In My Life This Week
::sniffle:: ::sneeze:: Cold? Seasonal allergies? Not so sure, but I AM sure that I'm going through an awful lot of tissues. It's not slowing down this Mama though!
This week I focused on WORK ETHICS with the kids. I'll admit that I'm not the most consistent with discipline, but there are some things that need to be learned and learned well. Oftentimes I find myself redoing chores that the kids are responsible for because they're poorly done. Do you find sometimes that it's just easier to do it yourself? It doesn't instill GOOD WORK ETHICS in kids though. We had some LONG, LONG days of redoing chores to completion - *I'm* exhausted! - but I think they get it. I hope!
This week I focused on WORK ETHICS with the kids. I'll admit that I'm not the most consistent with discipline, but there are some things that need to be learned and learned well. Oftentimes I find myself redoing chores that the kids are responsible for because they're poorly done. Do you find sometimes that it's just easier to do it yourself? It doesn't instill GOOD WORK ETHICS in kids though. We had some LONG, LONG days of redoing chores to completion - *I'm* exhausted! - but I think they get it. I hope!
Things I Worked On
✶ Cleaned Baby Pine Trees Out of the Rain Gutter ✶ Replaced Broken Light Bulbs ✶ Dug up Potatoes ✶ Tried to Fix the Motion Sensor Lights ✶ Words with Friends ✶
We're Cooking
MORE apple crisp? I tweaked totally changed up the Barefoot Contessa recipe found here because it seemed like way too much work for apple crisp. All those ingredients! Lemon AND orange zest? And way too much sugar! Our recipe only has 2/3 c and we didn't miss the other 1 1/3 c!
Apple Crisp
Slice, core and peel apples to fill a non-stick sprayed 13x9 baking dish
Combine (with hands):
1 c flour
1/3 c white sugar
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 c quick oats
1 softened stick of butter
dash or two of cinnamon
another dash of nutmeg
Sprinkle on top of the apples and gently pat down. Cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until apples are soft and bubbly. Serve warm or cold.
Oops! I forgot to take a photo.
Oops! I forgot to take a photo.
High School Happenings
What went on at the STEM school? Measured acceleration of an object due to gravity using formulas. Learned to chart information in different ways. Spoke and wrote Chinese. (I'm thinking he should JUST write Chinese characters because it's MUCH neater than his English penmanship.) Pendulums. Designed an on-line portfolio blog logo. Worked on a photojournalism project. Played Tic Tac Ten. Worked on interviewing someone important in the community (which he recorded on his cell phone).
What went on at the STEM school? Measured acceleration of an object due to gravity using formulas. Learned to chart information in different ways. Spoke and wrote Chinese. (I'm thinking he should JUST write Chinese characters because it's MUCH neater than his English penmanship.) Pendulums. Designed an on-line portfolio blog logo. Worked on a photojournalism project. Played Tic Tac Ten. Worked on interviewing someone important in the community (which he recorded on his cell phone).
Homechool Happenings
Cati learned about Punnett Squares in Life Science this week, and dominant and recessive alleles, and phenotypes and genotypes. Do you remember those squares with upper- and lowercase letter combinations to explain why someone has brown or blue eyes? (If the rolling of her eyes are any indication, Genetics and Heredity aren't her favorite parts of Life Science.) Using blue and white dice, she completed a multi-step Skill Lab over the course of the week to learn about allele combinations, creating her own Punnett Squares.
Sam didn't complete this lab with her. His focus was on Biomes, particularly the tundra and desert. Some concepts he just isn't ready for.
But he did create a castle on Minecraft. I finished reading aloud the Knights and Castles research guide that goes with The Knight at Dawn Magic Tree House book. (It's amazing how much reading gets accomplished sitting in the van during Cati's band practices.) He finds the Middle Ages interesting, and that interest makes for some meaningful learning.
Next week he's working on a VIDEO PROJECT over Knights and Castles that I hope to share with you. Cross your fingers that I can figure out how to record it with Cati's camera!
I'm not sure if I will continue the NROC U.S. History with the kids. There's nothing specifically wrong with it, but I don't feel Cati and Sam are gaining enough knowledge from the lessons. Perhaps we'll switch to "America: The Story of Us" and "How the States Got Their Shapes" for a while. We need some "life" in our history!
Cati learned about Punnett Squares in Life Science this week, and dominant and recessive alleles, and phenotypes and genotypes. Do you remember those squares with upper- and lowercase letter combinations to explain why someone has brown or blue eyes? (If the rolling of her eyes are any indication, Genetics and Heredity aren't her favorite parts of Life Science.) Using blue and white dice, she completed a multi-step Skill Lab over the course of the week to learn about allele combinations, creating her own Punnett Squares.
Sam didn't complete this lab with her. His focus was on Biomes, particularly the tundra and desert. Some concepts he just isn't ready for.
But he did create a castle on Minecraft. I finished reading aloud the Knights and Castles research guide that goes with The Knight at Dawn Magic Tree House book. (It's amazing how much reading gets accomplished sitting in the van during Cati's band practices.) He finds the Middle Ages interesting, and that interest makes for some meaningful learning.
Next week he's working on a VIDEO PROJECT over Knights and Castles that I hope to share with you. Cross your fingers that I can figure out how to record it with Cati's camera!
I'm not sure if I will continue the NROC U.S. History with the kids. There's nothing specifically wrong with it, but I don't feel Cati and Sam are gaining enough knowledge from the lessons. Perhaps we'll switch to "America: The Story of Us" and "How the States Got Their Shapes" for a while. We need some "life" in our history!
Highlights
✶ The Throne of Fire (Riordan) (C) & The Knight at Dawn (Pope Osborne) (S)
✶ Daily Grammar - Prepositions (C)
✶ Easy Grammar - Days 13-16 (C) & Days 13-18 (S)
✶ Poetry Unit Study - Haiku & Tanka (C)
✶ Spelling Power - List 19 (C) & List 9 (S)
✶ Saxon - Lessons 27-29 (C) & Math-U-See - Test 9, Lesson 10A-D (S)
✶ Life Science - Chapter 3: Genetics/Heredity (C) & Chapter 7: Tundra and Deserts (S)
✶ NROC U.S. History: Lesson 16-17
✶ Extras: Biking, Hiking, Kayaking, Cooking Meals, Animal Care
People and Places
✶ Drive-in Movies (C/S) ✶ Boy Scout Camping & Kayaking (J) ✶ Girl Scout Bake Sale (C/Mom) ✶ Cub Scout Popcorn Sale (S/Mom) ✶ Jazz & Concert Band (C) ✶ Cub/Boy Scouts (J/S) ✶ Open House (J/Mom) ✶ T__ Lake ✶
Our Favorite Thing
Wonderful warm weather! So, we loaded up the kayaks, packed up a lunch and headed to the lake for some paddling. It won't be long before paddles are replaced with shovels!
We saw a pair of Great Blue Herons up-close. The herons kept flying over our heads as we paddled through the shallow inlets. I didn't have my dSLR with me. As the family member voted most likely to flip a kayak, the camera is safer on-shore. :wink: But this photo I snagged on-line.
We saw a pair of Great Blue Herons up-close. The herons kept flying over our heads as we paddled through the shallow inlets. I didn't have my dSLR with me. As the family member voted most likely to flip a kayak, the camera is safer on-shore. :wink: But this photo I snagged on-line.
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| Please note copywrite. Photo by Coleta Air & Space Museum |
Something to Share
As ALWAYS, linking up to these WONDERFUL blogs:
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What a fun time on the water. Great shots! Love apple crisp! I am totally pickin up what ya laying down when it comes to the kids and chores. I try to do the right thing and let them do it but. Always end up tweaking their chores anyway Enjoy the weekend and atop sneezing will ya!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think the kids are "crisped" out because some of this one is going to the hens today. We'll have to try something else with all these apples! LOL
DeleteWhat gorgeous photos. What fun learning is going on, and lots of time out of the house with fun activities. You are enjoying Fall, too. How DO you balance everything?
ReplyDeleteWell, you haven't seen the house? Something has to go! LOL I'll get to the laundry today!
DeleteHey Jessy, thanks for stopping by my blog. We did pack a lot of stuff but not IN a WEEK, but in a month. What you saw was my MONTHLY learning log for the month of September.
ReplyDeleteFun things you are doing with your kids. We are enjoying America the Story of Us too. We are watching lots of videos on the Irish Immigration on YOuTube. There is so much information out there. Have a great weekend. :)
Phew! LOL Either way, a lot of learning! Good idea about searching through You Tube for more specific periods of time. I think I will do that as well. We finished "Rebels" today, covering Jamestown, Pocohontas, Pilgrims, up to the Revolutionary War.
DeleteGiggling about the neater Chinese characters :-) We're doing some US history ourselves, but we move through things at the speed of a snail, so I can't give any good advice!
ReplyDeleteSlow isn't always a bad thing! You can to delve into a person or event or place until it's learned thoroughly!
DeleteSo cool that you were in the water at the end of September in Maine! Your apple crisp recipe looks good! I just need more apples... Next week when my weekly budget starts again - apples!! We went through the last ones too fast! Hope your popcorn booth went well. My son and I sold last weekend and will again in a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteStart of October! LOL Remember last year we had 6 inches of snow the day before Halloween? I hope there's not a repeat. I'm happy with snow for CHRISTMAS! LOL
DeleteI chuckled at your comment about tweaking the recipe. I seem to do that with most recipe. I love your fall photos.
ReplyDeleteI often find myself tweaking to make them a little healthier. Sugar is one of those things that can be changed in some recipes, especially with fruit. I just made a blueberry "cake", replacing the butter with non-fat Greek yogurt and sprinkling oats on top, making it more a breakfast thing.
DeleteI love the kayaking pictures. What a wonderful week you all had.
ReplyDeleteblessings, Dawn
What a great week you had!
ReplyDeleteAnd that apple crisp. Thanks for the recipe.
Oh and I totally agree. I used to go behind my child and do.
Now I call him in and he re-does. It is hard, but it is a lesson he has to learn!
Blessings,
Emily
Looks like a great week. I love your photos at the lake, especially the trees reflected. I used to love Punnett Squares at school but I've never heard that name for them - thanks for the education :-)
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a wonderful weekend.
I didn't remember the name either, but I'm relearning too!
DeleteHi Jessy - I'm new to your blog (discovered via Friday Collage) and am delighted to see we have kiddos with similar interests. My kids are learning Mandarin Chinese and my youngest is fascinated with knights (specifically King Arthur). You have a new follower! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope your cold / allergies are doing better and don't drag you down this weekend. That's a beautiful picture from the lake. It seems so serene where you live; none of the bustle that we have here. Sounds like another busy week for you all. I hope everything continues to go well.
ReplyDeleteIt can be very slow, quiet and calm here, Christy! Love that! We're not city-folk.
DeleteHi! I just found my way here from the LetsHomeschoolHighSchool blog roll. Great pictures here! My teen daughter just bought a Kayak and she loves it! My husband and I are so eager to try it, but haven't had a chance. Maybe once the novelty wears out, we'll get the chance to use it. haha. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree on teaching the kids good work ethic. My husband has great work ethic. He gives his all to his job, to the company he works for. And I see it in my older children. Honestly, they weren't like that at home when they were younger, no matter how much we tried to teach them...like keeping their room clean. But at work and in their own homes now (the adult kids), the adult kids are very dedicated to their jobs, good work ethic, and their homes are very neat and clean. :)
Ahh! I missed this post. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all the wonderful things you document with your photography. It's awesome. The kayaking looks great.
My oldest is studying Punnett squares as well. She's in Apologia Biology. She hates Biology and can't seem to wait for the dissecting to begin. Hah! We have had specimens in our cupboard for over a year. Maybe I need to have them pulled out for her and let her skip ahead?
Hey again! I wanted to say there are a lot of occasions we can cut back on sugar and not miss it. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe, but boooo to not taking a picture. HAH!
DeleteAlso, I want to ask if you have ever had a duck lay more than one egg a day. We are experiencing duck egg overload with five ducks. There have been several days with 7 eggs and we only have five ducks!
Very doubtful! Could you have missed eggs the day before? They often bury them under bedding which is disturbed as more eggs are laid. The only way I could see it happening is laying VERY early in the day, like during the night, and then again very late the next day. It takes an egg about 24 hours to go through the "cycle" inside the duck. Now, since they are young, their systems may be out-of-whack. It's not unhurt of, but rare.
DeleteI hope your sniffles go away soon! I've always found genetics and Punnett squares fascinating! We have unit study called, Fun With Gene and it is very interesting! Wish I could have joined you all on your beautiful kayaking adventure.
ReplyDelete