SCHOOL TODAY

Math - Nolan needed some review and so I had him watch lesson 8 again. He then did a worksheet. I told Arielle to do math for 15 minutes and she finished 4 worksheets. I think she'll whiz through this level fairly quickly. Jared took a test and aced it....He'll move quickly too. Maybe he'll be back in pre-algebra by next fall or winter - which is where he would have been in Saxon next year.

TOG - We're all on DIFFERENT levels. Jamin has stayed the course. He's taking the most credits, doing Chemistry and Alg 2....in other words he's had a tough schedule and he's where he should be considering we didn't begin school until the end of September. I don't regret spending those weeks with Mike and the girls before they flew the nest. Josiah doubled up quite a bit because he wants to finish his school in May even though we started in September. He hasn't needed any credits for two years but opted to do TOG Year 4 history and literature anyway. Easy to double up. Jared worked quite hard and doubled everything for over a month. The littles and I? Well.....we hit a spell where there doesn't seem to be much assigned for the younger set...we did 3 weeks today. ::snort:: I do want to go find a book on the challenger....

I WAS appalled when our DK president book ended their rather wimpy section on President Regan with this quote, "Nevertheless, Regan was popular with the voters". I set the record straight....

Phonics - STILL can't find that Raceway book...and I don't want to buy a 3rd book but I will....well Nolan will buy this one. He knows where his school books are to be kept...and I didn't move it.

Science - We finished our dragonfly book from the library. WOW....amazing photos.

READ ALOUDS We kept reading "The mixed up files of whoever she is" and I finally "gave in" to the kids' pleas to read pilgrims progress...I "planted" this book in January and waited for them to want to read it. ::snort::

ART - The three youngers cut up cardboard, reassembled it, painted it and made....are you ready a house for Barbies and Dinosaurs. I'm not sure I'd picture the two together, myself.

Book Review *Teaching the Trivium* by Harvie and Laurie Bluedorn.

I have a friend that attended a seminar where the Bluedorns spoke. She recommended this book over 6 years ago. I really had little interest in Classical Eduation and so sort of put the idea on the back burner. Someone told me that the curriculum we use, Tapestry of Grace is classical. She was surprised that I was a "classical educator". I began to hear this more and more. I was aghast. Me? Nope. I'm a fun-schooler or a Charlotte Mason educator....I kept hearing that TOG was like "Teaching the Trivium" so I finally began to read this book.

I've been trying to read this book for over a year. I decided last week that I WOULD finish this book before I read another one. I determined not to mark the book. A used book sale is coming up this weekend and I'd resell it. A while back I wrote an entry on my propensity to mark books. Tonight, I went back and reread that entry and the article by Mortimer J Adlerabout how to mark a book. I feel a bit better about what happened.

In a fit of "interaction" I began to mark this book quite liberally. First, I found things I liked. Then, I found things with which I intensely disagree. I found things that simply weren't logical to me (which was supremely ironic considering Bluedorns write some really great logic materials). I wanted to unreservedly LOVE this book. I don't.

I DID find things that encouraged me and with which I wholeheartedly agreed. I also found things with which I vehemently disagree. It did cause me to think. It did allow me to interact with some of the true greats in the homeschooling movement. I found myself today trying to find someone who had read the book to discuss some of these issues....I've decided not even to begin listing what I liked and didn't like...it would be far too long of a post as there are lots of both.

I think this book falls into my "chew the meat and spit out the bones" category. ::snort:: Alas, this book is now so thoroughly marked that it will never be sold or given away. I simply couldn't stop myself...and it was a fun read in the end.

NEW ARTICLE

Josiah drew my attention to this article. Continue to pray for Iraq and her citizens.

In this story gunmen stopped a bus and told all the Christians to get off the bus. Some did. Then they killed everyone still ON the bus. Pray for our troops (US and allied), world leaders, Iraqi leaders, troops and citizens.....I believe it honors God for us to not simply read the news but pray through the news.

A funny thing happened on the way to chapel today.....

Just as we started to head out a wave of nausea and dizziness hit me. I ran for the bathroom. Zander chased after me. He was making such helpful observations as, "Man, you can run FAST, Mom!" and "I didn't know you could run!"

I made it to the bathroom. I proceeded to do what I had to do...with Zander at my elbow saying "are you going to throw up, Mom?" And...."I just do this (big swallowing gulp) when I feel sick and it goes back in - why don't you do that, Mom?"

I asked Mike and the children to please intercept in the future if I'm running towards a bathroom with Zander or Stacia on my heels.

Six weeks....eating every two hours...no signs of trouble....still having really high highs and moments of lows....

Saturday - A Whirl of Activity

Some days are a whirl of activity. We went 4 directions with 2 vehicles. Nothing more need be said....but most certainly something more will be said. ::snort::

I did go to Curves. The other owner got out her books and re talked the work-out with me. She's the middle ground between the first trainer (no change) and her mom (50% of max heart rate). I told her my heart rate is that fast when I'm simply sitting at the dinner table. Yes, we checked. She discovered that my heart rate should get no higher than 140 - which would be 75% of my max and so that is much more doable. She does want me to bring a thermometer to my workouts to check my temperature. ::snort::

I came home from Curves in time to give Mike and the younger ones hugs as they left for the day. I showered, dressed and drove Cy to work. I then went to Homeschool 101. Meanwhile, Mike took some kids to a birthday party, others to the park and bowling, all to lunch, and then to some big "Month of the Military Child" event on base. We all made it back home about 4:30.

Josiah, Mike, and I worked on his graduation slide show. Josiah decided he wants a photo of all the children with each new baby in his slide show. It's been pretty fun to watch the family grow. He is RIGHT that it's been a major focus of his life. We'll finish that up today.

Mike and I went out to eat. Then we drove to the lake and talked. Then we drove around the lake....

We got home and found this sight...

It was a fun but exhausting day. I woke up at 3 a.m. and can't get back to sleep. My last ditch effort at inducing sleep is to write a quick blog, then read more of the Trivium. That seems to work fairly well.

Working Those Curves

- Curves workout that is....
I had talked to the trainer on duty the day after I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to know how I would need to tweak the workout. I told her I miscarry. She said that I didn't need to do anything different in the first tri-mester. I told her that Gary's book mentioned heart rate at only 50% of max. She said that is NOT for the first trimester.
Our Curves has two owners...Mom and Daughter. Daughter has been there a few times when I worked out and kept turning fans on.....Thursday Mom talked to me. She asked if anyone had talked with me about modifying my workout. I told her I'd talked with the one trainer. She watched. She came over and began asking me questions. It seems that the first trainer was wrong and will be getting some further education. I AM supposed to keep my heart at 50% - which it is at when I am simply sitting in a chair. I'm not to overheat (thus the fans go on the minute I show up). I'm not supposed to do the squat machine because of my prenatal history until the 3rd trimester or later....like when you WANT to deliver quickly. I modify the ab/back machine, the inner thigh machine and the um one with handles over your head.... I am not sure that a workout at this level is going to do much for getting me in shape but they assure me it isn't pointless...that I'll still be maintaining and building muscle even without a full aerobic workout.

FRIDAY - Speech and Other Things

 Speech: We continue to explore Nolan's problem with processing information. WAIT - it's not a problem - it's a "learning difference". ::snort:: The speech therapist does not feel we need to do further tests/labeling etc. She thinks that she and I working together can affect change. She said that it seems to her that Nolan is a visual learner. She says that he responds well to visual cues before being given an auditory list of things to do.....Now I had not tried that in every day life. She draws photos of everything he is asked to do...tells him what to do and thinks it helps. For example....Nolan simply can't do more than one thing at a time...if I give him multiple instructions - he freezes. He's 8. Zander is 5 and can easily follow 2 or 3 step directions...so it isn't just a developmental thing that he'll outgrow. I've been working at giving him LOTS of 2 step directions. BUT Natalie says I should DRAW pictures of what I want him to do. ARGH. I don't have time to draw pictures of every instruction...and furthermore, my pictures are NOT going to be much help in deciphering my directions. I am thinking I could make up a laminated sheet and find photos on the web of various things...or take pictures of him doing them....and then use THAT when I ask him to do things...."MOVE the chairs, sweep the floor, and take out the garbage" etc. I was thrilled to hear someone say Math U see appeals to visual learners....we switched to that already. In Science, I've gone more "traditional" than *I* like because Arielle likes that (auditory learner) but I am going to make sure we get lots of visual input added to the programs this year. I'm already finding great, brightly colored science books from the library on the topics we are covering in Apologia. NOT TK all over the page type books but the ones with really big and detailed photos. I really like photos too. LOL He LIKES apologia and wants to continue it...but it's amazing the facts that click when he simply SEES a photo of say a Praying Mantis.... I think I can easily make Elementary Apologia more visual.

In TOG I'll be sure to pull in more history quilts, lapbook type things...I'm debating if hands on is the same as visual....and thinking of how he's responded this year. He LOVED the lapbooks - Arielle felt they were a waste of time (just read the text and move along, please). I'd already been trying to see if I could fit 3 history kits into the budget next year. Kate (from SHS) and her husband Jeff run Hands and Hearts , a company that sells wonderful history kits. They've tested all their projects and kits on children 5 - 12. Any activity that wasn't loved by all is removed from the kit. I'd thought of these for the last couple of years. I've held off because of the budget. I've also known that there were many great hands on ideas in the TOG manual...but I find I do better if I have all the pieces I need in a box at the start of the year (i.e. the history quilt versus all my lapbook plans).

Dessert Co-op: I've put together an invite for a Tapestry Tea. I think it will be fun even for those who have no intention of buying TOG. I always like to see new curriculi (spell check doesn't like my other word??). AND everyone who attends gets a free Egyptian Unit - can't beat that. Of course, you can also click the link in the sidebar and get the free unit but you know. ::snort:: I've been hoping that maybe the tea will be a way to find some who are either using TOG year 1 next year or studying ancients - and they may want to join our "fun" co-op. I've read what Marcia says about co-ops and for young children she says they should be the "dessert". I think I'm going to tell people I'm starting a "dessert co-op". ::snort:: I have been thinking that Jeff and Kate's KITS would be the perfect sort of thing to do in a "dessert co-op". The supplies are all there, they tie in to the period being studied, and I keep hearing they are wonderful. I can have everyone simply order the kits and go from there. Saves having to shop and buy supplies myself. LOL We shall see. I also think it would be fun to do Meet the Masters in a group setting...really easy...but I'm trying to curb the ideas.

Produce c0-op: went well. We seem to be alternating between big weeks and medium weeks. LOL If the trend keeps up, I will have to talk to the every other week members and get them spread out a bit more evenly. ::snort::

Family Bits: Josiah got called into work again yesterday...BUT...they let him out of his evening shift so he was home for family night. Yippee!

Arielle and Nolan had drama. They are really enjoying this. They go home with Deja after co-op and get some playing time in with Erik and Emma beforehand.

It's hard for Zander to see them leaving every week. AND this week he was certainly off. I needed to spend some time with him. I took he, Stacia and Jared and we went to BK - his choice. I had a great salad and they ate junk...then I let them play on the playground until it was time to go pick up the other two from Camp Broadway. I read some of *Teaching the Trivium* and promptly fell asleep in the play area. I woke up with just enough time to drive to drama. I'm determined to finish that book this week!

Jamin asked me to make the deep dish pizza last night. I did a nutmeg type sauce with chicken, cheese, mushrooms, red peppers and asparagus. He and I were the only ones who tried it - but it WAS good and there is plenty left over for today! Maybe breakfast.

We watched Happy Feet from Netflix. We worked on Josiah's graduation slide show. Mike went in to the office yesterday because the Air Force Chief of Staff was on base.

Busy - full day for all.