Oy! Only updating every few months. Life continues to be busy!

We’re finally about to finish ECC in My Father’s World. Should finish by next week, then on to the first unit of their history cycle – Creation to Greeks.  I’m looking forward to what we will learn together, and ready for a change of pace after geography for the last year.  It’s been a good year, though, and I’m pleased with the kids’ increase in all things geographical. We’re currently finishing the Gladys Aylward read aloud and reading Mr. Popper’s Penguins. We read this several years ago, but the kids don’t remember it, so we’re going at it again.

K continues to proceed well with his Saxon math. Once upon a time, he was about a year ahead.  Now that I’ve been a bit more hit or miss, he’s still ahead, but not by as much.  His writing skills are still are biggest weakness, though I’ve definitely seen improvement. For the most part, I don’t worry about it, trusting that with lots of reading and if we keep putting one foot in front of the other, he’ll eventually gain the skills he needs for the path God has in mind for him.  As we look toward 5th grade for next year, I can’t help but think how quickly the time will fly til he’s an adult. He expressed an interest in meteorology today, so we briefly looked up colleges with appropriate degrees and talked about where he might want to go to school. But I know that between now and then, he’ll change interests about a million times!

C had been using Math U See, but recently asked to go back to Saxon (she did Saxon for part of 1st grade.) So I dug out my old teacher’s manual, ordered her some student sheets, and we’re making another attempt at this curriculum. So far she’s enjoying it, but we’re mainly reviewing things she already knows, while I figure out where to place her in the book. 

I’ve taken on a full time job, beginning Feb 1 as hubby’s work has really slowed. I’m thankful for the job and look forward to seeing what God does in and through me while I’m there.  Hubby will be home with the kids and will oversee much of their studies during the day.  And some of the subjects will wait until I get home in the evenings. In addition to the steady income and the insurance benefits, I’m looking forward to resuming Bible study with some former co-workers over our lunch hours.

The job is in addition to a couple of part-time regular writing/editing projects and I’ve resumed teaching cooking classes for children.  I did this several years ago, then let it drop.  Picking it up again now on a part-time basis. I have classes scheduled for this weekend, with the theme of Sweets for the Sweet – Valentine’s Day themed items.

Speaking of cooking, I just made this tonight http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/lasagna-soup-689496/

and the kids loved it! Definitely a keeper!

It’s been so long.  Life has been busy and blogging has taken a back seat to everything else.  The baby (T) is still healthy and happy. She spent six weeks in a hip sling for a shallow hip socket (a consequence of being born breech), but all seems fine now.  The red at her left eye is just a birthmark.  We’re so fortunate in that she is a happy baby, easy to care for and has the beginnings of a great personality!

We continue to progress through MFW Exploring Countries and Cultures.  We’re currently studying Japan, then only have Russia, Australia and Antarctica to complete before moving on to the next step with MFW – Creation to the Greeks.  I’m still often torn about having left Weaver, but at this stage in life, I need the structure provided by MFW. I simply don’t have the time and energy to do the teacher prep I found necessary to do justice to Weaver. That said, we are enjoying MFW. K has a strong grasp of geography now, and C has a better understanding of the various people around the world who need to know of Jesus and his love.  I’ve enjoyed the missionary read alouds, especially George Mueller (wish I could have that kind of faith!) and now reading about Amy Carmichael. We have friends in Mongolia and some of the things I read in the Amy Carmichael book make me think of them.

Math is going well for both, Spelling Power is working well for K as a 4th grader. It isn’t going quite as well for C, a 2nd grader.  Her long term retention isn’t as strong as K, so though she’ll get the words correct, when we review several weeks later, she has reverted to random spelling.  Language is rather eclectic.  I really should try to be more structured in this area.  Perhaps this should be a goal for the new year.

K’s keyboarding skills have really improved and we’re slowly working on Spanish. Both kids enjoy reading and I’ve really liked the book basket concept I learned in MFW. I’m always surprised to hear what the kids have learned from reading on their own. And K is always spouting something he’s learned, either from Magic Tree House books, or from some cartoon on television. (Oops, there goes that Mother of the Year award again!)  K has begun scouts this year while C is participating in American Heritage Girls.  K has also developed a strong interest in chess.  He takes lessons and has participated in a couple of tournaments. Yesterday’s tournament resulted in a couple of trophies for him, a 6th place individually and a 3rd place in the Bug House tournament.

I continue to help care for my mother who lives in our guest house. Her health has been good overall, though there are some days and weeks that are more difficult than others. Hubby’s business has been slow, so we’ve both been looking for work. No doors have opened yet, but God continues to provide in amazing ways. 

I am blessed with a healthy family, a godly husband and a Father who loves me though I don’t deserve it.  What more can I ask for? Let me leave you with a photo of K and C this August at their baptism. Pretend like I saved the picture in the proper position. I always have trouble with handling photos!

Born via c-section on July 9 approximately 3 weeks early.  She’s healthy and we’re happy! 

Summer has flown by, and I certainly haven’t achieved all I’d hoped to – truthfully, not even a little of what I’d hoped to!  And with school right around the corner, there’s still much I’d like to get done to get ready for the new year.

That said, the summer hasn’t been a total loss.  K has participated in an Upward basketball camp and is doing a chess camp this week.  C, not one to want to be apart from Mom, hasn’t done any camps, but I’ve begun to teach her a bit about sewing.  She made a pin cushion earlier this week and is currently working on hemming a square of fleece to make a blanket/throw.  Both have done the summer swimming program and will do another two weeks beginning on Monday.  They also spent a week with one set of grandparents on a ranch, and K is preparing to take part in the local Bible Bee. 

Before we start school (looking like Aug 17) I still need to clean out last year’s school stuff. I also want to figure out how best to use Rosetta Stone for the kids, give the spelling level tests for Spelling Power, and plan our schedule.  Since I switched curriculum at Christmas, we’re only halfway through the year, so no need to buy any core curriculum.  K will continue with his Saxon 5/4 until he finishes the book, then on to the next level.  C will begin  the next level of MUS – Gamma, I think?

Hubby’s work continues to be slow. But God is ever faithful and always good!

So I haven’t really taken to the new HSB stuff yet.  Unfortunately, it came at a really busy time (like there are any times that aren’t busy!)  One feature I miss, and if it’s available would someone be so kind as to tell me, is where you could see your friends’ recent posts.  It seems like this new format will be much more random and will require extra steps to keep in touch with those that I had built relationships with.

That said, we’ve been living at the speed of life around here.  Perhaps I’m not really that busy, but being almost 37 weeks pregnant and 44 years old seems to have taken most of my energy, not leaving any for extraneous things like maintaining a blog.  The pregnancy has gone well, though I have placenta previa and am scheduled for a c-section in 8 days, July 9.  We seem to be as ready as can be and I am looking forward to getting on with the tasks of caring for a newborn and adding a  baby to our lives. We are having insurance issues (primarily the lack thereof) so I’ve really had to practice taking steps of faith.  DH’s business has been extremely slow and I no longer have one of my part-time jobs.  I think it will be cool to look back in five years and see how God brought us through this time.

I’m starting to look forward to planning for the next school year, though it seems a bit ridiculous to plan until I see what kind of schedule we’ll be able to maintain with a new baby.  It’s been 7 1/2 years since the last baby, so we’re a little rusty!

I had hoped to maintain some school work throughout the summer, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside.  K does math a couple of times a week, and he and C have done a lot of reading.  We’ve participated in swimming lessons the past 2 weeks and will do another 2 week session in late July/early August.  I also have K signed up for a chess camp in a few weeks.  While he knows how to play, he’s not really into taking his time and thinking ahead.  I’m hoping the camp will help him improve in that area.  He’s also participating in our local Bible Bee.  It’s our first year, and I was blown away at the amount of verses he is responsible for in his age group (250!)  We won’t achieve that by a long shot, but I figure that whatever we get is better than what we had before.

Any tips for a waning blogger are appreciated!

I don’t have time right now to practice loading photos, etc. right now. Just want to post a quick entry to see if this works for me. As for a school update, we’re finishing learning a bit about France – don’t know that we actually learned much – so tonight I made a few French food items. K was hoping for French fries, but instead I had quiche Lorraine and strawberry crepes. I’ve made some chocolate mousse also, but it’s still setting up in the fridge.