October 21-27

Fail.  That is the word for this week in terms of productivity.  I accomplished almost nada.

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you were trying to run but you actually didn't go anywhere?  That was my week.

We did do one itty bitty thing this week that was fun.  The girls poured old food flavoring extracts into a metal mixing bowl and set the liquid on fire.  Due to the shape of the bowl and the wind, the flames kept dancing in a circle.  That was cool!

This next week has to be better.

October 7 - 13

The dentist told me a few years ago that I had a cracked tooth and that it would eventually break.  Well, this was the week.  Last Saturday a small corner broke off and then Monday a larger piece fell out.  Thankfully I wasn't in pain.  Wednesday morning I went to the dentist.  From what I can tell, he ground off a big portion of the half of tooth that was still there.  I now have a temporary aluminum crown and will have a new gold crown in about a week.  Thank goodness for dentists and modern dentistry!

Before I went to the dentist Wednesday morning I had the "privilege" of attending early morning seminary on behalf of my 17yo.  My husband attended class for our 14yo.  I usually wait for my girls in the parking lot while they attend seminary, but this gave me an idea of what my girls experience.  I got to hear about the goals the teachers have for the senior class, and the parents got to share what we would like to see our kids get out of seminary.

My big focus this week has been helping 14yo read through her Biology text and come up with ways to study the information so it will stick.  I'm totally enjoying it, but this is a big change for 14yo.  There is so much new vocabulary.  Learning how to pronounce the words is a feat and then she has to learn what the words mean.  It is going to be a challenge.

September 30 - October 06

The highlight of the week - a tour of the Yamasa soy sauce factory.

 Yamasa Corporation USA 

Now to reality...

Phew!  I'm still trying to find the balance between school, family responsibilities (meals, laundry, chauffeuring), and getting enough sleep.  Hence, I am sleep deprived.  I don't know how other families do it.  I personally have never been able to do as much as other mothers.

Here's an example of one day:
5:45am - alarm went off
6:25am - left for early morning seminary
8am - home, school with 14yo
11am (approx.) - school with 10yo
shower
cooked supper
2:20pm - drove to town for orthodontist appointment (17yo)
went to the grocery store
3:30pm - home, ate a taco
4pm - left for gymnastics (14yo)
continued to homeschool 10yo in the car
10yo got to play for 10 minutes at a park
6pm - picked up 14yo from gymnastics, drove to church
sat in the parking lot doing more homeschool
7pm - 14yo went in to church youth activities and 10yo stayed with dad while he waited for the teens
7:30pm - home, gathered my science supplies and cleaned the microscope case
10pm - collapsed into bed

The next day was even crazier.  The teens started attending a co-op and some of us toured the Yamasa soy sauce factory.

Co-op classes:
17yo - TJYC (Thomas Jefferson Youth Certification) and Biology
14yo - Key to Liberty and Biology