Slache Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I'd thought (before looking closely at it) that the read-aloud challenge was to encourage parents to read aloud to their kids. I'd probably benefit more from that! The ducklings wake up and know that reading a book is one of the first things on their charts, even before breakfast, so they just do that now, typically before they even get out of bed. And mostly they do it aloud, either to each other or to their stuffies. And because it's winter and it's dark and it's cold, no one wants to get OUT of bed. So the reading can go on for quite some time. :laugh: Of course you could just do it, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) When the river is frozen, you get a click followed by a buzzing sound as he rock slides across the ice. It's very musical. :001_wub: We do this on our frozen lake. It's so cool. Ooooo! It's a Beat Slashaboo to the Booyah Booyah! And my first of 2018! And a Music in Nature one, at that. How very Charlotte Masony of me! Edited January 1, 2018 by Lotsoflittleducklings 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) :smash: Edited January 1, 2018 by Slache 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 We brush hair and teeth after breakfast because we *always* have breakfast, John reads aloud while I fold because I do a load *every day* and Matt reads while I clean up dinner because we *always* have dinner. I fear this system may not work so well for me.... :leaving: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Happy New Year's Day! We are recovering from our last yummy holiday meal, a quiche and coffee cake breakfast this morning. Still some leftovers, though, so it will be a couple days before I need to cook a real dinner. Dh gave me a CS Lewis biography for Christmas, so I've been reading or rereading some of Lewis' works. :001_wub: :001_wub: :001_wub: Right now it's Surprised by Joy (a new read for me). He had a horrific boarding school experience, too. I did not know this. I have yet to hear of anyone having a great boarding school experience. (Wait. I think Sally Lloyd-Jones had a fairly good one?) . Anyhow, what he credits as the most formative part of his childhood is the imaginative and creative free time he had at home, between terms at school: Drawing, writing, reading, drawing, writing, reading... Encouraging to remember as I contemplate adding stuff to our days this spring. The glossy new pretties may just add stress and get in the way of the good stuff. Second cup of coffee is ready! I'm afraid that I have a visceral reaction to people joking about sending their kids to boarding school. i understand the feelings behind the joke but I think people just have no idea what it can be like. (And my school was in many ways a fine school, though the boarding side of things had some major problems. The school no longer has a boarding side of things after too many kids were damaged even without abuse.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Please say a prayer that ds31 will get home safely. He's driving on the non-treated roads to get home from work. They've already shut down some major ones. :grouphug: :grouphug: How did he fare? Did he get home safe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 He's home! Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Football today. I think I can get dinner started in an hour or so (ham to bake) and then write and paint for the rest of the day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) I'm afraid that I have a visceral reaction to people joking about sending their kids to boarding school. i understand the feelings behind the joke but I think people just have no idea what it can be like. (And my school was in many ways a fine school, though the boarding side of things had some major problems. The school no longer has a boarding side of things after too many kids were damaged even without abuse.) A huggy-like. Lewis' experience was both abusive and academically negligent. Horrific. I might have thought the author was exaggerating, except that the author is... well, CS Lewis. And yes, I can definitely see how damaging it could be even without blatant abuse. (ETA: Because FIL went to one growing up and I don't think his wounds from the experience ever healed --- but I think we've had this conversation once before. ) :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Edited January 1, 2018 by Lotsoflittleducklings 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I don't forget the booyahs. My signature doesn't need updating but could use an arts section. That's like half of what we do. Is vocabulary fatigue a thing? I run out of words every evening shortly before bed every night. Yes, vocab fatigue is real. DD16 calls it "derp". When you suffer from it you derp. Having it is derp. Derp is many parts of speech. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 â„ï¸â„ï¸ It is -3 degrees windchill outside and there are thousands upon thousands of people downtown dancing to Keith Urban singing Rocky Top. â„ï¸â„ï¸ I imagine it's warmer when you are dancing and surrounded by dancing people. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 So who wants to come visit me? The floors are newly mopped and there's garden quiche and a fresh tray of berries in the fridge. Won't happen again until 2019! :D 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Hi. I've been sick. I'm a zillion pages behind. But, in the interest of accountability, I shall post my New Year's Resolutions now: Very good resolution list! I can get onboard with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I have started Mere Christianity and Surprised by Joy. I need to continue. I had forgotten about the boarding school description. I'll start over. One more bedding load folded and clothes in dryer and towels in washer. I'm afraid those things that happen at Slache's home because of things they *always* do wouldn't work here, either. (Runs to hide) You do always do some things. Go to bed, get up, eat breakfast. You might eat breakfast out 2 days a week but that's a break in routine meaning forgiveness of the 2nd task. We read history books at dinner but on Tuesdays we're at work and on Fridays we're watching a movie so it doesn't happen and that's okay. We still read history 5 days a week. Slach, doesn’t your library have audiobooks? Ours lets you keep them for a month with the option of renewing it. I have no idea how to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I can play Auld Lang Syne on the ukulele. One of my resolutions this year is to practice the harp for 10 minutes every day. We had Pioneer Woman's bread pudding with bacon and mandarin oranges for breakfast. Food resolutions will start tomorrow. :D MIL gave us some frozen black-eyed peas to eat today. She doesn't like the taste of them, yet she insists on everyone having them on NYD because "they are lucky". If I start on black-eyed peas I'll have to consider the corned beef and cabbage traditional to part of my Dad's side of the family, too. I think today we will stick with nachos. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I haz socks. I'm still not warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 We (ie. me) read aloud during breakfast and lunch. The kids just ate and listened. It gave them something to do so they were able to listen better. It also kept me awake more. We also read aloud right before naptime. That was when I often fell asleep. Then the mice would play - quietly so that I wouldn't wake up and ruin their fun. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Our library has CDs of audiobooks next to the DVDs. We get those. There may also be audiobooks you can access through your library’s website. Sometimes they buy subscriptions to different online services. Worth asking. We have never gotten a CD or DVD that wasn't scratched to the point of being unable to be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I haz socks. I'm still not warm. I haz rice in a sock. I warming it right now in the microwave for you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Our CD's/DVDs are often scratched too. Check into large city libraries nearby for downloadable audios. Dh does this through Boston Public Library, even though we don't reside in Boston. I don't recall how he got set up with borrowing privileges but I think it was easy. The files self-destruct as soon as they are overdue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanalouwho Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Does your library have Overdrive or something like it? That's how I get audio books and e-books from ours. I like it because I don't have to drive 20 mins and there's never a late fee. Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Our library has actual audiobooks on the shelves but they also have Overdrive that works with your Kindle or your laptop. They also have something called RBDigital. I just ask the librarians to walk me through how to use things the first half dozen times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 A strange figure just meandered through my kitchen in clean sweats and a tee shirt. Took me a minute to recognize him as my firstborn. #beeninjammiesallweek #theonesthatsayAllergicToMornings 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 The files self-destruct as soon as they are overdue. But not in the cool way that files always self-destructed on Mission Impossible 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Rice sock is ready, Jeannie. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 But not in the cool way that files always self-destructed on Mission Impossible I know, right? The world needs more programmers with imagination. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lots of little ducklings Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Dd wants me to teach her how to use her new toothbrush now... :seeya: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 It is currently 27, and expected to keep lowering. Too cold for snow, but also no other precipitation so ice will not be a problem. I can promise you it can snow at 27F. But, I decided to look it up to see at what temperature snow becomes impossible, and the answer is... absolute zero: https://www.accuweather.com/en/features/trend/too-cold-to-snow/6953983 (it does say though that most heavy snow tends to happen when it's 15+F, and that below 0F snow is rare). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I was wondering what was up with you!! I hope you are feeling better. I think those New Year’s resolutions are very doable. Except the the last one. That’s hard. And maybe the first one, too. ITT Support Group! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Happy New Year! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Our library has started this thing where on your checkout receipt they calculate how much you would have spent this year if you’d bought everything new instead of checking it out. Oldest’s says something like $20,000. This is awesome!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 You’re in the same time zone as I am. It’s 9 pm. Apparently I'm in whatever the farthest west time zone is. Or more likely, it's already Jan 2nd in places. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Road trip to the Ducklings! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Hi. I've been sick. I'm a zillion pages behind. But, in the interest of accountability, I shall post my New Year's Resolutions now: That's risky... most people break their resolutions before February... (just don't break them on me) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Audio books don't work very well for us because ds13 has a hard time deciphering new voices and it's even hard for me to focus on them. I didn't ever read to my kids until my oldest was in about 4th or 5th grade. #badhomeschooler I hated reading aloud - I'd get so tired! And bored! Eventually I worked up stamina and now I like it, especially because (in general) I only read books that I am interested in reading. If I am really tired, one of my older kids will read aloud. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Jeannie, your cold is butt. I’m sending it back to you!! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 We have never gotten a CD or DVD that wasn't scratched to the point of being unable to be used. Sounds like someone needs to complain to management, or collection development, that it's past time for weeding. I've had issues with 2 audiobooks, iirc. I think one I ended up checking out the book and reading most of the stuff that was on the first disc out loud (the other discs were fine) and the other one I just had to do without half of two chapters of SOTW1, which wasn't an issue, because we had the book. That said, I do sometimes look at the discs before checking them out, especially if the box looks old and/or worn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Books (physical) are on hold, day one of the Read Aloud Challenge is done (Caterpillars to Butterflies), tree is gone, budget is done, printing, cutting and folding for 2018 is done, need to ANKI and build my workout bench (birthday present). Ask the librarians. Our libraries have that service, although I haven't figured out how yet, either. One of the librarians, who is a member at my work, told me how one time. But I'm not an auditory leaner. Yo Tampoco. Jeannie, your cold is butt. I’m sending it back to you!! Jean's butt's cold? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Sounds like someone needs to complain to management, or collection development, that it's past time for weeding. I've had issues with 2 audiobooks, iirc. I think one I ended up checking out the book and reading most of the stuff that was on the first disc out loud (the other discs were fine) and the other one I just had to do without half of two chapters of SOTW1, which wasn't an issue, because we had the book. That said, I do sometimes look at the discs before checking them out, especially if the box looks old and/or worn. I was told they need to have a certain percentage of digital resources and don't want to spend the budget on replacing them instead of books since they'll just get ruined anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I've tuned and practiced harp, written an Epiphany Letter rough draft, helped the kids get the gingerbread house set up, and washed half the baking pans. Time for more coffee! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 We have a lot of issues with scratched discs at our library as well. Resources just always seem to be stretched thin for our library. They honestly need a new building, which would mean a new piece of land and a new location. I've seen buckets sitting around whenever it rains hard. :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I cleaned a room, put the ham in the oven to warm through and started a very abstract version of my white camellia. I didn't think I'd like it, but it's growing on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Dh has gone to the Cricket store to buy a household phone. We're going to cancel our landline and cable TV since we never watch TV any more. (We currently have "sub-basic" cable which only gives us local TV stations.) Dd8's birthday is next week. She wants a pet rat. Really, she wants a cat or dog, but allergies can't accomodate cats or dogs, so she has her heart set on a rat. 🀠2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) Booya! This is the thread that never ends, It just goes on and on my friends. People started posting not knowing what it was, And they will keep on posting here forever just because... This is the thread that never ends You'd best come join it with your friends 'Cuz it will replace Facebook as the latest web-based craze And everyone will post here instead for the rest of their days This is the thread that's always there They'll cheer you up so don't despair The group is growing well as more people start checking in And we'll keep sucking them in because our cheer is addictive This is the thread that never ends It's better than a Mercedes Benz It helps with coffee withdrawal and other troubles, too Eighteen hundred pages of friends all cheering for you This thread keeps going on and on with record-setting length and fun It started twenty-four months ago from curiosity and all the fun and frolic has shown this is the place to be This is the thread that never ends... And the place where one finds special friends, the kind that have hearts that are strong and true Yes, ITT ladies, I am talking to you! This is the thread that never ends.... Edited January 1, 2018 by Susan in TN 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 The 21 day thing? Why are you dumping Understanding the Faith? Your plan looks simple. I love simple. What's the habit workshop? If a 9th grader can digest Lewis IMO they should read that hands down. He is an excellent writer and was part of a much greater conversation that is still ongoing. I am not a Christian and I have not read UtF but I have a hard time believing that it could deal with more important topics more eloquently than Lewis. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Jeannie, your cold is butt. I’m sending it back to you!! How rude! You can always regift it to someone else but you can't give it back. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Building my workout bench. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I am beyond annoyed at dh. He glutened our totally new reserved for no gluten at all toaster oven. This is a big deal. We are a celiac household. I got mad, he took out the rack and base and started scrubbing. Then apparently he got tired or bored and left it all sitting half done in the sink. It's not worth a fight so I'm going to finish cleaning it now. And doing the other handwashing but my eyes will shoot lasers at him. (I realize that the initial glutening was an accident. I normally don't allow any gluten in the house to avoid such accidents but the holidays meant that people brought some in.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Yes, if you liked The Secret Garden you should check this book out. Same author. Good story, but you might want to pre-read to judge for yourself the suitability for your kids' ages. The protagonist is the daughter of a British military officer sent to India. She gets sent to a boarding school where she is treated like a princess, until a letter comes saying her father has been killed. It can be very dramatic in spots and is, in the end, a good tale, but it can be upsetting to very young kids. I didn't get it. I could not comprehend class. At. All. Actually I empathized much more with the servants and it struck me that the book was about HER. Looking back, having grown up poor and the child of workers, all those books served to do was strengthen my sense of class division. "Sure her dad dies. But wouldn't it be worse to be poor and have your dad die?" My mom is an empathetic person but she never put up with whining. That is an in imaginable luxury for poor kids. So thinking about this kid complaining... I just judged. I remember the same in Harriet the Spy. I did not learn with her about Ole Golly. I already knew how to empathize with poor brown people. And the book did zilch to make someone like me empathize with someone like Harriet. Now I can have a bit more empathy for rich children because their suffering such as it is, is very real to them. But I would agree that there is no sense pushing books early before children have social context. In addition, if you are from a working class family you may find it hard to glean the intended message of the books. Like who of our kids would think it was revelatory to treat the poor with empathy? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I'm not sure what our library system does, but maybe y'all's libraries should inspect all CDs upon return, and charge people for scratched discs, just like they charge people for books that are ripped to shred or w/e. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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