Wednesday 12/5

This is a recap. I forgot to journal.

A.M. It snowed yesterday.

B - played in the snow a lot and came in for hot cocoa a lot. She also did lots of gymnastics off the couch in basement and watched TV. She was happy all day. I gave her a hot bath in the evening after she came in freezing. She helped H bake chocolate chip cookies in the evening.

S - was in a bad mood most of the day. He went out and played in the snow in the afternoon. He played piano, did gymnastics, watched TV, read Calvin and Hobbes. He played some Spider solitaire on the computer. He's getting quite good at it. I read him the next chapter of The White Horse which he is really loving.

J - stayed in his pjs all day. In the a.m. he finished up the last book in the Hitchhikers "Trilogy" He was in a fog from his marathon reading of that this week. He spent much time on the xbox upstairs or playing addicting games on the web or listening to music from itunes. In the evening I made him work on his history workbook. He did it and liked the fact that he had to draw a scimitar.

W - I can't remember what W did in the a.m. I think he just wandered around. He's doing very well with his Advent ban on games. He's reading a lot at websites like Catholic Answers. He practiced guitar a lot and then had a very long lesson with the guitar teacher. Mostly he played guitar! In the evening, he did 45 minutes of Latin. We said a rosary together around 9 pm. He was so bummed because he couldn't go to CLC due to the snow.

H - was trying to finish up with preparations for our St. Nick show which we wound up cancelling due to the snow. She intrepidly went out in the snow and ran all kinds of errands but then got stuck on the hill by her friends house where she was picking up table clothes. R had to go get her. She had to abandon her car. She made choc chip cookies in the evening but accidently put too much baking soda in them so they were okay but had a sort of metallic, salty aftertaste to them. She was heartily bummed!

R worked from home yesterday. We did our Advent calendar at lunch. And our Jesse Tree and Menorah at about 8:00 p.m. I made tacos for dinner which everybody loved (except R who hates Mexican food!).

Tuesday 12/4 Happy Hanukkah (at sundown!)

R got up early to take his car in to be tuned. Woke up and read article on Paradise Lost. Very interesting and really made me think about Philip Pullman and Calvinism, etc.



H and W got up early and went to Mass and then took Chem exam. W got 87 and H got 99.



I basically let B and S play all day. They are getting pretty bored with no structure for them for most of the day.



J practiced piano, read next chapter in history and went over questions in his catechism. Then he played lots of computer games.



I finished reading essay. Never said rosary. Got lunch going and then had Brit Lit and Hist. class which we haven't had for two weeks. Had a really interesting discussion about Milton. Watched next in dvd on Brit Hist on Charles I. Then we made scones, discussed Milton more and then listened to the first 15 minutes of book I.



Now I need to run to store to get latkes! I can hear W picking out the carol of the bells on the guitar. He's good!

Monday 12/3/07

R got up very early to drive to Baltimore to see his mom and brothers while dad is undergoing operation.


Things to do today:


Lots of prayer

Follow morning routine

Grades tests

Plan for RE

Curves - must go to Curves!

Laundry - boys especially

Math tutor this a.m.

Advent stuff

Chanukah stuff

Buy little candy canes for St. Nick

Have B and S go over play roles

Have H go over whose already signed up - how to make program

Need to plan for Chanukah dinner, early

Need to plan what to make for St. Nick potluck





10:55 a.m.


Said rosary for Grandad, all except W who had lots of math homework to finish up.





J didn't finish math homework before tutor arrived because he was too busy reading Douglas Adams book. W is in study alternately doing math and playing guitar. H took a shower this a.m. No idea what else she's been doing.





B and S - we sang Chanukah songs and recounted the story of Chanukah which S had mixed up with Passover. I read Zlateh the Goat which is a lovely story. Did mental math. B acted out number sentence of 6 - 1 equals 5 using pebbles then I wrote the sentence both ways. S did lots of fancy counting by 100s, 25s, tens and 5s with big numbers for example count by 5's from 135 to 250. Then we did 5 new spelling words, follow, pillow, shadow, etc and a little bit of cursive practice. B set up her playhouse as a grocery store and we played store for a bit.





Need to remember to do : Advent calendar and Jesse tree which we didn't do at breakfast. Also, do paradigm sheets for Latin with J. I think we'll focus on that for Advent. Also want B to read to me and S as well.



J and I went over all the conjugations, declensions and pronouns we've learned so far. We are just going to fill out the template pages during Advent to get this stuff drilled into our heads. B brought the little tv up stairs and wanted to watch movies in her room. I told she could now but tonight instead of watching a movie while mom and H are at RE she and S would have to listen to their story cds then.



Did Advent calendar and Jesse Tree at lunch time. I am very grouchy and sleepy. I think I am going to lay down for 20 minutes then get up and plan my RE class for tonight.

Weekend 12/1-12/2

Pretty good weekend! Sat. was very low keyed. But I managed to do some laundry, put up Advent calendar, Jesse Tree and get out Advent Wreath.

H took the SAT in the a.m. and then spent most of the afternoon and evening hanging out with friends and Christmas shopping.

J and S had their piano lessons. We are trying to hook up the keyboard to the computer downstairs so S can compose.

W played lots of video games. It was his last hurrah because he's giving them up for Advent.

B hung out and was her usually busy self. She entered a contest on tv to make the wackiest sandwhich. She had fun compiling it and enlisted me to take pictures of it for her.

R slept in, fooled around on the computers. Ran errands. At night, he took the kids to dinner at the diner. I stayed home, for some reason my stomach was uneasy. I watched The Jewelers Shop. It was okay. I bet the play is better.

Sunday - I cleaned out the fridge. We went to breakfast. R watched news shows. We are starting to be interested in Mike Huckabee. Watched Redskins lose.

I went grocery shopping. H went to 8:15 mass, breakfast with friends. Came home for a little bit. Went to see friend in ballet, went to youth mass music practice. Hardly saw her all weekend.

J and W reluctantly did math homework.

Gerbils had babies. Oh my!

R sent in B's photo to the contest. Had dinner then rushed to mass. Afterwards J, W and H stayed to pack stuff for Iraqi children.

W had to do more math until 11:00 p.m. because he'd procrastinated so.

R went to bed early because he's going to see Dad at hospital Monday.