Sundries...

...Some random notes for Wednesday...

The Boy started studying physics again, this time through Khan Academy. So, inspired, I went ahead and had him add me as a coach, then I added The Girl in there too, so I can have her work on math and science through the site.

If you haven't checked it out, Khan Academy is FANTASTIC! I use it regularly with the two girls I tutor, and am hoping to make far better use of it with my own kids.

M and I put the Duolingo app on our phones, so we can start learning Spanish. I know some, and can understand a lot more than I can speak, but there's a lot left to learn!

Learning is, and should be, a lifelong process, as far as I am concerned.

image courtesy of patheos.com

I took the CBEST yesterday. Thankfully, I never will have to take it again! Anyone in California who wants to teach has to take it at some point though. One more hurdle out of the way! I got my math and reading scores right away, and those are just fine. I'll get the essay results in another week and a half. I've applied for a few positions teaching English in the fall, but haven't heard anything back... yet. Some of our districts are notoriously slow to hire.

The Boy is teaching The Girl his newly-accomplished parkour skills. She loves spending the time with him, and they're being active. It's a win-win situation! I've also been taking both of them roller skating once a week, when the rink has its $2 days. And when they are at my mom's, the often take the basketball down to the local park to shoot some hoops.

As for my own physical activity, I've recently begun working on running. Right now, I go back and forth between a fast walk, and a relatively slow jog. But, my distance is increasing regularly, and I'm really enjoying it, much to my own surprise!

A Wind in the Door hooked both kids in right away. We're actually reading most of the books from our Afternoon Basket! And we've been doing math and language arts regularly!

M found a dead butterfly that I think we'll be checking out with our jeweler's loupes. I'm thumbing through The Private Eye, and need to get some sketchbooks!

This Saturday, The Girl and I have our last puppy petting session for a month and a half. This litter will be moving on, now that they are bigger and have mastered basic commands, and the new litter isn't due until early-mid May. We'll get to meet them around the two-three week mark.

Just for fun, here is what happens when the kids get a hold of my phone while I'm driving them around...

Hope your week is going well!

Monday Musings... A Weekend Hike & More...

Yesterday, we added another name to our list of local mountain peaks conquered... Mount Tamalpais. Tamalpais, by the way is a combination of Coast Miwok words, meaning "coast [or sea] mountain". And I believe we have one Miwok ancestor, so visiting what was once theirs is an interesting experience. 

We ended up hiking just over 7 miles during the afternoon, and of course, I took plenty of pictures, as did the kids!

On top of the world

Photographing wildflowers

The view

Above the fog

Amazing views that stretch out seemingly forever

After the fog cleared

Wildflowers 1

Wildflowers 2

Wildflowers 3 (and more)

It was beautiful weather, and we could see so much from the top—San Francisco, the East Bay, bridges, the ocean, lakes, boats, the clouds... We enjoyed a picnic at the top, and spent the rest of the afternoon exploring.

...On the Agenda This Week...

Math, of course

Language Arts: 4 spelling lessons for The Girl (all review work); the beginnings of an expository essay for The Boy

Reading, to include the book on the Romanovs, and A Wrinkle in Time (no, we haven't quite finished it yet)

Then, I am trying to decide between a couple of books... either The Plant Hunters: True Stories of Their Daring Adenvtures to the Far Corners of the Earth, or Frost Hollows & Other Microclimates. The Boy was commenting a lot yesterday on all the microclimates he noticed during the hike, so that one might be good. 

The Girl and I plan to work on identifying all the wildflowers we found, hence all the pictures. We know a few already, but there are some we're not sure about.

More Downton Abbey, naturally. We're in season three now!

Parkour (The Boy); derby (The Girl); roller skating for both (recreational); workouts for me, including a karate class.

We're also getting this book this week, and I already got these supplies to go with it (thanks, Erin!). I'm going to pick up a spiral-bound sketchbook for each of us too.

...Around the Home, Garden, & Kitchen...

The front yard, and backyard, look so much better with all the crazy-tall grass cut down! This week, I'm hoping we can move the Spanish lavender we had planned to move last week. My hyacinth beans, a gift from a friend, are coming up nicely—I'm hoping in time they will cover the chain link fence. My artichoke plants are ginormous, and have already given me two very tasty artichokes. The apple and cherry tree have bloomed, and there are the beginnings of tiny green cherries already!

I've decided against Monday as a slow-cooker day, because I'm gone for too long—the food overcooks. Instead, it is quick, pre-prepared foods on Mondays (like stir fry, which I can prep the night before!), or tonight's chicken burgers (again, prepped and waiting in the fridge). Wednesdays, when I can stop at home briefly on my lunch break, are better crockpot days.

And we're going to try to finish reorganizing and rearranging the family room this week.

...Random Thoughts...

Years ago, I purchased the book for Mapping the World With Art. I think it might be fun to break it out once a week, and draw the maps in a sketchbook. Maybe do some of the activities too. The Girl has been playing more of her virus game and is learning some geography, but since both enjoy drawing, making their own geography books might be fun!

And I've decided, since we primarily learn history and science through interest-led activities and readings, that I won't wait for "next year" (fall) to start things, like the map book. Strike while the iron is hot! There's my new motto for you.

Have a great week, and happy trails ahead!

Monday Musings... Pi and Einstein...

First of all, Happy Pi Day!

I'm not sure if we'll actually get around to eating pie today or not, but perhaps so!

It is also this guy's birthday!

The Boy and I have been talking about him a lot lately, with all the news on gravitational waves fascinating both of us.

...What We've Been Up To...

Watching Downton Abbey

Reading more about the Romanovs

Catching up on a couple of episodes of Once Upon a Time

Watching the skies pour down on us daily (though there's a several day break in the rain this week!)

Working [somewhat] diligently on math, which is going well

Going through clothes, as the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up suggests, though, no, we aren't doing it all in one fell swoop!

Talking to the Boy about The Big History Project (with an emphasis on science) for fall, and writing a research essay for now

Looking at new volunteer opportunities for The Girl, now that she's THIRTEEN!

Cooking bake sale goods with The Girl for derby, and then watching her chat with a boy all evening while helping out at the bake sale table!

The Boy also tried a parkour class last week, as he's a little burnt out on fencing -- he loved the parkour class, and will be taking it weekly. Best of all, it is during derby practice, and only two minutes away!

I lost another 2.6 pounds

...Plans for the Week...

More math

The beginning work on a research essay

Ordering a new spelling program for The Girl (I'm really tempted by Spelling Workout, and I think she could move through a couple of the lower books pretty quickly, though her spelling is fairly dreadful) 

Looking ahead to next week, when I am off work and school for spring break

More cleaning and clothes sorting... we're getting there

I wear we will finish A Wrinkle in Time!

And there you have it. Nothing fancy, just going along.

Enjoy your Pi Day!