Spring Break is over:(

Yes, it's back to school and our busy lives again. Well, we actually did school everyday last week except Tuesday. That was left open to go to the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis. We got caught up in some of our subjects, but not all.

We loved the museum. TT wants to go back and spend his time viewing the exhibits. He could get lost in all those fossils, rocks and the historical stuff. I would like to post some of his favorite pics from the trip as soon as I have a minute.

To finish up spring break we took it easy over the weekend. It was nice to just hang out, watch movies and do nothing. Sunday we went to see the ballet of Peter Pan. It was put on by the ballet arts group from Poogie's dance studio. It was magical. When this group does a production it is excellent, and the premiere of Peter Pan was one of their best. The characters flew through the clouds, the pirates had sword fights and the crocodile was a hoot. Poogie couldn't stop talking about it.

So today we were back to school and swim practice. Only about a month left of the Y and it will be time for summer break. I can't believe how fast his year has flown by.

Diets are for everyone.

I took my sweet Buffy to the vet today for her yearly shots and physical. What started as a routine checkup turned into a nightmare for my sweet little pup. To put it bluntly she is fat. She should weigh around 7 to 9 pounds, yet she weighed in at a whooping 15 pounds.

So needless to say, no more treats, table scraps or junk food for our little, or I should say plump little dog. She's none to happy with the situation. Everything else check out okay. I left the vets office with my arms a little heavier (carrying Buffy) and my pocketbook tremendously lighter.

Update.

I guess I need to get on the ball and update my blog more often. It just seems like by the time I get to it I'm to darn tired to type. So, here it goes before I get too tuckered out.

We have been busy, of course. This week is spring break, which means no YMCA or dance. The YMCA is having swim team practice but we are not attending this week. I took the week off, totally. I plan on catching up with school work, like that will ever happen LOL, finish my unit on the human body we will begin next week, and just chill.

So far my plan is not going so well. We did do school today, but not as much as I would have liked. I haven't really chilled out and just hung out either. I've been too busy spring cleaning and doing never ending laundry.

Tomorrow we plan on taking a trip to a museum with another homeschool family if the weather cooperates. It may be stormy. I am ready for spring, but not all the stormy weather that comes with it.

On a positive note, my ds TT is reading. And I mean really reading. He started reading through the Twilight series about a month ago and is now on the third book, Eclipse! He hasn't ever read a book this fast and with so much excitement. I had already read all the books several times and it is so fun to sit and discuss all these great characters with my son. We are really enjoying the discussions.

I must go for now.

A Winter Storm Warning can be a good thing.

This morning we woke up to trees covered in ice and our porch in sleet. I knew instantly that the schools would be closed here in our county, and they were. I also knew that we would not be going to the YMCA program or swim practice.

The sleet and ice stopped about 9 a.m. and TT thought we should go ahead and go, but not me. I wasn't worried about getting there it was getting home after dark and the temperature dropping. Good thing I we stayed because a little after noon the sleet started again and lasted for over 3 hours.

To be honest I was relieved. We hadn't completed much school work this week so it gave us time to catch up. Plus my laundry had really piled up so I could tackle it too. This afternoon I was able to take some time to plan our next science unit study, The Human Body. I ordered a few more books for both Poogie and TT from Rainbow Resource to complete the unit. I plan on starting it in a few weeks. I also plan on posting my unit here on my blog.

I feel much more relaxed heading into the weekend knowing that my laundry is caught up, school work will be completed and the house is clean. So today I have to say that, yes a winter storm warning was a good thing.

Literature Unit Studies

One of my fellow homeschool friends posted a comment about the type of literature units I use and where do I get them. Since I couldn't find my friends e-mail address, I will post the info here.

I have purchased a few lit unit studies, but most I have gotten free online. Here are some of the sites I use.

http://www.dist102.k12.il.us/resources/Rdng_Lit4/readingresources.htm
http://gardenofpraise.com/lesson.htm
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/units/units_with_books.htm

The reading level of the books are varied. I have enjoyed using some of these units to explore our favorite books. Enjoy!

Homeschooler's Rock!!!

My son TT's best friend proved that homeschooling is a wonderful thing last Saturday. He won the regional spelling bee and is now going to Washington D. C. to compete in the National Spelling Bee!!!!

I am so proud of him and I know his mother is too. What is really cool is that she also went to the National Spelling Bee when she was a child. I guess it runs in the family.

So since I don't use real names on my blog other than mine I will have to say,"Congratulations, Mini Phelps!" That is his nick name given to him because he is such an awesome swimmer. Geez is there anything that kid can't do??

Thinking about next year.

I have been reflecting a lot on what has worked for us this year as far as homeschooling curriculum goes and what hasn't. That thinking leads to what do I want to do next year? What works, what doesn't.

For our family I have to say the one thing we will no longer be using is Math U See. It was a God send when TT came home from public school so behind and confused. Now, it is a chore for both of my children each and every day. It doesn't help that I dread trying to teach the stuff in the weird quirky ways that it is presented. It just isn't a good fit for us anymore. But that is what is so great about homeschooling. If it doesn't work you can fix it!!

So here are my thought and plans for next year. Disclaimer: My thoughts can and probably will change before July, but I am a woman and that is my right.

For my TT, and 7th grader:

Literature: I thought about going with BJP but we enjoy reading novels and using the literature guides with them. So I have created a list with 3 definite novels and a few more that we may want to do. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and The Giver by Lois Lowry. We are also thinking about Tuck Everlasting and Animal Farm.

Grammar: I am thinking about Easy Grammar Plus or Abeka, with Editor in Chief B-1, BJP Vocabulary, and Word Roots.

Math: Teaching Textbooks 7

Science: BJP Science

History:BJP Heritage Studies 7

I haven't decided if I will add a semester of foreign language, but I know I want to do a semester of computer literacy.

For my sweet Poogie, 2nd grader:

All her subjects at this time will be from Bob Jones. We have been very happy with the curriculum this year and I don't see any need to change. I will be adding the formal science and history curriculum next year, and changing to BJP math or Saxon.

I hope to find much of this as I did last year in used condition online, at book and curriculum sales and from friends. Here's to planning.

We Missed the SNOW!!

I can't believe it. We went to Murfreesboro this weekend to move my hubby out of his apartment since he only stays there about 2 days a month. It just wasn't worth it. We drove up Friday, and ate Greek of course. Then we went shopping at the mall. My hubby is in desperate need of new clothes. So the shopping was for him for a change.

Saturday I got to go to my favorite store, Super Target. I could spend hours in there. Then we went ice skating in Nashville. The kids had been waiting to go back, they love it so much. We ended the evening at Opry Mills Mall hiking around the enormous place, and eating lots of junk food.

This morning we woke to so much snow, but no proper clothes to go out in it. By the time we got outside to load up my hubby's stuff it was beginning to melt big time. There was still some snow on the ground when we got home, but it was all wet from melting. The kids played in it anyway.

I just couldn't believe we missed it as much as we love snow. Maybe we will get some more before winters over, here's hoping.