My homeschool mother's journal: Dec. 13

Life this week...

It was busy!  It was super cold!  That pretty much sums it up.  No snow fun to go with the cold though.  Looking forward to a Christmas break here real soon!

Homeschool this week...

We did mostly math and science.  I really wanted to get a whole week of our new Sonlight science B in before we take Christmas break.  My kids love science, and they loved doing it almost everyday this week.  Even on co-op day we came home and did science!  I'm really looking forward to getting into it more after Christmas!

Christmas stocking matching game:
The boys loved making a magnet sock matching game one day for part of their magnet science.  I forgot to take pictures when they played it the first time, so here is Alex happily playing for me later.  You are supposed to play this blind folded, take turns, and then see how many matches you end up with.  The big boys had fun playing it that way, but Alex is too young to get it.  He just liked fishing for the stockings.

April had a science experiment from her General science.  It was chemical reactions.  There were 2 reactions.  The first was watching the purple cabbage water change to pink when poured into the vinegar in the bottle.

The second reaction was adding baking soda to the vinegar to create the bubbles that we all love with any baking soda and vinegar experiment, but this time she captured the gas from the bubbles to blow up a balloon.  She did it a couple of times because it was fun, and her brothers liked watching it too.

She is really enjoying the Exploring Creation with General Science book.  She has been doing the reading great, and can do the experiments (mostly) on her own really well.  I have to admit that we haven't been moving through it very quickly.  She is still on Module 1 (and has been since the beginning of the school year).  It really has to be done daily (lots of reading), which we started doing this last week.  I think she may actually get somewhere if we make it a daily subject!

Helpful homeschool tips or advice to share...

Christmas is almost here, start doing all those Christmassy fun things with your children now.  If you haven't already.  Take the time to do some cooking or crafts with them.  It'll be here before you know it!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We had our co-op's holiday dinner/Shakespeare faire on Friday night.  It was planned and put on by the Scholars (12 and up Shakespeare class), and their mentors.  They did a phenomenal job!  We all had a good time, and the boys just loved it too.

So, since the scholars are studying Shakespeare, this whole dinner and program revolved around that time era.  The scholars were all different ranks depending on how many Shakespeare plays they have read, watched, or listened to.  There are several that have reached the King/Queen status.  Here they are at their table... 

We were sitting at the "commoner" tables behind my camera.  I never got a picture of all the families sitting at those.  We had a yummy dinner of soup and salad while the royalty got the turkey and "higher" status food.  It was all in good fun, and the soups and salads that everybody brought were still good.

The program for the evening.

April getting coronated as Queen because she finally passed off 17 Shakespeare plays.

She was finally able to wear the robe!

 This was also the night that they were going to announce the Shakespeare play that they will be preparing for and putting on next semester.  Here comes the announcement....

April was waiting and smiling very excitedly to hear which one.

The play will be..."As You like it!"

After dinner there was a medieval village where we could "buy" treats for our dessert.

Alex bought a lot of candy canes and red vines.

Everyone received 5 "coins" to take to the village.

This was the bakery...

There was a blacksmith...

An apothecary...

April was helping at the apothecary

Not everything on the table was for sale.  There were wands, candy canes, and black licorice here.  The rest were decorations.

We are done with co-op for this year.  We are on break until January.  When we go back in January I am going to be mentoring a lego building class for Aaron's age.  I'm excited about it.  I'm glad to have a break for a few weeks though.

My favorite thing this week was...

Going to the Portland temple with April for her first youth temple trip.  

My kiddos favorite thing this week was...

Counting down the days to Christmas.  They are loving the countdown activities we have been doing.

I'm cooking...

I made ramen salad and brownies for the faire on Friday.  I also made banana muffins that nobody would eat because they had bananas.  I made rice krispy treats, which happens almost weekly around here.  I think we must like rice krispy treats.  

I'm grateful for...

Being able to provide my family with good healthy meals.  For all the friends we have made in our new co-op.  For all our Christmas decorations that make our house so festive.  For the things I'm learning as a homeschool mother.  For a warm home that is comfortable, and cozy.

That's all for this week.  I'm linking up to Homeschool Mother's Journal at So you call yourself a homeschooler.

Merry Christmas!

Desiree