Weekly Wrap-up: Seasons of Change (8/25-8/31)

In Our Life This Week
Our summer vacation months have come to an end. And right on schedule, Mother Nature has dropped our 80s and sometimes 90s down to 70s, and we have a few leaves turning color (although I think that might be the drier weather we've been having).

::sigh::

It's been a great summer! The Saplings and I have been super busy (as usual), but we found a lot of time for our most favorite summer activities: swimming, camping, reading, friends, late bedtimes, and picnics.

But now it's time for schoolin' and fall sports and scouts. And, you know, I'm looking forward to the change of seasons! ::grin::

A look back through the summer...

On The Island: Rocky Ocean Beach, Playing in the Mud Flats with Cousin Noodle, Whoopie
Pie Sundae, Lobster Roll, Swimming, and Wild Flowers

Camping: Tenting, Fires, and Swimming

Around Home: Flowers, Hiking, Flooding, Relaxing in the Hammock, Reading in the Van,
Kayaking, and Making Pickles

In Our Homeschool This Week
I met with each of the Saplings this week to look over our new curricula and discuss expectations. This was especially important for White Pine who will be managing his time this year and keeping his own records. As a 9th grader, I feel it's time for him to take over his learning (for the most part). And the younger Saplings were able to see their new work binder set-ups and workbox task cards I added to the front of their binders (to help them be more productive). 

Sugar Maple's Sample Schedule with Workbox Task Cards
from Homeschool Creations. These are velcroed onto her
work binder.

As activities are completed, the cards are flipped over.
When they are all flipped, her school day is done. 

I store extra laminated workbox task cards in a recycled
plastic jar.

White Pine also learned to mow the lawn. Again. I think he was traumatized 2 years ago when he broke the mower after only a few minutes into his first ever mow. ::sigh:: Or maybe he's afraid it'll become HIS chore? But alas! that won't happen because Balsam Fir was quite upset to see big brother touching what he's come to call "my mower". White Pine has been asked to mow a friend's lawn for pay so we thought we would start at home to practice first.

Sugar Maple rediscovered our  "Oregon Trail" CD-rom game. She's been buying covered wagons, loading them up with supplies and heading down the trail. What's neat about this game is that you can fish for food, hunt deer and other animals or collect plants to eat (learning which ones are safe to eat), barter and trade, and even read a journal along the trail. She's had to make choices about crossing rivers, climbing mountains and dealing with weather. She hasn't conquered the trail yet, but I bet she will! (I'd totally recommend this game!)

And wouldn't you know it - Sugar Maple and Balsam Fir came running inside with an old 5 gallon bucket...and a White-footed baby mouse that fell out of MY VAN. ::sigh:: The Saplings made a habitat for it, but further research showed that they can carry Lyme Disease as well Hantavirus, a rare, but possibly deadly infection. As cute and helpless as it is, Mousie was returned to the wild of the woods.

What's Working/Not Working for Me?
::sigh:: Would you believe that I had another flat tire this week? Looks like I picked up a nail from Balsam Fir's latest building project - a miniature coop and chicken run. His building projects have been moved to a safer tire location. But I now have a working carpet steamer and some cleaner rugs!

Ponderings
I'm full of anticipation and excitement for our new school year on Monday! (Yes, Labor Day! What better way to celebrate with a little school "labor"! ::wink::) Isn't it a great feeling? ::smile:: White Pine starts high school. High school! And after a couple of years straying from Charlotte Mason, Sugar Maple and Balsam Fir will return to our more natural approach to learning. So, here's hoping for a fun year full of exploration and investigations!

Back-to-School Countdown: 3 days!

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