I bought a Wii Fit this week. My kids and even my husband has been on it everyday! I have even played it. We are having so much fun. I hope that we keep it up! We can all use the exercise.

HI Guys! I know have a save and share code!

I am so excited! I can't wait for the books to get here so I can pour through them.

Here is a little more information.

We are gearing up for a new year!

I have a Senior this year! Yikes, transcript, college applications, ACT!

I am also gearing up to teach another High Schooler and a elementry kid!

What are you doing to get ready?

What are you doing to save money? With gas prices through the roof and the price of everything else following the trend, do you have any tips to share?

Around here we are trying to limit our trips in the car. Our poor old suburban bit the dust so we replaced it this week with a smaller car that will still fit all of us. We will get better gas mileage but we will need to pack lighter for our trips north to see family! We call it traveling “Chinese”. While in China we went on a company trip. We were the only westerners. We packed for a weekend at the beach. I thought we were doing pretty good with a small bag and a backpack each. After boarding the bus and looking around we noticed every one else had a small backpack and nothing else! Most of them were only half full! When we commented to a friend after the trip he told us he even knew someone that only traveled with what he could wear and a toothbrush! I know we will never get that light but it is worth cutting back on other things!

The new curriculum is here and I am having fun reading it!

K

After many weeks of exploring, reading, asking friends, reading reviews I have decided to try Tapestry of Grace for next year. I will have a 14 yo son in Dialectic and a 7 yo son in lower grammer. I would love to hear any ideas you have about using this curriculum!

K

I would love love to win a Chinese version!

I have forgotten the little Chinese I learned while there and would love for the whole family to review!

Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE! 

This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.

This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program.  Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking.  Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included!  For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports. 

To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these (blue) paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/  and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it.  And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it.  And good luck!  The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg.   And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win.   Yay for free stuff!

GO see if you win!

I packed my kids their first Bento like lunches for Co-op today. They were simple and I did not get pictures of them. After they got over the shock of me actually packing their lunches, (i make them make their own or buy Lunchables! I know Bad Mom!) I think they enjoyed them! For my youngest I packed Chicken nuggets. He loves the Chicken nugget lunchabes so I thought why can't I do that at home? I also packed pretzels, carrot sticks, grapes, ketchup, and green popcorn with jelly beans! He ate all the chicken nuggets, most of the pretzels. He had the grapes for snack. He did inform that I must of forgotted that he did not eat Green Popcorn.I don't think he had even seen green popcorn before. I made it in honor of St. Patrick's Day but with the jelly beans it looked more like Easter eggs hidden in the grass! I thought it was cute! 

For my middle child I packed ham and turkey tortilla wraps, carrot sticks, ranch dressing, and grapes with the green popcorn and jelly beans for dessert. He ate everything but 1 wrap. He told me it was good but too much food! I had worried that I had not packed enough for my hungry teenager!

For my daughter I packed veggie sushi (store bought), baby spinach salad, carrots, grapes and the popcorn. She ate the salad and sushi but gave the carrots and grapes to a friend that forgot her lunch.

I was surprised that they all said there was too much food! I can't wait to pack another one for them! I do think I will start the night before! We were late (I know big surprise!) so I was quite the bear trying to get every one in the car!

I have just discovered Bento Boxes. They look like lots of fun for the kids on days we are away from home. Does any one here make Bento Box lunches? Where do you get your supplies?

We are currently reading The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book, The Berenstain Bears Hug and Make Up and Stink Alley.

What are you reading outloud right now?

We went to 2 Fall Festivals. R was the "Good" Black Spiderman. Once again creative editing!

I don't know how  T fit into the train but they sure had a good time.

Even with all the games and rides you just can't beat bubbles!!!

R wasn't the only Spidey we had this year!

I have been a bad blogger! So to make up for that I will try to make a couple of what we did this Fall posts!

Here is the first!

This Fall R joined Tiger cubs, he went on his first Cub campout and earned his Bobcat!

While there J taught hin the fine art of Skipping Stones!

They waded in the Pedernales!

Hiked!

M went on the Father Daughter Campout with our church.

The Zipline!

There is a reason moms don't go and Father's do! Even the little girls climbed that pole!

She also tried her hand at Archery!

I may blow this picture up to poster size and show it to any boy that may be interested in my baby!

Don't make her mad!

We also joined a fun Co-op! R is in Reader's Theater and was "Wishbone" in the Very Busy Caterpiller.

The kids were creative in the characters! We even had a Jaguar on our farm!

We had a fun 4th. It started with a bike parade. R decorated his bike and joined in. The community had bbq at the pool. They had a bunch of rubber duckies in Uncle Sam hats and noodles for the kids to play with in the pool.

This reminded us of Beijing. Take away the flags and streamers and it cold be any corner there.

Going

Going 

Gone! 

Not much new to report on the homeschool front. We are just trying to finish up for the year. With all the moving we have done this year we are a little behind. This year we will definately be doing summer school. For Math mostly.

R has a new bike. Here is our first trip out with it!

Always wear a helmet! Head injuries are terrible!

First few pedals.

They grow fast! We won't be able to keep up with him soon.

Way to go! We are sure proud of you!

M had the perfect weekend! At least that is what she told me Sunday night. We headed back to our hometown because dear friends invited us to see the musical Wicked for M's 16 birthday. (I can’t believe my baby will soon be 16! Driving!!!!!)  The weekend was perfect for her because the cast party for Cinderella was also scheduled. I have a little party girl! SO her weekend consisted of seeing all her theater friends Friday. She spent Saturday afternoon/evening with one of her best friends. Then saw a musical with more best friends!!!!!

We saw Wicked! It was great! I would see it again. I would NOT however recommend the book this musical is based on. It was very racy and inappropriate.

The girls hung around outside the stage door and got autographs. All in all a great day.

The girls with Glenda!

The girls with Elphaba

Just a few shots of our new home.

Front View

Back View

Living Room

Kitchen

We are excited about moving in and getting settled after three months of staying with relatives. They have been a blessing though!

We survived Cinderella!

I know M. will miss all her castmates but we are looking forward to settling in our new home. Now on to getting serious about school so we can finish the year with a bang! I just need to find a new homeschool group, ballet classes, Boy Scout troop, and especially a new Church! Pray that we will find the ones God meant for us!

M. with her waltz partner after the closing night performance.