Current Guilty Pleasure

Listening to/watching the Michael Jackson Trial......

DON"T JUDGE ME!!!!!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal 30/09/2011

In my life this week…

The beginning of my week did not start off well.   Normally I would have been extremely upset.  However, I focused on the Lord and was able to stay calm.  I really missed my daughter this week.  The rest of the week was pretty normal.

In our homeschool this week…

It was a straightforward week.  I did come to the conclusion that DS needs to concentrate more in Math.  So I've decided to increase the amount of hours we focus on Math and cut down on other subjects.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Unfortunately, we did not have a car this week, so we went nowhere.  Bummer....we missed the scheduled field trip Friday.

What’s working for us…

Starting our day later.  Originally, I had planned for our school day to start at 8:30 am.  We  have been starting between 9 - 9:30 am this week and have been doing well.

I’m reading…

"The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" ...slowly.

I’m cooking…
Nothing special this week, but do plan on making some Sweet Potato Muffins this weekend. Great for breakfast.


I’m praying for…

The family of the 11yr. old boy who was abducted and killed recently.  It has showed our nation that we must be proactive in matters of missing children.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share… 

“ Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your children. ”
— Lilliam Holstein

Drawing Fun

I found this site named Drawing How To Draw that gives step by step instructions for drawing your favourite animated characters.

Phineas of "Phineas and Ferb" (mine).  Timmy of "Fairly Odd Parents" is by my son Damon.

The site also has lessons on Art Principles, Landscapes, Mediums and Methods. There is an option to draw online and you can also participate in drawing contests. It's an extensive site.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

In my life this week…

My week started with me wondering where the weekend had gone and ended with me wondering why the week had gone by so quickly. 

In our homeschool this week…

Science was fun this week as we focused on atoms bonding to make molecules.  I found some great videos on youtube and our experiment included using marshmallows.  I ate too many marshmallows. :-(

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Met with a great group of homeschoolers to start the school year off and got to see familiar and new faces. 

What’s not working for us…

I tried using an online language Arts Curriculum that was literature based and realized that it wasn’t working for us. I prefer straightforward topics, not Unit Studies.

Things I'm working on…

Using the planner that I made up. I still don’t write anything down on paper, and “It’s all in my head” thing isn’t working.

I’m reading…

Nothing at the moment…but "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" movie (click to see trailer) is coming out soon.  I got the trilogy for Christmas and haven’t gotten past Chapter 1.

I’m grateful for…

My husband who has started to pitch in with the dishes. Now that our official dishwasher (teenage daughter) has gone off to college, we share the responsibility. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share… 

 Link to Free Dolphin Tale Curriculum

Free Dolphin Tale Curriculum

The Homeschool Movie Club  is an awesome site I just discovered today!  They offer curricula based on a few popular children's movies. What a great way to integrate fun and learning.


Go to their site today and download the Dolphin Tale Curriculum for free!  Kids from Elementary to High School can use it. They also have other links to great information about dolphins; and the actual dolphin the movie is based on. You do have to register with the website, but it's free.  
I plan to take my son to see the movie first, then work with the curriculum.  Enjoy!

Keep Your Compliments Kid

Beyonce @ the VMA's

Mummy, you look just like Beyonce........now that she's pregnant.  


Go away kid.  You gave me this pooch.

I Lost My Mojo!!!

I'm known as "The Queen of Pancakes" in this house. Everyone eagerly anticipates my pancakes on Saturday mornings with excitement.  I could make plain, banana, blueberry, oatmeal....anything.  They were always delicious and satisfying.


Then I passed on my recipe...to my husband.  I was away from home helping my daughter settle in for college, and the little one asked for pancakes.  I sent my husband the recipe.  It was his first time ever in his 40+ years on this earth that he ever made pancakes...ever!!  They were a hit.  Such a hit that the little one said that I MUST taste Daddy's pancakes.  He raved and raved.


I came home and the little one continued to rave about these pancakes that my husband made ONCE in his life. "Oh Mummy, let Daddy make the pancakes!"  But I told him that I would like to cook for him since I'm home now.  I got back into the kitchen, prepared my recipe, lit the stove and proceeded to make my pancakes.  


They were "eh".


I didn't understand.  Why weren't they light and fluffy? Why do they look like flat discs?  I assumed that I didn't put in enough baking powder.   They were edible, but they weren't "Mine".
The next weekend, I offer to make pancakes again, determined to do better than the previous weekend. Again, I prepared, lit and proceeded to make my pancakes. And again, they weren't light and fluffy but flat.  Too little baking powder, that has to be it! I decided to mix another batch, this time with more baking powder.  


And again, Flat. Not only flat, but flat and heavy!
WTH! Why?!! I am the Queen of Pancakes!


Pancakes were MY thing. Now the kid only wants pancakes from Daddy (ugghh). I have come to the conclusion that I have lost my Pancake Mojo. 
I understand now why some people don't like sharing recipes.  Once you share them, you lose everything that made it special.  These were my special pancakes and now they're gone.

Birthday

I am feeling reflective and grateful, sitting on a couch more than 2,000 miles away from home thinking,"Who knew I'd be here welcoming my 37th birthday?" The answer quickly came to me:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."  Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

"13For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

15My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be." Psalms 139:13-16 NIV