Simpler Life
We've been laying low here at the Day house lately. I am exercising my responsibility as a homeschool mom to say "no." It feels wrong on every level, but I'm learning.
You saw what we did Saturday. Horse lessons, hanging around the house, lesson plans, laundry, and I spent several hours updating Kara's portfolio. I like to do it every Friday - it just takes 10 minutes or so when I do it that way. But, as you've read, we've been super busy and I haven't done it that way. Since our last portfolio review in November, I've spent a good 3 hours back in February getting caught up. So, it took 2-3 hours on Saturday. But, I'm caught up now and realizing how much we've gotten done this year, which is great!
Sunday I went to church, had lunch with my parents, and reorganized my clothes. I didn't used to have enough clothes to keep only one season in my closet, but now I do, so I went through those. BUT, I also tried everything on to see what needed to be given away. FOUR TUBS later, I was tired and still needed to carry them downstairs. And label them. :-)
Don't they look lovely on the shelves my dad built me? Thank you, Dad! :-)
Then, as I was cleaning up, Michael came home. He was out of town Friday - Sunday on a fishing trip. I encourage those as much as possible - he has a fairly stressful job and getting away with the guys to go fishing (and use the boat we're already paying for) ;-) is a great way for him to de-stress. (Is de-stress a word?) I don't want to take credit where credit isn't due - when Kara was younger, I asked Michael to limit his fishing to only 3 times a month, AND I asked him to step up more on the days he was home, especially when my mom was away taking care of my aunt in Texas. I needed a break! But now Kara is older and plays very well by herself and cleans everything up herself and is generally just really fun and easy to have around. So, now I tell him to get away and chill!
Here he is hanging out with Kara:
He missed us both very much, or maybe it was just nice for him to get away, because he's been super sweet to us both since he got home. He decided to download and learn the program she is in love with (and is really for adults - it's very difficult and she's been learning to do it on her own) so they could share it together (and so he could help her learn it). (In case you're interested, it's called Blender and is a program for creating your own animations.) AND they're going camping this weekend.
Monday was Science day in school, where we learned about more simple machines and did a project on inclined planes.
Does it take more or less effort/force (as demonstrated by adding pennies into the dixie cup) to pull the car (attached to a string) up an inclined plane with a steeper slope? We learned a less steep, longer slope requires less work. She decided to add to it and use several cars and different coins to see if that changed any conclusions. It didn't, but I loved her scientific little brain. Put that in the portfolio!
Tuesday was English day. Whew, there is SO MUCH English in third grade. After spelling and vocabulary, we worked on writing paragraphs, beginning/middle/end, preparing for our book report, preparing for our research paper, more adverbs and diagramming sentences, then we could do "tablet school." I found an awesome app that was only $0.99 that works on the skills she's learning. We used the ones that focus on English that day:
Forgot to take a picture of past/present/future tense games.
Then, Tuesday night we finally hung up Kara's big Easter present - Elsa! She is in love with her, but gets embarrassed when I tell people about that. Anyway, I helped her with Elsa, then she was in charge of the snowflakes and diamonds. Turned out pretty, huh?
Then it was time for Awanas, where Kara finished her second book (yay!) and I went shopping at Target. BUT, not just any shopping. I went coupon shopping. I missed it so much I can't even tell you. And I saved a fortune. :-)
So, here we are, Wednesday morning, and today is Math day. On the lesson plans: do a week's worth of Teaching Textbooks math, play multiplication war with me, take a quiz, and start the third Life of Fred math book.
This afternoon is pottery and we will be driving there in our boats since we are getting slammed with rain. With SO MUCH snow, and a rainy spring, I'm thinking our water levels are right where they should be this year, but I don't really keep up with that stuff, so I guess I don't really know what I'm talking about. lol!
Happy Wednesday, friends!
You saw what we did Saturday. Horse lessons, hanging around the house, lesson plans, laundry, and I spent several hours updating Kara's portfolio. I like to do it every Friday - it just takes 10 minutes or so when I do it that way. But, as you've read, we've been super busy and I haven't done it that way. Since our last portfolio review in November, I've spent a good 3 hours back in February getting caught up. So, it took 2-3 hours on Saturday. But, I'm caught up now and realizing how much we've gotten done this year, which is great!
Sunday I went to church, had lunch with my parents, and reorganized my clothes. I didn't used to have enough clothes to keep only one season in my closet, but now I do, so I went through those. BUT, I also tried everything on to see what needed to be given away. FOUR TUBS later, I was tired and still needed to carry them downstairs. And label them. :-)
Don't they look lovely on the shelves my dad built me? Thank you, Dad! :-)
Then, as I was cleaning up, Michael came home. He was out of town Friday - Sunday on a fishing trip. I encourage those as much as possible - he has a fairly stressful job and getting away with the guys to go fishing (and use the boat we're already paying for) ;-) is a great way for him to de-stress. (Is de-stress a word?) I don't want to take credit where credit isn't due - when Kara was younger, I asked Michael to limit his fishing to only 3 times a month, AND I asked him to step up more on the days he was home, especially when my mom was away taking care of my aunt in Texas. I needed a break! But now Kara is older and plays very well by herself and cleans everything up herself and is generally just really fun and easy to have around. So, now I tell him to get away and chill!
Here he is hanging out with Kara:
He missed us both very much, or maybe it was just nice for him to get away, because he's been super sweet to us both since he got home. He decided to download and learn the program she is in love with (and is really for adults - it's very difficult and she's been learning to do it on her own) so they could share it together (and so he could help her learn it). (In case you're interested, it's called Blender and is a program for creating your own animations.) AND they're going camping this weekend.
Monday was Science day in school, where we learned about more simple machines and did a project on inclined planes.
Does it take more or less effort/force (as demonstrated by adding pennies into the dixie cup) to pull the car (attached to a string) up an inclined plane with a steeper slope? We learned a less steep, longer slope requires less work. She decided to add to it and use several cars and different coins to see if that changed any conclusions. It didn't, but I loved her scientific little brain. Put that in the portfolio!
Tuesday was English day. Whew, there is SO MUCH English in third grade. After spelling and vocabulary, we worked on writing paragraphs, beginning/middle/end, preparing for our book report, preparing for our research paper, more adverbs and diagramming sentences, then we could do "tablet school." I found an awesome app that was only $0.99 that works on the skills she's learning. We used the ones that focus on English that day:
The words float around and you have to pick the adjective, noun, or verb, whichever is requested. You can set it to timed or endless.
Patterns - she asked to do this because she worked so hard that day. Okay, I guess I'll let you do something that is fun AND educational. I'm such a pushover. ;-)
Organizing sentences into correct order
Forgot to take a picture of past/present/future tense games.
Then, Tuesday night we finally hung up Kara's big Easter present - Elsa! She is in love with her, but gets embarrassed when I tell people about that. Anyway, I helped her with Elsa, then she was in charge of the snowflakes and diamonds. Turned out pretty, huh?
Kara posing with her giant sized Elsa (Kara did face paint that day)
Then it was time for Awanas, where Kara finished her second book (yay!) and I went shopping at Target. BUT, not just any shopping. I went coupon shopping. I missed it so much I can't even tell you. And I saved a fortune. :-)
So, here we are, Wednesday morning, and today is Math day. On the lesson plans: do a week's worth of Teaching Textbooks math, play multiplication war with me, take a quiz, and start the third Life of Fred math book.
This afternoon is pottery and we will be driving there in our boats since we are getting slammed with rain. With SO MUCH snow, and a rainy spring, I'm thinking our water levels are right where they should be this year, but I don't really keep up with that stuff, so I guess I don't really know what I'm talking about. lol!
Happy Wednesday, friends!
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