Today’s boxes were pretty simple, I even ended up skipping Ks math - we don’t do math on Fridays usually so this week he will do math on Friday since I just couldn’t wrap my brain around it today to give him the lesson. When mama isnt feeling well, some things have to be put on hold !

Things we DID do today - made pumpkin soup, baked banana muffins, and the usual schoolwork. I added some fun activity cards today, I am not sure where I got them from but they are great, Aa hasn’t discovered hers yet, it says to hop like a frog (she doesn’t work her boxes in order/everyday). Also each of the boys had a strip that said to read any book for Book It and I did that in place of their reading books. And uhm OH brick building cards, they love those !  They worked on the next thing in their science notebooks, a cool page w/ the planets. I’ll take a photo when they are completed on Friday.

For today’s photo I have the completed posters for their August projects. Kieran’s was Weapons of the Civil War and Lochlan’s was The Statue of Liberty.  I am not sure what the October projects will be yet, the posters were supposed to be done last Thursday but Lochlan being sick end of last week pushed them over to this week.

Our latest issue is rushing through work/not taking their time/not wanting to spend the time making things (coloring, cutting well, etc) look nice. And it is very frustrating because I put a lot of time into planning and trying to make school fun. So I’ve been stressing how it is disrespectful to scribble on a coloring sheet, not listen, talk or mess around when I am trying to read, etc and we’re working on that. Exhausting. I did tell them that I especially need them to do their VERY BEST WORK because I would like to set up a special Open House for their grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. to come over and see what they’ve been learning this year just like the public school teachers do for mom & dad. I’m hoping the anticipation of this makes them (one in particular …) slow down & think through what he is doing instead of rushing to move on to the next thing, next thing, next thing.

Okay. Onto the photos ! Enough yapping from me ! I would resize them, but that is just too much work right now.

If i’m going to expand the blog, it might as well be with one of my other huge "Hobby’s" - homeschooling. Obviously my other hobby’s are knitting, and writing. Homeschooling and my kids are pretty much my life though.

So for workbox wednesday I don’t have any photos of today’s boxes but I’ll try to remember what was in them, as one set is worked through all but one, and one set is worked through all but two. And I do have photos of our set-up that were taken over the weekend to share.

So today for Kieran - ETC, 4 pages. Sort cards into three different categories (these cards are made for sorting, possible categories were all different colors, # of items on the cards, things you eat, fruit, vegetables, things you wear, animals , zoo animals / pets, different shapes, etc). Math (work w/ mom box), reading cards & reading, pick a president to learn more about (I want them to learn about doing research, putting together a project/poster so he has a president & L has a state - I haven’t choosen a deadline yet), and Spelling. Six boxes Plus together topics.

Lochlan’s boxes today included choosing a state for the Fall project, his math lesson, playing with the lego education set (I plan to include activities with this from time to time but just let them play today & yesterday), ETC -1 page plus building blend words with letter tiles, back of yesterdays math page, and picking a book from our book box to read to me & aaralyn & Toby. Plus together topics.

The boxes -

I should be packing . . . 

That said, let me ramble for a minute. I am SO excited about the house and all the space. I plan on bringing in my old desk and setting it up all crafty. I’ll have a basket for current knitting project, my sewing machine, and whatever else I come up with. I’ve been browsing peoples craft rooms, play rooms, school rooms on Flickr for ideas for what I want to do with my own spaces. Awesome. Going from 1500 sq ft to 3600 sq ft will be fun, except that whole more to clean bit.  

 At the moment the only creative thing I’m doing is writing on boxes with a market. Soon I can knit again  . . .  

I am really missing Lance, the lack of his presence is hitting hard after spending the whole day at the house (my in-laws) today. I went to the pantry for something and there were things for Lance still there, Sunday his dishes were still there (empty/clean) and Toby went for them as he always has. I rushed to pick up food when the children dropped something so he wouldn’t eat it. I stopped for a minute each time I left the house or walked in, because thats always when you go ahead and let the dog out. I miss his face in the window when I leave. I’ve known that dog a long time and in the past year or so, as his health declined, I wondered what it would be like when he was gone and how we would ever get used to life without him. I am so sad. It doesn’t help that Aa says things like "Mommy, where is lance?" and then "Is he really gone?" causing instant tears. And Lochlan brings him up. And we dive for the m & m’s before they hit the floor, because the dog can’t have chocolate.

I really haven’t knit much. Maybe a row here or there on my brothers scarf, but my thoughts are all over the place with J’s recent job loss & his working temp jobs all over the place right now, and summer coming up/trying to finish up school, and Tobers Bday coming up. I also have that big trip in August I need to be ready for, and there is a possibility of a move though I am at the point where until I hear it is for real for sure I am not counting on it (not even packing, boy will I be sorry if it does work out! HA)

On top of all that I’ve been lonely, though the worlds best friend ever was over Wednesday and that was just awesome and fun and so cool. She rocks. And she has the cutest four under four *EVER*  I miss being neighbors.

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FOR TODAY 3/25/2009
Outside my window… rainy

I am thinking… i can’t wait for knit night
I am thankful for… feeling a little better

From the learning rooms… LOTS of reading today. Go Kier!!!!
From the kitchen… easy stuff so I can get out of here quickly when daddy gets home - hot dogs, mac n cheese, and maybe peas to throw in some green.
I am wearing… jeans, my Made In Ireland tshirt (cause I was)
I am creating… can’t wait for knit night, where I get to KNIT
I am going… to knit night

I am reading… nothing good
I am hoping… I can keep everything moving smoothly till I get out of here
I am hearing… Jimmy newtron movie, JJ procrastinating his schoolwork.
Around the house… three kids watching a movie, one wandering around wasting time, numero five crawling and wondering why he can’t breakout and go anywhere he wants
One of my favorite things… not being sick anymore!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week: KNIT NIGHT (in case you hadn’t caught that yet, that is tonight), tae kwon do (two hours to kill with Aa tomorrow), maybe I’ll make the Lent Friday night at church this week.
Here is picture thought I am sharing… 

Lance 1996-2009 RIP

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FOR TODAY 3/9/2009
Outside my window…pretty day

I am thinking… that i’m hungry
I am thankful for…  the pretty day

From the learning rooms… just the basics
From the kitchen… maybe we’ll make chicken and rice, and bake something yummy
I am wearing… jeans, black tshirt with cracker juice all over it
I am creating… nothing
I am going… no where

I am reading… Like Mother, Like Daughter (love my chick lit stuff)
I am hoping… everyone would finish up their work and go play outside
I am hearing… a fan, the kids talking from time to time, silence
Around the house… everyone is in the same room, the rest of the house is still
One of my favorite things… not having a headache

A few plans for the rest of the week: groceries. park. knit night. reading.
Here is picture thought I am sharing… 
I don’t havea  picture thought, as usual, I am not thinking in pictures rightnow

Knitty Kitty

We checked this one out of the library and it is just so sweet. Ms. Aa loves it. I want to buy it.

p>~*~*~*~*~

FOR TODAY 1/26/2009
Outside my window…cold and wet!

I am thinking… there is so much to do
I am thankful for… good insurance
From the learning rooms… math, reding, a bit of cathching up from crazy thursday
From the kitchen… lazy meal night - hot dogs
I am wearing… jeans and a sweatshirt
I am creating… toddler socks, baby hats, a scarf
I am going… NO WHERE! Stay home all day day!
I am reading… nothing, five or six library books and no time to read
I am hoping… to get everything done
I am hearing… kids talking to me and talking out their work
Around the house… everyone is busy w something - school, a game, nursing, ya know the usual daily
One of my favorite things… a napping baby on top of me

A few plans for the rest of the week: ice?????! tkd, jer getting better
Here is picture thought I am sharing… 
I really hate this cause it requires lookinng for an image, saving it, uploading, etc etc etc. so no picture thought from me. instead imagine this, a very fussy cute sweet eight month old climbing on his mama and not letting her get anything done. ta da.

i also gave a knitty type gift - my little sister was my secret santa, and she has a renewed interest in knitting, she also adores harry potter so when I found Charmed Knits at half price books I grabbed it for her package. She was sooo excited. She also got money for her summer youth trip fund, and some christmasy stuff since Christmas Day was depressing at my parents house this year. (They had to call a plumber AND my kids didn’t visit. hee)

I finally used my harmony needles. See, I want the full options set so I ordered both kinds of tips and a set of cords so I could try them out. I still haven’t made up my mind. But I do like these, a lot.

And my second new thing is the book Knitting On The Edge. I have checked this out from the library more than once. I figured it was about time to add it to my bookshelf. So when Joanne’s had 40% off books, and a free shipping code, I went ahead and ordered it. I even got cute and wrote "Happy Birthday" in the gift message area.