I'm a wife @ home, mom to one and child of the King! These are our adventures in homeschooling. Visit my home-keeping blog at http://www.homesteadblogger.com/annreathome Thanks for stopping by! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:34:00 -0600 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:34:00 -0600 Boo finally learned how to tie his own shoes. I made a cardboard shoe and laced a ribbon through it and we've been pulling it out now and again to practice. He finally got it. **HAPPY DANCE***  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/271167/ Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:34:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/271167/ This was posted on Joanne Jacobs 's blog (http://joannejacobs.com/) about canceling a job fair at the University of California at Santa Cruz because they were worried about the safety of military recruiters.  The article is here: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/16427040.htm .  I understand why they did it, but it just struck me a bit funny that they would be worrying about the safety of military recruiters...after all...um...they are the military.  If they really needed protection against activists, I seriously doubt they would rely on the school.  lol http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/271147/ Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/271147/ Adding to my "Why I Homeschool" list: Aparently the politicians in New Jersey feel kids don't need to know anything about holidays like Veteren's Day or Columbus Day.  This legislative proposal was just slipped into a bill on property taxes.  I honestly don't think Veterens are the only ones angry about this.  What worries me is that if this goes through I think you will see other states doing the same thing.  http://ap.washingtontimes.com/dynamic/stories/I/IGNORING_HOLIDAYS?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/271129/ Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/271129/ Whale Shark Dies At Georgia Aquarium http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/newsroom/pressReleases/011107whaleUpdate.aspx This is just on the heels of the loss of one of their beluga whales. http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/newsroom/pressReleases/010207GasperUpdate.aspx I posted pictures of the beluga whales at the Georgia Aquarium here. Here is the only picture I have from our visit this past November of the whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium.  The picture isn't that great, but there are three of the whale sharks in the picture...one you can probably pick out pretty easily. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/268024/ Fri, 12 Jan 2007 10:28:01 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/268024/ Gary at HomeSchoolBuzz is hosting week 54's Carnival of Homeschooling. No two homeschoolers are exactly alike and for this edition of the Carnival, no two people will see the exact same images on this page.  A great carnival and very creative!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/266302/ Tue, 9 Jan 2007 10:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/266302/   Warning...this can consume a lot of your time if you aren't careful!  I just found that out!! Hubby showed me a really clever website called LineRider (http://www.official-linerider.com/ )  The idea is to make a track for the little sledder guy to ride on.  It's not as easy as it seems, but we thought it was quite entertaining.  Even Boo...who is now 7 years old...was totally engrossed in this.  There are some people who aparently have plenty of time on their hands to come up with some amazing tracks for the sledder guy to ride on.  My favorite is called Jagged Peak Adventure (http://www.official-linerider.com/jagged.html).  My little sledder guy never has that much fun because he's too busy crashing his sled.  LOL   Anyway...I wanted to pass it along since we are spending way too much time on it.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/265050/ Sat, 6 Jan 2007 14:30:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/265050/ I read yesterday that the Georgia Aquarium had to euthanize Gasper, one of it's beluga whales. http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/newsroom/pressReleases/010207GasperUpdate.aspx We were just there in November the day before Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time watching the beautiful beluga whales (one of my favorites) with our good friends. These are a few of the pictures I took (I know they aren't that great) while we watched them swim. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/264293/ Fri, 5 Jan 2007 07:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/264293/ I read Jamin and her son's review over at the HomesteadBlogger Company Porch Blog for the FREE Dance Mat Typing program and it sounded interesting so I thought I would check it out. I thought it was great! What a clever way to learn to type. Jamin's 12 year old son recommended it, but would 7 year old Boo like it? It was definately a challenge for him, but he liked it and asked if we could keep doing this for homeschool. At 7 years old he certainly doesn't NEED to learn to type right now, I don't believe young children should spend a lot of time on the computer anyway. But he's interested in it and it's a skill that is surely going to benefit him in the future. So maybe I'll fit this in to our homeschool schedule once a week-ish. Jamin's Review: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HSBCompanyBlog/263012/ Dance Mat Typing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ HomesteadBlogger Company Porch Blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HSBCompanyBlog/ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/263079/ Wed, 3 Jan 2007 08:53:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/263079/ I pray that you all will have a very happy and healthy new year full of HIS blessings, HIS strength, HIS love, HIS joy, HIS comfort, HIS wisdom and more.   Ann'Re Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Psalm 68:19 But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “ Therefore I hope in Him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/261877/ Mon, 1 Jan 2007 08:20:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/261877/ My family is Lithuanian/Polish.  Hubby's family is German/Italian.  Umm...let me correct that before hubby reads this...Sicilian.  There are many traditions that we've incorporated into our family celebrations here @ home.  The first is from my family...setting an empty place setting at Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner.  I've read several reasons for this...one is to remember loved ones who passed on during the year, another is to welcome unexpected guests, another is to sharing your meal with Jesus. Another from my family is celebrating communion at dinner.  We did this every Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter...any family get-together.  While my grandparents used the tradition Oplatek at Christmas, we just use bread. We put up a nativity every year.  I collect the Fontanini figurines, but I also have several other little sets that I put all around the house.  But the baby Jesus is never put into the manger until Christmas eve.  After Christmas dinner, Hubby will read from Luke about the Christmas story and then we put the baby Jesus into the manger...or mangers. Pickled Beet Eggs.  Hubby can't stand them.  I love them.  My grandmother made them on all holidays.  She simply took hard boiled eggs and put them in pickled beet juice for a couple days.  It's not Christmas...or any holiday...without pickled beet eggs! Decorating the tree has become a Christmas Eve tradition.  The tree with lights and garland is usually put up sometime in the beginning of December and left that way until Christmas Eve.  On Christmas Eve we have hot chocolate, listen to Christmas carols and decorate the tree. I'm not a big decorator.  I love pretty lights and greenery inside, candles and Nativity scenes...but I refuse to decorate outside.  Outside it is "Bah Humbug!!"  First...I don't like to spend the money on the extra lights and decorations...I also don't like the extra cost in the electric bill.  So we save the time and effort for decorating inside.  But one thing I will do...I really like it especially since I don't have to go outside to do it...and I think it looks just lovely from outside...candles in the windows.  It's just so beautiful to see all the lovely big farm houses in our area...including a few Amish houses (I assume their candles are battery opperated, lol) with candles in all the windows. Every year we buy a new nativity ornament for the tree, and we also buy Boo an ornament that is meaningful to him.  Last year it was a NASCAR (Jimmy Johnson...his favorite driver) and this year it is a nutcracker...although it doesn't really represent this past year, he specifically requested one.  I also hand-make ornaments to give to family and friends every year as gifts.  Another thing that we've done is something that I heard someone talking about one year.  It was a tradition of getting new pajamas for Christmas.  The idea was that everyone would open these gifts on Christmas Eve and wake up on Christmas day in new pajamas.  Hubby and I loved that idea so we do that every year. We don't do Santa...kinda, but we buy each other little things to sneak anonomously in the other's stockings on Christmas Eve.  The object is to do it without being seen.  I'm sure the anonimity would be more fun in larger families...it's still a great surprise for us on Christmas morning to see what we got in our stockings.  Stocking are not just filled with gifts but with nuts, an orange, and apple and a new toothbrush.  LOL  Now...about Santa.  Santa is the designated person who passes the gifts under the tree out to everyone on Christmas morning.  They read who it's too and who it's from...they we all watch them open it before "Santa" gets another gift out from under the tree.  This job is usually given to Hubby...but Boo says he wants to be "Santa" this year. One really neat tradition we are just starting (now that Boo can write well) is an Italian tradition of letter writing.  Instead of writing letters to Santa with a list of all the toys they want (although I'm sure some do) Italian children write letters to their moms and dads telling them how much they love them.  These letters are placed under the dinner plates on Christmas Eve and read after dinner. Another new tradition we are starting this year is reading Christmas books.  I read it on another blog some time ago but unfortunately I haven't found that blog again.  The idea was to take their beloved Christmas books and wrap them up in Christmas paper and place them in a basket and every night during Advent pick one, unwrap it and reading it together.  I love this idea and we are now incorporating this into our family Christmas traditions.  On Christmas morning stocking are fair game no matter the time...but gifts under the tree aren't opened until after Christmas breakfast. After Christmas dinner we bring out the birthday cake and sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. The Christmas tree is left up until December 6th which is Little Christmas/Epiphany/Celebration of the Wise Men (December 6th)...which is the day after 12th day of Christmas (or Twelfth Night).    During this time we will take all the Christmas cards that we've received and put them into a basket under the tree and each night pick a few out of the basket and pray for those people. Ok...just some of our Christmas traditions.  I'd love to hear about yours.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/258659/ Sat, 23 Dec 2006 14:18:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/annreathome/258659/