July is fading fast!

I am struggling with the passage of time these days.  The days are flying by so quickly, that I am losing them.  It is suddenly late July! The stores are full of Back to School supplies, Fall is ony 2 months away ( not that you would notice in Florida ) and before long it will be Thanksgiving and Christmas.   I don’t seem to have a damn thing to show for the time that has passed, except older kids, more gray hair, and the 100lbs I intended to lose still sitting on my body. 

The kids and I have taken a summer vacation from school.  It has been 3 weeks since we did any formal schooling.  I wanted to take time off to get some projects done.  The project list still stands unfinished, and we are getting bored.  I know I look forward to returning to the structure of school.  Nathan even said he was missing school “a bit”.  However, the list still needs completing!!!  Really, if the days are going to fly by, I should be filling them with constructive work!

The boys had their annual physicals yesterday.  Nathan had a good visit.  He needs a calcium supplement because he doesn’t drink enough milk.  He needs to gain a bit of weight too.  Boy can not live on air alone.  Todd, on the other hand, was EYE OPENING.  I had been avoiding it for years, but finally agreed to do cholesterol testing on both boys ( along with other usual bloodwork )  Todd’s cholesterol at 15 was nearly as bad as mine was at 35!  I was very alarmed to read the numbers, and the realization was frightening.  He is NOT healthy.  I finally agreed to enroll him in Kid Shapers program.  It is one on one counseling with a nutritionist.  The goal is to educate him and us in the appropriate food choices, serving sizes and physical activity.  The boy doesn’t much care, but we do.

That leads me back to July is fading fast, and I am still 100+ lbs overweight and doing nothing but talking about what I am gonna do about it.  I am leading by example around here, and all I am doing is getting in the way. Sometimes, all I need a reality check.

15 days into summer vacation

I went back and re read my last post.  I do alot of talking out my ass.  Chuckle.  We haven’t touched any math, or art, or a project for that matter.  The boys’ days are spent playing Call of Duty.  Well, in between volunteer work and home school group activities.  Todd is at Kiwanas two days a week, 4 hours each day, volunteering.  He is enjoying it alot.  The work experience he is getting is priceless. He is now talking about applying at McDonalds and Publix again.  Nathan is volunteering one morning a week at a pet rescue.  He is cleaning cages, changing litter and paper, sweeping and mopping. When he is all done, then he gets to love on the homeless dogs and cats.  He loves his work.   We bowl every week with our home school group.  We really look forward to that!  In between, they have friends over to swim and play… Call of Duty.  Nathan plays way to much.  Todd at least stops to read a book. 

Lazy summer.  Good summer.

Home school is unofficially over for the year

It is July, and in July I have portfolio reviews.  In Florida, the law states that we can do testing or have a certified teacher review the studen’ts work to show progress.  I choose reviews. I enjoy the feedback.  I say the year is unofficially over, but it’s not really.  Both boys will continue with their math.  I can’t let that subject slide.  We will take a month or two off.  There are many projects to be done around here.  We have garden and yard work to do.  We have a garage to purge and conquer.  Lots of art projects to do for fun.  I will spend the months off designing the new school year classes and goals.  I will be looking for curriculum in science for Nathan, and putting together history lessons with writing assignments for Todd.  Both boys will be taking an online course at FLVS.  I also need to turn my attention to the home school group.  We need to put together our orientation meetings, and set dates for all the major activities we do through the year.  I am excited!

Of course, too much free time for the children is not always a good thing.  They currently have on socks, 2 brooms and a hockey puck.. add the slippery tile floor and…. it won’t end well.