Changing Seasons

This last week has been a busy one, and we are finding ourselves in a season of change.  I suppose this was bound to happen as our children grow,and find themselves needing, wanting different things.  Thankfully, the Lord has been protecting my tender mama's heart from too much change.  I am not sure I could handle a lot more!

The change is in several forms.  The first is that we are finding it more difficult to go camping as a family. Already, our oldest had stopped going a few years ago.  Now that he is 17, he is able to stay by himself and cat sit.  And his involvement in marching band makes our camping trips less frequent, as we are trying to be supportive band parents.

The other two still enjoy camping, though not as much as they once did.  And frankly, Jeff and I are finding it a lot more work than fun, even with the teen's willing help.  So, we had the unusual experience of coming home from a camping trip and deciding to cancel two upcoming trips!  It is usually the opposite.  Nothing bad happened.  We all just said that day trips would be as nice, and we love our home!  Perhaps that is one of the precipitates.  We love being closer to home as there is so much to do around here.  We did schedule a trip up to our beloved lake in July, but we will stay at a hotel.  We will see how it goes.  We don't plan to sell the camper just yet, but it is an idea on the table.  We spend $40 a month to store it.  We still have one camping trip left on the books.

The other change has to do with our schooling.  Our youngest had already declared himself ready to try the local public school.  With our oldest doing well there, we were considering it, however, they are two very different boys, and I was not totally on board.  Grace has mostly finished the Sonlight offerings for high school, as she started the high school cores when she was in middle school with an older brother going through them.  So she was also looking for a new school plan.  So, it has been decided that they will be enrolled in an accredited online school.  They will still be at home, which I like, but they will have outside accountability. Then if Trevor comes up with a compelling reason to try the public high school the following year, he will have accredited records that our local school will require.  He may not go.  He may like this online school well enough.  We shall see.  We have two friends who are enjoying this online school, so that gives us hope.

And as I mentioned last week, Jeff starts a new job this coming Monday.  I am praying it is a good fit.  I am so thankful that it is close to home. (Another reason to love our home!)  It is ironic though.  If he had not taken the job so far away, we never would have moved here.  God knew though!

The Pace of Life

Life is moving a long at full speed. Despite our school year winding down, we are pretty busy.  Last week, we finished AWANA.  We have agreed to be Trek directors again next year.  A big part of our decision came down to a major change for us. Jeff accepted a new position at a CPA firm 9 miles from home!!  Jeff won't have to drive 60 miles a day now.  He will be saving so much in gas and time.  As I am someone who craves stability and security, a new job brings anxiety, and a chance to trust the Lord!  He starts in June.

Ryan has started marching band!  He will be playing saxophone.  Last Saturday was kick off.  Do you know how much work goes into band?  That boy has made quite the commitment, and we are so proud of him. He will be learning saxophone on the fly.  He says it is not hard.  He is one happy kid!

Grace and I finally got our raised garden beds put together and filled.  Hers has marigolds, zinnias, and sun flowers.  Mine has tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, parsley, and catnip. A bunny ate two of the tomatoes and cucumbers.  I need a fence! It was such a joy to be able to have boxes again.  I am so thankful and grateful for my husband who helped make our dream come true!

We finish school Thursday.  These last days are the hardest.  We can smell freedom!!

It's Been Almost Nine Years

My family when I first started blogging. 

Have I really been blogging for 9 years this coming October?  Truly amazing.  And yet, here I am plugging away, trying to record the happenings of my little family.  I never set out to be a blogger's blogger.  I have always been content to write when the notion strikes, as this blog really is just for me.  I did not want to forget these precious days that slip into years so quickly.  

Over the years I have made friends here, for which I am thankful.  I have felt the tug away from blogging for several years now with the popularity of other social media.  But, I am committed to this format, the humble blog.  When I look back at this record, I am so thankful that I have kept up with it.  I know that my ramblings are not very brilliant.  This post is a prime example of said rambling!  

I was just thinking about all the life that has passed these last 9 years of being a home educating family.  We have been blessed.  And I am glad to have captured some of it here so that I can look back and remember how God has been faithful, which is so good to do now and then.

In life, one is always adapting, always changing.  I have only a few years left as a home educating mother, if I am allowed that privilege.  I want to hold onto these last years.  I need to take  more pictures, be even more committed to recording them here.  I really am excited to be a part of my children's launch.  I know it will be difficult for me, but there is no stopping it.  (As if they'd let me!)  At least I am not alone on this journey.  Thank you, the few, the faithful, my blog friends!!  

Things Always Work Out

Here we are, at the last Saturday work day before tax season is over! I am pretty excited to soon have our family time back.  Looking back, it doesn't seem so bad, but in the thick of things, it was so hard.  Next week, we  may even get a couple extra days off, maybe.  Actually, he will probably just work from home a couple days, and not as many hours, because he is a manager now, and they are never totally off.   That is almost like time off.  

As for the questions of what to do this coming school year, those are sorting themselves out.  My oldest went back to school after spring break, and had a chat with his band leader.  It seems that if Ryan wants to, he can be in 6 bands next year.  Of course he wants to, so he went to see his guidance counselor and they set him up to take concert band (which includes marching and pep bands), beginning jazz for saxophone, advanced jazz band for guitar, and a combo jazz band.  That young man is going to spend a lot of time in the band room!  He is also going to take physics, AP literature, combined calculus/trig honors,and US history. I think it was a good decision.  I could not make it for him, and I would have supported him coming back home or going to community college.  I am thankful that we found such a good music program at our small local high school.  It's just a small town high school.  Who would have thought?  

My youngest is also going off to school, 8th grade, at the public school.  He wants to go, and we can't think of any reasons to keep him home, if he really wants to go.  We are calling it his "rumspringa" after the Amish children who get to go off and taste what the world has to offer before joining the church.  He will see that public school is not all that it seems to be or maybe it will be a good fit.

My daughter will be home, and we will be working on making 10th grade a great year.  One of my hopes is to find a place nearby to volunteer together.  I am thinking about our options, like an animal shelter or nursing home.  I can't believe that she will be 16 this summer!  I have a lot of planning to do on her behalf.  I also need to locate all the books that we already have from when my oldest was home educated.  

My world is going to be so different next school year.  I know there are some who might not agree with our decisions, especially in my homeschool friend pool.  I think it is best to look at each individual child and decide what best fits their unique needs when making school decisions.  I also do not think public schools are all that great, unless you can use them to your advantage, like band. I cannot provide band at home.  In addition, as much as I try, I cannot keep them home forever.  I have to let them test their wings, especially my young men.  They are going to be in the world supporting their families one day. My daughter, well, she doesn't need that exposure, so I am glad she wants to be home sweet home.  Above all, I am grateful to the Lord's leading us.  I truly feel this is His will.  

Almost Easter, Time to Plan for Next Year?

In just a few days it will be Easter.  This is just another reminder how fast the year is going.  But this post is not to lament that fact. It's a bit of an eclectic brain dump that I am in need of here.  So many things to consider as we try to make plans for our next school year.

First of all, number one son is in the home stretch of his first year in a public school.  He is thinking hard about finishing at home next year.  The only thing keeping him from that decision is jazz band.  He has grown as a musician this year through his involvement in the public school band program.  He was even inspired to get a saxophone for his birthday, and is moving right along in that endeavor.  He is also working on his piano skills, because as he tells it, the piano is where music is written.  He takes his SAT next month.  That will probably help him to make the decision.  He is so bored by the public school's inefficiencies.  Dual college credit is a possibility if he leaves public school next year.

Secondly, my youngest has expressed a desire to go to the middle school next year, just to "see what it is like."  Well, we can guess what it is like from our high school experience, but he can't seem to get it out of his mind.  What I would love is to find an affordable class or two for him to take somewhere.  There are homeshcool classes around, but they are expensive.  I am praying for guidance.

Third, our current homeschool year is quickly winding down.  We only need 40 more days.  I have loved our studies this year, Sonlight 20th Century World History.  It's time to think about next year. I am not sure who will be home next year, so it is hard to plan for certain.  It is impossible, when I think about all the combinations!  So, I am just in a waiting mode.  I am waiting on the Lord to show me where to go next.  I could have 3 scholars or 1 or 2!  See my problem?  It will all get straightened out sooner or later. We are also waiting on the high school to see what classes my oldest could take if he stays.  He is not going to stay if they will not let him take advanced courses.

As for the one scholar who will certainly be home, well, she is the challenging one who loves to read, create, serve others, and hates all things math and science.  That doesn't add up to a Core 40 high school diploma, so we may have issues next year with biology, geometry, and a foreign language to tackle.  She wants to be a mom.  I want her to be a mom.  But is that God's plan?  We don't know.  We need her to be prepared for other possibilities.  It is hard when they get to be 10th grade and graduation is looming nearer.

Slow down time, cries my heart!

Looking Forward to Spring

Little Dorothy is looking forward to spring. 

Today is the last day of winter!!  Here in Indiana that means 50's by day, and 30's by night.  It also means no more snow and ice.  And, some times we get a day or two of 60's or 70's.  We do get a lot of rain, but that brings flowers and green grass.

Another great thing about spring is the end of tax season in a month.  My husband is hanging in there.  He is such a hard worker.  I admire this ability to continue on day after day.  I am also thankful for his good job. And we know this season will end, making our lives a lot nicer.

This week my homeschoolers and I have been on a spring break.  My public school child is off next week for two weeks.  Grace and Trevor enjoyed three days with their Nana.  I enjoyed a quiet house!  I cleaned our carpets, too.  And I got the garage refrigerator cleaned out.  I am not sure what else I will do.  I'd love to clean the windows, but am not ready to remove the plastic.

So that is what is going on around here.  I hope you are enjoying the start of spring, too!
~Jenn

This and That

It's the Monday after daylight savings time!  Mondays are hard enough.  Tax season is hard. Trying to get over this cold has been hard. Add to an already full calendar,  and you get a bad case of spring break fever. Thankfully we are home scholars and can switch up our schedule to suit our needs. But, we need to hang in there one more week. Then I'm sending my students to grandma's house for a few days! While they are away, I will start spring cleaning.  They can help finish when they get back.  Time to evict the dust bunnies. 

I can't wait for the weather to warm up so that we can get outside and get the yard back in shape!

Being Real

This is January.  My husband works 60 plus hours a week.  No one comes to visit us, as all our friends live an hour away.  So... this is how my family room looks on an average school day.  Yes, I let them dump a huge bucket of Legos in the middle of the floor.  Yes, I have clean laundry on the sofa.  And, the area around my chair is a mess of books.  That's real life, folks!  And, I am OK with this, because I know that my kids are progressing in their studies, the house is clean underneath the clutter, and it all gets picked up on Friday afternoon so that we can enjoy a cleaner atmosphere during the weekend.  I thought perhaps it might help other homeschooling mothers to see that perhaps their mess isn't all that uncommon.  :)

Back to Work

I am happy to report that we have jumped back into our studies, this being our second week back to work. It is never easy to pick up where we left off a couple weeks earlier.  We really had a rough break, too with much time devoted to saying goodbye to a loved one.

One of our bigger challenges at home has been our science.  We are using Apologia Physical Science. The kids really don't enjoy science, and that saddens me, because science is cool.  I don't know if it is our curriculum or my presentation.  We are not giving up. We will just keep trying, and I will be looking for ways to spice things up.

Currently in our history, we are up to the 1960's.  Our curriculum is taking more of an overview of the 21st century, which is fine. My students are enjoying the books. Grace is plowing through her classical literature class, reading Oliver Twist at the moment.  Trevor is reading Peter Pan.

On the home front, we are now into my CPA husband's busy season.  He is now a manager and is even busier than ever.  He leaves in the dark, and returns after dark.  This is normal, so we adapt and think about camping season in late April.

On the public school front, our oldest is continuing to enjoy his school.  He got the highest grade in all of the chemistry classes last semester.  In fact, he got all A's.  I am really proud of him.  I had such apprehensions about sending him.  He is showing us that he is quite capable and very smart!  Jazz band has been a highlight for him.  His new challenge this semester is taking an online class through the school.  That will help him meet all his credit requirements.

I am thankful for some rough weather we had last week.  It was so cold that our evening activities were cancelled.  It was nice to get back to our studies with a few less distractions.  It was actually wonderful.  It was a blessing.  Now we have to get back to them this week, but maybe we are more rested and ready.  Here we go!

Another Glorious Week

Hello friends.  Another week is behind us.  This time we celebrated my youngest's 13th birthday.  I am not going to linger trying to figure out how he is already 13 years old.  Time is going crazy fast.

Monday was back to school and work for all five of us.  It is always hard to send my oldest off to school, but he really loves it, so I am adjusting.  That afternoon he needed me to pick him up because he was bringing a guitar to school that he could not take home on the bus very easily.  He also wanted me to take him to Target to get a new CD.

Nothing much went on Tuesday except for school and laundry.  By Wednesday, we decided to take the day off from school to celebrate our birthday boy.

We could not have a full birthday celebration with church that night, but we did manage to spoil him pretty rotten.  Grace and I blindfolded him and took him to lunch at his favorite restaurant, Panda Express.  Then we got him a DQ ice cream cake for after church.  In the afternoon, I let them rent a movie, Muppets Most Wanted.

Our week otherwise was pretty uneventful.  Ryan also took the PSAT on Wednesday.  He and I went to dinner on Thursday before his karate class on Thursday.  Friday we stayed home and enjoyed a nice quiet Halloween.  The weather turned out to be the most frightful part of the day.  It was a snowy, rainy, windy night.  Jeff set up my bike trainer, and we are all making good use of it.

Happy November!

Catching Up

Hello Friends!  My sadly neglected blog is, well, sadly neglected.  I have this hang up about pictures.  I want to post pictures to go with my blog, but then I have to jump through hoops to get them from my phone to a computer.  So, I don't post anything.

My problem is that my phone is an old, old Apple, and it won't automatically upload to my Google photo storage anymore.  It's like I live in between two worlds!  At one point things were working, though.  And now the uploading has stopped.

(These are taken with my tablet. It's Android, so it works with Google.  But I don't take my tablet with me, so I don't have many pictures on it.) 

I realize this is all gibberish and not worth anyone's time reading, but it is what is holding up my blogging, that and I don't use a desktop computer anymore.  I have a tablet, a netbook, and a phone that doesn't like either, certainly a first world problem!

Otherwise, all is well here, mostly.  School is going well for my oldest.  He is getting all A's at this point.  The everyday aspects of public school wears on me.  Also the rigid, inflexible attitudes.  Yet, there are things they do that are better than my own offerings, namely math and science, so we adapt and move along.

Our homeschool is moving along nicely.  We are able to keep up with our reading, which is an accomplishment with Sonlight in high school.  Grace loves reading, so I think I have finally found her happy place.  She really enjoyed "Romeo and Juliet."  Right now she is reading "Jane Eyre."  She is also requesting more C.S. Lewis books.

Trevor, doesn't share Grace's love of reading, but is flying through high school geometry at age 12, so I am happy.  He has been working on reading "Huckleberry Finn."  We read "Tom Sawyer" last year.

Last weekend we stayed in a quaint little cabin at a state recreation area located in a state forest.  We had a great time riding our bikes, walking in the woods, and just hanging out together.  We had to cancel our Labor Day camping trip due to Ryan having strep throat.  That was a first, canceling due to illness.

This weekend we have a bike tour and family reunion.  I am bringing a big pumpkin cake, pasta salad, and fruit.  We will also get some fried chicken.  I am looking forward to seeing my family.  I hope I can ride my bike the required 10 miles.

We are busy with AWANA as Trek (Jr. High) leaders.  My oldest still does karate.  Life is full.  I need to find a way to upload some pictures from my phone, but decided not to keep me from writing.
~Jenn

Week in Pictures

Hello friends!

We are off to a good start to our school year.  We just finished our second week.  We are really enjoying all the books, but it is a challenge to get everything done, so I think we are still adjusting.  We also added karate back into our weekly schedule.

This week we even managed to get the house tidy,in addition to lessons.  I am working on finding the best time to get groceries.  It's a big job, going to more than one store, so it needs a time slot during a day that isn't already busy.  Things one must juggle when home educating your children.

Here are a few pictures from our week.

 I took Ryan to look at a used guitar that would be used to play in jazz band at school.  He thinks he might like one for Christmas.  :) 

 Ryan helped Grace with her math homework.  She says he explains it better than me.  

 

Trevor had to go to the doctor because he had an infected ingrown toenail.  Learned that he is now 6 feet tall!  No wonder I am feeling so short these days.  

 Blue Bell ice cream was on sale.  I refuse to buy it full price, so this made my family very happy.  

Finally, we found a used bike for Trevor.  He was using a spare bike and it was way too small.  We had found a new bike for lots of money in his size, but didn't feel comfortable spending several hundred dollars on one, so we were very thankful to find this older, used bike for a decent price.  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Jenn 

Summer Wrap Up

 We are back from a great last camping trip before starting school.  We will still plan to go a couple more times.

 Grace bought herself a new guitar with her birthday money.  The house is alive with the sound of music!

  

My kitty is happy! 

Here we are in August!  We have started our homeschool year, on day 3 to be exact.  I always feel as if it is a big job to turn the tide from summer to school.  This year we have a 9th and 7th grader at home, and a 11th grader at public school.  

So far, the public schooler is doing very well.  Home scholars are also.  I am thankful for the good books we are digging into together.  This year we are studying the 20th century and classical literature.  

I miss my oldest quite a lot during the day.  Sometimes I watch his YouTube channel to hear his guitar playing.  However, I know I he is learning quite a lot and seems to be enjoying the opportunity.  I have been reaffirmed of our choice to homeschool, though.  The public schools are not very individualized.  

So, life is rolling along, and soon we will be back to our evening ministries.  I am not looking forward to the busy months ahead, but I know they are really short, because one day my kids will be gone and I will miss these busy days!  

Making Plans

It's that time again!  It's time to make plans for next year's schoolwork.  

I am working on putting finishing touches on Grace's 9th grade curriculum choices. Many of you know my dear Grace, her strengths and challenges. I am thinking of using Abeka for Health and grammar, as she is used to using their program. For math, we will continue in MUS Algebra 1. History and Literature/Writing will be covered with Songlight. She will most likely take an art class at the local high school, which is open to homeschoolers taking classes. I am still trying to find a program for her foreign language choice, American Sign Language! I was thinking we would continue French.  Oh, and for science, Apologia biology. I think that is it. 

For Trevor, my soon to be 7th grader, I will be using  Abeka for grammar, Sonlight for history, literature, and writing.  For math he will be ready for MUS geometry!  Yes, I said geometry.  He is sailing through algebra this year.  He will be doing science with Grace, too.  


Now that leaves Ryan, my 11th grader.  He has requested to enroll at the local high school.  It is something he has given a lot of thought to , and I won't go into all the details here.  He wants to be in their jazz band. He has met with the band director, and was given sheet music to practice.  Ryan will have to prove himself with the school.  He has to test out of all his 9th and 10th grade classes.  So, it is really now up to him to do the work.  

This coming school year is going to be quite different, but as usual, change is something you just have to learn to deal with around here!  

The "Blizzard" of 2014

Good morning friends!  Life is starting to return to normal as our blizzard-like adventure wraps up.  Jeff went back to work today.  I am still waiting to hear from him about how the roads are. Local schools are still closed.  AWANA was canceled for tonight, for which I am extremely grateful.

It all started last Friday, when we decided to heed the storm warning and load up at the grocery store.  We, along with the rest of Indiana, all had the same idea.  I was amused to see empty shelves, especially a run on bacon.  Really?  I didn't know that bacon was a storm staple.  Now I do and will be sure to get a few packages next time.  The usual things were gone, but that didn't bother me too much, as I like to buy organic or as close as possible and those are the last things to run out.

Saturday, was pretty much a normal day, thankfully.  We had to go to the BMV, and Jeff took Ryan to a local college basketball game.  I made a batch of chili, and was thankful we avoided the crazy people at the grocery stores on Saturday, as reports were coming in from Facebook that things were getting worse at the stores hour by hour.

And then  "it" hit us Sunday morning.  Our dear church leaders had already encouraged us to stay home and watch the service online.  Thankfully, Ryan and Grace's scheduled service in children's ministry was canceled, another wise call.  We all five snuggled into the sectional and watched church via our Chromebook hooked up to our TV as huge, fluffy snowflakes started to fall and continued to fall all day.

The snow really came down hard and fast, at an inch an hour.  The temperatures started to drop, too.  And the wind was howling by evening.  Jeff and the kids kept the driveway and sidewalks clear, as we knew the temperatures were falling to below zero overnight and we would not be able to shovel on Monday.

Monday came.  Oh my, it came!  We woke to temperatures of -10 below with windchills of -30.  The house struggled to keep above 65.  We celebrated Epiphany with Jeff leading us in prayer, our nativity, and some cinnamon buns.  I was so thankful to have electricity, not everyone did in our area.  We also managed to have a normal school day.  Jeff set himself up in the office to study tax things.  I made us fajitas for dinner.  I also made us a pumpkin cake!

Tuesday arrived and we were now -15.  Jeff had to stay home again because the interstate he takes to work was closed.  It was a sheet of ice.  No chemicals can work on the ice in these conditions. Still, we managed to keep warm and have a normal school day.  I made awesome turkey noodle soup with homemade stock from a turkey I roasted Sunday.  My we were eating well during this storm!  Finally, the temperatures rose above 0, but the roads remained closed all day.  We watched part of Gone With the Wind to pass the time.

Today, as I said above, Jeff is back at work.  I just received a text from him saying the roads were icy in patches, but thank God he made it safely.  The temperatures are supposed to be in the 20's today.  We could get an inch of snow later.  But by Saturday, we are supposed to get rain and be in the 40's.  What a weather week!

This Week At Home, 2012, Week No. 35

Notes written about our days...

* Just a little side note here to take a moment to talk about why I blog.  I'm a busy homeschooling mom.  I don't have time to blog, but wait!  If I don't record the details of our lives, I will forget them.  So, I make the effort to write down little things that I want to remember, and then I invite others to read them.  That's the weird part!  :-) 

Monday...

It's Labor Day, and Jeff is still with us at home.  I've been on the couch sick with a cold for a few days.  It feels like a full blown sinus infection and I have zero energy, well almost.  I did manage to drag myself into the kitchen to make us a big pan of tasty lasagna.  Really, I am feeling better each day, but not my normal self.

I spent today on the couch reading a great book, French Kids Eat Everything.  That's a whole other topic for another time, but if I could go back in time to do it all over, I'd work harder to have better eaters!  *sigh* 

Life was not all bad today, Jeff and Ryan went out to play 18 holes of disc golf and stopped at the store for more fruit.  We're always out of fruit.  The most exciting part of our day was watching Deep Space Nine episodes.  The house is starting to get on my nerves, too.  No one is interested in cleaning, least of all me. I think I have the end of vacation blues setting in... 

Tuesday...

It's time to get us all back to work.  Jeff is missed today.  I am feeling better, able to do what I need to do, but still gravitating to the couch when those things are done. I feel so weak and am congested. 

The kids and I do a full load of our lessons.  I am so thankful that we can jump back into our work without much fuss.  Plus, they are super motivated today.  They want their two friends to come over when they are done.  That also gets me housekeeping minions.  The younger two spend an hour getting the house dusted, vacuumed, and tidy.  I direct from the couch.  

Grace resumes art class tonight.  I'm excited to see what this season brings.  I enjoyed all she made last year. 

Disc golfer! 

Wednesday...

Woke up feeling much the same as yesterday, yucky, so I decided to haul myself to the doctor.  Since I've not been sick long enough, there was nothing he could do.  I wore myself out for nothing.  I should have known better.  I usually wait it out, but I didn't feel like waiting longer.  Oh well.  On the way home, I got us bread, which we were out of, and picked up a library book hold for the kids' schooling.  Back at home, I decided to heed my doctor's advice and lay low, including not going to AWANA, which I hated because our crew is light this year.  We have 7 girls each!  We don't even all fit at the table. 

Our camping trip for the weekend with our small group was canceled today.  The weather is going to be rainy at the park we chose.  Bummer.  We need the rain, so I won't complain, too much, although, we did get 3/8ths of an inch already today!  It was a beautiful rain, much appreciated.

Thursday...

Another book came available, this time for me, so I went back to the library between morning lessons and lunch.  I figured this way I'd have something to read this afternoon while resting.  I feel better, but get exhausted easily, so I spent a lot of time reading this afternoon.  I am surprised that I got the book at all as it was just released this week.  I must have been first on the list at the library!  More about the book later. So far I like it and find it inspiring. 

Tonight is karate for the kids and Jeff is going to get groceries for us.  He's such a great guy.  (Thank you, Honey!) 

How does she sleep like this? 

Ryan in his usual posture. 

Friday...

It's Friday!!!  We made it through this rougher, but short week.  I feel almost human again, too.  Yay!  We don't normally do lessons on Friday, but since we were off on Monday, we need this school day to count. 

Let's talk school a moment.  For one, I am happy with attitudes, mostly.  There are still tears with math from the 7th grader.  But for the most part, everyone is doing a good job having happy hearts. 

We started two good books this week, Out of Many Waters and The King's Fifth.  I read Out of Many Waters aloud in the morning and we all listen to the audio CD of The King's Fifth in the evening. 

All this great reading got me to thinking about my own childhood.  I loved books and was always reading, but I don't remember reading books like the ones we are reading, living books.  In school, we didn't read a lot of books.  The books I chose for pleasure reading would not stand the test of time, except the Little House series.  Textbooks and workbooks were my steady educational diet.  (Boring!)  I love the literature that we are devouring these days. 

A battle from Trevor

Well, it's been a week, that's for certain.  I am thankful for so many things this week, a husband who takes care of us, kids who can help when needed, the freedom to rest when I needed, and a body that can heal itself! 

Until next time,
Jenn