This is a picture of the sunset yesterday. I could look directly into the sun because of the smoke blowing in our area from all the wild fires.

Well, since we're getting close to the end of this year's school journey, I thought I'd review the things we've been using. Maybe it will be helpful to someone out there in blog land.

K has been using Little Hands to Heaven by Heart of Dakota. It is great, but it's a little "below" her. We use it and tweak it as needed. I highly recommend it.

Along with it, we use Language Lessons for Little Ones by Queen Homeschool. It fits well with the LHTH. And it's fun! It has phonics, letter recognition, and (my favorite), artwork that she looks at and answers questions about.

We also use the preschool workbooks available from Christian Light Education. Overall I like them, but they are written by Mennonites so there are some strange looking tools and farm items that *I* didn't even know what they were.

T (1st grade) has been using Abeka Math. I love their math! We won't change from that--ever--my fingers are crossed.....

We are using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Weird layout but I've seen some (little bit) of success. They  just didn't tell me it didn't work for MY child.  Sometimes I wonder if he'll EVER read! But then some days he does great. I know it will click someday...maybe when he's 10...or 20....or 45....!!!

We use Christian Light Education for Bible and it's been fun. Not wonderful but not bad either.

Also, we use Bob Jones Heritage Studies. This is probably his favorite favorite subject! I find it written a little funny--it jumps from one thing to another without any real order. Then it will say "remind the student" that 100 chapters back (slight exaggeration) we learned about such and such." He loves it though!

For science, we use Living Books Curriculum level 1. It is fun--and T loves it!! But...my biggest disappointment is that it is so secular--nothing about God at all. To me, science is all about God. We won't use it again.

For handwriting, he uses A Reason for Handwriting level A. I DO NOT LIKE IT!! I know there are rave reviews about it but yuck yuck yuck. We won't be using it again either.

Z (6th grade) has been using Abeka math. Again...a keeper. I'm impressed that in 6th grade he's been doing extensive geometry and is getting ready to do pre-algebra. These are just sections, but pretty in depth.

We use ACE English. We did so just to fill in some gaps. He likes them but I think they are too easy.

We use Abeka spelling when it gets done. He hates spelling and doesn't do much unless I prod him along.

We use Switched on Schoolhouse for science. He loves it--I don't. I don't really know why. Except he didn't like the chemistry section. I think it went right over his head. Right now he's learning about horsepower and engines. Now, that's more like it!

We use Abeka for history--and it's always good. He's doing the Western Hemisphere this year.

We use Christian Liberty Education for reading. It's great! It teaches things I never would have gotten around to. Plot, dialogue, character, vocabulary, etc. All in one! Plus he reads good stories out of the readers. We supplement with good literature also. He just finished reading one of the Black Stallion books, and now he is reading a book called Sheriff at Waterstop. I chose 9 different titles for him to read this year and it's working out well. Otherwise, he'll read Guiness book of World Records and comic books.

I guess that's about it. We live and learn. We used to use strictly Abeka and we learned there is more out there than just that! I still love ABeka but I have enjoyed branching out into other things (for the most part).

Okay...Okay.....I KNOW I'm behind. But the hurrier I go, the behinder I get!!  Where has time gone? Yes, this is a homeschooling blog and I'm supposed to be, theoretically, keeping a record electronically of how and what we're doing. Good thing it's not official!

We are getting closer and closer to the end of the school year. It's enough to make my heart pitter-patter. Why? Because of excitement? Nope. Because of sheer panic. You mean school is supposed to be finished in May? Who needs summer break? Let's just school all the time. Well, guess what! We almost do.

As much as I try, we hardly ever finish in a normal time. But I'm trying. I really am.

Z (6th grade) has finished his handwriting book (yay!), he's been doubling up on math about 3 times per week to finish it on time. But...he has a long way to go in English, Spelling and Reading. But he keeps plugging away at it every day. He is very self-motivated and gets up earlier than anyone else. He does as much as he can on his own. Oh yeah, he's right on schedule in science and pretty much on track with History. And what about my big plans for computer science this year? We've done 2 lessons all year! So we'll push it to next year. It's really a 7th grade class anyway, right?  Oh, also he takes band once per week. He plays the trumpet in beginning band and the snare drum in the intermediate band.

T (1st grade) is doing 2 Math lessons per day which is pretty big stuff for such a little guy. He is good at math though so that's what helps. He's right on track with Bible and we're a little ahead with our phonics program. Other than that, he does science and history and we're about where we need to be, maybe a little behind in science. I don't worry about those subjects as much because they are so repetitive throughout school.

K (k4) does school every day we possibly can. Even on Saturday! She loves, loves, LOVES school. Did I say she loves school yet? I do several lessons at a time with her because she can handle it. We do a lot of hands-on stuff and not real work yet. She is allowed to do 4 pages per day in her special workbooks I bought her. If I didn't set a limit, she'd do a workbook per day.

That's where we are for now. Hopefully I can post more soon.

My baby is four! I can't believe it. Her birthday is one week and one day before Christmas which makes things interesting....and exciting! Her big gift was a Disney Princess bicycle. She needed and wanted a bike but now she's scared to ride it. It's been sitting in the living room since she got it. When it warms up, I need to take her outside and work with her on it. It has training wheels but she thinks it's going to tip over. Oh well!

Of course she wanted a Dora cake. I usually make our cakes, but we decided to go store-bought this year. We were disappointed. Homeade (even from a mix) is so much better. Not to mention cheaper!!!

We have had an extremely busy month as I'm sure most people have. We started out with a trip to Mississippi. We visited a very neat place called Landrum's Country. Some years ago (I don't know how long) a man decided he wanted his grandchildren to do something more productive than play computer games, etc. So he provided materials and help and they built a cabin. Then another building and another. Now it is a life-size "town" that could be in the 1800's. They even have real weddings at the chapel! It is very neat. It was freezing cold that day--unexpectedly but we did have fun!!

Here are my 3 kids on the porch of the main house.

My 2 youngest had fun trying to look big, bad, and ugly in the jail!! LOL!

They had a place you could search for precious stones. I don't know if you would call this mining or panning or both. They gave you a pre-filled sack of mostly sand and rocks from their pond. There was water running through a trough and you could rinse the sand off the rocks. The children were able to keep whatever they found. They really did have garnets and amythest in there. Most everything was broken or chipped but the kids really did have fun doing it.

Here's my middle child trying to figure out what to keep.

Boy--that water was icy cold!!!!

And of course this was a great field trip for homeschooling!! This was a wagon they had instead of a school bus I suppose. This is me and the kids.

Here's our whole family by an old-fashioned clock.

Don't we look like a happy couple? By the way, our 14th anniversary is on New Year's Eve. Yippee!

It was  a great place to go. They have a house built at an angle and the affects of gravity in it are very strange. It's easier to climb up the back of a ladder rather than the front. There is a bar that if you grab onto it, your feet swing out toward the wall. You can also walk on one of the walls using one-inch wide wooden slats they have on them. Weird! We had a lot of fun in there.

Someone gave me about 3 pounds of bananas the other day. We like them, but not that much! I froze 5 that were kind of squishy to use in banana bread. But what to do with the others? Aha! My rarely-used dehydrator came to mind. So here we went...yet another project.

Here they are peeled, sliced, and arranged on the trays:

Here they are after they're dried:

And here's the final result. Not much for all that work! But at least they didn't go to waste!!

We've waited and waited to do this project and now it's really taking off!!

Here's my little boy--watching and learning! I really think he'll be a carpenter someday. He just can't stay away!!

Here's my little girl taking a much needed break. She really doesn't "help" them work, but she sure does stay busy and active!!

Ah! The joys of homeschooling! Here are some pictures from last week's school. We find we end up at the dining table together and it is fun although it can be loud sometimes. This is during some of those quiet busy times. And yes, the ever present glass of iced tea is mine. Everyday! Mmmm.....

We finally finally finished up our science unit about ants. We've been so busy lately that science has been "let go" several days. It has been fun though. So far this year we've done snails, frogs, elephants, penguins and ants. Next is whales!

This is a picture that my first grader made all by himself. The ants are thumb prints. Aren't they cute????

I wanted to update my blog and haven't had anything just super exciting to say. But we had a pretty successful day today--despite the fact I'm having back problems and have been in pain for 3 days.

Z (6th grade) did 2 days of schoolwork on his own today. His reason was so he could go with Daddy to see Grandpa and Grandma. I knew there was a motive behind it! We didn't get to do history, but sometimes the children need to do something fun too.

T (1st grade) did his schoolwork with no complaining today. Yay! I've had to "lower the hammer" on him because he cries everyday. He'd rather play than do school! I told him last week that he is not allowed to complain, cry, or say negative things about school. His attitude is much better! He started a farm theme in math today. We'd been doing the zoo and he was ready for a change. He's picking up on reading quite well. I'm pleased. He loves history and we're learning about Indians. He made a Plains Indian tipi which was quite fun. Once he gets started with school, he loves it! It's just the part of stopping his fun playing to come do school. We're supposed to start a unit on ants today for science, but I forgot to order my library books. I did that today so we can start when they're in. I love being able to order them online at home. Especially since our library is 25 minutes away.

Daddy and both boys went to visit the grandparents so K and I are having a "girl's night". We went to Wal-Mart (what female doesn't like that??) and bought a few things. We're getting ready to do some school just for her. She gets left out a lot of the school thing to she's ready to get some attention in that area. Then she gets to sleep with Mommy tonight. Tomorrow we'll head to see the grandparents also and run errands while we're in the big city.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.