This week in our homeschool

This week did not start out to be the best of weeks to begin our new year. I slept late on Monday and awoke feeling truly ill. Tuesday was errand day and I had planned that day off anyways but as I was feeling ill again on Tuesday our errands ran over into Wednesday. By Thursday morning I still wasn't feeling well but was intent that the children begin this new years curriculum.

Peanut got her new glasses this week which is a blessing. Her old pair are also still able to be used as spares as her doctor was judicial and raised her prescription not only according to need but with the eye for her being able to use her old set as a spare should something happen to these new ones. She chose something other than pink this time which is really amazing, but I think that these look so pretty with her red hair and brown eyes.

And it was late on Monday when Elder Cracker Jack came out of his room, where he'd been industriously coloring a Bible coloring book with Peanut, and quietly informed me that he'd been sinning for a long time and was truly sorry for it. I asked him what he meant and his response was, "I lie a whole lot to you guys and don't always listen, those are both against the ten commandments and I hadn't realized it." My response? To forgive him of course (with his promise to try to do better in the future) and print out this lovely picture to hang on our living room wall.

And meet the newest member of our family! Snow Angel was found by accident by us and adopted, the lady who had saved her had saved her from a puppy mill where this sweet little girl was not "producing as liked" at age three and about to be tossed out like so much garbage. The lady who had rescued her was wonderful but didn't have time to devote to her. And so, we with the always open hearts (if near empty wallets) brought her home.

She seems to be settling in very well after a couple of days. Although she is still a bit nervous and shy (and unable to go up or down our steps as they are too steep for her) she has barely uttered a noise and has yet to protest to any of our affection. Never minded her bath, her brushing, getting mattes out of her fur, or Peanut lugging her into a lap for a nice morning snuggle.

Peanut's binder cover.

All three made good use of some free time and designed and colored their English and Math binder covers.

Younger Cracker Jack's cover.

Elder Cracker Jack's cover.

 We spent several hours doing English and Math this week. And after a bit of a rough start with Peanut (who really dislikes writing as it hurts her hand she says) Peanut actually completely all 21 pre-writing worksheets in her SchoolZone workbook today!!! So very proud of her and she actually had fun doing it.

As a matter of fact none of the children so much as "huffed" doing their schoolwork for the entire week condensed into two days. And yes, I did mark the calender for this may never happen again in life!

Serenades at lunch. Afternoon nature walks. Elder Cracker Jack being completely excited by finding a "new" bug on this walk. After looking at our pictures, remembering the colors of it's wings when it flew, and looking it up online we are fairly certain that the picture to the left is actually a "Carolina Locust." The field area was practically full of them and although they could be "Carolina Grasshopers" the coloration leads us to believe they are the locusts as their wings are black and pale yellow and they're mostly brown in color.

ECJ tried really hard to draw a good picture of one of them from a side view and what he could remember of their wings. Boy, do those things fly fast! And if I do say so myself he's getting much better at his sketching and it's a wonderful talent he was born with and he works a bit on each day as he really enjoys it. Perhaps this year is the year to buy him a book that will walk him through some sketches and see if they help him reach the level that he wants to.

Peanut tried really hard to draw in her Nature Journal.

And YCJ did a wonderful job drawing and labeling in her Nature Journal.

They caught Mommy before her second cup of coffee and before fixing my pony-tail for the umpteenth time!

And because they were such good kids they asked to eat (and were granted the right) at their art table, well away from the parents. I smiled as I could hear the older two leading the dinner prayer and them giggling while they ate.

This week we completed:

English - ECJ   8 pages in Language C and 1 in Creative Writing

             YCJ   4 pages in Language 3 and 5 pages in her phonic book

             Peanut did 21 pages of pre-writing!!!!

Math -    ECJ   4 pages in Arithmetic 6

             YCJ   4 pages in Arithmetic 3

             Peanut did 1 page of the number 1 and counted everything~

Art -     We designed and colored our binder pages. ECJ helped Peanut with her water painting and YCJ worked on her crochet.

Science - Nature walk and started on our Nature Journals.

Social Studies - Talked about newspapers and how they are made and delivered. We will be spending time this weekend to each make a news article.

Religion - We dived into the ten commandments.

And each day this week the Cracker Jack's made lunch and Peanut took more responsibility for her room and Fancy Bird and is also helping with the Snow dog.

It was bumpy (I still don't feel 100%) and grumpy sometimes. But, we made it with very little tears and finished what we'd planned to do in 4 days in only 2. I truly believe it was harder on me than it was them as I tend to not like changing my plans (ECJ doesn't either but was more inclined to relax at the beginning of the week since mom wasn't feeling good and he didn't want to rush me into getting better *his words*).

Tuesday next week will be our hard day. 3 doctor appointments, grocery shopping, and the Cracker Jacks begin Religious class (CCD) at the church that evening. We will be on the run from the time we get up until we go to bed. I believe it is a crock pot night.

I found these sight words all made up and prepackaged at the Dollar Tree. I bought all 3 different sets (including the blank one) and plan on trying the girls on them in a week or two.

How did this week go for you?