Last Monday of the Month Already?

I can't believe March is just about here already. I need to get prepared for a birthday next week!

...Outside My Window...
Sunny, clear, and colder this week, though not as cold by far as my Back East friends. We're looking forward to some more rain in early-mid March. My rosemary and the dwarf peach are blooming like crazy, but nothing else in the yard is showing any signs of blossoming, though the apple and cherry both have leaf buds!

...In My Home and Kitchen...
I am very, very inspired by Kim's meal planning! I printed out a chart for March, and tacked on the last week of February to get things moving in the right direction. I'm also trying out a recipe for slow cooker cilantro lime chicken that she linked, making a big batch for two dinners (nachos this week, then a taco casserole next week). Our house is getting a great spring cleaning, thanks to plans for a late March sleepover (2 friends for The Girl as a late birthday thing, and 1 for The Boy just because). I am finding that the kids are capable of a lot more than I've been assuming!

...In My Garden...
I am thinking of trying to convince the husband to try straw bale gardening. I am having a hard time choosing between that and raised beds. I think we might put in the raised beds, and then try the straw bale technique as a supplement... I don't know. Does anyone have experience with this?

...In Our Homeschooling...
The Girl has suddenly taken off with unschooling her science. I haven't been giving her assignments lately, but on her own she's made a frog life cycle chart, a 3D butterfly life cycle art project,etc. She's also decided that she'd love to study both frogs and dinosaurs (she loves those dinosaurs!) so I have put some documentaries on hold at the library for her, along with a book on frogs, and we're looking at a Coursera class on dinosaur paleobiology. She also wants to raise a few tadpoles! And The Boy is continuing this week with learning Scratch programming -- he's doing well so far in his online course. Both kids have math on their agendas, along with writing, and plenty of reading.

...Reading & Watching...
The Girl is continuing with Little House in the Big Woods, as well as The Secret History of Mermaids and The Secret History of Hobgoblins. She's also reading and memorizing Mother Goose rhymes, all on her own. I might try reading The Dragon in the Cliff to her, as part of her dinosaur studies/history. The Boy is still reading about Greek mythology and history in his vintage find, and is almost done with re-reading The Maze Runner. I'm reading aloud most days from An Everyday History of Somewhere as well, and we're still enjoying The Hobbit. As far as watching, The Girl loves any and all nature/animal documentaries, and The Boy has been searching out shows on automotive history. We're all avidly involved in the world of Downton Abbey.

...Bits & Pieces...
The Girl had her first derby bout of the season on Saturday. They lost, but the results are being questioned, as their competitors may have broken their contract for the game! She was in the first half of the game a lot, which was supposed to be positional, not contact, which is wasn't (something else they are reviewing). She got knocked down a few times, but always got back up! The second half of the game was brutal, so I was truthfully thankful she stayed on the bench for that.

Right in the middle of the pack!

The Boy and M enjoyed some mountain biking yesterday. We recently got The Boy a "new" bicycle from the local community bike shop, as he had outgrown his old one.

...On the Agenda...
A very busy week... too busy really. I have meetings today at work, so it is my long day of the month. Tomorrow, I drive my dad to his tax appointment, then Wednesday to his doctor. Thursday morning the kids and I are off to see some poetry being performed, and then Friday morning it is doctor appointment number 2 for my dad, followed by park day. And of course there is derby practice, fencing lessons, my class, etc. Aaaarggghhhh!

Have a good week!