Tag Archive | Abundant Harvest

Consistency

September 6-7

Is definitely something we are striving for… and a work in progress. Thursday did not really go as planned. I was last one up since Ken was able to watch the kids in the morning and I have not been getting lots of sleep… but they did NOT do their school work in the meantime. The code Ken needs to complete his job application and move onto the next stage is a HUGE priority of course… and the week has been a heavy on the study so far anyway.

Once I was up and going it was crack down time on the schooling and we got results. Another completion on the review books – this time Gavin finished HIS math book! That moves us back to our Grade 2 level comprehensive. With it being a CANADIAN version I do have to get my hands on some good American money and measurement (oh, and temperature ugh come on Metric I love you so!) worksheets. After all, we have to learn BOTH systems now.

So proud!

With our first week of school for the year in our new state and home we had to make our own school house! I love the Activity Village site! I am sure most people have noticed a lot of my print outs are from their site… you can find the instructions for our school house HERE. We altered it slightly by having each of the windows, door and bell have one of the 4 schooling age kids’ personal pictures. Then all 4 of them decorated the background around the school. It was great fun! Ken and I just cut out the shapes in advance to make it a simple project.

Working together

All done!

And the check marks keep coming! The twins are trying their best to read that book solo and Emanuel and Trinity jump to do their tasks each morning. I am hoping the momentum continues.

The kids and I all headed outside in the afternoon once Ken had left to look at computers at his brother’s work (seriously time worked against us… and then add in the weather…) to enjoy what sunlight there was… and to get sprinkled on! Echo was adorable going OW and then rubbing the spots that she got rained on and smiling.

Rain

It wasn’t too bad for us to be in the front yard but I chose not to trust a walk. Which was a good call as once Ken got home it rained outright! But Gavin revamped his wooden structure into what he and Emanuel called a squirrel tee pee, but only until winter when it would leave and only while said squirrel was NOT out hunting for nuts.

Squirrel tee pee

Friday was a baking day for the kids. Everyone was a little burned out from the week at home and Ken had his tour of the company he has had his interview and test code with in the afternoon. Add to that windy weather and Echo NOT sleeping the night before and nothing lined up for us doing any sort of walk. So, why not make cookies and corn muffins? Ken’s mom had bought package mixes of a couple types of cookies so we chose the molasses package to make our cookies.

Molasses Cookies

The boys and Emanuel helped read the packaging (words for the boys and the pictures for Emanuel)… they helped me figure out the temperature for the oven and then counted with me as we set it. Each of the kids did some stirring and then left me to put the cookies on the tray and into the oven.

Mixing

So of course we had to put it into our observational journal… each of the steps and then worked on words to explain them. I was so proud of how WILLING they were to do it!

Watching the baking

All done

The corn muffins worked out well as well with the kids’ help. Though next time we get it I want to get some cupcake papers as well. This box came with our handmade bags from the Abundant Harvest event. I have actually started saving all the little boxes and plastic containers food come in, sealing them up and starting a collection for Trinity to start a new kitchen set. We will have to purchase the actual stove, fridge, etc combo later but I can start building up her food collection and the muffin box was PERFECT!! On top of that I also saved a Rice-a-Roni and a Jell-o box. Great start!!

Muffins

Our weekend is looking like we will keep busy, we have not yet chosen a church but with Ken’s intense focus on job hunting and getting us settled here it looks like it could be the rest of the month before that decision is made. That is ok, we are working step by step to figure out our life here in Minnesota and it is a little difficult when we KNOW we will not be staying here long term.

With our coloured rules

The crocheting is going on… and on and on. I am seeing the end of my scarf and debating a fringe… and planning on trying combining different rows of stitches and hoping for the best! I am enjoying it!

My first “real” project, though without a pattern

So our first week back and our first real week in Minnesota was a success in my mind! We will get the forms sent out next week and be officially in the system and go from there… in the meantime, I am just going to keep on going and trying and doing!

NOMS

Long Weekend-ish

Sep3

The brilliant part about homeschooling is the ability to take on or not take on a long weekend. In this case we decided to forego the Labour Day weekend and start our school year officially on the 3rd. But first… Sunday…

After the excitement of the Abundant Harvest and our exploration of the grounds in front of the Walker museum there was a lot to accomplish here at home. I am still attempting my homeschool organization with limited space for stuff to actually stay out. Our corner with Grandpa’s desk is completed, laptop and netbook and all. I am quite happy with the corner that we have set up. Now the boys can have their time there and do a little bit of fun time on the computer. After all, now that we are in the US we can actually properly use PBSkids.org.

Corner!

We did take some time out to run errands. Target for school supplies (gotta replace those pens with the spirograph) and dental supplies (where does that toothpaste go?) and then to Home Depot to attempt to replace a broken wheel on Ken’s desk chair. Apparently Staples chairs are not a simple match and instead we got our non soil stuff for the herb garden AND some new duct tape for under 4.00… now to have TIME to work on it!

That left the rest of the day for naps (Echo) and playing (the rest) and for yours truly to take the yarn in the house and take it from skeins to balls. I definitely do not want to have knots to deal with when I do eventually get good enough for more complicated projects. And there IS something lovely about a stack of tidy ball of yarn put away.

Boys up a tree… can you see both?

I am so glad that the kids are starting to realize that doing school together full force is not only necessary but could be fun too. They are getting excited about working on their observation journals. I think our herb garden will help as well… and then there is the Wonder Box on its way and Emanuel’s surprise. I am getting excited about all of this as well. I have started my own journal, well sort of. At Target I picked up a cheap scribbler to record what I think we will get done each day, to plan a day or two ahead (after the first week’s trial go) and to have visible progression for myself. That way I can alter lists, carry on things that we don’t get to… make notes. There is something absolutely wonderful about writing stuff down to me.

Waiting for their mail

Sunday night was prep night. So Ken and I assembled the banner the kids had previously coloured and cut out… you can find it HERE. And of course printed out our back to school booklet (sadly I cannot find an active link for the file I use).

Our banner

So our first day of the “new” school year and our first school year down in Minnesota… how mean are we to skip the long weekend? The best way to start… colouring our interpretation of the signs I have seen all over the internet for the first day pictures. I made up one for each of the 3 little kids (I especially like Echo’s) and then one for the twins to share… handed the kids crayons and said GO NUTS! I love personalizing things!

Colouring the signs!

Finished sheets!

With them all dressed and hair brushed it was time to go into the front yard and take some photos. Echo was determined to include the baby doll, stroller AND her paper!

Our girls

1st Grade

3rd!

After that, back inside for breakfast and then time with Daddy finishing the Mars book while I snuck in my bath. They discussed how massive the sun must be and the colours things are… lots of gluing and chatter and best of all – time with their Daddy!

Gavin’s Mars Rover!

We had each of the kids draw a picture with something they would like to learn about this year… we have to add in cats, platypuses and of course Emanuel’s favourite… DINOSAURS! I think we can work on ALL of those over the year! And then, of course, there was the books for the 3 boys… I love this booklet, it includes a goal for the year, things about them… the family… I hope we can do these EACH year!

Finished!

With lunch approaching and a beautiful day outside we put Echo down for her nap and took the rest outside to start our indoor herb garden! We all helped! I am REALLY hoping this thing grows!!!! We have to water it every second day so I had Ken print out a September calendar page and have marked it with a W for the days to water.

Herb garden

Add in some extra pictures, a room to clean (and 5 min to lose each boy from their computer time for the day for not doing it nicely) and of course that much wished for computer time… I think we did rather well! And we ENDED our day with popcorn and watching the Labour Day Marathon on Animal Planet – Call of the Wildman.

Popcorn and tv

Yours truly has been busy winding yarn onto balls, working on her… crochet… thing… and hunting for further how to steps… Ok I think I may need a person to show me, (hint hint Shandai) but I have joined Ravelry (as Ayjah) and started doing some YouTube vid hunting (did you know that the UK has different names for stitches!!!)… progress and increased difficulty will be accomplished… eventually!