Weekly Wrap-Up ... and How It Went

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Well, on our last episode of "Will the homeschool mom survive the week?" we were left on a bad day and a mom taking the day off on Thursday. 

How did it go?  Well ... um ... I'm really not sure.  I sent an email to my husband saying I was D.O.N.E. and that the girls were on their own.  They were still in bed when I took the little one to school.  They were still in bed when I left to run an errand.  They were awake and looking a little shell-shocked (and quite well-rested) when I came back home.  They were kind of half-heartedly doing some schoolwork.

I found out later that their father called and recommended very strongly that they get out of bed.  Go dad.  ;) 

I did not say a word when the middle one left the milk out (thankfully it was mostly empty anyway) and chose to let the natural consequences of no cereal the next morning due to spoiled milk play out.  I did no laundry and no dishes.  I told them that I would be leaving at 1:45 to take them to dance.  If they were in the car, they could go with me, otherwise I would drive over there without them to tell their teacher that they wouldn't be there.  They were both ready.  They did not, however, get much schoolwork done.  The oldest got about 75% of hers done, the middle one about half.  I told them it was no problem, that I had no issue sending friends home and turning electronic devices off until the work was done.  There were a few tears, but also a pretty good conversation about taking mom for granted, and about making good choices with our time.  :)

Honestly, I think they were shocked.  When one said she didn't want to do her work and I said "okay, that's your choice," and there are consequences to that choice, and when I said if THIS is done, you may go with me to get something for lunch (I had already decided that I wasn't going to prepare meals) and then I left to get lunch without them (and for myself only) there were quite a few "THAT'S UNFAIR"'s being thrown around. 

To be honest, I felt terribly guilty.  The point was made though, so maybe it was worth it.  Today went very smoothly.  Girls got up at a reasonable time (I suspect that their father helped with that, but I'm not sure.)  They *asked* me to help with their schoolwork, and one of them left me a note to tell me thank you for helping.  When one wanted to go visit a friend, she accepted hearing "you absolutely can as long as these things are done" and did them happily. 

All in all, it ended up being a very good day today, after an awful day yesterday.  :)

So ... this week.

I just have to share two of our projects.  First, in history, we're talking about Greece.  One of their projects was to draw a Greek soldier.  I thought they did a fabulous job:

This is from the book Draw and Write Through History.

I've mentioned before that we do a painting project every week to go along with a poem by Robert Frost.  This week's poem was The Birthplace, and here are the paintings that went along with it:

Giggle ... you might suspect that we don't actually live anywhere near mountains.  ;)  They did a pretty good job though.  I really am loving the painting portion of our curriculum!

In science, we're talking about plant life.  The oldest did a lot of study on this topic in co-op, so I'm happy that it's review for her.  Our big project for this is to try (AGAIN) to grow some herbs.  Soon we'll go buy some and get started on that. 

So, that's it for our week.  I'll be linking up with Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers today, so hop on over and see what everyone else is doing!

Pity Party, Table for One, Please

Pin It Okay, so yesterday was not a stellar day.

Two girls gave me attitudes.  Some family members went to dinner and completely forgot about me.  Schoolwork lasted until after 4:00.  I did work around the house that a) nobody even noticed and b) nobody had a problem completely undoing.  A boy had a tummyache and then took a really late nap that had him still awake after 10:00 last night.  Visa Rewards started calling at 10:30 and at 11:07, on the third call, I got mad and unplugged the phone.  And I'm LEAVING it unplugged.  Oh, and the Wiimote?  The "alpha remote" is missing, lost after the younger two were fighting over what to watch on Netflix, which has rendered the Wii completely useless, which would be fine as far as the kids are concerned, but *I* enjoy it too and can't use it.

I think I'm taking the day off today.  It's 8:15 and the little one woke up complaining that a toy that I gave him for his birthday (IN AUGUST) was not the toy he wanted - seriously, first words out of his mouth this morning.

You know that brief window the day after a bad day?  When there is a chance for redemption and hope that this will not also be a bad day?  That window was closed within minutes of one child waking up.

So ... 8:15 and girls are still asleep.  They know what schoolwork is expected of them.  They know how to prepare their meals.  They know that if they don't complete their tasks, then they shouldn't ask for rewards such as having friends over, etc.  They're 9 1/2 and 12, and will be learning some independent life skills today.  I'm not going to harp on them about their schoolwork.  I'm not going to do their laundry, prepare their meals, or clean up after them.  I'm not even going to get them out of bed.   I will, however, apply the rule of natural consequences, should it be required.  (Oh, I am so sorry, hon.  You didn't finish your schoolwork?  Well, your DSI will be safe with me until it's all done and you have a happy heart again.  Oh, and that cell phone?  I'd hate for you to be tempted by it when you're trying to finish your schoolwork at 8 pm.  I'll just put it away for you.  Absolutely, your friends can come over!  Let me just make sure your work is done and your room is clean.  Oh?  It's not?  Oh well then, maybe next time.)

This unappreciated mama is taking the day off and will be hanging out with my Nook.  And possibly Starbucks.

(and I'm sure tomorrow I'll feel terrible for being all selfish today.  On this day, I don't really care.)

btw ... just took the little one to preschool and it's now 9:30.  Girls are still in bed.  I suspect it's going to be a long day around here.  For the record?  They do have an alarm clock.  The oldest has an alarm on her phone, which she has in there with her.

May I seriously ask?  What do y'all do when you work to manage the household and school and everything else and receive a total lack of appreciation and being taken for granted in return?  I mean, if you can't tell, partly my feelings are hurt by all of the attitudes.  Partly, I'm REALLY mad.  Mostly though, I see the brat trend going on and I want it stopped.  I do suspect that I do too much for them in some areas so I know at least some of the problem is mine.  Maybe when they ask to go see their friends play Upwards on Saturday and I sadly tell them that they can't because they chose to sleep until 10:00 and then play around, they'll understand a little.  Or they'll hate me all the more.

Sigh.  This parenting business is tough.

I do intend to enjoy my day off today though!  Anyone want to meet me at Starbucks? 

Wordless Wednesday - the piano bench!

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Just LOOK what Micah did!!

(And yes, I'm being brave and putting the "Before" pic out there - in a teensy weensy way.  I will say - this piano bench did not arrive at our house looking quite this bad.  The kids knew I didn't care for it and would be recovering it as soon as I found fabric that I liked, so they did everything in their power to rush that along, including ripping it, pulling out pieces of foam - which look like little gifts from the cat, btw - and complaining loudly that the tears that THEY MADE made their legs itch.)

I've never really looked at comparison of flash pics like that before.  The before pic was taken with my pop-up flash.  The after pic was taken with an external flash.  My carpet is NOT gray.  Enormous difference.  Wow.

We are loving the newly covered piano bench!  The oldest restarted lessons last night.

Thank you so much, Micah!

Oh, and if you're wondering what I was doing while Micah was doing this ... I was taking pics of these little beauties:

*NEED* one?  Go here!  :)

Feeling ... crafty??

Pin It Something weird is happening to me.  Very very weird.

I don't know if it's Micah's influence, or possibly Meri's influence.  Probably some of both.  I see the fabulous things Micah makes and they're way out of my league and then I see the fabulous things Meri makes and they're way out of my league.  Micah sews, Meri knits, Melanie glues.  See the problem?  Every now and then though, one of them will post a link to a tutorial and I'll think "HEY!  Maybe *I* can do that!"  (You know ... the stuff that takes very few skills, and nothing involving the words SEW or KNIT, and oh, it can't have more than about four steps, either.)

It is entirely possible that I may be muttering under my breath at both of these women as I watch my utter lack of craftiness go to battle with this crazy desire to make something.

I do have a glue gun, and I have done enough recitals that I'm completely fluent in E-6000.  Safety pins?  I am good to go.  I'm pretty handy with tape too.  OH, and we MUST not forget staplers.  (Y'all have heard the story of the butterfly wings held on to a costume with staples, right?)  (In my defense, they were on a REALLY little girl and they were QUITE heavy.)  (Going to search for a picture.)  (Darn it, I KNOW I have a pic of those butterfly wings somewhere!) (FOUND IT!!)

Oh no, those wings did not come attached.  They are thick cardboard covered in feathers.  They had to be attached to the costume and secured so that they didn't come off on stage and take the costume with them!  She was five at the time, love the gap-toothed smile.  :)

  

I made some blog decorations over the past couple of days and had fun with that, but I am wanting something more.  I want to cut, glue, pin ... NOT SEW ... and hopefully complete a project.  Maybe that's the real desire - to FINISH something, because everything I do has to be done again, usually in just a couple of hours.  (ahem ... laundry anyone?  dishes?  how about cooking?)

Okay, so all that said, yesterday I made a trip to Hobby Lobby and started a project.  I'm debating on whether to post what I'm planning to make or not.  Posting it would give me some much needed accountability because it would force me at some point to post a picture of the finished project.  But then it is entirely possible that the finished project will not look exactly like I wanted it to, and my photoshop skills aren't so fabulous that I can take something that looks lopsided and awful and make it look fabulous.

So maybe I'm going to leave it as a surprise for a while.  In case a) I lose interest before it's finished.  (Entirely possible.)  or b) I complete it and decide it's terribly ugly and would be well suited for decorating the inside of the bathroom cabinet only (probably likely.)

But woohoo for at least feeling crafty!  (I think.)  (Ask me about that tomorrow.)  (Better yet, ask my FAMILY about that tomorrow.)

1000 Gifts - 91-100

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91.  For rainy days ... even though I get so tired of rain because it rains a lot here, there is something special about waking up to softly falling rain.

92.  For the crock pot, which is my GO TO helper on Sunday nights.  We get home from church, I throw supper into the crock pot, and when we get home on Sunday evening, we a meal all ready to go.  (Although I still need someone to teach me how to make a "fall-apart" roast in it.  I don't know if I buy the wrong type of meat or if I do something wrong or what.  I remember my grandmother making a roast that would fall apart if you looked at it, and there would definitely be no knives needed at that table!)

93.  And since we're talking about food and crock pots, I am also thankful for soup.  I used to not be a very big fan of soup, but now it seems like I can't get enough of it.  And I'm not talking condensed soup from a can either!  Yummy, thick, hearty, cooking all day and making the house smell like a little bit of heaven soups, that's what I'm talking about!

94.  For spending the two hours last week to come up with a plan for my co-op class which covers the whole semester.  Now all I need to do is pull it out on Sunday night to refresh my memory and I'm good to go.

95.  For a return of motivation in an area which needs it, and has been sadly lacking lately.  I don't know what happened, but the motivation has come back, and I am delighted!

96.  For the ladies in my Bible study group.  I had been considering doing a specific Bible study on my own and then they decided to do it as a group.  I will be so much more motivated by having the support of a group!

97.  For schoolwork done with happy hearts this week.  What an enormous blessing!  And even having work done with no reminders from me!

98.  For a plan in place for next year.  Even though several factors are still up in the air, it's nice to have the beginnings of a plan forming, for all three kids.

99.  For grace from my husband when I did something incredibly stupid, and bless his heart, he came home after being gone for a week and I greeted him with a honey do list to fix the incredibly stupid thing I did.  And WOOHOO for him fixing it!

100.  For reaching #100 on my list!  I am 1/10th of the way to listing 1000 gifts!  I really am trying to look for things for which to be thankful in all of the situations in which I find myself.  :)

I will be linking up with A Holy Experience today!  Hop on over and read some other lists and be inspired!

L.E.N.S. Learning Spaces

Pin It Ever just forget things entirely? I found the Home is Where You Start From blog a while back and thought their photo challenges would be fun to enter. I think I didn't have a photo that fit for the first couple of weeks after I found it, and then it got pushed to the back of my brain. I came across it again last week when their theme was weather and planned to find a great picture I have of the youngest playing in the rain. Then I couldn't find the picture. (I realized later that it was on the other computer.) Then I saw this week's challenge - Learning Spaces. I remembered this picture of the middle one curled up in one of my favorite spaces, reading her book.

And I had to enter this week!

Our Weekly Wrap-Up!

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We had a really great week school-wise!

Have I mentioned 38 times that the oldest finished her English? She actually finished it last week, but I'm still so delighted, I had to just throw it out there one more time! Hold on a second while I do one last happy dance for this!

Okay, I'm back.

She is moving right along with math as well and I believe will be finishing that at the end of the month. She's at a pretty easy stage for her in math right now - I guess it's an intro to geometry; whatever you do at the end of sixth grade math, so she's breezing through. I need to happy dance again that ever since long division was mastered, math has been a much happier place at our house. Fractions and decimals weren't nearly as big a deal as long division, so all in all, it's been a happy math year for her. I have to giggle though. She was all excited to be about finished ... and then she saw that the next curriculum is here waiting for her and we'll be going directly to it when she finishes this one. Silly girl, thinking she was going to get a break from math! We've been homeschooling long enough that you'd think she'd know better than that by now! :-P

We're in a weird place with the middle one. She is doing very well in all of her classes also, but I'm curious as to how many other people have kids who score between 90 and 100 on *every* spelling test and yet will write papers *using those same words* and spell them incorrectly? I'm not sure what to do about that. We've enjoyed Bob Jones spelling, but if it's not transferring from the spelling tests into regular writing, then I think we need to re-evaluate. We've been doing a dictation based spelling for the oldest and I think we may try that with the middle one as well.

She is doing fabulous in her reading and English classes, and I am very proud of her. I always think of my oldest as a junior member of the grammar police, but now I'm starting to suspect that the middle one may be as well. Woohoo for the grammar police!

Math is also going well, and I have to happy dance for that too! Same thing as with the oldest - once we got past a specific hurdle, it's gotten much easier.

History --

We are hanging out in Greece for the next few weeks. I'm a little unsure about who is learning more - them or me. It amazes me how much I didn't know about Greece. We're reading about Archimedes. Um ... should I be ashamed to tell you that I had no idea who that is? Well, shame be banned because I'm reading a whole book about him. (I love the read alouds that are part of our Heart of Dakota curriculum!)

We just recently finished the book of Esther and watched "One Night With the King". I LOVED hearing the girls critique the movie based on their knowledge of the book of Esther. Very awesome to realize that they really are learning a lot!

Science --

We finished our birds study in science, and I can honestly say "GOOD!" I wasn't really loving the bird study, but the girls seemed to enjoy it. We're moving on to plants next, and to be honest, I'm a little less than excited about that too. I'll try to hide that from the girls. I had to laugh when I told them that Monday we would be starting plant life. The middle one said "Good! Maybe we'll learn not to kill tomato plants!" HMPF! Kill tomato plants? Me? Let me just show you my tomato plant:

Yep, tomatoes in JANUARY. I'm sure that's due to my stellar farming skills. Okay, well, sadly, that is the ONLY tomato that plant has produced. So yeah, maybe the plant life book will help. I suspect that we are beyond help, though.

And so that's it for our week! How was yours?

I'll be linking up with Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers today. Check them out to see what all of the other weird, unsocialized homeschoolers did this week!