A Week of Contrasts

This week has been all about contrasts inside and outside of our homeschool. The weather went from in the high 40's on Monday and Tuesday, to a blizzard (no joke) on Wednesday with temps in the low 30's and 20's for two days, and now we're back to the high 40's again! Contrast in temperature and weather conditions couldn't have been more clear.

The blizzard was blowing so much on Wednesday that I actually called a snow day. It was chilly and miserable outside with the wind finding every crack it could to come inside making Mommy cranky due to cold breezes hitting me everywhere I turned. Noni didn't make it out on Wednesday due to the weather but did come out for most of the day on Thursday so we called a "Noni Day". Friday dawned with beautiful weather and children wild and crazy to get outside, so a deal was struck... They could also have Friday off of school if they chose to do school both Saturday and Sunday. (Sunday it's supposed to be back in the low 20's weather wise only to pop back up from next Monday on.)

So, in all this week we've had two really productive school days and three days off. But will be completing this week's assignments over the weekend so we'll be making two of those days back up on our attendance (towards the total instructional days {per KY law, remember we follow both KY and MI} of 175). I don't often mention this because we school year round but I like to have all of those specific 175 days accounted for on my attendance records by the end of May each year, I'm not required to since I continue to school through the summer ... but it makes me feel better personally.

Monday our day was really hectic. Children didn't want to come back off from break, lessons were taking longer than anyone wanted, and Mommy was having an "off" day due to frustration. However, we were really productive and got all of our lessons finished on time that day!! Monday is also an official pajama day in our homeschool (as is Friday), unless we have something planned outside of the house these days. So, hair is brushed and so are teeth I don't much mind what anyone is wearing on Monday's so long as they're lessons are getting completed. We did get outside for about an hour because I was attempting to let them run off some of their frustrations.

Monday afternoon Daddy brought home Peanut's new desk!! So our classroom look has completely changed again! Now there's three small desks in the classroom area, making one for each camper. We're currently using three of our dining chairs, carrying them back and forth the few feet necessary when Daddy and I sit at the table for supper each night, but we'll be purchasing small desk chairs for each child sometime before fall. As you can tell Peanut's desk is a little different from the other campers and is on wheels as well. The front wheels do lock which is a major blessing. And now the majority of our daily school texts and a few of the binders and supplies can fit neatly into each child's desk, stopping the constant traffic from the cabinet in the front of the house to the school area. Much more soothing.

Tuesday was much better for our nerves, even if (due to Catechism starting at 5:30 PM) it is a much longer day for us. Lessons, done in the new classroom arrangement, went so much better. Everyone was much more focused and we were able to get everything completed ahead of time, with enough time to spare for an hour long walk before needing to get ready for catechism classes that evening. Plus everyone enjoyed some giant apples for snack time while all working on computer lessons and without Mommy having to hear three different programs running at the same time thanks to those headphones. I do have to say that this is only the third time all school year that all three campers have been on their computers working at the same time.

Wed. - Fri. there was a lot of imagination being used. Children coming up with complicated plot lines for game play and following through with each part of the plots. History reading and online research, we have another Medieval time period fan (I'm the first one) in ECJ. He's spent a lot of hours looking into it and has chosen to spend some of his own time researching this time period in Europe for the foreseeable future. And today (Friday) they're getting several hours outside time do to the near 50 degree F weather. I know to many of y'all it doesn't sound too warm, but when you've been caught in a Polar Vortex for the majority of the winter it's pretty much tropical feeling right now. Snow is melting, the breeze is warm instead of cold, and everyone is feeling Spring Fever and is wanting to be out soaking up the vitamin D.

Our school week is not completely finished of course since the children decided to have today off and work through the weekend, but I'm wrapping it up here. I have some work to finish on where I've been behind on my 40 bags in 40 days challenge and I plan on taking full advantage of this afternoon (once I've tired of outside) being quiet and without children telling me, "But, Mom, you can't throw that {insert broken piece of whatever it once was} out! I NEED that!"

We did start some simple learning to draw books this week and as you can see from the picture YCJ was really intent on learning how to draw her deer. Each of the campers has a different book and theme to work through. They're all really enjoying these and I found them, not surprisingly, at Dollar Tree.

Posts you may have missed this week:    
A Surprise Menu Plan
Runaway Robot!
Saint Patrick Day Ideas
Reading Eggs Anyone? (a review)
How Simple Works (giving it to God)

Who we're linking up with today:     
Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers
Homegrown Learners
Faithful Mom of 9

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