Jump to content

Menu

Accountability Thread: 9/25-10/1


Recommended Posts

It is the end of September. How did that happen? 

Not much on the schedule today. We have cousins to play with later, and a cookout with MIL, FIL and extended family. I just sent DH shopping for the groceries. I need to sweep the house, write a few thousand words, and figure out what we are doing for history and science this week. That's plenty as far as I'm concerned. Hope everyone has a great day.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This week basic goals - will edit or quote or something as I go :)

 

{Assuming I can kick my cold early in the week}

 

1-2 housekeeping projects: paint stained knots on trim. Garage tidy

Training goals: 20 minute run. 20 minute run. 5-10 mins Abs/core 3-4 times

Five days of school

 

Monday so far: cold is worse. I wouldn't call it a full day school but 1/2 day is enough for today.

Counting the play style things I can still "count" keyboard music time and her reading aloud to me to make me feel better :)

Edited by Shred Betty
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been so busy with work, I haven't had time to check in.

 

School has been going well, we're a little behind, but last week had a bunch of appointments that don't usually happen, so I'm hoping we can catch up this week. DD's tumbling is going great, the handspring class I found is really helping get her series (multiple handsprings in a row), and Friday her team coach let her try round-off, layout (a no-hand handspring, basically) on the floor and DD did it! 

 

This week is more of the same. I need to be more accountable with my exercise. I've been really slacking on that, and I can tell.  <_<

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

September is almost over? We are still in the "Just getting started" phase of school. 

 

This week on the academic front:

  • Catching up with DD's work particularly in history and English.
  • Order student study guide and TE for Conceptual Physics. Advanced Exploration Education Physics is great for hands-on building but too easy for DD.
  • Start Shurley English 8 with prewritten sentences by me.
  • Push writing forward in our week.
  • Listen/watch rebroadcast of Presidential debate/soundbite ad. The debate happens during swim practice.
  • DD writes scholarship letter for piano study.
  • Math...continue correcting. Wow! Singapore Dimensions Math was such a struggle last year. This year Foerster's  Algebra 1  is almost too easy.
  • Start pulling together History DBQs for October.
  • Find better Articles of the Week to respond to.
  • Try an get a better understanding of the CA Smarter Balanced Test results. Two points away from "Exceeds Expectations" in both English and Math doesn't tell me much as a teacher. What do we need to work on? So disappointing from a teaching standpoint.   
Edited by Ms Brooks
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sunday 9/25

Worship at church

Play outside, free time, crafting, bunnies

Tea & conversation

 

Monday 9/26

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise, etc.

School Work -- Science Morning, Composition, Math

Grandparents' Visit

 

Tuesday 9/27

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise, etc.

School Work -- TBD

Afternoon Nap

 

Wednesday 9/28

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise, etc.

School Work -- TBD

Church midweek

 

Thursday 9/29

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise, etc.

School Work -- TBD

Choir Practice

 

Friday 9/30

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise, etc.

School Work -- TBD

Family Movie Night

 

Saturday 10/1

High school football game -- go to watch our niece/cousin march in her marching band :)

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, I am back.

We are moving in less than a week.  :willy_nilly:

 

Paperwork and errands are consuming much of my time at the moment.

This afternoon is going to be tough - it is our last shift at the refugee center. Most of our friends are there and it is going to be very emotional for both DS and I. Am trying to prepare myself...

 

As for school, fortunately DS has some outsourced classes and independent work to keep him going. He does not have nearly the mountain of moving-related tasks to deal with that I do, and he needs to keep doing school so as not to spend time brooding over the fact that this is our last week here, kwim?

 

We have to spend our final days here in a hotel. Except for the outsourced classes and math, I have some fun local things in mind to get us out of the hotel (and out of our heads).

 

Looking forward to seeing DH next week!

Note to self: :chillpill:

 

 

Edited by Penguin
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm up and around. It is much cooler this morning; I'm very happy about that.

Today's schedule:

French-continue unit 18, workbook

Latin-first quiz today, grammar recitation

Math-lesson 7, 1 page KTD

Grammar/Comp-new spelling words today from The Ransom of Red Chief, grammar exercise 9 in KISS, Week 2, Day 1 in Writing With Skill

History-finish chapter 5 in Voyages, answer questions, additional reading

Science-chapter 2, activity, additional reading in Elements, and make notes on Hydrogen and Helium

Creative Writing-Week 2, creating suspense (one of my favorite things to do in a story!)

Art-Unit 5, lesson 2 (Form)

 

For me: French, Latin, Geometry, Grammar, Housekeeping, Writing. I got 1000 words yesterday on the novel rewrite, revised my short story, and need to do some printing today.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rather than mention each subject one by one, I'm just going to say that everything went well today.  We seem to have the right books this year at the right level so that there is good learning going on fairly painlessly.  I know that some would probably up the rigor but I'm comfortable with it being painless.  Dd is really doing well in Japanese this year.  It has been a joy to teach her.

 

Ds got his first quiz back in pre calculus.  He got a C.  I'm encouraging him to do some different things for this week's test but convincing an aspie that he can make some changes can be difficult at times.  But the seeds are sown and usually if I don't push it so that he digs his feet in, he will start to incorporate some my ideas. 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Monday 9/26

Everything went well today. We did our chores and school work in the morning. We saw a large fox trot across the back yard. We saw the black cat with white socks, stalking vermin by the swimming pool. We saw the pinto gallop across the back field. It's a wonder we got anything else done!

 

As I was cleaning up breakfast, the girls practiced their pianos (with headphones). I thought I heard humming, so I asked them to please stop (I can't stand humming all day long). "We're not humming, Mommy." Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm. I still heard it. Maybe it's the doves on the roof? Went outside. No doves. Came back in. Still heard humming. It was coming from the rabbit cages. Yes, one of the rabbits, Blossom Joy, was so sound asleep, she was snoring.  :001_wub: 

 

My parents came up around 11:30 am, and we had a lovely visit with them. Last week in our church's midweek ministry for kids, my twins made sets for playing kubb. While I was inside today, preparing lunch, the girls set up the kubb game and played with my mother. So I look out the window and see my mom (who is 80) playing kubb with all three kids, while my father (who is 84) was taking a sun nap. ;) After that, we had lunch (taco salad), then my mom gave each of the girls a piano lesson (she's teaching them whenever we're together). Then my mom cleaned me out of all the things I have purchased (so far) for the girls' Christmas presents. We do this every year. I get the stuff, set it up on the table with prices, and she gets what she wants. After the "Christmas shopping," we chatted the whole afternoon, while the girls crocheted or played games with my father.

 

My husband came home this evening very happy about his work day. He is now making me some herbal tea. What can I say, ladies, he's mine. :001_wub:

 

This was a perfect day. :)

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are back from our trip. It was exhausting. Fun, busy, wonderful, but positively exhausting. I was on my own with the kids for the ride there (8 hours) and most of the trip. DH was able to come for the last day and a half. The girls wouldn't have been hard, but a newborn that hates the car was stressing me out. He did fine though. I had grand plans of doing some school while we were there and that only happened twice. Ă°Å¸ËœÂ£ To be fair, I thought we would have more downtime that we did. We did receive Monopoly as a gift from my dad, and spend many hours playing it. Ă°Å¸Ëœ I also go them a coding book/game, and dd1 spent some time doing that. They all did prodigy math, and they all read some.

Yesterday was our first day back to school. Sunday we arrived an hour past bedtime, so I knew Monday would be rough. We did history (encyclopedia reading and SOTW cd for dd1, story reading for dd2/3, and lap book component for all, which included a good amount of writing so I'm counting that as done too), writing through their history work, coop science (read chapter 3 of dd2 book and completely the journal pages, read the encyclopedia pages, completed the sketch, wrote vocabulary words, made element flash cards, and watched memorize academy's video for the first twenty elements for dd1), prodigy math was played by all three.

Today I want to-

DD1-

CLE math-first lesson in book four

Writing-Hernan Cortes

Grammar

Spelling

History-start new chapter book

Science-memorize academy

 

DD2-

CLE math-first lesson in book four

Writing-letter to penpal

Grammar

History-If You Lived...Colonial Times

 

DD3-

Math-next page in Miquon

Reading-next few pages in her reader

Phonics-Memoria Press K

Writing-letter to penpal, I'll scribe and she will copy

 

We might try to head to the park. Our only plan (visitation for bird) got cancelled so we are completely free!

 

I should probably make a dinner plan...Ă°Å¸ËœÂ³

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was Blossom Joy tooth purring? 

 

I don't think so, but she does do that when we rub her jaw. This, I think, was a genuine snore. It was so adorable! She is our most vocal rabbit. She grunts, she squeaks, and, apparently, she snores. And she tooth purrs. :)

 

Mr. Speckles Thumper (a dwarf lion mane, white with black spots and little black ears, so cute) does his fair share of snuffling, squeaking, and grunting when we pick him up. He is hilarious, and super alert. He thumps whenever we put a hot pan into the sink and it sizzles. He predicts the weather -- seriously, he starts to thump before thunderstorms. One night, I was here at the computer, and it was windy out. Speckles started to thump like mad. He wouldn't do that for no reason, you know? So, I moved the cages back from the window, got a flash light, and just then the power went out. The next morning, we learned that a small tornado had ripped right down the back strip of the neighborhood, tearing up large trees and damaging things and moving our neighbor's boat all the way down his driveway (it landed in the road)! We had little damage, except for a few dead branches that fell down, but Mr. Speckles is now our reliable weather-bunny. His fur is the softest and tickles like crazy.

 

Clover Mae is our sweet, quiet, all-white rabbit. That may sound boring, but she is so sweet, she makes up for it. You could hold her for an hour, and she would just fall asleep in your lap. Many nights, when my husband is away and the girls are in bed, I hold her while I type one-handed (here). So if I make typos, blame Clover.

 

I never in a million years would have thought that a rabbit could be so interesting and have so much individual temperament. Who would guess, when their brain is like the size of, what, a walnut? a peanut? a lentil? LOL. Then again, I wouldn't have known the adventure that is TWINS, unless I had my own set. Now, I think everyone should have a set of twins. Share the adventure! :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly:

Edited by Sahamamama
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm tired this morning. Why? I went to bed on time. I think I slept well. It could be the grayness of the day. We had bright, sunny, beautiful weather for at least 10 consecutive days. We were out in it every day. Today we are fogged in, but this is equally beautiful to me. I call these "Gray & Green Days." Love them.

 

But... overall, I do better with sunshine. I need a Happy Light, perhaps. I still enjoy a rainy day, though. It works out so well that today is also Mandatory Nap Day, LOL. My girls need one nap per week, or they start to drag through everything. One nap + one early bedtime seems to do the trick.

 

Anyway, we have Bible and Science in the morning, followed by the usual line-up of Independent Work and Tutor Time -- Math, Grammar, Spelling/Vocabulary (student's choice), Composition, Bible Memory/JBQ (student's choice), French (student's choice of assignments), Independent Reading (student's choice), and Piano/Recorder/Choir practice (student's choice). See how much choice they have? But nap is still mandatory. ;)

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had grand plans of doing some school while we were there and that only happened twice. Ă°Å¸ËœÂ£ To be fair, I thought we would have more downtime that we did. We did receive Monopoly as a gift from my dad, and spend many hours playing it. Ă°Å¸Ëœ I also go them a coding book/game, and dd1 spent some time doing that. They all did prodigy math, and they all read some.

 

 

So this was a GREAT success! I used to take school work on trips, too, back in the days when I thought that was realistic, LOL. Now, I would view the hours of playing Monopoly as the best of the best of the best, and leave the school work home.

 

We went to California for a MONTH last year. Took no school work. The girls played endless games of this and that with relatives, swam in the Pacific Ocean, hiked along the coast and in the mountains, went to museums and parks, ate great Middle Eastern food (in-laws are Egyptian), and learned some life lessons along the way (my MIL hates me, for example). They learned about hanging in and making the best of hard situations, how to travel a bit, and how to jump back into things when we returned to our own lives. The only thing we practiced out there was the choir music the girls would have to sing two days after coming home. And patience. We practiced lots of patience.

 

Welcome back! :)

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is cool this morning, but not cloudy. I'd like the clouds, so I'll trade your fog for some sunshine. Deal? :laugh:

Today's schedule: 

French-continue unit 18, workbook

Latin-Lesson 2 (and I've got to grade the quiz), workbook

Math-Lesson 8, 1 page of KTD

Grammar/Comp-Spelling practice, sentences; Grammar exercise 10, WWS-Week 2, Day 2

History/Science-swap from yesterday

Art/Creative Writing-swap from yesterday

 

For me: Writing, French, Latin, Geometry, Housekeeping

ETA: Writers' Meeting tonight.

Edited by Critterfixer
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sahamamama opened the door for me to talk about my grandbunny!  (I've actually shown people his picture in the grocery store line.  Dd says that this is a bad harbinger of what I will be like with human grandbabies.  ;)  )  WPJBbp4.jpg  5Bp8PcK.png

 

Rusty is a mini lop. Mini lops are not very mini.  He is our attack bunny with the personality the size of a german shepherd!  He races around in circles, while doing binkies of joy.  He can bound over three feet plus high fences (the bunny rescue lady who bunny sits for us didn't believe us at first).  He loves to chase the cat, who is terrified of him.  (He just wants to play).  He knows exactly how long the leash is on our dog with a strong prey drive and will come within one inch of him.  He tolerates our other dog who thinks that he is her "baby".  He is stubborn, funny, and smart as a whip.  In other words, he fits right in! 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dh had a follow up with the specialist yesterday, so no school since the long drive means it takes the whole day.

 

Dh is taking off work today. He has been overdoing it and Dr said take a few days off and rest. So whadaya know? School hasn't started yet! Everyone wants to cuddle daddy and chat with him and have him read them stories. That's fine by me. The lessons will get done eventually. :)

 

Today's list:

-laundry (going)

-piano practice, language arts, math, plus 1 content subject of dd's choice

-phonics and math for ds

-allergy injection

-pay bills

-lowes return and grab a bag of soil

-plant mums (got them on sale for $1.74 each and they are gigantic!)

 

I feel like I'm forgetting something so if I am, hopefully it will come back to me!

 

Eta: I already remember! Exercise! Funny story about that...

 

We were at McDonald's (the only place to go in this tiny town) after dh's appointment so he could get some coffee and the baby could run around the patio area chasing pigeons before the long ride home. Two of the tiniest old ladies I've ever seen were on the patio having coffee and making friends with the baby. Well after they left I was chasing the baby around and saw one of them left her purse. They were rolling out of the parking lot but the patio gate on that side was padlocked. So I ran around to the other gate and had to run across the whole parking lot, across a run-off field, and ran into the road to catch them at the red light! I looked like a crazy lady! My lungs were burning! I have pretty good upper body strength from carrying a huge baby around all the time but man, my endurance is shot! When I got back to the patio, I told dh in between labored breaths, "I... am... exercising... tomorrow!" Off to do that right now while everyone else is enjoying daddy time!

Edited by MrsRobinson
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So this was a GREAT success! I used to take school work on trips, too, back in the days when I thought that was realistic, LOL. Now, I would view the hours of playing Monopoly as the best of the best of the best, and leave the school work home.

 

We went to California for a MONTH last year. Took no school work. The girls played endless games of this and that with relatives, swam in the Pacific Ocean, hiked along the coast and in the mountains, went to museums and parks, ate great Middle Eastern food (in-laws are Egyptian), and learned some life lessons along the way (my MIL hates me, for example). They learned about hanging in and making the best of hard situations, how to travel a bit, and how to jump back into things when we returned to our own lives. The only thing we practiced out there was the choir music the girls would have to sing two days after coming home. And patience. We practiced lots of patience.

 

Welcome back! :)

 

 

Thank you for this. It means a lot, especially since I've been feeling like I have not been getting enough done since Baby Bird came home. Its been two months, and I thought since I didn't birth this one, I'd be on top of it. Unfortunately, because of doctors appointments every other week, twice weekly visitation, twice monthly DCF visits, and waking up every three hours, I have not been at my best with regards to school. I am trying to get us back on track, but we aren't where I'd like us to be quite yet. Every 'off' day feels like another failure on my part. :crying:  

We did manage most of the days work, grammar didn't get done, but everything else did. I packed us up and took the kids to the park so two could play while I worked one on one with the third. Plus, the sunshine was good for baby bird. The park was quite busy, as PS is out this week, which made it hard to focus. They did run around a lot though, which is nice. 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oops, apparently I don't know how to quote...How do I get my text out of the quote box?

 

 

Before you start typing, just make sure you're past any of the quotes and computer mumbo jumbo.  I usually put a few spaces between whatevers up there already and what I want to type, just to be safe.  And really, I figured it out, no worries :)

 

Be kind to yourself.  A new baby is a new baby.  Everyone needs time and grace, including you!!

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Afternoon all!  I'm feeling a little frazzled, but I would still count the morning as a success.  Even though the computer was being stubborn and slow (it's ancient, to be fair!).  To buy myself a little breathing space, I went to set the preschooler up with a Scholastic story DVD but then the TV wouldn't turn on!!  What the heck?!  So put it in the laptop, crossed my fingers she wouldn't touch anything, then went back to the computer.  DS had a melt down over math because he's been camping/fishing/hunting for two weeks and it was culture shock for him.  It took the other DS 30 minutes or more to do 2 ETC pages!  And I know they're easy for him!  At least DD's typing program eventually started.  Things sorted themselves out.  And I didn't lose my cool lol.  So I guess it's a win.  

 

In the midst of that chaos, I went and resuced an Aero bar out of my office closet and passed pieces around.  My kids thought I'd lost my marbles cause I NEVER do that, but it did help us all, I think :)

 

But not much chill time for me today.  Off to cut and pile more burdock, then I'll go for a walk into the sheep pen to check on them.  If I add a podcast or story to the burdock and soak up the sunshine on the sheep check, I could count that as chill time I guess!  After that, we have memory work, afternoon morning time and then I'm going to introduce the older two Evan Moore's daily editing pages and see how that goes.  Give them each a red pen and see if they like being the "teacher" lol.  

 

But first, finish my tea and hobnobs!

 

Edited by Tawlas
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tuesday:

 

A pretty stressful day is now done.  I had the dentist in the morning.  No cavities but my jaw and tmj just aches from being open so wide for so long.  I have to go back tomorrow morning for sealant - something I'm paying for out of pocket because I figured out that it is cheaper to just pay for that than potential cavities in my molars.

 

Dd's school is getting harder - for me!  I am going to have to start cracking the books here so that I can explain things adequately.  Just having a sense of what the correct answer is, will not cut it. 

 

The disability office at the college messed up an appointment - again.  I'm a bit ticked that they have EF problems that keep them from being able to help the very students that they are supposed to help.  Ds ended up getting another appointment but had to cancel his work this afternoon in order to keep it.  Fortunately his work is flexible and very nice about things like this. 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was tired, but we did it all, LOL. I even decided to beat back the fatigue with exercise -- 10 minutes stretching, 20 minutes weights, 30 minutes super-cardio (don't be too impressed, I can't even run yet). But I was faster on the treadmill than I have been, so I think that "resting" this morning was a wise idea. For some reason, I couldn't get the engine turned over this morning.

 

My endocrinologist put my Armour down way low two months ago. We told him it would be too low, but he wanted to begin there again, because I was messed up over the summer. I need to call him tomorrow and let him know I'm starting to feel it. Sinking fast, oh boy. I feel it first in my executive function -- like, I'm standing at the counter, trying to decide what to do with the carrot peels. For five minutes. Should I wash them and give them to the rabbits, or throw them away? Or peel the apples first, and then throw it all away?

 

That is so annoying, you can't even imagine. I know I'm doing it, but powerless to just DO this or that. Total stall. I can feel the brain drain, too, from putting that kind of effort into what ought to be wham-bam decisions. This morning, I was staring at my socks and thinking through how to put them on. Sigh. Somehow, working out didn't happen just then.

 

After the fog starts, my back begins to feel like it's on fire, starting in the same group of muscles, every time. Then the muscle knots. Then the greater fatigue, against which no willpower will ever overcome. I told my husband, "If I can't figure out how to call Dr. S. tomorrow...." He interrupted and said, "I'm calling him, and that's final." Dr. S. knows that my husband is my safety net, so when he calls, it's because I'm cognitively impaired to some extent.

 

BUT, we did manage to finish today's work for Science, Bible, Reading, Math, Grammar, Composition, Spelling, Vocabulary/Roots, French, and Piano Practice. :) Plus laundry, plus cleaning (vacuumed the whole upstairs), plus I cooked three great meals for everyone! I'm not a slacker, I'm just hormonal. :lol:

 

I'm also going up now to get ready for bed. Good night.

Edited by Sahamamama
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 dogs?! I can't wrap my brain around itĂ°Å¸ËœÅ“

 

Me neither.  Hang on:

 

Molly

Abby

Woof

John

White dog

Lou

Tibby

Nova

Gus

Chance

Kate

Page

Choke

 

Sorry. Only 13.  But dh is making noises about breeding Nova now that all but one cow dog is over the age of 4.  They are NOT pets.  We have kennels outside for when they're not working.  They've actually saved dh's life (literally and figuratively) many a time when he's working, so I put up with them with as much grace as I can muster lol.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with today. We ought to do some school, but the afternoon is interrupted, and I don't think we can get a full day in. Tentatively, this should do.

French-unit 18, workbook

Latin-Lesson 2, continued, workbook

Math-Lesson 9, KTD 1 page (Book 3 starts today)

Grammar/Composition-Spelling practice, grammar exercise

I think I'll let today be a half-day and call it good.

 

For me: French, Latin, Geometry, Housekeeping, Writing.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love hearing about everyone's pets and farm animals! I grew up with dogs, cats, and birds, but with ds's severe allergies, we can't have animals. We are hoping that after the allergy shots, we might be able to get a low shed dog. But that's probably 5 years away. For now, we enjoy our betta fish! ;)

 

Today's list:

-school lessons

-piano lesson

-lots of housework

-in-law's for dinner

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone!

 

A smoother day here.  Mostly because the preschooler was busy outside for most of the morning, the TV was fixed (for latin DVD) and the computer didn't give me any trouble.  Thank goodness!  Just grabbing a quick bite, then I'm headingoutside to hopefully finish the burdock out of the milk cows' pasture.  They're impatient to be in there lol. 

 

This afternoon we still need to tackly memory work, "morning time" loop and writing for ds, reading for dd.  Not sure how I'm going to get both done at the same time?  Maybe just more practice with the editing pages so they can attempt them on their own.  Waiting for reading horizons (online) to get up an running for dd.  It will be so nice to back away a bit from phonics instruction for this girl!

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, we decided to end our day a little early. We got morning time, math, literature and Latin done for the older. The younger did Spanish, music practice, math, and a few other odds and ends done before we pulled the plug. The best news of the day is that our insurance has waived our deductible and we have an appointment for next week to take it in for the repairs.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I am overwhelmed. Girls have steps to finish for girl scout badges they have to do before a weekend camping trip. Plus they have homework due for co-op in two days. Plus, we started some new therapy for dd12's reading issues which is going to change the way we do school with her. I am a bit overwhelmed with just the little bit I have learned so far.  Plus regular out of the house activities, driving, and a 2 yr old that loves to not nap and be cranky for me and a dh that is working crazy hours lately. I need to cry tonight. Or drink more coffee, but it's too late at night.

So tomorrow, Thursday, we absolutely have to:

Finish science and experiments from two different curricula for their two separate classes. Both have to do some math. Both need to do some Latin. And we need to finish packing for scout trip and make sure all badge requirements are finished and ready to be displayed. If all of that gets done tomorrow, it will be a good day.  I would like to get some read aloud time in too, but I don't want to overshoot. We will be taking a fall break in another week. I am hitting that October burnout mentioned in WTM for sure. But we have put in a good 9 weeks. It is time for a break.

 

And I need to look at my lesson plans for my Friday co-op classes.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Woke up this morning to the sound of a cat vomiting on the end of the bed. I never went properly back to sleep after that, but I tried.

Today's schedule:

French-Unit 18, workbook

Latin-continue lesson 2, workbook, recitation

Math-quiz, 1 page of KTD

Grammar/Comp-practice spelling, sentences; KISS grammar 1:4, ex 1, WWS Week 2, Day 3

History-Cp 6 reading, answer questions, additional reading

Science-Cp 2 reading, exercise, additional reading (boys are reading Elements and writing a page in the science notebook about the facts they find)

Art-Unit 5, lesson 3 (contour drawing--useful, and I like it, but it can be frustrating)

Creative Writing-continue working on adding suspense to a scene.

 

For me: French, Latin, Geometry, Grammar (reading through Image Grammar at the moment), Writing (2000 word goal, and I have to get a submission ready for critique), Housekeeping, some cooking.

Busy day. And I have three critiques to do, one of them involving poetry (not good with those) and another by a young writer (got to tailor my approach as I would for my boys), and one other on top of those. :svengo:

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I am overwhelmed.

 

I need to cry tonight.

I'll join you. Dd is in full swing of this thing she does in which every time I give something to do, she has an argument or attempts to put forth her own agenda.

 

Me: outside time. Get your jackets cause it's chilly.

 

Dd: awww! Can we go to the park instead?

 

Or...

 

Me: get your math book.

 

Dd: can we just do it later?

 

Or...

 

Me: bedtime snack! U want a Greek yogurt or chocolate chip cookie?

 

Dd: uuuuummmmm... Can I have toast with jelly?

 

Seriously. Every single thing I say. All day long. My nerves are shot. I've talked with her about it. Reasoned with her. I just want to give up. "Fine. Do what you want, I'm going to bed." But, that's not going to solve anything or be fair to the boys so I'm all ears if anyone has any suggestions.

 

Today's list:

Laundry (going)

Clean kitchen (done)

Clean living room (done)

Clean upstairs bathroom (done)

Clean school room

Lunch

School lessons

Grocery store quick trip

Chicken tortilla soup and baked apples for dinner

Family Bible time

Finish October budget

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll join you. Dd is in full swing of this thing she does in which every time I give something to do, she has an argument or attempts to put forth her own agenda.

 

Me: outside time. Get your jackets cause it's chilly.

 

Dd: awww! Can we go to the park instead?

 

Or...

 

Me: get your math book.

 

Dd: can we just do it later?

 

Or...

 

Me: bedtime snack! U want a Greek yogurt or chocolate chip cookie?

 

Dd: uuuuummmmm... Can I have toast with jelly?

 

 

 

What happens if you just say "no" calmly and continue on with what you are doing while expecting her to follow? 

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good question! I am not very good at just saying no. Usually I explain my reasons and she just groans, rolls her eyes and complies. If she's overly tired, like at the end of the day, she will burst into tears. "I just reeeeeeally want toast with jellyyyyyy!"

 

It's not a huge scene most of the time. It's just exhausting. I feel like I'm constantly explaining my reasons for a plan or justifying the thing. If I just say no and ignore the fallout, it's because I'm tired of the back and forth and she just goes and sulks in her room until I have found the energy to track her down and enforce what I wanted her to do in the first place.

 

I guess I need to get better at saying "no and I expect you to do as you're told RIGHT NOW." Not yelling, of course, but firmly.

 

Thanks, Jean for giving me something to think about. :)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have never found a way for my oldest to not argue. It is just in her blood. We do better some days. She takes fish oil and avoids red food dye. We did some therapy for behaviours related to ADHD at one point. But she am what she am. :)

 

OK, so better day today though. We just had one of those amazing homeschooling moments that I have to sing from the rooftops. You know how when you are starting out hsing and all of the books say how you don't have to know everything for high school, that you just have to know how to help them find the answers? Well, we just had our first moment like that, and it feels amazing.

 

DD14 is in chemistry. I took one semester of chemistry in high school and dropped it. In college I took all computer sciences and economics for my degree, never had to take regular sciences. So I have been counting on the fact that she is a good student to get through this. But she had a problem today that was shutting her down. So we sat together, read through it and realized first she needed to know how to do negative exponents on her calculator- another thing I have no clue about, lol. So I began googling for calculator tutorials, and we both learned several functions. Then we began working through the problem until she could do it on paper and on her calculator. To be honest, I still couldn't do it on my own without some more studying, but I was able to find the information she needed for her to get through it! She then did the next one, and was then able to carry on to her lab which will then require the same type of problem to complete.  I feel like I've got this homeschooling thing down today.  YAY

 

Now, starting next week I have to start learning how to effectively teach spelling and reading to a child that is probably dyslexic. I have been doing it on my own all of this time. She can read quite well despite the difficulties. But now I get to learn how to teach her much better. I have been stressing it a lot, but feel a big relief now that we finally got her evaluated and are going to spring for the therapy. Even just trying to figure out the online stuff they asked to download to her Kindle Fire for immersion reading with Whispersync and how to use Audible is really difficult for me and dh so far. We aren't very tech savvy these days, so I have been worried about trying to learn so much new stuff. I am feeling confident now, that I will be able to do her therapies at home and teach her better. If I can do Chemistry I can do anything!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good question! I am not very good at just saying no. Usually I explain my reasons and she just groans, rolls her eyes and complies. If she's overly tired, like at the end of the day, she will burst into tears. "I just reeeeeeally want toast with jellyyyyyy!"

 

It's not a huge scene most of the time. It's just exhausting. I feel like I'm constantly explaining my reasons for a plan or justifying the thing. If I just say no and ignore the fallout, it's because I'm tired of the back and forth and she just goes and sulks in her room until I have found the energy to track her down and enforce what I wanted her to do in the first place.

 

I guess I need to get better at saying "no and I expect you to do as you're told RIGHT NOW." Not yelling, of course, but firmly.

 

Thanks, Jean for giving me something to think about. :)

 

Well, on the toast with jelly thing, I would just tell her to get a snack and let her figure out what that snack was.  But we're pretty loose on food related stuff and it's worked for our family. 

 

The outside time and school schedule would be less negotiable simply because you are trying to juggle a number of people and their needs.  So I might say on the park,  "That's a great idea.  Let's do that tomorrow.  For today, we're going outside here."  I'm not negotiating or even justifying myself but I'm taking her feelings into account.  For school at those ages, we had a schedule written out.  I would simply point to the schedule and say "it says here that we're doing math now".  For some odd reason my kids would argue with me but not the almighty schedule even though I made the schedule!  Once my kids were older, I didn't care what order they did their subjects because I am more of a resource than a direct teacher on most things. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thursday - Oh what a difference some extra sleep makes! 

 

Algebra - still going well.  We did look up one point that both of us tend to confuse so that we could stop doing that.  We both understand it now.  (I knew how to do it but not why so it was hard to explain to her.)

 

Geography - She finished up a two day project.

 

Literature - She did a combination of writing down her answers and discussing it directly with me.  It worked. 

 

Logic - no logic today since she has finished all of this week's work.

 

Grammar - she did an extra assignment today that was a combination writing assignment/ grammar exercise.  She did well. 

 

Japanese - she read and wrote her first words in hiragana.  She's also doing some review on Quizlet.

 

Biology - We were supposed to do a lab but I had blue, red and neutral litmus paper but no universal indicator paper.  Of course we needed the universal indicator paper.  But I looked over the lab and we've actually done it before in years past.  More than once even.  So I had her research a couple of specific things tied to what we are doing now in high school biology.  I actually think we got more out of it by doing it this way. 

 

 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We got nothing done today except our co op classes. I actually spent the morning looking at cars for older Ds and getting him and dd new phones because his totally quit yesterday. Since, I was there and our contract was up, I got myself a new phone too. I'm hoping I fall head over heels with it over the next two years, I'm just kind of ok with it now.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think it is really advisable to try to do it all. If you succeed, they just expect you to do it all the time. :leaving:

I can usually get my little bit of housekeeping done, school, and sometimes a decent dinner. But it's better if I only try for the dinner thing about two times a week. Leftovers do.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me neither.  Hang on:

 

Molly

Abby

Woof

John

White dog

Lou

Tibby

Nova

Gus

Chance

Kate

Page

Choke

 

Sorry. Only 13.  But dh is making noises about breeding Nova now that all but one cow dog is over the age of 4.  They are NOT pets.  We have kennels outside for when they're not working.  They've actually saved dh's life (literally and figuratively) many a time when he's working, so I put up with them with as much grace as I can muster lol.

I need more info! What do the dogs do for work? And how about the DH? Lol :)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

Ă—
Ă—
  • Create New...