Great Wolf Lodge

 It’s been a long time since I’ve taken the kids anywhere. Partly due to life and mostly due to Covid19. I’ve become quite the homebody over the last few years and taking young kids in public is no longer the adventure it once was. One of my friends talked me into going to Great Wolf Lodge with her family for her youngest child’s birthday and... we went!

Yesterday, I packed Fiona, Daniel, Lula, Heidi, and Jason into the Big White Van and we hit the road. When we got over the Purdy bridge, the Little3 got super excited. I didn’t realize it had been at least FOUR months since I had taken them into town! 

We had so much fun. I resurrected my Large Family FUNctioning spirit and was super organized. We worked on how to walk politely up and down stairs and hallways and how to not block other people. “We walk how we drive!” I kept reminding them. I wish other people walked like we do haha. 

Heidi is a free spirit wild child. Is anyone surprised? The very first thing she did at the water park was wander off and get lost. It was so loud in there no one could hear anyone calling, so it just had to be that way. I made sure she wore a life jacket and trusted the staff would keep her relatively safe. 

Last time we went to GWL, I didn’t get to have much fun. This time was different! I actually got to go on the water slides! I had other parents to help keep track of my kids! I had kids that could keep track of themselves AND were willing to watch Jason. But I still had Heidi. 

Her two biggest incidents were leaving our hotel room to visit our friend’s room without telling me she was leaving and going to the deep end of the wave pool without a life jacket. 

Chopped: Food Backpacks 4 Kids Edition

Welcome back! On today's show, we have the amazing Food Backpacks 4 Kids (FB4K) program that provides local families with food boxes every week.  There are no income requirements to participate, you just need to have children. And children I have.

I have resisted the siren call of FB4K for years. I love emergency food storage and making sure we have enough to survive disasters and 2020 is no exception to that! But we have been receiving these generous boxes since spring and my pantry is not just overflowing with shelf stable foods, my second pantry is overflowing.  In fact, my living room is starting to look like a grocery outlet. They have added perishable food to the program now that the food doesn't come home with kids in backpacks from school. So in addition to the canned food, we are receiving dairy, meat, fruits, and vegetables. We never know what we are going to get!

We haven't eaten canned food as our normal menu, finding meals cooked from scratch in large quantities is better for our health, our wallet, and the landfill. However, I need to use this food before I go crazy. Oh no, too late!

This morning, I made baked oatmeal. This is an amazing easy breakfast.  After preheating the oven to 350 degrees, I mixed up the following from FB4K: three little boxes of shelf stable milk, 1 c liquid egg, 2/3 can applesauce, 1/2 c melted butter, 6 c dry oatmeal, and a bag of Dried Fruit and Nut Mix. From my pantry came 1 c brown sugar, 2 t cinnamon, 2 t baking powder, 1 t salt, and 2t vanilla extract. I baked it for 40 min in an oil sprayed pan. And that's breakfast!

Tonight I will be making something using one of our million cans of cream of mushroom soup... I wonder, do people ever just heat and eat cream of mushroom soup? Or is it for casserole use only?

Mark suggested I write a book with my FB4K recipes and call it Recipes for Disasters. He is mostly poking fun at my distaste for cooking AND my negative feelings about having too much food around here. If this were a real disaster for us, we'd gladly eat the canned beef ravioli instead of trying to give it away on Buy Nothing (no takers).

Follow me for more tips on disguising disgusting food!

Love,

Anna

Back to School 2020-2021

 We've been back to school for about five weeks and so far, things are going pretty well for our large family. I'm using a combination of Bookshark and Memoria Press this year along with Math U See. I chose Bookshark (BKSK) for history and science because it is easy. There are four days of scheduled work. I've been using the format for years and years and have all the books and know what I like to skip. Easy peasy. I also like that the history covers the whole world and doesn't go very deep into details and adding hands on projects is easy. And the historical fiction if fantasic; I just hand them out for silent reading instead of literature study. Memoria Press is far superior when it comes to language arts, geography, and deep reading of literature, plus it has Latin (gasp). I've become quite fond of Latin.  I've also moved all the kids completely over to Math U See simply because I don't have to teach a new concept to seven kids every day. MUS is mastery based and has a teaching DVD, so when the kids get to an A worksheet, they watch the DVD. I'm there to help if they don't understand (until we get to Algebra 2).

Lula, Heidi, and Jason: Mt Elinor

Jason, who just turned five years old in July, is barely old enough for kindergarten through the public school and is very ready to learn at home.  He is using MUS Primer for math and MP for his language arts.  He and Heidi are combined using BKSK history and science Level A. He is basically doing the same levels Ian used for kindergarten, so if Jason complains, I just point out that Ian used it and look how smart he is!

Heidi is almost seven years old and would be in first grade. She is using MUS Alpha, MP Grade 1, and BKSK level A with Jason.  She is following the artistic path and loves to draw pictures of what she learned.

Lula has just turned eight and she is quite the student! She learns fast and loves to learn! She reminds me of Ian and Shane combined; Ian's chatty happy method of learning and Shane's curiosity and ability to self teach. She is using Gamma in MUS, BKSK Science C, and the Grade 3 package from Memoria Press.  This package is when things get serious with their educational philosophy.  Lula is just so smart and cheerful that she makes homeschooling easy! She also likes to listen in to Heidi and Jason's history and science as well as Fiona and Daniel's history. 

 

Fiona and Daniel: Boulder Ridge

Daniel is 10/5th grade and Fiona is 12/7th grade. They are lined up together in every subject this year.  They are both using MUS Epsilon, which is all fractions, although Fiona is about 20 lessons ahead of Daniel.  He will pass her quickly though. Science is BKSK F: Human anatomy. History is BKSK F: Eastern Hemisphere. And they are also doing most of the Grade 5 subjects for Memoria Press. Which means more history! 

In addition to all of the above, we are also doing a special elections unit and making the lapbook from Homeschool in the Woods.  Even Jason and Heidi have their own lapbooks.  Cutting, folding, and assembling paper things are skills we often overlook.  Lapbooks are perfect for this. 

 

Genna: Copper Mountain

Genna is now in high school! She doesn't have a typical 9th grade experience though. Her school year has to fit around her vaulting life.  At this age, I ask my student child for more input on their likes and dislikes when it comes to curriculum. And we need something that is already scheduled with check boxes that is easily open and go for tired teens.  She is using Memoria Press for biology, geography, history, and literature.  We are still using Bookshark for composition, but will switch over to Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)when it finally comes off backorder.  

 

Genna and Shane: Cameron Peak

Shane was going to leave my homeschool and attend Running Start at Tacoma Community College. Because he has this late August birthday, we were going to enroll him in 11th grade so he could take advantage of a full two years of free college. But with all classes online and our internet not reliable, he decided to stay home for one last year. When I sat down and made a transcript for him with all his high school coursework matched up to Peninsula High School graduation requirements, he had about three classes left to graduate.  So he decided to get a homeschool diploma and start community college next year as a regular college student.  He is also working 25 hours a week at the same arena as Genna, so his schoolwork has to work around his work schedule.  He is taking a chemistry class in person with other homeschoolers, socially distanced and masked of course. He did all the bookwork last year with me, so he is just doing the labs. Because he dropped all his classes when we went into shut down mode last spring, he has some catch up work to do in Algebra 2 before he starts precalculus and he is using Khan Academy for that. We are trying out Match Fishtank for literature so he can experience a public school type course for community college prep. And he is using IEW Elegant Essay and Essay Intensive for composition. 

Ian graduated! Talk about a crazy senior year. He came home for the rest of his school year in the spring, got As and Bs without doing any work, and didn't have to go through painful traditional ceremonies.  He, like Shane, decided to wait on community college due to online classes and unreliable internet.  He is working a full time job in the concrete business. We will just have to wait and see what happens with Ian and college.

Pandemic Living

I have spent the last few years running myself into the ground trying to give my large family a small family lifestyle.  Which is why I didn't blog regularly. Facebook was faster. Smart phones are easier and portable. It's just the way it was.

When the end of February approached, I was already giving myself pep talks for surviving the spring activity line up.  Ian was approaching high school graduation. I was helping him apply to universities. He did the applications, I did the financial aid forms. Ian also got a job at the YMCA as a lifeguard and worked every shift he could.  He and Shane were both finishing up their driving hours for driver's ed, so neither one could drive independently.  Shane was involved with Sea Scouts and needed a ride to Tacoma every Friday. Genna was vaulting three days a week and picked up a job at the arena, so she needed to be dropped off and picked up five or six days a week. Shane, Fiona, and Daniel all had orchestra twice a week.  Fiona started attending youth group at the church one night a week.  All the kids and I attended a homeschool co-op one half-day a week and I taught two classes there (preschool and knitting).  We had Boy Scouts for Shane and Cub Scouts for Daniel.  Scouting in the spring means Pinewood Derby, the spring camp outs, Crossover ceremonies, and Shane starting to work on his Eagle project as well as continuing his role of Junior Scoutmaster.  Last but not least, Mark still taught two Taekwondo classes per week at the YMCA and Shane down to Lula participated.  Spring also means the beginning of the vaulting competition season, which meant lots of travel for Genna and I. We were planning trips to California, Oregon, Canada, and Massachusetts.

How did I pay for it all? I had a bunch of side jobs. I worked the nursery at church two nights a week. I taught outdoor environmental education at Sound View Camp. And I balance the books for a small publishing company.

Mark and I drove a LOT. Little kids spent time in front of the TV while older siblings were in charge TOO MUCH. But what else could we do? Every month or so, I would sit down and make a list similar to the one I wrote out for you and try to cut things out.  What could we live without? What could we get rid of and still be meeting our kids' needs?  The answer was always nothing. 

Until the pandemic shut everything down.

Six months later.... 

I'm home. I'm rested. We are five weeks into the best homeschool year I've had in many years. I rarely drive anywhere because Shane and Genna go up to the arena together every day. Ian drives himself to work in his own car. Fiona goes to youth group still. Daniel is thriving at home with nothing but schoolwork to do.  He is flourishing in a way I've never seen with him. It's nothing short of a miracle. I make breakfast like I used to. I cook dinner more. And maybe I will dust off this old blog and get it going again. Who knows?

All is Calm

It took many years, but all of a sudden I realized that my homeschool is... calm. All those years of trying to figure out what to do with my insane load of toddlers seems to be over.

Right now, at this very moment, Shane and Genna work independently. Fiona and Daniel get started on their own and can work quietly. Lula needs someone sitting with her to keep her on task. And Heidi and Jason are great little playmates. Of course we get interrupted, but it isn’t nearly as bad as diapers needing changing or a fussy toddler. The mornings are quiet and we get get a lot accomplished.

I made it. I survived.

Just in time for the soul crushing experience of raising teens.

Back to School 2019-2020

This is seriously the only place I can go back and remember what I did for each year...even though I have tons of spreadsheets with possibilities and costs. 

In year's past, I started with the oldest and went down to the youngest.  I'll shake things up a bit and start with Jason.  Jason is now four years old and will always be the baby of the family; he certainly acts like a baby still!  Many of my older kids were in full curriculum by the time they were four, but being the baby, Jason can wait until he is older haha!  But seriously, he is taking two classes at our co-op: a multisensory play class, which I hope he stays in and doesn't cry for me the whole time, and Little Learners A to Z, which is taught by me.  Again, I hope he doesn't cry for me the whole time because I need to help other kids too.  At home, he will have workbooks to play with.  He really likes to sit at the table with everyone and work in cast-off workbooks.

Heidi is 5 1/2 and would be starting Kindergarten!  She started the language arts portion of Memoria Press' Kindergarten package last year and Math U See's Primer math, along with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. We will see how much she remembers and then start back up wherever we left off.  Her classes at co-op include Little Green Thumbs, a class Lula took previously, where she will learn about plant science, a drawing/writing class, and PE.

Jason and Heidi will also do a preschool science course with me on Wednesday evenings while the rest of the family is at Taekwondo.

Lula is seven years old and in second grade!  She is taking a hands-on history class and a science experiment class at co-op, along with a show and tell class that teaches public speaking.  The teacher for history and science told me she is using Sonlight at home with her kids, so I decided to do the same with Lula.  I've purchased and sold Sonlight's first grade history guide at least twice now, so I am not going to do that again- in fact, I think I sold the books too...hmm...where are they?  Anyway, I went ahead and bought Sonlight's level C science, just for the books and worksheets.  I think Lula will have fun having control over her reading and worksheet time, just like the older kids.  She is also using Memoria Press Second Grade for her language arts and (gasp) Latin.  Math is going to be our good old trusty Saxon Math 2, the same program I used for Ian and Shane back in the day.

Daniel (9 and 4th grade) and Fiona (11 and 6th grade) are grouped together on most of their subjects.  Daniel caught up to Fiona in most areas and Fiona is okay with working with him in some subjects, but wants to use a separate math and spelling program.  Daniel will be using Saxon 5/4 (I can't wait to see if he can write neatly on lined paper) and Fiona will be sticking with Math U See Epsilon.  They are both taking Art at co-op. Daniel is also taking PE and study hall. Fiona is taking cooking and geography.  At home, we are focusing on American History for all, so I'm using Sonlight D+E, which is American History and Literature condensed into one year. We are also using Memoria Press Fourth Grade for language arts, (gasp) Latin, and other classical subjects: Astronomy, Christian Studies, and Greek Myths.  Their science will be through Sonlight as well; Level E, which I've always liked but for some reason sold... I went through a decluttering/selling phase a year or so ago... but now I'm getting updated instructor's guides printed with colored worksheets, so I don't mind :)

Genevieve is 13 1/2 and in 8th grade.  Can you believe I have only one more year until she is high school aged and I need to keep records!?!?!? She has been using Memoria Press for a few years and has had a really good middle school education.  This last year she burned out a bit because she traveled so much for vaulting. She competed in California, Oregon (twice), Canada, Lynden, Spokane, and Missouri.  This year she is taking Life Skills, cooking, and knitting at co-op.  She is using Bookshark Level 100 for American History and Literature, Apologia Exploring Creation with Physical Science, Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1, and Institute for Excellence in Writing at home.

Shane is 16 and this may be his last year homeschooling with me.  At co-op, he is taking American History, Life Skills (same class as Genna), and Material Logic (a Memoria Press course).  At home, he is taking Algebra 2 using the textbook Memoria Press schedules, Exploring Design through Chemistry, either Sonlight 330 or 430 for literature (I can't decided between them: one is 20th Century and has so many great books and the other is American Lit but the books aren't as good), and Institute for Excellence in Writing.  He also needs to finish Second Form Latin from last year.

Ian is a senior at Peninsula High School.  I'd like to brush my hands off and say, "My work here is done," but I have a feeling my work here is NOT done.  His school has him taking AP Calculus, Chemistry, English 12, Guitar, Contemporary World Problems, and Freshwater Science.  I have no memory of signing off that coursework sheet, but I don't have a problem with any of those classes either.  Fingers crossed he doesn't beat his tardy/unexcused absence record and he remembers to sign up to take the SATs.  I don't have high expectations for him anymore.

Vaulting in Vegas

Last November, a vaulting parent and friend nudged me playfully with her elbow and said, "Well, aren't we proud of our little Genevieve?"  I had no idea what she was talking about.  "You don't know?"  Uh, no. "You haven't seen the ranking list?" What's that?  My friend pulled out her phone and quickly brought up the United States Equestrian Federation Vaulting Ranking Lists.  Genna....was....first....place.....in the whole country........

I can't even think about that moment without my heart pounding again.  How did that happen?

Well, I didn't post about vaulting adventures in 2018, but Genna did really well (obviously).  Mark and I told her we would only pay for two competitions a year, but Genna really wanted a shot at High Point Winner and in order to do that, she had to compete in at least three American Vaulting Association (AVA from now on) sanctioned competitions.  If Genna wanted to participate in a third competition, she would have to earn the money to pay for it.  And she did. And because she came in first place for all three competitions, she also went to Nationals in California and came in third place overall for Bronze.  There is some chatter that she would have come in first place if her shoe hadn't fallen off.

Her three highest scores added together not only earned her the High Point Award for the region, but she also earned Bronze Woman Champion in the nation.  And that is how we ended up in Las Vegas for the Education Symposium and Awards Ceremony.

We had such a fun time.  The first day, the coaches took us on a really cool hike to see the petroglyphs in Sloane Canyon.  The second day was getting checked in and I worked the AVA information booth to earn my volunteer access to all the clinics and sessions for the following three days.  Genna worked so hard all weekend.  She worked with famous vaulters from all over the world on different techniques.  An hour on handstands. An hour on scissor swings. An hour on jumps.  It was amazing.

We have so many great memories from out time in Vegas.  Genevieve can't wait to go back again next year.  But after how expensive this year is going to be...well, she better either earn a reason to be there or start saving her money!