This month has been a whirlwind, and also a long one. Mike worked hard all of July and the beginning of Aug on his qualifying exam. His exam is a bit different than a typical qualifying exam. His professor gave him a question and then he had to write a paper answering the question and then has to get a committee and defend the paper. That happens on September 11th. It's only the second week of classes so things are not terribly difficult yet. After finishing his paper for the exam he had a day before school started and he told me he'd like to make freezer meals to help me out this semester. We've talked about it before but it's always such a big endeavor that I usually only double a meal here and there. He sat down and did all the planning and shopping list and then we went together and got the food and we began the prepping the night before. While I ran school the next morning Mike got to work on the meals and then I joined him later while the boys were doing their own work. It took a couple of hours but we got 24 meals in the freezer and I am so thankful for his help. I love how he always wants to make my life run more smoothly and help me when he can.
These picture are not in order but Mike signed up for a sausage making class with the bishop and then the class got canceled. They decided it would make a great double date. We invited one more couple to make it a triple date. It was fun and gross and smelly and also really interesting.
Homeschooling is going well so far. The things I don't like about it are the things I knew I wouldn't like about it and the things that I do like are the things I expected to appreciate. I feel like the boys are happy. They are working hard and I've so far had only a few time had to really get after them. Mostly Eli because he is little and has a hard time staying focused but then I just have to remind myself that he needs more of my focused attention or that he needs more breaks. They have all had a good attitude and pretty much just get to work. They have enjoyed the field trips we've taken to Ijams Nature Center and the zoo and love to do art projects. They have especially liked working on mummifying our cornish game hen. We have to change the baking soda/salt mixture every week and already it is starting to work! Soon we will wrap it in white fabric and have a real mummy. They love it.
Will suggested we eat mummies for lunch. I hate hotdogs but they love them and I thought it was a great idea!
Right now my life looks a lot like this:
I am finding it hard to really get some good exercise in. My 40 minute yoga takes over an hour and it's not uncommon to have Piper try to climb all over me while doing it. While working out I am interrupted from someone needing help through the entire thing but sometimes they just sit by me and do their work so I am available when needed. We do exercise together regularly but it always makes my exercise a little less effective and takes much longer. Yesterday we went for a lengthy walk (I walked and Will went on roller skates while the other two rode bikes). Today we did some interval running training. I am getting over a sprained ankle that is taking months to heal and my knee still doesn't handle running well so I did mostly walking but the boys did running.
We are also trying to get ready for a bake sale. Our neighborhood has a garage sale coming up in a month and the boys wanted to sell goodies so we are getting a head start. We made three loaves of banana bread to freeze for the sale. They did an incredible job. I explained what to do and was around when they needed help but they mostly made the bread. They did a great job!
For science this week we are focusing on animals. Today we did a food chain art project to go along with our animal unit. They each chose an animal and then made their animal food chain. Isaac chose a Komodo dragon. Eli chose a mouse. Will chose a Cobra. I think they did a pretty excellent job.
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