So Much to Do!

We have not settled into a very reliable schedule yet. We are all getting up early each day because my husband has to drive into the city but we aren't good about using that time wisely. We tend to lollygag all morning and still don't get started on our school day until about 8:30. I guess that is better than the 9:30 we had been used to at our old home. 

 So that is going to be my focus for the next week. We are going to make a schedule and do our best to keep to it.

Here are some more specific goals.

1. Read Molly 3 books everyday. Poor girl gets lost in the shuffle of helping all the others get through their school work.

2. Less screen time for everyone. I have gotten rather lax about letting the kids play minecraft or Molly play pbskids.com. And me showing the kids how to use the pandora app on our t.v. This means we have kids sitting around listening to Pirates of the Caribean or other movie soundtracks or if Molly gets to pick the station it is Disney princess songs. For some reason because the t.v. is on it must be watched even if the picture is just a still shot of the album cover.

3. Magic School Bus videos don't count as science. I need to break out our chemistry set and get moving on that. Ian is also taking an online science class that he should be participating more fully in by doing the optional weekly homework.

4. Piano practice. I have the kids set up with a new piano teacher starting in January when the new school funds come in. I would like them to at least keep up with the songs they have already learned!

 5. Personal Progress - I am going to try to work through the YW personal Progress book along with Sophie. She is already two months behind because we have barely glanced at the book. We need to set aside some time each week to work on a value experience or project.

6. For the Strength of Youth pamphlet - We have added this to our daily devotional. We read through one or two of the principles each morning and discuss. This should help fulfil one of the choice and accountablilty value experiences in the personal progress book!

 7. Plan and cook actual meals for dinner - I have been using the excuse that I don't have a refridgerator (It had to be special ordered to fit in our space and is supposed to arrive on Saturday) to be lazy about making meals. There is no excuse really. I do have a freezer and a mini fridge that will hold a little milk, eggs butter and yogurt.  But it certainly will be nice once I have a full fridge to put things.

8. Help Sophie get caught up on all her school assignments. She has used the move as an excuse to not do her readings or turn in much of any assignments for her classes the last two weeks. She now is so overwhelmed by the number of things she hasn't done that she can't figure out where to even start. I have had her focus only on what was due this week and we will have to go back and see what we can do about all the other weeks work that she didn't get done because I wasn't checking up on her. 

9. Make chocolate frogs. One of the assignments Sophie needs to do over the coming two weeks is to do a fund raiser for a charity her class has chosen. She and I are going to make chocolate frogs for her to sell. Our goal is to make 100 frogs and sell them for a dollar each. When we subtract the cost of the chocolate and such that would be about $70 that she will be able to donate to help get clean water to a villiage in Bolivia. 

10. Teach Sunday School. I just recieved a new calling to teach the 12-13 year olds Sunday school class each week. I looked at the new Come Follow Me curriculum they are using and it is going to take some work each week to put a lesson together. No more can I get away with glancing at the lesson Saturday night or Sunday morning. I am going to have to use my study time to really think about each weeks topic. 

I think that list is about enough. It will certainly keep me busy for the next week. Lets see if I accomplish all these or any of these things this week.