Weekly Report: Still at it...sort of.

We are tying up loose ends and starting up others. I guess that's just how it goes when you school at home. We are done with most of the formal stuff, so the rest of these reports for the rest of the summer will be pretty laid back. (Oh, wait, I guess all of my reports have been pretty laid back :)

At least, they might be fewer and less often.

I'm working on a year-end report. I want to critique the curriculum we used this year and let you know what I've got planned for next year. I will compare the academic goals we set at the beginning of the year with what we've accomplished. I've really enjoyed reading other year-end reports and have learned some valuable things from them that I incorporate in our school.

So stay tuned!

I'm also trying really hard to stick to my goal of going to bed by 10:30pm. Therefore, this report will be concise.

Math: Sam and Elise did another 2 lessons. At this rate, we will be finished with our current books, just in time to start our new ones in September. We will be better next week.

LA and Literature: Sam and Elise are still working on their poems. They have been diligently reading. They've written in their journals and nature journals. Thumbs up for writing this week.

Science: We discussed life cycles this week. We've learned so much from observing our butterflies and robins. It's been amazing. We've seen the baby robins fly into our yard everyday. We won't be able to tell them apart from all the other robins soon.

Piano: Sam is leaning the last song in book 1! Next week we'll go on to book 2! Elise is learning a new song. She is so funny. She has to do things her way. I can't force her to do piano, but when she wants to she sits and plays and plays.

Latin: We started our Prima Latina course this week. We really like it so far. Thank you Cellista for the recommendation!

Extras: Sam used his creative talents to make Jeremy a board game for Father's Day. He even made the figures out of homemade play-dough and painted them.

Elise created a cookie recipe and made special cookies just for dad on Father's Day. They were very yummy and she posted the recipe on her blog.

Claire has also been quite creative. She is really starting to draw well. She drew a picture of herself for Father's Day and remembered to draw the arms and legs and even fingers and toes!

Anna is doing well too. She is comprehending more and more. She had her two year old check up this week. She is tip-top healthy. 46% for weight, 86% for height. AND she didn't need any shots. Hooray!

I have been running! I'm going to run a 10K on the 4th of July. I'm thankful for patient friends who help motivate me to get up in the morning and jog.

I have also been organizing. I am going to tackle one big organizing project a week. Last week was our one and only storage closet. It was a huge job, but it feel so much better to look in there now. This week it will be the kids' bedrooms and toys.

Friday night I laughed harder than I have in a long time. I went to a Relief Society retreat and a gotta tell you, we have the very best ladies in our ward. I now know someone who threw away $200,000 and found it in the city dump, someone who survived childhood meningitis, someone who was a highschool basketball star, someone who was the Little Ceasar's Pizza mascot in highschool, and someone whose uncle is the prophet of a polygamist sect. Crazy, huh? I love it! So many interesting stories and ladies. It was very, very fun and I'm thankful to all who planned it.

Also, I am working on a "Cool Summer Days" chart that Cocoa suggested. It is a fabulous idea and if you have kids who say, "I'm bored" you need to check out this chart and all of her terrific ideas.

Scripture Study: Through 1 Nephi:17
A few years ago, a friend of mine pointed out that when Nephi broke his bow and every one was complaining, including his father, Nephi taught us a great lesson about leadership and stewardship. Nephi makes a new bow and could have asked the Lord where to go to look for food. Instead, he asks his father, who is the patriarch and has been murmuring.

And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many things unto them in the energy of my soul. And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring against the Lord,...
1 Nephi 16:23-25

Because Nephi asked his father to pray, his father was humbled and given the opportunity to repent. It was a small thing to do, but Nephi had to be in tune to the spirit to be thoughtful enough to ask. I try not to think about all those little opportunities I've missed. I am very thankful for parents, husband, teachers, friends, siblings and even my children who have been in tune to the spirit to know when and how to help me when I need it.