Goings On

The boys and I made this ice lantern after seeing it here:  http://almostunschoolers.blogspot.com/2011/12/winter-ice-lanterns.html  It was so pretty while the weather was cold enough for it to stay outside all the time.  I had to bring it in a week ago and put it in the freezer – I’m hoping to get more use out of it before winter leaves for good…  (chances are REALLY good.)  It’s such a simple little project, but so rewarding when it’s done.

There was lots of Minecraft this week, in excited anticipation of getting their own computer to play the PC version.   (which involves a lot more programming and therefore is now a learning tool for us!)

Will has really gotten into a new game called Banjo Kazooie in which you get to create all kinds of weird hybrid vehicles.

I didn’t get many pictures of school this week but we finished reading Sign of the Beaver – which the boys loved, we started listening to A Wrinkle in Time, on Audible, which they’re really getting into now that we’re 2 chapters in.  We started our 1-a-Day Vocabulary words and both boys are really doing awesome with Spanish in Duolingo.  And the lowest part of our day still seems to be…  math…  (sigh)

So… in an effort to make math a little more fun, I bought this:  http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Totally-Math-Operations/dp/B00004TDKR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392569079&sr=8-1&keywords=tut+math+game (although I found one cheaper on Ebay)  I saw this mentioned on a new blog that I am really enjoying called Ordinary Life Magic and I highly recommend you check it out too.  In addition to being a great Unschooling resource, she’s happy and in-the-moment and thankful.  It’s just inspiring to read!  www.ordinarylifemagic.com

So then I couldn’t help myself and I bought this:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RGPKGQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (looks interesting and fun about human anatomy)  and this:    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118146069/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (because I’m still struggling with the idea of teaching them how to cook and I love my old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook that I inherited from my mother.)  This one is geared for young people just learning to cook.  So it should give me comfort that I’m not asking too much of my tween boys.

Here are the books we’re going to start this week:  Scotty LOVES the Animorphs series, Dark Space is one I found on Amazon that sounded right up Will’s alley and The Cabin Faced West is our latest historical fiction book.  (all three of us really enjoy this genre.)

I still haven’t made it to the library.  I’m looking for books that I can “strew” about, maybe picture books.  The only books I’ve been able to find on Minecraft have been Kindle books and I don’t think that will hold the same fascination for them.  Maybe this week…

We celebrated my birthday with my Mom and Dad this past week.  Cake was pretty and yummy!  (traditional birthday cake has got to be one of my favorite foods!)

The main reason for going to Colorado in the middle of a snowstorm was Will’s follow up appointment with the neurologist at Children’s Hospital.  And it was good news.  There were no changes on his MRI, which indicates that most likely it was damage done at his birth.  We’re pretty pissed off (and so was the doctor) that our little hospital, here in Sidney, didn’t follow the doctor’s order and do all the imaging he had requested – which means the ordeal isn’t over.  We have to follow up AGAIN in another 6 months because they failed to do some other kind of test here in Sidney.

We came home in time to attend our homeschool group’s Valentine’s Day party!  It was a little messy and wet, playing outside in the melting snow, but they had fun.  (had to go home early though because of soaking wet clothes – but I was informed that it was “SO worth it!”)

I continue to learn how to use my camera!  I have completed two on-line courses and things are really making sense.  This week I begin a series of classes here in town with a real life photographer friend! Then, after all that, I’d like to learn how to edit in Photoshop.  Wish me luck!

The first week of unschooling was too cold to do anything outside and this past week it was  too wet…  I’m thinking we should just brave it this week, no matter what.

Right?  Just do it!

This Week–Our First Week of Dabbling in Unschooling

Monday the boys and I were in Scottsbluff all day, repairing a broken retainer at the orthodontist’s office.  I hate the drive, but the opportunity to talk to the boys is priceless!  Then this girl was SO HAPPY when we came home!

Tuesday we started our version of Unschooling.  Not only is “Unschooling” learning-all-the-time, as you live your life, it’s also learning HOW to do that.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  And Lord, please forgive me for ever thinking Unschooling was a cop- out!

I had each boy fill out a questionnaire/interview this week about their current interests and what they’re thinking about and dreaming about.  I felt it would be a good starting point for me to figure out strewing, which is a learning technique that I want to experiment with in our home.

Strewing is leaving items out, around the house to piqué someone’s interest in a certain topic.  For example,  leaving the computer open to a Youtube video about the formation of snow vs. hail (which is something Scotty had asked me about this week),  leaving a coffee table book open to pictures of pirate ships, which is a current interest of Will’s.  (which reminds me – I need to go to the library.)

Also want to get this:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RGV3JY/ref=s9_simh_gw_p21_d1_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1CWWS14ZDSVRC6WXGFVG&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846 (it looks like it might be Trivial Pursuit for American History.)  That sounds like fun!  Anything in the form of a game will be a hit with these two.

Our Grandma gave us a fun Crossword/spelling board game for Christmas called Bananagrams that we’re going to start “playing” during school for spelling practice too.

Wednesday went really well too.  Sadly, the weather has kept us indoors most of this week but that’s to be expected in February, right?  With high temperatures hovering around 5 degrees this week and two friends having had furnaces quit working, I was very thankful for our warm home. (I’m now giving more thought to adding a fireplace to this house!)

This new schooling solution might just work!  I have happy boys again!  AND there’s still learning going on!  This might just work!

The one night this week that I had my act together enough to suggest the boys cook dinner, they ended up watching me cook.  They’ve dabbled in the kitchen before, but nothing too complicated.  IT’S REALLY HARD TO LET YOUR CHILDREN WORK WITH FIRE AND KNIVES!  

Then Thursday Scott and I both were sick…  like sick in bed…  all day…  just wanting to sleep until the yucky went away. School didn’t happen…  life did.  Oh well… (Boo wasn’t sick, but she was very tired that evening…)

Friday it was all good again and although we did very little from any textbooks, there were some awesome lessons to be learned!  (And it was Gym Day!  Woo Hoo!)

I had a live-and-learn moment this week in regards to later school start times.  My teenager, if left to sleep as late as he wants, WILL SLEEP TIL LUNCHTIME.  So, we’re going to compromise and set the alarms again, but they’ll be set for 8:30 instead of 6:30…  Live-and-learn.