So, I'm really lousy at updating this thing. Life happens. :)
We've had some serious time off from homeschooling (glad I planned on "over" teaching!). Hubby had a shoulder injury and was off work from just before Christmas until almost a week ago. We didn't do a lot of teaching during that off time, but we did do some.
Now it's February - our theme for the month is Black History and health and fitness. All four of the boys started taekwondo at Therese's Taekwondo twice a week. I'll start next week (until summer I'll only be going once a week as scouts conflict with the other night) and I think Hubby will too. They all really enjoy it and I think this was a great decision for us. I'm also taking the older three to the YMCA a couple times a week to work on swimming, which they're enjoying. (Nice that we aren't competing with anyone else during that time!)
MM is doing really well. He's my reluctant reader, probably because most everything he's read at school has been something he would never have chosen. Everyone had to fight tooth and nail to get him to read and it took him an obscenely long time to read the books. Saturday, when he was sick, he pulled out his never-opened copy of The Lightning Thief and read almost 7 chapters! I was so proud! He's set himself a goal to finish the book before he can see the movie.
TSS went on his first campout with the Troop over the weekend. He had a great time, but on the way home, the group (approximately 40 people) had to stop at the halfway point due to a 10-car pile up, whiteout conditions and a closed highway. The leaders brought everyone back to their starting point about 5 1/2 hours after their expected arrival but everyone was safe and sound.
EB has been doing extremely well! We took him off of his medication about 2 weeks ago and I'm pleased to say there has been very little behavior change! He's our only Cub Scout left (through November, then he wants to move to the Troop as well since he'll have earned his Arrow of Light early, just like TSS did) and he wanted to do the Parent/Scout Dessert Contest with me. Over the weekend we did a trial run on his dessert and he made almost the whole thing on his own - we both were really proud!
TCC has been coming into his own and is definitely a child with his own agenda. He's been doing quite well in TKD and has been enjoying school. He's working on math (addition!) and is learning techniques for reading. Last night he deciphered "waiting" without any help or prompting - he was beaming!
Homeschooling has been pretty laid back, as mentioned above. We've done some field trips, a couple of minor science experiments, but will be getting back on our regular schedule today - hooray! Our final barriers have been broken - MM told me late last year that he doesn't want to go back to public school and with Hubby being home the last 6+ weeks, he's come to appreciate the boys being home and being able to teach them what we want at any time. Yes, we even have school on Saturdays.
Our schedule this month - and probably through May - will mostly be:
- Sunday - Day off
- Monday - Swimming and chores a.m.; afternoon school; evening Scouts (for MM & TSS)
- Tuesday - Chores and cleaning a.m.; afternoon TKD (lasts about 1.5 hours); evening Scouts (for EB and myself) and TKD for Hubby and TCC
- Wednesday - Swimming and chores a.m.; afternoon school
- Thursday - School at the in-law's a.m.; afternoon TKD and library; evening TKD for Hubby, TCC and myself
- Friday - Swimming and chores a.m.; cooking afternoon/evening
- Saturday - Chores and school
There are, of course, going to be schedule changes as field trips come up or other things come about. That is, of course, one of the wonderful things about homeschooling!
Oh and one final thought before I close out - we're going to Walt Disney World for their Homeschooling Days in September! We have just over 2 weeks of vacation time and will head down there, will make a stop coming or going to see TCC's birthmom and possibly stop and see my cousin if he's still in the southeast then. We still have to plan everything out, but we're hoping to find some great teaching opportunities along the way.
