December 29 - Jan 3, 2015
SL Core G Week 7 "C"
Christmas Break, plus some Greek books to start our Greek study.
Christmas Break, plus some Greek books to start our Greek study.
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| At the Christmas party, Dd received the top mantle for her cloak. She sewed it on herself, and did a nice job of it. |
A week technically 'off' from our homeschooling. We got our Christmas decorations down, and boxed up. I got all our billing and banking caught back up. We managed many little hikes in the woods (and I even managed to go on a good hike with Dh on Saturday!).
We needed a week like this to get back our organization, rest, and have a long spell of a migraine cluster (migraine off and on from Dec. 26 - Jan 1st). I hope next week will be migraine free! After so many ugly hours of pain and misery, I am ready to feel good for a while! Dd felt good for most of the week and played, cooked, Lego'd, read, hiked, and listened to our audio.
Another exciting thing from this week is that Dh's Christmas orders came in (a husband would never wait until the last minute to order gifts!) and Dd and I got a few more gifts! I received a 'hiking in grand rapids' book, and Dd got two 'training swords' (fun! fun!).
Also, since Giz gave Dd a small, one gallon tank, we went to the store and bought a guppy and a snail. I'm not sure this little tank, with no aeration is up for both animals and am thinking if I should buy a bubblier for it. So far her gift has cost us $20 for all the food, fish, and snail! Aren't gifts from family surprising?
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| The guppy: "Andromeda" |
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| "Opis" |
I think all the Lego kits were put together by Monday! But, she has been building a "Swamp Prison" car--don't ask me why, I think she said there was a contest? But, I think this project is done. I always enjoy when she comes up with her concepts, and is a "Master Builder"!!
Writing:
Monday Dd wrote ALL of her Thank You cards!!! She was right on this assignment, and didn't need any help. Only one had to be re-written, due to content not being 100%. Of course, it took me until Thursday to get my portion completed on the cards!! For once she had to wait on me!
Dd has been writing on her blogs; yes blog"s"--- she has THREE blogs going now! I'm really glad she has taken an interest in figuring it out on her own. She uses the blog mostly to show her friends in Indiana the photographs she has been taking here. I think she wants, so strongly, to keep those Indiana friendships reinforced.
Monday, Dd made a "Apple Betty" for us, and it was all gone by the end of the day! It is like an apple crisp--apples filling up a pie pan, then some brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon as a topping. She liked the Apple Betty so well, she made it again on Wednesday! Also, on Wednesday, she made dinner--she made "Greek Chicken" recipe and macaroni and cheese from scratch. I have to admit the cheese sauce was pretty amazing, but when she put it over spaghetti noodles (1/2 way boiled, "al-dente"), and then baked in the oven, I didn't like it as well. She and Dh liked it, but they love pasta dishes. On Saturday, I made the "Aussie Potatoes" that we have been enjoying since we found that recipe doing our Core F Australia section, and Dd made breaded/baked chicken. Dh had given me Red Quinoa for Christmas, so I made a quinoa dish this week (Red Quinoa, regular organic quinoa, and lots of carrots bits).
We also made it out to the library twice this week. We have started going to their little store in the library, and buying a book or two there of their used and removed books. We even found one of our favorite Christmas, Auntie Claus, books before Christmas. I don't think we already own the Welcome Comfort book yet! Saturday, Dd found a cookbook that she asked us to buy for her. Seeing how she is doing a few meals each week, I am happy to help her in her cooking. It is easier than letting her look up recipes online--which takes her a long time to pick!
Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas
Sep 27, 2011
(There are THREE books in this series--and they aren't as good as Patricia Polacco's Christmas books, but for some reason we just really like to read them! I think it is partially due to the wonderful illustrations in each book-these books are written and illustrated by Elise Primavera.)
and
Welcome Comfort by one of our favorite picture book authors, Patricia Polacco. We really missed not getting to read Oranges for Frankie this year. That really is such a special book. Whenever we do find a new home, and can get all our books back in their shelves, we might have to read a lot of the Christmas picture books that we missed reading this year...Christmas in July?!
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| Dd took some pictures of the stormy skies after one of our hikes this week. |
It took us ALL week, but we finished our audio; Percy Jackson's Greek Myths. It was a really good audio and we both really liked it! Dd got the book as a Christmas gift, she liked it so well! We even bought a copy of it for the eldest "L" family daughter.
Sonlight Reader:
Dd is really enjoying Theras and His Town! I am SO glad! She really didn't like the last Reader I assigned to her. She said she likes this b/c it is "Greek", and now she says she will like anything that is Greek! Oh boy, what happens when we finish up Greece and move to Rome?!
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| Dd has taken to "whittling" and Dh got her a new knife (for Xmas) just for the woods. It came with a big, safe sheath that stores it. |
Fun books:
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| Opis eating her algae chip |
Fun Audio:
(that actually is about Greek Myths, and that is where we are in our SL history!)
Awwww, how cute! These two lovebirds!
Sophie (lovey dog) and Smedley (lovey cat) snuggling in bed!
I finished the scarf I made for Dd (happen to be wearing it as I type this!) It is good to get another project completed.
The book I have been so enjoying (given by my dear friend, Heather L.) is this:
Amazon synopsis:
Julie Zickefoose lives for the moment when a wild, free living bird that she has raised or rehabilitated comes back to visit her; their eyes meet and they share a spark of understanding. Her reward for the grueling work of rescuing birds—such as feeding baby hummingbirds every twenty minutes all day long—is her empathy with them and the satisfaction of knowing the world is a birdier and more beautiful place.
The Bluebird Effect is about the change that's set in motion by one single act, such as saving an injured bluebird—or a hummingbird, swift, or phoebe. Each of the twenty five chapters covers a different species, and many depict an individual bird, each with its own personality, habits, and quirks. And each chapter is illustrated with Zickefoose's stunning watercolor paintings and drawings. Not just individual tales about the trials and triumphs of raising birds, The Bluebird Effect mixes humor, natural history, and memoir to give readers an intimate story of a life lived among wild birds.
Next week we get back to our lessons. It will be nice to get back to our bible study...I've missed it! Plus we can restart our major focus on the Greeks, with gusto!
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