Planning, Reading, Shopping, Learning...

I am getting all packed for Memphis!

I am leaving tomorrow morning early for the Mid South Homeschool Convention and I have lots to do.


Planning
Because I am such a planner, I have to have all of the remainder of my week's worth of work done before I go, which means that the better part of my day will be spent vacuuming, mopping, cleaning toilets, and doing every stitch of laundry in the house.  Do you do that?  Or is it just me that can't possibly leave the house out of order.  It is really ridiculous.  I will be late somewhere before I leave dishes in my sink.  Big Daddy's grandmother told me once before she died that she had been lazy for a few days and had let things go in her house when a neighbor came rushing over one morning.  He was actually having a heart attack and came into her house where she called 911 and his family and everyone to come help him.  She said that she was so embarrassed because there were dust bunnies on her floor, dishes in her sink, and rings in her toilet.  Best advice anyone has ever given me.  I learned from that happening (in theory at least) and try very hard to keep things presentable around here...just in case.

Thank goodness we are taking next week off as our Spring Break so I am not working on next week's lesson plans before I go.  Whew!!

Next week I plan to dig deep into everything I learn over the weekend {and all that I purchase} and completely transform our school.  I am so disappointed in several of our curriculum choices and some we will be completely finished with in March, but I feel like we haven't learned very much, so I have already made the decision to school "almost year round" and following this schedule at Five J's blog.  I want to spend the summer months making school more meaningful and advancing the girls to where I would like them to be before the next year's official school year kicks in around August.


Reading
I am knee deep and up to my eyeballs in 1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  WOW!  If you don't have this book, I would strongly recommend it.  It is life changing. And you don't have to take it from me.  I truly believe that every person who is reading it feels that their life will never be the same.  INCLUDING ME!  You can follow Angie and Jessica from the Bloom Book Club visit with Anne after each chapter as well at {In}Courage.  LIFE CHANGING I tell ya!!!

I am also reading every book I can get my hand on regarding right brain learning and Charlotte Mason.  Not necessarily related, but I just learned that one of the girls is struggling in Math because of my curriculum choice which doesn't in any way teach to her right brained, visual, learning style.  In addition,  I have been longing to do more living math with both girls because the more confident I become in homeschooling, the more I realize that I DESPISE workbooks and 47 workbook pages that don't allow me to see where the girls weaknesses are.  But that is a whole 'nother post, and really, I guess its not the curriculum's fault...its mine because I am exclusively depending on it to teach, and now I am realizing that I am only going to find things if I investigate them myself!!

Shopping
This weekend I plan to buy a new Math curriculum for both girls at the convention.  Because Kamryn will be finished with hers by mid March, I am switching her to a Singapore mixed with Life of Fred concoction.  She has been begging for MORE in Math....why on earth am I not giving it to her?  Her curriculum was good, just very behind for where she was going into the year.  There have been days where she {4th grade} was "learning" the same thing that I was teaching Karsyn {2nd grade}. BRUTAL!

I am also getting All About Spelling for Karsyn and Kamryn will begin Spelling Power when I return.  We bought it but I was too intimidated to start it.  But, again, I am learning that my girls don't do well with memorizing lists of words just for the test.  And now that I am becoming more confident, Im very excited about using the 2 curriculums together!!!

I am also on the hunt for a new science curriculum for next year.  I love Apologia, but for next year we need more.  For me, it is just too easy to not do science when we are just reading a few paragraphs a day and it is the only thing left to do after lunch and its what is standing between me and a cup of coffee and Food Network {did I say that out loud?}.  We will keep up with this unit study for the rest of the year because I do love it, but Im going to need to blow something up next year!!

Learning
As you can see I think I am finding my way through this Homeschool maze and beginning to really learn alot.  I cannot wait to get to Memphis and sit in on many many workshops {there are over 200 to choose from}.  I will be on HOMESCHOOL OVERLOAD by Sunday, but I cannot wait!!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!  This weekend is the official beginning of Mardi Gras around here as well.   Besides the fact that our entire state shuts down next week for the festivities {I'm talking schools closed and all}, we also are enjoying these every weekend....

Here is a hint....  This can only mean one thing...

That's right!!!  CRAWFISH TIME!!  

But, just so you won't feel left out...here is a little video for you to enjoy....

We don't go to any of the parades or participate in any part of Mardi Gras, but the music and the king cakes are something that WE JUST LOVE!!!!  Here is what every other person in Louisiana will be spending their weekend....