Homeschool Mothers Journal and Weekly Wrap Up

In my life this week…

We just returned home from a month long visit with my parents in the states. We had an amazing trip and did lots of new things. It is so great to see my parents again and my kids just adore them.

We are trying to all acclimate ourselves to UK time and get back into a routine but it is going slowly. I returned home with 3 large suitcases full of new clothes for me and the kids. I have spent the week sorting thru their closets and drawers and getting rid of any item that doesn't fit or is torn. Next I need to tackle my drawers and closet, then I can finally empty out the suitcases and put things away.

Next I plan to tackle the school room where we are brimming over with school supplies. I am really going to be very selective about what we are going to keep. We just don't have the space to store things we might use sometime in the future. My husband doubts I will get rid of as much stuff as I need too...don't tell him...but I have that concern too.

OK, I admit it I am a curriculum junky...is there a 12 step program out there!

In our homeschool…

While at my parents I just had the kids work on math, piano and writing. We also went on lots of field trips while at my parents, and I counted them as Science and History lessons. So while not traditional schooling we did lots of educational activities while away. Some things we did:

Tour a Pretzel factory
Tour a Potato Chip Factory
Amish farm and buggy ride
Wolf Sanctuary
Attended a Show at the Whittaker center about Storm chasers
Nixon Park Nature Center
State Capital building of PA
Volunteering at a local Food bank

Since we are all recovering from jet lag this week we are still doing just the basics like math, language arts and piano. We did start right back up with our extra curriculum activities, like swimming, martial arts, horse back riding, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. I did this so we aren't tempted (ok, so I wouldn't be tempted) to take a nap mid afternoon. This forces me (and the kids) to stay up and then go to bed early. The kids are struggling a bit with focusing on these late afternoon activities so it may not have been the best idea I had:(. I am hoping to start adding a few more school activities in next week but we will add things gradually. We school year round so I am trying to not put pressure on myself or the kids to get right back into the full school schedule. We don't really have any deadlines, but that little voice in my head keeps reminding me it has been 5 weeks since we have had a full school schedule:(.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We are staying fairly close to home but I did schedule a Friday play date with some friends my kids have been missing since we were in the states.

This weekend we are attending a Viking show at St Alfege Church were the church is celebrating a 1000 years since a Arch Bishop of Canterbury was killed by the Vikings. The story goes the Vikings stoned him to death, but instead of using stones they threw cow bones at him. I hope to learn more about this interesting story on Saturday.

My favorite thing this week was…

While the kids and I were away my husband bought a new Apple computer! We have been talking about switching over for some time but he has been a life long windows person and wasn't sure he wanted to make the switch. But after talking with some work people who are Apple fans and hearing me bug (ok, nag) him about how there are more Homeschooling apps on Apple products than on Windows he finally saw the light:) The other benefit is now we have 2 computers (one Apple and one Windows) so I can now have both kids on the computer doing work at the same time. I think it is going to make schooling much easier!

Anyone who knows me knows my computer skills are very limited so I am learning how to use this new operating system. My sweet husband even made a couple of cheat sheets for me so I can figure out how to access things I use daily. He has given up on getting me to read computer books, because I don't do it! Frankly that is what he is for, right? Please tell me I am not the only one who finds reading computer books beyond boring! Although my husband did tell me that once he goes over the cheat sheets with me, he will refer me to them whenever I ask a question on those topics. It drives him crazy when I ask him to go over something with me again after he has explained it to me a couple (well, maybe 10 or 20) times. Sheesh, touchy touchy;)! I am still learning and there are some differences in the program, I am liking it so far. My husband likes it a lot, and now wants to replace the other windows computer with an Apple. I think we will wait a bit before we do that.

Things I’m working on…

Spring cleaning, I have gotten the urge to organize my house. I hope it lasts, but alas it usually doesn't:(

I’m reading…

I am reading Chasing Mona Lisa (about saving the Mona Lisa from the Germans during WWI)
Kids are reading books for enjoyment. I haven't assigned anything to them while on our holiday.

I’m grateful for…

My wonderful family! I have parents who love and support us unconditionally, and a wonderful, sweet husband. My husband picked us up from the airport last weekend and he had my car cleaned and detailed, made sure there was no laundry in the basket and washed the the dishes. I came home to a perfectly clean house. He said he wanted to make sure everything was in order so I wouldn't have to do anything but rest. Isn't he just the sweetest, most wonderful man!! I am over looking his not wanting to answer a computer question for the 20th time thing!! I think I will keep him a bit longer;)

A photo to share...

My new computer...isn't she pretty:)!