MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2011

 

Well I guess it is time to quit lollygagging around and get to work around here.  The holiday season was great, a nice change from our regular life.  Then Deanna and I got hit with a cold, so we took last week off too.  But here we are, the 10th of January and it is time to get back to real life.

Each week my home school group sends out an email asking what our plans are for the week.  It is just kind of a generic question, a chance to write down a few things we would like to accomplish this coming week (and can be a discussion starter in the group as we share our plans).  Here is mine:

PLANS FOR THE WEEK

School and Other Learning Opportunities:
1.  family meeting -- make an educational plan for the next 8 weeks before calving season starts (and takes over)
2.  start "back to school" routines (now that Deanna and I are feeling better and the holiday season is over)
3.  start our written communication books to work on writing skills
House and Extras:
1.   clear off table in living room so we can use the table for school
2.   do a disk clean up and defrag on all the laptops
3.   get pictures printed for Deanna (scrapbooking)

 

This morning we did have our family meeting.  We discussed how the kids wanted their assignments given to them.  Jordan asked for his assignments given to him  for a two week period to accomplish.  I don’t list what needs to be done each day, just what has to done and he chooses how and when to get the list completed.  Deanna wanted the same idea but only for a week at a time.  We will try this out and see how it goes.

Here is Jordan’s list at the moment (written up and shared via Google Documents):

BOOK           
HANDS ON MATH PROJECTS    PAGES 174 TO 176 -- THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY    PAGES 418 TO 421 -- BUYING A CAR   
PAINLESS VOCABULARY    READ INTRODUCTION    CHAPTER ONE -- WORDS IN CONTEXT    CHAPTER TWO -- WORD FORMS
SPELLING  (WEBSITE/HANDOUTS)    LESSON 1    LESSON 2   
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION BOOK    ON GOING -- DAILY       
THE HANDY SCIENCE ANSWER BOOK    PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY -- PAGES 1 TO 32    SPACE -- PAGES 33 TO 80   
BIBLE    COLOSSIANS    MATTHEW    
THE ESSENTIAL 55    INTRODUCTION AND RULES 1 THROUGH 10       
HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH    PAGES 4 TO 8 -- EXERCISES IN UNITY    PAGES 9 TO 21 - EXERCISES IN TOPIC SENTENCE   

    Here is Deanna’s list:

BOOKS       
PAINLESS VOCABULARY    READ INTRODUCTION    CHAPTER ONE -- WORDS IN CONTEXT
SPELLING  (WEBSITE/HANDOUTS)    LESSON 1   
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION BOOK    ON GOING -- DAILY   
THE HANDY SCIENCE ANSWER BOOK    PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY -- PAGES 1 TO 32   
BIBLE    COLOSSIANS   
HANDS ON MATH PROJECTS    PAGES 369 TO 372 -- PLANNING A SUNDAE PARTY   
I KISSED DATING GOODBYE    CHAPTER 9 -- JUST FRIENDS IN A JUST DO IT WORLD   
THE BUSY MOMS GUIDE TO SIMPLE LIVING    PREFACE AND CHAPTER ONE (LIFESTYLE SIMPLIFICATION)   
THE ESSENTIAL 55    INTRODUCTION AND RULES 1 THROUGH 5   
HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH    PAGES 4 TO 8 -- EXERCISES IN UNITY   

Here are some pictures from our day so far:

Deanna cleaning Ripple’s cage. Our pile of books and such after our family  meeting.

Jordan and Deanna doing their thing (well hopefully their assignments).  :o)

A pile of books Deanna would like to use for her “schooling” for me to consider. A pile of books Jordan would like to use for his “schooling” for me to consider.

  A book I picked up over the holidays I would like to read and have the kids read.

Camp Stumpy

 

Wes was reading a poem book by my favorite poet Helen Steiner Rice when he came across a poem that was a great reminder and description of our beloved Camp Stumpy.  :o)  (In the original poem the place is called Sleepy Hollow.)

 

Nestled by the river,

sheltered by the trees

Rests a little haven --

one of nature’s symphonies.

In this tranquil rendezvous

where peace and beauty blend,

There is sweet communion

in the meeting of a friend,

For in this shining solitude

false values slip away,

And only truth and beauty

seem planted here to stay.

In this refreshing refuge

all doors are opened wide

So faith and hope and happiness

can always step inside.

We call it Camp Stumpy,

but the name that I like best

Is just the home of happiness

where weary travelers rest.

 

 

Helpful winter trick ideas for your vehicle for an easier winter...

 

SEND THESE TIPS TO YOUR COLD WEATHER FRIEND’S
Helpful Hints For Winter

Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights - lasts 6 weeks.

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel.  The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved!