Weekly Wrap-Up: Spring Fever Edition
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I have had some serious spring fever this week, despite the snow flurries that were falling on Tuesday and the violent thunder storms that caused me to wake up with extra people — and a dog — in bed with me this morning. I didn’t plan for a Spring Break this year since we took such an extra long Christmas break and I’m definitely feeling antsy for some time off.
When I woke up this morning and realized that I really hadn’t planned anything interesting for Hawaii (Fifty States Fridays), I let guilt and Spring Fever combine to convince me to take a half day today.
Guilt you ask? Yes. Brianna has been more excited to learn about Hawaii than any other state and, with our busy weekend of ball tournaments last weekend, I didn’t get anything interesting planned. Rather than plunge on ahead and waste some actual excitement about school, I decided we’d wait until next week to learn about Hawaii.
And, since we weren’t doing our state study, why throw in something else that I wasn’t really prepared for, right? Besides, it’s Good Friday.
So a half day today, combined with a light-on-bookwork week starting a week from Monday(thanks to doctor visits, a music recital and rehearsals for the recital, and our Night at the Museum Party on Friday), will make up our version of Spring Break this year.
We have continued to enjoy learning about the Middle Ages this week. The kids are still working on their ABC book and we’re making plans for our presentation at the Night at the Museum party. I can’t unveil all our secrets, though, since many of our IRL friends read my blog and I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun.
We’ve had a little more fun with science this week an a very unlikely topic — the atmosphere. Sounds boring, doesn’t it? Well, I thought so, too, but who would have known that a simple little project would stir the kids interest — simple for everyone except Brianna, that is. The directions called for sticking together pieces of construction paper to represent the different layers of the atmosphere. I envisioned a to-scale model on a big roll of newsprint. I had no idea that it was going to involve so much coloring…or that Brianna wouldn’t want anyone to help her. It turned out nice, though, don’t you think?
After it was completed, I made labels with index cards — one set for the composition method of naming the layers and one set for the temperature method. There are only two layers in the composition method, but I made three cards for the “homosphere” layer to show that the troposphere, the stratosphere and the mesosphere make up that one layer. I used removable adhesive on the back of the cards and the kids have had a great time sticking the cards on the right layer:
Last night Brianna and I had a great time attending our homeschool group’s first social for the tween and teen girls. It was really nice because it wound up being something of a mother-daughter night. We went to a local coffee shop and the girls sat off in one section together while the moms chatted in another corner. Brianna and I both had a really good time and are anxious for the next one. The only problem is, I’m not especially sure that I like having my baby grow up so fast. The outing reminded me that I don’t have too many years left for tagging along when Brianna gets together with her friends. *sigh*
On a less sentimental front, I’ve been struck twice with week by how much Josh’s reading has improved. Yesterday and today I realized that, while progress has been slow, there’s no way that, at the beginning of the year, Josh would have been reading the books he’s read this week. He wouldn’t have even been able to struggle through them and now he’s reading them with very little difficulty. I just love those moments of clarity as a homeschool mom.
And, now, I will leave you with this somewhat frightening image of our dog, Peanut, doing his Easter bunny impression. I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend…and focuses on the fact that neither a big, mythical rabbit nor a little, scary dog really have anything to do with the holiday. Jesus is risen; He is risen, indeed!
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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.
Oh My goodness.. love the Easter bunny impression.
I have spring fever as well. This week I have had to ” make up” a lot of time because we took Tuesday off. And then today we went to the aquarium. .it has been a busy week for us. 🙂
Love the atmosphere on the door. I will have to remember that one. Haven’t finished our week.. we will do some work on Saturday. Meany.. I know.
Was the girls social for tweens as well?
What a funny pic of your pup!! lol… I missed last weeks wrap up.. and was so bothered by it I made it a poit to get it done on time this week.. =)
Hope you guys have a great Easter weekend!
Hi! I missed all you guys while we were gone. But I had plenty of sweet tea for Kris in South Carolina (like that’s anything different for me).
I just really enjoy my visits to your blog!I need to participate in the weekly wrap up. Maybe I will try it 🙂
Hugs,
Brandie
Ah, there’s just nothing quite like that good Southern sweet tea, is there?
Kids do grow up quickly. My oldest is 21 and the baby, will be 8 in a few short weeks. She could move out in 10 short years. Tear, tear. Ok, I’ve composed myself now.
I had spring fever last week, too! We took some unexpected time off, too. Oh well, the advantages of homeschooling, right?
I like your Easter dog. Too cute!