Weekly Wrap-Up: The One Where I Got Up Early

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Weekly Wrap-Up

Happy Friday! It’s finally warming up a bit here. I hope it is where you are, too. I am so very ready for spring! I’m not sure I’m ready for next week, though. My oldest leaves for New York Sunday morning and will be gone for a week with a group of college kids and some adult chaperones from church. Please pray for safety for the team and that they will be Jesus to the people they minister to while they’re in New York.

On the home front, I’ve had a really productive week. Are y’all ready to hear something amazing? I got up before 8:00 every day this week! Until yesterday, I could have said that I got up by 7:30 every day. I was feeling sluggish yesterday, though. If you’ve read my blog for awhile, you know what an amazing accomplishment this is for me.

You know what’s really odd, though? I actually like getting up early now. I won’t say it’s always easy to get up, but I really like the peace and quiet of the morning hours. I also love the way the sun hits our house at that time of day. If I get up early enough, I can soak in a little Vitamin D before getting my day going.

Now, if I could just get caught up in my work, I might be able to stay on top of things. Maybe.

Our first week back to school is going well. My favorite part (and Megan’s, too, I think) is reading Robin Hood as part of History Odyssey. (I just noticed that Pandia Press is having a March Sale.) I have never read Robin Hood before. Now I’m wishing we’d read it years ago. It had both of us laughing out loud on more than one occasion this week. That Lady Marian has some spunk!

Writing has been going really, really well lately. We’re using WriteShop and I’ve changed up our lesson plans a bit. The way we’re doing things now means that we aren’t getting as many assignments accomplished each six weeks, but it’s more doable with our schedule and the kids’ finished writing projects have been better. I don’t know if it’s because they’re just naturally improving as we continue through WriteShop – which is very likely – or if slowing down has made writing less stressful or less of a chore for them.

It doesn’t matter to me which it is. I’m happy to see improved writing and I don’t mind slowing down a bit. We’ve got several years to get through the curriculum. I’m not in a rush.

Brianna has been doing some self-directed learning with a new online resource that I’ll probably be telling you more about later. It’s called Freshi Learning Online (or FLO) and it’s a series of self-directed courses on topics such as: video game design, stop-motion animation, script-writing, and digital film-making. Very cool stuff!

They have a variety of pricing plans and are currently offering 50% off their online courses using coupon code FLOCA50. There is software that you have to purchase for most of the courses, but it’s standard software used by anyone in those industries, not something that FLO sells for their own gain. They are able to offer discounts through their site.

We haven’t purchased any software yet since Brianna is still trying out some of the different courses to see which she’d like to delve into first. However, I have checked out the prices and was pleasantly surprised to find that the prices through FLO are less expensive than my usual sources.

I’ve also been working my way through a course on creating my own media kit for my blog. I’ve had a media kit for years, but it’s nothing to write home about, so I’m totally revamping it as I go through this online course. One of the assignments is to ask for testimonials from readers. Two or three of these will be included in my new kit.

If you’d like to participate, I’d love to hear your comments. All you need to do is tell me, in a sentence or two, why you enjoy reading Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. It should be written as if you’re telling someone other than me (because, really, you will be if I use your quote). If I use your quote in my revamped media kit, I’ll credit you by first name and last initial, unless you have another preference. Thanks in advance!

Now, I’m ready to enjoy a relaxing – and hopefully warmer – weekend with my family before Brianna heads out of town. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.

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22 Comments

  1. I’ll return later to leave my two sentences on why I enjoy reading WUHS. Two sentences?! It’s going to take me a while to whittle my near essay down!
    We’ve just got to the end of series three and Beckett’s just been shot!! Oh my goodness – series four doesn’t arrive in the post until Tuesday of next week!! What is a girl to do for four days? Seriously, I blame you entirely for my new addiction!
    Oh, and well done for getting out of bed before 8, and enjoying it no less! (I’ve been a bit exclamation mark happy during this comment, do feel free to go through and edit!)

    1. Your comments are one of the highlights of my week, Claire. You’re cracking me up about Castle. You don’t know how happy it makes me that you’re enjoying it so much. And, lest you think I’m laughing at you, oh, no! We bought Seasons 3, 4, and 5 on the same day. If I had finished Season 3 and not had Season 4 in my possession, I would have gone out right then to buy it. I’m so not kidding. I don’t know how to tell you to make it until Tuesday. I will tell you that you better have Season 5 in hand before your finished with Season 4. 🙂

      1. Kris’s blog is warm, funny and just the right side of weird to be heart-warmingly normal.
        PS. Season 5 is already in the post, following on the heels of season 4. There’s no way I’m going through this again!

  2. Well, I like reading Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers because it’s always interesting, but you don’t gloss over the challenges! I have kids in the same age range and it’s nice to know I’m not alone.

    I’m impressing by your dedication to getting up, Kris. I have the opposite problem: Everyone in my house is a night owl except me…..I’m keeling over by about 9:30.

    PS I See zero cat pictures this week. That’s just not right! 🙂

    1. Yeah, I felt really bad about the no pictures, period, but I didn’t realized that I hadn’t taken any this week until I sat down to write the post. I’ll try to do better next week. I keep the camera at the school table for just that reason. I think you might be the only one who misses the cat pictures, though. I think everyone else just thinks I’m the crazy cat lady.

      I had a great photo opp with two of them this week. The one who doesn’t like anybody (Luna) gave it up and laid on the bed with the one who doesn’t live here – except he does.

  3. Roger Lanclyn Green is a great read! I have an old musty copy of Robin Hood on my shelf. I’ve heard that his Tales of Ancient Egypt is good too (think I need to look that up since I’m planning ancient history for next year).

    Congrats on getting up early this week! I’ve been trying to but winter weather makes me want to stay in my nice warm bed.

    1. Sorry! I’ve been blessed with late sleepers. God knew what I could handle and early risers did not make that list! 🙂

  4. It is warming up here a bit too. I don’t think I have ever been so ready for Spring!! Keilee and I spent about 30 minutes last night on Brain Bubble TV and really loved it. We both learned things we didn’t know! 🙂 I’ll also have to check out FLO. Several of their offerings are things Keilee LOVES! Happy weekend Kris.

  5. I don’t think this is where I’m supposed to tell you why I read your blog, but I’m gonna do it anyway…right here. I read your blog because not only do I get amazing homeschooling advice, top- notch curriculum reviews, and timely information on curriculum sales, I am always rewarded with a nice chuckle. I think you have a unique, quirky (Connor says this word is a nice way of saying someone is weird…lol!) personality, and I thank you for giving me a glimpse into your perfect and not so perfect homeschooling days! Thanks for keeping it real, and really funny! (This is too long, I know, but how can I put this greatness into so few words? Lol!)

    1. Remind me to hug your neck next time I see you. 🙂 I love the word quirky. I think it is a nice way of saying weird, but if the shoe fits…

    2. I just realized I don’t need to write it as if I’m speaking to you…lol! Oh, well…I really like speaking to you. I will try again.

      I read Weird Unsocilized Homeschoolers not only to receive amazing homeschooling advice, top-notch curriculum reviews, and timely information about curriculum sales, but I also always get a nice chuckle to brighten my day. Kris is real, showing me a glimpse into her perfectly, imperfect homeschooling days. This gives me encouragement and keeps me coming back for more!

  6. Yes, yes, yes!! I am SOOOO ready for Spring! I hope it arrives and stays :). I love your sense of humor! I also love that when I come and join in on your linky that other readers actually come by my blog and comment-so you attract some really great readers :). Not sure you would put that in a media packet, but it’s still true!

    Congrats on waking early. I am not good at that and need to change. Not sure I’m ready, yet, though. I’ll have to use you as inspiration.

  7. “Homeschooling blogs in my Feedly come and go, but Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers has stood the test of time. No matter how our homeschooling style evolves, I know I will always find inspiration, ideas and smiles there.”

    Thanks, Chris – it’s true, I’ve been enjoying your blog since the very start of our journey, and now I feel so happy to be a part of the blogging community that links up here each week. And thanks for the resources. We haven’t read that edition of Robin Hood. And we’ll definitely check out the FLO courses – my daughter loves all those subjects. Enjoy your warm weekend. (Here too, hurray.) I might have to go check out Castle …

  8. Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers was the very first homeschool blog I ever read, and it’s still one of my favorites. Kris is always so down to earth and truthful, and she shows homeschooling as it truly is- a part of life that is sometimes messy but always beautiful!

  9. You do realize you got in the habit of getting up early the week before the time change right? Gah!

    The thing I like most about reading your blog is that you are real. You don’t act as if you all eat butterflies and poop rainbows, which is encouraging to the rest of the non rainbow & butterfly world. Grins.

    1. Yeah, I thought about my sleep schedule and the time change today. I’m hoping I can keep it up next week. I’ll try to give myself a little grace if I can’t. Oh, and I do poop rainbows. It’s something very few people know about me. 🙂

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