Back To (Home)School

 So this is Finn senior year.  I cant even believe it. 

when I started our homeschool journey 4 years ago I never imagined it would become what it has.  He really fought it the first few months.  I was unfair. Mean. I just didnt understand. Why was i doing this to him?  He just wanted to be with his friends...

by the end of the first semester he realized just how much he liked homeschool.  I wasnt breathing down his neck 24/7. I let him go at his own pace.  I found fun videos and documentaries and movies to go along with what he was studying. He was able to concentrate and get done quickly and have the rest of the day to be a kid and play. He wasnt distracted by all the drama and gossip and shenanigans of High School. He still saw his friends after school he still went to scouts and youth group and for a time robotics.  after a year we did the end of year testing.  He scored off the charts. His brother did too, and he had some pretty serious learning issues and handicaps.   His sophomore year we asked "Would you like to go back to Public School or stay in homeschool?  He immediately answered "Homeschool".  He admitted he liked not having all the distractions, he didnt miss the bullying and garbage that tends to go on. He liked being able to pick a subject he was interested in and just really go for it.  He showed an interest in computer programming and just did a ton of self study and has really become quite skilled in various programming languages, and has even submitted a bunch of games to various platforms!  I am super proud of him.

This year, after the death of his brother, we decided to pack up and leave NC for the wonderful wilds of Boise ID.  Turns out ID is a GREAT state to homeschool.  It is very similar to NC, in that parents are fully responsible for any education and can tailor any program to their childs needs.  I am definitely an "UNSCHOOL METHOD" kind of mom.  I dont have a super strict set course. We have our core stuff we have to do, but basically I provide him with the tools and he decides his pace and he decides his curriculum.  As long as it falls in the graduation guidelines I am A-OK with it.  He has proven himself to be very  ambitious with his interests and learning.  we have done everything from guitar, to computer programming, to robotics to bible study. This  year we are learning self defense and setting up a stream on his computer so he can learn social media and networking skills.  It will also go  towards his english requirements because it involves public speaking, and coming up with ideas and scripts.  I think I may also have him do a typing tutor type thing.  He is always trying to learn and do something new, and I am always willing to let him try.  I am super proud of how well he has done.

I cant believe this is his last year.  So in our new house he has a great bedroom. Our house is WAY bigger than our old house in NC and we have so much room for him to spread out and really set up a great space for his work.  I got him a corner desk to work from.  He set up his laptops, he has a tripod for his camera and a ring light as well. He uses that for his streaming.  He has a microphone for his streaming as well.  He talked me into getting him some LED strips to go around the top of his room. They change colors and can be set up to flash to different music or sounds.  His room is really cool!  He is getting a large whiteboard for logistics and schedules etc.  He has it all set up just how he likes and it is pretty cool.   I have included links for all products we got for his homeschool set-up and streaming, feel free to click and check it out!

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My week in a nutshell

Just a few things from this week

THE POOL

1. Just because they make a bikini in your size, that does not mean you should wear it.

2. Girl in the orange floral bikini- YOU need a bikini that is 2 times BIGGER. Your bottoms are so tight you have a muffin top. Your top is so small your giant bazoongas are popping out like Pam Anderson. I have kids and would prefer pimply lifeguard to pay attention to them instead of trying to sneak a peek at your girls unleashed.

3. Boys who think they are studly- White bathing trunks are see through. You arent as impressive as you THINK you are.

4. If you are as hairy as a silverback gorilla, I suggest investing in some back wax. Seriously. Your girls can ride you like a bareback horse, grabbing your back hair as they would a horses mane.

5. To the snotty, overskinny, REALLY white lady in the ugly bikini and stupid Bug eye sunglasses: yes my kid threw up. He swallowed water which made him gag and he was running to the bathroom when it all came out. At least it was on the sidewalk and NOT in the pool. At least I put chairs around it and told someone and asked if I could help clean it up. They told me not to worry about it. So dont sit there in the snack area moaning and complaining and being completely ugly about it. I know you did not realize it was me, but when you call my kid germy and disgusting, it's personal. He was not sick from the flu. He was not germy from some sort of disease that I ("what kind of mother brings their sick kid to the pool and then makes someone else clean it up-she should be shot") didnt have him innoculated against. We were swimming in the deep end together and playing around. He swallowed too much water and it made him throw up. Your kid isnt going to get Hepatitis or any other germ that us white trash mothers let our kids get. So dont think I didnt hear you and immeditely place you and your friend on my poop list.

SALSA: I made salsa yesterday. I wish I could say it was from my garden, but it wasnt. We were really hankering for some good salsa. So here is Salsa Making 101. I dont really have any set measurments.

I dice a TON tomatoes and add a large can of whole tomatoes(drained). I would say probably 10 cups of diced tomatoes. I used 3/4 of a LARGE sweet onion, chopped pretty well. I added 3 chopped jalapenos, a TON of garlic(about 4 TBSP), and eyeballed the cumin, cilantro, salt and pepper. I added juice from 1/2 a large lemon as well.

Mix together and I used an immersion hand blender to semi-puree it until It looked like this:

Put into a large container, or containers, and put in fridge. Let it sit for at least 24 hours before eating it and making adjustments.

The jalapenos were really potent and the oils from the peppers stayed on my hands and made my whole night pretty miserable. My hands and nails and nailbeds were on fire. I tired everything. I even googled solutions. I tried rubbing a lemon on them. I tired pouring vinegar over them. I tried using dishsoap with no water. I even rubbed my hands with a piece of dry bread. It really was miserable.

SCHOOL:

today is Peters last day of school. I mean he has school on Monday, but they are just having parties and pizza etc.
We have a busy sumemr ahead of us and then at the End of August Peter goes into 2nd grade and Finn starts Kindergarten.

CLEANING:

Well I got the craft/computer room done. I then decided to get a little crazy and re-arrange some things in the family room. It looks much better PLUS It forced me to organize my bookshelves and vacuum around Jakes crate.


FREECYCLE:
We got rid of 2 tables, a Total Body Gym, an old computer, a Web Cam and have a few other things listed . They will be getting a good home instead of going into a landfill and I dont have to haul myself over to goodwill (a whole 3 miles).
Next I will be tackling the guest bedroom... THAT will be a chore.


So that was a portion of my week. Hopefully next week will be a little more exciting. Happy weekend!