Welcome to School...and Church

Alee and Carolyn continued in their lessons (sometimes distracted by other siblings not yet in school and other times grateful someone was distracting Gideon so they could focus).

He's a mess!

We made a trip to visit Rob's parents near the end of August (and will go again next weekend).

Alee's curriculum weaves together reading, writing, geography, art, and grammar, so at the end of a story called Carlotta about an Italian family, Alee had a lesson practicing reading and following a recipe for gnocchi. (It was ok, but I think it's probably a one-time meal for our family.) She did a great job with it and only needed minimal help in the kitchen (for safety).

I finally got brave enough to take Gideon to the doctor for his well-child checkup. (Really, I figured it was best to go during our "immunity" period. I need to schedule Alee before her birthday so that we get her in during that same time frame.)

Finally, on 8 Sept, the three kids in public school FINALLY started classes (about 5 weeks after the other kids). Seth is a senior this year. (Honestly, we almost pulled him out to homeschool this last year because he was having trouble finding enough classes in the district's virtual catalog - or even in person if we blended his schedule between in person and virtual. He has a fantastic guidance counselor, and she finally helped get his schedule worked out. She deserves a raise; she has been my favorite of all the guidance counselors we've had.)

Alee just wanted a re-take. This was actually her 23rd day of homeschool.

Natalie and Kaitlyn are in 8th (I guess you could say the "seniors" of middle school). They are also virtual for this first semester.

They originally had every class except one class together, but after some schedule changes, they now have all classes together. The middle school was harder to work with on schedule issues, but we finally got things worked out. I hope that they can go back in the spring so their second semester elective is to their interest.

All of my kids on the first day that EVERYONE is in school. (Homeschool, preschool, and public school)

Gideon does NOT like Kaitlyn in school! He often ends up RIGHT BESIDE HER while she's working on her classes. I have to distract him if he becomes distracting for her, and that sometimes causes distractions with Alee's lessons. (Sigh - I knew this year would be weird and challenging, but it's no worse than I expected, and we're doing well, so that's a win! Right?)

Sometimes lessons are fun. Sometimes they're just lessons. I try to add in fun where I can. (Ideas take time though!)

Orchestra Class is usually in the den (by requirement).

However, the weather has been so pleasant recently!

(Notice the extra child that's not mine? The twins have a friend from our neighborhood that is also virtual and shares most of their classes, so she comes over daily to do classes with the twins. They are productive and work well together.)

Alee's favorite subject this year is history (of the core subjects), but she especially loves art. She did both of these with her pastels.

Because we have homeschool (on multiple grade levels) and public virtual school at home (on multiple grade levels), we have to keep ourselves on task! 
The public school kids have to log in live to their google meets for each class. They check attendance in the first five minutes, and you're marked absent/tardy if not there. Some check periodically to make sure kids don't sign off during the class (unless teacher releases children for independent work). The kids have phone alarms set for all day in case their teachers let them off early they won't be late logging in to the next class.

The homeschool schedule is actually more relaxed/lenient and Alee's especially gets rearranged sometimes based on my availability. Carolyn sticks to hers in the morning, but the afternoon gets stretched out much longer than it shows. (My goal is for her to finish by 3:30 regularly, but she is not efficient, and she is thorough and detail oriented. It's a good problem to have a hard worker.) 

Map Testing (at home)

It looks fun and focused, but we had to move to a better location!

Downstairs porch (and a threat to go inside if she couldn't focus outside) worked better.

Carolyn joined the middle school girls in music class one day because the weather was so nice! They faced the road like a neighborhood concert, and we did have several neighbors drive by and listen and applaud.

Fun story: As I was driving to the middle school to pick up some textbooks, I passed a vehicle with its front wheel in the ditch. I called Seth (who was having a free period) to come help. Turns out the guy is a painter, so we had him come by to give us an estimate for the hallway/upstairs that needed to be finished. We hired him. The next day, he came back to paint. Thank goodness that project is finally finished.

Math is my favorite subject! 

Gideon is learning to recognize numbers up to 10, count 1-to-1, and skills with shapes. He loves playing with math toys.

Alee has been doing a hard chapter of word problems that feel very much like algebra, but her curriculum uses a pictoral approach. It's new to me, but I like how it helps her to see what's happening and to understand these very tricky concepts.

Natalie decided to move back into the FROG with Kaitlyn...and Carolyn still there. We now have 3 girls sharing a room. (It is the biggest kids bedroom, and we have had 3 kids sharing a room before, but since this room doesn't have a closet, we have some clothes hanging in the open, and some clothes left in Alee's closet.

Yes, the double bed is on the floor. (We tried turning Gideon's bed into a double bed earlier this year, but we decided to put it back as a toddler day bed. Next year...)

Roomies!

All my girls:

Alee didn't want to be left alone, but the oldest 3 wanted to share a room, so we will leave the curtain open at night so that Alee and Gideon are sharing. We will shut it during the day for naptime in case Alee needs access to her room. (Alee finally has room for her toys in her room. We don't have a playroom anymore since we have an office in the downstairs bedroom right now. Gideon's toys are just all over the house.)

Rob's Tennessee parents sent eye patches for Talk Like a Pirate Day (Saturday), so "Arrggh!" lol

It's the first family group picture Gideon was totally willing to cooperate for in a while!

Today (Sunday) we decided last minute to come to church in person. I have been nervous about taking Gideon. (He did sneeze once, and he was not well behaved, but he did not lick anything, and he did not leave the row we were on. These were my test conditions for returning in future weeks. He passed.)

He refused to wear his mask, but for his age, it isn't required.

Now for the funny Gideon moments this past month:

Gideon: Who is that red person?
Mom: That little boy in the red shirt? He's 5. Do you want to play with him today?
Gideon: Can I share my toys with him? 

Mom: Yes! I would be so proud of you.
Gideon: I want to dump our ALL my toys!
The girls kept some kids the week before school started so the kids' mom could do some development days at school.

Gideon: "My peepee came to visit." (As he used the bathroom)

Gideon has had at least 3 movements on the potty this month! Finally, some success!

Gideon understanding why he can't touch the cello by recalling a mistake from 2 weeks ago:
"I broke one of the strings. Then I sat on the bottom step. Then I told Kaitlin and Mommy sorry. Then I told Kaitlin sorry again."

Mom: Do you like Cliff bars?
Gideon: No.
Mom: Then put it on the table.
Gideon: Will it will make me die?

Pizza Story

(We bought store-bought pizza for Alee, Gideon, and me the night the kids and Rob were at their outdoor socially-distant youth activity on Friday.) 

Gideon: What is the green stuff on my pizza?

Mom: Parsley

Gideon: I don't 'wike' 'parswey'.

I tried to explain that our pizza always has parsley; it's just under the cheese. (I assume our sauce has parsley in it, and I put parsley on our cheesy bread under the cheese.)

Gideon still refused to eat his pizza with the green stuff on it.

[I give up trying to convince him that he always eats this green herb.] 

Mom: You eat your boogers, and they are green, and they are more disgusting!

Gideon: I don't want the boogers on my pizza!

Mom: They're not boogers!!

Finally, I gave up and used a hefty amount of Parmesan cheese to cover the green flecks of parsley. He ate the pizza.

Overview:
We are heading in to week 3 of public school. The kids are getting into the swing of things. Our days are full and go from thing to thing until school ends, but the girls sneak in time to jump on the trampoline between classes, Gideon wiggles his way into everyone's schedule, and Rob has moved upstairs so that he can work in peace (mostly the meetings in peace). Seth has open blocks and is able to mow, do homework, practice piano, play bass, and do chores during his "study hall" blocks.  The oldest 2 are doing seminary online this semester.

Some days I feel like a ping pong ball bouncing from one child to the next, but I enjoy knowing what they're doing and helping them when they need help (whether they are homeschool or public school). It's fun learning (or re-learning) the things they are learning.

Rob manages his classes well this semester, having 2 classes that each have lectures twice a week. One of the two is one of the hardest classes in the department and is required. The Lord is supporting him through that one. He is re-learning hard calculus that I have long forgotten. He's still busy with church, and with it starting back up in person, the work load there will shift a little.

Our homeschool year details:

I enjoy planning lessons and teaching the girls, and I wish I had time to teach them everything! That's not possible, so I do need them to do some subjects independently. 

Carolyn does computer programming with Rob. Spanish is a mixture of independent assignments and time with one of us, especially for verbal activities. Carolyn is doing guitar independently, and Alee started violin lessons with a (teenage) neighbor down the street. 

I teach them both math (daily for Alee and 2-3 times a week for Carolyn). I teach them (all 5) piano once a week, and they practice independently. Gideon does piano when he feels like it; we started a preschool program this year. Carolyn, Alee, and I do a history lesson together twice a week, and then Carolyn has high school level assignments to do on her own. Alee's history assignments are shorter and done with the lessons. 

I teach Alee science twice a week right now, and I often add on YouTube videos, library books, or worksheets to supplement and review. (I'm looking for a new chemistry plan for Carolyn since she is not enjoying her chemistry curriculum right now, and I think chemistry is my favorite science.)

I teach a music appreciation lesson once a week for the girls to share (and Carolyn has additional assignments).  They do ELA independently except for me checking their grammar work or reviewing writing assignments. 

Gideon does activities with me on no schedule whatsoever! If he's bothering someone too much, I pull him aside and do something with him. If he can do an activity with me overseeing him while I'm teaching a lesson, all the better! Other times it's in the plan for the day.