Sunday, July 16, 2017

SL Core H Week 22 "B" July 9-15, 2017 G&G visit/ GRCC visit campus

SL Core H Week 22 "B"
July 9-15, 2017
G&G Visit
We visit GRCC in Grand Rapids, MI


Grampy brought this funny sign!!!

Our flowers:
Dd made three flower arrangements for Giz to appreciate:









Look how well Zeus is doing now, it is hard to believe how injured (and de-feathered) he was just a few months ago! 

 

Hello, Friends!



Well...it's a good thing we made some academic progress prior to this week because most of the things I wanted Dd to accomplish this week did NOT happen.  I guess one of the hardest things about being a parent and being a homeschool parent-teacher is that you really can not control the outcome of your child.  My Dd made that clear by the end of month one with her!  I had known she had a few activities planned, but not all of them, so most of her work went undone to my dismay.  And I can't dwell on that but will make a new sheet for next weeks assignments with a lot of the things she was supposed to do this past week. 

Sunday (7-9-17) we went to church and Sunday School. 


Monday, Dh was off work.  We worked on finishing up Dd's transcript for grade 9.  I had such difficulties deciding what I would include on this transcript.  In the end, I didn't put in a foreign language since Dd had started grade 9 with French, then German, then Sign Language!  So, I just skipped adding that, for now.  I also didn't include any Physical Education on this transcript but thought I'd wait until next year.  I like that we can take years to get enough hours gathered to count it as one credit, though I don't think it would take Dd that long to earn her P.E. credit with all the swimming she does in the summer, and the marching she does for the band.  Monday was nice to have Dh home all day, and we all went swimming, in our green pool, and enjoyed the nice day as a family.



Garden pix of the week:



Tuesday, Dh went back to work and Dd and I drove to Grand Rapids Community College  (GRCC) to turn in our application and transcript.  I also included a printout of the books Dd read for Core G and what she has read so far for Core H.  Dd needs to take both a math and an English test if she wants to take math and English classes at GRCC.  She started her math test when we got home, but it took her so long to get her account set up online that she didn't have time to finish it before her friend picked her up for the Sunday School party.



Tuesday night was a Sunday School party for Dd and the other kids in her class.  They went to Ionia Recreational Center; which is a park where they swam in a lake.  Afterward they had pizza and then went to MOO-ville for ice cream.  She said she had a blast.  She didn't get home until after 9 pm!  She didn't know it, but I had been home with a massive migraine and vomiting, one of the worst, or the worst of the year.  I was up most of the night with the nausea being horrible despite taking the anti-nausea medicine I took.  Horrible night for me.
I think this bird has eaten WAY too much!


Wednesday I managed to take Dd to band class, and then drove back home for a nap.  It was raining and thundering, so they did their practice in the gym in the Homeschool Building.  Dd had a "Girl's Club" party after band and had a ride to the party.  They had a lot of fun.  Dd swam and played games.  I drove back to GR to pick her up at 4pm.  Besides the three hours driving to GR and back twice I spent the whole day (and evening) in my bed.  The migraine from last night had really sucked all my energy out of me and I had nothing left. Dd took a bit of advantage of me being in bed and didn't do any of her lessons without me. 
I've changed this little rooster's name--Dd wanted it to be, "Hummer," which made sense when he was the size of a quarter, but now after getting to know him--his arrogance and self-confidence, and his funny pigeon toed way of walking, I'm calling him, "Poirot!"


Thursday was a quick clean up of the house until Giz and Grampy arrived at 2:30 pm.  I had hoped to clean and tidy on Wednesday, but I hadn't figured on having that nasty migraine and dealing with the effects.  Once Giz and Grampy arrived our academic lessons are put to the side.  We so rarely get to see family that when we do we focus on that.


Friday was a work day.  Grampy and Dh worked on fixing the air conditioning in our van.  We didn't have any cool air, only hot air being pushed around in the van.  



It took quite a few hours, but they worked hard and got the AC fixed up by lunch time.  After lunch they worked on the pipe that took the water from the AC and geo-thermal system that has been leaking and messing up.  They had to keep digging and digging to find the end of the line, like 70 feet from the house, or so.  Then they had to try their 'snakes' to find the jam, which turned out to be sticks and leaves and pull all that out to get the water flowing out and away from the house.  That had been being a trouble for over a year now.  SO glad that is fixed!!!! 


G & G brought the IGLOO for the ducks, but the ducks aren't interested!





 Grampy and Dh grilled the hamburgers that Dd made up for us, and some hot dogs too.  We enjoyed eating our meals outside on our deck with G & G.  Grampy was particularly pleased with Dd's hamburger mix--so moist!  In the evening Dd and I swam, but no one else wanted to join.  For the first time all month Dh had managed to get enough salt in our pool, that activated the chlorine, so our water wasn't green!!! 
G&G are big gardeners and they spent a lot of time inspecting our garden.  Luckily we passed their test!


Saturday was Dd's fourth parade--at the Ionia Free Fair parade.  It was nice b/c this parade is the closest to where we live and we got to see four people from our church there!  The parade route wasn't very long and the weather was particularly nice, with a breeze, so Dd didn't get too tired out by the walk.  Our good friend, Judy, from church sat with us during the parade.  Her daughter, Joy,  was in the parade too. Joy was 39th in line and Dd's band, The Northern Lights Homeschool Band, was 68th in line.  So, Joy came back and found us and sat with us while we waited for Dd's band to arrive in the parade.  It was so nice having Giz, Grampy, Judy, and Joy with us.  Normally it is just Dh and I.
We had Mashed Turnips for Sunday dinner.


After the parade, Grampy was ready for lunch so we ate at a restaurant beside where we sat.  Dd and I had eaten there before and enjoyed the nice meal.  Then Dd wanted us to go to MOO-ville, where she had had ice cream and us to try it.  It was really good, and the place was so fun inside.  In the afternoon, Dd and I took Giz to our local library.  



Then we spent the evening, out on our deck, playing the longest UNO card game ever!  It took us around 1:30 hours before we played one game!  



While we were out Dh and Grampy worked on fixing the water line from our AC:


Our other Bantam, who use to be called, "Hades" has also changed so much.  Now I call her, "Ms. Lemon" as she is Poirot's side kick!



This is Judy, our SWEETEST hen!



Chickens and Ducks:
All doing really well together.  The ducks are still difficult.  They will bite down on a chickens feathers and not let go; which causes me and the chicken to go into a state of panic!  I really don't know how to get them to be nicer to the chickens.  Grampy brought up our old dog "igloo" to put in the inside cage for the ducks.  This way the ducks can move out of our garage and stay outside, but inside a safe, secure, fenced from top to bottom enclosed area.  They don't appreciate this and have made it clear they enjoyed getting the special attention of being carried to the garage and put in the chicken tractor with fresh water, feed, and straw each evening!  This is going to be another difficult transition!!!
I'm still foraging and bringing in lots of greens for them throughout the day, and they continue to eat every scrap..in time!



Grand Rapids Community College:
It was quite an experience driving to the city, finding our specified parking spot and walking around the buildings until we found the right one to meet the woman in charge of dual enrollment.  I turned in my much-anticipated transcript for Dd..etc.  She signed us up as we waited, and then gave Dd her envelope with her ID number and information on what to do next.  Later (days later), Dd told me how freaked out she was to be on a college campus.  She acted to cool and collected I didn't even notice anything out of sorts with her, but apparently, she was really stunned by walking around a college campus at "15 years old!"  Most of her new friends in MI don't have any college ambitions, while I strongly want to provide her with the best education I can, while I can.  I'm glad she handled it so smoothly while internally she was so nervous.  One new experience down, millions to go!




Our lessons for the week:



Bible:
We are using my NKJ Bible and the Believer's Bible Commentary
John 1: 1-51 read in both B & BBC


Math:
Math U See: Geometry
Lesson 13

Grand Rapids Community College math test for Tuesday's math
We played LOTS of card games with G&G again this visit!



Science:
Apologia Physical Science: Module 7:Factors That Affect the Earth's Weather
read 172-176 in textbook
91-92 in student notebook



Read Aloud:
Mary Jones and Her Bible by Mary Ropes: Completed
Such a good message, how we who have our bibles can so easily take them for granted.  Mary reminds us to be so appreciatative of our own personal bible. 

 

 Reader:
Anna and the King
Ch. 1 completed


Fun Readers:
Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnely
She won this book from our Summer Reading program at our library
Cliff Notes on Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Yes, Dd is still being obsessed with Les Miserables.


Parade:
Ionia Free Fair Parade on Sat. July 15, 2017
Ionia, MI


Music Classes:
No violin class this week
No piano class this week
Marching Band met on Wed. from 9-11 am



Practice:
Next week is Dd's AUDITION for Advanced Band!  Oh My!  She has been practicing a bit each day and trying to get her scales all memorized.  She will also have to do a 'sight-reading' which is when they put a new-to-you piece of music in front of you, give you 2 minutes to work it out and then perform it.  And lastly she will have to play a special piece of music, of her choosing, to showcase her ability.



Then, a week from Wed., she will have to audition for the Intermediate Orchestra.  So, she has been playing her violin each day too.  She has just changed the song she will perform as she didn't feel confident enough with the first song--one that her violin teacher had encouraged her to do as it was a higher level of skill required.

Dd didn't keep track of her practice this week, so roughly she played:
Violin: 3:00 hours
Alto Sax: 5:00 hours




Physical Education:
Marching at band practice: 2:00 hours
Parade: 1:30 hours
Swimming x 4 = 8 hours



Gardening:
Dd's first potato of the year!



Art:
Owl painting kit- paint by numbers and paint mixing
8 hours


Next week:
I'm hoping next week will be more productive, I know she has her audition, and that will be a big deal, but that will be over on Wednesday afternoon.  I'm hoping she can get into and thoroughly interested in her Reader (Anna and the King) and give "her" reading a pause.    We are hoping to go visit the Ionia Free Fair with Judy and Joy next week sometime.  Joy has her cow there and has to go in twice a day to care for it.  We've never been to it and it looked like a blast when we were at the parade on Sat., but our route was outside of the fair grounds, so we could only get a small idea.  May the Lord bless each of you this week!
..........