It's time to catch you all up! Wouldn't you know it? In mid-January the hard drive in my 9-month-old laptop went completely kaput. Jake assures me it wasn't delayed damage from the night Sam's water got spilled onto the keyboard, but something magnetized...or a drop. Either way, I arrived home to find a pile of dirty dishes across the counter-tops, and a laptop with a warning! warning! warning! message on a black screen. My Computer Guy Eric couldn't even get my photos off the hard drive. :sigh: So, I am without computer, borrowing from my kids when available. Between my laptop meltdown, a broken wire in my DSLR camera's card reader, and my annoying issues with my cell phone, I think I'll put off getting anything electronic for a while.
But, on the other hand, all these VERY snowy, frigid days have been perfect for crocheting and reading in cozy PJs, and getting homeschooling done. Even Cati and Sam have been interested in learning to crochet. What a challenge to teach them though! Being left-handed, my crocheting is a bit, um, backwards for my right-handers. Jake has had 4 snow days in the last 2 weeks, but my homeschoolers settled down to both structured and unstructured learning. I much prefer schooling NOW and take off warm, sunny days instead! How about you?
It also seemed like a great time to pull out one of the turkeys I froze around Thanksgiving - super sale savings! - and roast it up for some warm comfort food and leftovers. (I over-roasted it, but the gravy covered up the dryness...) I do believe Thanksgiving Dinner in the middle of the winter hits the spot!
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN
Cati and I made a new friend recently. On the way back from grocery shopping, we happened upon a horse strolling down the side of the road about 2 miles from our home. He was without a human companion. I followed him with my van, flashers on, praying that he would stay on the shoulder as vehicles flying by on the other side of the road wouldn't have time to stop for him. He eventually bolted up a driveway to a house with a barn. No one was home. Seeing his fence down and not wanting him to end up on the road again, I called 911 who in turn got in touch with Animal Control (who happened to live just a 1/3 mile away and knew the horse's owner). Howie, super sweet and friendly, is now safe-and-sound behind a repaired fence with his Shetland Pony companion.
A SNAIL'S PACE
Over my 11 years homeschooling, I've relaxed. A lot. I started off with every day scheduled down to the minute, covering as many as 12 different subjects in a day. (So sorry, Jake! But you certainly handled it!) These days? Our days flow in a more natural, child-led rhythm. Not to say there isn't structure, but gone are the days of a strictly adhered to schedule. Homeschool wraps around and into DAILY LIFE rather than the other way around. But that also means that some days are for taking apart rockets, baking cinnamon rolls from scratch, games, both board and video, pleasure reading, Wattpad creative writing and keeping a Diary of a Wimpy Kid journal, and building snow forts. Our core learning is moving a long at a steady snail's pace, but it's moving!
It also seemed like a great time to pull out one of the turkeys I froze around Thanksgiving - super sale savings! - and roast it up for some warm comfort food and leftovers. (I over-roasted it, but the gravy covered up the dryness...) I do believe Thanksgiving Dinner in the middle of the winter hits the spot!
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN
Cati and I made a new friend recently. On the way back from grocery shopping, we happened upon a horse strolling down the side of the road about 2 miles from our home. He was without a human companion. I followed him with my van, flashers on, praying that he would stay on the shoulder as vehicles flying by on the other side of the road wouldn't have time to stop for him. He eventually bolted up a driveway to a house with a barn. No one was home. Seeing his fence down and not wanting him to end up on the road again, I called 911 who in turn got in touch with Animal Control (who happened to live just a 1/3 mile away and knew the horse's owner). Howie, super sweet and friendly, is now safe-and-sound behind a repaired fence with his Shetland Pony companion.
A SNAIL'S PACE
Over my 11 years homeschooling, I've relaxed. A lot. I started off with every day scheduled down to the minute, covering as many as 12 different subjects in a day. (So sorry, Jake! But you certainly handled it!) These days? Our days flow in a more natural, child-led rhythm. Not to say there isn't structure, but gone are the days of a strictly adhered to schedule. Homeschool wraps around and into DAILY LIFE rather than the other way around. But that also means that some days are for taking apart rockets, baking cinnamon rolls from scratch, games, both board and video, pleasure reading, Wattpad creative writing and keeping a Diary of a Wimpy Kid journal, and building snow forts. Our core learning is moving a long at a steady snail's pace, but it's moving!
LOVIN' LEARNING
Sam has been delving into World of Science (My Father's World) for a couple of weeks now. I can't tell you how exciting it is to see him reading for pleasure AND information! (I don't even mind that we haven't gotten to our Earth Science ONCE in the last 2 weeks!) We both now know how a fridge works. Perhaps if it goes on the fritz he'll be able to repair it...He's also read about atoms and molecules, states of matter, kinetic energy and simple machines, and magnetism, (Oh. I hope he didn't test out magnetism on my laptop...)
Cati decided to read 100 books in 2015, and she's already well on her way. (I'd join her in a friendly literature competition, but I'm aiming more for 100 CROCHET projects on 2015.) And this girl with her newly found love of creative and informational writing! Last year I don't think I could have PAID her to write a story without grumbles, but this year she's off and typing!
PLANNING FOR SPRING
Unfortunately my kiddos aren't as enthusiastic as I am about planning our garden for this season. (Fortunately, my fiance, who grew up on a dairy and vegetable farm, is.) Yes, I know, the snow is piled high, but looking forward to spring sure beats "cabin fever". This season we're going simple: Sugar Pie Pumpkins, French Beans, Tom Thumb Peas, French Carrots, and Boston Pickling Cucumbers. All non-GMO, all heirloom. Now, to wait until the 4' of snow melts off the raised beds...
As always, special thanks to these weekly link-ups:
Happy Homeschooling!
Howie did! Phew! Not the best road for a riderless horse to stroll down...
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