SL Core 100 Week 4 Jan.21-27, 2018

SL Core 100 Week 4 

Jan.21-27, 2018

Cholecystectomy was on Jan. 19th--recovering

Dd STILL sick, but able to go to classes, no fever, but sore throat.

Another January Thaw, chickens outside again!

Hello, Friends!

Finally, a picture that captures Honeysuckle!

I surprised our church when I went to church on Sunday; they didn't think I'd be able to come when I had just had the surgery on Friday; two days before, but, I did!  I'm waiting for my body to adjust to life without a gallbladder and hoping there will be improvements soon.  Fortunately, the after surgery pain wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, so I didn't have to take those major pain pills, and by the second day I only took Tylenol (Acetaminophen) one time.  The biggest struggle, for me, is that my abdomen was so swollen I couldn't inhale very deeply and when I did it hurt some.  Another side effect of the surgery is that I was so tired each evening that I fell asleep so quickly that I didn't get to do my nightly prayers like I normally do.  I was able to do most of my normal activities except on Thursday; Thursday I had to admit defeat and lay down and rest for most of the day.  I guess I'd overdone it!  But, so much of what I read regarding activity level post-op said to be as active as you can, so I did!  I'm thankful for the prayers from my church congregation on my behalf--such a blessing to benefit from the love and care of other Christians!  I'm supposed to leave the tape and band-aids on the incisions for 10-15 days, but it is taking all my patience to not pull it off and see how big the cuts actually are!

Dd's health:Still down, but not out.

I hate to say this--but Dd is still sick.  If the horrible flu wasn't in full swing around here I would have already taken her in.  She was able to get some homework done this week even though she still is fighting it.  She was able to return to all her classes, lessons, and activities.  She has a chair test this week, but hasn't played her sax, except in her band class for 1:30 hours, so I don't know how she'll do.  She is getting her "have to's" done, but not much else.  She did a good job helping me this week, so I didn't have to do some of the heavy lifting.



Low Motivation:
Part of Dd being sick is that her motivation level is low; even more so than usual.  These low weeks are just the perfect time for me to wonder if homeschooling is still the right choice.  This week, like all the previous times I've considered our options, I always go back to the same general idea that she would have weeks where she is unmotivated, tired, sick, or distracted but, at home, unlike at a school, I can slow things down and accommodate the (hopefully) temporary pace decrease and not plow forward without her.  I know there certainly were times when my mind was totally not focused on my studies in my p.s. education.  I still feel lead to continue homeschooling my Dd.  

Sunshine in January?!  I got my bedding out so quick!

Sunshine, Thunder & Lightning, and Flurries:

 We had 3-4 days of warmer weather and sunshine!  We actually had a little bit of every kind of weather this weird week!  Monday we had pouring rain, with thunder and lightning! So much of the snow has melted!  Our street is still all ice b/c it is in shade, but our driveway is almost all cleared off. 



 The chickens spent a few days outside!!  I've carried most of the chickens (all but Ms. Lemon) to my gated 'backyard area' (where my garden is located), to eat grass and take dirt baths on the nice days.

Dirt Bath Time!!!

Chickens:

.  I'm still hand feeding Ms. Lemon each day and a few of the other birds that seem to be a little weaker than I'd like.  She seems to be doing a little better, but I know she is on the bottom of the totem pole and I should always keep an eye on her. 



 Saturday was so warm that all the chickens (except Ms. Lemon) were outside so I took advantage and really cleaned the coop with extra care.  



It was so nice to have all the chickens outside when trying to clean the coop, it is kinda crazy when they are all in there and I'm trying to get the dirty straw out from literally under their feet!  Dh bought them this big cube block of feed, like a suet feeder, but the size of a cinder-block and they have really been enjoying that. 

Ms. Lemon in the nest box.  She has spent every.single.day inside these boxes.  I have to pull her out each day and hand feed her.

Ms. Lemon:

When all of the chickens (but Ms. Lemon) went up the ramp and were outside, Ms. Lemon had the whole coop to herself.  I closed the door and as soon as she realized she was all alone in the coop she put on quite the show!!!  She was flapping her wings, doing little crows, and hopping around from the roosts!  She was so funny!!!!  

Christmas Tree:

Dd and I finally took down our Christmas decorations on Saturday the 26th.  I always keep my Christmas tree up for about month, or more, after Christmas.  I enjoy seeing all our bird decorations, store-bought and homemade, all around the tree.  This year we had to hide it behind doors in our basement so the kittens couldn't tear it apart, and that lessened the time I was spending seeing the decorated tree.  This week Dd and took down our tree early.

Doesn't Zeus look like he is ready to take me down?  He is just waiting for me to fall down one day....oh my!

Ladies Sunday School:

My Sunday School class has recently started Beth Moore's: Entrusted, I'm learning more about Saul/Paul and enjoying digging deep!  I also found the Billy Graham book, Just As I Am, at a thrift store this week.  Chelle had recommended it on her blog, so I look forward to cracking it's cover soon!

Truck:

Saturday Dh had to work, but when he got home he changed his clothes, skipped dinner, and got right on his truck.  He wore a headlamp and worked, in the dark, until around 8pm, but he did it!  He actually got his truck working again!!!  It seems such a waste to pay insurance on an auto that is down more than it is running.  I hope it will last longer than it's normal habit of only running for under 3 weeks at a time!  He drove it to church on Sunday night, taking Dd to Youth Program, and some gasket broke off, maybe transmission, and he was stuck at church.  He called and I picked him up and took him to get more transmission fluid and oil at the store, then home to get some stuff that he has that soaks up the fluid puddle under his truck at church, and then back to the church to fix the gasket and refill the fluids.  It was a crazy hour driving all over and getting the truck working again while Dd was inside enjoying her Youth Program, oblivious to the drama going on outside!  We all made it back home by 8:30 and the church's parking lot didn't look worse for wear.

Dd's homemade card for Heather

Thank You Notes:

This week Dd and I finished up and mailed our (late) Thank You cards, six of them!  Also, I found one last Christmas card that I had missed on my table!

Agnes---dominating the climbing thing!

Birds Singing:

Ah, the birds have really been singing up a storm this week! I was so encouraged!! It makes me feel so hopeful that spring is just around the corner.  Next week the Arctic temps and snow return, so it was nice to hear the birds and soak up the sunshine!

Academic's, Lessons, Classes for the Week:

Church, Sunday School, Volunteering at Olympians Group (and Strings Group)

SL's Bible:

Bible Study Sampler: pg's 24-28

Why Pray? by John F. DeVries: pg's 16-20

Buckbeak is looking like winter has lasted too long.  I've been hand-feeding her a lot lately to try and get her looking more fluffy.

History:

A History of US, Book 2:

Preface and Ch 1-14

Reader:

Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz: In Process

Dd wasn't impressed with Stink Alley, so I exchanged it with Traitor.  We've read a lot of Jean Fritz's books and like her writing.

Dickens!

Read Aloud:
The Federalists Papers:

I started the introduction this week.  I'm trying to decide if we want to read this together or wait.  Dd thought it was dry, so I might decide on another RA for next week.

Math:

Saxon Geometry with Grace Academy: Lesson 57, 58, and Test 5

This is still a really difficult class and Dd is still plugging along with it.

Agnes and making the kittens climbing thing one of her favorite places.  She is even playing with them (fighting with them) on it!

Science:

Apologia Biology: Module 2

I've taken back to reading this aloud to Dd.  I read about 8-10 pages this week, but she had already read them the week before, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to re-listen and discuss with me.  It seems like she needs some more hand-holding to get this back as a priority.  With teenagers, there are lots of different levels of independent vs not-independent students, and Dd swings back and forth on that front.  I love learning science and am happy to share this subject with her.

Poetry:

The Harp and Laurel Wreath (an excelent book!!)

I read a few poems from it this week.

THREE Chickadee's in one photo.

Fun Reading:

Cress by Marissa Meyer: Completed

Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnson: In Process

Look at how much snow melted!!!  It was amazing!

Art:

Dd made a few thank you cards with a watercolor of a flower or sunset.  She also did some watercolors as stand alone's.  She has been really enjoying figuring out how to improve her watercolor skills.

Painting Studio: 1:30 hour class with Grace

Botany: Watercolors: 1:30 hour class with Grace

The only thing this photo doesn't show, Honeysuckle's wonderfully appeased tummy!  This kitten is all belly!

Cooking:

Dd made a cauliflower dish---steamed and chopped; really good.
Tilapia chicken, mayo / parmasean recipe.

No Bake Cookies! Yum!

Music Classes:

Intermediate Orchestra: violin (Chair Test this week)

Intermediate band: alto sax

Lessons:
Piano Lessons with Wendy

Violin Lesson with Christie

Group: at church

Strings Group: Ukulele

Not much music practicing at home this week, with her sore throat.  She did some violin, piano, and clarinet practice.  Hoping she will get back into more practicing soon.  She had borrowed her friend's clarinet and practiced it some this week.  Next weekwe will look at buying one, from a friend.  Also, we will start A Seperate Peace by John Knowles.




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SL Core 100 Week 3C Jan. 14-20, 2018 Sick & Surgery

SL Core 100 Week 3C : Early American History

Jan. 14-20, 2018 

Sickness & My Surgery

Zeus---who has been a pill, just ask the bruises on my leg!

Hello, Friends!

Dd's bug and brain fog made for a very unusual week; as did my gallbladder surgery.  To begin the week, we all stayed home from church on the 14th.  I canceled Dd's violin lesson on Monday (15th) as well as her various music lessons/classes normally held on Wednesday (17th).  My surgery to remove my faulty gallbladder was scheduled for Friday and although I had started getting Dd's illness I still felt good enough to go ahead with the procedure. I had felt okay up until Wednesday evening; I had tried to get out of volunteering for WMHFA Intermediate Band, teacher's helper, but couldn't get out of it.  I think that is where my immune system finally fell over!  All those kids and germs was just too much for my weakened system.  I really kick myself for not standing up for myself better and telling them I wasn't coming in to "volunteer."  I had already contacted WMHFA to tell them Dd was sick and wouldn't be coming into classes.  Friday while I was having my surgery  Dd had her Grace classes, with her friend, Lexi.  I asked Lexi's mom if Dd could spend Thursday night with them and then go with Lexi to her classes on Friday; which she agreed to.  Then on Friday afternnon, after my surgery, Dh picked Dd up and brought her home.  

By Saturday the weather changed, from cold and snowy to warm and breezy!  The chickens were so glad to get outside again.  I'm so happy to have a break from the snowblower after using it almost daily!  Yay, for the second January Thaw!

Dd was sick the entire week, and still sick as I type. Finally, on Thursday she said she began to feel a little better, at least not continuing to feel worse.  What a long bug (illness) this has been.  It feels like, with her weakened immune system, she has had two or three things evolve.  Hopefully next week we will be able to get back to more actual learning.  This week, what little mental power she had she used on her math lessons.  

Dd has been working on her oil painting while sick.

My Add-In: Not Sonlight Of Mice and Men and Guests: Completed

We completed the extra resources for dissecting Of Mice and Men and then spent the rest of the week reading Guests by Michael Dorris; which was supposed to be a Reader, but I turned it into a Read Aloud.  I haven't decided what book I am going to start, from my list of books--not part of the Core 100--so I chose this short book as we would finish it in one week.  

Agnes is really owning the kittens climbing thing!

Guests by Michael Dorris: Completed
Sonlight Reader, I turned into a Read Aloud:
Guests Review:

A fictional story about the relationship between the new European arrivals to North America and the already surviving Native Americans, told from the point of view of a teenage Native American boy named, Moss, and his friend, Trouble.  Easy reading, good writing, and shared a unique perspective from the Native American point of view when European settlers arrived.  One funny bit that struck me was how the Native American's invited them to come over for a meal and were insulted by the fact that the Europeans came to the meal without bringing their own bowl or dish with which to eat from!    Another point of the book was how the Native Americans probably didn't really want to feed and/or help the Europeans, but having known hungry times they might have felt it was only right to offer to help them.  Helping others, even though often uncomfortable, is the right thing to do.  Another interesting point in the book is how one character, a young female, was feeling how it would be better to be a male, for various reasons.  The main character, Moss, gets to know, Trouble, a fellow teen that is a female and wanting to buck the traditions of their gender roles.

Church offers for food and Surgery:

I am now living without a gallbladder.  I had the nicest nurses and doctors, which was such a blessing.  Two of my church friends texted me before my surgery to let me know they were praying for a successful surgery; which was really, really kind of them.  Plus, Doris called me the night before to ask if I needed meals brought to us---wasn't that SO kind?!  I declined the offer, but, was really impressed that they offered.  In all my years of church no one has ever offered to bring us a meal during all the various medical events.  I really do appreciate the kind hearts of our church.  I am so thankful, so very thankful for being apart of a loving church!  I can't express how difficult it has been to find a congregation with such a good heart; indeed very rare, which is disappointing, but we are all humans after all.  I do still struggle with how our sermons include political commentary; I've never had a church that openly discussed their political opinions during the sermons before and definitely feel like that isn't the time or place due to wanting to remain united in Christ and not divided by politics.  Fortunately, this doesn't happen every week, but last week it did and so I'm still smarting from that, I don't like divisiveness to separate our congregation.  Anyway, I do love our church and am so impressed by the kind hearts of the congregation; so in line with Jesus' message of putting love first.

Surgery:

My surgery went well.  I have four holes that are healing in my abdomen and I am missing my gallbladder.  Before taking me into surgery, the nurse reiterated that they were going to remove my gallbladder, to which I replied,: "and put in a new and improved one, right?!!!"  She laughed!  I don't think she had heard that response before! The biggest surprise is that I really expected to have a LOT of pain afterward, but that hasn't been the case.  I took Tramadol (twice) after the procedure and by the day after the surgery, I didn't need anything for the pain.  They offered major pain pills but I didn't want anything to do with that potential stumbling block.  Compared to having migraines, this level of pain is nothing.  Thanks to all who prayed for my surgery recovery.  The worst part is having my head and chest full of mucus and coughing all the time with my abdomen all swollen and sore.  If only I could get over this bug it would be easier to recover, all this coughing is driving me crazy.

Chickens:

Dd helped me clean out the chicken coop again this week by carrying the five buckets of dirty straw up and out to the compost heap.  I wanted to be sure to get that chore done before my surgery, as I will need a few days to heal before I'll be able to clean it again.    Then after my surgery, she went ahead and cleaned out the coop, all by herself, without me even asking!  What a pleasant surprise!!!

The cats have been loving the dishwasher box, seen here behind Agnes.  They have spent hours in it!

Dishwasher:

Dh hooked up the dishwasher he bought for my Christmas gift, as it was delivered at the end of last week.  For the first time in our marriage, I have a working dishwasher!!!  We had one in our Brownsburg home but did a such a bad job that we always just washed our dishes by hand.  Now, I have a dishwasher!!  The ironic part is I went from spending 1-2 hours on dishes each day to spending 1-2 hours snow blowing and snow shoveling!! 

Felt Christmas Birds:

Knowing I was having surgery, and going under anesthesia, I decided I better finish up my birds and start getting them mailed out as there is always a chance, in my mind, that one might not wake back up!  A little morbid, I know, but it did drive me to finish up my Christmas things.  I also found a small stack of Christmas cards in a corner of my table that had about 10 cards that I hadn't seen...or mailed out yet!  So, I mailed those cards out this week too!!!  I hope my friends don't mind my tardiness, but the week before Christmas I had 4-5 days, in a row, with a migraine that kept me down and unable to finish up my Christmas things.  Luckily, I had wrapped all of Dd and Dh's gifts back in November as I have had migraines ruin my plans before on Christmas and so had learned this lesson years ago.  I guess that can be seen as one of the blessings I've learned from having migraines---don't procrastinate as you might literally not be able to get things done later!  I made a post of all the birds I did this year: http://fleurdelisacademy.blogspot.com/2018/01/christmas-birds-2017-felt-and-lavender.html

Dd's Baking:
Dd made a batch of Shortbread, from scratch, and melted special dark chocolate on top as a birthday gift for Joy, a church friend.





Art:
Dd has been working away with her art, even when she isn't feeling good.  She made Joy a birthday card with some of the things she's learned from her Botany class.

Due to Illness:

No music practice of any kind.

Grace Classes:
Saxon Geometry class:
 Math class and homework went fine.  She has a lot of math to do each day and is preparing for her mid-term test this Friday.  Dd's brain has just had enough strength to keep up with her class, but that hasn't left much energy for her other subjects.

Studio Painting: Going well!
Botany Watercolor class: Going well!

Music:
No music lessons, classes, or practicing while sick this week.
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SL Core 100 Week 3B Jan. 7-13, 2017 Sick

SL Core 100 Week 3B (Not an academic week.)

Jan. 7-13, 2017 

Sickness Arrives Again

Hello, Friends!

Ah, the misery of winter illnesses.  Dd had spent the weekend at her friend's house, returning home on Sunday, Jan. 7th, we picked her up after our church.  She went to church with her friends and got to experience a different church. Her friends sang during the service, Down to the River to Pray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSif77IVQdY , here is a link to YouTube if you are unfamiliar with the song that became popular when it was in the movie, O Brother Where Art Thou. 
Sleep Over:Dd had a great time with her friends and came home with a second bug; her immune system is shot right now!!!  She got worse each day this week as her tonsils got redder and more swollen as the days went by.  By the end of the week, her cough and mucus got worse.  I had migraines or headaches from Thursday on and gradually picked up her bug.  This wasn't a great week for us academically and started our longest illness so far this winter.  We are just plodding through right now.  What a doozy this bug is!

  Felt Birds:
While sitting and being brain-dead, I brought out the felt birds I started this winter and added lots of finishing touches.  I specifically worked on the wings and attaching the hoops to hang them from a tree, if desired, and some eyes too.  Dd and I both had waning brain power this week.

A Dark-Eyed Junco at our feeder

SNOW!
This week's weather went back and forth between snowing and then another "January Thaw" and back to snow again!  Last year we bought a new snowblower and finally this year I've fully figured it out!  It is great to finally have figured out all the shortcuts and I can get everything cleaned off in about an hour of work, whereas it used to take me much longer. 

Our garden is under snow.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
We had finished this book, but I had also bought a book, like Cliff Notes, to help us dissect and analyze the book and we read parts of that this week.  Also, the edition we had of the book has an Introduction, about 25 pages long, that we read in its entirety.  I'm liking taking extra time to discuss the book and figure out as much as we can.



Chickens:
Since the chickens are spending much of their time in the coop, I am having to clean the coop at least once a week.  I've persuaded Dd to carry the buckets of dirty straw out and to our compost pile to make this chore shorter for me to complete.  She really hasn't ever embraced having chickens and her interactions are few and far between. 

The chickens haven't been out here in months!

Chickens:
All our chickens are doing fine, though I can see they are getting skinnier each week, nothing major, but, they truly don't seem to like their pellets very much and preferred the wild greens I had supplied them last spring, summer, and fall.  I've tried to surprise them with black sunflower seeds, whole dried corn, cracked corn, table scraps, hard boiled eggs and lots of cooked egg shells, and anything I can think of!  I'm still hand-feeding Ms. Lemon each day and she seems a bit better this week.  I always bring her at least on chopped up hard boiled egg and shell; she also really likes bananas!  It is the highlight of my day to feed her!  This week I gave them a big bag of organic peas from Costo, and they loved it!



Chickens Outside!
Tuesday Larkin and I shoveled out the snow from the top two outdoor chicken runs and they all (except Ms. Lemon) spent most of the day outside!!! They spent Tuesday-Thursday outside; which greatly improved their disposition!  Zeus, our Buff Orpington rooster attacked my left leg this week, and left bruises!  He really went for me, more aggressively than ever before. 



Migraines & Illness:
I'm afraid I've had a string of migraines starting on Wednesday and lasting, off and on, for the next eight days.  I'm sure the crazy weather has something to do with it!  We went from 58 degrees to 18 degrees in the span of two days.  Both Dd and I were not in top form this week!!!



Dd very sick:
 We both had some super-cold-bug, red throats, swollen tonsils.  Dd had major coughing throughout and more mucus than I did. I was watching her fever to see if I needed to bring her into the doctor, as each day she got a little worse.  Locally our area has been hit hard with a really bad flu, so I wanted to avoid taking her to the doctors or ER for fear she would come home with the killer flu bug and take her from bad to worse.  Though she had a fever, it wasn't high.  The worst part of Dd being sick was that this made her "Brain Dead!" She went through an entire box of tissues! Often times I can squeeze homework into her sick days, but she couldn't focus her brain very well or for very long, so I kept my expectation to math and our study of, Of Mice and Men, and kept things under two hours, though spread out.  I believe she was able to read her Fun Book without trouble!  Isn't that always the way! 



Grace Classes:
Dd was too sick to go to her Grace classes; Painting Studio, Botany Watercolor class, and her Geometry math class on Friday.



Surgeon Appointment: Scheduled Surgery
My gastroenterologist referred me to a surgeon and he highly recommended that I get my gallbladder removed.  The surgery (laparoscopic) will be next Friday, Jan. 19th.  Dh will take off that day from work to bring me. I'm glad to get the appointment so quickly so I won't have too much time to fuss and worry about it.



Music Lessons:
Violin Lesson with Christie: 30 min.
Intermediate Orchestra (violin) 1:30 hours
Intermediate Band: 1:30 hours
Piano Lesson with Wendy: 30 min.



Music Practice:
Not much practicing going on with Dd having a cold, sore throat, coughing....



Fun Reading:
Cress by Marissa Meyer (In Process)


Grace Art Classes:
Painting Studio: 1:30 oil painting
Botany: 1:30 watercolor painting

One of Dd's watercolors this week--Groot.

Art:
Dd has been working on her painting and photography each day this week.  She is really enjoying both outlets. 



Math:
Saxon Geometry lessons 51-55



Bible:
Church, Sunday School, Volunteering at Olympians-Games.
Why Pray? (for SL) by John DeVries



Stink Alley by Jamie Gilson: Dropped
Dd decided to drop Stink Alley this week.  She just wasn't impressed with it.

For the first time, Agnes has decided she is a cat and jumped up on their cat climbing thing!  It is nice to see her finally adjusting to fit in with the new kittens.

Next Week:
We are no closer to feeling better; actually continuing to feel worse as each day goes by!  My surgery is scheduled for Friday and Dh will take the day off to take me.
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