Weekly Wrap-up: Week 5 - The One that Begun Summer Studies

Our Summer Studies began this week. After 4 weeks off, it's time to do a little focused learning. I wouldn't call us "year round" homeschoolers, but some extra work on areas of struggle, a little math review and lots of reading give us a jump start for the fall. And why not EARN those ice cream cones (that I'd get them anyway but don't tell)?

I found this printable years ago, using it on and off as a summer studies incentive chart. When the kids complete 12 lessons of Math and 12 days of Reading and/or other Language Arts, it's ice cream time! (As the teacher, I get an ice cream cone too! It's only fair, right?) If you can find ice cream STICKERS for the squares (unlike me) it definitely adds to the chart.

Incentive Chart Source

Both kids will be participating in the Every Hero Has a Story summer reading program at the library and doing Khan Academy math, but Cati will review sentence diagramming with Grammar Revolution here, a struggle from last year, and Sam will learn cursive using Handwriting without Tears. Just for fun, Jake, my oldest who attends a STEM high school, plans to study Finance on Khan Academy. (Yeah, for fun.) He wants to get a jump start on his year-long project that includes designing, building, marketing, and selling a product.

Now, don't feel too badly for them. We're only spending 2-3 days a week on our summer studies (unless the kids decide they want ice cream sooner or more often), and only when we're not at the lake swimming or fishing, off to camps or enjoying time as a family. Summer studies are just a little something to keep us thinking through vacation.

In the meantime, Tom and I are enjoying fishing together, sometimes with family and the kids. We went to my sister's favorite fishing spot this past weekend. Chris, her friend, caught a sunfish and a perch, and my husband caught his first fish, a large mouth bass.

But anyone can catch a fish with a fishing pole with enough patience. It takes REAL fishing talent to catch what I did...

I snagged a FRESH WATER CLAM, folks! Who catches a CLAM with a HOOK? I have yet to actually catch a FISH...

Sam decided to join us one evening. It was his first time fishing! I taught him to cast, avoiding trees and lily pads, mostly. We saw fish chasing our lures, but no strikes.

Another sister got married this past weekend. I was the official photographer, taking about 2000 snaps. I left the SD card with her though, to go through the photos. I did get a few of the wedding location on my cell phone. What a backdrop, huh?

The sun hasn't been out much this week, but we did enjoy an hour near the lake between raindrops, reading, watching the boaters and paddle-boarders go by.

Happy Independence Day! 

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

Six Word Saturday: Countdown to the BIG Day

Join Cate at Show My Face for Six Word Saturday.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Weekly Wrap-up: Week 29 - The One with a Yawn

:: yawn :: 

I'm going to sleep well tonight! In fact, I've been sleeping well for many nights now. Spending time OUTSIDE has a way of tuckering me out. But I REALLY wanted to post a weekly wrap-up for you all. It's been since April 16th since I've blogged. Days have gotten away from me.

April Vacation was last week. I'm not so sure about the VACATION part. With 5 kids, 6 for 1 1/2 days, things aren't exactly relaxing. But it's pretty darn awesome to have all these kids around just the same. We spent our days walking along the lake, dipping our toes in with thoughts of swimming, tossing baseballs and seeing my stepson-to-be's first game of the season, biking, watching videos, and gabbing around a fire.

And I got baptized.

With the weather warming up (and the bugs aren't out yet), we've been tackling outside projects. The yard is devoid of downed limbs, brown leaves and pine needles once again. Sam's been removing the rotted floor of the tree house, getting it ready for new plywood, and we repaired the chicken and duck run door. I'd like to say that the door looks awesome, but I CAN say it's FUNCTIONAL. The garden is prepped for sowing seeds when I get around to ordering them.

The Spring Peepers are singing. Nothing says spring like frogs humming at nightfall. They accompany us during our evening strolls with Rosie and Winnie, our dogs.

Before I crash for the night (with hopes that someone else will take care of the animals tomorrow morning), just 9 days until THE big day!

As always, special thanks to these bloggers for their weekly wrap-ups:

Happy Homeschooling!

Weekly Wrap-up: Week 21 - Looking Ahead

WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT

I know this will come as a shock, but we got more snow. I can see SPRING peeking around the corner though...The sun is brighter when it's shining. The sky is bluer. The clouds are wispier and whiter. The chickens are starting to lay eggs again. (I just wish they wouldn't freeze before we collect them.) And we don't have to turn on the livingroom lights until 5:15pm. Less than a month until it's spring! Perhaps we'll see ground again by mid-April! One can hope...

Photo Source

WHILE THE KIDS WERE AWAY

Over the weekend, the kids visited their father and then spent time with their grandparents, going to a hockey game and celebrating birthdays. THIS Mom spent time relaxing and enjoying time with her husband-to-be! Thomas made chili one night and another we had Chinese and DQ, and shopped for wedding bands. Excitement! Only 10 more weeks! We should probably start planning and preparing, don't you think?

BACK IN THE GROOVE
It's never easy to get back to THE USUAL after a break, but I was determined to get 5 full days of school in this week. Did we do it? We did! But there were grumbles...

Sam began double digit multiplication. Piece of cake! He's still learning the multiplication facts, sometimes using his grid, but he's getting there. Playing the Grid Game while van schooling during band practice has definitely helped there. What's throwing him for a loop still are missing addends and factors. It's a good thing Saxon spirals!

But because Saxon spirals sometimes the constant review isn't needed. Cati knows her Algebra, so I agreed to let her take the tests until she scored below 85%, skipping those unneeded lessons. Why waste time on problems she understands? She was able to move ahead 20 lessons this week by passing the tests.

And because she's also working through Saxon Grammar and Writing with the same spiraling approach, she decided to see of she come jump ahead in lessons by completing tests as well. She moved ahead 15 lessons this week.

JAZZY!
Cati had a Jazz Band Festival Thursday. It would have been cool if Sam and I could have watched her play...To my surprise, the school decided to CHARGE for non-band members to attend. $10 for Sam and I to watch Cati play 2 songs was more than I wanted to pay. I'm sure she did awesome though!

LOOKING AHEAD
I've started to think about homeschooling next year, planning curriculum, juggling life. Both the kids and I hope that our path continues to be a homeschooling one. 

I have almost completely planned out Cati's curriculum. Since I've saved texts and supplies from Jake's homeschooling, I don't even need to purchase anything new for her. She will have a combined 8th/9th grade year, and I will begin to issue high school credits to her. 

Sam? He's all set with American History (which I'm excited to return to) and Math (as I'm not straying from Saxon). But Language Arts? Science? Nah. Any suggestions on a Science program (grades 5-8) that won't drive a mom crazy with gathering experiment supplies? or break the bank?

As always, special thanks to the these bloggers:

Don't forget to read my other blog posts this week:

Follow Friday Four Fill-in Fun: Week 201

Six Word Saturday: Spring Ahead
Tuesday Coffee Chat: Love is in the Air
Wednesday Hodgepodge: Speeches, Songs and Solving

Happy Homeschooling!