Posted in Ponderings

We sign the papers in 19 days! I am so not ready to move. We (as in me) have been packing up like crazy, or at least until my asthma kicks in. So much dust under stuff.

Most of our furniture is going. I think the only things we are keeping is our bed, a couple of book shelves, two huge computer desks and two dressers. Oh and the fridge is coming with us too. We are getting new stuff when we move in. The place is smaller than we have now, so we need smaller stuff so it will fit.

No schooling has been getting done. Unless you count sorting and purging school. LOL. Lots of Matt's toys need to go. He has way to much stuff. I donated a ton of books and clothes already.

I need to finish my bedroom (hardest room I think so far). Kitchen will be last, or nearly last. I have to get some bubble wrap and pack up all the breakables. Pots and pans will be packed away the night before we move out. I plan on eating off of paper products for the last week or so. I know not very earth friendly, but I need to pack up my dishes.

I have been grabbing boxes from work every night and searching Craigslist for more. Love that place for the most part. So much to do and so little time to do it in.

Chat with you all later. Need to get back to packing.

Posted in Nature Study

Last Thursday, Matt and I had to be out of the house for a few hours because that was when the house was being inspected. So we decided to take a trip to the Stone Zoo which is like 15 minutes away from our house.  We have been studying birds in science recently, so I figured this would be the best time to hit the zoo.

The day we went was beautiful out. Nice and sunny, not to hot (was in the low 70's). Here are a few pictures that we (or Matt) took. These are of the birds we saw. We do have other pictures but they are not of birds.

Posted in Ponderings

After much back and forth between us and the potential home buyer, we have decided on a final price. Talk about a pain in the arce! I never want to move again. And to think, now I have to go buy a house, so I am on the other end of this whole thing. Grrr. But anyway:

Posted in Nature Study

Last Thursday was our first Nature Study Group of the new school year. We met at Breakheart (one of our favorite places) to do a scavenger hunt. We were to find the signs of fall. Here are some of the things found by Matt from his list. Pictures take by Matt as well.

Posted in School Year Stuff

Well, our first week went well. Matt so far is enjoying it. He just wishes we could skip having him read. he hates to read.

Science is good so far. We are working our way through Lesson 1 in the Zoo 1 book. We learned a lot about the classification system for animals. So confusing LOL. We also began to learn about flight and air pressure. We did an little experiment that showed us how air pressure works. When you blow into the straw, the water from the cup comes out the other straw and gets you wet (well me hehe).


Saturday was the warehouse sale at CBD. I went the night before and grabbed the SOTW volume 3 activity book for 7.00. Nothing wrong with it that I can tell, so no idea why it was in the bargain bins. I also grabbed a couple of fiction books for Matt and one for me.

Well, I need to go make lunch for the boys (Hubby is working in the basement today). Moreto come next week.

Posted in Ponderings

Posted in School Year Stuff

Tomorrow (yes I know it is Labor Day) marks the start of our new school year. I have all the books together. All the planning is done. Our school/computer room is almost organized.

My plan is to do weekly posts on the weekends of what we did during the week and such, but we will see. When it gets closer to the holidays, I get busy at work, so not much time for much else other than school and work life it seems.

The school room is looking good. I have three bookshelves filled with books, school supplies and computer stuff. I hung a white board in front of one (on nails so I can take it down to get behind it), a bulletin board in front of another (again I can take it down). On the third I hung a pocket calendar. This way Mat can remember the Months/Days of the Week and see what activities are coming up.

On our bulletin board, I have posted our "100th Day of School" chart. It is simply a  piece of cardstock with the heading on it. The plan is to have Matt put on sticker for every day he is in "school" on the board. When we hit the 100th day, we will have a little celebration as most of the school year has gone by.

There is also an incentive chart for reading. One sticker for every 30 min a day of reading. Trying to get him to read period let alone for pleasure is torture. Matt simply hates to read. When he fills up one chart, he gets a prize or he can save the charts up for a trip to the arcade or Chuck E Cheese.

I am also planning to have a  weekly Nature theme. I have most of the fall planned out already. A post of this will come shortly.

Well, I am off to get ready for Matt's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. I can't believe he is 9 already! Man how time flies.

Posted in Ponderings

After 15 months (gosh has it been that long?), our house is now under contract. I know this still does not mean anything until we pass the keys over to the new home owners, but I still have to back and get ready.

So my question is this: How do you homeschool while moving?

I know of many that will hold off until they are settled into the new place, but hubby (and son) don't want that, Matt want to start now (but I am not quite ready yet LOL). Hubby says to do our work in the morning (we always seem to do only 3-4 hours of work a day as it is) as Matt is up early (like 6am early). I am so not a morning person, but I haven't been sleeping much do to the stress of this whole thing so that could work.

Then the rest of the day (well until 3pm when I start to get ready for work and dinner), will be left up to packing. We have until October 5th to pack up and move and yes we have a TON of "stuff". I know I will be going through and tossing tons while packing. We are down sizing (from a 2 story house to a 2 bedroom trailer) so it needs to get done anyway.

Hubby said that we can pack the school room last (well the computers and current school stuff will be packed last and into my car as they will be the first things out and set up). I have a few ideas running through my head on what I can do, but would love some ideas as well.

Posted in School Year Planning Ideas

Boy, have I been busy this past year. Between work and homeschooling, I haven't wanted to do much else. I have been working on planning our next homeschool year however. Working at CBD makes it so much easier I think. LOL. I ordered my books a few months ago to beat the rush of orders and risk not getting something in time.

Here is what we have planned:

Posted in Ponderings

Last Thursday was take your child to work day here at CBD. Seeing how I work the evening shift, I was unsure if any kids would be going, but there were four others besides Matt. Three were his age, two boys and a girl. Matt hung out with the boys for most of the night.

When we got to work, there was a gift bag for Matt that had a sports bottle, some snacks, and a ton of office supplies. Matt got excited to see the post it notes. No clue why though. LOL The conference room off of the customer service area (where I work) was full of toys, and coloring books and crayons as well as movies for the kids. All stuff we sell. Each of the kids were given a headset so they could listen in on some of our phone calls. We made sure that they could only hear you and that you could not hear the kids. hehe

So, here are a few pictures of our night.

Posted in Ponderings

A few weeks ago I switched from the normal wild bird seed mix I normally buy (which the birds go hog wild over), to just plain black sunflower seeds. I have noticed that hardly any of our birds have been coming by, but our seed would be gone every night. We thought that we just happened to miss the birds, but I think our cat Gracie has been keeping the birds away as she now likes to "bird watch" right under the feeders.

So, yesterday, was a lousy day. Gray and damp and just a blah day. I happened to be looking out the window at the feeders as I saw a male and female cardinal. They they flew away suddenly. Knowing that the cat was in the house sleeping, this is the little visitor that we got.

Posted in Ponderings

Yesterday was our monthly Nature Study group. This time it was close to our house, so we were able to go. We went on a Nature Scavenger Hunt, or well, we were suppose to. It was in the 60's (warm for us in MA this time of year) so we took advantage of it.

We were at Breakheart and did the inner route, which is almost 2 miles. Most of the kids ran it, while groups of us moms were scattered all over. Matt, who usually runs all over, was walking either behind me or next to me. He was in one of his anti-social moods again. It took me a bit to get him to actually move near the kids. I have no idea what is up with him recently.

When the group was over, Matt and I headed home, with a stop at the grocery store for Diet Coke and Milk (the staples LOL). Matt was playing outside enjoying the warmth of the day. I was on the computer playing a game with my hubby, when Matt came in upset. I couldn't tell at first, but Steve could. Matt came in the room crying (gosh my hearing must be getting bad if I did not hear him crying).

When we asked him what was wrong, I expected him to say that the neighborhood kids were being mean again (hmmm maybe that is why Matt has been anti-social recently), but instead he said that Titan, or neighbors dog, bit him. This is the second time this dog bit him. The first time Matt provoked it by teasing him while he was on the lead. He would get just out of Titans reach and then run in closer and then back out. Titan ended up getting him once then.

But this time, Titan got out ofthe house and, from what Matt said, just came after him. Bit him in the thigh and scratched up his arm. The neighbors daughter got ahold of the dog and put him back in the house. Matt does have a bunch of superficial scratches on his arm, but the bit on his thigh looked gross and you could see some puncture wounds. I cleaned him the best I could (alcohol wipes and first aid ointment) then brought him to the Dr's office, where they cleaned him up even more and then bandaged him up.

To look at the bite now, it looks like nothing, but yesterday, it was gross. Right now it looks like a nasty purple bruise (which it probably is) with a few marks in it. It probably wasn't too bad of a bite, but dog's mouths are nasty and full of germs.

Well, today is suppse to be in the 70's and Matt and I will take advantage of this warmth as well.

Posted in Website of the Week

I love e-books! It helps with the environment and you don't have to wait weeks for it to be delivered to your house or waste fuel to go out and pick one up. So, here are some great ones for Spring time. There are all types of e-books from lapbooks (my favorites) to copywork and activity books.



Spring Idea Book
Spring Activities
Spring & Summer - Cut & Create
Simply Spring
Spring Notebooking & coloring pages
Poem in my Pocket - Spring
Spring Lapbook with study guide
Storybook activites for Spring
Spring into gardening Unit Study
May Day Lapbook
Here Comes Peter Cottontail Lapbook
In the Garden - Flowers & Insects Lapbook
Gardens Unit Study

Posted in Ponderings

I can not believe that it has been nearly 3 MONTHS since my last posting. Yes, I have been busy between home and work. I never seem to have enough time for anything.

I'll be working on updating my blog theme and adding in the spring books we are reading as well as a few other updates to this blog. It really needs a big overhaul.

Last week, my husband and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has been that long. Like every year, we celebrated by going to the place where we had our first date. The carnival that comes to the town next to us every year. We took Matt and he probably had more fun then us as he rode the rides and played games. My husband and I just walked around holding hands watching Matt have fun. I did get to have my fried dough though. LOL. I must find a recipe and learn to make it for myself.

Well, I must get some lunch in me and Matt. I have only had a few Cheez-It's since walking up this morning and my belly is so mad at me atm. LOL

Posted in Lapbooks

In the Hands of a Child

Kit Pack               Sale Announcement         January 12, 2009 Dear Valued Customers, Due to the new CPSIA law In the Hands of a Child, for the time being, is discounting our Kit Pack inventory in order to lessen our possible loss in the event that an exemption is not granted.   While we are still praying for this situation to work out for all small businesses we feel that it is in our best interest to lessen our possible loss.  And what better way than to pass the savings on to you, our wonderful customers, who are praying with us through this difficult situation!!   Please help us clear our shelves and enjoy a 35% savings on all Kit Packs!!  Savings will be automatic!  Spread the word and help us empty the shelves!!   This sale will continue until our Kit Pack inventory has been exhausted, so purchases will be on a first-come-first-served basis.    Once they are gone, they are gone!    In the event the law is modified, In the Hands of a Child reserves the right to bring back Kit Packs in the future at full price without any discount, implied or expressed, during this sale.    Cannot be combined with any other offer, special, discount, coupon or sale. Super Member discount DOES NOT apply to this sale. Tax and Shipping not included in calculating discount price.  Not valid toward prior purchases.  No rainchecks.   DO YOU HAVE A BLOG?  YOU CAN RECEIVE A FREE KIT PACK!   Help us spread the word by posting the above notice on your blog.  Then place an order for at least 1 Kit Pack, email us the link to your blog where the notice is posted along with your order number and your choice of Kit Pack and we’ll add it to your order.            How easy is that?*   *Please note customer is responsible for shipping costs for free Kit Pack, shipping will be combined with original order if email is received same day as order is placed notifying us of blog posting.

Posted in Ponderings

Well, the cold in the house made its way to me. The last part of last week, I was feeling yucky. So it looks like school will start up tomorrow, after Matt's Dr's appointment.

On Monday, my dad had a stroke. He is doing well and I spoke with him on the phone the day after it happened. He has had many strokes before, so for me this is not a big deal. It only will become a big deal if it totally disables him. He was cracking jokes so I knew all was well. Here is my dad a few years ago. He is a lot thinner now (he has terminal cancer).

Posted in Science

This weeks freebie from Currclick is a Galaxie Lapbook by Hands of a Child! Grab it before next Wednesday!

Check out these other Space related Lapbooks at Currclick.

Advanced Astronomy Lapbook by Hands of a Child
The Moon Lapbook by Hands of a Child
The Sun Lapbook by Hands of a Child

Exploring Creation with Astronomy ~ Lessons 1-6 by Knowledge Box Central
Exploring Creation with Astronomy ~ Lessons 7-14 by Knowledge Box Central
Astronomy Lapbook by Knowledge Box Central

Matt and I are using the Exploring Creation with Astronomy Lapbooks while studying Astronomy. We will post pictures (near the end of the school year) when we are finished. It is going to be one big lapbook!

Posted in Ponderings

Well, today was our first day back after nearly a month break. It was so nice to take December off. Between being crazy at work and lots going on with selling the house (lots of lookers but no bites), I needed to take December off from school. Matt enjoyed it that is for sure. Lots of video games. LOL. Also lots of one on one time with his dad, who is on layoff every winter.

Today started out slow. Both of us were tired (I was up until nearly 2am LOL). I showed Matt what I had planned (I showed him my list of subjects from my planner) and told him he could pick what he would like to do first. I was thinking he was going to pick History or Science first, but nope, he picked English. LOL.

We get done with our lesson (or nearly, he had to write three sentences but ran to the bathroom instead). For the past week, my hubby, has had a cold. Well, it seems that now Matt has it. He is running a low grade fever and just feels like crap. I was in the kitchen laminating my husbands hunter and bow hunter education cards, when he sent Matt to bed.

So, I head up to Matt's room and curl up with him on his bed. I told him that we will hold off on lessons until he is feeling better (god I love homeschooling). He said ok and then asked if I could read him the Tale of Despereaux. I bought the hardcover version at work for $3.75! I told Matt before that once we are done reading the book, we will go see the movie. So, now that he is feeling yucky, we have the perfect curling up with a book opportunity.

Time to hit the bank and deposit my little check. Then after lunch, it will be mumma and Matt reading time. I fully expect him to fall asleep while I am reading it, but that is ok.

Posted in Holidays

Here is Matt and his monkey in their jammies.

Posted in Geography

Matt has asked to learn about the United States. For some time now I have been getting the "Which Way USA?" activity books from Highlights. They have been a bit older for him, but I decided we can do them together. I also bought a book to add a little literature to our study. So here is what we are using:

Simply Stated by Katie Campbell

State Unit Studies by Beverly Hernandez from About.com

Which Way USA? by Highlights Books

 

Simply Stated says to study one state a week and to finish up in a little over a year. I am stretching this out to last two years. Some states we will do more on, others less on. This books is full of fiction and non-fiction books all bout each state or just stories based in the state. Most can be found at your local library.

I am also not doing in it order according to the order the states came to be states. I put in a jar a list of all the activity books we had, and I let Matt pick out 4 states at a time. I don't want to do a state without having the activity book to go along with it.

These are the states Matt pulled out ofthe jar:

California, North Carolina, Idaho, Arizona.

In addition to learning the basic facts and landmarks to each state as well as reading a few selected books from Simply stated, we are also cooking up a recipe using a food that each state is known for. Idaho will be easy hehe.

So stay tuned each weekend to learn about what we did the previous week(s) for our state. First up, California!