What Summer School did we do today. Josh & Annette did a page of Daily Grams, a page from their Language Lesson for the Elementry Child. Josh, practiced his multiplication using Math-It and Times Tables the Fun Way! Math-It is great but sometimes we need the stories from Times Tables help, so by using a combo of Math-it & Times Table the Fun Way is working out great for Josh (& me)

Annette did two pages of her Singapore Word Problems book. She was figuring out the problems quicker than I. I was trying to keep one step ahead of her. We were sitting together. She almost got all the answers right the first time doing it all in her cute head. I had to use a pencil & paper. The only thing she had a problem with was writing out the problem. She could do it all in her mind but couldn't figure out how to put it on paper. Add, then subtract and add again type problems. Annette said that Math-It has helped her do her problems faster. Today she practiced her addit game & I introduced her to the Dubbit game. She really enjoys them. At first she would get frustrated but she doing better now ;)

Caleb & Brent did their schooling online today using Big Math Time & Lets Go Learn. I was supposed to have them do "The Reading Lesson" today but forgot . Maybe later.

I need to take the time to start Pre Math-it with Ethan. He is so ready to learn. Today he was making a fort with the Domino Bears and he said "They need reinforcements" I didn't even know he new that word, much less how to use it in a sentence. He surprises us a lot with his vocabulary. This week he is practicing the "c" sound. He colored a big cookie and I hung it up in the hallway. When we pass it I'll ask him what sound does this make?

In Him,

Linda<><

Email me at Homeschooling6[At]hotmail[Dot]com.

I found this earlier and I just had to share it.... it look crazy, but if it's real it's SO sweet!!!

http://video.aol.com/video-category/best-viral-videos/111064

Enjoy!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Patricia Hickman is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction, whose work has been praised by critics and readers alike.

Patricia Hickman began writing many years ago after an invitation to join a writer's critique group. It was headed up by best-selling author Dr. Gilbert Morris, a pioneer in Christian fiction who has written many best selling titles. The group eventually came to be called the "Nubbing Chits". All four members of the original "Chits" have gone on to become award-winning and best selling novelists (good fruit, Gil!).

Patty signed her first multi-book contract with Bethany House Publishers. After she wrote several novels "for the market", she assessed her writer's life and decided she would follow the leanings of her heart. She says, "It had to be God leading me into the next work which wound up being my first break-out book, Katrina's Wings. I had never read a southern mainstream novel, yet I knew that one lived in my head, begging to be brought out and developed." She wanted to create deeper stories that broke away from convention and formula. From her own journey in life, she created a world based upon her hometown in the 70's, including Earthly Vows and Whisper Town from the Millwood Hollow Series.

Patty and her husband, Randy, have planted two churches in North Carolina. Her husband pastors Family Christian Center, located in Huntersville. The Hickmans have three children, two on earth and one in heaven. Their daughter, Jessi, was involved in a fatal automobile accident in 2001. Through her writing and speaking, Patty seeks to offer help, hope and encouragement to those who walk the daily road of loss and grief.


ABOUT THE BOOK

In this story of sisterhood and unexpected paths, Gaylen Syler-Boatwright flees her unraveling marriage to take refuge in a mountain cottage owned by her deceased aunt. Burdened with looking after her adult sister, Delia, she is shocked to find a trail of family secrets hidden within her aunt’s odd collection of framed, painted dresses. With Delia, who attracts trouble as a daily occupation, Gaylen embarks on a road trip that throws the unlikely pair together on a journey to painful understanding and delightful revelations.

Steeped in Hickman’s trademark humor, her spare writing voice, and the bittersweet pathos of the South, Painted Dresses powerfully captures a woman’s desperate longing to uncover a hidden, broken life and discover the liberty of living authentically, even when the things exposed are shrouded in shame.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

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My Thoughts:

Painted Dresses is the story of sisterhood and friendships, love lost and relationships.  It is an unexpected love story that takes you through twists and turns you never saw coming.  To be honest, it was a bit hard for me to get into this book- the story line was solid, but there were so many minor characters, family members that would pop in for a scene or two, that it was hard for me to connect with them. 

I haven't read any of Patricia Hickman's other books but I do think that I will try to pick up another one from the library and see how it goes.  This one is a good read if you have some solid time to sit and ponder the story.  Not such an easy read but enjoyable all the same.

Enjoy!!

This is my first time doing Friday Show and Tell and I am excited about joining in.  I am going to show how I control the toys in our home.  This new system is only a month old in my home and it is working great.  We don't have a play room or family room so toys were stored wherever I could find a spot. We used to keep toys all over the place.  You had to walk all over to put things away.  It really wasn't working.  So I started exploring how others did it and discovered some people use a toy closet. We have a strange little area in our kitchen that really isn't big enough for a table and always seemed like wasted space.  I decided to turn it into our toy "closet". 

The new toy "closet".  We used our old computer cabinet and old tubs from the basement.

The inside of the old computer cabinet.  I managed to squeeze in all the toy tools, legos, play food, technics, brio track and trains, marbles and tubes, doll house furniture, playmobile, army men, puppets, and bey blades (spinning tops game).  I still need to finish labeling everything.

Along the floor is tubs of blocks, Lincoln Logs, musical instruments, figurines and the kids matchbox car mountain.   When they want something, they get the tub out and then bring it all back in the same tub when they are done.  So far they are doing a great job returning everything.

This is our table time cabinet (old china cabinet).  The kids can get anything our of here and play with it at the dining room table.  This part of the system has been around for a long time.  In here we have; Mr. Potato head, light bright, playdough, money play, puzzles, coloring books and sticker books, crayons, markers, pencils, and lots of small games or games one can play by oneself.

There are still some toys in the kids rooms.  However, those toys are supposed to stay in their rooms.  In their rooms are dolls, our rather large Fisher Price village, dress up and the My Little Pony collection.  We also have alot of games, family puzzles, and art supplies in two closets that the kids can not get into by themselves.  I am so pleased with how this new system is working.  It is about time my home does not look like a toy store all the time. 

To see more show and tell Friday entries, go to Canadagirl .

Blessings,

Dawn