Weekly Wrap-Up: The One Where I Got Organized
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I can’t believe it’s Friday again. These summer weeks are just flying by! I can’t believe how quickly the summer is gone and how little we’ve actually done — well, you know, other than adding a new room to our house. 😉 It’s hard to believe that we’ll be starting school in less than three weeks. Equally hard to believe is the fact that I’m getting excited about it. I wasn’t sure that was possible a few short weeks ago.
Josh spent the majority of the week with my mom, so it was just us girls here most of the time. Brianna and Megan both had friends over part of that time, so I was finally able to get some planning done. As of today, I have most of the first three weeks of high school planned for Brianna. I haven’t started on the planning for Josh and Megan yet, but I have a general idea of the direction I’ll be headed, so I don’t think the planning for them will be too bad.
I like to plan for three weeks at a time. Generally, that covers the first three weeks of any given month and leaves the last week free to catch up if we get behind anywhere. That doesn’t mean that we don’t do anything the last week of the month, just that I haven’t plug in any activities for that week until it gets a little closer.
I love using the “basic unlabled weekly” planning form from Donna Young’s lesson plans page. I’ve downloaded a copy to my laptop and I use it to create an assignment sheet for Brianna and my lesson plans for Josh and Megan. This year, I think I’m going to do assignment sheets for Josh and Megan, as well, and have a master form for me so that I know what everyone is supposed to be doing. That will be a step closer to having Josh and Megan working independently.
I’ve also been making lists of what I still need to order for school. I don’t have much left to buy, but what I do have still to get is pricey. Have you ever looked at Apologia’s biology lab kit? Yikes! The one redeeming fact about having to spend that kind of money is that it will last me through three kids for high school…and Josh and Megan will really probably enjoy doing the experiments this year as much as Brianna will. It helps that they’ll be studying biology, too, so at least all three kids will be on the same topic of study, even though we won’t all be doing science together this year.
Speaking of what we’ll be doing, don’t forget that next Friday will be our “share your curriculum” week. So, be ready to link up your curriculum post so that we can all nose around and get excited about new stuff.
Yesterday, the girls and I went to a new consignment sale for adult clothes. It’s one of those once or twice a year things like the kids’ clothes sales, but this one if just adult-sized clothes. Can I just say that it’s incredibly fun to shop now that I’ve lost 58 lbs.? When I get down to my goal weight, Brianna and I are going to have so much fun…well, Megan, too. She loves to shop for clothes.
I literally had two long-sleeves shirts in my closet that will fit me this fall — and one of them I just bought a few weeks ago on a clearance sale. I had no jeans. Zip, zilch, nada. Of course, that’s a very exciting thing since the reason is that I’ve lost so much weight, but still, I was definitely up for shopping for some winter clothes. I got six pairs of jeans (three that fit now, but are a little snug for the early part of fall, and three the next size down, since I have 37 lbs. to go), a sweater, five or six shirts, and two skirts for me. Brianna got a dress and two pairs of shoes (she found more clothes, but she has a closet full and I had a limited budget, so I didn’t feel bad at all for being stingy with my clothes shopping money this go ’round). We got all that for just under $75!
Today, we’re going to try to make it out to a local park for a play date (we are so not morning people, so it may not happen) and run a few errands. Brianna has volleyball camp this weekend, which should be a lot of fun for her other than having to get up really early on Saturday. Then, we’ve got church on Sunday. What’s so noteworthy about church on Sunday, you may ask? Well, we’ve been searching for a church for over two years now. We’ve been to some that Brian or I liked, but the kids didn’t. We’ve been to some that the kids likes, but we didn’t. We’ve been to one or two that we all thought were “okay,” but just okay. There were many Sundays where we went to church just to say we’d been to church…you know, to alleviate the guilt from all those Sundays during the past two years when we just didn’t go because we couldn’t find the right place.
Well, three weeks ago, we visited yet another church. This one had been on my list of places to visit for awhile, but for one reason or another, we just hadn’t been there yet. We loved it! I mean, right away, the first week, all five of us really loved it. We were all actually excited to go the second week. The third week (last weekend), Brian actually came to church on his lunch break because he had to work. He’s never done that before. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that this church is really close to his work, but still, he wanted to come to church.
We’ve caught ourselves already calling it “our church.” It’s so very good to finally be excited about going to church again, to be looking forward to Sunday. There are so many things that I love about this church, but the biggest is that the pastor really teaches God’s Word. It’s not watered down and he’s not afraid to step on toes (mine were really hurting last week). It’s good, meaty stuff — just exactly what we need. So, we can’t wait to go to church Sunday morning.
(Psst…sorry for the boring, no pictures post. It’s kind of hard to take a picture of myself planning for school. The only good pictures I got this week were of the cat and I thought y’all might be a bit tired of seeing him.)
How was your week? Be sure to post about it and sign up with MckLinky. If this is your first time to join us, be sure to read the Weekly Wrap-Up guidelines.
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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.
Thank you so much for the link to the lesson plan pages……I hadn't figured out what I was going to use this year, but one of hers will be perfect!! Thank you!
Congrats on the new church – I hope the Lord blesses you there. There is nothing better than finding the church God wants you in.
Oh, and I'm starting to stress about starting school in a couple of weeks, too…..summer has zoomed by way too fast.
I totally understand about trying to find the right church for your family. We looked for 5 years and tried several different churches and FINALLY found the one for us. Congrats are starting to plan for the new year! I am not THAT far yet. Hoping to be soon though!
So glad your church hunt may have come to a successful end. And congrats again on the weight loss, that goal is so within sight!
I envy your planning time. I am feeling more unprepared this year than I have in a while. Lots of thinking time, but no real concrete planning time.
Always good to visit over here,
Erin
Wow! You're ahead of me on the planning! I need to get crackin'! The clothes shopping sounds like it was super successful! And I'm so glad y'all found a church you like! We were in your shoes several years ago so I know exactly what you've been going through. It's so wonderful to finally find a place that feels like home!
Thanks for this great wrap up. That's exciting to hear that you've found "your church." I know you'll be a blessing there as well.
Ryan (from Alpha Omega Publications)
Thanks for the reminder about Donna Young lesson plan pages! And you are just such an inspiration on the weight loss – an inspiration all around 🙂 Great you are settling in to a church home!
What a great week! You are always an inspiration to me, and I glean so many good ideas from you. Thanks! And how exciting you finally found a church home. It makes all the difference, doesn't it?
Yay on finding a church! Yay on the new clothes too! And I LOVE the new profile photo!
Great week all around!
What a fantastic week! But no photos? I've been enjoying your photography! I don't even want to think about next year, I'm so frustrated with our schedule. I generally know everything I want to use, except I have to do some work for Billy's reading list. That will be a challenge! Congrats on your weight loss, that is so fantastic! And you deserve a BIG pat on the back for getting organized and finding a new church. I love your new photo, you look so young. I think that's the first time I've seen you without glasses.
So glad you've found a church home! I remember our searches and the joy of finding a place that we just knew was 'right' for us.
Wow Kris, your new church sounds awesome! I think must of us have been through those dry times of needing a good church home. I know I need my toes stepped on regularly too! I cannot stand watered-down-church-as-usual. Be sure to read OUR watered down experience this week at what I’m calling “Camp Compromise!” Can’t wait to hear how your next Sunday goes, it’s exciting to see God at work : )
I just love all of the wonderful resources on Donna Young's website too! Thank you much for hosting this fun link up. This is my first time joining you. 🙂
I don't have a weekly wrap up to share, but your post has motiviated me to get going on my planning! It always feels good to get ahead on these things. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
58 pounds?!! 60 is what I need to lose! Congratulations!
My husband and I went through a period when he was going to seminary where we couldn't find a church.
It was a year before we found one.
Now that he's a pastor, we can't choose a church based on certain things we may or may not like about it! We have to go where we are called!
I wrote about my struggle with this and my acceptance of His Will in my last post.