❤️ “not too woo-ey”!!🤣🤣

April goals updated: Add 2 days of cardio and 1 of resistance/weights to my weekly routine. Get campout prep done: hiking badge prep, new tent set up and repacked, budget for food, etc. AHG catch-up. Do several trainings and read up on some changes. Prep handouts for summer thing. Job onboarding?!

Got mom’s 2023 taxes filed, which required a trip to the SSA office. Plan in place to tackle the 2022 ones after the current tax season has ended. More admin work needed on mom’s stuff, but we are making progress. I think I have a substitute job for the rest of the school year. Hoping to get onboarding/paperwork done soon. No progress on exercise. No time. No money for a trainer.

I’d quit and do what you want now. As others have said, health could change, so enjoy those adventures now.

Someone posted a thread a while ago about a company that sets these things up. Pet-sitting for linger periods all over the world.

Good morning! Slept in. Have coffee. Kitchen work - prep cooking so there’s food for lunches and snacks. Shower ✔️ Electronic chores - lots! Tutor online ✔️ Pick up milk ✔️ Exchange khakis ✔️ Library ✔️ Tutor in person ✔️ Church tonight. Dinner and teaching 4th and 5th grades. Need an opening game for the larger group. ✔️

Wrapped the pumpkin bread for neighbors. Left the other loaf for Ds to eat an enormous portion of. 🙄 Started the dishwasher. Got laundry out of the dryer. Texted with Dd. Headed to bed shortly.

No plastic cheese! Ick!

Right, we have the well regulated militia; it’s the National Guard and is generally mobilized by Governors for natural disaster relief, though they do serve in armed conflict on behalf of the US too. No grassroots, minute-men anymore.

Pumpkin bread in the oven. Chx in marinade Cooked some polenta.

Ds just told me (not nicely) that he already knew something bc I told him on the way to school. Except the email with the info didn’t come to me until 10:47 this morning and I didn’t read it until a couple of hours later! 🙄 He then insisted I texted him about it. But then, look, there are NO texts about this! 😱 And he has not actually followed through on what I was asking him about. Of course, bc he didn’t actually read the email in question. I just informed Mr. Knows Everything that he can make his own dinner.

Ds is being a jerk. I am tired. Maybe I will not make dinner?! Maybe I will just eat my lunch leftovers and let the guys figure out their own food? Ds and I do not have to get up early tomorrow. No school bc of Eid. Ds’ school has a large Muslim population.

Agreeing with @HomeAgain about SOTW yr 4. We only uses parts of it. Subbed some Veritas Press, Sonlight, and random other resources for that time period. Always LOTS of library books. We focused more on people, advances in science and technology, cultural/arts things, etc. Science and history 2x week is plenty. Don’t try to duplicate school. You’ll figure out how homeschooling works best for your family. One size does not fit all! Remember, your kids may not be or stay, working on their “grade” kids progress differently and not at the uniform pace that school demands. Homeschool will give them time to move ahead or do extra in a weak spot and to explore interests that school did not leave time for.

Lots of school stuff is unnecessary at home. Time-fillers. Homeschool is NOT school at home. Pick one year for History and everyone does that. Different supplemental reading/picture books for kids in widely different levels. Same for science. We just did library books and lots of hands-on stuff until late middle school. It was totally fine! Math. Just stick with Singapore. Ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Take some time to read! Have you read The Well Trained Mind? Other favorites of mine: Teaching from Rest For the Children’s Sake

Echoing @Pam in CT. I don’t want the Second Amendment repealed. I want sensible limitations to this right, for public safety and order. First Amendment rights are not a blank check, they have limitations. Freedom of speech is limited by libel and slander laws. Freedom of assembly is limited too - by all means have a parade, but you need a permit. Demonstrations that block traffic or otherwise create chaos are either not permitted or disbanded by LE or result in people arrested. Semi automatic long guns are for killing people and no ordinary citizen needs one. Without these weapons, shooters would be so much less powerful. Background checks need to be thorough and include mental health. Permits, training, proof of correct storage etc. need to be required. Loopholes closed. I am a small government advocate, but gun laws need to be federal so limitations and enforcement can be uniform. Yes, all limits and enforcement will be problematic and inconsistent and incomplete. But WAY the heck better than where we are.

Mom’s taxes filed. I will need to take her payment to the P.O. to mail later this week. Dropped off a pile of mom’s Amazon returns. Next up: A cup of hot tea and a few minutes to just be. ✔️ Then check on homework and pick up Ds ✔️

SS things done. One is digital and may not show up online until tomorrow. Took mom out for lunch. Now we have a little time to waste before her tax prep appointment.

At the SS office. Living up to its reputation as not customer friendly.

The Endless Knot by Stephen Lawhead.

Splurge/treat for me and Dh: Ds goes to summer camp and on youth group trips. Win/win! He has fun and gets good teaching and community, while we get a break from this VERY intense, challenging kid!

Boy is at school. I have had coffee and b’fast and restarted laundry. Today: Electronic chores, if time? Phone call Take mom to SS office to resolve multiple issues. (Not her actual benefits, thankfully. More administrative stuff.) Need to take my POA document. Lunch out Take mom to tax prep appointment. Much closer and hopefully quick. Figure out dinner. Maybe Madras Lentils over polenta? Carby, but we have these items and it’s quick, filling, and yummy. Could add salad for Dh. Maybe eggs n veggies for me? Had my carbs at b’fast! Homework list Read

@mom31257 I love that you had such a warm, close relationship with your mom. A blessing indeed. Praying for the Lord’s comfort for you and your family today as you miss your mom.

Me: a pedicure a few times a year, Close Reads Patreon and a few webinars from the House of Humane Letters House: beeswax candles, nice soap Family: streaming (PBS Passport, Amazon Unlimited, Disney+), occasional meals out

How old is your middle schooler? And which year of SOTW? 5th and 7th/8th can be very different. I think 5th graders are really still elementary for school purposes. The books are more complex as they move up. I think the later two need more supplementing with the history of art/science/culture and social history. They get very politics and war focused. Echoing K12. Nice narrative tone. Purposefully addressing the history of ideas - at an age appropriate level.

@HomeAgain Yeah, coaches being very specific is good. They can name qualities the players cannot yet see in themselves or articulate. We did a “top ten” list for Ds when he turned 13, highlighting 10 strengths. I think that had a lasting positive effect on how he sees himself and has helped him to lead with his strengths rather than be wrapped up in his weaknesses (which are substantial).