Monday Musings...

Another week has -- poof! -- gone by, and here we are again!

Over the Weekend...
We watched Catching Fire, the second in The Hunger Games trilogy. Everyone seemed to enjoy it quite a lot. The Boy was just happy that it managed to stay pretty true to the book. We also went to the library, cleaned out guinea pig cages, and I graded a lot of papers.



Outside My Window...
We had rain during the night, but now it is clear and sunny, on the cool side. I love nighttime rain, especially when the following day is so pretty!

Around the House & Garden...
The Boy just called me to tell me he has a stomach ache. Grrr. I do not need sick kids! Hopefully it will pass, and won't be anything real. Other than that, it's the same old thing... always housework to be done, always laundry to be folded, and so on. The ground has been too wet to do much lately, so I am hoping it'll dry out just a little this week, then I can tackle weeding.

In the Kitchen...
We had a delicious roasted chicken on Saturday night. Yesterday I made soft tacos with some of the leftovers, and tonight it'll be chicken-lentil-vegetable soup with homemade broth. Hopefully there will be extra soup for [my] lunches later in the week. I do plan to make a pie for Friday, which is Pii Day!

In Our Homeschooling...
I am hoping a couple of things arrive in the mail this week. One is the tests and worksheet packet for Saxon Math 5/4, so I can test The Girl out of some of the lessons. The other is a book called The Sciences: An Integrated Approach, which I would like to start using with both kids as a science spine/general exposure. I want The Boy to work on catching up on his online physics lectures (we got side-tracked with the National Mythology Exam), and I think The Girl and I might work from The World in a Drop of Water. And of course some reading from Human Odyssey, and maybe a project from Totally Irresponsible Science, just for the fun of it!

Reading and Watching...
We are so excited about the new Cosmos series! We've been anxiously awaiting it, and bought the season pass already through Amazon. We finally got back to season 2 of Once Upon a Time. M and I have been watching Numbers, which is pretty intriguing (we don't care for season 2 of American Horror Story), and I am wrapping up season 2 of The Tudors. I'm reading Overcoming Dyslexia, and hope to wrap up A Wrinkle in Time and the third Harry Potter book with the kids this week. Then I think we'll move on to The Princess and the Goblin, and probably the fourth Potter book. And we really need to watch Modern Marvels: Great Wall of China this week. Maybe some Wild China too, which is a stunningly beautiful mini-series.

Other Bits & Pieces...
I am waiting for a response to an email I sent about getting The Girl (and myself, and maybe The Boy) on a waiting list for a "puppy petting" program, working with service dogs. I think Cassia would absolutely love it! In another year or so, I might have her volunteer at the local wildlife rescue center, since she still really wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. I am trying to think of volunteer and/or intern opportunities that might really appeal to The Boy as well. M has yet another job interview today, and I am keeping my fingers tightly crossed.

Derby practice last night looked a bit tough for The Girl, a lot of sudden stops and switching directions, skating forward and backward. A year ago, she would have complained that it was too tough, but yesterday, she simply told me "I love derby practice!" She's really delighted to be working with the older girls.

Also On the Agenda...
Fencing tonight and Wednesday for The Boy, if his tummy feels better. Class for me on Thursday. M's interview today, and then, if still necessary, a meeting for him at the culinary training center with a job placement counselor. I wish the economy were better, and that he was having an easier time finding work.

Hope you all have a good week!