Well, there hasn’t been hardly any school going on here. A lot of “unschooling”, but books haven’t been touched or should I say the ones we write in. 
Our oldest since July 5th has read over 1161 pages from fifth grade through adult fiction and non-fiction books. When he isn’t doing chores, outside or working with dad, he is reading. The real joy here is that he is helping to teach his siblings to read.
We have gone ahead and started Prairie Primer, as it is nice to sit in the hot afternoons to read and discuss life on the prairie over 100 years ago. We are able to compare their lives then to our lives now. We are all enjoying reading the series of Little House books, and I believe we will continue through this winter. Next week, we will have one at camp and three at VBS, so we won’t be doing it them.
I do believe next week will also have me in the kitchen lots, preserving veggies from our garden. I just put up five pounds of green beans this week, and figure I will have between 10-15 more pounds next week. If my tomatoes start ripening, we will have salsa to can too. It has been HOT, so I have spent numerous hours watering our garden areas.
One outdoor fun time for our children, has been the dirt piles that were hauled in to be spread over our driveway. However, the farm needs have been higher priority, so we have these two ton piles of dirt all over our farm yard. You know what children do with those? GET DIRTY, I believe that each two ton pile is probably down to one ton, because the other ton has been through the shower, vacuum, and washing machine.
Brad has been busy on the farm, turning the soil, in preparation for sowing wheat come fall, and swathing and baling hay.
He has had Philip out in the field with him some this week. He really enjoys helping out in the field. Brad has been happy with his work in the field for the most part.
Around the house, we have been having a chore boot camp. However, this morning, we had numerous issues that resulted in using every towel we own. One and one half gallon of milk spilt, and two gallons of water. It is times like this, that I have to remember to be thankful for the little blessings that make these messes. Do you want to know what I did? I sent everyone but, Hannah outside to play, while I cleaned up. In part, because I was steaming, and in part, because I needed to get things cleaned up, so we could move on and have things like lunch, naps, and a bit of read aloud time.
When Brad made it home for lunch at nearly 2:00 pm, the house was mostly cleaned up and the children had all had bathes. He was happy and that made it all worth it. See, God wanted me to realize that it is ok, that children take so much work. That is where he wants us.
We are serving them and their daddies, when we work to train them in their father’s absence.
Are they getting out of the cleaning up of the messes? Nope, they all know, they will be folding and putting away all the laundry. That laundry equals around ten loads between daily clothing, all those towels from spills, bedding from changing beds, they will be tending to those needs, while I enjoy some quiet in the garden picking beans.
Philip leaves for Bible camp Monday. It will be an interesting experience for him to stay on a strict schedule. We typically run on routines, so this will be a change for him. I am helping drive them the camp, and will have eleven children in my van. I am praying it rains, so Brad and I can take them together, and maybe, just maybe, stop and have supper on the way home together, with Hannah. Our other children will be staying here. I imagine we will all be ready for Philip’s return on Friday. I am not one to like not having all my chicks together. I am a Mother Hen!! Many days when I walk to the mailbox, we appear to be a line of ducks. A Mama and all her ducklings.
Speaking of the mailbox, my new camera is here. YAY, you will be able to enjoy more pictures that are of better quality. I am still learning the ropes of it. We have also been getting some other fun and exciting for me things in the mail. Curriculum, and school supplies. I am hoping in the next few weeks to get my new printer. I just found a great deal on ink too.
What homeschool mom doesn’t need a supply of printer ink on hand? I like to keep an extra cartridge on hand for those great eBooks we find during our unit studies.
Speaking of eBooks, The Old Schoolhouse is having a GREAT deal on their Schoolhouse Planner. I love many of the forms in this planner, and used them when I made our 2010-2011 Family homeschool and household notebook.
From now until August 5, when you purchase The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner, you will receive 27 fabulous E-Books absolutely FREE-to help you plan fun, hands-on learning all through the homeschool year!
From now until midnight on August 5, you’ll receive . . .
All 12 2008 Schoolhouse Planner modules and
our WeE-book™ Insect Bundle!
And through August 15, you will also receive, all 12 2009 Schoolhouse Planner modules!
If you can’t tell, I will be continuing to plan for our upcoming year over the next week or so. Are you finished with your plans? What unit studies are you doing?
Please note that links, may be affiliates, therefore by purchasing through them, you are supporting my new printer fund. Our homeschool thanks you!!
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mother, christian, wife, woman, child of God. It is about my life as a farmer’s wife, as a cook, a baker, a nurse, a teacher, a woodworker, a housekeeper, a farmer (yep, I drive tractors, pick up hay bales, and other farm duties), a gardener. So, what you read here, is me, as a transparent sometimes hot headed, passionate, and opinionated person.
You have a very practical, down-to-earth blogging style. Love your title pics. Blog crawling with the TOS Crew.
~Jenni
loved reading about ya’lls time on the farm. and some of your daily task. very inspiring!