This question came in several forms from quite a few readers:

I’d like to know more about your home schooling day.

[choking down maniacal laughter]  Our school day tends to be rather informal.  I operate under a general sort of theory that if their brains aren’t rotting, they must be growing.  We have no TV or video games, which heads off a lot of rot from the outset.  Computer time is strictly monitored and limited to educational activities: DIVE math, typing lessons, blogging, graphic design, entrepreneurial endeavors, researching the homeschool question of the day that popped into somebody’s head…

Having said all that, our typical day does include some formal schooling, though it doesn’t follow a strict schedule.  Rather, we follow an orderly progression.  My mantra is jobs, Bible, school.  Did you do it? If the house isn’t a wreck when we wake up we read Bible first, but some of us find that very difficult when we’re surrounded by the aftermath of a hurricane.

After private Bible reading which consists of 2-10 chapter/day depending upon reading level and speed, the older children do Saxon math, non-fiction reading, and writing of some sort including but not limited to blogging; book report; summary of Bible reading or non-fiction reading; letters to friends or relatives, etc.  I check their writing for spelling, style and grammar, bringing problems to their attention.

This changes often and there are a couple of items that we intend to add soon, but that’s currently what they do.

The younger ones do math workbooks from Spectrum, reading, writing and catechism.  The very young have a brief phonics lesson and catechism.

Our day may also include reading/watching news articles together, discussing political issues, listening to history lectures, discussing our Bible reading, studying church history for Sunday school, reading aloud, sewing and cooking, etc.

Lets see a bunk bed update!

Well…sadly enough we are still procrastinating.  We have resolved to launch our 2 e-books before we fully launch the bunkbed project.  They are nearly ready, but since we’ve never done this before we’re having trouble tying up loose ends and finalizing the project.

Right now, the older 4 are sleeping happily on the shelves that we bought from Costco as a temporary trial.  They are using 3″ memory foam cut into 24″ pads, though we may end up doubling these for longterm comfort.  The baby still sleeps in her playpen, and the 4 younger ones sleep on the 2 sofas in the living room.  This is working very well as a temporary solution for all, though we’re still very excited about building our bunks with the flip-up storage under each mattress.

How about a recipe or two? Then again, this isn’t the stage of pregnancy to write about recipes: food – gotta have it, but boy is it disgusting to think about it (or smell it).

You are so right.  No recipes.  Nope.  Nuh-uh.  Next question?

A riddle?

Ok.  Here’s one that came to me recently.

I think most of you knew how fun I thought it would be if 17mo Bethany were born on June 28th – we like “special” birthdays, and she would have shared a birthday not just with her brother, but with her grandma and cousin.  As it turned out, she was born on June 27th instead, just one day shy of her brother’s second birthday.  That’s ok, because she shares a birthday with my brother-in-law’s new bride. We didn’t know Aunt Roxie’s birthday until afterward, but they were married just a couple of weeks later and a brand new birthday-buddy niece was the perfect wedding gift!

But here’s the riddle:  it just occurred to me why we missed the mark.  Does anyone know why Bethany’s birthday didn’t land on June 28th like it should have?

And here’s another birthday riddle from my family.  I’ve told this story before, so sit on your hands if you already know the answer.

My parents have twins, a boy and a girl.  The girl shares a birthday with her brother, but the boy doesn’t share a birthday with his sister.  How can this be?