What maybe the only post

. . . . for the month of September!  Troop 1412 had their fall Court of Honor last night.  Ian received his Tenderfoot rank and two Eagle required merit badges.  Simon earned 5 merit badges, 3 Eagle and 2 regular.  Both boys were excited to have one of their grandparents there!

Why this one is so neglected is that I have been blogging about Joy, daily, here!  Take a look if you like.

Welcome to July!

It's here! The seventh month of the year! Officially over half way through another year, at least by month count!

July is busy and not busy for us!  In prior years, I'd been more actively involved in organizing certain elements of VBS with our church.  It would be very time consuming (can't imagine the hours our co-coordinator's put in if I was putting in those hours!), many hours of phone calls, errands, computer work, meetings, work up at our church.  This year, there is a lot less that I am doing and it is a welcome change!

We successfully got our oldest off to Boy Scout Summer Camp.  It's the fourth year that he has gone, although, he'd correct you that the first year was Cub Scout Camp (but still sleep away).  It has gotten easier to let him go each year, but having a Mama's heart, I still worry, just not nearly as much as I used to.  The leaders that are with our troop are great and they'll all have a pretty good time!  I am totally expecting one worn out, smelly kid back.  Yes, the air purifier and washer/dryer will be going a lot come Saturday!  The washer will get a good cleaning after as well!  :)

Celebrations for July 4th have changed and evolved a lot over the years.  When the boys were very young, we didn't do a whole lot.  There were a few years we were in VA Beach visiting family.  My folks neighborhood would have a parade we'd watch, burgers would be grilled, play in the pool, and watch fireworks on TV.  When Thing One first became a Scout, back in June of 2006, he participated in a local parade.  That was a very hot day!  A Gatorade and play in the wading pool after (under the deck even) kind of day.  We had a family over for grilling later in the day and fireworks in the court thanks to a couple other families.  One year had our son's Cub Scout Den Over for a cook out, water balloons, and such.  We've been invited, other years, to go to the Pentagon to watch fireworks and more recently, kept it way small with just 3 out of the 4 of us (Thing One's Boy Scout Troop goes to camp the week that includes July 4th).  This year, Thing Two asked if we could go over to another street to watch fireworks, if they are having them.  Shary ~ don't know if your read my blog, but he was talking about your old street which I think still does a lot of fireworks.  We can just see them over the trees!

We'll probably get some light school in, too, this month.  ~ reading and introductions to formal writing ~

For now, enjoying the slow pace of only having one child home and he LOVES his sleep.  I love not having to race off for therapy!  A win/win situation!

What things do you love about July?  Is it the fireflies?  The fireworks?  Trips to a lake?  Wish we could do that!
 

Wowsers! End of the Month Already?!?

Hard to believe it is the end of the month already. Where has time gone? How have we use up almost 30 complete days already?  In this month there has been:

• 5 Saturdays
• 5 Sundays
• 1 holiday
• 19 school days
• 2 birthdays
• 1 extended family dinner
• 6 baseball games
• 1 weekend Boy Scout camping trip
• 5 baseball practices
• 2 co-ops
• 1 flat tire
• 1 trip to Salvation Army for donations
• 1 trip to Haz Mat (I really don't like those CFL bulbs!!!!!!!!!!!)
• 1 Mom's Meeting
• 5 Sunday services
• 3 times to play bass guitar
• 1 date night & not having to pay for childcare
• 15 therapy sessions
• 9 Tae Kwon Doe meeting times with anywhere from 1 to 3 classes taken each time
• 4 Boy Scout Meetings
• 2 dental appointments
• countless grocery shopping trips

And that, dear readers, is a wrap for September.  Good night and bring on October!

 

Curriculum - to many choices?

Even though we have officially begun the 2012/13 school year, even though this is our 6th year homeschooling, even though many things, making the right or best choice for curriculum seems to induce a panic attack to some extent.

Fortunately, we've been at it long enough that we've figured out what works on most subjects.  Some subjects, boys have requested the next level, so no extra thought there.

This year is a tad bit different, we have a 7th grader.  He'll be in high school before we know it.  He'll be wanting to look at colleges and start applying before we know it.  Need to start prepping now, so that the stress of high school level isn't as great.

Many blessings though, through this transition.

1. Have heard many good things about Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) first hand.  Some negative first hand too, but it wasn't a nasty type review, more of a "don't get why we need to add this sort of word so many times!"  I can work with comments like that!!!!
2. Rainbow Resource staff has been very helpful in exchanging items and making recommendations for a new foreign language.
3. Thankful for many home school friends who've used specific subjects and can share insight as well as know our kids a bit and can weigh in with a valid opinion.
4. Having a co-op to go to so I don't have to teach every subject.  Both kids are getting science outside of the house as well as a fun class.

The line up for class this year is as follows:

• both boys:  Mystery of History Volume 3 (their mutual agreement that we needed to finish the series before doing something else), foreign language of some sort, physical education
• Thing One:  Pre-Algebra (MUS), Apples Daily Spelling Drills, Daily Grams 7th grade, IEW B, Beyond Five in a Row, Science, Robotics, Life Skills, Electives (Boy Scout Merit Badges and Requirements)
• Thing Two:  Delta (MUS), Spelling Workout, Daily Grams 4th grade, Five in a Row Volume 4, Science, Builders, Life Skills

What are your children studying this school year?  Are they excited?  Hope so.  =)
 

Firsts on the first!

A couple firsts on the first for you!

Thing One was dropped off late morning for his third, week long summer camp.  The first for me is that I didn't feel nervous leaving him.  He's comfortable going, it's his third trip with a couple of the guys who've been together since Tigers as Cub Scouts and 2nd year with his Boy Scout troop.  He really enjoys scouting and I am thankful that it is a good experience for him.  That it is a safe troop to learn how "to be a man" in, to learn to be a man of God in.

Second first for the day ~  I have a cherry tomato finally starting to turn orange.  It is still a yellow/orange color (heavy on the yellow), but it's changing and not green anymore.  This one will probably be plucked off the vine and eaten warm!!  Yummy!  And if I ever find my camera cord, I'll upload a photo of it!
 

ETA a photo of tomatoes!  They are pretty good.

Long Hikes

Our oldest is in Boy Scouts.  One requirement for Second Class was to take a 5 mile hike or a 10 mile bike ride.  He choose the hike.  Here are just a couple shots from that:

 That would be Kevin and our oldest way up ahead.  Wonder what they were talking about.
Some things, though, are better left between a father and his son.  It's a guy thing

that I'll never understand!  Just thankful that Thing One (& Thing Two) have a

Dad that is crazy about them.

Our handsome second son.  We seemed to be going at

the right pace for each other.  Charlotte had no choice but

to hang out with me.

Court of Honor

Troop 2215 had a Court of Honor (CoH) this evening.  At a CoH, Scouts who have achieved a new rank or who have received new merit badges are recognized.  Thing One was recognized for achieving his Scout rank as well as earning Swimming, First Aid, Canoeing, and Golf merit badges while at camp.

We're proud of our Scout!