week of our summer term. The kids are going to learn how to use the kidblog app and we're going to review the first nations studies we did last summer. And get daily math and one-on-one reading started up again. Maybe we'll just start math fact practice up since dsd will only be home for a week before she's off to visit more family. . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 I have a Saturday off! Wow! I haven't had one of those in forever! The cats are taking advantage of my presence to parade through my lap. The dogs even let me sleep in until 6:45. I've got some chores to take care of, but top of my list is combining the swarm and the queenless hive today and taking out a cherry tree that is threatening to come down on the chicken's pen. Don't know quite how that one is going to go, but I have a plan. Other than that, the only other thing on the schedule is to do fireworks with family tonight.   critterfixer- my current plan is to rotate on the extras, going back and forth on unit studies for dd1 and 2, while ds reads a bit of both on his own. I also have scheduled some slower weeks around the holidays and decided to hit art and music during that time, it seems the winter is a great time for art when our nature studies will be a bit slower. Ideally I'd like to hit everything all the time, realistically I get wore out and then give it up, this time I'm planning to do less, hoping to do it better.  Isn't that the truth, though! I learned a lot this spring about making sure that breaks are for me as well as for the boys. I can't call a break and then spend half my week working out of the house, the rest trying to keep up with the house and plan school, and then pretend to be rested. My body calls foul and lays down on me. I used to be able to fool it, but it's going to be 40 this month and it knows all my "Jedi mind tricks" now. :tongue_smilie:   3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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