We're at about 30% of the average rainfall for this time of year. I am enjoying the gorgeous, sunny, warm weather, but I am really hoping for some good rain!
The kids are enjoying the Netherlands so far, so much so that we've decided to extend our studies of it another two weeks. We have read a number of books, looked at art by Dutch painters (among them Piet Mondrian and Vincent van Gogh). We are starting The Wheel on the School today as a fun read aloud. Because this book is centered around storks, we're suspending our nature studies to study storks. I also hope to take the kids to see the Santa Venetia levees in the next week or so, in order to teach them more about dikes protecting low-lying areas. If we can't make it, I'll do a sandbox project with them, which we may do anyhow because it would be fun. It would also be fun to take them ice skating after reading a (modified/shortened) version of Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates. Thankfully we live quite close to an indoor, year-round skating rink!
School for me is off to a decent start. My classes are both going fairly well, though I have a lot of reading to do! I really am trying to follow more of a day-to-day schedule, though it doesn't always happen ;) I have little gaps of time that the kids are in a class, or at my mom's, that really help with studying (and sometimes housework). By the way, does anyone that homeschools really completely keep up on their housework?
And in other news, my dad loves his new place. Our new budget at home (a la Dave Ramsey) is working beautifully - we are starting out February ahead of the game. My winter veggie garden is going insane with our current weather. I really wanted to do tulips this year, but the weather has just been too warm overall, so I'll have to put them in the fridge for a few weeks to fake winter. And that's it from our neck of the woods.
What classes are you taking specifically? You know, I vicariously take college classes through you. You may be jealous of my job (LOL at your comment), but DUDE I would love to go to school. Maye someday I'll go back ...
ReplyDeleteI think a semi-clean house and homeschooling can be together. An immaculate house? No. And immaculate houses usually means some freaky mom and weird children. ; )
I'm glad that your budget is working. With my freelancing, we've so not been able to have one. It's just money in, money out for a bill. Crazy, crazy. Praise God, now we'll be able to have a budget once more. I never thought I'd be so happy to be able to budget money. : )
And your study sounds fun. I've got a Vincent Van Gogh unit study somewhere on my blog. It has links to pages and ideas and whatever, if you're interested.
Toodles! I've been reading your blog, but have not been commenting because I've been so pressed for time!
Ah, now I'm back to commenting. : )
Take care!
Fabulous on the Dave plan! And the Wheel on the School? Absolutely one of my favorite kids' books EVER. I need to read that to my younger ones.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous? Sunny? WARM? You have to *fake* winter? Box that up and send it our way! I'll box up some snow and ice and share the love!
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As far as the housework thing, the secret is to have a neat-freak for a husband. Works wonders. (hee hee)
there was some geography/environment project i did with kids once where they color on a big piece of paper with water soluble markers, then you crumple it up, flatten it just a little so it's still very rumply, and point out the high points as mountains and low ones as valleys, then spray it with a mister for rain. the colors run down and illustrate different watersheds. i remember it being kinda cool and the kids liking it, but i don't remember much else... that and taking them to the bay model afterwords, which was so much cooler than i expected it to be...
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