The Learning Umbrella

Goodness I am behind my usual schedule!  This weekend we had birthday parties and other stuff to do, and then Monday Carbon threw up and was sick, and then yesterday a wind storm blew a tarp off our roof into our power lines …

Somehow I feel like I am just keeping my chin above the water line right now.  But to try and get back into the swing of things, here is my February planning post.

Preschool

We are reading all the Snow White and Snow Queen stories.  We are making crafts for Valentine’s Day.  And we are still reading books about Asia and doing projects related to Asia.  I plan on doing some more origami, making a fish wind sock out of the sleeves of some old men’s shirts from the thrift store, practicing eating with chopsticks, and watching some kids Anime movies.  I have a new math manipulative, a number line scale that balances when the two sides are equal, and the kids are making huge leaps in their math and number skills.  We are still working at a very rudimentary level on reading and doing a variety of activities to work on motor skills for handwriting.  I got the kids a simple sewing kit with plastic needles, because they’ve been wanting to sew with me.

My sister’s school

J. is behind schedule again, so we’re playing a little catch up on last month’s assignments.  She’s wrapping up a Theater unit, so she’s making a model of a Kabuki theater right now and a powerpoint on the history of theater.  She’s also starting a unit on the American Revolution, and another on Rocks and Minerals.  I need to do lesson planning for next month’s unit on Ecosystems.

Mommy School

I am taking a workshop on “Positive Guidance” one night next week.  I need 10 clock hours a year for my childcare license (this will give me 2 1/2).  I’m not sure I’m going to get to Paris this year, but I’m still studying French.  I have a couple fun books I’m reading right now, then I’m going to tackle one of the more challenging ones off my 8×8 list.  Maybe The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.

Home/Family

I’m making my DH an embroidered gift for Valentine’s Day, so I need to get that done right away.  I’m also making curtains, and that project is spread out all over our dining table so I should finish it!  The roof job is “almost done”, but still a mess.  We just got Hypatia a play house for her birthday, but we need to make a spot with pea gravel for it to sit on.  My Dad has a hot tub he’s giving me, but we have to get a spot ready for that too.  And then I need to order the seeds for my garden this month.  This weekend is Hypatia’s birthday party - I need to get plates and cups and make cupcakes.

Church

I have two more stories to create baskets for this month, unless I can find a basket that was made last year to use again.  I also have a Leadership Meeting to attend and give the annual report on my committee’s activities. 

Earth Scouts

We are working on a badge on Peace right now, so I need to help Carbon create something to show his understanding of peace, then come up with a plan for an Action he can take for peace.  He also needs to make a creation for another badge: Hunger.  His plan for that (so ironic, but he’s not operating at an ironic level yet) is to make a cake and write “Hunger” in icing on it, and serve it at our next meeting.  He came up with that all on his own, so that’s what we’re doing.

Other

I’m applying for a job, so I’m writing a resume and all of that good stuff.  I won’t tell you anymore about it right now.

I also have several swaps to make this month: 2 stuffies, 2 dotee dolls, matryoshka dolls.