Friday, October 24, 2008 - Our Friday Field Trip...
Today we went a field trip with some HS friends of ours...
We went to the Frank H. McClung Museum... A local group leader had arranged a class on "Geology and Fossil History of Tennessee" for kids ages 4-10... It was great... The class was taught by a geology student and even though he used some words that even the adults had touble with, the kids really enjoyed it...They got to see Dino skeletons and Dino eggs and all kinds of rehistoric animals that were actually in Tennessee... I was really amazed at how much DS actually got from it as he was telling DH tonight...
After the class we toured the museum exhibits which included a Egyptian exhibit complete with mummified cats and goats, as well as, a mummy coffin and a coffin for a hawk which was a sacred bird to the Egyptians..
Another exhibit the kids loved was on Ancient peoples and Indians... My kidlets really enjoyed it and the movie was really a great teaching tool... DD told DH all about how the US government made the Cherokee move and the "Trail of Tears"... which she paid attention too since we went to Cherokee, NC this summer for a weekend trip...The kids also learned about Sequoyah and his alphabet...
The kids are already talking about when we will get to go back...
I was sent this video from a close friend at my church... I am not Catholic, but the content has meaning for so many that I had to share it...Especially at this time in America... God Bless....
Fall is one of favorite times of the year... This year, instead of decorating the house (mantle, living room, stairwell, etc..) I just did the porch, and the entryway table for the kids... It ws so much easier and they were just as happy with it...
Thursday, October 2, 2008 - It just came out...*L*
Today DD and I were working on vowels and ladder blends...Later in the afternoon, I decided to quiz her out of the blue... She got all the vowels right and then I thought I would be smart and see if she remembered the other letters... She yelled, "Consonants it just came out of my brain like worms"...I just rolled with laughter...She was so serious...
One more thing on my HS list to be thankful for... The opportunity to hear all the funny stuff little ones say...
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 - My find of the week!!!
I am so excited... The kidlets and I had some playtime with some friends today at an area "bounce house"....After playing, I decided to take a trip to a local used book store and found a treasure!!!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - An alternative to the bailout...
It seems to me that since most of middle America is opposed to the bailout, then the veto could be a good thing, our "representatives" are listening to the constituents...Now I recognize that something needs to be done, I am just not sure that $700 billion dollars is going to fix what is fundamentally wrong with th system... I think we have to get to the root of the problem, but to hear the news media (or the drive-by's as they are called by some) continued predictions of doom and destruction...I mean the country's financial crisis was not created by market conditions or poor management but by the evil nature of GREED. Well, I admit there has been a slow-down and the market dropped dramatically yesterday, but we are still here today... The sky hasn't fallen yet... Some countries are even having a boost in their market economy, which they said wouldn't happen if the bill was not approved... I also think a criminal investigation and prosecution of those who defrauded other lenders or borrowers is something to think of also... And what about just starting at the top...The congressional leaders, I mean are they really doing their job or swaying here and there to the power and money spoken by the lobbyists?
And I mean, is the media really concerned about how this will affect me or are they more concerned about Warren Buffet... Who will lose more? Those invested heavily in this real estate fiasco or the average Joe who is already living day to day?
And what about these countries that we have "bailed" out? Are they ever going to repay us? I mean we have loaned billions upon billions... and what about all the money we give every year... If that money was kept at home just for a brief period... There would be no crisis..
And has anyone thought about the UN...Why is it only the responcibility of the US to pay for it... Is it not the "UNITED NATIONS" ? Would that not lead you to think that it should be a fiscal responcibility of all nations involved?
Enough of my ramblings... On to my original thought...
So, I have been looking at several different plans that are different from the one currently proposed by the Feds.. I am a Dave Ramsey kinda girl... I try to live within my means and spend wisely... with the occasional "I just gotta have it" purchase....
Monday, September 29, 2008 - Our trip to Chattanooga...
We went to Chattanooga this weekend... The TN Aquarium was having a "homeschool" day on Monday and several of the tourist attractions in the area were also having specials...
Ruby Falls and Rock City were offering homeschoolers a real deal.. You could see each place for $5 a person... Normally that's a $29 for adults and $15 for kids for the 2 places... We saved a bundle... and really had a great weekend trip!!
We rode the Incline Railroad.."America's Most Amazing Mile"... Designated as both a National Historic Site and National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the Incline Railway has been one of Chattanooga's most unique attractions since 1895. It is a one mile ride on a incline up the mountain at a 72.7% grade...It is the steepest passenger railway in the world...
Then we were off to Ruby Falls... DS and DD really loved this...DS learned all about the difference in stalagtites, stalagmites, and columns... He learned what forms the "wax-like" coating on some of the formations... DD got to see her favorite thing "a beautiful waterfall"....
From there we went to our last stop... Rock City... once a personal garden, it took 4 years to create and then the owner decided to share God's magnificent work with others... It is truly a wonder...
Fishing... It's something I have never had an interest in...But my kidlets love it... DH took us to a friend's house recently (they have a stocked pond) and took the kids fishing... They had so much fun!!
We've gotten quite a bit accomplished this week, but I still have that feeling that hangs over me sometimes that we aren't doing enough, or the kids aren't getting what they need...
I'm not sure why I do this... I am sure it is some sorta deep feeling of insecurity (if Dr. Phil could look inside my noggin)...
But DD reviewed the letters B,T, S, C and then worked on simple addition with #1,2,3... DS continued with Saxon math, his nature readers, and Spectrum workbooks... We worked on Vikings, almost finished the Panda unit, and then talked about Stonehenge and what some of it's possible uses could have been...
I am trying to do as much history and science as possible in a unit study format.. But sometimes, I feel like it is over DD's head or to simple for DS... I guess it just a case of homeschooler insecurity... *L*
Thursday, September 25, 2008 - The Old Schoolhouse Magazine...
We had a representative come to our co-op today... TOS is having a great FALL sign-up special!!
It's a great deal!! The Old Schoolhouse magazine is running a fall special!!
Right now, during the Fall Special you can subscribe for only $39! You’ll receive 2 years of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine (8 large quarterly issues) AND our current issue plus you’ll also get 6 fabulous bonus gifts totaling $120 and the first 1,000 new subscribers will receive a cute brown and pink "Homeschooling with Heart" tote bag!
I signed up today...and you can too... just click here.
This morning, the kidlets decided to make breakfast... It was lots of fun...We worked some more on seperating eggs (which we then proceded to mix up anyway *L*) and made pancakes.. They had lots of fun mixing up the batter and turing the pancakes on the griddle...
DD's "Keepers" class at co-op finished up their time with birds... DD had to do a report
and some other activities...One of the activities was to make a "bird" craft... Here is her Great Horned Owl (courtesy of dried beans, card stock, and googly eyes... *L*)
Thanks to my friend Michelle for these pictures...(I borrowed them from the "Keepers" blog)....
I have lived in this area most of my life...but I have never been to Parrot Mountain... DD's "Keepers of the Home" class at co-op have been doing a unit on birds and one of the activities was to take a field trip to Parrot Mountain... It is a beautiful place... This was a great field trip. We learned alot about birds. We heard some of them talk, some did tricks. We got to hold, pet and feed them. Definitely an overlooked gem...
DD had so much fun feeding the birds!!!
We had alot of fun!!! Only wish DH could have joined us for this one!!
This year at the fair there was a "SHARK EXHIBIT"... Really cool... The kids got to see all kinds of shark related things... The exhibit had a cage like the ones they use when they dive with the Great Whites...There was several items that had been actually removed from the stomachs of sharks...Everything from divers shoes to tires to tin cans... Then they got to watch a diver go into the tank with nurse sharks and some little sand sharks... He actually "danced" with the nurse shark and "kissed" it on the belly... Supposedly placing it in a trance by turning it upside down...
Monday, September 15, 2008 - Down on the Farm at the Fair...
The Tennessee Valley Fair has come to town!! Yes, we got the opportunity to go to the fair again this year for a field trip...
The theme is "Down on the Farm" ... The kids are taken from booth to booth and given lots of easy to understand information about crops, animals, bees, products from the farm, etc.
They really enjoy it and I am always impressed by what they learn and retain from it...
It is even more fun because we were there with their friends and Daddy...
I'm an RN in a NICU... I work 4 days a month, but I still have to do "mandatories" as if I were a full time employee... One of those classes is CPR.. I am required every 2 years to take CPR... I really don't mind the "written" part (which is now done on computer) but I really hate the actual physical part of the test... I just feel so awkward when it comes to using those manequins... But this morning I went... took the test and completed the skills part with flying colors...
So if anyone is interested, you can learn all about CPR in 3 simple steps here.
We went to our first "Demolition Derby" this week... It was at the fair and boy, was it a blast!!!
It had been raining on and off for the last coupl of days, so the dirt track was now a MUD pit... But luckily we had rain ponchos from the Dollar Store and we just put them up over our heads when the mud went flying...
We loved it...Who would have thought so much destruction would have been so much fun!!!
Hi!! I'm Lisa... Homeschooling mom to 2 wonderful kidlets and this is a journal to share our family life and learning adventures with you...Have a great day and thanks for sharing it with us!!!
