Dec. 9, 2009 - Brimful
We got snow this week, which was a nice surprise so early in the season. I like living in a place where the snow melts not too terribly long after it lands. With warmer temperatures today, the snow melted into rivulets and rushing streams between the three ponds, and when my daughters ventured out to feed the poultry this morning, they were surprised and delighted to find the third pond full to the brim for the first time!
Hubby's runoff system is working excellently, as you can see.
Here is the third pond:
Compare to a picture of the pond before the snowstorm:
That's a lot of runoff!
It carved rivulets into the soft ground around the pond:
Here is the water rushing toward the third pond (that's our neighbor's horse shed in the distance):
Here's the water rushing around the third pond's dam.
And we flow "gently down the stream" through the low-lying area between Pond 3 and Pond 2...
...at the end of which the water rushes into Pond 2...
...which, as you can see, is also brimful.
The water rushes out of Pond 2 here...
...where it joins with the runoff that streams from the neighbor's property to ours.
It flows behind the dam...
...and through the pipes under the driveway...
...into Pond 1.
Pond 1's runoff system is also working beautifully. The overflow runs in channels around either side of the dam.
Here it comes!
It joins with the overflow from the pipe hubby installed in the dam here...
...and flows into the neighbor's woods as it always has from time immemorial. Well, as it did before hubby built the ponds, anyway.
Works like a charm!
December 4, 2009 - All About Spelling!
Here is what the All About Spelling website says about their program:
Why All About Spelling Works
All About Spelling is an excellent program if you are just beginning to teach your child spelling, or if your child needs remedial help. Here’s why it works:
These techniques have long been used by Orton-Gillingham practitioners, and now they are available to home educators and tutors through the All About Spelling program. All About Spelling combines the very best of the Orton-Gillingham approach with the latest research and proven spelling rules. And best of all, the scripted lesson plans are very clear and easy for you to follow.
This program has helped thousands of kids learn how to spell. And with our one-year learning guarantee, you can be confident in placing your order.
http://www.all-about-spelling.com/
We received the All About Spelling Program Levels One and Two which included both the Student Materials and Teacher Materials, as well as the Phonogram Cards for each level, the Phonogram CD and the Magnetic Letter Tiles to use and review.
As soon as I looked at the materials, I smiled. This program is very similar to the way that I taught all three of my students to spell. It is a very natural way to learn spelling and it is a fun way to learn as well.
To some extent I figured out that this way worked for us on my own. I wish that I had had these lovely scripted Teacher's books waaaay back then. A decade ago, I didn't know anything about this Spelling Program, but I knew what methods would work (former teacher here!) and began to structure our spelling lessons accordingly. All of my kids spell well, by the way and none of them hated spelling or stressed out about weekly tests.
I really like this program, although the levels we received were below my kids spelling levels right now, some of it was good review for my 5th Grader and we had fun looking through it. The prices are resonable, the materials are colorful and professional looking and the activity ideas and teaching tips are great. You can find a price listing here: http://www.all-about-spelling.com/spelling-products.html
Although we received the products mentioned about in order to review them, no other compensation was received and I am not affliated with All About Spelling!
Hope you find this information helpful - feel free to email me if you have any questions, or leave me a comment here and I will get right back to you :)
Have a Creative Week - Merit K
Dec. 1, 2009 - Time Capsule: Sneak Peak
In one month from today we get to open our time capsule. I can't believe it has already been 10 years! When I packed it up, I had 4 kids under 5. The kids can't wait. I didn't let them see what I put in it, and they are convinced that they will find some of their long lost toys in there. It is only a big shoebox, so there is not much in there. I know of a few things, and honestly, it isn't all that exciting, but I am sure I can't remember everything I put in there! We have carried the box around with us through 4 different moves. If I had know I would be blogging about it, I would have made it look prettier. If you have not done a time capsule, now is a good time! If your kids will be out of the house in 10 years, it will be a good time to bring them all home for the event. We will be making another one this January, to be opened in 2020! My youngest will almost be 18! So stay tuned, on January 1, 2010 we will open the time capsule! Here is the ugly thing unopened and dusty. I covered our last name with the bookmark.
Nov. 30, 2009 - Happy Anniversary
Yesterday was our 17th wedding anniversary! We had a wonderful time of Christmas shopping and going out to dinner. That's what you do when you get married on Thanksgiving weekend. :) Here we are at our wedding reception back in November, 1992 in Oregon:
One of the stores we went to yesterday was Costco, "just to see what toys they have". It was almost closing time, so we didn't have much time, but we found this cute thing:
It is an advent calendar. Each of the houses have numbered little doors that open. Even the top of the chimney and the little trees have doors. I am supposed to fill them with surprises. Some of the kids' ideas are candy, money, or Lego people. I better hurry!
Here is the front door open, number 13. We usually just buy the $1 one with the awful chocolate. This will be much more fun. It is just made of styrofoam poster board stuff, but if we are careful, it will last for years. It was only $15! We placed it on our piano. I'll probably change it a bit. The red glass doesn't go. :)
Nov. 26, 2009 - Happy Thanksgiving!
I got the idea from my friend Daisy , though I should have thought of it myself. Thanks, Daisy :)
I'm thankful for....
~ Jesus & being forgiven
~ my husband
~ my family
~ children still at home
~ homeschooling
~ cool weather
~ the holidays
~ friends
~ hot tea
~ our home
~ plenty of food
~ dark chocolate
~ popcorn
~ our church
~ my camera
~ my bed
~ good health
~ our books
~ our computer
~ laughing children
~ camping
~ the beach
~ the mountains
~ the giant trees
~ Thanksgiving at my house
~ and that I don't have to kill then pluck the feathers off the turkey like the woman in the picture is about to go do.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
November 21, 2009 - Exercise + Math + Fun = Gymathtics!
Exploramania is the Company created by Carrie Scheiner (aka- Miss Carrie on the DVD) Carrie has a really inspirational story about how she decided to start her own company and how she overcame a disability to make the DVD which you can read in detail here if you would like: https://www.exploramania.com/TheStory.aspx
Miss Carrie’s story can inspire us to do some of things that we have only dreamed about, and her Gymathtics DVD will inspire your young children toward becoming, and staying strong and healthy.
In addition to helping in our quest to stay healthy by finding ways to make exercise a fun activity for our kids, scientific research shows that physical activity actually has a positive affect on our thinking skills. Once you know that, exercise and Math seems like the perfect combination.
We had a lot of fun with this even though the music was not the style my kids prefer - I thought the bouncy music was a little repetative too, but the workout was enjoyable and we can always wait until later to " rock out"! It was not a really hard workout and it was a neat way to start our day.
The simple exercises and simple math concepts keep the exercise program from being overwhelming to young children and yet keep some of the older ones interested as well. Oddly enough, my son had just asked for a definition of perpendicular lines and she covered it in the video! The Math concepts weren't deep, but I do think that the video effectively reviews some math skills, and gives active kids with active minds a a fun way to review.
If you are interested in adding some more exercise into your daily routine, this 30 minute routine would be a great and inexpensive way to do it and rev up your mind at the same time!
Gymathics is available here for only $24.99 along with some other cute products that follow along that same philosophy of bringing education and healthy activities together in a fun and creative way!
The Gymathics Video that was sent to my family by Exploracise was received in exchange for my review and opinion on this educational product and no other compensation was received - they are not even paying for my ibuprofen!.
Merit K
You will probably look as happy as me after you get in some comfy sweats and exercise with Miss Carrie!
Nov. 20, 2009 - 10 years old!
We had another birthday today! B is 10 years old! Here are a few pictures of my cutie pie.
Brand new. How 'bout that hair!:
8 months:
3 years old, camping in Yosemite:
Age 3 years:
6 years old:
7 years old:
Ten years old! Getting a Build a Bear puppy whom he named Dusty:
November 16, 2009 - Free Language Learning Resources for Home Educators!
I just received this from Catherine Fortin - she has been a real resource for Language teachers and Home Educators and she offers classes as well:
(see link for details on her classes: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/NorthCarolina/744124/ )
My colleague Diane Farrug & I are starting up an exciting resource for homeschooling parents: a free e-newsletter full of free ideas, activities, and printables supported by clear "how to teach" tips for parents.
We realize that what we do, teaching a foreign language takes so much training and experience, and we want to give this to homeschool parents. We also include free videos on how to teach and how to do specific lessons and activities. The days of giving children a Spanish or French handout and not really knowing what to do with it to maximize it are over. We're here to help.
Here is the link to the sign up for the free homeschool e-newsletter:
http://foreignlanguagefun.com/2009/11/free-nativity-mini-book-in-french-and-spanish-for-homeschoolers/
Catherine F Fortin
http://foreignlanguagehouse.com
This looks Great 
- Go Sign up!!!! Merit K 
Nov. 16, 2009 - Baptized!
Our youngest got baptized today! She is 7 years old, and she decided to follow Jesus in August. Almost right away she asked about being baptized all on her own. So when our church announced the first baptism day since then, we signed her up. She went to a class to make sure she understood that it wasn't being baptized that saves you, only Jesus can do that. But it is an outward symbol of becoming a Christian, and obedience to God. So here are a couple of pictures.
Going down....
Coming up, a new beginning!
November 15, 2009 - Craft Ideas that Remind Us to Be Thankful!
This is a time of year when as a family, we focus on the virtue of Thankfulness. We have been studying American History this year and how even though the colonists suffered greatly in this land they had travel to, they remembered to give thanks to the Lord for the things that they did have- especially their freedoms!
One of the ways that we have always loved to use to help us remember to be grateful, particularly at this time of year, is to make a "Thanksgiving Tree".
I haven't done it this year, since the kids are a little older now, but I used to make a "tree" with branches out of a pattern and some brown construction paper and cut out "leaves" from colorful paper similar to the ones here:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/leaf/leaftemplate.shtml
An easy way to do lots of these leaves is to print them on the computer. You can buy colored paper for the printer. Then have your little ones work on some small motor skills by cutting them out with you.
We put the Tree on the wall with "sticky tack" and then every day, the kids would write something that they were thankful for on a leaf and we put the leaf on or around the tree. When they were small, I made this part of their handwriting practice.
Here is a site that has a craft idea for a really cute Thanksgiving Tree using "handprints" from your kids instead of my leaf idea:
http://www.familycorner.com/archives/familytime/2.shtml
Another clever way to make a "Thankful Tree" is with branches or trimmings from your yard and a bucket or large plastic butter tub. You will need plaster of paris for this tree. Mix the Plaster of Paris according to directions and then fill the butter tub with it. Place the branches into the tub and let the plaster harden (about 1-2 hours) You might need to hold them up for a little bit until they stay upright on their own :0 )
Once this is fully hardened, cover the butter tub with colorful tissue paper or burlap fabric so that it looks "Fallish"
Then attach the leaves by punching a hole in each one and tying them to the tree with a ribbon, yarn or raffia.
The fun thing about the plaster of paris tree is that you can change the covering on the butter tub for lots of different occaisions and make it a Christmas tree or a candy tree, an Easter Tree (you are getting the idea)... so it makes a nice decoration and learning tool in the future seasons as well, depending on what creative ideas you come up with for using it!
Have a creative week full of Thanksgiving!
(and try not to be a turkey)
Merit K
