Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Week 15: Bills, Kites & Breakdowns

Home schooling is awesome, and we do it for so many good reasons. It adds flexibility to your schedule, the whole world becomes your classroom (as cheesy as that sounds-- I really think the boys retain more just by walking by their projects all day at home), and with the school system in Florida, and what happened with Oakstead and Peyton's and Hayden's school choice, it was just the right decision for us. And, I am fully aware that it isn't for everyone. But some days, it takes all my energy and patience. Today was one of those days. I certainly bit off more than I could chew for the first two days this week. I'm trying to get so much in before our trip to D.C, and Asa is off Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so I knew we'd be out doing other things. So the boys all had very full checklists the last two days (they call these day 'Blue' days because of a color coded system we have here. Blue days means you did a ton of work and when you're done, you get the rest of the day without timed TV or Video Game time). Between three history time lines, our Government lessons, and daily boards in addition to their own their own work, I was pulled in a lot of different directions today. I'm not feeling spectacularly either, which I know didn't help my patience. And then my mom needed some help with some stuff too. Just a lot. I'm happy to do it for everyone, just some days. Wow. Just, a lot. I get called a 'super mom' a lot. I assure you all, I am totally human. No super heroes here. Unless you count Flaptain America. We did manage to get everything done though, except we didn't make it to the library for Family Night Out. But that was more of mismanaging time.

Oh, and if you're a northerner who saw snow today (on the 15th of April!) Skip this paragraph. The weather here was yucky, dreary, rainy and thunderstorm-y, which also didn't help.

So, I'm actually glad to be writing my blog today. I've got the head phones in, the loyal puppy by my side, and everyone else is off happily taking care of themselves. Tomorrow is another day! And, that might have all sounded complainy, but I assure you, it's not. I'm happy to do what I do, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Onto this weeks blog!

I actually don't have a ton to report. We've been having some longer home school days (see above), trying to finish things up for the end of the boy's 'grade levels'. I've been gathering things for our summer theme weeks. Despite working as a year-round type school, the boys did not want to give up their theme weeks. So, we'll have morning work, and do our themes in the afternoon. I've already got 11 weeks to take us from Memorial Day to the end of August. But, I'm seriously considering starting them when we get back from D.C and chucking the workbooks temporarily. I mean, how much work gets done in normal schools between the FCAT (which is this week!)  and the end of the year? Not a lot.

I know I've been shouting out to Asa a lot lately for being an awesome chef. He's totally leveling up his cooking skills. I was going to take pictures all this week to share, but I forgot all but twice. Pictures or not, I wouldn't have forgotten these chicken tenders he made (he breaded them and everything all on his own! And made dipping sauces!), plus the goat cheese potato salad!


We've been working on our how a bill becomes a law lesson too. This was the first copy of the bill. 



A big thanks to everyone who offered to be our Representatives and Senators. We needed more than the 5 of us for voting purposes. 


After it was put in the hopper, the Speaker of the House (Asa) introduced it, and sent it to committe. Where it got more specific, a little prettier-- and got an official name: The Waterstraut Chore Act of 2014. 


I'm pleased to report the bill has passed in the House of Representatives, and will be moving on to the Senate for that vote tomorrow. I am hearing rumblings that President Totten might veto it, so we shall see. 

Our garden is doing well, and the family member most excited about it: Deleno! (For those of you who don't know that's Peyton's Russian Tortoise.) Peyton has been taking him out every day and picking some plants fresh from the garden to feed Deleno. 


Maybel is bummed she has to stay inside, maybe when we find a house it'll have a screened in porch and she can have the best of both worlds. For now though, she doesn't seem too upset by it. 



We did have some time this week to play some games. Snake Oil is quickly become a favorite of the boys. It really helps foster their creativity too, which is always a good thing. 


Saturday was our only day really out and about. Asa worked a lot in the past week. He even picked up some overtime on Saturday night to help with vacation costs. We had to get new tires, and we're going to have to get a new GPS too! It's getting so expensive and we haven't even left the house yet. It's going to be a blast though. 

Friday evening Asa and I did go out for a quick date night, and coupled it with some grocery shopping. Which, probably doesn't sound too exciting. But, after years of not going anywhere without the kids, even grocery shopping together is a total luxury, and we always have a good time. Plus, holy savings this week! Publix had $10 off $50, so we had two of those. (This week Target's got the same sale! We'll be perusing the mark down meat aisle mid-week, I assure you!) 

We did make it to the build and grow class, but because we were heading to another event we scheduled it at a different Lowes. I wasn't thrilled with the set-up of this class though (totally unorganized), so we'll be heading back to our Lowe's next month. But, both Peyton and Hayden successfully built their Recycling trucks and earned their badges. 



Then we went down to Apollo Beach for the Kitefest. I had discovered this totally free event on Facebook, and it sounded right up our alley. The boys all got kites to put together and color. 


They were also providing lunch: hot dogs, cookies, chips, and watermelon. (Guess what Peyton basically had for lunch?)


After getting them all colored, they were ready to fly. 


And they are really good fliers too! At one point or another, everyone had their kites in the air. 






On the way back home we stopped at Costco picked up some essentials and had some smoothies. We were on a time-crunch though to make it to the library for Peyton's tween game afternoon. 

Sunday Asa worked all day, but sometimes thats a good thing. I get so much work done when he isn't distracting me with his good looks. Peyton and Hayden had both filled up their book review boards, so I made them new ones. I also got all their checklists done, and gathered up materials for this week, and kept at my theme week planning. Plus, I got a ton of laundry done and cooked us dinner. 




Hayden had a relaxing Sunday. I walked in and out of my room about four times before I noticed him all tucked in all my pillows. 


In case you're wondering how the toy time line has been coming we hit the Constitution this week. Next week we're fast forwarding to the Civil War so Hayden can get a good understanding of all of that before we go to D.C. Plus, I have finger puppets for that! Who doesn't love a Fredrick Douglass finger puppet? Come on now. 


As I mentioned earlier, it was a rainy day today. After Hayden had done a very good job on his work today, he wanted to build a blanket fort. I knew he was going to make a mess of all kinds of things, but I try so hard not to tell them 'no' just because something is going to make a mess. I don't want to stifle their childhoods in the name of a clean house. So, I let him have at it. He did a pretty good job on it too. 


And while I decompressed, Asa made us all goat cheese mac and cheese with peas and chicken. Peyton made us all salads to go with it. He even did the dishes while I gave the boys their 'Pop Quiz' on Government (One smartie elicits craziness I tell you, they all get so excited when they know the answers in the name of one smartie.) 


We didn't make it to the library for the crafts tonight though, or to Sonic (they were having half priced slushies all day in honor of tax day). But, I'm still throwing today under the win column. And tomorrow we get to have a very light morning and head out to Mosi for an afternoon of Lemurs (new at the IMAX!), hands-on Science, and P.E. in the form of the ropes course and zipline. 

Next Up: We've got a Mosi Day, a library event I'm determined to make it to, and maybe a date day or something. Plus Easter and egg drops! 

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