Week 2: Short and Sweet

Week two is in the bag. A successful week, on the whole.

Timeline work for TOG

We started out the week with our regular routine. I am particularly pleased how TOG is going for Matt. He is doing excellent work on his timeline and map study, and is working hard to get the reading done in a timely manner. He also attended the two-day life and physical science intensive held by Landry Academy. We had to drive nearly an hour to get him there both days, but it was worth it. He seemed to enjoy the scope and depth of the labs, learned the correct way to write a lab report and enjoyed the other students who were participating.


On Saturday morning he awoke with a terrible cold.

Molly worked diligently on the three days that her brother was home, but once he was out of the house and attending the science intensive, well...I'm not going to pretend that we didn't slack off a bit. We did math. On Friday we went and exercised with friends. Loads of fun. Friday evening she went with us to pick up her brother in the quaint little town where his class was being held. We arrived to discover a homecoming parade underway and a festive atmosphere. We ate dinner in an Irish Pub called "Molly's" and enjoyed some fun family time.

Week One: Better Late Than Never

It took us a while while to get going this year. In nine years of homeschooling, it is the first time we have ever started later than the public schools started. Normally we start a week or two or even three before, depending on how organized I am.

This year was a combination of factors, not the least of which was my preoccupation with my Mom's health. In addition to that we had the added complication of our group co-op situation changing completely.  Finding ourselves completely on our own, we had to make adjustments.

One of the things I felt I HAD to get done before starting school was a good, thorough cleaning of our  basement--the toys, the carpet, the upholstery. I'm not completely OCD, but I know a dirty room when I see it and it becomes depressing to me after a time. We've had a couple years of playing friends, school, family movie nights and general traffic without a sound carpet scrub and I was ready to get it spruced up. So I did. Beautifully.

Monday I was ready to roll and was surprised to discover how ready the kids were, as well. They dove back into their work with real gusto and by Wednesday I was amazed to find that we had found a nice groove already. By today (Thursday) we had our first meltdown, and well...the beginning of the school year is complete!

The 8th grader's week included grammar, latin, spelling, vocabulary, literature, algebra I, science, history, and geography, sign language, mandolin, and piano.

The 4th Grader's week was full of Math, spelling, literature, science, history, art, geography, sign language and piano.

My basement family room / school room / play room / art studio / computer lab / where we live was clean, bright, and full of life (and cats) this week. This is reason #438 to homeschool. Home is the best.

We usually have to negotiate with the cats for table space...

see?

comfy reading spot...

our work desk...

at the opposite end the kids have a computer that they share and a big desk which is used when more desk space is required.

The kids decided to set up all the play mobile sets in the clean, open floor space!

"I heard there's a zoo here?"

Exchange Student

Mama Deer seemed to be asking if her baby (you can see his rump off to the right) could come and join us. It is hard to tell just how close she is from the photo, but believe me...it was strange to have a deer looking into our house at that distance. She was not really bothered by us, and I was tempted to open the door to see if she would come in! She darted off when my son thumped upstairs to get the camera, so I could only get an iPhone shot of her.

Finally!

Today we start. Nearly three weeks after I intended, but life happened in the form of a family emergency that consumed all of my attention.

The kids seem ready to begin the routine and my daughter is ready to do everything today except spelling, which she declared we could "save for another day." (sorry, kiddo...)

So goodbye summer--finally. Even though we are starting late, it all seemed to fly by...

The Beach

CrossFit regionals (Met Ben Smith! Woot!)

Rolled in mud with cousin.

Took the Ice Bucket Challenge

Met more CrossFit faves--Christy Adkins of the DC Brawlers! 

and here we are...supposedly ready.

3...2...1...
GO!

Convergence

the wind scatters leaves in gusts on the street,

as I watch,

they are gathered,
(invisible hands) 

tumbled, 
tossed,
raised in a little vortex of perfection--

a moment,
a mysterious convergence.

just as quickly

they are released,

free to fly about on the wind again.

© Kelly Mine 2014

Back to School Day, but not for us...

Today is September 2, the day after Labor Day and the rest of the world went back to school today, if they hadn't started already.

We spent the day in the ICU with my mom.

That has to be okay.

Life is so fragile. Sooner or later we'll get back to the routine of academics and life.

In the meantime, I want my mom to know that we are there for her and that we love her.