Weekly Wrap-Up/Homeschool Journal

In Our Homeschool This Week
We didn't start a new week in My Father's World because we had some catching up to do in other subjects. We are also working through the first sections of American Pioneers and Patriots. We hadn't read a chapter in Farmer Boy in a few weeks, so we got back to that. Tornado and I have really enjoyed his chapter on Whales in his science book, Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day, because one of our favorite shows (on Animal Planet) is Whale Wars. Dash had a stubborn week with phonics and math, so that took some time, too.

I did, however, introduce the boys to our 20 new Spelling Task Cards from Step into 2nd Grade. Often, one of our assignments in a workbox drawer will be to write out their spelling words or write them in a fun, silly way. Now I don't have to write out the instructions each time, and we have many more ideas to work with.

Tornado isn't going to be happy about this, but the interactive zoo picture is coming down this weekend. It's been hanging in the stairwell for several months. They work on it every once in awhile. I just think it's time.

We mailed a letter (which we do several times a year) to one of the kids we sponsor. Enrique lives in El Salvador.

Dash made these at co-op. They were learning about Indians and cave drawings. On the top picture, they traced their pictures with glue, then sprinkled sand on top. I commented that he forgot the face on the lower guy, and he reminded me, "They usually didn't include faces in cave drawings. And that's why they're stick figures."

What They're Playing This Week

The kids love to play "Mom and Dad" and "Baby," so how great is it when you can use a REAL baby? He barely even fits in Sissy's wooden cradle anymore (which is SO SAD since I had always meant to take pictures of him in it when he was tiny). He was funny; it was as if he sensed he was an integral part of the kids' pretend world, and he totally put up with it.

When the other two kids were at AWANA, Tornado took it upon himself to make stick puppets from magazine pictures and put on a play for Baby.

More About the Baby's Life This Week

I think Googie has enjoyed making Baby Brother laugh a lot lately. Goofy boy. He is such a happy guy. Right now he is almost 8 months old, and he loves to eat - not only Momma Milk but any mashed up food we give him. Today I put little pieces of soft banana on his highchair tray, hoping he could manage to grip it and stick it in his mouth. However...he took each piece, one at a time, and threw it on the floor.

What I'm Reading This Week

I went to my monthly Large Family Logistics book club this week. This week, the main topics were chores, child work ethic, and chore systems. I felt inspired when I got home. The kids began a new responsibility the next day. Together, they must empty the dishwasher every morning when they wake up. Hopefully, this will force me to make sure the dishwasher is ran every night. THEN maybe it will force everyone to put their dishes in the dishwasher after every meal. We all have really bad habits in this area.

I'm also reading Coming Home by Karen Kingsbury, the last book in the Baxter series. I've shed plenty of tears this week while reading it, but I'm sort of glad it's over. Most of the time I love her writing and it's very inspiring to me spiritually, but at times it's feels a little corny. Or maybe I'm just annoyed at the sad turn of events in Coming Home. I also feel like she makes conservative stereotypes, such as what was the point of the only "vegan" character I ever remember in her books being a non-Christian/not-very-nice-person?

What We Baked This Week

Banana Nut Bread

How We Spent Labor Day

We hit the rode for Hot Springs. 

First, we ate lunch at Garden Secrets.

Next, we went swimming at Lake Catherine State Park, a place we'd never been.

What Sissy Was Up to in Kindergarten This Week

post here

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