It's Definitely Monday!

Sarah and Joseph are feeling better...but not looking better. They did some school work today.

We did our read alouds--Abraham Lincoln's World, Story of the World book 4, and Across Five Aprils. Abraham Lincoln's World talks about what is happening all around the world during the time of Abraham Lincoln's life. He is 3yo right now (1812). Story of the World also tells what is happening around the World at a specific time. We are at 1853. I was supposed to read Abraham Lincoln's World over the summer, but we were a bit too busy to actually all be home at the same time. We should finish Abraham Lincoln's World before Thanksgiving. We started Across Five Aprils today. It sounds like a book we will like. It is about a boy who is 9yo when the Civil War starts and ends up having to take care of his family while the men fought the war (I think).

We set up a schedule for cooking meals last night. Stephen cooked breakfast, Jessi is cooking lunch (right now), and Shane will cook dinner. We are preparing for me to go to work. Stan needs someone to help him full time for one month, but they couldn't find anyone to take the job. His boss is willing to pay $15 an hour since they can't find anyone. We decided to see if I could be hired (there are nepotism policies). It would give us some Christmas money and pay off a few bills. We should hear back today if it will happen and if it does I will start work tomorrow.

Well, the kids quieted down, so I guess I should check on them. They have been coming down to tell me all the loving (un) brotherly things they have been doing to each other for the last half hour.

Our First Week of School

We started school Tuesday this week. On Tuesday, I was helping with school work from 9:00 am until 2:00pm. Then we ate a late lunch and did a little more school work. It was pretty frustrating. I thought that I was cutting back on school work time after all! We cut back to the basics so that we could all pursue our interests more. Tuesday night I was trying to figure out what more we could cut to make my day shorter.

On Wednesday, everyone was finished by 10:30 am. I guess it was just a first day thing :)

Part of what Stephen and Shane are doing is Merit Badges for part of Biology. The first ones that they chose to do are Personal Fitness and Forestry. We printed out worksheets for them both from Meritbadge.com and looked to see where the merit badge counselors were. For Personal Fitness there are 3. They all live in the same neighborhood...45 minutes away. There isn't one in our district for Forestry. I think we should have been working on getting counselors over the summer. Too late now... Shane and I went to the Forest Service office to see if someone would help us. They said come back on Monday. We thought getting one counselor right now was enough, so Stephen is supposed to call one of the Personal Fitness ones but I don't think he has yet.

Jacob, Jessica, and Sarah are trying a lapbook from Knowledge Box Central to go along with Apologia Botany. They seem to be enjoying it, but the girls would like even more lapbooks to do. Jacob doesn't seem so sure. For the next science book I might try to get a lapbook from Live 'n' Learn Press and compare them.

Sarah and Joe both are pretty polka dotted (chicken pox), so didn't really do any school work this week. Sarah did do the lapbook though. Hopefully they will feel better next week.

Chicken Pox

Sarah and I had to come home from church early today--She has chicken pox. I didn't notice until the middle of sacrament. She cried for 15 minutes because she didn't want to miss her primary class :) I'll have to tell her teacher. Joe is the only other person in the house that hasn't had them. I guess he's next.

Jessi is enjoying volleyball. She will have her first game next week. She has a lot of enthusiasm for what ever she does.

Jessi, Jacob, and Sarah will be starting a sign language class next week that they are excited about. The homeschool group here is finally getting a few things together. They also have a PE class (that all the kids are excited about), a Greek class (that no one is excited about), and regular park days until it gets too cold. And when it gets too cold we will either rent the community center for free play or go swimming somewhere (an indoor pool with a motel or the hot springs). I have been thinking about starting a board game day once a month at the library also, but probably not until it gets cold.

We are starting the new school year on Tuesday as long as the chicken pox aren't too distracting for everyone that doesn't have them. Joe and Sarah might not get much done this week (or next).

Another Laugh

You've got to see this :) lol :) A lady is selling Pokemon Cards on EBay--not so funny but her reason for doing it is :)

And here's the lady's blog that sold the Pokemon Cards on EBay. She's definitely another one that I will want to read everyday. Her writing reminds me of Pioneer Woman.

Another Update

The boys went on their hike...they had plenty of food, the lightest packs out of the whole group, and only the adults got any blisters.

Jessi's volleyball was delayed until next week.

Stan and I had planned to go to Billings overnight for our anniversary (18 years :), but decided not to leave the kids for that long. We went to dinner and a movie--No Reservations--which was pretty good. Stan liked it even though it was a chick flick. Then Stan took me to the MSU farm and to let me pick a kitten. There were two very little black ones. I picked one up and Stan picked up the other, and they both cried. Stan took mine and they immediately stopped crying (cute!). We decided to take them both. Daisy wants to play with them but doesn't try to hurt them, and they are not afraid of her so it seems to be working out. On Friday, since Stan already had the day off from work, we went to Yellowstone (I'll add pictures later). We went to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone first and then came back by the Old Faithful side of the park.