What I'm Reading

 This is what I'm reading! HA!  My mom and I had the opportunity to a book signing at our great local Christian book store.  My mom might have treated me to a few books so now I'm ready for a good snowstorm!!! 

 This is the author that we were able to hear speak.  This is a memoir of her life and events that took place in the great Grand Rapids area years ago while she attended college.  I'm looking forward to getting into this book. 

But first, I have to read this!  This is our book for book club which is meeting THIS coming Sunday and I have yet to start it!  Yikes!  

 Speaking of book club, this was our book last month and I really enjoyed it.  I've been waiting to watch the movie  . . . the kids are going to my mom's camper on Friday evening so I might actually have a chance to watch it! (Thanks to Amazon Prime!) 

These three books that all went along with book clubs . . have cracked them open yet HA!  Oops!  Oh well! 

Pray for Las Vegas

I had a different post planned for today but in light of the recent events, I just wanted to stop and Pray. 

Darryl and I have been to Vegas twice.  I can picture the area of the shooting in my mind and it just breaks my heart that so many people are now faced with grief and those that survived really have to figure out how to move on. 

So, for today, just pray for so many who have been impacted.

September Goal Recap

I had planned to write up the recap of my September Goals but . . ..

It's been a long, but good day and, as I sit here this evening watching some football, I've realized how tired I am and, instead of writing details, I'm going to bed :-)  Today included church and Sunday School, a quick lunch, and then I had a concert today which is exhausting! 

Did I accomplish some of my goals, yes.  Did I also not accomplish some, of course!  October is a new month and it is time for new goals but for tonight, it's time for sleep!

Scripture Sunday

Our Week in Photos #15

Another fun weekend despite record breaking temps!

 The weekend included the annual Halloween Weekend at the campground.  We started with pumpkin carving at the Lodge. 

 After pumpkins we went swimming - it was 95 degrees and the pool was packed . .. .until someone pooped in the pool and they had to close it!!  BOO! 

 Next up was the costume content.  Nate decided to be Godzilla this year. 

 And Josh is Enderman (Sp?) from Minecraft. 

 Even though I thought my kids had the best costumes, they did not win! 

 Nate's pumpkin. 

 Josh's Pumpkin.

The boys got to go Trick-Or-Treating throughout the campground and got a bag load of candy.  We ended the night with a Haunted House (which the boys loved) and a trip back to the pool (which had been cleaned and re-opened).  The night ended with a spooky Hayride that made the boys and I scream many times!!!

Monday I took all 4 kids to the pool as our local school district had a half day due to the heat.  (for Real).  

Tuesday was the official last day at the pool.  After dinner, we headed to the pool for the evening. 

 I'll miss this sunset view until next summer! 

We even got Darryl in the pool this one last time.  

Wednesday and Thursday were quieter days.  We accomplished a lot of school.  The boys had AWANA on Wednesday and my mom and I took off Thursday evening for dinner and a book review with an author.  

Friday = Friday School 

Friday school is a busy day for sure.  The Lego Robotics Teacher posted this photo today so I thought I'd share.  Honestly, the boys are not loving Lego Robitics - they thought it was more about Legos and less about learning but, in reality, it is more about learning and less about Legos!  

That's our week! 

Weekly Menu

Things are really starting to quiet down which means that our menu starts to stay the same.  This week's menu is unique because my husband just had some major dental work done and is on a very limited diet since everything has to be soft.  So, trying to keep it simple without having to make multiple meals for different people and not go crazy! Really, this next week it is more of an idea than a plan ;-)

Basics that will be eaten in this house this week between the husband and the kids:

1) Mac and Cheese
2) Mashed Potatoes
3) Baked Sweet Potatoes
4) Tomato Soup
5) Refried Beans w/ Cheese
6) Chicken Nuggets and Fries (can you guess that's for the kids HA!)
7) Spaghetti
8) Cream of Wheat
9) Acron Squash

I might add a few extra things for me
1) Tacos
2) Left over Pulled Pork BBQ
3) Pancakes and Bacon
4) Lasagna (seriously - I'm the only one who really loves it so I thought I might make a big pan and eat it all week HA!)

School Update

So we have completed almost a month of school. 

It's been a big transition. Our on-line school changed both the Language Arts and Math curriculum and I won't lie, I hate highly dislike it.  There have been tons and tons of technical issues turning 40 minute lessons into 2 hour lessons.  The quizzes and tests are subjective and therefore even I am struggling with finding correct answers.  (And I'm pretty smart!!) I've been close to throwing in the towel, withdrawing, and doing my own thing.  But I haven't. Yet. 

This month has included 2 hours of Live Lessons for me, the parent, back to back in the middle of the day; MAP testing for both boys which takes up hours of our day AND there were technical difficulties with Nate's testing not once, not twice, but three times which delayed the test and impacted our schedule. 

Yet, as we wrap up September I can say that we are current on all assignments.  Even though I comment on every single Math and Language Arts lessons with issues (everything from the wrong videos posted for a lesson to spelling errors in reading assignments) I'm figuring out how proceed through those lessons in less time, without watching ever single video which take forever to load, while still making sure the boys are understanding concepts. 

As we start October, I'm hoping we finally have a routine.  I started this year thinking that I could do 30 minute sessions with each boy, back and forth, and accomplish a lot.  But Math and Language arts are often taking 45 minutes-1 hour and 15 minutes so a 30 minute time slot just wasn't working.  Just today I went back to the concept of I teach one boy in the morning and one in the afternoon.  During their "non-teaching" time, they have AWANA lessons to work on, journals to write and math worksheets to work on.  This one day went better than the whole month!   Now, next week, both boys will have their full scale of Live Lessons (Josh's started last week but Nate's start next week) so I may have to revert back to an hour at a time to get around the Live Lessons but it will still be better than what I was doing! This homeschooling stuff is not for the faint of heart ;-) 

My goal for October is to head in the same way we are ending September - current.