Homeschool Planning, Part II

As I said in my last post, I have been paralyzed thinking about just homeschooling my youngest. I tried to sit and think about it many times over the last few months and got no where. Normally, I have the following year planned and curriculum purchased before the close of the current year. I was getting worried.

Andrew will be in 7th grade this coming year. I want to focus on getting his writing up to speed, continue to make progress with his spelling (this is his downfall), and have fun with science. He needs a structured literature program or he would choose not to read at all. History is something that we will go light on, but the program I am going to use also allows us to beef it up and go off on tangents if he is inspired. I am also going to work on doing 1-3 fieldtrips a month to correspond with our studies in history, science, or perhaps literature.

Here is what I have planned for Andrew:

Middle School Physics I & II-together this is a one year course in physics without the crazy math. His sister will be doing AP physics at school, so I thought it might be cool to have a basic understanding of what she is talking about half the time.

Ancient Greece-I let him choose what he wanted to study.

Pre-Algebra using Saxon Algebra 1/2, which I already own which is a plus.

Write Shop I - I only need to buy the student book as I used this for my middle child a few years ago.

Lightning Literature 7th grade-structured literature program.

All About Spelling-he will complete level 4 and move onto level 5, which was just announced for release and is currently having a 25% discount sale! For a new speller or a struggling speller this is a great program. Mine is a struggling speller and it has done wonders for his spelling and his confidence.

Easy Grammar Plus-I've used some form of Easy Grammar with all the kids at some point. It is not overbearing and I really like how prepositions are taught first and well. I already own this too.

Band - he will continue in the intermediate band playing trumpet.

I would like to get him into a local ceramics program I hear very good things about. I know he would enjoy something hands on like ceramics - it is not a paint your pottery class, it is really working with the materials to create things, this includes using a pottery wheel at some point in the progression of the class.

P.E. is our daily activities in addition to the physical outings with Boy Scouts (hiking, backpacking, day long bike rides, etc.).

I am feeling better about this all the time. Now I need to start buying the things we need. I also need to go through my current materials and start placing some of it up for sale, I think what I have to sell will more than pay for this year's curriculum - that is a very good thing.

Homeschool Planning, Part I

As many of you know I will only have one student in my homeschool this coming fall. My daughter will be in 11th grade at a high school of the arts majoring, for lack of a better word, in opera. My son will be in 9th grade at this same school majoring in creative writing. That leaves my dear Andrew, 7th grade in the fall, at home with me. It is bittersweet in some ways. The boys are very close and having David away at school all day will be quite an adjustment for Andrew, but at the same time it is exciting for David to try out school and in a place that will hopefully nurture his passion as it has my daughter's passion. I only have to plan for one student and one grade level; however, I have been paralyzed lately when I even think of schooling just one.

With the older two in school this fall, many have asked me if my youngest will leave the homeschool nest for high school when he is in 9th grade. I honestly do not know. I would never have thought my oldest would give up homeschooling, but when we became aware of an opera program at a nearby school of the arts, within driving distance on the freeway anyways, it seemed a no-brainer for her. I NEVER thought my middle child would go to school until college. He just had no interest, until the creative writing bug hit him, the kid with dysgraphia among other special needs, about 2 years ago. When his chance to apply to the creative writing program at his sister's school came up he decided to give it a go, but never committed to whether he would go or not until the acceptance letter came. My youngest is the least academic of the three. This coming year, I hope to find something he is passionate about and run with it - this will be alot of trial and error. Along with finding his "thing" he still needs some academics.

This post turned into something it was not intended to be, so tomorrow, I will fill you in on what I will be using with my 7th grader this coming school year.

Wordless Wednesday - Discipline 2002

Zach the Cat Update # (I Have Lost Track!)

For those of you new to my blog, Zach the Cat recently had a large open wound on his hind-quarters that required surgery. He is an inside cat and the best guess the vet has is that he was bit by a spider and had a reaction, which turned into an abscess, which burst. He had approximately five inches of stitches where the vet had to pull the sking together over the wound. Now onto the new.

The vet removed all his stitches today. There were always two small areas that did not close with the stitches, so she stapled those today. He is to continue on one of the antibiotics and must wear that cone of shame still - poor guy. Let me tell you once again how amazed the vet and her staff are at what a wonderful kitty my Zach is. She said even after stapling his behind, he was all happy and willing to let them do whatever they needed to him. He is a sweetheart!

So we go back in a week to see how the holes are closing. I actually think he has already lost a staple, but I'm not sure. I know one hole now has 3 and the other has 2. I'll keep an eye on it.

Thanks for indulging/tolerating my furry baby reports.

Recipe Swap 7/06/09

On my blog hopping adventure this weekend, I happened upon Our Chaotic Life. She just posted a recipe swap and I thought I would join in. First, let me say that the things I cook alot, I do so with a pinch of this and a handful of that. Second, I wanted to post peanut butter pie, but I have not made it in a while and I cannot find the recipe (I don't trust my memory at this point). So I thought I would post my husband's favorite picnic/potluck salad, Broccoli Salad.

Broccoli Salad
A jar of bacon bits (get the soft kind, not crunchy - you can also cook your own bacon and crumble it, maybe 10-12 slices- I just hate cooking bacon)-I use 3/4 of the jar

Several, like 5 broccoli crowns

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chopped red onion

a bag of Craisons - I use about 3/4 of the bag

3 1/2 - 4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1 cup mayo



In a large bowl combine the first 5 ingredients. In a smaller bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, and mayo well. Combine the mayo mixture with the broccoli, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I like to make it the night before.

If you have a recipe to share, then go sign-up with Our Chaotic Life.

4th of July Weekend Re-Cap

It has been a lovely weekend. It started out on Saturday morning with my morning date, for those new to my blog this is our version of a date night, with my dear husband - we like to go to Starbucks and sit in those comfy chairs and chat. We decided to go to one that has a really nice patio area and sit outside - it was beautiful. There was a woman there with a parrot - they were both hysterical. She was actually going into the Jamba Juice next door, but she left the parrot on one of the outside tables - he was whistling away. Then she came out and started playing games with him, like making him run along the cement capstone on a short wall. I am sure the poor bird was thinking, it would be so much easier if I could just fly from point A to point B - these boots were not made for walking lady!

Then my man and I headed to Trader Joe's - our dates get more and more romantic. Actually we love going there because everything is nummers. Husband wanted something new to snack on - he likes the oddest things and always wants to try something new. So, I found him Wasabi Tempura Seaweed Snacks - they were like chips made from tempura, one side was seaweed, and it was all lightly flavored with wasabi - he LOVED them - do I know my guy or what?!

I did some more blog hopping - man is that a crazy thing or what - I have visited about 150 now.

We went to my in-laws for dinner (bbq hot dogs and hamburgers and chips - I brought a pasta salad). Then we headed over to their beach club on the lake (this is a large pool with a man-made sandy beach). The fireworks were going to be exploded over the lake. There was a dj and the music was fun, even if a bit loud. We went early to set our chairs up in a good spot and chat for the next couple of hours. I brought snacks, so it was all good. The fireworks display was really good and the finale awesome - the dj played patriotic music as the fireworks exploded overhead. We headed back to to the in-laws and had birthday cake for father-in-law. It was fun, but made for a later night.

Sunday means church and today being the first Sunday of the month also meant potluck. I brought orange chicken that I picked-up at Trader Joe's the day before (frozen - you cook it - a family favorite). Once we got home I knew I was done. I was so tired and husband was too, so we took a nice nap - ahhhhhh - so lovely.

Anyways, we are just hanging out at home the rest of the day - which is a good thing. I hope you had a glorious weekend!

Independence Day

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