I Choose Joy

Jul. 1, 2009 - Bargains Rock

I want to share a great website/blog with you all.  It's called Bargains Rock and is run by a good friend of mine.  She gives all kinds of bargains every day.  I signed up to receive them as an email to make it more handy.  Enjoy!
www.bargainsrock.com

By the way, right now my 8 yo is holding my 9 month-old up to a map and saying, "There's Kentucky, there's the Bahamas, there's Cuba."  So cute!

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Jun. 23, 2009 - Wow--a month!

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted.  We have had a whirl-wind and very fun summer already.  I'll give a little update here and post more with pictures later.  We just got back in town, and I have a mountain of laundry and 132 emails!  I've already vacuumed and gotten the bread made this morning.  The kids are happily playing in the basement at present.

The fun started on May 22 when my husband took the two older boys (ages 7 and 8) on a camping trip to Michigan.  A week later my mom, sister, nephew, and niece from California visited for 12 days.  We had a ball going to Old World Wisconsin, Kohl Children's Museum, Brookfield Zoo, and just hanging out around the house and backyard.  My mom and sister so kindly babysat so that my husband and I could attend the Illinois Christian Home Educator's convention for two days.  It was wonderful, as usual.

A few days after they left we set off on our vacation to Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.  Here are some of the highlights:
--2655 miles traveled (with 8 people in an 8-passenger vehicle!)
--11 states visited
--stayed at 7 different hotels/ bed and breakfasts
--stayed 3 days at a working dairy farm
--ate dinner at an Amish family's house
--saw where the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were written and signed
--visited Gettysburg
--went to the Crayola Factory
--took a ferry (from Cape May, NJ to Lewes, DE)
--played at the beach (Rehoboth, DE)
--saw a few sights (too few) in Washington D.C.
--rode the Metro train there (thankfully the Lord protected us)
--went to a zoo and an aviary
--saw pandas!

--the boys went to the International Spy Museum
--drove through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley

more later. . .

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May. 22, 2009 - Pictures




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May. 22, 2009 - Quilting

One of my hobbies is quilting, but I really haven't been able to do much!  And I've never even actually "quilted" anything.  As preparation for our Pennsylvania trip I had the older kids try to piece a small quilt together.  Here are some pictures. 




Two of the kids did "nine-patch."



My oldest wanted to do a "crazy quilt."


When I graduated from college (in 1995) I started this quilt sampler.  I doesn't have any filling or a back on it yet.  It's all sewed by hand.


Here are two quilts I made for my sons.  The first is a solid fabric that looks like a pieced-together quilt.  I just sewed the top to a solid blue bottom with the filling inside.  I tied red embroidery floss to keep it together.


This one was much more difficult to make.  Each square was sewed by machine to its backing with the filling inside.  Then all the squares were sewed together and I cut the extra seam allowance as fringe.

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May. 22, 2009 - This year's garden

We have finally gotten almost everything planted in our garden for this year.  My husband added a new area, so we'll now have 3 separate small gardens.  One has tomatoes, corn, and peppers.  The second has (or will have as soon as I can get out there this evening to plant) pumpkins, butternut squash, and zucchini.  The last garden has peas, sugar snap peas, cucumber, cilantro, and three kinds of lettuce.  We've done some work to keep Peter and cousin Benjamin (bunnies) away.  I hope it works!  I love walking to the backyard to get fixings for a salad!

We started seedlings inside this year:


And I also need to plant some flowers!

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May. 20, 2009 - Missionary Stories With the Millers



We just finished reading (again) a wonderful book called "Missionary Stories With the Millers" by Mildred A. Martin.  I heartily recommend it!  It's a collection of stories of some of the most amazing God-fearing missionaries around the world.  The stories are exciting even for boys! (My 8 yo would say, "Could you please read the next one, too, Mom?"  We read a chapter of this book every morning during our morning Bible Time.  And I have to tell you--I cried at almost every story!  I love how each story begins with a map so we could locate where the event took place.  Here are some of the missionaries featured:  Jim Elliot, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, and Amy Carmichael.  There are 29 stories in all.

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May. 20, 2009 - Win a Free Apologia Notebook

I haven't started doing "formal" science work with my kids yet.  (Instead, we do nature study/journaling and unit studies on topics that we're interested in.)  But, when we do switch to a textbook, Apologia will be the company! 

I am also excited about the elementary textbooks that Jeannie Fulbright has written.  We'll probably start these when my oldest is 10.  She has also written some notebooking/lapbooking materials to go along with the textbooks.  And she's giving away 8 copies!  See info about it below.

Apologia is now producing notebooking journals that accompany each of the elementary science books. Both Botany and Astronomy are now available. You can see samples on the Apologia website here:   www.apologia.com

These journals are beautiful spiral bound notebooks that will save you time and money. You won't have to print and keep up with your child's notebook pages, buy and maintain page protectors, or purchase and compile binders...everything that makes notebooking time-consuming and labor intensive for mom. Also, your child will adore having their own notebooking journal. 

Each of the notebooking journals include:
  • A daily schedule for those who like to have a plan or would like their children to complete the book on their own
  • Templates for written narrations, the notebooking activities and experiments
  • Review Questions
  • Scripture Copywork, with both print and cursive practice 
  • Reading lists and additional activities, projects, experiments for each lesson
  • An appendix with beautiful, full-color, lapbook-style Miniature Books
  • Field Trip Sheets to keep a record field trips
  • A Final Review with fifty questions the students can answer either orally or in writing to show off all they remember and know at the end of the course.
See the sample pages here:


 and 


Jeannie is giving away four Astronomy Notebooking Journals and four Botany Notebooking Journals to bloggers who post about this on their site. Visit her blog to learn more about this contest: www.jeanniesjournal.com 

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May. 16, 2009 - Other chores

Here are the other chores that my children are doing now:

After Lunch
8 yo boy:  Take out kitchen trash, put dishes in dishwasher
7 yo boy:  Rinse dishes, wipe table
5 yo girl:  Clear off table
4 yo girl:  Wipe chairs

Afternoon (before Daddy comes home)
8 yo boy:  Straighten up family room, Sweep kitchen/dining area floor
7 yo boy:  Pick up things off kitchen floor, Set table for dinner, Put clothes in washer
5 yo girl:  Straighten up parlor and backyard
4 yo girl:  Straighten up laundry room and backyard

After Dinner
8 yo boy:  Wipe counters and stove, put dishes in dishwasher
7 yo boy:  Wipe table, Rinse dishes
5 yo girl:  Clear off table
4 yo girl:  Wipe chairs

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May. 14, 2009 - ChorePacks

We finally started using ChorePacks this week--and so far, so good!  (See Titus2.com).  I have had and have been using the book "Managers of Their Chores" for several years, but never got to the point where I actually made the ChorePacks.  I felt like I had to do it perfectly--printed on the computer, laminated, etc.  That put a block in it.  So, this weekend I just cut out some cardstock the right size and wrote out their chores in marker!  Here is what each child is assigned for their morning chores (after breakfast):

8 yo boy: Take vitamin, Put away dishes in cabinets, Handwriting, Brush teeth, Practice violin

7 yo boy:  Put dishes on counter (from dishwasher), Take vitamin, Practice violin, Brush Teeth, Handwriting

5 yo girl:  Take vitamin, Brush teeth, Clear off table, Handwriting

4 yo girl:  Take vitamin, Brush teeth, Put away silverware

I love this system.  It is so organized.  The kids wear their ChorePacks (so they'll see what they are supposed to do next and won't start playing) and move the card to the back when finished.  If they are unable to do a certain chore (because someone else is brushing their teeth, for example), they move it behind the next card and will see it again to know to do it.  I don't have to keep on them anymore making sure that they have done everything.  Here's my part, though.  I have to thoroughly train them so they know exactly how to do the chore.  And I have to inspect.  ("Don't expect what you don't inspect.")  To remind me to do this, I have them clip their ChorePacks onto me after they are finished.  That way I will remember to inspect the chores and know what I'm supposed to inspect!

It will also make adding more chores easier later on.  We'll probably get some more ChorePacks for their "after lunch chores" and for "afternoon" chores.  The system also makes it very easy to add things that only have to be done once a week or once a month.  So, eventually we will be quite organized and clean around here!  (I hope!)


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May. 8, 2009 - Collections

This morning we were talking about collections that people have.  I asked the kids what they collect.  B said "baseball cards", and J said "rocks".  I asked them what I collect (answer is "walruses"), and my daughter said, "Kids!"

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May. 7, 2009 - Pennsylvania Unit Study

We are going to Pennsylvania for a vacation this summer!  I am so amazed at all the wonderful places we will be able to visit.  There is so much history there (and you know I love history!).  The only negative is that we won't be able to do it all!

Below is our plan for a wonderful unit study to prepare us for our trip.  My 8 yo will be doing a notebook.  The 7 yo and 5 yo will be doing lapbooks.  I got a lot of ideas for our study by simply reading through some travel guides as I was trying to decide what to visit while there.  There is also a free lapbook here and some neat pages here, as well as lots of free stuff all over the internet.  I also have some notebooking pages that I have received free over the past few years.

Day 1--Pennsylvania overview:  Read "K is For Keystone" by Kane (see sidebar); draw cities and major areas on a Pennsylvania map; pages on the motto, state tree, bird, seal, etc.

Day 2--The Amish:  Read "What Makes Me Amish?" by George, "Amish Horses" by Ammon (his books are wonderful), and "The World of Amish Quilts" by Pellman; do page on comparing cars to buggies; look at quilts (Picturing America) ; hex designs--see some on internet; make shoo-fly pie; sew a nine-patch or crazy quilt square

Day 3--William Penn/ Quakers:  read "William Penn" by Walsh and do page on Penn

Day 4--Milton Hershey:  read "Milton Hershey: Chocolate King, Town Builder" by Simon and write page on Milton Hershey, look at Hershey website, make S'Mores

Day 5--John Audubon:  Look at his book "Birds of America" (miniature copy found at library), see poster in Picturing America, draw birds, and listen to bird sounds (have on my iPod)

Day 6--Mary Cassatt: read "Mary Cassatt" by Mattern, look at her works (Picturing America) and write a page

Day 7--Louisa May Alcott and Stephen Foster:  read "Louisa May Alcott" by Ditchfield and "Lives and Times: Stephen Foster" by Pancella , listen to CD "The Stories of Foster and Sousa", finish listening to "Little Women" on CD, listen to and sing some of Stephen Foster's songs (have on my iPod), write pages on Alcott and Foster

Day 8--Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence:  read "The Declaration of Independence" by Landau, do copywork of parts of the Declaration

Day 9--Constitutional Congress/ Constitution of the U.S.:  do copywork of the Preamble, study the Bill of Rights, watch "A More Perfect Union" on DVD (see sidebar)

Day 10--Daniel Boone:  read "Who Was Daniel Boone?" by Kramer and do page, act out scenes from his life

Day 11--Ben Franklin:  Read "Ben and Me", look at copy of Poor Richard's Almanack, do pages about him and his inventions, copywork of his maxims, study statue of him (Picturing America)

Day 12--Frank Lloyd Wright/ Fallingwater:  read "The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: Understanding the Concepts of Parallel and Perpendicular" by Levy,  study picture of Fallingwater (Picturing America), do some drawings/ pretend to be an architect

Day 13--Civil War/ Battle of Gettysburg/ Gettysburg Address:  read "The Battle of Gettysburg: Would You Lead the Fight?" by Landau and "The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary" by Fleming, study photo of Lincoln (Picturing America), finish reading Lincoln biography  by Benge, copywork of the Gettysburg Address, say the Gettysburg address as a speech

Day 14--Revolutionary War/ Crossing of Delaware/ Valley Forge:  do some activities from "The Revolutionary War Book of Games and Puzzles", study painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware (Picturing America)

Day 15--Betsy Ross:  read "Betsy Ross: A Flag for a New Nation" by Cox, study the history of the U. S. flag; link it to Fort McHenry/ read "Fort McHenry" by Maynard, Star-Spangled Banner/ read about it in "The Star-Spangled Banner: The Making of an American Icon" by Taylor and sing it, and Francis Scott Key/ listen to story about him on iPod

Now, we just have to finish this study before my mom, sister, nephew, and niece come to visit at the end of May!

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May. 7, 2009 - Contest at Homeschool Share

 Photobucket


There is a great contest at Homeschool Share right now.  If you like to write unit studies, lapbooks, etc., check it out--there are some wonderful prizes.  (And if you don't like to write those things, then check out the website anyway, because they offer everything for free!)

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May. 6, 2009 - Learning Something New

This morning at breakfast my daughter said, "Why do you have your face like that so much?"  I knew what her answer would be, but I said, "Like what?"  She then made a very ugly frown.  Conviction!

I realized as I reflected on it throughout the day that I "choose not to have joy" at times so that people (like my children) will really understand how unhappy I am and change or so that others (like my husband) will know how hard what I am doing really is!  If I smile, he might think it's easy!  But I think that if I really will choose to be joyful (smile instead of frown, for example), that either that will make them change or at least I will.  I tried it.  It helps!

I know that the joy of the Lord is my strength, and I really need strength!   And the verse in Psalm 113 has really been coming back into my mind also:  "He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children.  Praise the LORD."  Yes, I will praise the Lord and choose to be joyful!

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May. 3, 2009 - Viking lapbook

In our history study, we have made it up to the Viking age.  We did a lapbook last week on vikings.  We read a lot of library books, including the Magic Tree House book "Viking Ships at Sunrise" and a much more advanced (and more enjoyable!) book called "Rolf and the Viking Bow."  My sons have also done some neat drawings of vikings and ships. 

I like to create our own lapbooks and will be doing that for our next one (check back to see what it is!), but this one was completely from a Hands of a Child project pack.  (See here.)

Below  are some pictures.  I love the cover designed by my 7 yo son.  It says "No Horns".  We learned that vikings didn't have horns on their helmets!



Timeline of events, clothing, vocabulary, family life, weapons,sagas, societal classes

Ships, trade, language, kennings, maps

Sorry the picture is turned--I can't figure out how to fix it.
My saga (written by my 8 yo son), famous vikings, religion, and burial




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May. 3, 2009 - Crazy Costumes

Sometimes my kids come up from the basement looking pretty interesting!

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May. 3, 2009 - New summer music classes

I wasn't able to teach my Musikgarten classes this spring session.  (Yes, the sixth baby finally made it too hard!)  I've really missed it.  So, now that things are getting easier, I've decided to teach a couple of one-week sessions this summer!  Each week will be based on a particular topic.  Week 1 will be about gardens and week 2 will be about animals.  Each day the kids (ages 4-7) will be here for an hour and we'll do activities like singing, dancing, singing games, creative movement, instrument playing, focused listening, sign language, simple crafts, and story-time. Three of my kids will be in the class, too.  I'm really excited about it!   Here is my Musikgarten website:
www.GenasMusikgarten.com

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Apr. 29, 2009 - Field Trips

The weather has been nice on and off for the last two weeks, so we've been taking advantage of it and going on some field trips.

Here are some pictures of Shedd Aquarium, Brookfield Zoo, and an open house at the Recycling Center near us.

My 2 yo son LOVES animals.  Every time we get in the car now, he asks if we're going back to the zoo!  I've decided that will be a good reward for him to start using the potty.  (He doesn't like to eat, so candy won't work.  And I don't think there are any toys he wants.)  But he's not interested yet!





Jellyfish

Moray eel


Baby Giraffe


#'s 1-6 with Grandma


Brushing goats

Dinosaur robot exhibits


At the recycling center

Recycling truck



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Apr. 21, 2009 - Chicago Expressway Lapbook

Last week I was driving south from my house to Chicago to the Shedd Aquarium.  We had been going quite a while and still hadn't seen the buildings when all of a sudden I saw a sign that said, "Welcome to Indiana"!  We completely missed Chicago and went to Indiana!  When I told my husband, he said he wanted me to study and learn about the Chicago expressways so that I'll understand where I am at all times.  Then he said, "Do a lapbook on it!"  So, to start I found this at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streets_and_highways_of_Chicago

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Apr. 21, 2009 - Handwriting Without Tears

Isn't that a great name for a handwriting curriculum?  I have been so pleased with it.  My 2 boys (ages 7 and 8) are now doing well with both printing and cursive.  The workbooks are wonderful.  Yesterday we received 4 more books that I ordered.  Last night as I was putting my 2 little ones to bed, my older kids were in their rooms occupying themselves.  My 7 yo son got his new cursive handwriting book and was working in it!  That's what he does with his free time!
Handwriting Without Tears

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Apr. 15, 2009 - Chubby Baby Pictures










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Apr. 13, 2009 - April homeschooling plans

Here is what we're working on this month:

History:  Vikings (reading library books, crafts, food, lapbook).
Listen to Story of the World middle ages CDs in the car.

Music:  violin lessons, Haydn composer study (read bios and listen to his music)

Science:  Simple machines (library books, lapbook).  Nature study (frogs, flowers, trees, bugs).

Biography:  Abraham Lincoln (read Benge biography)

Field Trips:  Shedd Aquarium, Naper Settlement, Brookfield Zoo, Frog program, Wildlife Nature Center

Math:  games, place value, skip counting (multiplication)

Handwriting:  Handwriting Without Tears and copywork of Proverbs

Bible Time:  Easter scripture and Proverbs

Read-Alouds:  Missionary Stories With the Millers, Winter With the Moodys, Easter and spring poetry, biography of Abraham Lincoln, The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow, On the Shores of Silver Lake, Proverbs, 2 Samuel, Acts

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Apr. 8, 2009 - Birthday girl and boy

Happy 4th Birthday!
















Happy 7th Birthday!













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Apr. 8, 2009 - Signs of Spring

After seeing this last week (on March 29):




We are finally having some signs of spring!

Crocus and Daffodils
A robin building a nest on my front porch
Mourning doves cooing to us every morning
Lawn service working at my neighbors'

Now, if the temperature will get out of the 30's, we'll really be on our way!

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Apr. 8, 2009 - Simple Machines lapbook

We did another lapbook today--on simple machines.  All the materials came from Hands of a Child.  I even ordered their kit of pre-printed copies, so all I did was cut the booklets out. 

Here are the books from the library that we read:
Machines Inside Machines:  Using Pulleys and Gears
Machines Inside Machines:  Using Ramps and Wedges
Machines Inside Machines:  Using Levers
Machines Inside Machines:  Using Screws
Machines Inside Machines:  Using Wheels and Axles
Machines Inside Machines:  Using Springs
Wheels and Axels (Welsbacher)
Inclined Planes (Welsbacher)
Experiments With Simple Machines (Tocci)

Having fun with inclined planes and wheels and axles:



Pictures of the Lapbook:



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Mar. 28, 2009 - Considering Homeschooling?

Check out this:
http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/tosbrochure.pdf

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Mar. 24, 2009 - Some Pictures

 

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Mar. 24, 2009 - Character training ideas

I started a couple of things last week to help my kids with their character training.  The ideas came from the Duggars: 20 and Counting book, but I've heard of these ideas from various other places, too. 

1.  Blanket time:  I'm training my younger kids to sit on a blanket during our Bible Time.  They are to sit on their own blanket on the floor, with one toy or book, and be very quiet.  (They get 5 chocolate chips as a reward.)

2.  A penny for every "Yes Ma'am.":  Last week I kept a pen and paper in my pocket and every time one of the kids said, "Yes, Ma'am" I gave them a mark.  Instead of actually giving them the money, I put it in their "account" (in a check register in my purse).  On Sunday, they decided how much they wanted to give to the church, and I subtracted it from their account.  They've really gotten better about the habit of saying, "Yes, Ma'am," so this week if they say it a lot during the day, I give them a quarter in their account (needed to simplify for myself).

3.  "I'd be happy to. . ." game:  Here is another game to get them into the habit of obeying immediately and with a good attitude.  I give them a funny command such as, "Run to the window, see if there are any birds, skip back, and tell me what you saw."  Or "Jump to the kitchen, count to 50, and leap back."  They say, "Yes, Ma'am, I'd be happy to."  When they come back, they get a chocolate chip.  Even my 8 yo LOVES this game.  He keeps wanting me to do crazier and crazier commands.

4.  Helping me control my anger:  When I start to get angry, I've asked the kids to touch my arm and gently say, "Mom, I think you're getting angry."  It will help me recognize it and stop!

5.  I'm re-reading "Managers of Their Chores" (Maxwell) and will get more deliberate about the chores around here.  I'll set up the kids with Chorepacks.

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Mar. 24, 2009 - Books I plan to read this year

Quite a while back I said I'd post which books I hoped to read this year.  Here they are:

A Pocketful of Pinecones (Andreola)--finished

Charlotte Mason Companion (Andreola)

Uncle Tom's Cabin

History of Mundelein--finished

Robinson Crusoe

Biography of John Calvin

The Hobbit

The Lord of the Rings

Created to be his Helpmeet (Pearl)

Genesis--finished

Exodus, Deuteronomy, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Matthew, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Revelation

The Duggars: 20 and Counting--finished

Now I'm reading some travel books about Pennsylvania!

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Mar. 24, 2009 - Knights and Castles study

I finally loaded the pictures for this study we did back in January.  Here is the link:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/genamayo/650642/

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Mar. 24, 2009 - Another funny one

A few weeks ago I was talking to my 3 yo daughter about salvation and sin.  I asked her if she knew what sin was.  She said, "Yes, it's peeing in your pants."

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