Whew...

We just ended our 2nd week of school. It was our first *full* week. We started a little slow, got into a good pace mid-week and ended on high note!  Well....we did have a VERY slow start to the morning this morning, but when we all got to work we fell back into the groove nicely.

I've only had to change a couple of things so far this year. Usually I know within the first few weeks if something is probably not going to work out well. We might continue one with the program or book in question for a few weeks, just to make sure, but I usually have it pegged those first few weeks.

Zach, my 11th grader, LOVES the Uncle Eric series of books. He's reading his 3rd book from the series. It's the only Uncle Eric book I have schedule for the year. Early in the week, he asked me how many books are in the series and what their titles were. Once he got all the info on the entire series, he asked to read them all.

I'm taking the How to Win Friends and Influence People off the list for right now. It may end up on the list again later in the year, but for right now I'm going to replace that with more reading from the Uncle Eric series.

Another book I replaced was Six Easy Pieces, which is a good introduction to Physics. He just needs more math under his belt before tackling this one. I can hold off on that one until next year. Science Matters is the replacment at least for right now.

Jake, my 8th grader, is doing very well with everything I had planned for  him. The only complaint was about Draw Squad. I had a feeling it would be too easy for  him. I just ordered Artistic Pursuits Jr. High book one for him tonight. Maybe it will be just the right amount of new material for him.

My Current Reading List

Here's my current reading list...
-The One Year Bible and/or ESV Study Bible
-The Holiness of God by Sproul
-A History of the American People by Johnson
-Norhtanger Abbey by Jane Austen
-Napoleon's Button's How 17 Molecules Changed History
-The Count of Monte Cristo
-How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
-Are You a Liberal, Conservative or Confused?

My surprise favorite in this list is The Count of Monte Cristo and the Holiness of God.  I hate "preachy" books, so I often avoid spiritual books (other than the bible, of course:). The Holiness of God is a delightful surprise! 

The Count of Monte Cristo is, well, so dog-gone THICK. I also thought it was one of those "boy books" that appeal to men more than women. Not true, at least at this early point in the book. Oh, and I'm *trying* to set a good example for my boys and pick up THICK books, NOT see exactly  how pages are in the book nor in the chapter I'm reading. Surprise what we can find enjoyable when we stop letting stuff like that get in the way:)

Books of 2010

Late in 2009, I began forming a new habit of daily reading classic books. My new habit carried over into the entire year of 2010 and has now become a passionate hobby. In a previous blog post on December 31, 2009, I shared my reading plans for 2010. Here is the list of what I did read this year, which were many from my original list (I even tweak my own lists and plans:).

Little Women
Anne of Green Gables,
The Chosen
The Hiding Place
Things Fall Apart
The Scarlet Letter
Black Boy
Common Sense
The Grapes of Wrath
Emma
Pride and Prejudice
Mansfield Park
Sense and Sensibility
Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl

Books I've started, but haven't finished *yet*.

Farenheit 541
Uncle Tom's Cabin
The Great Gatsby
The Origin of Species
Microbe Hunters
The Lively Art of Writing

A few not-so-classics

Basic American Government (read about 1 chapter...can't decide if I want to continue)
Love and Respect (I *think* I finished this one.)
Lies My Teacher Told Me (almost finished)
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy (finished)
Are You a Liberal, Conservative or Confused? (just started)
Eats, Shoots and Leaves (also just started)
Sacred Marriage (read about 1/2)
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (read about 1/2)

Now I must start thinking about my tentative reading plans for 2011. Oliver Twist will be at the top of that list, since I just began reading it yesterday.

Greta:)

New Year, New Blog...

I've been thinking of starting a blog for a while. What better time than at the beginning of a new year. Well, not only a new year but a new decade! I wonder how I will do with this. Either I will post obsessively or ignore this new "friend".

Let's see...what do I want to say first...

I've recently decided to start reading more. Not just reading more but also reading *classics*. Tackling one book a month is also another endeavor I'm planning. Here's my tentative list for 2010...

***Finish:
-Little Women
-Age of Opportunity (parenting teens book)

***New reading for 2010:
-Anne of Green Gables
-The Chosen
-Laddie
-Little Britches
-The Lonesome God's (reread this)
-Pride and Prejudice
-A Tale of Two Cities
-The Merchant of Venice
-Waldon
(All of the above are suggested reading for mentors in A Thomas Jefferson Education)
-Little Men
-Jo's Boys
-The Hiding Place
-Mere Christianity (I plan to read this on the weekend instead of my regular bible reading plan).
-Bible (daily...all year)

Greta:)