Our weekly snapshot

 I’m a little late but that’s ok!  

My guys started the weekend with a bonfire and games  with friends 

We had dinner and played games at my moms on Sunday night with my brother and sister-in-law. 

Nate got a haircut on Tuesday. 

Nate had Centershot on Tuesday.  During the Bible Study section they played a game and to break the tie at the end they had a mooing contest (and Nate won). 

We also started school on Tuesday. 

On Wednesday Josh and Darryl went to a Tigers game with friends.  I’m still waiting gif Josh to send me photos. 🤪

Thursday Nate had TKD where he was a judge for practice forms. 

Finally our Co-Op open house was Friday.  Nate had Drama tryouts as well.  

Weekly Menu

 Well, our first week of school is done!  It kinda felt good to get back into our more "normal" routine (even though this past week was not really normal as it was a holiday week).  I'm trying to keep this next week simple with meals.  Then I'll get back to "cooking through my recipes" next week.  I've enjoyed the variety but also like to plan super easy things too!  As we settle back into this routine it will get easy to plan and prep meals too. 

Here's the plan for the coming week:

Friday - fried fish, rice, and zucchini

Saturday - Dinner at my mom's  house

Sunday - BBQ Cups and Fries 

Monday - Chicken Quesadillas and chips. 

Tuesday - Sweet and Sour Meatballs over baked white rice

Wednesday - This is the first week back to youth group for my guys.  They have changed the time this year from 2 hours to 1 and 1/2 hours which doesn't really give me time to come home so I'm not really sure what we will do as far as dinner. This is a new "twist" in our routine.

Thursday -Chicken thighs and fried rice 

1st Day of School!

 Here we are again - it is time to start grades 10 and 11 for my guys.  Labor Day came early so it feels a little weird to be posting about the first day of school on September 3rd HA!  This first week is a little bit "soft" with a lot of intro lessons and without extra things starting yet this week.  Youth group, our Co-Op and music lessons start in the next couple of weeks.  

Joshua is continuing with traditional homeschool which means I (we) pick out his curriculum and plan his year.  He will be doing the following this year: 

Math - Geometry with Teaching Textbooks.  He started geometry in the spring, took the summer off, and will pick it back up now.  His goal is to finish it early and start Algebra 2 by spring.  We switched to Teaching Textbooks after both agreeing that what we were using before just wasn't working.  Teaching Textbooks using videos to teach concepts, gives him time to practice and learn from mistakes before taking the quiz.  It grades everything so he can see exactly how he is doing.  This does cause him some frustration because he can't go back and fix mistakes.  

Social Studies - We are doing Notgrass World History.  Someone actually gave me this curriculum last year.  I debated using it as Josh really likes work book style lessons but I haven't really loved what we were using.  History should be fairly interesting but also, quite honestly, fairly easy.  So this allows him to do daily reading, answer some basic questions and then take quizzes and tests throughout the units.  I might try to create our own "workbooks" for each unit so he can still do what he enjoys. 

Reading/English - The Good and the Beautiful has been a great fit since 8th grade.  The workbooks cover everything from grammar, to comprehension, to vocabulary.  Plus he reads some good books too.  

Science - Chemistry is what is on the docket for this year.  We are working toward adding some basics for his plans to go into medicine.  

Language - he is working on his second year of Spanish. 

Health - He is continuing on with LifePac health.  He started it last year and, even though it is technically a one semester class, I told him he could do it at his pace - it just has to be done before he graduates HA! 

Electives - His electives will be music, Essentials of Worship and music lessons. 

Nate's plan is much easier - Nate is continuing on with Connections Academy.  This program works great for him and he loves it.  He is taking all honors classes this year as well as Journalism/Sports Management and Sign Language.  

So . .. here . .. we. . .go!  My 10th and 11th graders!! 

Michael W. Smith - Arms Around the Sun (Official Music Video)

Our Weekly Snapshot

 

Nate was able to help with board breaking and sparing at TKD. 

We had a fabulous field trip with our Co-Op. 

Nate got a bulls eye in archery. 

Weekly Menu

 It is Labor Day Weekend which is the unofficial end of summer!  Looking back I'm happy with our summer - my guys were as busy as they wanted to be and enjoyed lots of fun things.  I accomplished some things, read a lot of books, and just tried to enjoy the summer with my teens.  

Friday - This is a carry over recipe - Glazed Chicken Thighs and Fried Rice

Saturday - My teens are attending a bonfire with friends so Darryl and I will enjoy dinner together.  Last month we grilled; not sure what we will do this time around 

Sunday - sausage Gravy and biscuits with fried potatoes and eggs

Monday - It is Labor Day -we are eating at my moms. 

Tuesday -  meatballs and mashed potatoes and salad 

Wednesday -  Eggs, Bacon and English Muffins

Thursday - Fried Cod, Rice and Green Beans 

August Goal Recap

 Yes, I know, August isn't officially over but it is close enough that I can do a quick recap.  Our August was oddly busy with physical therapy for two of us, TKD, Centershot, Choir beginning again and just other fun things that were on the calendar.  I wrote some amazing weekly plans and daily plans; too bad they didn't work out the way I planned HA!  I can still blame the horrid heat/humidity as it hung around until this week.  Shoot it was so nice yesterday that I even gave my willow tree a hair cut without breaking a sweat!!!  I still have hopes to wrap up a few things this weekend but we shall see!  (It is also the last few days before school starts so I also fee like reading LOL) 

Here's a quick over view of what I accomplished this past month: 

1. I created a list of 31 drawers, cupboards, and small spaces that I want to declutter and organize throughout the month of August.  The goal is to finish all 31.  Most of them are 5-10 minute jobs.  I accomplish some of these items but not all of them.  I might carry the list over into September. 
2. List, sell, and then donate any unsold Homeschool Books we are done with.  I'm hoping to make a little money to help cover the cost of the rest of Josh's books for 11th grade.  I did list and actually sell a few books.  The rest I'm going to donate.  Josh is all set and ready to go next week! 
3. Clean off the TV stand, move it from the wall and work on the craziness of cords.  Nate told me he would help with that job.  I'm hoping to still enlist Nate's help on this project before the long holiday week is done.  It will not take long . 
4. Wash the outsides of the main windows - Josh told me he would do that (Plus is the only one that can go high up on the ladder without fear of dying LOL) It has been too hot to clean windows BUT this is another "hopeful" item for this weekend.
5. Plan weeks 1-3 of Joyful - for real.  I need to pick out our verses, plan activities, and prep all of my bags Everything is done except picking our verses.  
6. Steam clean the carpets - Dining Room, Living Room, Bedrooms Again, I did not want to add more humidity to the air that was already way to humid LOL  
7. Continue with the basement clean out - just 15 minutes a day.  Little by Little.  That is all that matters
8. Replace the board on Nate's bed. Not done yet - and this might not happen until September.  
9. Josh's room - just keep helping him plug away on the last pieces I keep trying but he seems pretty content with where it is at this point.  
10. Work on "It is Well with my Soul" I have practice it a few times.  My goal is to play it by the end of September. 
11. Date with Darryl Done
12. Read at least 6 books with one non-fiction.  I still need to read a non-fiction book for June and July. Done with the fiction; I have a non-fiction on my Kindle waiting to be read in the next few days. 
13. Memorize 1 verse for August (and June and July) Working on this - I did actually pick out quite a few of my verses for the next year too. 
14. Review my 101-1001 goals so I can tackle more of those items. Done.  
15. Review my 2025 Goals and see what I need to accomplish. Done - I made a master list of both this and the 101-1001 goals for this year and laid out a plan to accomplish them by December. 
16. In my menus I have plans to try two new recipes - I would like to utilize my cookbooks I own and try two new options from one or more of my books. I have tried new recipes this month - at least two. 
17. Order July Photos Done
18. Scrapbook - I really need to schedule my scrapbook days and then stick to it- once I get moving I generally keep moving; it is just making the effort to do it!  So, my goal for August is to Finish January-March of 2025; then to Finish 3 months of 2011 photos.  (I'm not really that far behind - someone I skipped over 2011 when I was moving through years) January is done and February is 1/2 done.
19. Make Christmas list plans for both guys and slowly start picking up some things. Not done yet
20. Plan a family activity for this quarter (July-September). Need to fit this in during September. 
21. Attend planned activities - Teen Brunch, FunTyme Meet-up, at least one more time with Kids Bowl Free, a Worship on the Waterfront Concert, and maybe a movie if there is anything good out there to see! The only item that worked out is FunTyme (which is today!) 
22. Write my blog posts for upcoming weeks. Ideally I'd like to have them written through the end of September (yes, I do most of them in advance) and then stay on top of the weekly ones such as our Weekly Snapshot and then any related to my Joyful Co-Op class. Done
23. Follow the Fly-lady plan for August with the 15 minute daily challenges for cleaning and/or decluttering.  Not Done
24. Lay out plans for the rest of the year - retreats, known field trips, family days, etc.  Calendar planning is my "thing" :-) Done
25. As always - complete at least 1/2 of these goals.  Done