April 8th - Homeschool Mother's Journal

In my life this week...
As I type, I'm sitting in a swanky (well, swanky to ME) hotel with a fellow homeschooling mom and we're chillin'. We're picking out the classes we want to attend at the homeschool conference that begins  this morning. Do I want to learn more about Charlotte Mason, the different writing programs I could use, WHY we homeschool, learning styles, raising digital natives, or my personal favorite 'How highly distractable moms have a real and God-given edge over the naturally organized mom.' Do you think that last class is tailor made for me or what?! lol

In our homeschool this week...

Let's be honest. This was a throw away week as far as planned, sit down, get er' done type of schooling. This was garden week. A gardening post is in the works for next week but I will tell you that hubby got our new raised beds built. The huge dirt load came on Tuesday, so you can imagine what the little one, I and our trusty wheel barrow were doing most the day. Plus I paid the teen's boyfriend to do most the dirt and the little one, grandma and I spent the day cleaning the yard of its winter sleep. Wednesday was spent all day planting seeds, in the beds and in pots for those vegetables that need to wait until after the last frost. Thursday was a clean up day, some Latin and lots of reading. With me at conference the end of this week, the little one has a relaxed schedule of reading, Latin and art today.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...
Next week is going to be interesting for us. I have the opportunity to run off on vacation with my mom and a friend so the little one will be homeschooling with another family. I'm wondering how well that will work with our relaxed style of schooling and their 'follow the list, get it all done' type. It will be interesting to see what gets done. 

My favorite thing this week was... 

Seeing all the baby seeds going into the gardening and dreaming of  a full blooming garden. The little one can't wait for her rainbow carrots to bloom! And this year we're trying peanuts. Crossing fingers they actually grow.

What's working/not working for us...
Time is not on our side. So much is going on that the school slacked this week. The attitude is still needing work but we're praying about it.


Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...
I'm at conference this weekend. If you could go or are going, what would you be interested in looking at? What curriculum do you want to see with your own eyes? I'm going to be looking at writing curriculums as well as maybe a grammar. Those are high on my list. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

I was thinking last night, 'why do I really need to go to this conference? I've homeschooled for 10 years, what do I plan to gain from it?' But then I thought, 'I can always benefit from learning something new.' Here's a few favorite learning quotes: 

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study.  Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.  ~Henry L. Doherty
I am learning all the time.  The tombstone will be my diploma.  ~Eartha Kitt

Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.  ~Mark Twain

You learn something every day if you pay attention.  ~Ray LeBlond

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.  ~Chinese Proverb

All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind.  ~Martin H. Fischer

Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.  ~Vernon Howard