The Week Ahead

promises a variety of things.

For starters, we're starting our third week of school. Thing One will be finishing up Gullywasher's and Thing Two will be working through Who Owns The Sun. Interesting little comment, made at our house, when discussing Thing Two's book, the boys responded (even though not a direct question) "God". Have to agree with them and thankful that lesson's about God are sticking with them.

There will also be a trips to a hospital this week. A dear friend of ours fell and broke her hip. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to make it out to see her. Wednesday, it's my trip to a hospital to have my gall bladder removed. Not a fun week health wise, but hope that recovery, for both of us, will be speedy.

Quiet Moments

I struggle with making and taking a quiet moment to spend in a bible devotion. Earlier this year, I picked up My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. It's been helpful to sit, read, and process a few scriptures and how they work together.

Today began with reading Luke 10:20

Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you,
but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

Mr. Chambers begins by saying "Jesus Christ is saying here, 'Don't rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me'. The trap you fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service - rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you do not have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour 'rivers of living water' through you (John 7:38)".

Very touching and poignant scripture and words to read this morning. A gentle reminder of who my Creator is and the honor it is to serve Him.

End of Week 2

We've wrapped up our second week of school, but this was the first week of most of our classes. It's been eventful for us. Thankfully, no major issues, just difficulty getting back into a good school routine. You could say that Grace and Patience were the words of the week. Grace for those moments when there is protesting about doing something and giving up the summer routine. Patience to remember that it's more important that they understand the concept than to just memorize the facts.

So, we'll review the routine this weekend and pray for better school days to come.

Tomatos

This was not the best year for tomatoes for me. To many years of growing them in the same spot will do that. I've had a few that were great for sandwiches or salads, most though, have only been good for cooking down to a tomato sauce.

I was feeling, well, possibly a little proud of myself in this process today. There's been a pot on the stove, for a couple hours, with the last few tomatoes of the season cooking. I've been mashing and straining as the time goes on, all along thinking how good I was for not splashing anything on myself, as I was wearing a nice t-shirt and khaki capris. Did you pick up on the was? Yup, decided it was time to blend some of the pulp that hadn't cooked down. Totally forgot that hot liquids tend to explode while being blended. I managed to get myself, my hubby, and everything on the counter top within two feet. Needless to say, I've cleaned up, changed clothes, started a load of laundry and am waiting until the tomatoes have cooled before blending.

So, I end this post a little more humbled!!!

So begins . . . .

our second week of school. Thing One is rowing through "Gully Washers" by Joyce Rossi. Thing Two is enjoying a week of "Madeline" by Ludwig Bemelmans. We also added in math and grammar today.

Tomorrow brings a bit of spelling, journal writing, and some reading.

Hope your day and school week are successful.

Saturday Mornings

We had some thunder storms roll through last night, around 3 AM. For awhile, I totally thought my husband and I would have one or both boys with us. Fortunately, we woke with just the two of us in bed.

This morning, it's kind of stuffy and overcast. It doesn't particularly bother me for a change. After about a week of a head and chest cold, to wake up feeling pretty good was a welcome relief. I can hear a book calling me to just snuggle up and read, maybe another movie with family. Don't really know, but just the idea of staying in and being quiet seems so nice - at least for a while.

Moon Jellies craft part 2

This craft worked fairly well as planned. Only thing is that the tack didn't hold well, so they aren't hanging from the ceiling or anything tonight. Here's what they look like:

The boys making the moonjellies swim with the lights on and off. They look really cool. Wish I had a better way to make them hang.

How the jellies were set up as my hanging idea didn't work. Still look neat.

Moon Jellies - a fun craft

We had some fun with school today. On the FIAR boards, under the decluttering thread, it was suggested to have a "messy" school day. Seems like a good day to make our own moon jellies. Here's how we made ours:

GATHER SUPPLIES:
3" styrofoam balls
thumb tacks
cutting board
serrated knife
glitter
paint
glow bracelets
wax paper (or something else to go under painting)

With knife, cut balls in half (or close to half)

Spread out wax paper. Decide on color for moonjellies. Originally we were going to paint them white, but some were orangeish yellow, some pink, some white.

While the paint is still wet, sprinkle on the glitter. I also dunked the thumb
tack in paint and glitter.

After the paint is dry, the thumb tack can be put in the top with string attached so the moon jellies can be hung. Also, just before bed, we'll break the glow bracelets and put them on the flat surface underneath.

More pictures to come later today.

2009/2010 school year

. . . . has begun with a sick household. We've managed to get through Five in a Row lesson from "Night of the Moonjellies". We talked about running a business and responsibilities. The boys came up with great lists for this, but Thing Two said it best "I would want to run a school so it could be an 'unschool' and cut out all the boring stuff". Way to go to go kid!!!

The remainder of today, we might just work on household responsibilities (yes, I mean chores).

Pictures to help keep the memories are good pictures right? So here come the first day of school pictures:

Serious (but not to serious) first day picture!!

Only Thing Two really got into the silly picture.
Thing One just rolled his lower lip!


It can't be a "good" first day of school without something sweet cooking. These are peanut butter cookies (pre-made dough from cold section of grocery store), cooked, then push in a mini reese's cup pressed in when still soft. I used a mini muffin tin that has 24 cups. Hope they taste good, as I can't smell them.

Trip to Baltimore Aquarium

Today, the family and I took a trip to the Baltimore Aquarium. It was a neat, but warm, trip. Following are some photo highlights.

Dolphin Show

Other swimming things:

We saw sharks.


We saw electric eels.


We saw sting rays.


The main purpose of the trip was to see the jelly fish, as we start rowing
"Night of the Moonjellies" tomorrow. Wonder what connection the boys will make.

Tomorrow . . . .

is it. Tomorrow we kick off our 2009/10 school year. Don't know if the boys realize we're starting or not and I'm not totally ready either, but tomorrow's the day. We're using "Five in a Row" this year because we enjoyed it so much last year. Thought it would be fun to rerow a fun summer type book "Night of the Moonjellies" by Mark Sasha. To actually kick school off in a fun way, today after church we are going to the Baltimore Harbor Aquarium. They've got a jelly fish display, so that should be fun, too.

Other things on tap this go around:

• make our own moon jellies (with glow stick bracelets and foam balls, watch for pictures)
• set up a MarGra resturant
• okay, I admit, I've already forgotten some of the fun I have planned, but I'll blame that on the head cold I've had since Friday

Look out 4th and 1st grade, here we come!!!

P.S. more moonjellie posts to come this week. Stay tuned!!!

Missed Picture

I was chatting this morning with my neighbor. We got on the subject of the woods around our house because my normally indoor cat made an appearance outdoor. This lead to the need for us using Frontline Flea and Tick stuff; which in turn lead to her mentioning something along the lines of "you had a deer trying to get into your back yard. It's hooves were on the back gate!" My thought was "Darn!! I'm kind of getting into taking nature pictures and blogging about it. I missed a beauty of one." Oh well. Everyone can use their imagination.

VA Beach

We just returned from a visit to see my parents. The boys had a lot of fun fishing this trip. Once again, I couldn't bring myself to bait the hook or get the fish off. I tried, but couldn't muster up the will power. If it were between eating or not touching the fish, I'd learn quickly how to cope with a slimmy fish. Thankfully, most grocery stores have fish fillets already cleaned, so all I have to do is cook it. Here are a few pictures:

Thing One's catch - a bass

Thing Two catches a catfish

The moon a beautiful orange yesterday morning.
Was kind of neat, in that the night before there was a lot
of cloud to cloud lighting. It was amazing to watch.