Life These Days

Grace's latest.

Just when it seems life is hard enough, record cold sets in, snows come, and now sickness.  I have had a bad cold for the last several days.  It could be so much worse. I just need some time to rest.  Coughs are difficult to get rid of, are they not?  I had been having such good fortune with my health.  I cannot remember the last time I even had a sniffle.  My time was up!

On Valentine's day, our oldest had another jazz concert performance.  This one was in a town an hour north. He had a great last moment solo.  Really, how does he stand up and improvise such beautiful music?  I am amazed.  He had a wonderful day with the band.

He always looks confused.

Otherwise life is rolling along.  Spring will be here soon.  This winter's battles will be over.  Life will be green again!

Throw Back Thursday

Just five short years ago...

February Sky

The other evening, I just happened to look outside.  Wow, what a sky!

Cooking with Nana

It's always a joy for these two to get to spend some time with their Nana.  We are so blessed!

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.  :)

A Birthday Hike

Each January, as long as the weather cooperates, we try to take a hike the weekend before Jeff's birthday. This year we were fortunate to be able to afford a hotel room near the lake and our local family.  The weather did not only cooperate, but blessed us.  It was partly cloudy and in the 40's, a beautiful day.  We walked for an hour along the shore looking at the shelf ice.  Some years you can't see over it.  This year it was lower and there were icebergs.  I don't think I remember seeing icebergs before.

We also got to have a full day with Jeff's mom and her special friend.  She made Jeff a birthday cake.  The only thing we did not get to do was swim at the hotel pool, because we were all too tired from our hike earlier in the day.  Next day we were on our way back home with a stop for lunch and a meander through one antique mall.

Tax season is here and we won't see much of Jeff until April 15th, so this weekend was something to treasure!  If the Lord allows, we will go back in April.

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!