::: oh no, i see a spider web and it's me in the middle :::

Since the girls are home again, and Monet is at school, we're back to our regular (what's that?) schedule with small chores, breakfast and Ambleside in the morning. We also began using Teaching Textbooks CDs on the computer for Sweetheart (age 10) and I've ordered Math U See for The Baby (who desperately needs a new pseudonym--any suggestions?) and am looking forward to getting started with that. The girls are also working on Explode the Code and Getty-Dubay handwriting. Sweetheart is continuing her work with Wordly Wise and some map reading workbooks.

On the brick-and-mortar school front regarding Monet...::sigh::. Another day, another argument. I received an e-mail from his history teacher saying that Monet is "doing well" on his tests but he's not turning in his homework. I have a simple explanation for that; he's not doing it. We have a major discussion about this every.single.night. Do any of you have any suggestions for motivating a teen to do his homework, or should we just back off and let him deal with whatever consequences that come with his actions (or lack of)? I do not want to sacrifice my relationship with my son over homework, yet I want him to gain discipline and get the most of this amazing education he's been given the opportunity to receive.

This week is going to be quite a busy one. Cleaning for a houseconcert on Friday night, soccer game tomorrow night, going to a play on Wednesday evening, making applesauce with Jill on Thursday, parent/teacher conferences on Thursday evening (and another soccer game), Shakespeare play on Friday morning, houseconcert Friday night, and then travel to PA for an open house for Houdin's training at the discipleship center on Saturday morning, before the rooster crows. I'm feeling more and more that I'm beginning to stretch myself too thin again with things like picking up the soccer sandwiches and houseconcerts and parent/teacher conferences. My doggone tomatoes are rotting on the vines, dangit, because I've been too flippin' busy to get them picked and processed.

For tomorrow: look for a review of the soon-to-be-released newest book by Donald Miller, including the chance to win a copy.