Weekly Wrap- Up: The Week We Were Reminded that March is Still Winter

We had been having such nice weather and I was getting some definite spring fever. We were playing outside whenever we could and spent lots of time looking for signs of spring last week... so it was only fitting that we were hit with two snowstorms this week! Luckily, we didn't get quite as much snow as they had predicted and we did manage to keep our power on; that's always a win. The cold weather and snow has had us holed up inside a bit more and while we are playing a few more video games and watching more TV than I'd like we're getting all of our schoolwork done each day so I can't complain.

We woke to snow on Friday. I told the boys they could play video games and watch TV as soon as their schoolwork was done. They each decided to work on a Draw Write Now page in their journals. They took their spelling tests and worked on math. Alec read the entire National Geographic for Kids magazine and Evan read another chapter in Saving the Sun dragon. Together we read another chapters in The Candymakers. Ian finished up his model car and spent some time playing out in the snow. Evan painted some more of his wooden swords.

Saturday, Ian headed off to work with his grandfather. The younger two boys played video games and we ended our night together at my sister's house for a nice family party. We had so much fun visiting with our family.

The boys woke early on Sunday and Ian headed off to the woodworking shop with his father. He had wanted to make himself a wooden ax but my husband warned him that he was going to have to make it on his own. Well, Ian not only drew up the template, cut it out, and sanded it, but he shaped it too and did a fabulous job! We might just starting put him in charge of making handmade gifts for the rest of the family.

Monday the boys and I spent part of the day on winter storm prep and part of the day on school. They worked in their spelling books, math books/Khan Academy, and on our Africa unit. Evan wanted to finish his math book completely so he did three pages in his book and finished it. Alec worked on two pages in this spelling book so he could skip working in it on Tuesday. We read about Uganda in the book Beatrice's Goat. The older two boys worked in their English book while Evan worked in his word family book. Evan finished up Saving the Sun Dragon. Ian read Mrs. Meyer is on Fire. Alec read Memory Thief. We attempted a couple failed science experiments too; we tried to make a straw that you couldn't drink out of by cutting off the air flow but not matter what we did we always got a mouthful of water! We then on to trying to make water spurt out of a straw; like my boys always did with juice boxes, but we were only able to make bubbles inside the container. We went to the library to stock up on books and movies and spent part of our day cleaning up the yard to get ready for the blizzard. We read another chapter in The Candymakers and The Dead of Night. We also were able to check Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer out of our library and so we're hoping to finish listening to that story; we picked up right where we left off. The boys played pass, a few games of Guess Who?, with the play dough we had used for science, and spent time playing Legos together.

We woke to a huge snowstorm on Tuesday. We quickly got our schoolwork out of the way. The boys worked in their spelling books; except Alec. The older two boys worked in their cursive books. Evan wants to try and finish up his other math book so he worked on two pages in that as well as the two pages in Multiplication games that I had set out for him and Alec to work on. Ian worked on two pages in his math book. Evan worked on two pages in his word family book and then all three boys ended their day with reading. Evan read One Big Pair of Underwear. Alec read some more of the Memory Thieves and Ian read some more of Mrs. Meyer is on Fire. Together we all read another chapter in The Candymakers. They spent time outside playing in the snow and shoveling. It was a far cry from what I had planned for Pi day but with a blizzard outside our heads and hearts would not have been on our celebration anyway.

Taken around 9 o'clock in the morning

Wednesday Ian left to go to work shoveling and plowing with his grandfather for most of the day. I told the boys they were only responsible for math, reading and spelling. All three boys worked in their spelling books, worked on two pages in math (Alec and Ian had two sheets on circumference and diameter), and did some reading. Evan read Ninja Bunny Sister Vs. Brother. Alec read the Ninja Bunny book and also read One Small Square African Savannah too. We had an orthodontist appointment and Alec now has all his braces in place. Once home he wanted to make Tollhouse pie as a delayed Pi day celebration. He set to work while Evan worked in the kitchen making grilled cheese for lunch. We did read a chapter in The Candymakers even though Ian was not yet home to listen; we knew we'd catch him up later.

We had a little fun with art on Thursday. The boys showed me their digital art that they created on Minecraft. Alec read We All Went On Safari and My Rows and Piles of Coins; teaching us about the country of Tanzania. The boys each worked on spelling, in their math workbooks, and did some reading. Evan started reading Humphrey's Mixed Up Magic Trick. Ian read Mrs. Meyer is on Fire. We all read another chapter in The Candymakers. Alec and Ian worked in their grammar books learning about colons. Evan worked in his word family book. We worked together to clean the house and plan out the next week's worth of meals since we'll be on our home while my husband is away. The boys are quite looking forward to eating breakfast for dinner several times! We finished off our day with some block play.