Weekly Wrap-Up - February 14, 2015

It's been, um, 3 weeks since my last "weekly" wrap-up. lol. Ah well.

This week was a bit of a crazy week.


Lots of time out of the house this week, which makes book work and other at-home work difficult. An outing Monday half the day, Wednesday almost the whole day, Thursday was an out day for me and my daughter. And then yesterday, neither teen was doing well physically, so it became a day off.

What did we do?

*My daughter caught up quickly with her social studies, which is good, because it had been stressing her being behind a bit. She's also been working on her art course on and off and doing some other projects. She's waiting for some art supplies she ordered online--they weren't available at Michaels and rather than spend time running around the city seeing is a more specialized store has it, she researched things online, found a good price from one source and voilà!

*My son has continued with math. Still working on... I think it's booklet 4 of The Key to Algebra series. I found out from my husband that the factoring our son is working on is done next year in the schools here. Ah well. ;) He's also been reading from Tattoos on the Heart (I think I wrote "from the Heart" in previous posts; woops) and one of the Guardians of the Galaxy comic collections and some guitar practice and a lesson and a brief look at Louis Riel. Oh, yes, I also had him go to My Food Guide for health and to create his own guide and print it off (something I put on his list of things to do while I was gone on Thursday). Something went wonky, though, so it printed off his choices of foods for each category but didn't print how many servings he's supposed to have. And no, no science. I don't know how much he is enjoying or appreciating Tattoos on the Heart; he did make a request for the book Black Hawk Down, which we'll be picking up from the library this weekend. I'll give him a break from Tattoos on the Heart, I think, so he can focus on Black Hawk Down. I never finished reading Lone Survivor, so I don't know how gruesome or heart-breaking it is compared to Left to Tell. I figure there's a lot of social studies being covered if he's reading these books--although it would be better if I would read them, too, and be able to discuss certain things with him or encourage him to look up things (okay, note to self: read Black Hawk Down, too), but I also know how horrifying certain parts of Left to Tell are and not sure he's prepared for it. But perhaps that's just sensitive Mama getting in the way. ;)

This coming week is a 4-day school week: we have Family Day here in Alberta on Monday. I'll hopefully get some science and the government lapbook in there this week! And perhaps some French? lol

Second Semester Officially Begins! + Week In Review

My 15yo did her math exam today. Got an A! Woot! She wasn't feeling good about the exam after she'd finished, but I decided to check her emails tonight to see if the teacher had marked everything and sure enough, she had. Final mark in the course is also an A. :) She's a happy girl. Not sure what she's happier about: the break she'll have from math or the mark. ;)

Now that the intense math is out of the way, it's time for us to get back into a better swing of things. She was supposed to actually start her second semester courses (science and social studies) today, but with the exam and then an outing and then her dance class after supper, it didn't happen. She does know I'm going to keep her to the schedule this time, which means she will have to catch up on the weekend. I do still need to kind of figure out where she's supposed to be in her German, phys. ed. and religion (mildly behind in religion, I think). We know she's behind in English and rather than switch to the 2nd semester schedule given by the teacher, she will be working on catching up and then will be able to ease off on the work load once she is caught up in it. Her German course isn't a huge deal if she's not quite on target because she has until the end of September to finish it, which means she can spend an hour or so every day during the summer, if need be. I'm pretty sure her 2nd semester exams need to be done by early June, so she even has the last half of June to just work on that course. (School officially runs until the end of June here!)

My son wasn't required to do much this past week due to his sister's math intensive. He knows I'll be doing more with him next week. He has decided on a pizza herb garden for our growing project. Now to actually find a resource that will guide us easily in what to do! And I think I ought to work out a basic plan for second semester, some goals to reach (like finishing the Life of Fred book he started; depending on how many lessons are left, possibly get going on the next book, too), things like that.

All right, an official week in review, inspired by http://www.upsidedownhomeschooling.com/homeschool-week-in-review-120-126/ and http://www.ihomeschoolnetwork.com/homeschool-mothers-journal-february-1-2013/:

In my life this week...
I'm not sure. Life has just felt very busy. There were the French classes and the daily driving of kids and taking my son to his first week of a sort of youth group... I had a couple of expected items fall away, which was greatly appreciated by my body and psyche. However, I was so exhausted last night, I fell asleep around 8:10! I started feeling myself be very ready to sleep at the dance studio tonight. Got myself busy with stuff at home and have managed to keep myself awake. I was awake before 5 am this morning due to my early sleep (well, I slept from 8:10 pm until about 9 pm, then awake until about 10 pm). I can't keep this schedule. I also made a birthday card for a friend--and then forgot to take a picture. I'll just have to make another one like it. ;)

In our homeschool this week...
As mentioned above, the main focus was on my 15yo getting her math all done. This meant working on the required project Monday morning (can't remember if I did something with my 12yo then or not), then she spent all day on it Tuesday, reviewed Wednesday, Thursday's always the same  (French class in the morning, take 15yo to co-op, I teach another French class in the afternoon) and then today, the math final. Yay! Math is done!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice...
Hm. Prayer is good. Planning is good. Deciding just what you will insist on or let slide is very good.

Places we went and people we saw...
Dd went to her co-op and saw her classmates and went to her dance classes. I saw almost all of my French class students. Saw my friend briefly to give her her card. Saw a few other homeschooling moms. Ds went to a fun night with a youth group and met a bunch of kids. (He loved it!)

My favourite thing this week...
That math is done. lol. That was so intense. We need the break.

Things I'm working on...
Usual French class planning. Been doing a lot of work on one of my other sites http://www.vacationswiththekids.com . Trying to find the right theme and having one issue after another. :( I need to get working on some birthday cards needed for next weekend.) I also started working on an adolescent resources section for this site.

Things I cooked...
Made a chicken cacciatore recipe in the crockpot on Thursday. I'm going to have to do some more crockpot recipes because that was absolutely fantastic, getting back close to 5 pm and not wanting to start supper at that point, all I had to do

What's working/not working...
Working: Being very clear with my 15yo about expectations, but also being flexible when it's the end of a very long, long day and maybe it's fine to let work go in such a situation.

What I'm reading...
The Power by Rhonda Byrne, The Answer by John Assaraf and Murray Smith, two Bible daily devotionals through YouVersion, various things online about Wordpress and online marketing, various blogs.

Last week quick review

I had wanted to do the same Friday review I had done last week, but it actually took a bit of time to do, so a modified recap before this week begins!

Homeschool Successes
My 15yo got a LOT of work done. She not only worked most of what time she had during the school day, but also did extra work most evenings. We'll have to be careful with this, but it is helping her catch up in math. She finished the one chapter and did her test on Friday, getting a 92%! Goal is to get the next unit done by this Friday so she can do the test on Friday and just have the final to do and a small project. We might still get her done before Feb. 1 yet.

My son got some more of Life of Fred done, read a bit in Sherlock Holmes (I don't want him to read too much at a time; just a couple of pages and then I have him tell me), has been playing basketball in his room and I can't remember what else. The plan this week is continue with that stuff but to start the TOPS unit, now that I have the corn starch we need. And play guitar with him at least once. He's better than I am (I really don't know how to play lol) but he really likes to practise with me rather than by himself.

What I've Been Up To
Lots of work on a new project: Vacations with the Kids! It's only in the beginning stages! Been learning a lot about affiliate marketing and spending a lot of time researching and working on getting the site set up the way I want. I am feeling determined to do what I can to not have to teach classes next year. I wouldn't mind one a week, but these three per week, plus picking up my nieces and nephew after school and my daughter's activities and just everything... Three's a little much.

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That's it for now!

Week in Review: Jan. 7-11, 2013

I saw here a Week In Review setup and then saw a different one. I kind of like it, thought it would make for a good blog post, so here I go. :)

In my life this week...

This was a tough week. I always seem to forget how I have to adjust to the hustle and bustle of school weeks. By the end of the week, both my daughter and I were absolutely beat! And no wonder: we went from Christmas holidays with no real structure, no real demands, to:

*Monday--school morning, I taught a class in the afternoon, picked up my nieces and nephew from school right after class, she had dance in the evening

*Tuesday--regular school day, regular after-school pick up, she had an activity in the evening

*Wednesday--appointment for blood work in the morning (completely stressed her out as she's never had blood taken before), followed by a visit to the library and lunch out, regular after school pick-up

*Thursday--French class in the morning (she is part of it), starting at 8:30, rush off a little after 10 am to a homeschool "co-op" of sorts (not a real co-op, but hard to otherwise explain), I had to stay for the parent meeting, got back at noon, had lunch and final prep before a class I teach from 1-3, after-school pick up, then went to pick up my 15yo at the co-op--complete opposite direction I need to go in compared to the school pick up

*Friday (we were both in rough shape by yesterday morning)--regular school day, except she had slept horribly, wasn't feeling well, I had a headache and sniffles all day, managed to get some work in, after-school pick up and then she had dance in the evening.

Add to all of this there is the flu going around and norovirus, which we haven't caught, but that doesn't mean we haven't come in contact and aren't fighting off! I still have a headache today, with my sinuses having now decided to join in, too, and my ears a bit. It's been a rough week.

In our homeschool this week...

Kind of tied with above in terms of schedule. However, I've hit a home run with Life of Fred and my son! Woot!!! I had him just read the first chapter of the Fractions book, telling him, "Just read it, don't do the math yet. I want to know if you think you'd like to use it." Well, he ended up reading half the book over two days because he liked the story aspect of it so much. lol. We did manage one time to sit down and actually do the math required. We skipped the first lesson's work because he has already done some work like that this year and it's far too easy for him (< > = ), but the large multiplication with the second lesson sure did challenge him since he doesn't know his math facts!

We resumed Faith and Life, although I think we only did it once. A new Débrouillards magazine came in (a French science magazine for youth) which formed his science curriculum this week. He reads that thing from front to back. There was an interesting article in there about robots which has spurred on what we'll work on next week for science. I did come across some TOPS units in my school stuff and he picked a unit he'd like to do (a chemistry unit). I started prepping the stuff and realized we don't have everything we need. Will have to do some groceries for that.

My 15yo has resumed her work, but it's been slow. Her level of positivity isn't good when it comes to a lot of it. I have somewhat decided that I do just need to forge ahead with her when she's kind of holding back, resistant to any of the work. That's what I did and we got all the pre-novel-reading activities done. Now she just has to get the novel read. Math has been an issue, as usual. One of those things where she does the work nearly perfectly, but frustration and tears are common. We had a fantastic math session Wednesday evening where she painted her nails, I read the questions to her and either she told me what to write to work out the answers or she would manage to write out a part. We need to get some done this weekend.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Make sure to have some down time, some time just for yourself, especially when things are chaotic!

I am inspired by...

It just hit me that I haven't done any Bible reading nor my devotional this week. (No wonder things felt so chaotic! part of my brain says.) Other forms of inspiration this week have been the people online who have managed to make a living--and been completely honest about how long it took them to reach the level they are at and honest about how you have to work at it. Zig Ziglar (author of the book linked above) has also been inspiring me to be more positive.

Places we went and people we saw...

Somewhat covered above, but let me write out a little more specifically. I saw all the kids in my classes. We saw the medical lab people, friends who are also part of the "co-op", dd saw her friends at Rangers (Girl Guides) and her dance classmates and instructor.

My favourite thing this week was...

Watching movies in the evening with my girl. :)

What's working/not working for us...

Working: Life of Fred! Woot!
Not working: Schedule. Lack of clear expectations on my part.

Questions/thoughts I have...

How do I get my 15yo over her lifelong unrealistic expectations of herself? How much do I insist that she forge ahead--especially when I can see she's slept horribly or isn't feeling well and I know how much my brain power and emotional tolerance of things goes out the window when I'm like that?

Things I'm working on...

Other than all the driving around and class planning and everything involved with the above, I have been working on learning more about how to make an income online. Lots of hours spent researching and learning and doing things!

I'm reading...

I've been listening to an audiobook version of Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World. I am really liking it!

I'm cooking...

I honestly can't remember what I cooked this week. lol. I am working on a plan for next week with gluten-free suppers. Part of the blood work this week was to test for celiac. She will have to go wheat-free at the very least because we know that affects her, but we don't know at this point if it's just wheat or gluten the problem. We did a week and a half of gluten-free meals before Christmas holidays. I want to get going with it again now because if the testing shows it's likely celiac, then the suppers will already be taken care of and she'll just have to transition herself back to gluten-free for the rest of the day. The first few days were very hard when we went gluten-free in December; I want it to be a little easier this time around. We can't go completely gluten-free just yet because if the testing says she needs to go for a biopsy, she has to have been consuming gluten for a period of time to see what it's doing to her internally.

I'm grateful for...

Having my nieces and nephew after school. While it does add to the busyness of my day to go and get them (a process that takes 50 minutes!), I do really enjoy having them here. My one niece always turns the corner in her school, sees me and gets this infectious smile on her face. <3

I'm praying for...

Wisdom in guiding my children in their schooling and finding/creating suitable online work.

A photo, video, link or quote to share (silly, serious or both!)...

 "You have to be a positive parent if you want positive children." (Could be a paraphrase. lol. From the audiobook of the book linked above.)