Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween

Not necessarily Homeschool related but still fun.

We studied Pirates last month as Cameron decided he was going to be a pirate for Halloween.

This year we decided to not trick or treat but attended a local church alternative event.



Cameron used his extra tickets from the carnival games to get Nathan a tractor. The smile on Nathan's face was worth every thing tonight I was so proud of Cameron for sharing his hard earned tickets...

Monday, October 27, 2008

So I'm a little sentimental today.. Cameron is turning 6 in a week and I'm reflecting on the last 6 1/2 years (it was an eventful pregnancy)
His favorite song for me to sing him is Amazing Grace and I love the Chris Tomlin version.. I found an awesome video on You Tube with the song and cool pictures.. Hope you enjoy it..
Amazing Grace Video


Here is our First Family picture. Cameron was less than 24 hours old...



A favorite of mine... At Day out with Thomas in 2004.

Short notice but an awesome give away.

Photobucket

Stop by here to enter today!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Classroom reorganization

Mike and I reorganized the classroom last week while the boys were staying at Gamma's house.

Here are the results (I'm still tweaking as we settle into the new environment but that is half the fun of homeschooling)

Cameron at his Desk in the Classroom
Cameron at his Desk in the Classroom
Set up more Montessori Style with hands on learning activities
Set up more Montessori Style with hands on learning activities
the grey drawers moved from the other side of the room.
the grey drawers moved from the other side of the room.

Ancient Egypt Crafts

We are participating in an online co-op through Hands of  a Child, studying Ancient Egypt.
Here are some of Cameron's craft activities to go with the unit.
[caption id="attachment_116" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Ancient Pyramid using duplo blocks"]Ancient Pyramid using duplo blocks[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_117" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Eqyptian Necklace over Daddy's t-shirt "]Eqyptian Necklace over Daddy's t-shirt [/caption]

Monday, October 20, 2008

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to my husband.
6 years of marriage.
and
15 years ago we had our first date.
Time flies!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

BFS: M'mm M'mm Good



ntro: M’m M’m Good (Campbell’s Soup)
The fall is such a wonderful time of year.  The beautiful foliage and cool, crisp morning air is such a wonderful change from the hot summer.  I also love the M’m M’m good smell of fall cooking and baking.  The wonderful fall veggies, fruits and Thanksgiving foods.

Assignment:  Post your favorite fall recipe/recipes to share.  I love trying new recipes, do you?  It can be baking, main dishes, veggies, dessert or anything else you can think of.  There are no limits.  Mmmmmm..I can’t wait to take a look at some of those recipes.

This is a quick and easy recipe that is a standard around our house.

Chilli Ghetti:

1 Can of Chilli

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cooked pasta (spaghetti or large maccaroni)

This is a large serving (usually for my husband) or 3 small servings (me and the boys) so when we are all having it I double the recipe.

Place cooked pasta of large dinner plate top with chilli and cheese, place in microwave for 1 minute to melt the cheese. Serve.

I will post more recipes this week as I get some time..

A.C. Gilbert House/ Discovery Village Homeschool Day

Last month we attended the homeschool day at AC Gilbert House/ Discovery Village. We got our membership cards as well.  I am hoping to take the boys there through out the year for activities and classes.  Just thought I would share some of the photos from that day.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

We joined SASH on a field trip to Bauman Farms for a pumpkin patch trip to beat all. The whole family went and made day of it. We each got to pick a pumpkin, a gourd, and an Indian corn. There was a maze with 1 way out (down a tube slide), a play ground, a pirate ship with another huge tube slide, and lots of hay bale art. I won't post all the photos as I think I ended the day with about 50. Needless to say we had fun and it was great to meet some of the moms I have been chatting with online.

[caption id="attachment_101" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="SASH field trip to Bauman Farms"]SASH field trip to Bauman Farms[/caption]

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Sunday, October 12, 2008

Homeschool I.D., ideas, discounts and more

If you haven't found the Homeschool Buyers Co-op you need to check it out.

Many companie require an ID card to receive teacher discounts as well as the student discount, well HBC is the place to get yours. You can do the free card or purchase a professional looking laminated card. They also have tons of free virtual field trips, curriculum resources, group discounts , and links to tons of information.

If you follow our blog you know I am one for free or discounted homeschooling, Well HBC is one of the best places on the web for free homeschool stuff and great deals. Check them out!!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

BFS: Don't leave home without it.


Don’t Leave Home Without It! (Marketing Credit: American Express)


Memory Verse: Matthew 28: 20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.


Intro: Never Leave Home Without It (Marketing Credit:  American Express) Diapers, bottles, wipes, bibs, pacifiers, extra clothing, cell phone, PDA, ipod, iphone, credit or debit cards … what would you never leave home without?


Assignment: Well since we haven't graduated out of a diaper bag yet we don't leave home without that which includes the following:


Pull-ups


wipes


extra binky


small toy


sometimes a small snack


Mommy's wallet


Mommy's Notebook (the brains in this game)


On occassion we are running super fast and don't always grab it so both my van and Daddy's truck are supplied with pull ups, wipes, and jackets for both boys.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

BFS: Try it You'll Like it!


Intro: Try it, you’ll like it! (Life Cereal)
When everyone else was afraid to try Life Cereal, they called on Mikey. Sometimes stepping out of our comfort zone is just too scary. Have you felt God gently (or maybe not so gently) nudging you to do something for someone else? You know that it needs to be done, but you keep putting it off because it is outside of your comfort zone? Well ladies, this week we are taking a step outside of our comfort zones.

Assignment: This week I want you to do something for someone else. Do you have a neighbor that needs you? Do you know an elderly person or single mom that could use you? What about the homeless? Pack even one single sack lunch and give it to someone in need. Do you know someone in blogland that is struggling right now and could use a note from you about how much you care? Pray about this. Let God put on your heart the perfect thing for you to do for another. Now, here is the kicker…I DO NOT want you to post about what you do. Whatever you choose to do is between you and God. Our rewards are in heaven, not here on earth, Mathew 6:1. I want you to post about how doing this “act” made you feel. Was stepping out of your comfort zone in this area as hard as you thought it might be? Could you see the gratefulness in their eyes? Hear it in their voice? Tell it from their typing? Do you think you might make doing things like this a more regular part of your time?  If this is an area that you are already active in, tell us how you feel this has impacted your life.



I've been sitting on this post for a while now trying to decide what I wanted to write.  I have been trying to help a gentleman at church that recently lost his wife. Their story is one that gives hope to those of us that are younger married couples. C is 99 and I was 90 when she passed away on 9-11-08. They had been married for 72 years. He is devastated by the loss and is still coming to grips with it. However , he remains a strong part of our little country church. I know he doesn't want to feel pitied or for that matter doesn't want people to talk about his loss. So, I've been trying to make him feel that he is a crucial part of our little church. He hands out the bulletins from his pew. And the boys and I greet him with a smile. Today I offered to set him by the sound system so he could listen to the sermon on the head phones again, but he didn't want to feel like he was singled out. We talked at lunch and joked a little, it was a blessing to see a smile and hear a little chuckle from him today.  I pray that he will feel comfort in our time together today.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Writing without worksheets: a New way to teach old school

I'm sure I'm not the first mom to come up with this... I know that I'm not as I was able to buy the products to do it.

We are working on our printing skills and I hate worksheets, and so does Cameron. So we got a wipe off board with primary lines at Walmart (there is one from Expo, but our was a back to school clearance item). We have 5 lines and the board is magnetic so we can use magnet letters to spell words then practise writing them.

Cameron took to this so fast that we have been letting him come up with "new" words on his own.

The idea isn't new, actually the concept goes back to slate tablets in schools long ago. This is just more colorful and has more options.

I was amazed at the options when we went to Staples to use our rebate coupon for some misc. supplies. WOW, the wipe off board and markers idea has taken old in a huge way. They even sell one that has felt on the backside and comes with foam letters (I didn't ever think about foamie letters on felt... )

Anyway just had to share a bit of sucess in our homeschool with everyone... I'll try and post some pictures of Cameron and his write board (as he calls it) this afternoon.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

BFS: Wacky Week



Have you done something crazy in your homeschool?  Do you fingerpaint with your toes?  Do you let your children do your hair?  Do you wear your pajamas during homeschool?   Oh, the list is endless, but it’s up to you and how much fun you want to have..

Wackiness, let me think.... Does Homeschool at 9pm count. Cameron likes to play his phonics game at night and seems to absorb more this way...

What about laying on the floor? Nathan likes to lay on the floor and color....

Location..... Some find it a little crazy that our classroom is the laundry room... Personally I'm for whatever works... I've even thought of moving us out to the garage for space and flexibility and to get away from the TV in the living room......

So that is the Wackiness at Unionvale School, Care to join in the craziness?

BFS: It keeps going , and going, and going....



How do you keep energized so you can get it all done? bouncy music? treat it like a workout? Do you use a schedule?, a housekeeping binder system? luck of the draw system?.. or is this an area where you need encouragement? Do you need God’s help to keep order and beauty in your dwelling place? Take this week to tell us how You diligently keep going with your housekeeping chores.

Reading this one really got me thinking. I'll be perfectly honest... I suck at housekeeping! I do have a Mommy Notebook (Thanks to Cindy Rushton's awesome classes and ideas) that keeps us on schedule or at least in the right direction. I try to do things a little at a time.. When the sun is out I can hang the laundry and that seems to reenergize me. The other thing to keeps me going is turning up the radio/ stereo and refocusing. I have several CD's I refer to in times of overwhelming. I love Carmen's Prayer Anthem and Sandy Patty's Praise CD (the name escapes me right now.), I also have a draw toward movie scores, Narnia: Lion, Witch, and The Waredrobe is in my stereo today...  It isn't much but it seems to help...

So there you have it... Now I should go, I left the dishes half done again...



Hands of a Child All American Sale

if you haven't tried Lapbooking or you want a project ready study Hands of a Child has an awesome selection. We are currently working on our Ancient Egypt Study as part of the Hands of a Child Online Co-op and have already made plans for several more studies this year.

I received an awesome announcement from Hands of a Child today, in celebration of the election year they are having an ALL American Sale.

Here is a taste of the sale:
Presidential Election and SAVE!

Save $3 off each of the All American Lapbook Project Packs listed below.

NO coupon code needed just add the unit in the format (eBook, Printed or CD) you prefer to your cart and you will have saved between 25% and 15%.

And that’s just for the basic members.

If you are a Super Member you will have saved an additional 15% on top of that for any eBook purchases.

All American Units to Choose From:
· HOCPP 1254 Presidential Elections
· HOCPP 1032 American Government
· HOCPP 1105 September 11th, 2001
· HOCPP 1181 The American Civil War
· HOCPP 1061 The American Revolution
· HOCPP 1015 The Declaration of Independence
· HOCPP 1132 The United States Air Force
· HOCPP 1256 The United States Constitution
· HOCPP 1106 The United States Navy
· HOCPP 1238 U.S. Army: The Big Red One
· HOCPP 1104 Labor Day
· HOCPP 1149 Presidents’ Day
· HOCPP 1220 Presidents’ Day Fun

Stop by their site and check them out!