Today completes week 3 of our 2011/2012 homeschool year. It has been THE most hectic week so far and I quipped earlier this week it felt like we were running through Molasses in January. Everything took more effort and we saw fewer results for our work it seemed.
Today is a rainy day and it's a good day for reflection. Largely because I am tired and don't have the energy to get up and do anything that needs doing like vacuum the floor, start the apple pie, put laundry away, or even yet to activate the children to do the above chores. I'm sipping hot chocolate, filled with sugar and I'll pay for that later, feeling warm and content.
There have been so many activities and so much running around that the week feels like a blur. I'd have to refer to my calendar to remember what all we did. Every once in a while having a week packed like this week is a good thing because it helps me remember how much I loathe being this busy and remind me that while I'd like to be super mom, I'm not. I'm Sara. I'm the one who needs margin in the day to stay cheerful and margin in the week to refresh so I don't burn out.
Everything we did this week was GOOD. Some of it was very good and we enjoyed it. The girls and I are loving baking for the soup kitchen and are looking forward to sticking around next week to take the treats around. The people who are blessed by the soup kitchen have expressed an interest in getting to know us and we are looking forward to time to do the same. I've already booked Wednesday of next week as a non book school day. What kind of education do children gain from baking for people, serving them and then visiting with those same people? The kind you don't get in a classroom setting or even in a home if you just stay there!
The weather forecast was iffy for this week. In fact it called for rain but we decided it was still a good week for a food drive. God used this opportunity to show the girls a very vivid answer to prayer. The meteorologists called for rain. God held it back. Today when we picked up he held it back to the very minute we delivered the last of the food. WOW!! Awesome God! The girls broke into song singing that very one on our way to the food bank and haven't stopped talking all day about how cool it is that God held back the rain.
Swimming lessons are going well. They are fish. Hee hee. My oldest is so excited to be working towards her life guard license. It won't happen until she is 16 but she is loving the classes now. I can't imagine going to a two hour class for swimming but she is thriving with it. She can't wait to volunteer with swimming lessons. We do need to locate a swimsuit for dd2. I'm searching online for that.
This week was supposed to be a shorter week for me work wise but life happened and I worked an extra shift. I'm glad I was available to help out. I'm also glad today is a day off! The second one in a row although yesterday sure didn't feel like a day off!
OH! Our Science Co-Op! It went really well. The younger kids just played this time and the highlight of the day wasn't science but was the nerf gun fight after class. Kids! LOL The Science discussion with the kids was good and the experiment was interesting. I am looking forward to this group setting for learning and can't wait to see where God takes this.
That's about all for now. It's raining again, but there was sunshine when we needed it and I'm thankful for it!
Showing posts with label homeschool library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschool library. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Simply Amazing
Today was fabulously wonderful. I enjoyed it. Every single minute of it. Waking up to hearing happy sounds in the kitchen felt great. I snitched a piece of bacon before heading out the door to the final convention of the year for me. I know, I was spoiled this year getting to attend three! Today's is the one with the used books sale.
USED BOOK SALE of HOMESCHOOL BOOKS! Oh, the bliss! The curriculum. The novels. The joy of discovering just what you were hoping for and finding it's a price that fits the budget and makes you laugh. Sheer pleasure! Last year I was a seller. This year I was a buyer. I enjoy both, but I think I gained more pleasure buying, it was delightful. If I could do both I can't imagine. Bliss.
Moments after stepping into the church where the conference was held I noticed the free tables were especially large this year. Someone had generously donated, was giving, large amounts of paper. Teachers, and homeschoolers go giddy over some of the silliest things. A new box of crayons, notebooks, cracking open a new book, finding an old favorite, and paper all make my list! I restrained myself and took 5 blank notebooks, the small journal sized for the girls or maybe visitors to use. Then walked over to the free books table. I happened there just as a woman was unloading a box. She handed out TWO books I'd been looking over and had resisted purchasing. Then she handed me a couple more she recommended including a critical thinking program and music flash cards. :) I Love Homeschool moms. Shoot, I love any mom who gives me good books!
I browsed the vendor hall and was so disappointed to see that there was no game sales person there. I must contact them and tell them I'm sorry they were not. I had fully intended to purchase a game today!
It was lovely visiting with friends. Seeing some I haven't for quite a while. Others I've just seen recently but it always makes my day to see them. I'm blessed with excellent women as friends. In fact I was enjoying my time so much I nearly forgot to line up for the used book sale!! ACK!
I jumped into line and not a moment too soon. Within minutes the line had doubled. The anticipation and laughter went hand in hand as we waited to enter the room. It made me laugh that a teen was standing in the hall asking us to "SHHH!" because there was still a session in session. There's a reverse for ya!
Walking through the used book sale I immediately began to find items on my list. Teaching Textbooks Algebra! Write Shop, Streams of Civilization, A Child's History of the World, some Trixie Belden books, some age 6 level mystery stories, and Apologia Botany for a couple of years down the road. Then, ladies and gentlemen, I found the box that made me stand and nearly chew my nails off. I thought hard because it wasn't a small amount, but a fabulous price on what was in the box. Sonlight Core 7 (not sure what they're calling it this year, I forget, they changed the labeling but it's the same stuff!). It is nearly new, complete, and oh people, it made me smile. :) I could not have purchased the books individually, even used, at what she sold it to me for. I didn't even try to negotiate price, it was so good. :)
At the very last minute as I ran back to purchase one last thing, the women at that table started offering me things free. Have I mentioned I love good books and people that give them? They packed a box and I now have in my resources I didn't even know existed about homeschool in high school!
Ya know what's super cool about that? I have been thinking about and wanting to start a homeschool library. To have resources and samples of curriculum that people can borrow and try. My local library has very very little by way of homeschool things. The one in the next city has more. But still, not quite what I want to do. The library is part A. a used curriculum and books store is part B. But we'll take it as God gives it. Well, one of those ladies came over to me after and handed me a not inexpensive curriculum on spelling, Phonic Zoo. She said she thought the library was a great idea and this was my first donation to it. WOW! :) After she left, I nearly cried and I definitely got goosebumps!
Now I have some more thinking and figuring out to do. Some more gathering of doubles of resources, although I already loan out mine to those I trust. I'd need doubles of ones I love so I don't feel upset if one is ruined or not returned. If you've ever done a lending library sort of thing, I'd love to hear how you did it!
That's all. Just had to share how cool it was today! :)
USED BOOK SALE of HOMESCHOOL BOOKS! Oh, the bliss! The curriculum. The novels. The joy of discovering just what you were hoping for and finding it's a price that fits the budget and makes you laugh. Sheer pleasure! Last year I was a seller. This year I was a buyer. I enjoy both, but I think I gained more pleasure buying, it was delightful. If I could do both I can't imagine. Bliss.
Moments after stepping into the church where the conference was held I noticed the free tables were especially large this year. Someone had generously donated, was giving, large amounts of paper. Teachers, and homeschoolers go giddy over some of the silliest things. A new box of crayons, notebooks, cracking open a new book, finding an old favorite, and paper all make my list! I restrained myself and took 5 blank notebooks, the small journal sized for the girls or maybe visitors to use. Then walked over to the free books table. I happened there just as a woman was unloading a box. She handed out TWO books I'd been looking over and had resisted purchasing. Then she handed me a couple more she recommended including a critical thinking program and music flash cards. :) I Love Homeschool moms. Shoot, I love any mom who gives me good books!
I browsed the vendor hall and was so disappointed to see that there was no game sales person there. I must contact them and tell them I'm sorry they were not. I had fully intended to purchase a game today!
It was lovely visiting with friends. Seeing some I haven't for quite a while. Others I've just seen recently but it always makes my day to see them. I'm blessed with excellent women as friends. In fact I was enjoying my time so much I nearly forgot to line up for the used book sale!! ACK!
I jumped into line and not a moment too soon. Within minutes the line had doubled. The anticipation and laughter went hand in hand as we waited to enter the room. It made me laugh that a teen was standing in the hall asking us to "SHHH!" because there was still a session in session. There's a reverse for ya!
Walking through the used book sale I immediately began to find items on my list. Teaching Textbooks Algebra! Write Shop, Streams of Civilization, A Child's History of the World, some Trixie Belden books, some age 6 level mystery stories, and Apologia Botany for a couple of years down the road. Then, ladies and gentlemen, I found the box that made me stand and nearly chew my nails off. I thought hard because it wasn't a small amount, but a fabulous price on what was in the box. Sonlight Core 7 (not sure what they're calling it this year, I forget, they changed the labeling but it's the same stuff!). It is nearly new, complete, and oh people, it made me smile. :) I could not have purchased the books individually, even used, at what she sold it to me for. I didn't even try to negotiate price, it was so good. :)
At the very last minute as I ran back to purchase one last thing, the women at that table started offering me things free. Have I mentioned I love good books and people that give them? They packed a box and I now have in my resources I didn't even know existed about homeschool in high school!
Ya know what's super cool about that? I have been thinking about and wanting to start a homeschool library. To have resources and samples of curriculum that people can borrow and try. My local library has very very little by way of homeschool things. The one in the next city has more. But still, not quite what I want to do. The library is part A. a used curriculum and books store is part B. But we'll take it as God gives it. Well, one of those ladies came over to me after and handed me a not inexpensive curriculum on spelling, Phonic Zoo. She said she thought the library was a great idea and this was my first donation to it. WOW! :) After she left, I nearly cried and I definitely got goosebumps!
Now I have some more thinking and figuring out to do. Some more gathering of doubles of resources, although I already loan out mine to those I trust. I'd need doubles of ones I love so I don't feel upset if one is ruined or not returned. If you've ever done a lending library sort of thing, I'd love to hear how you did it!
That's all. Just had to share how cool it was today! :)
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