Instead of doing a meme, which has been the majority of my blogging as of late, I thought I'd just sit down and give a good update on what is going on in our mountain home.
Two weeks ago we started school by doing 4+ lessons a day with the goal of finishing the two workbooks the girls had started in the spring so that they would be "caught up" for the school year when we start next week. This went amazingly well, and 2dd9 finished hers by Wednesday of this week, and 1dd10 finished hers today. I gave them each a bag of Ghiardelli chocolate (it doesn't have artificial ingredients). They work hard for chocolate!
Three weeks ago while the big girls were at camp, I started doing Sonlight P4/5 with my 4 yo dd. It has been delightful. We also do the HWT preschool program, Shiller Math book 1, and Developing the Early Learner workbooks that came with the Sonlight Core. It is a delightful time and she always looks forward to it.
I bought a bunch of preschool toys from My Father's World when I got the preschool set from Sonlight. Many of them are very similar, and that has been a bit disappointing. The kids don't seem to mind, and ds20months loves them. I do like having toys around that help him to learn too. He is talking more and more all the time.
Next week we will (Lord-willing) start My Father's World - Explorers to 1850 - with the older girls. I will be using Sonlight Core 3 readers with 2dd9. My oldest dd used them last year. My oldest dd will just read a bunch of suggested books for 5th graders. For language arts they will be using Primary Language Lessons by Serle and Intermediate Language Lessons by Serle. I am pleased with the way these books look. They seem to be gentle and thorough. For math, I think we will stick with just one curriculum - Singapore Math. I bought Miquon Math too, but I don't want to fall behind. For science we will do the suggest things with the My Father's World curriculum, which among other things includes Apologia Botany. For extras we have Rosetta Stone Spanish, which seems to be a lot of fun so far, piano (which I don't have a teacher for, so we'll just have to teach ourselves), and an art program that I can't remember the name for.
I've begun preparing myself for the board recertification test I need to take this fall or next spring. I have to do 100 hours of education by next June anyway. I've done about 10 of it so far. I also bought a book and program that I can read to review, and also comes with a couple of practice tests that I can do on the computer.
Lately I've been dealing with depression again (well, yesterday and today). I've found that when I am tired (usually in the evenings), I start feeling low and crabby. I'm hoping that it is just hormonal and will pass quickly.
Did I ever mention on here that I'm not working at the Urgent Care clinic any longer? They found that they didn't need me any longer. It has worked out nicely so that I rest on Saturdays as my Sabbath and then prepare for the week and do my running around and shopping on Sundays.
Tomorrow we will be having a wedding between one of our former staff gals here and the son of another one of our former staff members here. They are both still missionaries with YWAM in the Himalayas. There are a lot of people around the base this weekend, but my dd-10 will be quick to point out that no one brought kids with them. It is strange to have all these people and no children. My poor kids, they can't even get friends for the weekend around here!
Next week the youth of our former church in Illinois is coming for a few days (from Friday until the following Monday) to help out with work projects. We might go to Mesa Verde with them one day, or we might wait and do that with just our family another day.
We went geocaching last weekend. The bugs were bad, but the weather was cool and wet, although it didn't rain on us. It was a beautiful hike through the mountains not too far from us. I haven't downloaded the pics yet though.
Feeding on His Faithfulness,
Carol
Updated to add: I forgot to mention when I posted this the first time, that Thursday was my 40th birthday! I was woke up to fresh hot cinnamon rolls out of the oven, coffee (which I really don't like in the mornings!), and my children coming with three packages. The packages each contained a box of Good and Plenty candies (my favorite!), and a picture drawn by each of the three girls. They were delightful. My dh is going to buy me an ipod that I can download audiobooks onto to listen to on the road. We are just short of extra cash right now... The rest of the day was normal, with school in the morning, work in the afternoon, and arriving home late.
I just love reading your posts like this. I love finding out what is going on in your world and what you are thinking. I am going to try to do this type of post on Saturdays. (Lord willing) I hope to post one tomorrow. [0=
If you want to set up a time for a chat on your cbox. We can do that. Sense your box hasn't changed. [0;
Thanks so much for visiting me this afternoon. I haven't really had a chance this week to make my rounds - I so enjoy your blog and have decided to add you to my Friends list. I look forward to getting to know you better! :)
Feel well, and enjoy your weekend.
Blessings,
Shani
I am glad that school got off to a smooth start for you all. It has been a bit bumpy around here. I always seem to be lacking in some kind of supplies and my little boy is resisting seat work. He was great at it last year so I guess he just needs to get back into the habit. Anyway, I hope you mood rises and that you have a great week.
Blessings,
Dawn
It sounds like you sure have a lot of homeschool requirements in your state. Wow!
You get tired and cranky in the evening? I don't think that's called depression, I think it's called exhaustion. Small children, homeschool, and everything else you do, I'm sure your beat at night. Have you had your iron tested lately? That also could be a cause.
Your birthday surprise sounds so sweet. What a grest memory!
Antoinette
Happy birthday, late. Welcome to the 40's. I joined the club last October. You have a lot going on right now. Wow. I like what you have planned for the school year. Sounds like a lot of good learning will be going on. God bless you...
Jenn
Hey, it'd been a while since I'd "gotten out" and visited, and I wanted to spend a very rainy day, our last before school started, getting out to see friends. I've heard much about My Father's World and will have to check out their toys--I am looking to give our 5-year-old a bit more to do once she finishes school and I'm working with the older set. Right now, she has toys and books, lots of paper, etc., but admittedly I've not bought anything recently, and she gets bored with the things she has and can sometimes be a disruption. Also, she'll get on the computer, but likes to play games with noise, distracting my older two. Yet, we, too, are short on extra cash after recently taking two trips--one missions, one to Sea World (at least, we paid for it and will take it in a few weeks).
I might write offline to ask about some of your other plans. We started with Bob Jones, switching from A Beka, and my vote is still out. We'll "speak" soon, Carol, and God bless you.
Belinda@With a Taste of Chocolate
Hi Carol,
I love this kind of post, nice to catch up with everything. Happy belated birthday my friend.
I got your messages.....received the books in yesterday's mail. Did you receive a package from me yet????
We are hoping to start school this Wednesday, Lord willing....got everything ordered, waiting on my books.
Love and prayers,
katia
One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. To behold the beauty, the beauty of the Lord. To inquire in His temple, the temple of the Lord.
This is my everyday thoughts about being a mother to three little ladies (11, 9 and 4) and a two year old son. We serve God full-time, and I am a physician assistant. I have the most awesome husband in the world. I am trying to seek and serve God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength.
I was woke up to fresh hot cinnamon rolls out of the oven, coffee (which I really don't like in the mornings!), and my children coming with three packages. The packages each contained a box of Good and Plenty candies (my favorite!), and a picture drawn by each of the three girls. They were delightful. My dh is going to buy me an ipod that I can download audiobooks onto to listen to on the road. We are just short of extra cash right now... The rest of the day was normal, with school in the morning, work in the afternoon, and arriving home late.
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