So What Did You Do Today? Ripped from the headlines of our homeschooling days! 

Today was a very looooooong day here at Casa Stro. The youngest and I are battling a minor bug of some sort, but enough to sideline us so that we did not attend our usual Monday swim lesson.

We did have lots of reading! My oldest began Redwall. My daughter began The Phantom Tollbooth, and my youngest followed along with some Tumblebooks (free via our local library! To access the free version, check with your local branch).

We also began our language lessons (also free, courtesy of the library and Mango Language!). My kids have all taken Spanish for some time now, but only my daughter is continuing on. My oldest is into French, mainly because he’s been exposed to it through many of the songs at Homeschool Choir. My youngest started with Brazilian Portuguese today. We’re taking it very slow with him as he is only 8, but so far he’s doing well.

My daughter worked on her blog today, and my oldest got through a bit more of his Java assignment for class this week!

At church, the Middle School class through the Adult class have embarked on a Scripture Memorization challenge, so the oldest and I set up our notebook systems along with all of the paperwork!

I was up at 4:30am due to whatever is sidelining us, so needless to say, I am trashed after a long, long, long day!

Busy weeks here at Casa Stro!

We’ve been wrapped up in our regular routine of swim classes, homeschool choir, capoeira, guitar lessons, math club and the like.

Last week after swim class we headed to the library. The girl, as usual, got lots of thick books most of which she finished the same day. About 500 pages…she devours books, as she will tell you herself. The link is to her blog, also a new development over the past few weeks. She read about Condoleeza Rice yesterday, and Anne Frank today (with a study of Helen Keller, and a fictionalized account of her life via a book as well!)

My oldest is plugging along with his classes, but has asked to study French (which he began today, courtesy of iTunes U). We also signed him up for an enrichment weekend at a nearby well-known college, which offers these classes twice per year to 7-12th graders.

They have tried to convince me that a daily study of Angry Birds is necessary, as it teaches geometry…Hmmmm

Yesterday, I participated in a fundraiser for Japan at my local salon. The stylists donated their time & all proceeds benefited the Red Cross relief efforts. Then it was off to the pizzeria for another fundraiser for a family whose daughter was in a very serious car accident 3 months ago & is still hospitalized.

Today we downloaded all the required software onto the kids’ laptop, so that my oldest can take it to his Java programming class, which begins later this week.

Again I’ll say: busy, busy!