A Week, Briefly (10/15/18)

The owls were made by Nature Angel, and the pumpkins by Belle and Pixie--at various out-of-the-home activities

The sun came out this week.

What a difference!

I was starting to think I'd never be happy again, but it was the weeks and weeks of dreary, premature winter rain and cold.

One afternoon of sunshine helped so much that I can say truthfully that life is still quite challenging--Ladybug urinating all over (and I mean walls, floor, and everywhere) a public restroom being a less-than-high-point of the week--but it doesn't feel as discouraging and impossible as it did even a matter of days ago.

It's cold and cloudy again . . . but it's going to be okay.

The week is a blur as I've been burning the candle at both ends in order to meet the needs of the many ages and stages of my family.  It is getting more and more real that Pixie is working to move nearly 1,200 miles from home next August, and she is drawing nearer to me in response.

I am not bothered. :)

Just tired because she comes to talk into the wee hours of the night.

(Really, it is an honor to be her confidante.)

She can stay up because she naps sometimes!  Sort of. :)

And when I shoo her off to bed (and often a gaggle of sisters with her), Sir Walter Scott is sometimes waiting patiently to reconnect after a long day.

I do love him!

And then it is suddenly morning when I do my personal study and start school with Ladybug and begin the day with the whole crew.

The sleepless nights of being mother to babies are past, and I am in quite a new phase of sleep deprivation.

I managed to finish 5 pillowcase dresses this week and turn them in to our dance group costume organizers.  And I worked on finishing the sunshine dance props that my little Stars are using when they sing to "Tomorrow."

Right now, my teens are taking their Unit 3 Language Arts exams.
 (Post edit:  They all did very well.)

Otherwise, we marched through our week as we've done for the past 7 or 8 weeks, and I have a few pictures to remind me of our accomplishments.

Mister Man finished his 6th science LifePac.

It was about senses, and he got to watch popcorn pop for one of his activities--then he got to eat it!

All done!

 Co-op on Tuesday was a challenge to get to, but we had a good time once we were there:

I made kinetic sand for my sensory class . . . a definite success!

And the Foods Jr. teacher was back with a huge win as she provided toothpicks and various foods for building with.  The littlest kids thought it was weird that we'd make them stick toothpicks into their food before eating it, but they obliged. :)  The older kids had a good time creating people, houses, or pleasing structures.

While stuck in heavy traffic on the way home from co-op, I was able to turn just enough in my seat to catch this picture that is representative of most of the van every Tuesday afternoon.  Being out like that knocks us out!

On Wednesday we pushed through Symposium and sent the teens to their various commitments, but then I took the Elementary 8 on a walk.  I considered taking field guides and/or drawing supplies, but in the end I just took a book, a snack, and water . . . it would be enough to simply "be."

We hit the "big storm" trail.  In spite of perfect weather, several of the kids clung close and asked fearfully, "Will it rain?"

Seriously--this is what the sky looked like!

3 miles is far for small people, so we stopped to read pioneer stories twice along the way.  My audience was tired.

Baymax kept himself occupied with lining up rocks on my arm as I read.

We completed the full 3 mile loop without incident.

I hope this helps the kids heal from the trauma of that storm!

We did a little table school in the late afternoon.

These are Mister Man's hands doing some math. 

Teens worked on their Unit 3 watercolor projects while we listened to many chapters of 2 Nephi in The Book of Mormon.

Nature Angel was inspired to get her own paints out, and Little Princess modeled with some homemade clay.

And Little Princess continues to progress in her Chinese studies.

On Friday, the young ones prepared another version of The Three Bears while I led Symposium.  This version includes the Bear Family's friend Luke. :)  They performed for us between Symposium and Academy.

That's Goldilocks on the far left--sleeping in Baby Bear's bed!

Nature Angel was the delightful director and narrator of the whole show. 

We're working our way happily through our Rod and Staff science book.  Though there's no sun today, and it is definitely not planting season, we're trying to sprout some seeds.  I hope it works for us!

It's another full weekend ahead, but I am glad to be slow and quiet this afternoon.

Only two weeks of co-op left . . . then only 2 dance shows . . . and we'll be down to just Ladybug's therapy and church activities to pull us out of home each week. 

I'm not sad about that at all.