Weekly Homeschool Wrap-up–June 7, 2009

  If you want to participate in this meme, please visit Carol atThreeLittleLadies, and be sure to link your post to her Mr. Linky so that we can all see what life has in store for you.   From where I sat this past week,

As an individual, I…

am still thinking about complacency after this morning’s prayer from one of the leaders in the children’s ministry.   I confess that I’m not in much of a different place from yesterday regarding my upcoming week’s task list and how I feel about it, but it did occur to me—yet again—that what I do around here is ministry.   It is not to be taken for granted, or approached with dread.    Instead, I am doing unto the least of them—our children, who at this stage cannot drive themselves, cannot take care of their own hair, cannot take total care of a home.    I need to stop whining and rejoice; there are others who’d love for their greatest concern to be when they could relax and enjoy amongst all of their healthy and able-bodied children’s activities.

I decided to add in my progress report in exercising and hopefully instill some self-accountability.   This past week, I didn’t do too much; I only completed formal exercise 2 times.   I say “formal” because the Wii Fit has the capability to log in hours of physical activity for fitness credits.    In that case, I’m exercising every day—laundry, cooking, stair climbing, etc.    Saturday’s decision to take down the swing set, to sew, and to watch the movie all cost significant time, and so I never did get to something aerobic.   I went to bed late and overslept this morning.   I have less to do for my classes this week, so hopefully this week will be better.   

As a wife and homemaker, I…

need to get a game plan in order for me to tackle all of my summer projects.   If nothing else, I want to redo the kitchen wallpaper border after the old border is now being held up in places by tape (LOL).    There are a number of areas that need taking care of—more cleaning of baseboards, painting, and items that I’m having to work myself up psychologically to complete, and I also plan to get the kids’ help.   So I decided to wait until the recital is over and so we have a few uninterrupted days to take on what I consider to be somewhat major endeavors.

As a mom and homeschooling parent, I…

am trudging along.   I got the sweetest e-mail from a friend who was really struggling with, as she stated, feeling as if homeschool was a worthwhile endeavor.   This was shocking because she’d homeschooled now for more years than I have.   Anyway, after a couple of candid back-and-forth exchanges about what our plans were for next year and why, I apparently lit a fire in her, and she was so gracious in her comments.   You never know what words or very ordinary act will be just what someone else needs, which is why I always encourage my blogging buddies to keep it up, even if all you say is, “Hi, I’m still here.”   As singer/ evangelist Kurt Karr says, ‘No one else can preach your sermon, no one else can sing your song, no one else could ever do what God has chosen you to do…’

Our youngest is faring well with her reading and math studies.   Can’t wait for the remainder of the 1^st grade readers to get here.

I’ll cover Ronald Reagan with the older two tomorrow.   We’ve all learned the Presidents up to Johnson by now (just added Nixon, Ford and Carter) and the best part for all three of us has been the mnemonic phrases to recall the lesser known Presidents.   The author had this one for the Presidents between Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt:  Joe Got His Gun and Chased His Crazy Mule, which represents Johnson, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, Cleveland, and McKinley, or Very Heavy Tennis Players Throw Fast Purple Balls for Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Filmore, Pierce, Buchanan.  (Next is Lincoln).   The oldest came up with this jewel on her own for the Presidents between the Roosevelt cousins: Ten Walruses Had Cake Happily.    Translation? Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover.   Obviously, I’m learning, too!   Is it fair for you to be the most excited student you have (smile)?

Anyway, I have my first not-so-positive comment about Teaching Textbooks.  I bought Math 7 for our son, and the solution CDs that I was so excited about with the Pre-Algebra series came up lacking.   These CDs tell you what you need to do to solve the problem, in some cases stating something as simplistic as ‘you must pick amongst the answers for the best solution…’ DUH!   What I need is the same quality tool that explains the problem to him when I can’t get to him quickly enough.   Oh, well, he’s still excited about having a new book, and he’s feeling like quite the big boy because it’s so thick.   Wait until he gets his General Science Text and other books on top of it.   No more laughing at big sis.

As a business owner, I…

am so very thankful for the doors that the Lord is opening, most of which I cannot share right now.   I believe this had everything to do with my small step of obedience in giving the business a rightful place in my life.    I am going to continue the editing process in June and I’m looking forward to reuniting with Christi Gifford of the Old Schoolhouse for the redesign of the elementary covers.   I’m so excited about the next several months to come!   Praise God!

Hopefully, you have something to be excited about, too.