Sewing fever

I'm *really, really* wanting to sew. I really want to sew some aprons. They are quick, cute and don't take a lot of fabric. I've been looking at apron blogs and flickr groups for 3 days! I have about 3-4 apron patterns somewhere... I found one while cleaning Olivia room! YEAH, it is the one I really wanted to make. Saturday I ordered A is for Apron. I'm looking forward to getting it soon.

Here are some others I like. Simplicity 4282 view C,
Butterick See and Sew 5274 View A, Butterick Waverly 5263 View A, C. I really like the big pockets and full coverage of this vintage pattern. This one is a lot like it too.

I adore the looks of the aprons at Stitch Through Time, but I refuse to pay that much money! So I scouring the web looking for patterns that look similar. I think I've gotten close with most of them

Do you think that this Amish Canning Apron, looks like "Grandma's Apron" and/or "Violet's Apron"?

*************update**************
I found 2 more patterns I knew I had.
Kwik Sew 3396
And "Winnie"
I also found a free apron pattern pdf.

Now I'm on the hunt for fabric.

Olivia's Room

Olivia has wanted to rearrange her room ever since she moved in. Today's the day! So far we have the bed, nightstand & dresser moved, cleaned under the bed & hung up clothes in the closet rather than the floor.

Pictures coming soon.

We had a great Christmas!

Pictures to come soon!

Well now I can't find the pictures on the computer and Olivia isn't here to help me.gggrrr

Product Reviews

Check out my product reviews. HERE

Making it easier

Tonight is the Faithgirls Christmas party. One of the activities the girls will be doing is decorating cookies. I really didn't feel like making "homemade from scratch" cookies so I just got Betty Crocker Gingerbread cookie mix and a Sugar cookie mix. You know what, it made the whole process a lot easier, and kept the stress level down. Emilie, Olivia and Bella appreciated that!

I don't think the girls will have any less fun decorating and eating these "almost homemade" cookies.

For more Christmas ideas and recipes check out the Online Christmas Party.

It's Started!

The Online Christmas Party is a blog meme hosted by Melissa Telling of Lilliput Station Adventures. It is a way for homeschool bloggers all over the world to celebrate the Saviour's birth by sharing some Christmas spirit with our online friends. It is a place to gather new ideas, new recipes, and maybe a few new traditions. It is our way of making the season a little brighter for those we have never met, but still feel as if we know. This year's party runs from December 6th through December 19th.

Christmas School

Christmas School begins today!

We stop our regular curriculum during December and do a special Christmas study.

Check out these 3 Different Christmas unit studies. This year we are doing "Good Christian Men Rejoice" and reading The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry. I've not found any cool thingy to go with it, but will just be doing some worksheets I found online.

I've done Jesse Trees several times, the graphic with The Glorious Coming are so neat. This Jesse Tree devotional is free with "ornaments" for children to color. There are a lot of other free devotions and ornaments online.


Last year we did an Inductive Advent study.
The "sisters" read a Christmas Carol and did A Reading Record with it.
I *loved* the set up of the Reading Record. Isabella did this Christmas Lapbook last year, by Lilliput Station.

I'm a sucker for Christmas unit studies. I've got other Christmas studies this past weekend. One was A Christmas Adventure. I also bought Symbols of Christmas Lapbook, a couple years ago.
I have the Advent Calendar Lapbook but haven't used it yet. I've never met a Lilliput Station product that I've not liked.

Christmas just doesn't come around enough for me to use everything. I probably need to stop collecting Christmas studies now.

For more Christmas ideas to share with your family visit the On Line Christmas Party!

Menu

Turkey Roll Ups-chopped turkey, diced celery, onion, shredded cheese, dried cranberries, miracle whip-roll up in crescent roll dough, bake.
Beef Stew
Chicken soup-going to make this one up-I'm thinking white beans, chicken broth, diced chicken, green chilies, green enchilada sauce, onion, celery
Hamburgers
spaghetti
pizza
Jerk Chicken nachos

Happy Thanksgiving

Praise God from whom all blessing flow,
Praise Him creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye, heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Menu

oven chicken
eggs and bacon
pizza
Thanksgiving feast-Turkey, which I brined in a mixture of kosher salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, sage, sugar, and garlic.
Sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, corn, asapargus, rolls, cranberry/sausage stuffing, pumpkin pie, apple pie, eggnog, and citrus punch.
Leftovers

Menu and More

2nd grade Lesson plans for this week.
2nd grade Reading list for the year-this reading list has a great age and interest range, can be used from K-3. Reading the books aloud for the K-1 or the older students 2-3gr can read selected books themselves, while others are still read alouds. The Usborne's IL Children's First Encyclopedia includes experiments and websites for diagrams, worksheets, online games and puzzles.

Menu
coconut chicken
chicken and dumplings
taco soup
spaghetti
pizza

~Vet Day Parade~
Here we come!


Here we are! Bella is on this 4H Clover Kids float.


Emilie and Olivia on on this TEACH float. Emilie is on the other side so you can't see her. Lindy is in the cab.


The rest of the TEACH float. We won 1st place for a non-profit group.




~My birthday pie~

A Psalm by Olivia

Menu and More

Mac and Cheese

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Hamburger Potato pie

Chicken Fajhtias

Pizza

Week 10 Lesson plan Some may be wondering why I'm only doing 1 and 2 weeks at a time. I'm doing this so I can have flexability in our schedule, exspecially in math. Also I tend to add books at the last minute. I suppose once I've completed the whole year I can go back and make it one file.

Things Change

The first item to change is my age, today is my birthday. No big plans for today, except very minimal school for Emilie and Olivia. Bella's lessons don’t take long and I will be able to really focus on her today. My mother and gramma are coming up from Austin, not for my birthday, that is just a nice coincidence.

Tomorrow the girls are in the Veteran's Day parade, on 2 different floats. We will be going out to eat lunch with mom and gramma and the girls.

The trees are starting to change and the smell of fall is in the air. I love autumn, it is my favorite season. The girls have been spending more time outside this week, which is nice since we had nearly nonstop rain for 2 weeks. We did school outside yesterday.

Emilie and Olivia went to the Powerhouse Wednesday with a friend. They all loved it. Live youth band, lots of friendly nice kids. The girls didn’t feel excluded, but excepted. The knots of kids, enlarged, (they stepped back to make room for others) not turning their backs to keep others out. They enjoyed the lesson, Emilie really likes to have a good lesson. I’m thinking about letting them go once a month. I don’t feel it is right to abandon our church, but I do want them to have spiritual growth, feel a part of a group, witness other youth living for God, & witness youth’s authentic worship.

Bella told me this week, that this year in school is “really good, better than last year.” So I must be doing something right! When I asked her what she likes best, she listed everything except math, and she isn’t to fond of Language Arts.

After 8 weeks of LLATL with the “sisters”, we dropped it. None of us liked it, very little grammar work, not much creative writing. So I started back the Language Arts in our unit study- Learning Adventures. I know it was a “God Thing” that we started it back when we did, because when I opened it up, it was the beginning a whole new unit on newspaper writing. That coordinates with their literature section- reading a biography on Ben Franklin. The Fine Arts lessons are about cartooning. Both the girls love to draw and both are really good at manga, so that has been enjoyable for them.

This week we started reading the New Testament on a 90 day plan. Not sure if we will finish in 90 days but we are working on this. Emilie has read a lot of the NT herself, but not front to back all the way through. I’m excitied about this.

Weekly Menu & activities

grilled chicken sandwiches

chili or soup- something with hamburger

super baked potatoes, salad, leftovers

chicken spaghetti

pizza

Wednesday-AWANA

Thursday-TEACH (homeschool support group)

Friday-My birthday

Saturday- girls in Vet. Day parade.

2nd grade lesson plans

Bella's week 8 ( this week, 10/26-10/30) and week 9 (next week, 11/2-11/6).

The big girls won't have school on Novemeber 6, it's a holiday for us. Mom's birthday!

School Week

Click to see Bella's Lesson plans for the past week. And here are our plans for this week (10/19-10/23)

~Sisters~

10/12-10/16

Bible-AWANA, Missionaries

Literature-Calico Captive

Grammar-LLATL-dictation, creative writing

Math

History-New Jersey, N & S Carolina, Pirates, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies ch. 44, This Country of Ours Ch 38, timeline

Science-Test unit 2, Start unit 3, 4 experiments

Home Economics-Apple Crisp

I'm seriously thinking about adding MuGuffey readers.

Menu

~Menu ~

Beef Stew

Poppy Seed Chicken

Grilled Chicken

Tacos

Spaghetti

Pizza

What is Faithgirls?

Here are our Faithgirls lessons for the next couple months.

So what is Faithgirls?

I've been doing "Keepers" with my girls and off & on with other families for about 7+ years. I introduced our pastor's wife to Keepers of the Faith, last summer when they first moved here.
After spending a couple hours in my home looking at the vast curriculum choices available to homeschools, she ditched Abeka and pretty much ordered the whole Keepers catalog (along with Doorposts materials)! LOL.

Anyway, she loves the KAH concept and introduced it to the Ladies Ministry at church, asking if they would support it to train the girls in ministries. They agreed and I'm the director.

We meet just twice a month. We do AWANA on Wednesdays, and since most of the the girls go to PS I figured we'd get low attendance and/or uncompleted projects if we met to often. I also wanted them to do projects and "homework" at home between meetings. Part of their homework is baking for a ministry weather for their own family or different ministries at church.

I call the club, "Faith Girls" first because our church is Faith Baptist Church.

Right now we are learning to Bake. My girls have been baking for years, but all the girls voted for Baking. For the Bible/Spiritual lesson we are doing the Missionary lapbook from Hands of a Child.

After we finish with the lapbook, we will use the Polished Cornerstones from Doorposts for character/Bible lessons. I coordinated the character trait/chapters of the PC book with the KOF badges. I'll see if I can get that in a pdf soon.

just catching up

I've got some more simple lapbook templets here, here and here.

Menu this week:

BBQ chicken

Chuckwagon Soup

Roast beef sandwiches

jerk chicken nachos

pizza

We had a Faithgirls meeting last night. We had fun. Faithgirls is what we call the Keepers At Home program at our church. We are doing a baking unit, and studying Missionaries.

We made apple crisp last night and worked on our Missionary lapbook.

Tonight is AWANA.

Girls have had a wonderful attitude with school this year. It has been nice. I'm not always good, patient and kind.

Notebooking Freebie

I made a new notebooking sheet for Marquette, Jolliet, and LaSalle's explorations.

Free lapbook templets

I made some super simple blank lapbook templets. I have some more on another computer that I'll load at Scribd sometime.

Fall weather menu

Chili

Chicken & dumplings

Ham and green beans

Corn Chowder

Fajihtas

pizza

Was it worth it?

My review for The Well Planned Day homeschool/family planner.

Well, it is attractive. I like the monthly articles, I like that it is dated and includes a month at a glance calendar with the daily Bible reading at the beginning of each month. I like the weekly quotes, and catechism. I liked that it is spiral bound. And that is about all I like. Everything I could and have make on my own.

I didn’t like the shopping lists included in the planner. For one thing they are way to small. I also don’t like to mix my school stuff with my household stuff. My biggest complaint is the lack of space to write lessons plans. There is no way that more than 2 students’ work can be written in the space provided. I ended up making Bella’s planner separate. Also the space for “English” is way to small for even one student, since “English” is suppose to cover- reading/literature, spelling/vocabulary, grammar and writing. Now how all that is supposed to fit in a small box is beyond me especially for more than 1 student.

So it is not something I will purchase again ever. And the only reason I’m probably still using it after 4 weeks is because I paid $20 for it. I just hope I don’t get fed up with it and end up not using it in a few weeks, which would be a waste of money all together.

Learning at Home 9/21-9/25

Bella~

Bible-AWANA Matthew 6:9-13

Character-Hero Tales-Tyndale

History/Social Studies-Middle Ages, Industrial Revolution, Modern Times, People Around the World, John Oglethorpe

Science-Rainforest, Oceans, Waves, Currents, Coast

Math-word problems

Reading-Besty and Tacy

Literature-poems, James Harriot Bonny's Big Day & Only One Woof, fiction/non-fiction

Grammar-capital I, copywork

Spelling-Lesson 4; Explode the Code book 5

Free Reading- Clarice Bean, The Swan Princess

~The Sisters~

Bible-AWANA

Literature-Finished Amos Fortune, started Calico Captive

Grammar-Dictation, topic sentence, paragraph,

Math

History-Baroque Art, Charles I & Cromwell

Science-review and test

Home Economics-clean house, entertain guests

Free Reading-Emilie-Sister of the Bride, Olivia-Warriors Into the Wild

Another week of learning

Time sure is flying!

~Bella school week~

AWANA

History/Geography-Virginia notebook sheets, World timeline overveiw, Egypt, Rome

Science-Reading and notebooking about Volcanoes, Rivers, Mountains, Deserts, Grasslands

Math- counting by 5 and story problems

Reading- finished The Boxcar Children

Spelling-100% & Explode the Code book 5

LLATL- rhymes, opposites, copywork

Literature-Poems, rhymes, copywork

~Sisters school week~

Emilie said 2 sections in Journey (HS AWANA) and 1.5 sections in T&T

LLATL-The Eagle dictation, similies

Literature-Amos Fortune, Free Man-excellent book

History-Virginia state sheets, Native Americans, John Eliot-missionary to the Native Americans, Read Story of the Thirteen Colonies chapters 2 and 3, Time Line states studied so far-Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine.

Reading-Emilie read Alice in Wonderland Olivia is reading Harry Potter

Science-study questions, chapter summary worksheets

Olivia and Bella got a hair cut. Super Cute!

Started school

We started school last Monday. Our first week went very well.

Bella really enjoyed learning, and this week I'm adding more for her. I went back looking at all I have and found SL core C (which was K years ago when I used it with Emilie and Olivia.)I have most of the read alouds and the History/Geography books. Bella is way above the readers listed, so I'm going to have her read some of the "read alouds" as readers. They are all grade 3 and above reading level. She is reading Children's Encyclopedia IL for science and joining the "sisters" for Apologia General Science. She is doing Rod and Staff Spelling, Explode the Code 5, Learning Language Arts Through Literature (LLATL) Red book,and Math U See classic Foundations.

Sisters-
Learning Adventures- Literature,Grammar, Fine Arts
Truthquest History-American History, Government/Civics
LLATL-Tan book
Apologia General Science
Practical Arithmetic
Latin-we hope to add Latin this year
Nature Journals-we hope to do this year too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Menus
Grilled pork chops
Jerk Chicken Nachos
Mexican pasta shells
Red beans and Rice
Pizza

Happenin's

Our friends Temple and Hannah will be coming over this afternoon for a visit. It seems like it has been weeks since we have seen them. I think Hannah will be spending the night.

My mom has been with my gramma all week. My gramma had a knee replacement a couple weeks ago and is just getting worn out trying to take care of her husband as well as herself. She just can't do it. So my mother is helping them get him placed and settled in an assisted living center, just down the street from gramma's house. It is a really nice place. My gramma isn't ready to move into an assisted living center yet, she doesn't need as much care as her husband. It has been hard for all of them.

"The Grammas" and I are going to see a movie together Friday morning, "Julia & Julie".

Now onto a vent- a minor one. For the last 2-3 years back to school one subject notebooks have been 10 cents each, or $1 for a case. This year the price has jumped 150% to 25 cents for the same notebook. I know 25 cents isn't much, but an increase of 150% is outrageous! I'm glad I bought like 6 cases last year!

Speaking of back to school, we are practicing getting up early. None of us are morning people. I want to be, but it is hard! My plan is to use these 2 weeks before school starts to get into a habit of getting up for 7, getting the girls up by 7:30 and starting school by 8:30-9:00.

We have lots of activities going on this year. I pray that I don't burn out.

I got "The Well Planned Day" planner. I like it good enough. I don't think I'll purchase it again next year unless I end up liking more as I use it more. The price is pretty high, and I bet I'll still use my homemade sheets to some extent.

~~~~~~~~~~Menu~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taco Salad

Pork Chops

Chicken

Fish

Pizza

Menu and More

Beef Noodle casserole

Spicy Chicken Strips

Taco Salad

Grilled Chicken

Pizza

Last night was Bella's first Clover Kids Club, a 4H for younger children. My good friend Kay is the leader. This month they learned about recycling, they are to collect metal for a month then next month we will take the metal to a metal recycling center for a field trip. The owners are also a homeschooling family from our group. The meeting went well, and I think the kids all had a good time.

Church blog site

Check out our new church blog.
Faith Baptist Church

WOW!

It sure has been a long time since I've blogged. I'll have to get some pictures up soon.

We had a great time in Illinois with my family. The girls had a good time getting to know their yankee cousins.

The girls and I also had fun visiting our friends in Wisconsin, at the Bristol, Ren Faire.

Next week is VBS. Call me a heathen, but I'm not really looking forward to it.

My friend Cassidy is up here visiting her family, but we havn't gotten together yet. I hope to see her before she has to return to Florida.

I ordered a few homeschool items~
Science, Apologia General Science
History, Truthquest Age of Revolution I (US/Europe, 1600-1800) .
Math book-Practical Arithmetic- Keepers of the Faith

Olivia, Bella, and I are taking ballet class on Saturdays. The girls are enjoying it, and are pretty good. I'd doing it for the exercise.

Starting to plan? Nah, not yet!

I've always made my own planning sheets, and enjoyed it. But after getting like 20 emails about The Well Planned Day planner, I took a look at it. It is very pretty, which is a big thing for me if I'm going to use it. Each month's pages are decorated differently with monthly articles included, PLUS

. A Class Planner: Schedule each student's class assignments.

. Weekly Schedule: Organize your week with class assignments, weekly priorities, prayer requests, dinner menu, and notes.

. Semester Time Schedule: Track each day by the hour.

. Month at a Glance: Plan field trips, enrichment activities and books to read

. Semester Attendance & Progress Reports

. Transcript Evaluation Forms

. Menu Planning: Plan weekly meals and conveniently shop with perforated shopping lists.

. Family Worship & Prayer: Read through the Bible in a year and record prayer request weekly.

Sounds really good, I liked the samples. I bought it. I've never had a "real" planner like this, I hope it is actually useful.

PS for my DH, I got it on sale!

Weekly Menu

Spicy chicken strips
Roasted Chicken
hamburgers
mac and cheese
chicken nachos
pizza

This past week June 22-27

hhmm, it seems like I must be doing something since I've not been blogging much, but in all honesty
I've not done anything exciting or even remotely interesting.

Monday-Mom's Bible Study
Tuesday- Magic Springs- got rained out- girls only got to float down a "lazy river" once- this was a big waste of gas money
Wednesday- Bible Study
Thursday-Library, visited gramma, got shoes for Emilie, Faith Ladies Supper
Friday-Started 24 hours of prayer at church my hour was from 4-5
Saturday- grocery shopping, Alabaster Box concert at Church, kick off to Revival
Sunday (28)- Revival, potluck dinner

This week's plan

Monday-Mom's Bible Study
Tuesday- Library and visit with gramma
Wednesday-evening church
Thursday-Magic Springs
Friday-
Saturday-sale at Mardel

Even though I didn't win the "Biggest Loser" contest with my friends. I have lost some weight. Mom and I are working on this together. I was doing a strict eating program, but that didn't last. So now I eat anything, but much smaller portions, with more veggies and some fruits. I have increased my walking, I walked 5 times last week and have already walked and showered this morning before 9 am. WHOO-HOO for me! I'm also going to start circuit training with Lindy.

Olivia and Bella are going to start Ballet lessons in July. Olivia has also expressed an interest in cake decorating lessons. I could show her the simple fundamentals but she would rather go to a class.

I want to do some Letterboxing, I'm sure the girls would really like it. I got out the Bocce ball set I bought 2 years ago and never opened. Seems like a fun family game we need to learn together.

Olivia has been coughing for 2 weeks now, she is about to hack a lung up any time now. I'm thinking it is allergies.

Weekly Menu

Lemon Pepper Chicken
Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches
coconut chicken strips
some sort of mexican dish
pizza

Summer School?

We have finished up with Into a New Land- The Beginnings of America. Except for a few Fine Arts lessons. We will work on those randomly through the summer.

I had planned to do a unit study on The Secret Garden, and I still want to, but not a real intense deep study. Something fun. Math we continue all summer.

We are gong to get season passes to Magic Springs/Crystal Falls in Hot Springs Arkansas for the summer, instead of our usual Galveston Trip. A couple good concerts are scheduled too. The girls of course want to see Barlow Girl, and Lindy wants to see Three Dog Night.

A trip to Illinois is planned for July. Hoping we get to see everyone and everything we want.

Recent Happenings-New Hair!

I love Olivia's new hair! It makes me want to get my hair cut too!







Sweet side


wild, spice side. It's so HER, sweet and spicy.

Recent Happenings-More Birthday Pictures

Recent Happenings-Bella's Birthday

Just a bunch of Birthday pictures.

Recent Happenings- AWANA Awards

May 27, was AWANA Awards.

Emilie received her second year service pin for being a LIT- Leader in Training.

Olivia earned the Third Book Award- which our church renamed the Barnabas Award. Cause Third Book Award is a boring name.

Bella earned her Sparky Second Book ribbon.  

We are very proud of their hard work.

Recent Happenings-Ladies Tea

May 17- Faith Ladies Tea

A wonderful tradition at my church, each May there is a different theme with decorations, food, door prizes and some sort of "costume/craft".  This year the theme was Aprons and being a service to others.  I suggested the Apron theme. We all wore aprons, and ladies could share a story  about a special apron.  Emilie, Bella and I wore aprons my mother made for us, Olivia wore the apron I made for her.  I was asked to read an Apron story.  I combined 2 different stories.  Here it is.

"The principle use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material. But, along with that it served the homemaker and her family is so many ways.

 As a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, wiping runny noses, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.  The pockets seemed bottomless when filled with clothes pins while  hanging clothes on the clothes line.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. And, from the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. It served to wipe hands and jars during canning time.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. Those aprons were also ideal hiding places for shy children.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. 

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and then men knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner.

When the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

Those old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

In today’s world you would go crazy trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don’t think I ever caught anything from an apron, but love.

Today, aprons are making a come-back. It will be a long time before someone invents anything that can replace that “old-time apron.” They served so many purposes.  What kind of apron will you wear and what kind of love will it bring to the hearts of others?"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Olivia and Bella

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Emilie and Olivia~~~

         Gramma and Mom

The girls and I were very happy that the "grandmas" could come.

Kaitlyn and Olivia with their cookbooks

Each place card was a different apron. Very Cute! Each table was a different color theme, pink, yellow, blue, green, orange.  

Homeschool Pioneer needs Prayer!

Jessica Hulcy has just been in a traffic accident; she was broadsided 
 by a fire truck. She is alive but badly hurt, in critical condition but
stable. Her lungs are collapsed. She has no broken bones. There is some brain 
 trauma but nothing to operate on. She is unconscious. Back in the most 
 challenging days of home schooling there were few options for 
curriculum. Abeka, BJU or write your own. Two neighbors wrote their 
 own and developed one of the first widely used curriculums written for 
home education... vs a classroom.

Jessica Hulcy, author of KONOS and national speaker... and friend of 
Texas home school families... Please keep her, the family and doctors 
in your prayers...
Her husband's name is Wade.

Workboxes

I made a loose outline of 3 lists, Must Haves, Want to Have, and Fun.
If I do a fun box after each harder box I'd end up with way more boxes than 12. Again I don't have the book yet.

My Must Haves include
Bible/AWANA
Literature
Math
History
Latin
Science (Apologia General)
Writing/Grammar
Spelling for Olivia
Computer/Technology
Audio Literature

I thought I could alternate History and Science, doing History 3 days a week and Science 2 days a week, but I don't think Science would get finished. We also notebook or lapbook these two subjects in addition to reading, so that would add another box for each.

Want to Have
Nature Journal
Art
Music appreciation (they do not have formal music lessons at this point, but Olivia is trying to teach herself to play guitar)
Enrichment Reading
PE
Homemaking/Handicraft- TOD-KAH (Training our Daughters to be Keepers At Home) and/or Polished Cornerstones
iPod-Listening to selected short messages- Joyce Meyer Radio, Grammar Girl, Learn French podcast, Faith Comes by Hearing Daily Proverbs and Psalms, Your Story Hour ( not all of these daily of course)


Fun
Mad Libs
iPod- Free, music or story
email
computer game
Geo-Safari
exercise/train dog
I suppose that tramp jumping & bike riding (PE) can also be on the Fun list.

Workboxes Holycow!

I read about this whole "workbox" concept a couple months ago and loved this idea. I had no idea it exploded over at FIAR, where have I been?! I read the whole thread at the FIAR boards today( all 37 pages, I need an award). SO now I just have to do this.

Like *many* of you I don't have room to have 3 sets of boxes. Today I found "File Jacket" packs of 10 for $5. I bought 3 packs.
I plan on using the file jackets for Emilie and Olivia in a plastic file box. Isabella, I think will like the whole box set up. I have room for one shelf/box unit under the big calendar poster.

I haven't gotten the book yet, it is on my wish list. I should be able to buy it next month.

Want to see what others are doing with workboxes? Check out this google search.

Bella's birthday!

Pictures to come!

hatching an egg?

About 2 weeks ago the girls found a little blue egg that had gotten blown out of a nest. Bella and Olivia decided to try to hatch the thing in a basket with old socks and washclothes. Do I have to tell it the out come?

It didn't hatch, but today while Olivia was cleaning her room, it cracked and I tell you it was a powerful stink!!

We opened the windows and turned on the attic fan, thank goodness it didn't last too long!

Olivia has had a fascination with eggs. As a preschooler she made a nest with her special blanket and sat on a chicken egg from the refrigerator.

Learning at Home

Emilie and Olivia ( the "Sisters")
AWANA
Math
Read Battlefield of the Mind
Read Mary of Plymouth
History-French and Indian War, Colonial homes, Massachusetts state notebook, Timeline figures
Science- Science Scribe-Tornado, Funnel cloud
Technology- computer research skills,
Life Skills

Bella-
AWANA
Read- Town Mouse, Country Mouse by Aesop (Milo Winter)
Copywork
Math
Life Skills

Weekly Menu

Hamburgers
Pork chops
Grilled Chicken
Korean Beef Tips
Pizza

Happy Mother's Day

Kitchen Detective

No self respecting homemaker wants to admit that her house stinks. It reflects badly on her cleaning skills. But I've got to be honest, something in my kitchen stinks! I cleaned out the refrigerator, took out all the old leftovers and wiped it all out. I cleaned the trash can over the weekend. There are no dirty dishes in the sink, yet the kitchen smells like rotten chicken or rotten potatoes yet, I went through the potato bin last night and didn’t find any nasty potatoes. So I’m still on the hunt...wish me luck.

Weekly Menu

BBQ Chicken
Tacos
Spaghetti
Pork Chops
Pizza

Happy Week

Home Learning

Emilie is reading 1984 by George Orwell. Olivia wants to read Animal Farm. But it's not in our library, so we will have to get it from Texarkana.

The "sisters" are working on Learning Adventures- A New World of Adventure.
History- Charles II, King Phillips War, Read Mary Of Plymouth, Read The Story of the Thirteen Colonies Chapters XXXVI, XXXVII
Science- Weather Advisory notebooking page, Fahrenheit notebook page
Literature- Little Pilgrim's Progress
Math
Grammar, Spelling, Journal
Battlefield of the Mind for Kids
Technology-computer research skills

Bella-
Reading- Frog and Toad
Math
Copywork
Poetry memorization
She is working on chores now.

I made our own chore packs. I like the concept of the Chore Packs but there is no way I'm going to pay for a book and chore cards, when I can make them myself. I wanted to find a way to get the girls to do their routine on their own rather than me nagging them. The "sisters" don't want to wear them, but I really want them to give it a good try for at least a week then I may tweak it a bit.

Years ago I bought (and later sold) one of their other books I found it to be very "institutional", law heavy and not flexible. I prefer routine rather then a strict minute by minute time table schedule.
I don't necessarily like their stuff. I think it can lead people into bondage to a clock, living to the letter of the law/schedule rather then being lead by the Holy Spirit.

BINGO!

INTERESTING QUOTE FROM THE YEAR 1944


Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 - December 19,1968) was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1911. As a candidate for President of the U.S. , Norman Thomas said, in a 1944 epoch speech:

"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of "liberalism", they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened."

He went on to say: "I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform."

Aprons

This is mine. I used a Kwik-Sew pattern #KS3396. I was able to add to the width of the bib. I think I did a good job. The design of the fabric really helped in hiding the seams.


This is Olivia's apron. It is a flat front "bistro" type apron. I made it up myself. The pocket and hem are trimmed with a black leather like grommet strip.

The fabric is black with cute pink, white, and lime green skulls with bows, and hearts.



I like this one too. It is available at Candle On the Hill.

Sewing and Menus

I made Olivia a new apron today. It is cute.

I cut mine out, I'm disappointed.
I love the fabic, and I love the style, but the bib is to narrow, my boobs hang out the sides. I should have really tried to alter it before I cut it out I guess.

I'm thinking I can add extra width to the bib, it would look almost like "princess" seams. The bib curves to the apron/"skirt" part. So not real sure how that will work.

~Menu~
Breakfast Night
Beef Roll Ups
Roasted Chicken
Jerk Nachos
Pizza

Weekly Menu- April 20-24

Chicken Fried Rice
Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Chicken Cacciatore
Hamburgers
Pizza

Routine and Tomatoes

Let's review my routine

Up by 7-check
1. Make Bed-check
2. Personal Care- dressed, teeth, no makeup yet
3. Coffee & Quiet Time-check
4. Breakfast and Devotions with Girls- breakfast
5. Start a load of Laundry-check

I've also got supper in the crock-pot

Now I just have to get the girls up and moving and starting school on time.

I'm reading Raising Godly Tomatoes and loving it! My timer went off so I can't comment too much right now, so go check it out right now @ Raising Godly Tomatoes

Morning Routine-How did I do?

How did I do?

My goal is to get up at 7am and wake the girls at 7:30.- Well I had a bad night, couldn't sleep until nearly 2am. I woke up at 7 but didn't get out of bed until 7:20. I had coffee and quite time. I started on the girls at 7:50. Bella got up first about 8, followed by Olivia at 8:15ish and Emilie, just now got up at 8:35. So right off the bat I can feel myself getting mad.

1. Make Bed- done
2. Personal Care- dressed is as far as I've gotten
3. Coffee & Quiet Time-done
4. Breakfast and Devotions with Girls- breakfast
5. Start a load of Laundry-done

PLUS I have supper in the crockpot already. We are going to be doing errands today. They don't know it yet but they will also have to do school today.

Happy Sunday

Morning Routine

Morning Routine! That sort of strikes fear in my heart. I’m a “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of gal, but ironically I also like my rut. Since I’m a rut lover one would think that I would have some sort of routine. I guess really I do but it isn’t working and I haven’t changed it.

So on to a new mind set! Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

A simple Morning Routine is a list of 5, and only 5, things that you plan to do each morning.
1. Make Bed
2. Personal Care
3. Coffee & Quiet Time
4. Breakfast and Devotions with Girls
5. Start a load of Laundry

See that is simple! It is sort of what I do now but I don’t get an early enough start. So my goal is to get up at 7am and wake the girls at 7:30.

Praying for my family

I pray this for my husband and my girls daily. It sums up just about everything.

Colossians 1:9-12
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

American Freedom

"A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." ~Thomas Jefferson

"Freedom means self-expression and the secret of freedom is courage. No man ever remains free who acquiesces in what he knows to be wrong." ~Unknown to me

"God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it." ~ Daniel Webster

"If you expect people to be ignorant and free you expect what never was and never will be." ~Thomas Jefferson

"Where men cannot freely covery their thoughts to one another, no other liberty is secure." ~William Hocking

The Clothesline

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the "fancy sheets"
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths"
With intricate designs.

The line announced a baby's birth
From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.

It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way . . .

But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!

~author unknown

I really like to hang our clothes. Not only does it save money, the clothes smell sweet, and just feel fresh. Want to share your clothesline pictures?

Happy Easter

Homeschool Share Blast Contest!

Click for Blast 2009 Guidelines

A Special Day!

Today 14 years ago the Lord blessed us with a miracle!



¸.•*¨ ¨`*•.¸And she grew and she grew and she grew!¸.•*¨ ¨`*•.¸



I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living,
My baby you'll be!

`•.¸¸.•´¯`•._.•´Happy Birthday!`•.¸¸.•´¯`•._.•´

Living & Learning

Emilie and Olivia
AWANA
Little Pilgrims Progress
Spelling
Grammar
Writing
copywork
History-Fur Trade notebook sheet, Native American notebook
Science- weather chart, cloud project
Fine Arts- Bach research
Technology- Computer research skills, Creative design (building blogs, websites, recording own podcasts, using special effects and features)
Math
Free reading, writing
Life Skills- laundry, cleaning bathroom & bedroom, cooking


Bella
AWANA
Reading-Bread and Jam for Frances, My Favorite Seasons, Beady Bear
copywork
Spelling
Math
Fine Arts- Bach
Technology- computer skills
Free reading, writing
Life Skills- laundry, cleaning bathroom & bedroom, cooking