SL Core 100 Week 5A Jan 28-Feb 3, 2018 Bought Clarinet, Built Tardis

SL Core 100 Week 5 "A"

Jan 28-Feb 3, 2018 

Bought Clarinet, Built Tardis and lost a chicken

Dd is loving having a new instrument to figure out.

Hello Friends!

On Sunday I let the chickens outside to enjoy the sun; enjoying the rare sunshine with warm temperatures in the end of January!  The snow and cold temperatures returned by Monday, to my dismay, but I'm still glad for the brief respite we had.  Wednesday was sunny again, so after Dd's music classes and lessons I let the chickens out again for three hours in the afternoon.  When I went out to put all the chickens back into the secure area, what I call the 'inner sanctum,' from the run beside it, which is fenced in, small, but doesn't have a cover over it in the winter, I saw a dead chicken.  Just in those few hours, during the day, a hawk had flown in and killed a chicken.  During all the snowless times of the year I keep a really large outdoor umbrella up to keep the chickens safe; thus I now know I can't let the chickens out except in the inner sanctum that is enclosed on all sides.  I hated to lose a chicken.  I've been feeling wretched about this as it is so difficult to keep my chickens safe while living literally in the woods surrounded by so many predators.

Snow has returned.

Clarinet:

Dd's Intermediate Band is very short of clarinet players and this has somehow translated to Dd wondering if she could 'help the band' by learning the clarinet.  She is actually considering switching instruments mid-year to help out.  I don't encourage this idea, but the other mother that also is a Room Helper, Ruth, with me does think it would be a great idea.  Ruth had an extra clarinet at home that she found at Goodwill a few years ago and brought it in for Dd to buy.  The price was right and you know Dd has never met an instrument she hasn't wanted to figure out, so we bought it.  I don't know if it will go anywhere this year or not, but Dd is having fun practicing it at home.  Dd had been borrowing a clarinet from one of her BFF's that dropped band this year; she returned the borrowed clarinet now that she has her own.

Dd's watercolor

Follow-Up appt. with the surgeon:

I met with my surgeon this week and he looked at my incision sites which were healing quite well.  It was a pretty quick visit with little information shared.  He said the gallstones he removed were big and gave me the operation notes, that I had requested for my records.  He said I will have to wait for 6 to 8 weeks before my digestion system calms down, then I can do some testing of foods to see if I will be able to tolerate them.  Until then, he encouraged me to stick to the FODMAP diet.  The other factor I seem to be struggling with is this awful flu that keeps coming around.  So, I don't know if my current 'tummy troubles' are from the surgery or the flu!  

Dd designed and make a Doctor Who Tardis this week

The Week of the Tardis:

This year has been the year of Doctor Who for Dd.  She loves to get all into things, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Narnia...and this year has been dedicated to Doctor Who!  This week she worked for hours and hours building a 'tardis' out of cardboard, a 3D replica of her own design.  What is a tardis, you ask?  It is a phone box from England that The Doctor uses as his time travel machine, of course!  She had a great time making her own tardis!

Dd swollen tonsils:

This week Dd had a little more motivation than last week, but her tonsils are still quite swollen.  I am tettering back and forth about whether to take her in or not because so many kids in her music classes are out with the flu and I don't want her to pick up the flu on top of her swollen tonsils.  I'm trying to feed her extra healthy and let her sleep as much as she can each day.  She doesn't have a fever, but I can tell her immune system is working over-time.

I am so thankful for such a beautiful view out my kitchen window.  My two smaller orchids are prepaing for a new bloom!

Learning to use the Sewing Machine:

Dh gave me a new sewing machine, maybe 2 years ago, that Dd has enjoyed using often, but I hadn't quite found the time to figure out...that is until now.  Long story short---back in Indiana we bought two new sofa's (sofa- 3 seat- and "love seat" - 2 seat sofa) and for the cost of them you would have thought they were leather, but they were faux leather, a nice looking vinyl.  Well, after a mere 8 years the vinyl started breaking and tearing off and turned into a regretful purchase.  We began to peel off each cushion as they wore down, to the cotton gray material underneath, which was not pretty, not at all!  We had been thinking about buying a new sofa, but honestly, after the two new kittens, that idea has been slowly sinking.  Three cats in our house have really been painful for our few pieces of furniture that have fabric on them.  I've tried the sprays that supposedly keep cats off your furniture and they just don't work!  So, after months of thought, I finally decided to NOT buy new sofa's but to sew pretty covers for the ones we already have and accept that for the next 2 years we shouldn't buy anything that can't handle kittens.  So, I brought my 'new' sewing machine out, got a lesson from Dd on how to use it, and started working on making the covers for the five ruined cushions.  Since I've never done this before it is taking me a lot of time to just make the first cover; though I am hopeful by the five cover I will have figured it out!  I'm super glad that I am taking this sewing challenge on, sewing machine work has been on my bucket list for years!  Dd showed me how to refill my bobbin and thread; I actually remembered all the details after one demonstration. 

 Last summer I greatly improved my gardening skills, canning, freezing and dehydrating foods and this winter I am going to learn how to use my sewing machine properly!  I just love that I am learning just as much as Dd does each week.  If nothing else, I hope I've passed on the passion for learning and growing throughout life to Dd.  The funny part is that I've learned so much from my Dd.  Giz, (Dd's grandmother) taught Dd how to use the sewing machine years ago, and now Dd showed me!  The LeFebvre family showed Dd how to crochet and knit and then she taught me that too!  I could go on, but you get the idea!  I have so much to learn and LOVE learning!

These evergreens are just so beautiful with freshly fallen snow.  My pictures never capture just how breathtaking it is in person.

An uptick in Motivation:

This week Dd seemed a little bit more academic.  I often think of the old adage about 'You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.'  I can assign Dd work and remind and encourage, but as she gets older it really is time for her to learn how to become an independent student.  This has really been a struggle for Dd as her passion for learning this year has truly been missing.  I wish I could say that I've figured out how to handle this situation, but I do really struggle with how to get her back on the right track---just being really honest here.  Even her motivation for her music has taken a back seat to her drawing and painting.  

One of the dishes I made up for the girls one day.

Chickens:

Caring for chickens during the winter is challenging.  I've come up with lots of interesting concoctions of tempting foods.  Dd is thoroughly disgusted and will often leave the kitchen as I keep adding various ingredients.  I've noticed many of the girls with missing feathers, balding heads, and basically looking drab.  I know they don't have mites, I've checked, so it has come down to molting.  I do see new feathers appearing, so that makes my diagnosis probable.  To help with molting, I've read that the chickens could use more protein.  So, I've been scrambling eggs, adding wheat germ, dog food, black sunflower seeds, egg shells, and lots of left-overs from our basic cooking---carrots, celery, rice...we eat pretty plain.  I'm enjoying feeding Ms. Lemon each morning and also the other most pitiful girls too.  It really is one of my favorite things that I do each day, she (Ms. Lemon) really is such a sweetheart with her tiny little Bantam body and her little 'peeps!'

Academics of the Week:

Bible:

Integrated Bible Study--our chronological study of the NT together.  I'm not going to type it all out this week.

SL's Bible:

Bible Study Sampler (that Dd isn't liking): page 29

Why Pray?: Day 21-25

Dd's independent bible devotional on her Kindle Fire has been a big success for her!  She is really liking the content of this.

Church, Sunday School, Volunteering to run the children's  game time; Olympians on Wed. nights, Strings Group on Thurs. nights and Sunday night Youth Program.

My Ladies Sunday School's book: It's awesome!
I really like how she makes you take a very academic route following a theme throughout multiple books of the bible.  I'm learning. 

Math: through Grace HS group:

Saxon Geometry - 4 lessons and class this week

Our garden...bit chilly!

Science: Apologia Biology

We are on Module 2, I'm reading text and Dd is doing the Student Notebook

our experiment is using pond water to study under microscope---problem finding pond water in the winter in Michigan!  I'm really stopping and discussing our science this book as I really want Dd to remember and understand this material.  I really want to make science and math a big priority this year.  

Even dead branches look pretty with snow on them!

Add-In Read Aloud:

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

I've found SparkNotes online that has a break down analysis for each chapter, this has been a wonderful resource!  All I typed in was "SparkNotes A Separate Peace" and there it is!

Trash day

SL's Reader: Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz: In Process

We have always liked Jean Fritz's books!  

Fun Books:

Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston (on audio): In Process

Winter by Marissa Meyer (audio and book): In Process

Dd has been loving these Marissa Meyer books this year.  I'm hoping she will get through all of them soon as they do get in the way of her SL reading.

Foreign Language: Duolingo

Yay!  Dd is back on her foreign language again.  Here is hoping she can stick with it for a long time.

My muck boots, not pretty, but very vital.

Cooking:

Asparagus and Salmon Patties were Dd's big contribution to cooking for the week.  She has been going vegetarian these past few weeks, I think just to see if she can!  Luckily fish is still okay.

This tree is just so beautiful covered in snow.

Music Classes:

Intermediate Band: Alto Sax

Intermediate Orchestra: Violin

Strings Group: Ukulele

Music Private Lessons:

Piano with Wendy

Violin with Christie

Practices:

Dd has been having fun playing her Clarinet!  She's doing some practice on her violin and piano too, but not much extra on her sax b/c her throat is sore and swollen.

Art Classes: through Grace HS Group:

Painting Studio: Watercolor Landscape

Botany Class: weekly specimen

Dd's watercolor

Dd made two new Sketch Books, 
and then started using them:

Art practice:

LOTS of art work going on.  This year has slowly been a build-up of making art, drawing, painting, watercolor, and this week she also made a Doctor Who, TARDIS, out of cardboard!  She had a blast and worked on it for hours!

Next Week: Hoping Dd feels better soon, and that I might get over my flu!

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