Walking By Faith

Baby Girl's School...Some New Finds

2012-01-29T12:12:00.000-06:00

First of all, someone shared this learning through music company's website with me. It is really great! You've got to check them out. As I've shared before, Baby Girl absolutely loves music, plus she can remember lyrics & tune after hearing a song only once or twice. So music is the way to her brain! Also, I've purchased the book below to start using with her. We are stepping things up for her now that she's almost four. Lots of learning coming our way!

Also, I am still using Montessori methods with Baby Girl. It is also very effective. I am currently reading this book:

School Projects

2012-01-27T17:19:00.000-06:00

The kiddos have a history project assignment each month. They know that the project is due on the last Friday of the month, and they do NOT get reminders from Mom. So far, they have successfully completed their projects on time. I feel that this is an important step in teaching them to be responsible and punctual. So, here are the results of this month's work:

Since we've been reading about the westward movement in Sonlight Core D+E, Doodles chose to make a covered wagon.

Well, Bug got really...ahem...creative with his project. Since we'd read about several inventors and their inventions (Robert Fulton-steamboat, Eli Whitney-cotton gin, to name a few) he decided to invent something. What is it? Well, it's a "dog food feeder."
And how do you use it? See the pic below:

Bug says this really comes in handy when you're too scared to go outside to feed the dog at night. So, even though his project probably stretched the perimeters of our history assignment expectations, it was just too cute not to accept!

Chinese New Year, Part 2

2012-01-24T16:19:00.000-06:00

Here are a few activities we worked on this week. Baby Girl still has more activities to do, so I'll post pics of those later this week. Meanwhile, you can see what we've done so far.

Our homemade fortune cookies. You can find the recipe here. And I highly recommend reading her top nine tips!

Tea, served with fine china

Our dancing dragons! You can find the craft here.

I help Baby Girl work on counting. You can find these printables here. Baby Girl really enjoyed using her ink stamper and putting marks on the dots. As you can see, most of her work is still done hand-over-hand.

Baby Girl works on another Chinese New Year activity sheet, also found at the above link.

A couple of Baby Girl's New Year activities

Chinese New Year

2012-01-21T17:49:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! Monday, January 23, is the date for Chinese New Year. We've got lots of books to read, several activities and crafts to do, and then we'll top it off with a delicious Chinese meal. I might even convince hubby that we need to shoot fireworks! 2012 is the year of the dragon--my hubby and older daughter are "dragons" in the Chinese zodiac, so they are pretty pumped about this year. Kung hei fat choi!
Here are some of our books, activities, etc:
Chinese New Year activities for young children
Chinese New Year activities, games, etc. for older children

Homeschooling: Week of January 9

2012-01-12T18:06:00.000-06:00

We've had a good week. As much as we enjoyed Christmas, it's nice to get back into the routine of school again. Doodles and Bug had to write mini-reports for history this week. Doodles chose to write about the winter that General Washington and his men spent at Valley Forge during the American Revolution, and Bug chose to write about the Irish potato famine. Two really cool comments I heard from my children this week regarding history:
Bug: "You know, history is so cool. It's really our story."
Doodles: "Yeah, history is my favorite subject."
Thank you, Sonlight!
Here are some pictures from this week:

Doodles works on her science.

Bug does an experiment with a dirty penny and cola as part of his science.

Baby Girl works on her sliding and spinning her beads.

My little students: hard at work!

Baby Girl's School Week: Jan. 2-Jan. 6, 2012

2012-01-08T09:47:00.000-06:00

Baby Girl got several things for Christmas that have been very beneficial to her for school time. We had a great week, and she is really enjoying her new learning tools. Here are some of the highlights:

Baby Girl wants to sit on her table...uh-oh!

Baby Girl really loves her little table & chair. It is so much better for her to have furniture that is just her size. Of course, there are several times a day in which I have to remove her from the table...she likes to sit on it, too!

Baby Girl works on her activity, which develops her counting, sorting, identifying color and shape skills, as well as helps develop her hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

With my help, Baby Girl puts clothespins on an old wipes container, and then I help her take them off again. This helps to strengthen her pincer grasp.

Another use for the wipes container: we toss the bears in, counting them and identifying the colors as we go

Baby Girl is not much for moon sand, of course the reason could be that she grabbed a mouthful of it before I could stop her...not very tasty, I'd imagine!

I help Baby Girl learn about the letter "Q" using her iPad2. As you can see, big brother is interested as well. Big Sister took the picture.

Baby Girl's easel: dry erase side

Easel: Chalkboard side

Sit & Spin: great for vestibular stimulation and just plain fun!

Creative Writing

2012-01-06T12:37:00.000-06:00

One feature of Sonlight's Language Arts program is creative writing assignments. Today's assignment involved looking at a "story starter" picture (included in the Sonlight Instructor's Guide) and writing a story to go with it. The picture featured a mountainside scene in which there was a horse-drawn carriage, with one man driving and another hanging on for dear life. Doodles wrote a really imaginative story, complete with "old west lingo." I credit Sonlight's program for bringing out this creativity in my daughter. With the combination of read-alouds, readers, and language arts instruction provided in the Sonlight program, she really flourishes! Here is her story:

The Desert Detective

Once there was a rough and tough detective; now he wouldn't ever tell anyone his name. He was just called the "Desert Detective." But, you must know that he can never, ever, ever lose his hat. He was born with it on, and he never leaves it. He lived in the dry,dry west. His home was surrounded by many-a-mountains. He lived in his old log cabin.

Most of the time it was quiet 'round the ole west, but not when the ole Professor Tumble-weed was 'round. He was always up to no good. But, this time, well, shoo', he really did it good. He captured Lady Angelica, the Love of Mr. Desert Detective's heart. Soon, the Sheriff came 'round and told the Desert Detective. "Why, sir, we had just came round the ole curb and had done saw Professor Tumble-weed carrying off ole Lady Angelica. We had done took a couple shots, den he ran right up de brook and got away."

Now, when de Sheriff had done told de story Mr. Desert Detective ran right on by the Sheriff. When Mr. Desert Detective got round de corner he saw up on de mountainside Professor Tumble-weed, who had poor ole Lady Angelica. He was whoopin' and hollerin', and he was drivin' ole Lady Angelica's carriage. "Help me!" shouted Lady Angelica.

So, well, the ole detective ran right up that mountainside and jumped right on the ole carriage. The wind blew him up and down, round and round. But no matter how hard de wind blew, he held tight to his ole brown hat. Soon as the Professor reached the top of de mountainside, he was trapped. Lady Angelica jumped out of the carriage and ran all the way down the mountain to the Sheriff. "Shoo woman, you are faster than them horses there," the Sheriff chuckled.

Mr. Desert Detective placed his hat on his head, looked up at the professor, and then boom, in a split second, he was round the Professor with his ole handcuffs round his hands. "Shoo, blasted ye Desert Detective," snarled Professer Tumble-weed.

Then Lady Angelica and Mr. Desert Detective got married, and they lived happily ever after.

THE END.

Baby Girl's School Table

2012-01-02T11:23:00.000-06:00

My parents gave this little table & chair set to Baby Girl for Christmas. It is perfect! I am going to have her do school and learning activities here, as opposed to the dining room table-which she will use only for eating. It's a good idea to keep these things separate for her.

Baby Girl's Kitchen Center

2011-12-27T13:57:00.000-06:00

I am very excited about this Christmas gift from Santa. It will be such a great tool for teaching vocabulary & communication skills to Baby Girl, as well as just plain fun!

A Different Christmas?

2011-12-21T15:20:00.000-06:00

Christmas will be different for me this year, right? My oldest son is currently deployed to the Middle East and won't be home for Christmas. My parents have just moved three hours away, so for the first time in my life, I won't see them on Christmas Day. So that means Christmas has changed...or does it? Does any of that change the fact that Jesus, the son of God, came to earth as a baby and was born in a manger and is the reason for the season? Does it change the fact that He is my Redeemer, my Lord, and my Savior? Does it mean that I won't celebrate as joyfully as I should? No, Christmas has not changed. Jesus has not changed..."Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) Therefore, this Christmas I will keep my focus where it belongs: on Him. No matter what you're facing right now, Christmas is still the same. Celebrate!

Help for Homeschooling Your Visually Impaired Child

2011-12-09T15:56:00.004-06:00

This post is definitely link-heavy, but I've decided that I should share the books and blogs/websites/etc. that I have discovered that have helped me in working with Baby Girl. First of all, per Wonder Baby, which is a great site for parents of visually impaired children, I discovered that The Hadley School for the Blind offers free online courses for parents of visually impaired children. I've taken one course already and will start another one after Christmas. I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer! My instructor even sent a wonderful gift to Baby Girl: Braille blocks! Here are some pictures of my certificate of completion & Baby Girl's gift:

My certificate: I earned an A!

Braille blocks

Also, there are some other ideas I'd like to share. I've found that Montessori style learning suits Baby Girl well. This technique works for many special needs children, not just for those that are visually impaired. Here you will find a list of great Montessori blogs. In addition to this, through the genorosity of my parents, we were able to go in together and purchase an iPad for Baby Girl, which has been very beneficial to her. Many of the apps for her are free, and the ones that aren't are usually less than $3. If you have an iPad, this list is helpful for finding apps for children with special needs. This site is also helpful for locating apps and has reviews. Here you will find toy ideas, as well as at this link. Another thing I do that is simple & free...talk, talk, talk! I tell Baby Girl almost everything that I'm doing/that she's doing/that Daddy is doing/that siblings are doing....you get the idea. When you can't see well, you have to rely on other senses in order to learn. We also do a lot of singing. Baby Girl loves music, so it's a great avenue for teaching her. I have blogged about lots of activities that we've done, so if you look for posts tagged with preschool or Montessori or special needs homeschooling or visually impaired homeschooling, then you should be able to read about them. Here is a list of books that I've read that have also helped a great deal:

I hope this post helps, and if you have anything to share, please do so!

Two Years as a Family

2011-12-07T19:43:00.001-06:00

Two years ago, Baby Girl was placed in our arms for the first time. What a joy she is!

Rinnah then...on Forever Family Day

Rinnah now...she's come a long way since that first day!

More Christmas Fun

2011-12-06T14:42:00.000-06:00

This week has been great! We've enjoyed lots of Christmas activities. We did a lot with gingerbread, from making, baking, and decorating... to reading both The Gingerbread Baby and Gingerbread Friends. We also read The Nativity Story. Here's a sampling:

Our gingerbread village

Bug makes a gingerbread tree

Doodles helps Baby Girl with her gingerbread girl

Baby Girl decorates her gingerbread girl

Even "Daddy" got in on the action

Cookies decorated by Baby Girl

Cookies decorated by Bug

Cookies decorated by Doodles

Cookies decorated by "Daddy"

Scenes we drew from our reading of The Nativity Story
Top picture was drawn by Doodles
Middle picture was drawn by Bug
Bottom picture was drawn by me

Our December "Tea Time"

2011-12-02T19:47:00.000-06:00

Several months ago I posted about our weekly "Tea Time." Here is the link that shows you where I got the idea. This week, since it's the first of December, we chose to do a Christmas theme. Doodles, Bug, and I each chose a Christmas song to listen to and then drew the scene that came to our mind as we listened to our song. Here are our results:

Bug's picture is at the top; he chose "Jingle Bells."
Doodles' picture is in the middle; she chose "The Christmas Song."
My picture is at the bottom; I chose "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
We had a blast doing this activity!

Christmas Fun

2011-12-02T19:28:00.000-06:00

Well, the season is upon us again...YAY!!! I turn into a big ol' kid every year at this time. I love everything about Christmas...celebrating the birth of our Lord & Savior, decorating, baking, special times with family & friends, the sights and the smells, and the joy. So, Merry Christmas to all!!!

Baby Girl is completely thrilled about the Christmas tree

Our Sock Advent Calendar...the kids find a gift in their sock for each day of December

Doodles & Bug show off today's Advent Calendar gifts

Christmas Kool Aid: One cherry and one lemon-lime

Sonlight Science

2011-11-22T16:10:00.000-06:00

We are really enjoying Sonlight Science. Bug is currently studying the ocean, fish, and water. Doodles is now studying the skeletal system as part of this year's human anatomy. We are all learning a lot!

Bug tests the absorbency of certain materials

Doodles works on her "skeleton man" project

Completed skeleton man

Dad, who works in the medical field, explains the skeletal system in more detail :)

Baby Girl...Squeaky Shoes and Bristle Blocks

2011-11-18T16:51:00.000-06:00

October Fun

2011-11-01T14:18:00.000-05:00

My Sweeties

Pumpkin Fun

2011-10-26T14:32:00.002-05:00

We did something different in school today: an entire day devoted to pumpkin fun. We had a blast! Here are some pics from our pumpkin activities that we enjoyed. We also had fun tasting pumpkin and reading Five Little Pumpkins to Baby Girl.

Baby Girl weighs her pumpkin

Our pumpkin activity sheets

Measuring the circumference of Bug's pumpkin

Checking to see if our pumpkins sink or float

Glyph key (I got this idea here.)

Glyphs done by Baby Girl, Bug, & Doodles--look at the key posted in the previous picture, can you guess the identity of these "pumpkins?"

Autumn Nature Study

2011-10-22T21:22:00.000-05:00

We've been enjoying nice weather this week...perfect for an early autumn nature study. We took a walk, collected leaves, sketched some nature, and then did leaf rubbings.

Our Nature Buddy! Doodles was in love with him, as you'll see in her sketch posted on down the page.

Bug's sketch of autumn leaves and a flower

My sketch of autumn leaves collected on our nature walk

Goldenrod...aplenty!

Doodle's sketch of our nature walk

Tea Time

2011-10-05T14:24:00.000-05:00

The original by Van Gogh

I've shared my inspiration for our weekly "Tea Time" before, but I just wanted to reshare it in this post. :)
This week we looked at a painting by Van Gogh titled: "Wheat Field Under Threatening Skies." Then Doodles, Bug, and I all tried our hand at repainting this masterpiece. We had a wonderful time with this project. I was fascinated by the fact that each of us noticed different things in this painting as we discussed it and prepared to paint our own version of it, as well as all starting at different points. For example, I started with the middle of the field, Doodles started at the left side of the field, and Bug started with the sky. This was really a natural, relaxed, and fun way to learn about art.

Bug's painting

Doodles' painting

My painting

Writing with Baby Girl

2011-09-30T16:07:00.000-05:00

I read on a blog that it's a good idea to have preschoolers write "horizontally" by placing a dry erase board at their level. I thought that was a great idea, especially for visually impaired children. I have found that Baby Girl really enjoys writing this way as opposed to sitting at the table to write. Here's a short clip of some of the "writing" that she did today.

Nature Study with Baby Girl

2011-09-24T11:04:00.000-05:00

"Studying" a tree

Examining a smooth green leaf

"Crunching" dead brown leaves

Baby Girl and I enjoyed the cooler weather this morning by having nature study in our yard. Since she is visually impaired, it is very important that she uses all of her senses to explore the world around her. We listened to the birds and to the wind blowing through the trees, and I made a point of telling her exactly what she was hearing & used my voice to mimic what we were hearing as well. She felt fresh & smooth green leaves, crunchy & dead brown leaves, and the rough bark of a tree. We talked about the feel of the green grass as we walked in it-barefoot. With each day I am learning more & more about what works for her. I have to do even more "thinking outside the box" than I've done previously as a homeschooler, but we are both learning as we go.

Guest blogger: "Doodles"

2011-09-16T16:45:00.000-05:00

My daughter will be blogging this post. She is sharing a recipe that she created herself. Enjoy!

Hi! Ok, the recipe I am showing you is called "Salsa Circles." First, you take three or four pieces (Depending on how much you want to make) of bread. Then, you take a round cookie cutter out and cut as many circles as you can in the bread. After that, you put two or three eggs into a bowl and dip the bread circles into eggs. (Make sure you cover as much bread as possible.) Then, put them on a plate and stick them in the fridge for about five minutes. While you have them in the fridge, put some salsa in a bowl and get out some cheese. (You can use shredded or just little squares of cheese.) Then take the circles out of the fridge and dip them in the salsa. Then, top them off with your cheese. (If you use shredded cheese completely cover the circles. If you use the little blocks of cheese then just set them on top.) Then, you put them in a frying pan and fry until brown on both sides. Then you will have a tasty dish! :D

Frying the circles

"Doodles" is proud of her recipe

The finished product

My guest blogger: my precious "Doodles"

First Picnic of the Fall

2011-09-16T13:08:00.000-05:00

I love, love, love fall!!! It's my favorite time of the year. The heat & humidity fade away, and I can enjoy spending time outside with my kiddos. We took full advantage of today's nice weather and had a wonderful picnic lunch. I'm looking forward to many more picnics now that fall is on the way!

Homeschooling: September 12-16, 2011

2011-09-16T12:49:00.000-05:00

We had a good week. We are learning lots & lots, but here are a few highlights I'd like to share.

Baby Girl's letter "I" practice and creative writing

Baby Girl's magnetic letter board work for letter "I"

Baby Girl make the letter "I" with her Alpha Dough

"Bug" does a bark rubbing for science

Baby Girl's fingerprint activity: "I" is for insect

"Bug" and "Doodles" act out The Boston Tea Party after reading about it in our current Sonlight read-aloud Johnny Tremain. *Note: this was NOT an assignment, but rather something they did on their own just for fun. I just happened to catch them. ;)

Muffin Tin Monday-Letter I

2011-09-12T15:28:00.000-05:00

We made Jello Jiggler insects and letter "I's." My older daughter came up with the idea.

Day at the Park

2011-09-08T12:22:00.000-05:00

It was great to be outside enjoying the cooler weather we're experiencing this week. We had a blast at the park!

Baby Girl and Bug hang out together

Baby Girl loved the swing

...and climbing the playsets!

She also enjoyed making silly faces...

and standing on her head.

And Doodles proved that you're never too old to have fun at the park!

Halloween Sensory Tub for Baby Girl

2011-09-06T19:52:00.001-05:00

Thanks to this blogger for the inspiration and idea for this activity. In Baby Girl's Halloween sensory tub I included:
pumpkins, "squishy porcupine" ball and creature, Halloween dish towels, Halloween cookie cutters (good for texture as a stand alone, but also to use in the making of Play Dough "cookies), artificial fall leaves, feathers, lima beans, pinto beans, and pumpkin erasers. Most of the items came from Target and Wal-Mart.

More Preschool Activities

2011-09-05T13:50:00.000-05:00

Here are a few other things that Baby Girl has done this week:

Stamping activity: letter "H," numbers 1-3, 3 "finger dots"

Matching bears and blocks according to color

Riding a horse for letter "H"

Baby Girl-What Has She Been Up to this Week?

2011-09-03T08:14:00.000-05:00

Mostly she's been enjoying the last week with her oldest big brother before he heads overseas again. Still, though, we've managed to squeeze in some schooling. She's still learning about the letter "H," and we've been reading this book: A Book of Hugs. We also sing "If You're Happy and You Know It." Also, as you can see from the video, she's busy learning some Christmas songs...it's never too early to get ready! Remember to scroll down to the bottom of the blog to stop the playlist so you can hear Baby Girl sing.

Happy Times as an Army Mom

2011-08-25T15:02:00.000-05:00

My oldest is home on a short leave, so we're capturing all we can on film. It's so wonderful to have him home again-even for a short time.

Water Play

2011-08-22T17:59:00.001-05:00

Baby Girl really loves her "water play" time, as you can see from this video and the pictures below. Next week I'm going to add some small items to the bucket of water and have her "fish" them out in order to work on fine motor skills. Can't wait for her to try it! Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog and stop the playlist so you can hear the video.

Baby Girl has such a good time with water play. Look at that smile!

Baby Girl gets ready to play in the water

Time to practice pouring and get wet

Both hands in the water-FUN!

Face in the water. She loves it! :)

Muffin Tin Monday-Letter H

2011-08-22T15:28:00.000-05:00

"H" is for hats!

Homeschooling: August 15-19, 2011

2011-08-19T21:27:00.000-05:00

We had another great week. We added a new book to our Bible study: Starting Strong. For our read-aloud time, we finished reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond and started Johnny Tremain. For independent reading, Doodles finished The Matchlock Gun and Bug is reading My Father's Dragon: The Bestselling Children Story. We continued our reading in all of the other previously mentioned Sonlight books. Doodles studied the excretory system in science, while Bug continued learning about plants. Baby Girl learned about the letter "G." She listened as I read some books, and she did several hands-on activities. We are all having a blast and learning so much!

Bug's bean has roots and shoots

Baby Girl's "G" is for Goat project

Bug's bean plant is sprouting

Baby Girl's letter G's and "original" artwork

Baby Girl's stamp work

Baby Girl makes her "goop" for Letter "G"

I get messy with the "goop."

Is the "goop" a solid or is it a .....

liquid?

Doodles' history project: a ship

Bug's history project: homemade refried beans-boiling the beans

Bug mashes the beans

Bug fries the beans

Refried beans are done!

Muffin Tin Monday-Letter G

2011-08-15T14:35:00.001-05:00

Letter G- A "Garden" of Flowers

Homeschooling: August 8-12, 2011

2011-08-12T19:39:00.001-05:00

Baby Girl and I watch a video "Five Little Speckled Frogs" (Letter F Week)

Baby Girl's Lapbook Cover: Five Little Speckled Frogs (Letter F)

Inside of Baby Girl's lapbook

Baby Girl's letter F practice and "creative writing"

Snacks and Poetry

Fish activity sheet

Baby Girl writes on her board

Math time: shape sorting

Baby Girl and I fingerpaint

Baby Girl's "Fish in the Ocean" fingerpainting project

Bug's science activity for Sonlight Science K

Doodle chose to read to Bug...and Bug chose to listen-after school was done, merely for fun!
I credit Sonlight for this. We LOVE it! It is really turning my children into eager readers.

Teaching Home Ec Creatively

2011-08-11T13:19:00.000-05:00

Beach cake-made by Doodles

Home Ec is probably one of my favorite subjects to teach...and my children don't even realize when I'm teaching it! Often they fix lunch on their own or help me cook supper. Of course they have chores, such as helping with yard work, folding laundry, unloading & loading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, and dusting. But, the most fun we have is playing "Chopped." If you're not familiar with this Food Network TV show, here's a link: Chopped. Playing this game helps my kiddos to get creative in the kitchen and learn to cook while having a blast!

Homeschooling: Week 4 with Sonlight

2011-08-10T14:27:00.001-05:00

Doodles, Bug, and I have been steadily reading through several wonderful books. I don't always post about this part of our school, but I should. We are still reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which we all find interesting-as well as exciting- especially now that we just finished Chapter 17. Want to know why? Read the book. :) We are also reading Story of the U.S.A.: Book 1 Student Explorers And Settlers, The Landmark History of the American People (Two Volume Set, Newly Revised and Updated), and The American Indian Prayer Guide. For poetry, we read The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children's Poems. We also have daily Bible reading as well as Scripture memorization. We learn patriotic songs using Wee Sing America. Currently Doodles is reading Pocahontas and the Strangers (Scholastic Biography) independently, while Bug just finished reading Five True Dog Stories and The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto (Step-Into-Reading) independently. On a side note, Bug enjoyed these "dog" books so much that he not only "read ahead," but asked for another "dog book." I ordered Lad, a Dog: The Bad Puppy (Hello Reader!, Level 4) for him. Doodles is studying Science 5 from Sonlight, and this week she is learning about the circulatory system and the immune and lymph system. Her current books are: Lyrical Life Science, Vol. 3: The Human Body - which is so much fun...there are songs for each system. Also, she is currently using: The Young Scientist Book of the Human Body, Brown Paper School book: Blood and Guts, Human Body, Grades 5-8: 100+ Reproducible Activities, and of course Sonlight's fabulous Science 5 Instructor's Guide. Bug is studying Sonlight's Core K Science. His books are: Everyday Things (Finding Out about), Usborne Science Activities, Vol. 2, and The Usborne Complete First Book of Nature (Usborne First Nature). He also uses Sonlight's Science K Instructor Guide and their Inquisikids DVD. I can honestly say that everyone-my husband and I included-has already learned a lot using Sonlight. Want to know more? Just click on the Sonlight link on the right side of my blog!

Muffin Tin Monday-Letter F

2011-08-08T14:47:00.001-05:00

I discovered this blog, which is where I got the idea for this project. It's a great way to get creative with your studies and with food!

Fish and fruit-foods that start with the letter F

Baby Girl shares her muffin tin snack with Doodles & Bug

Baby Girl's School--Week 5

2011-08-04T16:18:00.002-05:00

We continued our focus on the alphabet, with this week's main letter being "E." We sung the Alphabet Song, as well as a song about elephants--sung to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell (this song is part of our main spine Letter of the week. Also... This site is where I got the idea for the Elephant E Activity. It is a great site, and it has lots of wonderful ideas. The other ideas are inspired by the Montessori method. For Baby Girl, at her current developmental level, everything that you see here was done "hand over hand," meaning that I gave her lots of help. Still, I know that she is learning and I enjoy working with her. We have lots of fun! Also, here is Baby Girl's schedule this year.

Stamp pad ABC's

Dry erase board--hung at Baby Girl's level--on which we practiced writing the letter E

Worksheet from our main spine: Letter of the Week-by Mailbox

Moon Sand-we write letters in this with our fingers

Whew! So worn out from all her hard work that she fell asleep on her pillow pet

Elephant E Activity

Jesus Loves the Little Children

2011-08-02T16:30:00.001-05:00

Scroll down to the bottom of the blog to stop the playlist music so you can hear Baby Girl sing.

Montessori Print Shop Giveaway

2011-07-31T10:09:00.000-05:00

This site is offering a wonderful giveaway of Montessori nomenclature cards. The contest ends tomorrow, so head on over there & enter. I did & I'm really hoping to win! I could definitely use these with Baby Girl & even with Doodles & Bug. What a fantastic contest!

Montessori inspired activities

2011-07-28T13:44:00.001-05:00

Well, on the downside of things, Baby Girl is still not feeling quite herself...three weeks after her tonsillectomy & she's still having some trouble. We go to the doctor tomorrow, so we're praying that things will get better soon. She's napping now, so I thought I'd share some pictures (thanks to my dear friend for giving me her old camera) of some of the materials I'm working on for Baby Girl's schooling. Now if she can just get well, we can really start working with these materials!

Water pouring activity-I just rinsed an old body wash bottle and an ice cream container. Eventually Baby Girl will "graduate" to dropper activities and pouring water from pitcher to cup

Sandpaper letters, numbers, shapes, and symbols--I made these myself!
Counting bears

Dry erase board placed at Baby Girl's eye level
(We worked on drawing circles--hand over hand)

Alpha dough language kit
Magnetic letters and magnet board

Dress-up basket

Stamp pads with letter and number stamps
Foam blocks

Fabulous Find

2011-07-19T16:57:00.001-05:00

Currently, at Curr Click they're offering a free moveable alphabet download, so I grabbed that up today. I can't wait to make this for Baby Girl. This learning adventure is really exciting!

Great Preschool Site

2011-07-15T14:45:00.000-05:00

This site has some wonderful preschool theme ideas. When Baby Girl & I finish our Letter of the week study, I'll be using this site as a springboard for our Montessori & Charlotte Mason inspired preschool. Using a thematic approach will allow me to pick & choose activities that go with my teaching philosophy & also fit Baby Girl's learning style.

Educating Myself on Montessori

2011-07-15T11:37:00.000-05:00

This is the book I'm currently reading, and I have six more to read as well. I'll post about them as I go. I've just gotten started on this book, but already a few things have spoken to me:

1. "Education is not something which the teacher does, but...it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being."
2. "The teacher's task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child."

Homeschool Bargains

2011-07-13T22:42:00.000-05:00

Wow, I found some great things for Baby Girl's schooling at Target today...most of which came from the dollar section! The only items that did not come from the dollar section were the miniature pink broom & dustpan, but they were only around $5 total. The dollar items I found were: foam blocks, alphabet & number stamps & colored ink pads, magnetic letters & numbers, and a squishy ball. I'd love to post pictures, but my camera is broken. Now I'm on the hunt to find a bargain on digital cameras!

More Thoughts on "Baby Girl's" Homeschool Style

2011-07-09T12:19:00.004-05:00

Wow, she worked so hard during school that she's exhausted!

I'm now planning to use a combination of Charlotte Mason & Montessori for Baby Girl's preschool. The more I read about the Montessori method, the more I think it will be a great fit for Baby Girl, especially considering her vision impairment and developmental delays. I've been reading several blogs and sites about Montessori homeschooling, and I'm going shopping today for a few Montessori-inspired items for Baby Girl's schooling. Also, I've got some books on this teaching method on the way. I'm looking forward to getting started on this new adventure!

Poetry is Fun

2011-07-05T08:47:00.001-05:00

"Doodles" & "Bug" are enjoying this book, as am I. It's part of Sonlight's Core D+E package that we're using this year. It starts with poetry written by anonymous Native Americans and continues through modern day poets.

"Baby Girl" is listening to these poems while she eats one of her favorite snacks: Cheese Puffs. We call it "Puffs and Poetry." This idea was inspired by a pre-school schedule I saw on this blog: The Attached Mama. It is an excellent site with wonderful ideas and resources.

School Year 2011-2012, Week 3

2011-06-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

Just going to post a few highlights of the week...it's been really hectic around here the past few days. Our dog got into ant poisoning, but praise God she's going to be okay. Also, Baby Girl has her third throat infection in the past month, so it looks like she'll be having her tonsils removed soon. We managed to get some schooling done, and we're still loving Sonlight & learning so much from it. The Witch of Blackbird Pond is sparking lots of interesting discussion about the Puritans, and "Bug" begs to read more of The Apple and the Arrow every day. "Baby Girl" really enjoyed singing a song about dinosaurs this week as she learned about the letter "D." And of course "Bug" is enjoying his science experiment. We'll continue to watch it "sprout" as the weeks go by!

Lima bean sprout experiment

Baby Girl's Activity Sheet

Letter of the Week (Baby Girl)

2011-06-20T19:39:00.001-05:00

This is our main book for Baby Girl's program this year. Next year I'm thinking of extending our alphabet study using the following websites: Letter of the Week and Mrs. Jones-Letter and Sound of the Week. Also, for a great hands-on approach to the alphabet, I recommend the Alpha dough language kit.

School Year 2011-2012, Week 2

2011-06-20T18:18:00.000-05:00

"Baby Girl's" Alpha Dough letter C

"Bug" shows some of the things we found for his Sonlight Science

"Doodles" is currently studying the human body using Sonlight Science 5. She is really enjoying it. Most of her work is done through reading and activity sheets. I am very pleased with how much she has learned so far. In addition to daily Bible reading and memory verses, we are also reading The American Indian Prayer Guide. It is very interesting. We have completed the following books for history/geography and read-alouds so far: Walk the Worlds Rim and Pedro's Journal (Apple Paperbacks). "Doodles" has completed her independent reader Om-Kas-Toe: Blackfoot Twin Captures Elkdog and "Bug" has completed his independent reading book The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children, No. 1) (Boxcar Children Mysteries). We are still reading through Story of the U.S.A.: Book 1 Student Explorers And Settlers. This week we started our new read-aloud The Witch of Blackbird Pond. "Doodles" is independently reading Pocahontas and the Strangers (Scholastic Biography) and "Bug's" independent reading book is The Apple and the Arrow. Baby Girl worked on letter C last week and we read The Cat in the Hat. She is working on letter D this week. As you can tell, we are very busy, but we're enjoying all the learning that we get to do...well, most of the time!

"Tweaking" Schedules

2011-06-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

There is something that every homeschooler needs to know: the curriculum is your tool, not your master. While we follow the Sonlight Instructor Guide schedule, we also do some of our Sonlight reading outside of "school" time. I read a chapter from our read-aloud to the children after supper on some nights. Often the children choose to read their independent reading books in bed at night. Also, as I've previously posted, we have added hands-on activities to our studies. Just remember: don't be afraid to change things up a bit, think outside the box, and do what works best for your family!

School Year 2011-2012, Week 1

2011-06-10T15:18:00.004-05:00

Wow, wow, wow!!! I love Sonlight! I'm gushing, I know, but it's true. This week has been wonderful. If you've ever seen a Sonlight catalog, you know how fabulous their marketing department is. You might have wondered, as I did, if Sonlight could really be as terrific as they make it sound. Well, for my family, it is! We have had wonderful discussions this week as we read great history books & historical fiction, and this is just the beginning. We've also studied Scripture, memorized Bible verses, conducted scientific experiments, learned to sing "The Stars and Stripes Forever," and written a persuasive argument paragraph--by the way, how many of you think "Doodles" should get an Ipod touch for Christmas? Also, Baby Girl learned about the letter "B."

Doodles' Native American project: hut

Bugs is shucking corn for his project

Bugs' Native American project: corn chowder

Baby Girl eats a "bear" (Teddy Graham) for the letter "B"

Letter "b" made with Baby Girl's Alpha Dough

Science experiment: demonstrating that hot air takes up more space than cold air

New School Year...Started Today!

2011-06-06T23:11:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's right. We didn't wait for August! Once I made a schedule it was almost impossible for me to resist starting school now. The kids didn't mind. They were actually excited about all the wonderful books we get to read. Thank you, Sonlight! Even "Dad" got interested in one of our read-alouds as we read a chapter after supper tonight. (I've linked the book in this post.) We had a great first day!

Homeschool Schedule

2011-06-03T17:00:00.002-05:00

This is my planned schedule for this year. There are no exact time frames, other than I wake my children at 8:30.

Wake up, get dressed, make beds, feed & water dog

Breakfast, Bible, brush teeth

History/Geography, Read-alouds

Snack

Science

Math

Lunch

Readers, Language Arts, Handwriting, Latin

Chores

*"Tea Time" on Monday afternoons

*This is our weekly study of artists and composers . I have tea or coffee and the children have lemonade and a "special" snack during this time. This is an idea I got here . It's so nice and relaxing, and the children and I look forward to it each week.

C. S. Lewis

2011-06-02T09:54:00.002-05:00

I am enjoying these books tremendously this week. I love C.S. Lewis. He was such a brilliant and creative writer, and his Narnia series is one of my favorites.

Books for Baby Girl

2011-06-01T14:10:00.001-05:00

In addition to Letter of the Week, we are also using Dr. Suess's ABC and The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes. Both offer short readings, which is what we need at this age.

2011-05-26T19:51:00.000-05:00

In this video "Baby Girl," who was supposed to be sleeping, chose instead to sing Chris Sligh's song "Only You Can Save." Check it out on his latest CD. It's a great song!

Baby Girl's Homeschool

2011-05-26T13:02:00.000-05:00

I'm using this book as Baby Girl's spine. We'll cover one letter each week. This book includes literature ideas, crafts, songs, rhymes, worksheets, activities and recipes related to each letter of the alphabet. I think we're really going to enjoy it.

Low Carb Lifestyle

2011-05-21T14:09:00.001-05:00

This fabulous book REALLY helps me stay on track. There are so many delicious recipes...from appetizers all the way to desserts. I highly recommend it.

More Sonlight "Gravy"

2011-05-20T13:33:00.001-05:00

Wow, I found this site to add even more hands-on activities to Sonlight. I plan to let the kids choose which activities they want to do. That's one thing I love about Sonlight: they provide the wonderful literature & discussion guides, and then we get to decide whether to add in crafts, related recipes, or extras. It's a great fit for our family!

Blissful Mornings........

2011-05-20T13:26:00.001-05:00

Gotta love 'em!

Baby Girl Loves to Slide

2011-05-19T13:54:00.001-05:00

Adding Hands-On Activities to Sonlight

2011-05-18T14:28:00.002-05:00

oMy children really enjoy arts and crafts, so I'm going to let them choose related activities from this book to go along with their reading. The ideas in this book are great and include countries from all over the world. And....I'm going to be brave & get messy & finally do papier mache with the kids this year! This book has some really cool papier mache projects, so I guess I've got no choice.

Composer Study

2011-05-14T09:00:00.002-05:00

We'll be using the composer study schedule from Ambleside Online along with the books I posted for our music lessons. Looking forward to learning a lot about composers and listening to some great music.

Summer Homeschooling Fun

2011-05-10T14:11:00.004-05:00

"Doodles" & "Bug" perform a scene from one of our books: Where the Red Fern Grows. Scroll to the bottom of my blog & turn OFF the playlist to hear the sound in the video.

"Doodles" prepares to act out a scene from Bambi.

Summer Reading

2011-05-09T14:26:00.001-05:00

We are on a light school schedule now. That being said, however, I'm so excited about getting started with Sonlight that we may start a full schedule before August arrives! But...for now...we are enjoying a relaxing time with several good books. I've posted some of our favorites so far.

Making a Curriculum Switch

2011-04-02T12:26:00.001-05:00

Okay, so....I'll be using this in a few months for "Bug":
Sonlight Core K

And I'll be using this for "Doodles":
Sonlight Core 3+4

We've enjoyed Ambleside, but it's just not going to work for us long term. Sonlight is a much better fit for us. We've used it in the past, and after much thought & looking ahead, I've decided to go back to Sonlight & have all plans of sticking with it for the duration. I'm going to "beef up" Core K for Bug, adding in more challenging reading as necessary. I feel like Core 3+4 would be too difficult for him this coming school year, but it's perfect for Doodles. Baby Girl will continue with her curriculum: lots of creative play, classical music, and read-alouds--and of course she listens in to her siblings' lessons! We will continue to use Ambleside's art, composer, and nature study lessons. They're wonderful!

Nature Walk: Spring Has Sprung!

2011-03-22T14:38:00.000-05:00

Complete with warm sunshine, cooling breezes, flowers, weeds, and bees...spring is here! We had a fabulous nature walk today & saw so many signs of spring's arrival. It is refreshing to see leaves blooming on trees and hear the sounds of bees buzzing and birds singing. Love nature walks!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

2011-03-12T20:16:00.000-06:00

We had a great party & really enjoyed celebrating!

School...What We're Doing

2011-03-03T15:22:00.000-06:00

Well, I know I haven't posted in a while...and I don't post as many school pictures as I used to...but most of them would look almost identical! They would be: our reading wonderful books together, working math pages, doing copywork, narration, & dictation, working on science experiments, taking nature walks & then recording observations, drawing, making collections, etc. from our nature walks, enjoying lively discussions about what we read......You get the idea. This is NOT to say we don't enjoy school, we DO! I guess I just don't see the need in taking as many pictures.

I have really been pleased with the fact that my children ("Doodles" & "Bug") & I can now discuss Shakespeare, Greek Mythology, & original fairy tales, as well as poetry by Robert Louis Stevenson & William Blake, and stories of heroes of the Christian faith in Trial and Triumph, just to name a few of the selections from our current Ambleside Online years.

"Baby Girl" is playing & learning with ideas & information I found in The New Language of Toys and from this website: http://www.letteroftheweek.com/ . She is also enjoying our composer study. This term we're studying Beethoven, and this is Baby Girl's favorite: Beethoven's 5th Symphony . As a matter of fact, she hums it on & off all day long!

So, is this all to say that each day is fabulous? And that we never have any problems with attitudes, laziness, & disobedience? HA, I wish!!! We all have our bad days, but in this post, I'm choosing to focus on the good things. :)

Baby Girl

2011-02-16T14:54:00.000-06:00

Wow, she's growing up so fast! She is making lots of progress, although she still has a lot of ground to cover. We are working with her daily, and she still receives occupational, speech, and vision therapy. She is communicating more and becoming quite affectionate with us, which is such a blessing! We are thankful each day that she is a part of our family.

Valentine's Day Treat

2011-02-16T14:38:00.000-06:00

Our first attempt at homemade marshmallows was successful. The kiddos loved making them & eating them. We'll definitely make these again.

Ambleside Online--4 Weeks In

2011-02-07T13:51:00.000-06:00

Yes, I'm back from my blog break. Meanwhile, we've been enjoying Ambleside Online . Today started our fifth week with this curriculum. Our lives have been greatly enriched by AO. My children eagerly anticipate sharing with Daddy during dinner about the stories that we read, the things collected on our nature walks, something they noticed in our composer study, etc. The pics in this post are of some of the items we've collected during nature walks, as well as a squirrel who likes to visit our window sill & enjoy all the seeds that the birds drop from our feeder. Enjoy!

Taking a Blog Break

2011-01-15T08:19:00.002-06:00

Hello, all! Just wanted to let you know that I won't be dropping off the face of the earth...I'll just be taking a break from blogging for three weeks. See you all later!

Week 1 with Ambleside Online

2011-01-14T16:30:00.004-06:00

Wow, what a great week we've had! For Year 1, "Bug" read from the following books:








For Year 3 of Ambleside Online, "Doodles" read from the following books this week: THE WORLD OF MARCO POLO.Written and illustrated by Walter Buehr and......







Most of the books above are available free online, which of course is wonderful. We are learning so much with Ambleside already, and I'm really looking forward to next week!

Starting a new school year...this month!

2011-01-08T18:00:00.001-06:00

We are going to start Ambleside Online this month. It's going to work out beautifully because I've also decided that we will start our new school years in January from now on. This makes perfect sense for us! We school 4 days a week year round, but we take off the months of November and December for the holidays. So, by starting in January, we will be finished with a 36 week schedule by the end of October or beginning of November. Also, the children are almost finished with their current math books and will be moving into the next grade some time during this month or February. It all works out great! I am still waiting for a few books I ordered to arrive--and I mean a VERY few-- for Ambleside Years 3 & 5, which are the years we'll be doing. Fortunately, I already own most of the necessary books and the rest are available FREE online. While we wait, we are going to read some of the books from Years 2 and 4. We'll be starting this on Monday. I can't wait!

Also, if you're interested in learning more about Charlotte Mason, I highly recommend the book linked in this post. I'm currently reading it, and it has made a HUGE impression on me and is having a major impact on our homeschooling. Happy reading!
Edited to add: Wow, LOL!!! We're actually going to use Ambleside Online Years 1 & 3 starting this week, as opposed to 3 & 5 or even 2 & 4. After further research, I realized that these years are the best fit for "Bug" and "Doodles." Ambleside is quite advanced, so if you plan to use it, take that into consideration. "Bug" is almost 8 & will use Year 1 & "Doodles" is 10 and will use Year 3.

Russian Studies

2011-01-06T16:00:00.000-06:00

Today we read Peter and the Wolf and then watched a video, both of which I've linked in this post. I highly recommend the book, but the video was a little strange and contained some violence. Although animated, it was a little unnerving. First of all, the eyes of the characters were creepy. Secondly, the wolf clawed Peter in the face, and thirdly, the thing that I found most disturbing, one of the hunters pushed and shoved Peter and then threw him in a dumpster and pointed a gun in his face. So, as I stated, the book is great, but you should preview the video first and then decide if you think your children should watch it. I allowed my children--ages 7 and 10-- to watch the video, but we discussed the negative features and also bullying and gun safety. One more day in Russia, and then next week we're off to Romania!

Plans for Next School Year

2011-01-05T15:59:00.000-06:00

What? NEXT school year? Yep, that's right! I'm preparing already. I usually do that in January. That way I have time to look around for good deals on books, time to plan everything, and, MOST importantly, time to pray about it. Next school year we're going to completely use Ambleside Online, which we used in part this year. I've discovered that my children LOVE the books used in AO, and that I do, too. We are Charlotte Mason style homeschoolers, so this is a beautiful fit. Also, it's a very budget-conscious decision, since the booklist & the schedule are FREE. In addition to that, I own several of the books already, not to mention that a great many of the scheduled books are available online--FREE as well. I've felt led to this curriculum so many times, but for some reason always ended up going with something else. Now that I've homeschooled for several years, I have the confidence to finally use AO. Another reason I love this curriculum is that you're given a booklist & weekly schedule, yet it's up to you as to how much you read each day. I like flexibility, so I haven't enjoyed scripted programs that we've used in the past. I like to spend time planning & I like to do things in a way that best suits our family. I really am so excited about next school year. Hmm...hurry up, August!

School & Routines...Returning Monday

2010-12-30T13:19:00.000-06:00

I must say I'm a bit excited to get back into full time homeschooling & schedules. We've enjoyed our time off, but it will be nice to get back to "normal," whatever that is. We'll be traveling 45 minutes one way each Wednesday for dd2's therapy, so I'm going to have to tweak our old school schedule a little. In math, we'll review some old concepts & then learn some new ones. Dd10 will step it up a notch with her Latin and will soon move from Primary Language Lessons to Intermediate Language Lessons and also read more challenging material, such as Shakespeare, King Arthur, & Stories from the History of Rome--all for children. Ds7 will move on to more challenging reading and begin Primary Language Lessons, as well as do more narrating & journaling. Dd2 will continue listening to & looking at books I read aloud to her & will learning with the cool developmental toys she got for Christmas. We'll continue with nature study, and hopefully get some more "real" winter weather so we can have "hands on" fun! The next country we'll study in our world culture & geography unit is Russia, so I'm looking forward to that. There is so much to learn about that fascinating country! One fun aspect for us girls will be studying ballet. I'm thinking that's a great PE plan. Can't wait! Here's to hoping you all move into the new year with ease & enthusiasm!

International Christmas Tree

2010-12-24T11:22:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas from all around the World!!!

"Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
' Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”' Luke 2:10-14

Christmas in Asia & Europe

2010-12-09T15:01:00.000-06:00

Inside of our Nutcracker lapbook (Russia)

Back of Nutcracker lapbook

Cover of Nutcracker lapbook

Advent calendar (Sweden)

Fish ornaments (Thailand)

Japanese fans (Japan)

Scene from A Christmas Carol (United Kingdom)

Christmas crackers (United Kingdom)

St. Lucia (Sweden)

Gingerbread (Germany)

Pagoda manger scenes (China)

La Befana (Italy)

Christmas Around the World Resources

2010-12-09T13:35:00.003-06:00

We are having a blast studying different countries and cultures and how they celebrate Christmas. I'll be posting pictures of our crafts and activities--including our international Christmas tree--soon. Meanwhile, have some fun checking into the fabulous books we're reading and using for ideas!

Forever Family Day Anniversary

2010-12-07T10:45:00.000-06:00

One year ago our beautiful baby girl was placed in our arms for the first time. What an incredible year it has been, how awesome God is, and what a blessing our little one is! Happy Forever Family Day Anniversary!

Gingerbread House Decorating

2010-12-05T19:40:00.000-06:00

Baby Girl is LOVING the Christmas Tree

2010-11-30T08:53:00.000-06:00

Christmas Reading

2010-11-17T14:38:00.000-06:00

This is a wonderful book. I started reading it today, and I've already read through the first 98 pages. It's a delightful book with several Christmas stories & excerpts from Christmas stories, some of which I was familiar with and some of which were new to me. Two of the stories--both of which I'd never read before--that I truly loved are "Old Pierre's Christmas Visitors" and "Aunt Cyrilla's Christmas Basket." We'll be using this book in our Children Around the World/Christmas Around the World studies. I'm really looking forward to sharing all of these stories with my children!

Keeping our focus on Christ this Christmas

2010-11-09T12:37:00.000-06:00

With so much to do in December: Christmas parties, Doodle's birthday, Baby Girl's Forever Family Day anniversary, hubby's & my wedding anniversary, etc....it could all pass by in a whirlwind with no time to reflect on the miracle of the Savior's birth. This year, I'm determined to keep my focus on Christ. We are doing some advent activities as a family, plus I'm reading a wonderful book/Bible study/devotional all-in-one. I'm LOVING it so far. I highly recommend it. It's called Preparing My Heart for Advent. I'd love for you to join me!

Adoption Awareness Month

2010-11-08T14:24:00.000-06:00

November is officially Adoption Awareness Month, but each month holds that awareness for me, as it should for all Christians. We are commanded in Scripture to care for the orphans. For some, that means adopting a child; for others, it means donating to an adoption agency; for others it may mean sponsoring a child; it may even be visiting an orphanage to spend time with the children there; it could mean speaking in various churches or other organizations about adoption; it might mean being led to speak out about ethical adoption practices.....the list could go on. For me, it means a combination of those things. What does it mean for you? What is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart? As we enter this season of celebration, take some time to reflect on how God would have you meet the needs of orphans. You are all called to do something.

Turning Blue & Graduation

2010-10-30T12:58:00.000-05:00

Homeschooling Year 2010-2011: Weeks 9 & 10

2010-10-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

Investigating anthills

Holes made by woodpeckers

Simply enjoying nature

Closeup look at a butterfly

Germany worksheets

A couple of books about Germany, plus Baby Girl's book for the week

Collections from our nature walk & journal pages

Poland worksheets

Geography review

Octoberfest in Germany

Germany pages

We visited Germany & Poland in our studies & of course continued with our nature study. We had a great week!

"You Have Your Hands Full"

2010-10-23T16:26:00.002-05:00

Hmmm.....I don't always know how to take this comment. I get it a lot now that I have four (GASP!) children. Sometimes it's said with a smile, other times it's said with a condemning tone. Last week it was even followed up with, "You look like old mother Hubbard." Which, by the way, was the wrong reference....Old Mother Hubbard had an empty cupboard, while it was The Little Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe who had so many children she didn't know what to do. But, back to my original point............what is a person's intent when they say this kind of thing? Is it critical, or is it admiring? Either way, I don't care for it. I am blessed, abundantly & overwhelmingly, by each of my children. I don't feel harried or stressed because I have four; I feel grateful that God has seen fit to share them with me. Also, I'm no supermom or someone to be put on a pedestal & admired. I'm uncomfortable with that status, too. I'm simply living my life, loving & nurturing & raising the children I've been given. And as far as how to respond to the comment in the title, I was given some great advice by two dear sisters in Christ, who each have a quiver full of their own....respond to those comments in a way that blesses the person who spoke them, whether they had good intentions or not. Great advice. Now I'm looking forward to putting that into practice.

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127: 4-5

Take Along Guides

2010-10-22T15:28:00.000-05:00

There are several in this series of books. We own the two featured in this post, but I plan to purchase the rest in the near future. We used Tracks, Scats and Signs to learn more about deer and racoons this week. In the weeks to come, we'll be using Birds, Nests, and Eggs as we move into an autumn bird study. These books are very handy to use as guides during nature study, and my kiddos love them. I'm looking forward to owning the entire set!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T19:40:00.000-05:00

Homeschooling: Week 8--France...Ooh La La, Plus Fabulous Nature Walks

2010-10-10T17:30:00.007-05:00

We had a blast "traveling" to France this week. We read several great books, baked a delicious French apple tart, learned some French words, and topped it all off with a Parisian Fashion Show. Then, during our nature walks, we saw so many interesting things: spider webs, spiders, butterflies, birds, squirrels, "pretty" weeds, lots of trees, acorns, pecans, a Christmas tree farm (yes, I had to stop & take a whiff of a tree), an abandoned bird nest--which we brought inside to study, cows, and even six deer. We also read about trees & discussed how water travels from their roots to their leaves. We learned more about this process with an experiment involving celery and colored water. Baby Girl practiced "playing" her piano and listened to her Wee Sing CD. I also read a few books to her. She really enjoyed her time outdoors, too...even though she was bitten by a mosquito and lost her glasses during one of our nature walks. All in all, it was a great week!

Baby Girl Says Her "A B C's"

2010-10-09T15:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, not all of them. We're taking it gradually. She says, "A, B, C, D," as you'll hear in this video. We are now working on going through "G." One tool we're using is the Wee Sing Series. I play the CD featured in this post over & over again each day. It has 73 songs & finger plays...including, of course, "The Alphabet Song." Since Baby Girl loves music, this is perfect for her. I plan to purchase several more in the series.

Really Goofy Bird

2010-10-08T15:17:00.000-05:00

Handbook of Nature Study

As I've mentioned before, we are doing nature study this year. As part of this study, we take at least two nature walks each week. During one of our walks this week, we came upon this: a woodpecker attempting to find insects in the telephone line. Watch & laugh! Oh, we use The Handbook of Nature Study as a guide. It's terrific!

Kids' Bedrooms: Revamped

2010-10-08T14:09:00.000-05:00

The "middle" two kids & I spent two days on this project. We cleaned, organized, & rearranged their bedrooms. Here are the results:

Bug's bedroom pic #1

Another view of Bug's bedroom

Final pic of Bug's room

Pic #1 of Doodles' room

Pic #2 of Doodles' room

Final view of Doodles' room: built-in bookshelf