Homeschool Evals Done, Family Coming, Hurricane Watches Up and Zika WOW!

Wow, it is heating up here, in central Florida.  We did our evals last week, and all went well.  We have family visiting next week, and the week after, so we are preparing for that.  Along with that, we are still watching TD 9, trying to form into a TS, in the Gulf of Mexico.  It has slowed down a bit, and appears to be strengthening.  What does that have to do with homeschool?  Lots, actually.

Hurricane preparedness, like most Floridians, is something we have not had to even think about in many years now.  So, we have been lax.  Now, my children will learn exactly what I do each year to get prepared.  Tomorrow I will post some info on hurricane preparedness.  Right now, even with just a depression, this system is really large and 7 inches of rain is a lot of rain in Florida.  We are not in a flood prone area, but all areas will be susceptible to tornadoes.


Also, I just heard on the news that Zika has now spread to the Tampa Bay area.  This is a huge concern, especially with a tropical system approaching, and standing water that will likely be left behind.  I took a CEU class on Zika, and I was amazed how much we really are not sure yet of this disease.  So, as part of hurricane preparedness I will be posting mosquito control, with a focus on Zika prevention for lay people.  Stay tuned!

Homeschool Evals, the PSAT, and 4H Annual Award Dinner

It has been a busy two weeks.  Today, we did our homeschool evals, and now I can take a deep breath and relax.  Well for about 2 1/2 weeks that is, lol.  Both kids did very well.  No issues, though there are still things I want, and feel they need to improve on.  With two kids getting evaluated, it is a very long day.

DJ took the PSAT, just a week or so ago.  He did quite well for his first time.  He got 1276 for a total score.  Strong in reading and writing, needs improvement on math.  We knew that, lol.  He did fair for math, but needs to bring it up a few points.  He will take the PSAT one more time, probably in January, and then the SAT at the end of 10th grade.  This gives ample time to learn where weaknesses are, plus most colleges take the highest score you get.  So, if you wait until the end of your senior year and bomb the test, then you are in a tight spot.  Both SAT and ACT offer free questions of the day, and we will continue doing them each day, as well. 

Last night was our annual 4H award dinner.  Both kids got their 5 yr pins, and Caitlin got 4Her of the  year, for her age group.  DJ got it last year.  We found out a lot of things at this meeting.  The Guitar Club will continue, this is very good news, and a new bow and arrow shooting group will be starting.  That too is very good news.  Caitlin will be starting Gymnastics in October, so my calendar just got really full all of a sudden.  That doesn't count our regular 4H meeting each month, and weekly teen praise band practice at church.  Now, I need a nap before all the craziness starts up again.

Art Class, 4H Scrapbook and Homeschool Evaluations

I think we are officially changing the name of painting class to Arts and Crafts class.  Why?  Because my mom is teaching Caitlin to sew, DJ and I really want to take up drawing and painting both, and DJ honestly really enjoys drawing more than painting. 

Tomorrow are our homeschool evaluations, and I will let everyone know how that goes.  I am always a little bit nervous.  I signed DJ up for a Science class for 7th grade, on the FLVS.  By 9th grade I would like him to be all or most of his lessons on the FLVS, so he can earn the proper credits for graduation.  We will see how it all plays out the next two years.  This year just one class, next year at least two maybe three, then go from there. 

It was a busy and beautifully creative day!

Yesterday I drew some roses with colored pencils.  I enjoyed this immensely and was only my second try at drawing them.  The first set I drew I tried to paint last night, but I did not like it at all.

We finished our 4H Scrapbook.  Just need to get fasteners to hold it together.

These are painted roses using the Donna Dewberry method, and some other things I painted.  This is just a practice paper.

If you are into upcycling, take a spaghetti sauce jar, like this one from Bertolli, paint it a pretty color, paint the word flour on it and then put flour in it.  Cool, cute and inexpensive canisters.  You can make a whole set in any design that will suit your kitchen.  They look two different colors because of the lighting on the camera, but it is the same color, same jar. 

Keep the lid and paint that as well.

Again an upcycling idea.  This light bulb had blown in my ceiling fan.  Rather than throw it away, I set it aside to paint on it.  I made this cute snowman, which will end up as a Christmas tree ornament.

My mom made more garden watering bottles today, using my favorite blue bottles.  I have been using the two that we made earlier in the year in my garden, and they are still as bright and all the paint is present, from when I first put them out there.  These will eventually be listed into my Etsy store.  It is a process because they have to sit for two weeks, then I heat set them, and then seal them just for good measure.

Caitlin is learning to sew.  Two weeks ago we painted clothespins with hair and faces.  Caitlin and my mom will now be making clothes for the clothespins and they too will be listed in my Etsy store.  I bet they will be a doll, LOL!

DJ opted not to paint today, and that was fine, because he spent all that time messing with his new Tracfone trying to get it to work.  What a pain!