My Homeschool Mother's Journal: December 6

Life right now...

We don't have our Christmas decorations up yet.  I haven't decided on Christmas cards, so they aren't even ordered or anything.  I'm feeling very behind this year.  I at least wrapped all our Christmas books so the boys could open one a day.  I had great plans to do some other advent activities, but I am just feeling overwhelmed with it all.  I love Christmas, but I feel like I've gotten off on the wrong foot this year.  Hopefully that will change as we get more into the month.

The basket of wrapped books.  It is short 4 books.  I need to go check some out from the library to finish.

In our homeschool this week...

I finally decided to get Sonlight science B for my Kinder and 2nd grader, and that was waiting for us when we came back from our GWL trip.  So far we've explored the books, and completed day 1.  I am looking forward to this curriculum, and using it as a springboard for other studies.  It is going to help give us direction in our science, and help give me a little dose of what Sonlight has to offer.

She decided on a big tri-fold display board instead of a power point presentation.  I'm glad because she can do more on her own this way.  I think it would be great for her to learn how to do a power point soon though!

This is when she was just starting.  She has a lot inside now.  I'll get a picture later.

April has been working on her Elizabethan era presentation for her Shakespeare class.  She presents next week on the last day of co-op, and her topic is Elizabethan food and dining customs.  She has been doing great about gathering all the information, and preparing her visual aid all by herself.  I love that she is so independent now!  Also, she has completed 16 of her 17 watched, read or listened to Shakespeare plays.  She'll finish #17 before next week, and she'll be crowned a queen.  She made it!  That means she gets to eat the food of the royalty at the holiday feast next week. 

Helpful homeschooling tip...

If there is any hint of snow outside, you might be better off just calling it a snow day.   Especially if you have little boys (or girls) who just want to go outside and see if they can catch a snowflake on their tongue.  It's hard to focus with that excitement :-)

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

The big place we went to this week was Great Wolf Lodge on Monday, and we came back Tuesday.  It was great fun, and super hard coming back to get back into school and life on Wednesday.  Luckily on Wednesday we had co-op so we didn't have to have to try and start with a full day of school.  Thursday was swim lessons, playing at homeschool friend's house, and getting tires rotated at Costco.  Phew!  By this point, I was ready to be home, and not go anywhere else.  Thankfully it was partially snowing on Friday morning so things that we had planned to go to that morning were cancelled.  So, we finally had a day at home.  Then Friday night we had a church Christmas party that we went to as a family.

My favorite thing this week was...

Great Wolf Lodge (pictures part 2, part 1 here)

This is the 2nd time we were on the 6th floor.  But, this time we got a room with the bunk beds.  The kids were so excited.

This picture cracks me up.  April is a little grumpy here.  She wanted to claim the top bunk, but we decided that since she gets the top bunk in the trailer that it would be fair to let someone else have a turn.

Aric loved his little window.

Aaron finally gets a turn on the top bunk!  I'm so glad the other 2 little ones didn't care.

Now a different kid is grumpy!  I think it was time for dinner!

The lodge was so pretty, especially when it was dark outside.

Alex wanted me to feed the machines so he could play.  I'm glad he never noticed that I didn't :-)

April liked having a little place to put her books.

Our bedtime snack (and breakfast the next day).

Yumm!!

All decked out to play ShadowQuest before bed.

The sunrise in the morning.

Things I'm working on...

Organizing and getting things moved around so we can get our Christmas tree down.  I started last weekend, but didn't finish.  We have to get rid of a dresser in this process, and so I have to clear all the junk off and out of it. 

I'm grateful for...

Saturday morning muffins.  The weekend.  Fun family memories.  Unexpected birthday cards in the mail.

A photo to share...

The only pictures I took at Thanksgiving dinner

Dad's place setting...

That about wraps up our week!  I hope you had a good one too!

I'm linking up with The Homeschool Mother's Journal.

Desiree