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Weekly Wrap-up ~ Rainy


It has been a rainy, rainy week! Literally every day it has rained. Today is the first day we have seen any sunshine. I can't really complain because, as you know, I am a major homebody and am always looking for an excuse to stay home. This week provided it. We didn't have any evening activities and other than a couple of trips to the library, we really didn't leave the house.

The Past Week in our Regular Life

The only problem with having nothing scheduled to do is that it causes me to stay up later at night getting sucked into a t.v. series (right now it's Orange is the New Black on Netflix … warning, it is raunchy and I have to fast forward through some scenes) and reading. But then that has me not wanting to pop up early in the morning to get my quiet time before the kids get up and so I feel rushed all morning to get us starting school by 10:00 a.m. Oh, the tragedy, I know. I do prefer an earlier morning schedule and going to bed earlier at night. I really haven't slept all that good this week. I plan to get back on track on Monday.

The Schooling Basics

Bible

We are using a product from Veritas Press on the Old Testament. We have spent the last two years Stick Figuring Through the Old Testament with Grapevine Studies, so I thought this would be a nice change of pace and review. It's great for me because it is all on the computer. The kids watch a video and have lessons and even take quizzes. They seem to really be enjoying it and it's a good start to their day.

Math

We are continuing with CTC Math this summer, which is also a web-based program. While one of the kids does their math assignments, the other one reads. Then they switch. They have exclusively been doing Division with CTC. They started with the third grade materials during the school year and once they completed them they moved onto the fourth grade materials. They just completed fourth grade and will move onto the fifth grade division materials on Monday. Once they have completed all of those lessons, I plan to have them go back and do all of the math sections for fourth grade.

Reading

We are doing lots and lots of reading. The kids are doing the Fizz, Boom, Read program at the library. So to fill their sheets I am having them read picture books each time we go up to the library for their programs. It's funny to see how much they do not enjoy picture books now that they have moved on to more age-appropriate stuff. But, it doesn't hurt them to read some fun and easy things.

Then they are each working on their personal choices. Eli is still into Big Nate. Brynne has been reading a Frozen book she received as a gift, comparing it to the movie. Then she will likely finish up her Lily Lapp book.

We are also reading Sarah, Plain and Tall and Capture the Flag for our literature unit study and book club.

The Schooling Fun Stuff

Our map study from The Land from Moving Beyond the Page has been really great so far. We have done map studies before, but the worksheets in this study are really great. The kids are enjoying it!

We have lots of library activities going on this summer. Thank you library staff for schooling my children for me!

On Wednesdays the kids are in a book club where they are reading Capture the Flag and doing fun activities. Last week they had to plan a secret society and this week they have to find something from history that they would steal if there were no consequences. Think National Treasure here. They are enjoying the creativity and brainstorming they are doing with their friends.

Then on Thursdays they attend their gardening class where they are learning all about nutritional eating, while taking care of a community garden. Then starting in a couple of weeks they will also get to attend a class with the same teacher called "Kids in the Kitchen" where they will actually be learning cooking skills.

The library also has other programs throughout the summer. We attended the first one yesterday. It was on forensic science and they go to learn how to lift fingerprints and obtain DNA. It was a great class put on by our sheriff's department. Next week the program is on plant science.



The Kitchen

Yep, kid-friendly meals rock. Last night I made mini pizza muffins. You just take small, cheap biscuits and cut them in half. Stuff each one-half into a mini pizza pan section. Add a little pizza sauce, one pepperoni, and some shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. And that's an easy dinner. My kids love it!

I also made some oatmeal raisin cookies for our snack this week and they were delicious.

The Days Ahead

This is going to be a busy weekend! Rick's birthday is tomorrow. We are starting the day with a softball double-header for Brynne. Then Rick and I are going to Kansas City where I have prepared a night out for him. I think he will enjoy it. Sunday is Father's Day so after church I am going to come home and make a nice lunch … spinach and pepperjack rolled chicken breast on the grill, party potatoes, fresh green beans, and jalapeño poppers. We will have root beer floats for dessert. Then the kids and I are taking Rick to the movies to see How to Train Your Dragon 2. We love to do movies as a family and have really been looking forward to this one.

The Books We are Reading

Mom:  Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman.

Brynne: Frozen: The Junior Novelization

Eli: Big Nate: Goes for Broke by Lincoln Peirce.

Read Aloud:  Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan, Capture the Flag by Kate Messner.

The People and the Places

We went "to town" on Friday to get groceries and haircuts. Brynne got about 6 inches cut off her hair. Eli got his usual. Kyndal is the only person he trusts to cut his hair. Then we stopped by the nearby Liberty Park and the rose garden to take some new pictures for a Father's Day gift for daddy.


The Savings Jar(s)

I drained the savings jar for Rick's birthday/Father's Day gifts. So I am starting over and put $2.65 in it this week.

The Bible in a Year

I am still a couple of days behind, but only a couple. I will be caught up by Monday. I have read through Jeremiah 48.

The Favorite Things

Reading. I have challenged myself to read one book per week for the rest of the summer. Since we only do schoolwork from 10-noon every day, that pretty much leaves my afternoons open to do some reading. That is what I have been doing this week and it has been great!

Linking up





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