Approaching Christmas

We got the tree up . . . barely . . . and not without emotional mishaps . . .but we did it!

I've been slowing sinking into a depression.

I don't know why or how.

I've been doing all of the things to overcome it.

But it came, and it made everything so hard.

I'm not sure why it's better today.

I'm just thankful it's better today.

(Though I am looking for reasons so that I can do my best to prevent being taken over like this again.)

We've been doing what school we can.

We've been doing what Christmas we can.

And I'm doing my level best to accept that I've been doing my level best . . . even though it all looks like such a frail and puny effort to my tired mind.

Ladybug has begun helping take care of Lola's hair!

Morning Meeting
We're still doing those 5 days a week.  We're right on track in The Jesus Storybook Bible, and we will finish Saints vol 1 right at the end of the year.  We've had a good run studying The Doctrine and Covenants and Church History this year.  I very much look forward to diving back into the Old Testament in the new year.


Math
Everyone is making progress.

One day Brother got mad and intentionally failed one of his tests.  The good thing is that I have power to undo the test and allow him to retake it (which I did).  He apologized for his behavior and got 100% on the retake.

Ladybug and I had a good talk about FASD and brain function.  For a few weeks, she was more patient with herself and her mistakes, but now the old anger is coming back.  It's time to review her progress and help her see that she is, in fact, learning.

One day we were babysitting extra little people to be helpful to church friends, and our planned day fell apart.  I ended up having to find quick food for the kids at Costco in order to not make them skip lunch.  We found some cold rotisserie chicken leg quarters, and the kids enjoyed tearing into them as soon as we got in the van.

Grammar/Handwriting/Spelling
Beowulf, Brother, Lola, and Baymax have all finished their handwriting/spelling books. 

I thought they would last us a year!  (Silly me, not counting pages and realizing we'd run out.)  I have since switched Brother to doing the handwriting in his CLE language arts booklets, and I've ordered CLE language arts booklets for the other 3 to start in January.
  
The high schoolers are all getting their work done on a daily basis and are very happy to have a couple of weeks off for the holidays.  (Though Little Princess will actually be working on school as often as possible because she's still trying to develop the time management skills she'll need to succeed at the Air Force Academy, should she be accepted.)

3 cute boys after Wreaths Across America
(Little Princess was taking the ACT for the first time.)

History/Geography/Literature
We finished up our study of Japan, and we'll pick up our Eastern Hemisphere studies in January with Russia.  The younger kids and I are still reading Born in the Year of Courage, but that was an extra book beyond the planned curriculum, so I'm still counting us as done.  

We're deep into our book Advent--only 4 more bags to open.  We finished The Birds' Christmas Carol last night.  We've read a couple dozen favorite picture books, and we are in the middle of both The 13th Day of Christmas and A Christmas Carol.  At least one of the remaining book bags has another novel in it, so we'll be reading Christmas books into the New Year, and that's okay with me!

Two boys during evening reading

Science
Human Anatomy has petered out in favor of Christmas shopping.  We'll get back on that wagon in the New Year.  However, Ladybug has been studying our Apologia high school health book on her own time.  She's been narrating orally, and she's having a pretty good survey education about human health.  She just reserved a whole bunch of books at the library all about becoming a firefighter and about human health issues.  I'm interested to see where she goes with all of this!

Little Princess is due for a check-in with me about her progress in Introduction to Physics.  I've checked a couple of quizzes, so I hope she's getting done what needs to get done.

The boys got their first CAP promotions!!

Today we're going to have everyone but Pixie over to decorate graham cracker houses.

We pick up Pixie on Christmas Eve.

And then, on Christmas Day, we'll have all 15 of us together for about 3 hours.

Merry Christmas to all!

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