A few thoughts.

I'm off work today and I am very happy about that.  I've been catching up on reading blogs and Facebook and generally goofing off so far today.  It's been nice.  I've found some freebies and things while I've been looking around. 

Here's a free science lapbook on Animal Adaptations from Hands of a Child, via Learners at Home. 

Something interesting we've been using this year is You Tube for Education.

Science News for Kids

Homeschooling boys fun stuff.

I found a new resource for homeschooling this morning.  It's called Chart Geek.  It's got all kinds of fun charts on it.  Here's the link, Chart Geek.

Also, here's one my kids have been enjoying using for Chemistry.  The Periodic Table of Videos.

The ever popular Toys From Trash

A great Pinterest board with history resources.  Homeschool Ancient History

A different Mom's Night Out.

My homeschool group plans a Mom's Night pretty much once a month, but lately, it seems like everyone's been cancelling or not able to attend.  Several of the families in our group are involved in a basketball league which has been doing really well and apparently just won a championship and it has kept them really, really busy this fall and winter.  They've had practice or games 3-4 times a week, so, it has been really difficult to squeeze in anything else.  We had planned a Mom's Night for Monday, but no one could come but 2 of us, so we decided to go on our own and then at some point we decided that Tuesday would be better for both of us and then we decided to take our daughters.  We both have 1 daughter and 2 sons.  So anyway, we headed out, went to the salvage grocery store and a bunch of thrift stores, searching for bargains and then we went to Michael's crafts and then stopped and had tacos at Moe's.  So much fun!  It really relaxed me.  I think we all need a break now and then.  :-)

Thoughts on homeschooling.

Last Friday night went better, with the kids getting done earlier than they have been.  Since I gave them control of their schedules - basically a checklist that has to be done between Monday and Friday, they take it easy on Monday and Tuesday, do a little bit on Wednesday, then Thursday do some more and then Friday, hit it hard and finish it up.  I can understand the urge to do this and it took me a long, long time to get past this myself, with my work.  But I guess if it works for them I'll let them continue.  I won't let them whine about it on Friday though.  Hey, you chose to procrastinate, don't grouch at me, it's not my fault - is my response.  So despite knowing that they will take it pretty easy today, they started whining last night about it.  "Aw, tomorrow's Monday, we have to do school!".  Poor babies.  I told them if they wanted to continue whining, I would wake them up at 6:00 a.m. and put them on the bus to the public school where they won't have any control over their schedules.  They shut up pretty quickly.  :-P

News from the boy of ours who is in college, his second trimester grades were A, B and B.  So far, he's made 2 As and 4 Bs.  It makes a homeschooling mom proud.  :-) 

Reading, reading and reading.

My husband is at work today.  The kids and I are stuck at home without a car.   My work account ran out of jobs for me to type a couple of hours ago and now we are all reading, reading, reading.  My son is listening to an audiobook, one of the Percy Jackson books.  My daughter is reading the Animorphs, book after book and I am reading a nonfiction book about the Fundamental Latter Day Saints.  This is the 3rd one I have read.  Maybe the fourth?   I find that I really enjoy nonfiction stories about people's real lives and I wonder why I don't do more library shopping in the biography section?  It's a really pretty day here, though a bit chilly.  My kids have adapted to the winter/spring temperatures by wearing summer shoes like flip flops, with socks.  Hey, it's a look.  :-)  They both have spent some of their reading time outdoors.  Since my son has the audiobook on his MP3 player, he's free to walk around and get some exercise and hit things with sticks while he 'reads'.  My daughter has been in her hammock.  I did the traditional sit in a chair and read method, but really I should get an MP3 player like my son's and start walking more. 

Mom mind tricks.

I shared with you some of the things that I do to try and keep my medical transcription work contained into the morning and early afternoon, different ways I pace myself and trick myself into getting it done.  Today's job is housework.  It's my day off and I'm not volunteering tonight (sadly) because I am going to take the kids to a (surprise) a 4H club tonight.  It is 4H season around here, since they run most of their clubs from January to June and the kids are in 6 clubs which meet once a month, which gives me a 4H meeting every week, plus a couple of weeks when I have 2.  They only meet for an hour and a half which is a total of 9 hours a month?  Maybe they meet for 2 hours.  I'm not sure.  Even then, only 12 hours a month, not including driving and any prep I have to do.  Anyway, I say all that to say this, since it is my day off work and I am not volunteering today,  I have a big old chunk of time in which I can do housework.  I hate housework, so I am giving myself what we like to call around here a clean and screen day.  I am cleaning for 15 or 20 minutes, then sitting at my computer for 15 or 20 minutes, then cleaning, then sitting.  You get the idea.  I get more done this way than I would if I didn't set time limits (and timers!)  because I'd get distracted on the cleaning and engrossed in the computer time and wouldn't get much of anything done.  I've already cleaned the bathrooms and the kitchen quite a bit, my husband has taken down the trash and the kids have to clean the living room for school chores this afternoon (before 4H, I mean it) and so the house should look pretty decent at the end of the day. 

I learned a long time ago that I was not good at keeping after the kids for chores and school, so I made chores and personal hygiene a part of their school lists.  It works for us (mostly).  They'll have a daily list that includes, for example, writing, grammar, clean the living room, chemistry, algebra, sign language, piano, shower, exercise and brush teeth.   It's not the same every day but you get the idea.  The making them shower every day as part of school has finally paid off in that I have kids who expect to be clean, don't feel right if they haven't showered and even shower on weekends.  About 7 or 8 years ago, this seemed like an impossible dream.  :-) 

Droll comment.

Yesterday, we went to the library as we often do when we are in town.  It's one of our favorite hangout places.  As we came through the door, my youngest son pointed at the water fountain, made some kind of a noise and headed that way.   I said "I guess he means he's going to get a drink of water."  My daughter said "He's speaking troll".  This was a literary reference to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  How clever!  My son has learned a new language!  Actually I think he's known this one for most of his life.  It's commonly used by toddlers and teenage boys.. 

"Anyone can speak Troll. All you have to do is point and grunt.”

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

It's funny when you read as many books as we do together how the literary references are almost a constant thing.  It's good to laugh.  I'm missing my oldest this week as he was supposed to come home but didn't get to.  :-(.    

Good morning!

I have used this song successfully to wake up my teens for the last 3 mornings in a row.

Good Morning by Mandisa.

It's kind of hard to listen to this song and stay grumpy, so it's been good for me too.   The earlier they wake up, the fewer chores they have to do, so really, it's kind of tempting just to let them sleep all day :-P but I don't.  I wake them with this song during the 10 o'clock hour whenever I take a break from my work.