Jan 26-Feb. 1, 2020 Snow, Transcripts, Knee PT, Hiking with Henry, Van

Jan 26-Feb. 1, 2020 

Snow, Transcripts, Knee PT, Hiking with Henry, Van 

Hello Friends!

The week started and ended with snow; at least it is beautiful here in the woods bedded down in white powder in a comforting quiet.



 I'm so thankful we invested in snow tires for the Subaru this year as Dd is out and about just about every day on her own and knowing she isn't sliding around makes me feel so much better.

Flu:

An epic flu started on Jan. 25, so I was still very sick as this week started.  I went to the doctor this week and got my flu shot; I really don't want another flu this year.  Dd wasn't officially sick this week, but as close as she could be to it.  She was run down and exhausted and missed her math tutor appointment and had to stay home two nights this week to recover.

Knee:

Around second week in January, I noticed my knee was hurt.  I have no idea what I did exactly.  I went to the doctor this week to have it looked at and they ended up x-raying it.  The results were that my bones were fine and it must be a 'soft tissue' problem and I should have an MRI but somehow my insurance wouldn't pay for that since I don't remember having a specific accident.  So, they are sending me to PT.  It really, really stinks----obviously something is wrong with my knee as it is hurting all the time, but I don't have a say.

Transcript:

I have *finally* started working on Dd's transcript again.  I don't know what is wrong with me, but I haven't wanted to restart this massive project.  I micromanage the details of every subject she does and it takes me weeks to compile all the information.

Van:

I'm not sure exactly when Dh put the van in the garage to try and figure out what is broken on it, but he was working on it some this week and still trying to figure it out.  I helped him get a hose off the engine on night this week.  He is going to put a new one on and see if that helps.  The Subaru is leaking oil too...so our car situation isn't happy right now, but we are getting where we have to be.

Hiking With Henry:

As soon as I was able, I was back to taking Henry for his big hikes in the woods.  I was so busy last summer that I didn't take him on nearly enough big hikes, but with all the mosquitoes and ticks sometimes get too overwhelming.  Henry is such a huge fan of snow and has such a blast plowing through it.

Migraines:

I had a migraine last week and this week, but am doing pretty well.

Dd's Progress for the Week:

Bible & Church

Grace Co-op Classes:

Science: Anatomy & Physiology (Apologia)

Art: Painting Studio

English: Analytical Writing for Essay and Research Papers

Math: Algebra II with a tutor



Read Aloud:
King Lear by William Shakespeare



Audio:

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare



SAT Prep: Khan Academy
30 min.



Foreign Language: DuoLingo: German: 30 min.









Fun Reading:
Kenobi (Star Wars book): 30 min.

Physical Exercise:

Dd has been going to the YMCA with Hailee and working out.

Work:

Dd is still enjoying working at the pizza shop 2-3 times each week.

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Jan. 19-25, 2020 Fix Subaru, Babysitting, SAT prep, Eggs, Flu

Jan. 19-25, 2020 

Fix Subaru, Babysitting, SAT prep, Eggs, Flu

Hello Friends,

It was a very cold and snowy week here in Michigan, but we still are way under the normal amount of snow we usually get here.

Flu:

My immune system is really shot.  I didn't feel very good all week. I've had a minor flu off and on for three weeks, but on Saturday I faced one of the worst flu's I've ever faced!  There aren't words for the 30 hours of anguish I went through...yikes...

Chickens:

The chickens are all doing okay.  They didn't get to go outside any this week due to the frigid temperatures.  When they are inside all day I have to clean the coop every 4-5 days.  I don't know if it is just me, but I just never thought it would be so much work taking care of chickens.  Of course, I made them casseroles and rice and special treats most days during the winter and that always adds to how much time I spend on the chickens each day.  I've decided to not get any more chickens after these ones pass.  I think I have fully scratched the itch to have chickens!  Especially since I don't get eggs most days now that they are a few years old.  There is so much work on my end and not even a dozen eggs in a week in return.

Subaru:

We have three running vehicles...usually.  For the past few months the van has been in the garage for Dh to fix, but then this week our Subaru wouldn't start.  It took a little work, but Dh figured out it was the battery that had a problem.  It had corrosion built up on the prongs and Dh had to clean that off and put the battery on a charger.  It still has an oil leak, but supposedly that isn't a big deal.  Dd and I have to share this one car, so we were so glad Dh could get it back running for us.  We really need another Subaru or 'snow car' so I don't have to share with her.  It is super frustrating to share a car with a busy teenager!  I was wanting to look for a job, but I can't do that until Dd has her own car.

Babysitting:

I watched two little girls (4 and 2-year-olds) for a friend in my Thrive Bible study group.  She was working from home in the basement and I just played and read to her girls for a few hours on Monday.  It was fun being with little girls again.

Hiking with Henry:

Winter in Michigan is the best and worst of times.  I just love hiking up and down the hills in our backwoods with Henry!!!  It is the highlight of my year!  The downfall is the lack of sunshine causes my SAD to go crazy; even after spending my mornings with two SAD lamps on me to ease the dreary days.  I am thankful for my Seasonal Affect Disorder lamps to help me through these dark months.

Bible Studies:

I'm still doing two different Bible study classes; Monday nights (Thrive) and Wednesday mornings (Bible Study Fellowship,"BSF").  The Thrive group continues to be very open and friendly and the BSF group is still very educational.  I do really appreciate how both are very informative; I am really learning a lot about the Bible.  

Dd's Progress for the Week:
Grace Co-op:
Dd is continuing to do very well with her co-op classes on Fridays.  She is getting better at getting her assignments done throughout the week and not having to stay up late on Thursday nights.  Learning how to spread out your work and not cram last minute is a valuable lesson that I'm glad she has learned before college.  Her workload at Grace has declined as one of her classes, the American Civil War, has finished.  I'll give her a little break then I am going to increase what we are doing at home since she has time now.



Grace Classes:
Science: Anatomy and Physiology (Apologia)
Art: Painting Studio
English/Writing: Analytical Writing for Research and Essay Papers (IEW)



Math: Algebra II with tutor



Read Aloud:
I'm reading (and dissecting) A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens to Dd.  We are thoroughly enjoying it!

SAT Prep:

Dd has re-started working on the free resource, Khan Academy, for her SAT prep work.  The goal is at least thirty minutes per day.



German:
Dd has re-started working on the free resource, DuoLingo, for learning German.  The goal is at least thirty minutes per day.  Now that she doesn't have any homework from her American Civil War class she can do some of these extra's she hadn't been able to find time to do...



Fun Reader:
Kenobi: Star Wars Legends by John Jackson Miller: In Process

Work:
Dd is still enjoying working at the pizza shop!  I'm glad she likes it so much there.




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Jan. 12-18, 2020 Khan Academy, Flu, Snow and Ice

Jan. 12-18, 2020

Khan Academy, Flu, Snow and Ice

Hello, Friends!
By the end of this week, winter weather has once again returned, but I really appreciated the break from the snow and ice last week! 



 Such a treat of nice weather I took lots of pictures of the chickens outside enjoying it. 



At the end of the week, we had a winter storm, Saturday and Sunday, and received a lot of ice.  Our old church canceled, but our new church was open, but I decided to stay home and watch the message on their Livestream online.



Chickens:
I've been going crazy whipping up all sorts of exciting foods, or as I call them, "casseroles" for the chickens.  Apples were on sale at Aldi (for around $1.18 a bag) so I bought two bags and have been de-seeding them and dicing them into little pieces and mixing that in with various ingredients like:
brown rice, tomatillos, eggs, eggshells, frozen kale, and Swiss CHard, bread, left-over pancakes and biscuits, various left-overs (ham)... all good stuff that they go crazy for!  I don't know why, but my chickens love left-overs better than their feed.  When they can't go outside I try to keep things exciting with fun food surprises.  



Bible Studies:
I successfully made it to both my Bible studies this week.  I'm learning a lot, but wish it didn't take up SO much of my time.  I just can't seem to do things at a surface-level; I have to go way too deep and into too much detail.  A lesson might mention something like a location; for example: Asia Minor and I'll spend 30 minutes on various atlas and map books pinpointing exactly where Tarsus was in Asia Minor...it might sound funny but it can get really frustrating when I have to figure it all out before moving forward.  I'd have straight A's in both my classes if these were graded, but I do have so much else I also need to fit into my week!

Agnes

Khan Academy:
Now that I am thinking about my 'next chapter' or "next season" I've been thinking perhaps I'd be interested in some kind of medical job?  Like EEG or Xray technician -- so I've started watching lots of Anatomy and Physiology videos to see if I'm interested...so far it has been very interesting.  I'm learning a lot!  I don't know what God has planned, but I'm trying to fill my toolbox with some good tools so I'm prepared.

Khan Academy Info:
BTW: Do you know about the awesome FREE website dedicated to educating all people on most subjects covering most grades?  I've used it with my daughter for YEARS! and I have honestly used it even more myself!!  I love to learn!!  It is such an amazing resource---when my Dd had problems with math we would watch extra video's on her problem spots to help explain things.  Now that she is preparing for her SAT she has been using Khan for SAT prep.  I encourage you to google: Khan Academy and check out their website.  I never get any bonus or anything by recommending things that work for us; I'm just sharing.

https://www.khanacademy.org/

Radagast, our Silkie Rooster

Furnace:
Dh figured out which part had died in our furnace.  We ordered from Amazon and within one week he had the part and fixed the furnace! 

Honeysuckle

Subaru:
Dd came in on Saturday night saying the Subaru wouldn't start.  She had parked in our driveway and when she got out she noticed she hadn't parked back far enough and went back to fix it and when she turned the key it didn't start for her.  Dh found the battery had a lot of corrosion on it and the battery was low too.  He fixed it all up and we hope it will work better now.

Bunny, my hen that has been perpetually sick and I try so hard to help.

Wood flooring/Treads on Stairwell:
This week Dh managed to get ALL the treads up, all the nails pulled out, and the tread put back with a few screws to keep the stairwell working while we start to focus on buying and finishing the replacement treads.  The two options we have whittled it down to are: Dutch Oil and Polyurethane.  He plans to buy the new treads this week, but we still haven't decided what we are going to finish the wood with---both options are very nice.

Dd's Academic Progress For the Week:

Ms. Lemon, my Bantam hen

Reader:
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Franke: COMPLETED

Dickens

Paper on Diary of a Young Girl: COMPLETED

Henny Penny

Read Aloud:
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
We are on the last chapters...I will miss reading Dickens!  He is just such a great author to read aloud!!!

Grace Classes:
Science: Anatomy and Physiology (Apologia)
Art: Painting Studio (brought home an oil painting this week)
History: American Civil War (last class--turned in a paper this week after watching GLORY for research)
English/Writing: Analytical Writing for Essays and Research Papers (IEW)



Math: 
Algebra II (Saxon) with a tutor







Work/Job:
Dd had her first difficult meeting this week.  She was supposed to work on night when we were getting an ice storm.  Many places were closed due to the weather---even our library---and she called in to say she couldn't come in b/c we didn't want her driving home alone at 11 o'clock at night in a storm, as a 17-year-old.  Her boss gave her quite the lecture and warned her if she could get fired if she has 2 unexcused absences.  Mind you, she makes about $8.00 an hour because she is only 17.  This was the only time in seven months she has called off from a shift and he didn't take it very well.  It is a good life lesson for her; bosses don't actually care a bit about you and the sooner she learns that the better.  She handled it very well.  She let him chew her out and kept a professional attitude.

Hair Salon:

Dd had some major things done to her hair this week.  She has been going to the hair place in Walmart, but now she has moved up to a real salon!  But, her hair is looking very nice.  


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