The last few weeks have been so busy that it has impacted sleep patterns. Even a hurricane doesn't hold me back from going to sleep, but if I am all keyed up with the excitement of projects or I get a bit overwhelmed from taking on too many projects at a time I will wake up too early and will not be able to get back to sleep. I am on week two of that and it is starting to catch up with me mentally. I am going to try to get a few of the irons in the fire settled this weekend and then take some time for resting up. A good Sunday nap with a shorter to-do list should do the trick.

Here are a few of my fovorite highlights of this week:

Chemistry class:

The general chemistry kids are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. They are midway through module 13 out of 16. Almost there! We have been testing out a simulation software called Virtual ChemLab. I find that It cannot do the specific labs that I want, but as I explore what it does have I find that those are interesting. It is still too early yet to know if it will be worth adopting for next fall or not. I like the way we are learning to use the Elluminate whiteboard lab objects to go through lab setups, procedures, and even simulations. The customization couldn't be better, so Virtual ChemLab has some stiff competition.

Biology:

Since the biology course has a unique 'never-ends' design, they don't get the fun of counting down the modules to go as a group. The kids can jump in to the course in nearly any module and after we get to the last module in the course they just wrap back around to the beginning. They graduate once they get to the module that they started on. They just finished up the module on protists and had a blast on our biomystery finding the mysterious poison that led to 100 people coming down with the loss of their ability to form short-term memories after eating blue mussels at a seafood place (based on a true story). They manipulated the lab gear in a sequence of labs and learned how scientists do the three key types of lab activities:

separation/purification  - solvent extraction, evaporation, column chromatography, High performance liquid chromotography, and high voltage electrophloresis

qualitative analysis - mass spectroscopy (I want to make an animation for this one)

quantitative analysis - I left the details for finding concentration for them to discover in chemistry, but they got the point that concentration can make a big difference especially when you have a chemical that is a neurotransmitter mimic.

Elementary Science:

My eight year old has been learning about static electricity today and of course the rub a balloon on your hair and build up a static charge is a requisite activity for that topic. The 'in' toy of the day accompanying us on our science adventures has been a stretchy groilla which he had fun winding up and watching it twirl. I was working at the computer and when I felt my little fellow come up close, I assumed he was going to give the balloon another good charge. I felt my hair get a good tug. I looked over to see my long spirally hair in a tight tangle around the gorilla's leg. I decided it was time for the scissors after working 30 minutes trying to separate us. I sacrificed a hunk of hair to save the poor gorilla from being an amputee. LOL

After almost un-schooling for a couple of months, we're back to structure this morning.  I will say that Alyssa has learned a lot during this down-time.  She continued with violin lessons once a week, as well as Gym & Swim at the YMCA and we did non-structured activities.

But today, it's back to the grind!  LOL

We've done our morning meeting.  This is new for us, but we're meeting before we begin school to say the Pledge of Allegiance, go over our memory verse for the week, pray, and discuss what we're trying to accomplish today.

Then we did a little mini-book on "Winter Words" from abcteach.com because we woke up to a dusting of snow.

We followed that up with laminating our new schedule cards that I will put on the wall to show what our daily schedule is going to be (I need this more than Alyssa!  It's hard for me to stay on track without things written down...)

And then Alyssa sat on the floor and punched a bunch of holes in a piece of paper for no reason.  I tried to look on this activity as building fine motor skills...

Next we read lesson 7 of Health, Safety & Manners (A Beka) which covered skin.  Useful stuff, skin.  To coordinate with the lesson on washing hands, I put a laminated sign over the potty that says "Flush the Toilet" and a sign next to the sink with "Wash Your Hands" (also from abcteach.com).  These appear to be issues that 7 year olds do not remember regularly - or at least MY 7 year old can't seem to remember~

We're getting ready to cover lesson 12 in My America, My World (A Beka) which happens to be on Abe Lincoln.  Alyssa will color a picture of Abraham Lincoln from www.whitehouse.gov while I go over the lesson.

After that, we're going to work on some math and maybe counting money (because the play money is already out from showing her Abraham Lincoln on the $5 bill and the penny.

And I believe we'll do a lesson in Choosing Obedience and a page or two out of A Reason for Handwriting.

I'm changing my organizational method (what?  Organization?  Sarah - I know you are laughing!)  I find that I work better with keeping track of things on paper than the computer.  I dislike recording things in Homeschool Tracker during the day, so I am instead going to record what we do in a spiral bound notebook and put it in HS Tracker at the end of each week.  I'm also trying to get the schoolroom together so that we know where things are and can get to them.  That alone should make the school day go easier!  Once the clutter is banished, I'll post pictures.

Back to Abe Lincoln...  Thanks for reading!

Le Papier Designs is giving away a fun, Personalized Silhouette Print for a boy or girl. This is an 8x10 print, and will be personalize just for you.

Visit http://thedowntownboutique.blogspot.com/2008/06/whimsical-stationery-and-artwork-by-le.html for full details!

This video was from her second or third lesson.

You've all read about the saga of my last five years in California.  How it took so much from me and left me changed in both good and bad ways - but the bad ways are the ones that seem the most memorable (painful.) 

But my focus has been off for longer than that.  It's possible that my focus has been off since shortly after we married and bought The Village Inn.  By necessity, the guests and business were the forefront in my daily life.  They came first - my household came second (or last, oftentimes.)

The primary symptom of this problem is and has been the state of my home.  Cluttered, unkept, a major mess, it has not felt like "home" truly since before I became an innkeeper.  My focus was always on keeping the inn spotless, welcoming and cheery - and my home suffered as a result.  I can only be stretched so far and I am obviously going to give my attention to my number one priority and for 10 years, that has been the comfort and care of my paying guests.

But now, my innkeeping days are behind me and I can once again refocus on what is most important.  Yes, we have two businesses in the process of start-up, both in our home.  However, neither requires my constant, around the clock attention that guests demanded.  To change 10 years of habit does not happen overnight though.

My number one issue is - SURPRISE! - the time I spend online.  I can pass several hours in the blink of an eye because I love to research.  LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  Give me a topic and I will google and search until the wee morning hours.  And then I must visit all of my various forums and read a number of blogs...  All while my house is in disarray and my husband and child order take-out for dinner and search for clean socks.  *sigh*

Second, now that I'm no longer in the woods in the middle of nowhere, there are places I can go.  People I can visit.  Stores I can shop at.  Drive-thrus I can partake of.  It seems I am suddenly running an awful lot of errands.  It reminds me very much of my lifestyle in Atlanta.  Constantly on the run.  I grew to hate being in the car - but was often required to run from here to there in order to pick up things that were required at the bed and breakfast.  I have no such excuse now!  I just like to be able to go places.  And I think (brace yourself) I think I am AVOIDING my responsibilities at home.

Essentially, it all boils down to one thing.  Self indulgence and lack of self control!  Selfishness!  Putting myself first and my family last.  A very bad thing indeed.

To be continued...

First off, I believe we have perhaps found a church after several weeks of visiting various churches in our area.  This one immediately felt like home to me and the people were very friendly and welcoming.  I'm excited to go back on Sunday - although I need to do some laundry so I have something to wear!  Can I just say YAY for GOODWILL when you've gained weight and need to buy skirts!  LOL

It's an Independent Fundamental Baptist church - which is what we attended in Stone Mountain, GA.  They are all about being an old fashioned church with a big heart and the pastor supports homeschooling.  In fact, his one child is homeschooled.  I even met other homeschoolers when I was there :)

And then this week, I found a homeschool group in my area that I really think I will click with!  A Christian group that is very conservative with lots of activities in our area.  I met with several of the ladies last night for dinner and really enjoyed the company!  And then today, we attended a picnic with them and again, felt so welcomed.  They even made Alyssa an Achievement Certificate, so she wouldn't feel left out when the other children received their's.  Very thoughtful.

Alyssa finished six weeks of horseback riding lessons last week.  I will post pictures once I download them.

And I just updated my soap blog, too :) - http://blog.southernsuds.net