So what are we doing these days?

After a long blogging hiatus or at least very little blogging, I am hoping to get back in the swing of things again.

I am energized today. Friday morning I had bilateral cortisone injections in my knees and the steroid has taken hold. My knees feel GREAT. Which is wonderful. JP and I walked quite a bit in the mall accomplishing many things yesterday. I had to go to our small mall a couple of weeks ago and I was miserable walking just from the car to the mall doors. What an improvement!

But I haven't slept much in the 2 nights since. I'm hoping tonight will be a change. Because I am very tired today but alert. Very alert.

To homeschooling -

Shoshie awaits her college acceptances. In the meantime, she was unable to get any community college courses for this semester. The recession and changes in the state dual enrollment program have really cost her. And us. Yakov will go to UNCCH next year with 32 hours of coursework already. Shoshie will have about 12.

She is continuing American history and literature at home. She is also taking an online Modern Hebrew. I am creating a course for her that combines some Personal Finance and Home Ec. She is preparing dinner once a week, taking into consideration the specific dietary needs of the various family members. She is budgeting her money so that she can travel to Israel in April. I am having her work through some of the lesson plans at

Practical Money Skills for Life

and NEFE High School Financial Planning Program. They seem to be changing their website this weekend so I can't link it. I just hope I can find it myself on Monday. This site is the one I have used more so far.

Shoshie is working at the Deli and babysitiing next door most afternoons when the 2 little girls come home from school. This is some of the money she is supposed to be saving for her trip.

Noach has make some changes this winter as well. He may go to an Early College for high school, in 18 months or so. The skills he really needs to work on before doing that are in writing and math.

We are working through PreAlgebra skills in a variety of ways. He is doing Life of Fred, Fractions and Keys to Percents right now. I want to do some probability and Hands On Equations before the winter is out. We are also doing CodeBreakers and I have The Cryptoclub: Using Mathematics to Make and Break Secret Codes. This book just came and looks great.

To force some organization on our grammar, literature and composition studies, I signed Noach up for a K12 course, Intermediate Language Skills A. This is really a 6 grade course but the composition starts with paragraphs and that seemed like a good place for him to start. We aren't really strict about grade levels anyway. And I don't see the need for grammar every year. It's a skill you need but once acquired I think you are good to go. Maybe a refresher every now and then.

We are doing history with Oxford Press Medieval and Early Modern World books. Now we are covering the Middle East and Africa. I am including some geography from Trail Guide to World Geography. I used this several years ago with Shoshie. I don't really use it as written but it has been a good resource. I am also trying to spice up the history with some movies. I haven't found anything good to use recently.

He is doing science, Introductory Physical Science at a local private school. There is a 2 hour lab session every Tuesday and then some homework. I don't know if we will do this next year. I miss doing science at home. I miss the groups of kids. But this isn't for me and the decision for next year will be about his needs.

Noach is also taking an online Modern Hebrew class.

Shoshie and Noach need to get some regular physical education in there sometime. We are missing far more than we are hitting on that front. They are thinking about an Israeli Martial Arts course but I haven't been able to get more info on it yet.

That's what we are up to. Tomorrow the workers are coming to begin a 3 week long renovation of part of the house. New hardwood flooring, newly painted walls. I am excited. And alert. And tired. PRM