Spring is in the Air

Along with a few other distractions.

We spent a great deal of time outside last week. Friday we went to the park. The first two photos are from that trip. We toured the walking path with tiny remote control car in hand. Watching it almost put my motion sickness in action.

Again, another shot of my back yard is above. I will never tire of looking at these trees. They're just gorgeous. This is our table in the backyard, we did school out there one day last week as well. It HAD a nice canopy over it until the wind tore it down. It was nice to be outside and enjoy the birds singing. Z was playing with a candle when I took this picture.

Wakefield Walks

A lovely lizard shedding his skin. Probably going green for the latest fashion update.

A squirrel feasting outside the window.

This is what a pinecone looks like once a hungry squirrel is done with it.

Good thing he is not required to pick up after himself. Messy squirrel.

Nature continues to inundate us this spring. I have seen multiple caterpillars and can't wait until all of the beautiful butterflies come out. Dragonflies should be appearing soon as well.

A Planning Week

Spring break has turned into a planning week for me. I feel like I have done the hokey-pokey with curriculum for next fall. You put one in and you take one out, I was all turned around earlier this week.

I had Multum non Multa running through my head as I realized that I needed to scale back my plans a little. It is, after all, Z's education. We have seven more years to fit subjects in, they don't all have to happen tomorrow.

So the big decisions this week were:

- We are holding off on starting Elementary Greek for one more year. I'm sad but that will give me time to go through at least EG1 before I teach.
- We will be doing Science Explorer 7 instead of Conceptual Physics. While I know he would comprehend the physics I think the reading would be too much unless we were doing a science-centered curriculum.
- I read through CW Homer and have a better idea of how this program will work for us. In fact, I'm excited about using it.
- The art book I bought earlier this year will work for the next three years when mixed with an "art of the month" focus.
- We are also doing a "musician of the month" adding some current musicians into our study.
- My history and literature plans are scheduled and fit together wonderfully.

It has been a productive week and now I am ready to relax for my final day off.

An Easter Sunset

We went out to eat for dinner and then for a walk at the lakeside. We were able to watch the sunset, it was very beautiful.

History Plan 2009-2010

It's hard to believe we only have six weeks of school left for this year. That being said I am in planning mode for next fall. Like the fashion industry, I plan a few seasons in advance. We are delving into the Middle Ages and I know have a complete plan, written in pencil of course.

We are using two main books next year:

Memoria Press' Famous Men of the Middle Ages and Yesterday's Classics Story of the Middle Ages. We will get our study questions from Greenleaf Guide to Famous Men of the Middle Ages.

I chose the Greenleaf Guide over Memoria Press material as I wanted mostly discussion questions, not necessarily a workbook. I had more than a few days of debate going on in my head about which one to chose and I think Greenleaf will fit the bill for us.



I went through the two books this week and divided up the chapters of the Harding book with the biographies of the Famous Men book. It looks to be a great mix and I believe it will work well for us. I also plan to add appropriate entries from the DK Visual History encyclopedia.

As with all plans they are written in pencil, subject to change. I plan to read through the books this summer and make notes. But for now that subject is planned and ready, of to the next.

Spring Break 2009

We are officially on spring break until the 20th. We will not be visiting exotic beaches (although I hope we can trip down to the Gulf at least one day), we will not be consuming mass quantities of anything, nor will we have a large noisy party that will force the neighbors to phone the authorities. Although Z did stay up late last night and I slept in this morning. Stay tuned for more of our adventures in Spring Break 2009...

A New Friend, A New Heading

If you look I have a new heading for spring. This little lizard was sitting outside on our porch post yesterday. He was quiet while I snapped this photo. He was more interested in the little gnat flying around than us. Don't worry they are quite harmless.