The Homeschool Mother's Journal - 4

In My Life This Week:

Not much happened this past week. Just plugging along with everything. I have an interview this upcoming Saturday for a position I was too "chicken" to apply for last year. As luck would have it, I have the rare opportunity again this year.

In Our Homeschool This Week:

We're done with a lot of the "formal" stuff we are doing for the year, and focusing on a lot of interest-lead topics now. Current interest, building bikes from parts.
I'm doing a lot of looking into for items in the fall, if we continue to homeschool. We are also looking into a private Christian school she wants to attend (where she also takes flute lessons and plays in their band already). Even if we homeschool, we may consider taking individual classes from there, if we choose. It really is a nice option to have.

My Favorite Thing This Week Was:

Getting a piano from freecycle! Sure, it's FAR from perfect, but it's perfect for the kids to bang on and we're considering lessons for them. We're all pretty excited about the piano.
The weather! Sure, we're had a couple of good storms this week, but it hasn't been the CONSTANT rain that Western NY has had for the last 6 week. Definitely looking forward to more blue skies then gray.

A Photo, Video, Link or Quote to Share:

She lost 2 teeth in 3 days!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Our Garden Challenge Update

Another Garden Challenge post!

Too bad NYS spring weather hasn't been as cooperative :( But, that's just 1 thing I've learned, it's no joke to say that in western NY don't really plan on planting outside until AFTER Memorial Day (today). But considering I'm generally a black thumb, the fact I have anything surviving 2 months after I started seeds, is amazing! We are learning so much about growing this year!

So here are the tomato plants we have left. I gave 1/2 to my in-laws, and some are growing stronger then others, so this week we'll be planting the 3 strongest tomato plants in a planter outside. I'm not sure what we'll do about the basil and parsley (the smaller containers in the upper right). The small container in the upper left is my oldest tomato plants.

I know my husband is looking forward to these cherry tomatoes, they'll be in a nice pasta salad no doubt once we have some to pick!

We also planted a lilac bush outside this weekend. It wont be ready for another year or 2, but for now, we have it in the dirt at least!

I need to mulch around the lilac, but for now the kids have started a stone surround it (from rocks we mostly found digging up the spot we planted the bush). this is right outback next to our door, so it will be lovely to smell in and out (and in the kitchen), when it finally blooms.

We are also going to start some pumpkin seeds this week for the fall. A friend has invited us to start and grow pumpkins at her mother's. The kids are going to have a blast growing their own pumpkins this year!

So there is what we have growing! It's not as much as we had hoped for this year. Because of needing to do some roof repairs later this summer, we can't build our garden box, as debris from the roof would ruin it in a micro second. But, if we have some success with what we grow next year, we can look forward to growing more next year!

Menu Planning Monday - May 30th

So, another week, another menu. We're getting close to the end of the public school year, so soon I'll be planning all meals out for the summer (it helps, really, so that kids know what NOT to sneak off with if they want their meals!). I'll likely include a snack list as well. We also seem to be keeping our 2 predictable evenings, Wednesday nights for pasta, Saturday nights for pizza. I grew up with this pattern too, I didn't realize it until a couple nights ago! Hoping once bell choir is done until fall, we can break that habit up a bit more.

And as par for course, it's proving to be a very busy end to the school year, and start of summer. We have something almost every day and/or evening, and next Saturday I'm not sure I'll be home until dinner time! It's a crazy, but good, thing :)

And today is Memorial Day, so I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday, and for those with family members in the service (home or aboard), thank you and them for their service to our country.


Monday: Steak and hot dogs on the grill, corn

Tuesday: Chef salad

Wednesday: Pasta night

Thursday: Chicken and rice

Friday: Breakfast

Saturday: Pizza night (not sure how we'll do this yet. But it's an on the go day, so MAYBE ordering in?)

Sunday: Pot Luck at a friends house (oh, what to MAKE?!?)

Make sure you pop over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas and links to other blog links!

Menu Planning Monday - May 23rd

Being extremely overwhelmed and stress these past few weeks, I took a blogging break, but am back again. Here is this weeks upcoming menu.

Monday - Kids' First Mac and Cheese (sans cracker crumbs, I forgot to buy 'em)

Tuesday - Perogies with peppers and onions

Wednesday - Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Thursday - Incredibly Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn

Friday - Chicken fajitas

Saturday - Pizza

Sunday - leftovers/fend-for-yourself night

Makes sure you go check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more info on menu planning and links to other blogs posting their menus!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - 3

In my life this week:

I've been REALLY overwhelmed the last couple of weeks, so I took a blogging break. It was nice, and I've missed it, so I'm back again!
and RAIN! It just doesn't seem to end. It's exhausting, in the least. Add on top, we were car-less for a few days, so it was a very muted week.

In our homeschool this week:

Still doing a very unschooling schedule around here. I am not sure I like it all that much, though I am sure my daughter does. There was learning (and benchmark math test for curriculum I'm considering in the fall), most of it was discussions of stuff i knew, in particular local historical sites and the significance in American history.

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

We did make it to the science museum 3 weeks ago, and really haven't gotten out and about since, except for church, band and errands/groceries. Hoping to fit in a zoo visit in the next couple of weeks (my PS kids have 6/10 off, and we're the only local school district that closed that day, might be perfect day to hit without a crowd). Elizabeth had a Girl Scouts overnight this weekend (no encampment this year), and Andrew is signed up for summer soccer (finally old enough!)

My favorite thing this week:

THE SUN! Ok, I know I talked about the rain above (like 30 days of rain out of the last 40 days), but the sun has been out the last 2 days, to the point I now am sunburnt from mowing yesterday!

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

Andrew, singing to Karaoke Revolution: Glee. He was pretty rockin'!!

Happy Homeschooling!!

{this moment}

{this moment} - Inspired by Soulemama.

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend!

For more moments, hop over to Soulemama!

{this moment}

{this moment} - Inspired by Soulemama.

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend!

For more moments, hope over to Soulemama!

Menu Planning Monday - May 2nd

Another week, another menu? It's getting hard to change things up. It's too warm for the cold weather meals, and too cold for the hot weather meals! Another busy week, of course, always is, right? This week not only do we have the normal bell choir practice for me, but our oldest has a band concert on Friday, and we'll be spending Saturday at my in-laws. Busy, but a good busy at least!

Monday - Slow-Roasted Rosemary-and-Garlic Chicken, potato wedges/mashed potatoes, steamed carrots

Tuesday - Out to Pizza hut for their dinner buffet (have coupon for 1/2 off 2nd adult, and it's kids eat free night!)

Wednesday - Pasta night

Thursday - (Cinco de Mayo) Chicken fajitas, chips and salsa, limeade

Friday - (Band concert night) Chicken and rice, steamed broccoli

Saturday - We'll not be home, visiting at the in-laws for the day.

Sunday - Mother's Day - I really don't know what we'll have, but I hope it's not me cooking and cleaning! Or at least not cleaning....

Makes sure you go check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more info on menu planning and links to other blogs posting their menus!