NOTE: When I decided to bring these DITL type posts back, I never anticipated this week would be so incredibly eventful and sad. From college visits to historic elections to the death of our family’s matriarch, it has been a very long, difficult week.
My heart is heavy as I type…
SUNDAY
Our oldest son, Blake, was here for the weekend to introduce us to his girlfriend. All of us went to church, and then we took the kids home so the 4 of us could go out to eat. His girlfriend is a very sweet young lady and was very good with the kids. This is all brand new territory for us (girlfriends and such), but I think we all did well!
After Blake and his girlfriend left, Ty and I went to Cabela’s to buy some henleys for Ty (I ended up buying a couple as well!) We also stopped by ALDI to pick up a few staples in case the election made it difficult to find what we need.
READ > ALDI Shopping List & Grocery Budget
MONDAY
Ty and I and our oldest daughter, Megan, got up early to head to a university for a campus tour. Megan wants to get an American Sign Language Interpreting degree and only a select few colleges offer this degree.
READ >> American Sign Language Classes for Homeschoolers
Megan really liked the staff and the way the ASL program was set up, but she didn’t love the campus. Megan is my artsy child, so the “feel” of a place is almost as important as the degree offerings. There is another college she’s been looking at, but with classes letting out soon, I’m not sure we can swing a visit there before Spring.
READ >> Preparing Your Homeschooler for College (even if they don’t go)
We ate at Olive Garden and headed home. I am very grateful for our 16 year old who stayed with the kids and ramrodded a kitchen cleaning. Our Bosch dishwasher decided to quit on us yesterday (thankful we have a warranty on it!), so while we wait for the repairman, I’ve set up a rotating dishwashing schedule that includes me and the oldest 4 kids still at home.
TUESDAY
ELECTION DAY!
Back to our regular schoolwork, and boy was it sluggish! I can really tell when I take a break and then try to jump back in!
We are learning about Alexander the Great in Tapestry of Grace. We read in Story of the World, and did the mapwork for Alexander’s conquests.
I also shared with the kids that once we finished the next lesson, we’d take a break and Morning Time would become Holiday School! Yay!!!
This is what a typical Morning Time is like for us.
This is what Holiday Homeschool looks like for us.
We held our November Family Meeting and the kids had lots of good ideas for what to do for Holiday Homeschool. (We use the meeting pages included in my Holiday Homeschool Pack.) We definitely want to do more Thanksgiving activities this year. We’ll do our Thanksgiving Worship Service (GET IT HERE!) and our Pilgrim Walk, and our Blessing Tree Craft, but we’d also like to include some kind of Thanksgiving Countdown and other crafts. We also discussed our Thanksgiving plans and menu.
I probably should have done a unit study on Presidential Elections, but I didn’t. Our 19 year old, and Ty and I voted mid-afternoon easy-peasy and without lines.
At night, we watched various news stations and Facebook groups for Election coverage, but we knew there wouldn’t be an outcome tonight. Frustrating, to say the least.
We also had our 4 year old’s Special Night. She chose a McDonald’s Happy Meal and homemade smoothie as her treat. It was a nice distraction from the Election.
READ >> Creating a Special Night for Each Child
WEDNESDAY
Since we stayed up entirely too late watching the election, everyone was feeling tired and slow this morning. It took us a while to get started with school
Our final Tapestry of Grace Morning Time until the beginning of the new year was on the beginnings of Rome. Now I need to schedule out all of our Holiday Homeschool ideas!
After Morning Time, I took our newly turned 16 year old out driving. I have to admit – it was a little nerve-wracking! She came home and took a nap because she was so worn out!
I worked on blog stuff this afternoon and made sausage and cabbage for dinner.
THURSDAY
We got a call in the middle of the night that Ty’s 93 year old Granny had passed away.
We are all devastated. Even though you know it is coming, you keep telling yourself it isn’t. She was the beloved matriarch of the family, and will be greatly missed.
In fact, Granny even influenced this blog.
She’s the one who gave us her 100% Whole Wheat Bread and Thanksgiving Dressing.
We waited to tell the kids because it was Megan’s first day of Spanish class (yes, she knows more than one language!) and we also thought she was going to have her Sign Language placement test.
I did do a bit of school with the kids to keep things somewhat normal. Creed finished a book in his phonics, so that was good.
READ >> Teaching Your Child to Read with Phonics Museum
Ty went in to work to tell his co-workers, and then came home. We gathered all of the children (except our oldest – we had to call him) and Ty told them through tears that Granny had died. It was heart-wrenching.
We spent the rest of the day crying, reminiscing, telling stories, making necessary phone calls, and trying to help Ty’s mom (Granny’s caregiver) from afar.
FRIDAY
I got the kids started on Home Blessing (READ ABOUT OUR WEEKLY HOUSE CLEANING ROUTINE HERE) and then Ty and I left to spend the day with his mom and other various relatives, making plans for Granny’s funeral. I’m very much a do-er, so I just kept working doing whatever they needed me to do. It was very late at night when we arrived back home.
Megan had spent the day stress-baking, so I came home to a counter full of bread. It was actually a nice surprise and very helpful for feeding us for the next couple of days until we leave for the funeral.
SATURDAY
The late night and stress of the previous day took its toll on Ty and he spent most of the day resting.
My stress manifests itself in decluttering. I decluttered most of the kitchen and puttered around the house all day.
We did run to the antique store to take advantage of a big sale. We have been eyeballing a set of stairs taken from an old farmhouse that were turned into display shelves. They have so much character!
For dinner, I made elk burger gravy over toast made from the homemade bread Megan baked yesterday. We also had some leftover flageolet beans and I threw together a salad for some veggies.
The kids made popcorn for “dessert.” Ty LOVES popcorn, so it put a smile on his face.
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Raschelle says
My heart goes out to your family over your loss of Granny. You’re right; no matter how much you expect it, the pain is still excruciating. I praise God your family will see her again in Heaven, healthy, strong, and filled with joy! Thank you for sharing your family’s events. You are an encouragement and I am grateful for you!
Amy says
Thank you so much, Raschelle – she was such a blessing to us.