Weekly Wrap-up: Summer Week 2 - The One With Fun

The kids were anxious for SWIM SEASON to begin. Despite the cool temperatures (in the low 70s), we took the kids down to the lake to splash around. And no, WE didn't venture in because that water has not had enough time to warm up. I was quite happy to watch from the comfortable warmth of my camp chair!

And then they decided to break in the new tent. We bought a 3 room 20x12 tent to bring everyone camping this season. It's huge! But only took about 15 minutes to put up the first time around.

Some of us went to another Portland Sea Dogs baseball game in the city.

Who can resist a field trip to an ice cream shop? A local homeschooling family opened up their popular shop for a few of us to hear the history about and tour. The kids learned to take orders the "PEAR's way" and the owner served us up some yummy Gifford's ice cream.

Unfortunately either the "nibble attacks" of the hens or the "blast of rainy cold" we got last week caused my peas and cucumbers to wither away to nothing. Thankfully it's early enough in the season to try again whenever I get around to buying more seeds...Sam and I also created a climbing trellis from down limbs and leftover yarn for the beans who are growing well.

And we watched Cati's End of the Year Jazz and Band Concert. They had a few rough moments, but these are kids ages 11-13 so we got to give them credit for performing in front of an auditorium of people.

RIP Onyx (5/2011-6/2015)

And unfortunately the cat slipped out again 2 1/2 weeks ago. It took her 4 weeks in winter to come back...

As always, special thanks to these bloggers for their weekly homeschool blog link-ups. Click on over to see what other homeschoolers are doing!

"When one teaches, two learn." - Robert Heinlein

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: July 2-8

In My Life This Week

I recovered from my sinus and ear infections and have regained my equilibrium. Somewhat. (Can I still blame my lack of coordination on middle ear fluid? LOL) It's been a while since I've felt SO down-and-out! 

Our Flowering Elderberry

A constructed a new, bigger brooder for the chicks out of cardboard boxes. They now have more space and 2 roosting sticks. It was moved into the porch as a transition to the outside in a couple of weeks...And because they're kicking up A TON of dust from their bedding and food that covers a room! Ick! The lil' chicks also got to explore outside for the first time.

In the evenings we watched movies at home: "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", "Ant Bully", and "Narnia: The Dawn Treader". 

I just picked up The Power of a Positive Mom by Karol Ladd from the library and am anxious to get start reading it...but I already have a book I need to finish first. (I just can't read more than one at a time! LOL)  Guess what I'm doing this afternoon?!

In Our Homeschool This Week

Books! J is TOTALLY into the Honor Harrington Sci Fi series by David Weber and has been reading for hours and hours...C has decided that she LOVES my Mom's Kindle and is reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain on it as well as a TRADITIONAL BOOK, Harry Potter at the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. And S continues to read his Hooked on Phonics books (a bit less enthusiastically than the others though). J has already met his library summer reading program goals!

Have you seen the picture book Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog by Adrienne Sylver?  What a GREAT book for learning about the history of the hot dog! We also watched a video on-line about this year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest mentioned in the book. A woman won this year, eating 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes! It was NOT a pretty video to watch, but something a 6-year-old boy found hilarious! ;)  And of course after we read the book, we grilled dogs for dinner!

J and his buddy T learned about lawn care. They used the PUSH MOWER to "tame the grass" and a weed whacker around the garden beds and house. They should go into business! LOL

 What's Working/Not Working For Us 

Coming and going as we please! Accept for S and A's baseball game, we didn't HAVE to do anything all week...but of course we did! LOL

Places We're Going and People We're Seeing

• C continued to visit with my family, picnicking, swimming, playing with her little cousin, and making homemade donuts
• S and A went to a minor league baseball game on Saturday
• J and S went to the Rec Center for gym games (like basketball and dodgeball), ate bagged lunches and put together puzzles Tuesday through Friday with old and new friends, and then most of us headed down to the public beach for swimming for an hour or so
• J's friend C stayed overnight on Tuesday and T stayed over Thursday
• J started volunteering at our library on Wednesday

My Favorite Things This Week Were

• Having Cheeper follow me around outside, helping to "clean up" the veggie garden and lawn of bugs 
• Eating our first batch of pea pods from the garden (and no we couldn't wait until there were big, juicy peas inside first LOL)
• Seeing S's creativity and problem-solving skills while he made a homemade timer by poking a hole with a nail in the cap of a water bottle filled with sand and then taping a 2nd bottle to the top 
• Reading Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Debby MacDonald to C over the phone before bed

Questions/Thoughts I have

Do we convert the old shed out back into a coop? Or do we buy an assembled coop?

 

A Photo, Video, Link, or Quote to Share

Here's a short video of the little chicks with Cheeper going outside for the first time. They weren't as anxious as Cheeper was the first time, but then there ARE 9 of them, 10 with Cheeper, instead of just one! LOL

I'm linking up to Forever, For Always, No Matter What, The Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers, Science Sunday, Fun Tuesday Hop, No Ordinary Blog Hop, and Hip Homeschool Hop. Head over to read more homeschool happenings!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: June 25 - July 1

In My Life This Week

With J's friend T in tow, the kids and I drove to the island to spend the week with my family. And the chicks stayed behind. Guess what THAT means? Yup! We need a coop! Oh! And does anyone want a rooster? They're REALLY cute! LOL 

The Rocky Atlantic Coast

Places We're Going and People We're Seeing

Day 1 - We picked S up from his weekend sleepover with at my ILs. We stopped to see Eartha, the Guinness World Record globe at Delorme, and shopped at LL Bean, eating a picnic lunch by the big Bean boot. We visited 3 different state parks, played on playgrounds, walked some trails, saw a lighthouse, explored oceanside, and stamped our passports. And sampled fudge at Perry's Nut House.

C, S, T and J Getting Stepped on by the BIG Bean Boot

My Monkeys on the Playground

Fort Point State Park

Day 2 - EARLY morning! We dropped C off to horse camp and headed to the fort to explore and have a picnic lunch. We braved going up 420 feet in an elevator on a bridge to see beautiful ocean views! After picking up C (who mucked out 5 stalls, curried horses, learned about the English saddle, and got her first riding lesson), stopped for ice cream. We made pizza for dinner and had birthday cake (for my parents) and then spent the evening at the rocky ocean beach, swimming, searching for crabs, playing in the sand.

420 Feet Up THERE!

The View

N Reading About the Fort

S Sitting on the Canon Balls

Day 3 - C headed back to horse camp. The rest of us walked the bog boardwalk. (Was it hot, humid!) We had lobster rolls or hot dogs for dinner then headed to the beach again. I read a Kindle book (on my Mom's Kindle) and the kids swam, explored and climbed rocks until the mosquitoes swarmed.

J's Inuksuit at the Beach

Cousin N Exploring a Bog Flower Seeds

S and N Searching for Frogs in the Bog

Day 4 - A day without busyness! The kids were ASKING to stay home so Mom and Dad headed off with C to drop her off at horse camp and the rest of us, including my niece had a lazy day of reading, watching TV, playing video games, and drawing. We headed off island to watch "Mr. Popper's Penguins" after dinner. Unfortunately, I felt sicker and sicker throughout the day and decided to go to the ER after the movie. It turns out I have a sinus infection AND infections in both ears.

Day 5 - C's horse show! On her final day of camp, she showed us all that she learned - putting on an English saddle, riding, balance skills, a parade routine, and even the beginning of jumping! Her instructor said, "She's a natural!" and invited her back in July to ride with them in the town parade! I spent the rest of the day resting while the kids went swimming with family and C and S spent the night with my sister.

Isn't She Cute in her Riding Uniform?

She was VERY Serious About Riding

C with her Ribbon and Trophy

Day 6 - Relief already! I'm feeling better! Antibiotics are a GOOD thing! C has a friend over playing this morning. N is over for the day. And the older boys are still sleeping! Another slow day before trekking back home tomorrow. Laundry!

 

My Favorite Thing This Week Was

I was QUITE proud of all that C accomplished at horse camp this week! I had wondered if she was learning to ride because it sounded like she was doing A LOT of mucking out of stalls, but she did AWESOME!
 

Questions/Thoughts I Have

When we return, I NEED to finally order the rest of our curriculum for next year. I'm anxious! I want BOX DAY too! LOL

A Photo, Video, Link, or Quote To Share

Moose Point State Park

I'm linking up to Forever, For Always, No Matter What, The Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers, Science Sunday, Fun Tuesday Hop, No Ordinary Blog Hop, and Hip Homeschool Hop. Head over to read more homeschool happenings!

Weekly Wrap-up: Portfolios, Plans, Patience, Practices, and Progress

It's PORTFOLIO time! 

Piles of papers, completed lap books, finished workbooks, notebook pages, art creations, 3-hole punch, and 3-ring binders with page dividers have been scattered across the dining room (and sometimes the coffee table in the living room) this week. Fortunately I only have to assemble 2 portfolios this year, next year will be 3, and I've been sorting papers on-and-off since about October. After STUFFING J and C's 2" binders with examples of their work, I've come to the conclusion that next year I need 3" binders instead! Their binders are "bursting" open! Or perhaps I need to be more SELECTIVE? Our portfolio assessment reviews are on the 22nd...and I'm ready!

J and C's Bursting Open Portfolio Binders

SUMMER VACATION!

So, even though it's vacation and we're enjoying warmer temperatures....well, this week it's been RAIN, RAIN, and RAIN...the kids will continue to work on a few areas. J will continue sharpening his typing skills using Jumpstart: Typing, C will continue with All About Spelling Level 2 and Spelling City to improve her Spelling, and C will continue with Hooked on Phonics: Learn to Read. 

A huge, HUGE chapter finished in S's Life Book - He was discharged from Occupational Therapy! After almost 2 years of therapy, he has met most of his OT goals. He will always have Sensory Processing Disorder and we will continue his "sensory diet" activities at home and help him to recognize what his body needs in appropriate ways, but OT has done what it can.  He's made INCREDIBLE progress and we're very proud of all he's accomplished! Special thanks to Ms. E for everything that she's done for S and us!

S with Ms E During Last OT Session

J headed off for another weekend of Boy Scout camping. He has SUCH a great time on these camping weekends (even if the weather is COLD or RAINY). Nothing more fun than camping in tents with friends! I snapped a quick photo of him in his uniform right before he left. (Were the mosquitoes and the little black flies ever bad that afternoon! Ack!)

J in his Boy Scout Uniform

C's been having an AWESOME softball year! Her hitting confidence has returned and she been getting some GREAT swings! Her team is 2-1. And S started t-ball this past week.

C Before Her Game

Playing 3rd Base

And it's a foul tip!

S Learning to Hit off the Tee

Right Before Catching the Ball

Ready in the Outfield?

We're still CRAZY busy with activities (through June), but the kids have even more time to read, garden, ride bikes, watch movies, and build with Legos. C tackled the MUCH NEEDED weeding in the strawberry bed. (Our strawberries are starting to flower.)  J got the bike tires and balls aired. And S created some AWESOME Lego spaceships.

S with his Spaceship

We also received our first Timberdoodle review product, How to Draw the Life and Times of Grover Cleveland, which combines American History AND Drawing into one handy-dandy hard-cover book. We had fun coming up with verbal trivia questions from the reading to stump each other! Watch for the review next Friday!

How was your week? I'm linking up to Forever, For Always, No Matter What, Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers and Hip Homeschool Hop!

Weekly Wrap-up: Days 158-161 And the Countdown Begins!

And the countdown begins! 14 more days of FORMAL learning before SUMMER VACATION! We DO enjoy school (most days), but getting outside and experiencing Maine's best weather months are something we ALWAYS look forward to after a cold, snowy winter followed by a wet, muddy spring.

Our Easter Egg Tree

Over the weekend we celebrated Easter (of course). The Easter Bunny brought JUMBO sand pails and snorkle sets for each child. (They'll be carrying their own things to the beach this season! LOL) We dyed eggs, read books about Easter holy days and Easter egg trees (which inspired the kids to make their own Easter egg tree using our indoor Ficus), and made paper bag bunny puppets. And had a nice BBQ dinner. 

S and C with their Dyed and Decorated Eggs

Mr and Mrs Smiley Face Eggs

Over the week we continued to work on completing our curriculum for the year. It isn't easy! We would rather be outside, exploring wooded trails, riding bikes, climbing playground structures, getting soaked and muddy in the brook - Laundry! ((sighs)) - and reading in the hammock under the trees...Oh, wait! We DO that now! LOL  Fortunately as the kids finish something, they double up on something else and they're getting closer and closer to getting things completed.

J Wearing his Snorkle Set

J's List

• Literature Study: Animal Farm
• Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
• Apologia General Science
• Jumpstart Typing

C List

• All About Spelling Level 2
• Handwriting Without Tears Cursive
• Daily Grams Grade 3
• Saxon Math 54
• Apologia Zoology III

S List

• Hooked on Phonics: Learn to Read
• Handwriting Without Tears Letters and Numbers for Me
• Houghton Mifflin Math 1
• Lakeshore Science File Folder Games Grades 1-2

S Doing Listening Therapy and Playing a Lakeshore Science File Folder Game

Our warmest day of the year thus far arrived on Wednesday - 70 degrees! What a perfect evening for J and A to see a baseball game in the city! And for C, S and I to pick up a pizza and have supper outside! We watched a Rusty Blackbird watch US and the Chickadees and Red-winged Blackbirds fly around with the Spring Peepers doing their "music" in the backyard.

We made a QUICK trip to the island at the end of the week. For my broken tooth. Again. ((sighs)) Never break a tooth!

Yahtzee Competition: J 4 Wins / Mom 2 Wins

Activities this week

Brownies

Occupational Therapy

Boy Scouts

Dodgeball

Portland Seadogs game

I'm linking up to Forever, For Always, No Matter What, Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers, Tiggerific Tuesday, and Hip Homeschool Hop. Join up (by clicking on the sidebar buttons) and share your week!