Large Family Homeschool Life – Week 30 of 2021

Check out what went on in our large family home and homeschool this week in July!

Read all of the Large Family Homeschool Life posts HERE >>

MONDAY

Got up and took a 1 mile walk while the 16 year old got her individual school work finished early. We aren’t doing Morning Time today because Ty took the boys to the cabin. Creed (8) had to stay home because he has a cough and I was worried the altitude would make it worse, so it’s just him and all of us girls!

After lunch, we watched Olympic gymnastics and the little girls pretended to be gymnasts. It was hilarious and super cute!

We also did Desert Guide from what is now being called Nourishing Nature – the Kindergarten program from The Peaceful Press. We read in an ABC desert book, talked about the sun, and then the girls washed dishes for fun! Melia drew with Creed since he was bored. I’m afraid without his brothers here, he’s going to be bored a lot this week.

I ran to the library to pick up holds and return a few books. Then, I made Frozen Fruit Cups like my mom used to make when I was kid. (Here is a similar recipe.)

I made Hot Chicken Salad Casserole for dinner. It had water chestnuts and celery and was so good! (Here is a similar recipe.)

The little kids watched TV and played with their felt board. This felt board has been such a great toy, and the people who own the company are so nice! We purchased several sets at a State Fair a couple of years ago (the ones below are from the Bible Stories).

Check them out at Felt Fantasies >>

After dinner, Melia watched architecture videos, Megan worked on scholarships for college, and I planned for upcoming Desert Guide lessons, which included printing, laminating and hole-punching cactus lacing cards. (Scroll down to see these in action!)

That night, I made a pallet in my room for Creed, Aspen, and Mercy. Creed is so lonely for his brothers, he called Daddy to ask them to come home. Poor guy!

TUESDAY

Back to Weight Watchers for the first time in over a month. I’m up 1.8 pounds. No surprise there.

Melia went to a Crafting Party at church with some friends. While she was gone, I did Desert Guide with the littles. We read a desert book, drew a sunset scene, and did the cactus lacing cards I made yesterday.

The 8 year old did an experiment in his Apologia Elementary Science book showing how the blubber on whales allows them be in cold water.

READ >> How to Do Apologia with a Large Family

After lunch, I let the kids take a break and watch TV since several of them have colds and were starting to look worn out.

While they did that, I put on new nail stickers. Then, I started the sloppy joe buns. There wasn’t any bread at the store when I went this weekend, so I decided just to make the buns from a recipe I’ve been meaning to try. Besides homemade is always better!

The bread recipe came from an old cookbook from a church we used to attend and while I was thumbing through it, I realized just how many fantastic recipes from our early parenting years were in this book! So many good memories of that church! (The recipes I shared above were also from that cookbook!)

The Student Driver magnets I ordered came today! We have had some people be a little ugly to our new driver, so these should help!

The little kids were really interested in the Crafting Party Melia went to, so she did one with them! They made stickers and had snacks.

For dinner, we had Barbecue Cups from the church cookbook. You use refrigerator biscuits and put them muffin tins and then fill each biscuit with BBQ meat and cover in cheese. Super simple, but the kids didn’t like them all that much.

I gave Aspen and Mercy baths after dinner. I also doctored Creed with honey and Mucinex and a mullein steam. His cough already seems better, so I’m feeling really bad he didn’t get to go with his brothers on the “man trip.”

WEDNESDAY

With all of the littles sleeping in my bedroom, I’m not sleeping well. I may have them sleep in their own rooms tonight!

They got up this morning and started bringing me their school work while I was still asleep! Creed said I am more fun when I’m awake. Yes indeed, son.

I gave the little kids cereal and yogurt with honey and I had a banana and some coffee. THEN, I was ready for school!

Creed did his Teaching Textbooks math and Aspen read in her first REAL book! She did great!

We did some more Desert Guide projects – a salt tray with animals to simulate sand, and we added silhouette cacti to their desert sunset scenes from yesterday.

We also made “rainsticks” with beans and paper towel tubes and learned about succulents. The kids loved looking at the succulents amongst our own indoor plants and trying to figure out which ones they were by looking at the leaves.

After lunch, I ran to the library and filled up the pickup with gasoline since that’s my main vehicle right now while Ty is away. It is BLISTERING HOT outside today!

Megan went to work at the coffee shop and then went swimming with a friend from work. Melia also went swimming with the youth group. Hopefully, they don’t get burned!

The little girls’ flower girl dresses came today! They are going to be in Ty’s aunt’s wedding in a couple of months. Ty is going to walk her down the aisle and the little girls are going to be flower girls. They are so excited! (His aunt lived with us for a couple of months in 2019, and everyone here is very fond of her.)

We also got to talk to Daddy and the boys! They don’t have reception at the cabin, but there is a lodge they can call from, so they went down there and called us. They are doing well and are planning to go fishing tomorrow.

This evening, I did a load of towels and loaded the dishwasher. Our usual chores are all off kilter without the extra helpers here.

READ >> Kitchen and Dining Room Chores for Children

READ >> Daily Large Family Laundry Routine

THURSDAY

Creed slept in the recliner in my room last night, but the little girls stayed in their own room. I slept much better!

Creed woke me up this morning before anyone else was up, and we snuck downstairs to get breakfast. Then, I took a quick 1 mile walk in the already hot air.

When I got back, the 16 year old was working on her independent school work – Biology and Geometry – and the little kids were playing.

I helped the littles with their individual school work. Mercy did Rod & Staff. Aspen read in her Phonics book, did Horizons Math, and A Reason for Handwriting. Creed did Simplex Spelling, A Reason for Handwriting, Apologia Science, and Teaching Textbooks Math.

More about our curriculum…

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I also placed an order for the next level of workbooks and Mercy’s Kindergarten curriculum. She’s a year ahead of schedule, but I don’t want to hold her back.

We also did Desert Guide. The kids LOVED making the cactus relief paintings using white crayon and watercolors!

We also read in One Small Square: Cactus Desert. These are really neat books about what you can see if you just examine one small square in any part of nature.

Learn more about this idea!
READ >> Nature Study in Small Spaces

Today, all of our new master bedroom bedding arrived, so I spent the afternoon putting it all together. I did end up returning one set of pillowcases because they just didn’t match or make sense with everything else. Aspen says it looks like Fall in here! Yay!

The kids snagged all the bedding boxes and played with them the rest of the afternoon! They pretty much latch on to any box that comes in our home. I let them play for a while and then they go to the trash.

For dinner we had sloppy joes with the homemade rolls I made a couple of days ago. Melia cleaned the dining room and Megan took care of cleaning the kitchen since I did all the other household chores this afternoon.

A letter arrived today from Windsor Castle today! Keian (15) had sent condolences when Prince Philip passed away. I’ll leave that for him to open when he gets home.

NOTE: He opened it when he got home, and it contained a bulletin from the funeral. We were thrilled they sent one to us, and it has become a cherished possession for my son.

This evening, the 16 year old used the boxes from the bedding to make a house for the 8 year old. She had so much fun with the project – adding wallpaper and flooring, a kitchen and a staircase. I guess my little ones aren’t the only ones playing with boxes!

Actually, Melia is quite crafty and put together an entire dollhouse a couple of years ago!

FRIDAY

I woke up to Creed giving me a hug. He’s so lonely without the boys, I’ve noticed he’s spending a lot more time hugging me and wanting to sit with me.

I fed the little kids and then took a walk. After that, we started cleaning.

Meg (20) went to work this morning, so the only real workers were the 16 year old and myself. We did most of the chores, but left a few out since we’re such a small force. I was reminded of why I never did a one day cleaning like this when I only had little ones!

Curious how we’ve kept the house clean over the years?
Listen to the podcasts below and go to the Podcast Page to find more links!

After lunch, Creed made Paw Patrol hats for himself and his little sisters.

Melia didn’t work at the bee farm today because of the heat, so I ran some errands. I went to the library to pick up a hold – Edith Holden’s The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.

I tried to pick up a prescription for Melia, but the military center drive through was closed due to the heat and I forgot the indoor pharmacy is back open, so I headed to a friend’s house on post and we had coffee and chatted the rest of the afternoon. WAY more fun!

When I got home, Ty and the boys called. This is their last day at the cabin. It will take them a couple of days to get back home. Creed (and everyone else!) will be excited to have them home!

For dinner, I made mashed potatoes and hot dogs and put out leftovers as well. Stacy from Humorous Homemaking has a “Rule of 3” that says if you have 3 different things on a plate, you’ve successfully fed your family. I like that rule!

You might also like >> How Homemakers Used to Meal Plan

The girls and I did Table Chores and the little kids went back to crafting. The house feels so messy when they craft, but I’m trying to be a good mama, especially since the boys are away and they are lonely and bored without them.

In the evening, Megan made my Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies for everyone to snack on since Fridays are usually “Party Nights” here.

Read all of the Large Family Homeschool Life posts!