May. 26, 2009 - As This School Year Comes to An End....

I'd like to thank the following people for making it possible.....

Well, actually it's not coming to an end, just sort of morphing.  Because I've decided to do year-round school, and we had a week off every month in preparation for NOT having a summer break and by george we're going to WORK all summer!!! 

Honestly...that's how I'm feeling right now. : )

I *really* don't want to have to worry about getting them up and through with their school work right on and on...and this week is our week off and it's been NICE...but still, we have taken off a week every month since we started this school year.

BUT, they have finished all their work for this year (8th for Em, 6th for Anna), so what they are doing is working ahead into 9th and 7th grades....maybe a couple weeks off wouldn't be so bad?  : P

I do want them to work ahead a little at least....that way they'll have less to do during the fall and winter next year, and less is always easier.  I know if Anna keeps on like she has been she'll be finished with 7th grade Science before September, and maybe History, too.  I think of how much easier it will be on her, and I want to keep going...then on the other hand, I don't want anyone (including me!) to burn out.

I'll decide on a day-by-day basis, maybe......

Sounds good....

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Apr. 16, 2009 - 4-15-09

We're all good....Em is working on FAR, and so far she's enjoying it.  She was under the (mistaken) impression that the Bible category was the only one for this unit.....um...no....there are several other categories to work through. lol  She chose "Set Proverbs 31:10-31 to music and sing your song." yesterday.  It was SO funny...she started singing it...just randomly...and it came out to the tune of "B-I-N-G-O".  So we sang Proverbs 31 to the tune of "B-I-N-G-O"...we were really cracking up, but THEY REMEMBERED IT BETTER!    She'd read the verse, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.", then we'd all sing it , "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.  R-U-B-I-E-S, R-U-B-I-E-S, R-U-B-I-E-S, for her price is far above rubies."  It was so cute I wished for a video camera to tape them...maybe after they've practiced it a bit they'll sing it for their Daddy and he can film them and we'll put it on youtube.  I LOVED it! ; )

We haven't done as much exploring lately.....but, hopefully after tomorrow we'll have more time (and better weather) for exploring and having fun together.  Both girls spent the night with my mom Saturday, then went to church with her Sunday, and came home with different attitudes.  I don't mind them staying with my mom, but it always seems they come home acting differently than they do when they're just with us.  They had gotten SO sweet and kind, hardly fighting at all, now they're back to bickering.

Today Em was awfully sweet to Anna, though.  Anna fell, slipped on a rock, and scraped her leg really bad.  She has a goose-egg knot, and a big scrape down her shin.  Emma rushed to her, wet a napkin, wiped off the blood, and helped Anna to the van.  I thought that was so sweet.   They're good girls, and I love them dearly, I just wish they were so sweet ALL the time! lol

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Mar. 29, 2009 - Accomplishments

I feel we've accomplished SO much more this year than any year before...with maybe the exception of Kindergarten! lol

I decided to try a year-round schedule...of course, we haven't gotten to the point of seeing if we will stick it out year-round, because we've been doing it 6 months so far. But, I do believe it's going to work.  We're doing school three weeks from each month, and taking one week off.  I think we'll also take June off.

We were taking the last week of each month off during the winter, but since spring has been so lovely, I've been checking the weather and taking off whichever week looks like it will be the loveliest. 

Both girls are finished with most of their work...6th for the younger one and 8th for the older.  I've already got my older dd started on her 9th grade work..hopefully 9-12.  Far Above Rubies.  So far she likes it, so maybe she won't want to change *again*. ; )  I haven't started my younger dd on 7th grade work yet, I'm still needing to get a few things at the used curriculum sales in May!  Hopefully her work will be ready for her when she's ready for it.  She has finished Science and History, but History is one of the books I need to find, so it will have to wait.  I do have a Science book, though, and I need to get it out.  She LOVES Science most of all her subjects. 

This year she has had Simply Grammar, Saxon 6/5, Abeka Science and History, Spelling (I don't know the publisher right off), Vocabulary (it's a little workbook from Scholastic, I believe), and she's reading through What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know.  She enjoyed the Science and History and WYSGNTK, liked some of the spelling and vocabulary and math, and tolerated the Simply Grammar.  Grammar isn't a strong point for her, and I believe it's something that needs to be intrinsic.  I had hoped Simply Grammar would be the key to her liking grammar study better, but it hasn't worked.  I have a different sort of book for next year, though, so we'll see what happens.

My older dd is still working on 8th grade math...although she nearly exhausted my supply of math books she changed so many times!  She's working in a college text right now, the one they use for remedial classes.  I really like the way it explains things...she seems to be catching on to things that confused her before.  Hopefully that will keep her from having to take a remedial class if/when she goes to college.  She says she doesn't want to go to college......last week she wanted to be an actress (a STAR, she actually said), and this week she says she's decided she no longer wants to be an actress, she wants to start a band.  I reminded her she doesn't play an instrument, and she said she'll take up piano again.  She also named two cousins and her sister for members of her band, and I pointed out none of them play an instrument, either.  I asked what kind of band this will be, and she got annoyed with me.  Should be interesting, though...a band in which no one does anything.

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Feb. 16, 2009 - This Year Is Going By SO Fast Already!

I can't believe there are only two weeks left in February! 

The weather was so nice last week we went ahead and took our week off for this month...and it's going to be hard getting back into things this week!  Something that might make it easier, though, is that the girls are starting to get finished with their work for this school year.  Emma has finished everything except math and literature, and Anna is through with Science and almost finished with vocabulary and History. 

We did some exploring local areas last week, visiting places in our county we'd never gotten around to going to.  I think I was more interested in the local history aspect of our trips...Emma wanted to do some geocaching everywhere we went, and Anna was interested in the Science-y aspects of the areas...so we all got to experience something we enjoy.  (I'm not mentioning DH and his metal detector...since he found riches... .02! lol  He says he had fun, though.) 

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Jan. 22, 2009 - Do Unto Others...

I feel uncomfortable tonight. We went to my little brother's basketball game, and some of the parents were dreadful!  (And I am talking about *our* parents here...the other team parents were quiet unless they scored, then they cheered.  Quietly.

Our team parents yelled when the other team was trying for a foul shot, (bear with me here...I may get some of these basketball terms wrong) trying to make them miss.  I mean, LOUD yelling, and cow bell ringing. 

That's the only thing I can put my finger exactly on right now...the rest of the time they were pretty much just yelling, "Go Blake!" or whoever, so it didn't matter much, but that yelling, trying to distract, bothered me. 

I wouldn't want it done to my little brother.  The other team drove about 3 hours to come up to play our boys.  There have been LOTS of times that's been my little brother driving long ways to play...I like to think the parents of the other team is respectful, at least, when he gets there.

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Dec. 31, 2008 - Oh, My! How Long Has it Been?

We've been keeping busy.  Emma finished her 8th grade work before Christmas (Except for Saxon Algebra 1/2) so she's going into 9th when we start back in Janurary...you know...except for math...lol.

I'm working on a *few* fresh New Year's Resolutions...Bible studies, Bible readings, getting through that dadburn pile of magazines beside the couch... ; ) 

We're also going to try a new way of attacking the house-cleaning.  Since we have four main areas in the house we use lots, we're going to pick one area each week and DEEP-CLEAN it.  The whole family.  Together.  Cleaning the bathroom.  Is that going to work?  Maybe we should just clean the *larger* areas together.  Maybe.

In other news, Anna started basketball a couple weeks ago.  It's a church-sponsored team, with kids from 4-11.  The small ones are SO cute!  They just run along after the others never knowing why...they just run. ; )  Last night they had their first game, and Anna's team won!  (They're the Wildcats.  Makes me want to sing that part from HSM.)

HSM

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Aug. 20, 2008 - Emma's Science Lesson For Today...

Emma had an exercise in her Science today in which she was supposed to restate facts, writing a new sentence using different words.

Their sentence said, "Nuclear energy is a powerful tool and a dangerous weapon."

Her sentence said, "Dangerous, nuclear energy is.  ~Yoda"

LOL

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Aug. 19, 2008 - Starting Back to the Books

Not that we actually ever *stop* books....lol...but we've got back to doing more of a school-book sort of day. 

Emma is working on a pre-ged book this year, and Anna is playing around with a math book of sorts...math wizardry for kids or something like that. 

There is an art show nearby, and I am wanting to take the girls to it before it ends...I'm hoping we can go tomorrow.  I wanted to go today, but Emma was feeling a bit sick.  Hopefully we'll all feel good tomorrow and be able to go.

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Jun. 26, 2008 - June 26, 2008

The girls are working on their nature study blog, and while I'm waiting for Emma to come up with a hiaku for a squash, I'm blogging. lol

Anna's gone back out to take more pictures...hers didn't turn out very good this morning...trying to take a picture of a rabbit from across the fence.  When she was close enough to see it, the fence was in the way.

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Jun. 25, 2008 - Nature Study Blog

I've started the girls a nature study blog... http://365naturestudy.blogspot.com/ ...it should be really cool, if it works out like I have in mind.

I was reading about Charlotte Mason nature study today, which is what brought it all on.  We've kept nature notebooks before, but I thought they'd like this way of combining taking pictures (which they're really starting to get into) with researching nature online, which is something they both enjoy already, and learning some computer basics.   Plus, we can share what we learn with others.

Stop by and visit us there!

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May. 1, 2008 - Learning These Days

The girls are learning so much lately, I'm going to stop interupting their learning with trying to teach them things. lol

Yesterday they brought in tadpoles...what fun!  We have a fish tank full...and Emma just brought me a really icky worm that was in there with them.  Ewww...

Today they went on a hike with their cousins, and brought home a dead bird...a beautiful scarlet tananger...and they knew what it was!  Emma just colored one in a coloring book the other night, so it was fresh in their minds.   I wish we could stuff or preserve it...it's so beautiful.

We were given a case of mushrooms and I've been dehydrating them.  They're smelly, but taste good.

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Apr. 24, 2008 - Changes...

My blogs' look is changing!  A new picture, and a new quote beneath it. 

We went on a picnic yesterday, and my camera went all funky with the result being blurry pictures.  I kind of like them, though.  ; )

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Apr. 5, 2008 - Spring...and Neglected Blogs...

I had almost forgotten my blog. 

We had to re-do the computer ~again~ and so my password left me, and I was a bit too lazy to go look for it. lol

However, I received a comment....I'm not sure why...and it reminded me that I *do* have a blog I could be blogging at. : )

Well, last year ended fairly uneventfully...Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years passed rather like they're supposed to.....and when that was all over, we started back to our usual school work.   The girls have been working very diligently at it, and we're nearly finished with their books for this year.  Three lessons in Bible, two chapters in Science, almost finished up with their math workbooks and language arts workbooks...everything is going well.  Usually we're finished completely by now, but since we had such a long winter break, we're still at it...probably into May.

The winter was fairly easy for us...no major illnesses...no one got the flu this year!  What we *did* get was...a daschund!  He's a little doll....he's such a baby, and spoiled rotten.  He does several tricks...sit, stay (not well lol), beg, walk (on his hind legs), sing, shake.  We're still working on walk, and getting him to remember the difference between sit and beg.  They're very similar actions, and he gets confused.  I believe I'm going to work mostly on "heel" for a while, though, because he nearly knocked me down last night jerking on his leash. 

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Nov. 11, 2007 - Surely It's Not Almost Thanksgiving ALREADY!!!

It seems like only yesterday the year was starting.  And now we're making Thanksgiving plans!  Amazing.  I read once why time seems to go faster when you're small...something about when a year is a fourth (or so) of your life it's a lot different than when it's 1/35th.  You get the gist.

We seem to have stopped all formal schoolwork.  We will pick up a text every now and again, but for the most part, we're just picking up bits here and there. 

We talked about doing a subject a month, but somehow it didn't materialize.  Now we're coming up on sick-weather....I've already had two slight sinus infections, and Anna's sick right now, and I know we won't get work done then.  Oh well...

Que Sera Sera

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Sep. 22, 2007 - First Week Finished

Well, we mostly have finished up with this week.  Emma failed her first Language Arts test...52!  Sloppiness...total sloppiness.  She was supposed to be doing capatalizing, and she was leaving days of the week undone and capatalizing things like "apple butter".  And Anna failed her first math test.  AAARRRGGGHHH!!

We still haven't gotten around to finishing up our History read-aloud this week, although, I believe that's the only thing we didn't get to.  And there's still today. : ) 

Monday, though, we add Kiera into the mix.  I'm trying to think of the best way to work everything out.  Mom warned me that kiera likes structure, so whatever we do the first day, we'd better be prepared to do every day, so I'm trying to work out a schedule.  I'm thinking, "Library, reading lesson when we get home, Emma can work with her on math while I fix lunch, then after lunch, read-alouds and games"  I hope it'll work out. 

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Sep. 15, 2007 - Starting Back This Week...With Everything!

We finished up the units on Budgeting and Geology, and are working on finishing a state history unit this weekend, so we'll be ready to start school back ~ totally ~ Monday. 

I have all their books together, their lesson plans made out...all is ready, except, perhaps, them. lol

I got Kiera's things ready, too, but I'm not when we're starting her.  It might be the 24th, if Justus is ready to go back to school, but if he's not it will be October before she starts. 

I'm hoping the girls will do their work without complaining.  They've been fairly good about doing the unit's we've done, but they're starting to balk a little on the state history.  I've got several books left I wanted them to read, still, but they're not wanting to.  I was also wanting them to make a state notebook like I did when I was a kid, but I'm starting to wonder if I'll have to FORCE them to do it...and I don't really want to do that. 

We'll see, I guess....

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Aug. 2, 2007 - Time For School Again!

Public schools start Monday, so I'm thinking it's about time to get a little more structure back into our lives.  Anna has forgotten most of her multiplication tables and Emma needs some writing practice, and they both need to work on neatness. 

I'm thinking that's going to be my main thing this year...getting them to be neat in their work.  I really don't like the idea of making them re-do work...just makes more work for me, but they are going to have to be neater.  I'm tired of squinting for answers between pictures and scribbles.

I'm working on two units I'm thinking we'll work on during August.  Budgeting...I never have gotten that one going for Emma, and Geology.  I have all my materials together...it just takes a little time to get it gone through, and taught. 

In fact...I need to get off the computer and start getting things together for Budgeting.

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Jul. 20, 2007 - My Gosh, It's been a Month!

I had COMPLETELY forgotten this blog!  I've been SO busy, I barely have time to get online at all, much less blog. 

Anna's b-day was this week.  We went to the river fishing for her b-day.  We were going to camp out and stay all night, but ended up coming home.  The fish stopped biting, anyway.  ; )

We've been going to the Reading Clubs pretty regular..Emma's at the far library had their last meeting today, but we didn't go, because it was just a showing of a Harry Potter movie.  The near library has just 2 more meetings, and Anna's group at the far library has only one meeting left.  It's almost time to get ready for the new school year. ; )  I went to Wal-Mart and got several boxes of new crayons and several packs of glue sticks.  We always seem to run out of those things. ; )

Mostly, though, things are ready for school to start.  I have all the girls' books ready, and Emma has started working on her LA a little.  We're also working on history some.  Daddy had them write a story tonight...they were cute stories.  All in all, everything's going good. ; )

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Jun. 17, 2007 - Haven't Blogged Here For a While...

We've been doing some fun stuff...did the reading club thing again, and Emma won $20!  She spent it on goldfish and a tank and all. 

Our local library starts it's reading club program this week, too.  Then we'll have three meetings to go to each week. 

Daddy hasn't had a fun Father's Day.  He twisted his ankle yesterday at Mom's.  It's all swollen and purple. He's been happy for the most part, though...because he got candy, a computer game and a new DVD for Father's Day.  He's playing his computer game now.

I started working on the girl's portfolios for next year this past week.  They are looking good!  I'm combining scrapbooking with the usual book lists and things.  I think they're going to be wonderful.

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Jun. 6, 2007 - Reading Club

Anna had her first reading club meeting today.  She had a good time. 

When we got home, she and Emma played outside until dark.  They started out pretending to be Indians and finding edible plants to fix for supper, then started making *houses*.

Emma is playing Dad's new computer game now, and Anna is watching Little Dogs on the Prarie.

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