Things are looking up!

I know I had a bit of whinge last post but it seems that just being aware of potential problems is enough to make you think of solutions and to be proactive in your attitude.

For this being my "worst" time of year I seem to be doing a whole lot better than last year.  I track our school days in Homeschool Tracker Plus.  Only the more formal type of school days get entered there.  I just don't have much interest or time to do journal type entries when more natural learning is happening.  And in review I can see that my 7 year old has done 3 times as many school days this term as compared to late last year, the 10 year old has doubled his school days and the 13 year old has gone down by 50%. 

Why does this look good overall?  After all the teenager is doing less.  But it is good, because the 7yo and 10yo have me work with them for everything whereas the 13yo is supposed to be working independently.  Just shows I am getting better but he still needs a lot more nudging (nagging?!).

I have been almost gobbling my sinus tissue salts and have drunk Coke before a headache gets really bad.  And I am talking to myself nicely too.  Amazing the difference in life when we treat ourselves better.

I am looking forward to even more improvement as I get the hang of being successful.  :-)

Best wishes
Jen

Pirate themed day

Of course you all know International Talk Like a Pirate Day is coming up, don't you?  Oh, you don't!  Well it is on 19 September and I would hate for you to miss the fun so I am sharing what I am hoping to do for the day so you have time to prepare.

We will start the day with a craft project, making eyepatches and pirate hats from black cardboard.  Treasure maps will then be handed out with each child having a map to help them find their treasure.  Treasures will include little wooden doll pirates to match our pirate ship, chocolate, gold coins, candy jewellery, a wooden initial letter with a pirate on it and a toy.  The toys include a sticker book of pirates, a snap card game with pirates, a wallet with a boy pirate on it, a box of pirate puzzles and a nest of pirates (a manoushka doll style toy). 

After finding our treasures we will be playing outside on the treehouse pirate ship which will have a pirate flag on it and sharks circling between it and the "beach" between the mango trees.

When the pirates need some down time we will be viewing Pirates of Penzance, with Jon English and Simon Gallagher.  Or they can play with the new pirates and the pirate ship on a play mat I am going to make out of blue, green and yellow fabric.  Maybe they can make palm trees and hide a small treasure?!  Or play a pirate game that we already own?!

Are you planning anything?

Best wishes
Jen

Free pirate lapbook pieces here for preschoolers.

That Time of Year Again!

Can I please be different to everyone else and say I would prefer the dreariness of Winter over the springing of Spring?  This is the time of year I hate as the winds whip up, blowing dust and pollen everywhere and the weather warms up making grass happy and my sinuses block up quickly so that I can't breathe and am too tired to think.

Well, I guess there is one "good" thing about this season this year over past years.  I am aware that I will be totally useless unless I keep on top of my symptoms.  I am well stocked on sinus tissue salts and Coke.  Coke?! you may ask.  For some reason I haven't been able to figure out Coke, the brand name stuff (drat it!), kicks a sinus headache within a few mouthfuls and clears phlegm if I have it.  I have tried the cheaper brands but they just don't do it. 

I am not a soft drink drinker at all.  Even as a kid I preferred juice or mineral water with juice.  Now I have a fridge with Coke in it and a bulk box of them ready to go.  I hate the bubbles but I hate the headaches even more.  At least it is safer than most over the counter remedies for a breastfeeding mother.

School has been going well otherwise.  The house... not so well.   But most homeschooling mothers would understand that.  :-)

I hope your spring is doing you more good than mine.

Best wishes
Jen