Summer Update

The girls were enjoying their summer until... (insert scary DUN DUN DUN DUH music) evil mom said they haven't finished their math books and must still work on them. I've been waking them this week at 10 am. I say 'if you finish your chapter in math and do an hour of reading this morning then you have the afternoon to veg.' Apparently they haven't embraced this plan yet. Dilly dally dilly dally.

We spent a few weeks doing no school. We read, baked food, went places. We needed a break. But now I feel the need for them to finish up these math books so they will be ready for the next book in the fall.

The little one has made a summer goal. She wants to read 45 books. She has 11 weeks. I told her maybe there could be a reward at the end (possibly a new book purchase. She's been wanting the whole set of Hiccup books.) So far she has reread 3 of her Spiderwick books for fun. My only stipulation is that they be chapter books for her grade.

DD is running off to volunteer most of the summer at church camp. I think it's good responsibility for her, learning to care for others, be responsible, finish her jobs on time. Next year for her is busy busy. She plans to graduate in the spring. So a summer of fun volunteering is just the way to relax. Time to get busy looking up scholarships.

We've been playing at the pool this week. DD has taken up running with DH and is excited to say she has a 'sport.' She hasn't ever been much involved in any. DD and I are both reading through Madame Bovary for fun.

I haven't finished grading everything or giving the teen final grades for her transcript. That is the next order of business. Plus I'm planning fall curriculum and possibly choosing a new course of action for the little one. Possibly Sonlight, less textbook and more reading. I'm also planning to take everything out of the dining room /aka schoolroom. Need to spackle and paint, put in 'new to me' furniture I was given by my SIL.

Summer is here. Big plans are everywhere (including selling off all the extra school stuff and donation the rest.) We'll see what gets done.

Recital & Wrap It Up Already!

The girls started taking piano lessons in January with a friend. They had their first recital on Tuesday. We are so proud of them! The little one has never had lessons before and the teen had a couple years of lessons so long ago, it's almost like starting over again. We have been using a keyboard forever but finally picked up an upright piano at a garage sale last week for $50! It's a beautiful blond wood color too! The teen played Hungarian Dance, No. 1 by Brahms. The little one played 2 pieces; Surprise Symphony by Haydn and Down In The Valley (a song I sang to them often when they were babies.)

Here's pics of the girls playing in their recital. Growing up quickly... sigh.


I'm to the point in our year of homeschool that I'm done. Finito, Kuput. It's increasingly hard to say 'do one more chapter, just so I can have more paperwork or so I can call the book finished.' I mean, who cares if we did every page? 'Not I,' said the blind man.

The kids have been doing alternative things this week instead of books books books. Board games for math and english, videos for art and history, outdoors visiting for science, lots of piano playing. Why don't I do this all year long? It feels like cheating. Although I know of people who this is how they live and do school and they learn so much! I just don't know how to switch to a no textbook way of life and feel okay with it.

Anyway, this week I've been planning for next year's schooling instead of waiting til the last minute. Always better that way. Then I don't worry all summer. The 4th grader asked if she could take a year off from school.
I said, 'What ever for?'
'Just to do things. I hate school.' she explained.
'Like what things?'
'Play with Capsela, draw outdoors, play math games, build things with Legos.'

Apparently I have sucked all the fun out of school. I'm a fun sucker. I may be changing up my school planning a bit. I don't want kids hating school already! The teen doesn't particularly like textbooks but she is looking forward to next year's school. She might be taking some college classes and plans to graduate next year. I hope I can make it a fun, memorable last year for her...

Thursday Ramblings

(lush green backyard pic from last summer)

Spring is here. It makes me want to take walks, pick up leaves and flowers, pull out the bug/flower/tree identifier books and have a picnic. Instead we spent yesterday indoors doing our normal list of schoolwork. I wonder which way we would actually have learned more. It's so easy for me to just stick to our lists, and textbooks and videos so I can visually see what we are learning by the amount of papers piling up. But are we retaining anything? I wonder. I think I need to loosen up and stop worrying about hours and courses, and daily logs so much and live a little.

The teen received her ACT scores back. We're so proud. While it isn't the 30 she wants, its higher than a 20 so we're very proud for her first time taking it. She was convinced she would receive a 10 or 15 so she was overjoyed and didn't believe us until we showed her the official print out from ACT. I think she is beginning to study for the next one in June. We were looking at the requirements for getting into KCAI school and they only require a 20 ACT score. She needs to work on 20+ pieces of art to include in a portfolio that has to be evaluated by any art school she might attend. I'm a bit selfish. I'd love to have her nearby at KCAI, plus its a fabulous school. I want to attend there after we have finished paying for her.

Am I the only homeschooling mom that changes plans mid stream? I can't seem to stop doing that. It's just that when I see something going downhill and the kids eyes glazing over, I want to change it all up to make it more interesting. I think sometimes that can be a bad thing. I don't know. Half way through the teen's World History course we realized she was retaining nothing through the textbook and bored out of her mind. So I sat down, made a list according to history subject and ordered videos covering all aspects of World History through the library. They were glad to see DH this week when he went to pick up our pile; 60 videos, to last us the month. It's kind of an exciting way to learn history. She's a visual learner and picks up so much through the videos. We're taking notes and discussing them as well.

I think today we made go outside to draw. It's too beautiful a day given to us by God, to waste it.