While Kris is away, I’m playing hostess for the Weekly Wrap-Up. So this is where you link up to your post about what you did this week in your homeschool — while Kris and all those other bloggy gals party the days away at the Relevant Conference! My regular self is hosting today, but my Flat Jamie self is at Relevant with Kris!😉

So, on with real life in our homeschool… I’ve been reminded lately that I am blessed to have options with my children’s schooling. Some families, like my newly single friend, do not have options. It’s something I am trying not to take for granted. That’s easier said than done, but being mindful of it is a start.

I feel as though we have been “running ’round like a chicken with its head cut off” lately but this week actually hasn’t been as busy as usual. Kathryn had chess class on Tuesday; Lindsey had Color Guard practice Tuesday and Thursday, plus drivers ed on Tuesday; and both girls had church activities on Wednesday night. Those are our usual “extras” each week.

In the midst of all this, Lacy the Wonderdog simply wanted her belly rubbed.

Kathryn has been doing oodles of long division, and a good deal of review in math. She says certain types of problems come around again as soon as she’s forgotten how to do them — which is why I like the way Horizons does things.

For science this week, Kathryn started a unit on insects in Christian Kids Explore Biology, and we went on a little nature walk this week to look for fall leaves. I hope to do a little art project with those leaves today or tomorrow.

Writing thank you cards for her birthday gifts provided a good opportunity for Kathryn to do handwriting practice, in addition to one page in her Italics D workbook each day. She seems to enjoy the vocabulary lessons in Wordly Wise, but she’s a word-loving girl like me. We still didn’t accomplish any composer study this week, but there’s always next week. I’m trying not to beat myself up if we don’t get something done. This week (see Monday’s gratitude post) has me really rethinking what is — and isn’t — important. And in the eternal scheme of things, grammar and composer study and lapbooks just aren’t all that important. If we get to them without causing stress, then we’ll get to them.

In history, we’re continuing to study Colonial America. So Kathryn is reading Calico Captive and Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison. She made a little colonial cookbook, with the original version of some recipes, and then a modernized version we could actually theoretically make. The state she studied in geography this week is Pennsylvania — which is funny since I just realized that’s where all the Relevant blog gals are right now!

Kathryn made a page for her Bible notebook about Joshua conquering all those cities when the Israelites moved into the promised land. At risk of sounding irreverant, I was very happy when we made it through Leviticus and Deuteronomy and moved into Joshua for our daily readings. Her Biblical character study this week was on “excellence.”

Lindsey is required to read To Kill a Mockingbird for her literature class, so I’m reading it, too. It’s been 20+ years, and I didn’t remember much of it. I was amused to find that Atticus Finch and was homeschooled. 😉

We’ve known for quite some time that Lacy the Homeschooled WonderDog has an uncommonly great intellect; unfortunately she cannot talk or write, so her brilliance has been difficult to substantiate. This week, Ken tried to teach her to write. Alas, holding a pencil proved to be too difficult a task when one does not have opposable thumbs…

Don’t forget to link up…

Jamie

Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »