Fleur de Lis Homeschool Blog

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

SL Core 100 Week 15"A" April 29-May 5, 2018 Dh to Italy

SL Core 100 (high school American History) Week 15"A"

April 29-May 5, 2018

Dh to Bologna, Italy

Hello Friends!

This week Dd was not feeling well; which really put a stopper on much academic progress. She came home Sat. after spending Fri. night with her girlfriends. She slept 4 hours. She normally sleeps around 9-10 hours, so she was asleep on the sofa after church on Sun.

Mon. began Dd's week of not feeling good. Our violin lesson was abruptly stopped with only 15 min. to go because she felt so bad. She was miserable. Luckily, she was still able to work on her math homework in bed. She was able to rally enough to go to all her other scheduled events for the week, but had a rough week. She didn't even get through half of her SL assignments.

Spring!

Tue. May 1st the GOLDFINCHES arrived! I just love the way they fly, as if they were going up and down hills in the air, so graceful! Fri., I saw the first HUMMINGBIRD!

I quickly put up four sugar water feeders for them and by Sat. I saw the birds throughout the day, both male and female. The signs of spring are everywhere--leaves are popping out, weeds are growing fast--which is great for the chickens!, bulbs are blooming, and hope abounds.

Garden:

The hoop houses are working really, really well!!!!

I wish we could have got our act together faster and started using these last year.

Some of our seeds sprouted by Wed. and Fri. it was warm enough to plant some early spring seeds in the regular raised-bed garden bed: lettuce, 3 different types of onions, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas.

Our blackberry bushes have planted themselves outside of their spot, so I decided to start a little spot in the yard just for them and begun the process of finding the wayward plants, digging them up and moving them to their new home.

Chickens:

The chickens are doing great. I've been getting them out in their tractors a few times a week.

I wish there was an easier way than having to pick up 2-3 birds, carrying them to the tractor and putting them in, load after load, but that is the only way I know how to do it.

They are just LOVING all the weeds and grass I pick for them!!!!!

Church and Friendship:

We are still loving our church, we've been there since Nov. 1st, 2015. The people there really have a wonderful way of welcoming new people in.

My only heartache is that everyone is so busy and involved in their own life and work that they don't have any time for deeper friendships.

I have been praying for God to put a friend in my life, someone I could call and chat with or invite over for a cup of tea, outside of our normal church activities.

With my mom's new move and my brother's upswing in problems, I sure could have used a good friend to share with and ask for prayer. There just isn't enough time at our church programs to share things that are so personal and close to the chest. Prayers Appreciated, Chelle and Christie! My best internet friends! Thanks for being such good friends all these years; I only wish I could chat with you both in person! And I thank you for praying along with me.

Dh to Bologna, Italy

Dh's LAST trip to Bologna! Dh's work needed a special machine built and Dh has gone over to Bologna to help out in the process. This was the last trip, and six other staff went along for training. They went a day early, to adjust to the time change, and spent that day in Venice! We have gone there before Dd was born. Just like our visit, Venice was once again VERY crowded and hot! I'm so glad he gets to go and have wonderful adventures; just wish the tickets were not so expensive that I couldn't go along!

Another Sleep-Over:

As if last week's sleep-over wasn't bad enough, Dd had another one this week. Addy's birthday party and sleep over was Fri. night. I dropped Dd off at the Home School Building for her Grace classes and then dropped Dh off at the airport, Fri. night was a bit quiet!

Academics for the Week:

Bible:

Church, Sunday School, Youth Group, Olympians (volunteer Games), and Strings Group

Entrusted Bible Study by Beth Moore (on 2nd Timothy)

Math: Saxon Geometry

Test, lessons 102-105, and class

Double Fencing for the upper run.

I've surrounded the wire fence with our old backyard wooden fencing sections to give the coop double or triple security. They are fairly safe.

SL History:

A History of US, Book 5, Ch's 17-22

Writing:

IEW Continuation B:

Biographical Essay on Giz---worked on this a bit more this week.

Art Classes:
Painting Studio - Grace class: 2:00 hours

Botany Art class: 1:30 hours

Physical Education:

Dd did workouts 5 out of 7 days

Fun Book:

Audio: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling

Music Lessons:

Violin with Christie

Piano with Wendy

Strings Group at church: ukulele

Dd has been doing better practicing her piano, the new book I bought her on Mon. has a song on it (Misty) that she has really connected to. She is trying to get down a few songs for her lessons with Wendy, but she is spending more time practicing Misty!

Next Week:
Dh will be out the entire week so we will do the best we can. I have a birthday coming up! Dd has a lot of math homework as she is preparing for the big final exam on May 18th.

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Monday, April 30, 2018

SL Core 100 (American History) Week 14 April 22-28, 2018 Square Dance

SL Core 100 (American History) Week 14

April 22-28, 2018

Square Dance

Hello Friends!

Our week started off great, with Dd and her friend FA singing Just A Closer Walk With Thee at church for a special. They had planned to sing it Giz while she was here, but due to the weather, this was when it finally happened. It was nice to see Dd let her light shine. This was her first 'on stage' thing as a duet, previously her only on stage experiences are with our large "Strings Group." I was proud of her for getting up there.

Spring Arrives!

The grass is turning green, tractors in the fields, a few leaf buds have sprouted, DAFFODILS are BLOOMING, and I can once again collect dandelions and weeds to feed the chickens! I've been boxing up all my sweaters and winter clothes; I really did splurge this year at the local thrift store! I also put the umbrella back in our deck table so I could do my bible study outside; a real first step for spring!

Chickens:

We had some warmer weather this week; which means the chickens got out to their 'chicken tractors' some and laundry was out on the line.

The chickens seem to be getting the idea of coming out for grass in their tractors and that they have to walk/run/waddle back to the coop in the evening.

They are tempted to run over to new grass and start eating there instead of going to the coop, which becomes a bit of a hassle trying to wrangle them all back inside, as you can imagine.

Garden:
Saturday Dh and I filled the two hoop houses with newly planted seeds. By Sunday we had killed our only plants, two beautiful basil plants.

Our hoop houses must have gotten so hot while we were at church (and Sunday School) that they overheated and practically melted. We have a lot to learn about regulating the temperatures in the hoop houses, and of course, I learn best by failure!

Hoping I can improve quickly and not kill any more plants! We've planted a lot, as you can see. I focused on spinach, lettuce, tomato varieties, peppers, two different types of kale and basil, and some other herbs....

Truck:
Oh, my. Monday night we drove the 45 minutes to the shop and picked up the truck; having already paid the steep fee over the phone. Dh was so glad to drive the truck to work on Tuesday and Wednesday, but on his ride home (Wed) the transmission started going out and he could only go about 30-45 mph. Ouch. Looks like the truck is once again down, after having 1 1/2 days of working.

Time in the garden has begun...Yay! SO much to look forward to!

Anticholinergic meds:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/25/health/anticholinergic-drugs-dementia-risk-study/index.html
It's taken me two years to get off my GERD medications after learning how unhealthy the meds were to me; this week I read a study on the migraine prevention medication I've been taking for years--amitriptyline. The study has drawn a correlation between taking anticholinergic meds and dementia. LSS-long story short, I'm weaning myself off this med to see just exactly how effective it is and if it is worth the risk or not. To be honest, unless it really makes a huge difference I am going to drop it. If nothing else, I'm getting healthier every year!

Grace Homeschool Association:
This was the first year I tried outsourcing two subjects to a teacher other than myself--math and art to make the math more palatable. Come to find out, Dd did great and I think this path is a viable option for bridging the gap between my desire for her to get ready for college and remaining homeschooled. Dd is also wanting to focus more on her education, so we looked over the courses being offered next year through Grace and signed her up! We are looking at: Geography, Algebra, Graphic Design/Exploring Economics, Logic, and Spanish. She would only have to meet once a week and our normal Sonlight years would have to get pinched even more.

Square Dance:
Friday night Dd had a good time at the spring square dance at the Home School Building. Afterward, she spent the night at her friend's house, with another girlfriend, and they stayed up late and ate pizza!

We've been growing root hairs on sweet potatoes and red potatoes

Academic progress for the Week:

Miss Lemon is doing so well!

Bible:
Entrusted by Beth Moore
We watched Session One this week. Of course, I had already seen it, but I was glad to watch it again! She is working on the workbook, at her own pace, which is fine with me. I've found some days' lessons take longer and have a lot to sort through, while other days lessons are thinner to sort.