Friday- the view from here

This morning was kind of full, Meg had a dentist appointment and then we went to lunch at the home of some old, dear friends.  (we had a sweet time, this very large family has daughters who used to babysit for us) After lunch, we went home and sat around the table to dive into our school work.  (Except Josie, who has been sick. She worked on her Biola Star homework, but I let her off the hook for other work)

Amie and Demi did Math - because every day is Math day :D  then handwriting and then worked in their spelling notebooks- writing half of their list words in complete sentences, and then a page in the spelling workbook.  We did a grammar worksheet and then I read aloud two chapters from Don Quixote.  (I have renewed it the maximum times from the library and was hoping to finish it, but not gonna happen...sigh)  We discussed the story, I pointed out some literary facts about this classic.  After, I read aloud from A History of US Vol. 2, about Jamestown and John Smith.  Demi then used the book to complete a worksheet I made from the reading. -Amie did the worksheet a few days ago, I don't know why Demi didn't do it... ( I am forever a worksheet girl, I have realized it is just quicker to make my own...)

Meg worked on her Biola Star homework (British Lit, Chemistry and Economics) and then worked a bit on her week's work list I made up for her.  She also practiced her violin.

Sky came home from work and did some woodworking in the garage, Amie and Demi worked on their creative writing stories, Josie read and slept.  Meg studied.  I parked myself in front of the fireplace and wasted time on the internet.  We are having a cold-spell here in So. Ca, it was in the 50's today, which I cannot handle. (I know, I am a wimp)  I whined to Sky about how cold I was and then sat in front of the fireplace till it was time to make dinner. (Demi-Sky did not have lacrosse practice today due to rain)

On the menu for dinner?  Left-overs. Score!

After dinner, I made up a batch of my grown-up oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  {they are grown-up cookies because they have more oats, less sugar and double the cinnamon and nutmeg}  Here is my recipe:  Grownup Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

We then watched Groundhog day with the kids - we rented it.  This was the first time the kids have watched it.

The kids went to bed and now I am sitting in front of the fire again, playing on the computer.  Not a bad day in homeschool land...

7 Quick Takes -homeschool winter formal edition

~1~

This was Josie's first formal dance; Homeschool Winter Formal.  She went with Meg and two friends.  I heart the girl-power!!  I also loved the photo opportunities :)  They had a blast, the dance was at the hotel at Knott's Berry Farm.  The girls got ready at our house, and then I took them out for photos.

Josie is on the right in burgundy, and Meg is on the left in cowboy boots {of course}

~2~

I have admitted my adult-A.D.D.-ness, and will try some home remedies first, like green-tea.  I already self-medicate with diet coke and dark chocolate... I think it might be time to discuss this with my Dr. I spend so much of my time spinning my wheels aimlessly, it is very frustrating.

~3~

Sky thinks I should start drinking coffee, since coffee has more caffeine then green-tea.  (the A.D.D. thing) I'm just not willing to go over to the dark-side.  Sky is a true coffee-snob, he drinks french-pressed coffee.  Right now, his favorite blend is one he picked up on San Juan island.  I am about to experiment with bullet-proof coffee for him- basically it is good coffee blended with almost a stick of grass-fed butter.  I'll report back....does sound kind of yummy, though, doesn't it?

~4~

I have abandoned my much-loved MFW curriculum and switched over to Oak Meadow.  This is related to #2 above.  I wrote in an earlier post how much better following a simple spine-text works for me and realized I needed to live this truth and simplify things.  *Using spine-texts for homeschooling

We are now using Oak Meadow 5 History/English and Science texts with Demi & Amie, and Oak Meadow High school World History for Josie, and Oak Meadow High school U.S. Government for Meg.

~5~

So, I started Demi and Amie with the second half of week 5 in OM...not exactly where we were in MFW, but I didn't want to skip reading about Jamestown, so this is where I decided to pick up at.  Sooo, I look through the text and see that it centers mostly on indentured servants and relates that to slavery, but I really want to delve more deeply into Jamestown, so I look through my MFW books still on the shelves, then rifle through the student worksheets I have for MFW, looking for something on Jamestown.  I don't find anything, so I pick up Hakim's Story of US vol. 2 -(I love this series) and find a chapter on Jamestown.  Perfect!  Not quite satisfied, I also search online and find a neat animated journey through Jamestown history on National Geographic for kids.

The next day, after all this searching, I realized I just failed the whole A.D.D. thing, didn't I?

~6~

Meg just started a class for Economics at Biola Star.  I am really, really glad I don't have to teach this one!

~7~

Amie started a Hogwarts for Muggles class.  It is a wonderful/creative class and so fun! Down-side? It is a one-hour drive from here.  She was jumping-up and down excited about it.  I figured, she is almost 11 years old and this is probably the last time a totally magical world can excite her and fuel her imagination, so I decided to go for it.  It's a 12 week class!  She is having a blast, and doing some really creative things, so it is worth it.

*7 Quick Takes happens on Fridays at Conversion Diary blog, hop over and link up!

open windows

Josie celebrated another birthday.  It was a small, family gathering

familiar birthday-fare for our family.  Our family life has a definite rhythm, an ebb and flow and a sense of sameness to our days. I love sameness.  I love predictability.  But all things change...

My daughter is spreading her wings.

She has applied to a performing arts high school.  I am equal parts proud, excited, terrified and cautious.  I worry, what if she has to eat alone at lunch?  What if she struggles with Math or a foreign language?  We were going to have her take sign language as a foreign language- because I kind of know innately what she will do well with and what she will stumble with. (they only offer French and Spanish at this school) *what if- she doesn't get accepted into the school?

she went with Demi and I to the open house at the performing arts high school.  You see, it was actually Demi who wanted to spread his wings and fly away, first.  So, we went to the open house and Josie tagged along because she is interested in graphic media arts...but being in school all day, not so much...

The very first class we visited, which was creative writing, (and which I immediately decided I wanted to go to school there for...)  a girl sat in front of us, wearing a fedora.  -which you don't usually see on a teenage girl.

Josie wears a fedora.

I knew immediately that this was the place for Josie.  Her creative-nerdiness would be okay here.  Homeschool world is nerd-world...but that's okay because nerds employ everyone.... {nerd power!}

happy birthday, daughter.

Be free, be fierce, be yourself

stretch your wings.

It will feel glorious.

and I'll be right here if you need me.

love, mom

**yes, the art work is Josie's

Brighton Park Blog -a visual treat for the thinking mom

Welcome back,  {Home} sponsor Brighton Park!  I'd like to re-introduce you to this lovely blog.  Katie; homeschool mom, speech language pathologist, yogi and all around inspirational mom is the author of a truly wonderful blog.  She has so much going on there, from Waldorf Wednesdays, to literary link-up, to Music Monday- a feast of helpful content. Click over to read about planning a themed birthday party with heart, how to choose a piano or how to make a fairy garden.  Right now, Katie is co-hosting a big cookbook giveaway. Thank you Katie, for being a sponsor this month. <3

Asiana Grill Yoshinoya giveaway **Winner!!**

the winner for the two dinner entrees at Asiana Grill Yoshinoya in Fullerton or Los Angeles is:

#3  valerie January 8, 2013 at 9:12 AM

The lychee lemongrass water sounds fab!

Thanks for entering!

homeschool winter days

We are finally getting back into a routine since the upheaval of Christmas vacation.  So far this week, homeschool has consisted of:

• shopping for a new full-sized violin for Meg.  She grew out of her 3/4th size and has been playing on my old, cheap violin while we saved up for a new one.  Monday she and I went to the music shop and tried out several.  We took one home on trial, to let her teacher approve of...and she didn't like it!  I guess Meg and I flunked "tone" class...!

•  Getting the kids used to working harder on our studies.  I've let them all slip into a routine of easy/lite work. Things are a changing here now.

•  Meg and Josie resumed classes at Biola Star.

• I started test-prep with Amie and Demi-Sky.  I've used Spectrum test prep workbooks before and for some reason I turned up my nose at the Buckle Down workbooks.  I can't remember what I didn't like about them now...except maybe that it has no answer key (I think you have to go online or something for it) but- we started using them and I kind of like them.  I am really liking the conversational tone and all the test taking hints/strategies they are pointing out/teaching.

•  We are doing "Farmer Boy" as a read aloud
• Demi is still busy with lacrosse.  They actually didn't take much time off during the holidays.

•  Josie is neck-deep in graphic-arts work right now.  She wants to- kind of suddenly- apply to the local performing arts charter school.  She has to submit a small portfolio for round one of consideration.  It is really rather wonderful to have her so immersed in something she is passionate about.  It is kind of wonderful to have her totally "own" it all herself, nothing for me to do but encourage her and offer supplies.

•  It's also a little terrifying for me.  I worry about how she will feel if she doesn't get in.  I worry about her getting in and not being here homeschooling.  I really, really worry I will screw something up and not get the right paperwork in or miss a deadline.  I'm on the verge of little mini-panic-attacks a few times a day over this...on the verge, not real ones. Yet.   Sometimes being Bridgit Jones is a hard burden... kidding. not.

• We started reading Don Quixote before the holidays.  It is a wonderful illustrated version recommended by Susan Wise Bauer in Story of the World- which is one of the resources we are using in MFW this year.  Funny, I studied this book in A.P. English in High School but we didn't actually read it.  I am finding it hilarious!  Meg and Josie read parts of it at Biola Star in their text book, but they got caught up in it when I was reading it out loud the other day.
• Today, (Wednesday) I took the show on the road and we did Math and read-aloud time at a local bagel shop for lunch.  I forgot how much fun, and how re-energizing doing homeschool out and about is...I will for sure have to set aside more time for outings that include study time.
• Art class and piano classes, and violin class have all resumed.
• homeschool winter days are full days.  How about you, are you getting back to a routine?

Asiana Grill Yoshinoya -Review

Sky and I enjoyed a night out at Asian Grill Yoshinoya in Fullerton.  Yes, it's the Yoshinoya brand I remember from our starving student days, but more sophisticated.

it was casual dining, the menu tells you to pick a "style" such as big platter, lots of soup or big yellow bun.  You then pick a protein to fill it with such as chicken, shrimp, steak, tofu, etc. and then you pick a sauce.

I went for the big yellow bun, because I love all breads...though I do love a good rice bowl. I was a little conflicted but I was sold when I heard that the big yellow bun is a unique item here in the States.

Sky had the big platter, but the chef kept bringing out other tempting delights, so we kept eating.  Noodles and steak? Yes!  Gyoza?  (think steamed-seared potstickers...) um, yeah!!  Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken bowl? oh yes, bring it on!!  It was all delicious.

We tried the cucumber lemongrass flavored water (my fav) and the lychee lemongrass flavored water (Sky's fav) and they were really good.  Sweet, but not too sweet.  I could see this becoming a favorite special treat for my kids.

we finished it all off with dessert, we went with the vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate with daffy apple crush topping.  It was really, really good.  Again, I could see this becoming a big hit with my kids.  They also have a kid's menu.

It was really good food, everything was prepared fresh and there are almost limitless ways you can order your entree.  The vegetables were all very fresh and tasty.  We will definitely be back for more :)

okay, now for the fun part- I have two free entree vouchers to give away for Asiana Grill Yoshinoya.  Sadly, so far there are only two locations, one in Fullerton and one in Los Angeles so I know this is going to be a limited giveaway...

so, if you'd like to win two entree vouchers for Asiana Grill Yoshinoya in either Fullerton Ca or Los Angeles, Ca please leave a comment.  Please make sure your comment is linkable to you, or put in your email or something so I can contact you if you win.  Winner will be chosen by random generator, giveaway ends Wednesday, January 16th.

good luck!

Merry and Bright

This holiday season has been merry and bright and full of friends, family and fellowship.

We have an annual winter bible conference with our church every year and we get to enjoy hosting people in our home.  Some years we have people from other countries, and some years we have our bible college boys return- with new spouses.  It's all very sweet.

We had one of the bible college girls who spent time encouraging Meg come stay with us, along with her family. When we traveled to Boston with the kids a few years ago, they let us stay at their farm.

So, it has been a very busy couple of weeks here with cleaning and getting ready for guests, having & feeding guests and attending our conference.  Whew, kind of exhausted here!

I don't know about you, but the New Year inspires me to get more organized and set new goals.  I am reading {albeit, slowly, and haphazardly- It's the Jen way...}

• Getting things done
• Switch: How to change things when change is hard

Which is kind of humorous, since I am adding these books to my collection/stack of "get organized" books...but, ahem, I'll give it a go, one more time...

I am planning on reading through the New Testament several times this year.  Witness Lee was a Bible teacher whose books I really enjoy.  I know people who knew him personally and he made a deep impact on those people.  It's well-known that he read through the New Testament once a month, continuously and I thought I'd like to do this, too.  I know that there is no way I'd keep up with reading enough to read it every month, so I decided I'd like to do it every two months.  There is a great site a friend just showed me where you can schedule your Bible readings- including the whole Bible, online.  You can plug in how long you want to take and what days you want to read.

Read His Word  is the site.  I made an account and now when I check in, it tells me what I need to read for the day.  Way cool :)  }}much less clunky then me taking the page number of my N.T. and dividing it by 60 days...which is what I was going to do...

I mentioned before that Simply Convivial has a series on Getting things done -

• 31 days to GTD for homemakers

she also is starting up a new series on digital home management

• Digital Household notebook series

My last big goal is to spend as much time as possible sitting on the couch with Sky, watching HGTV.

How about you, any good New Year's resolutions sites?