Up the Hill Gang - Homeschool Blogger

Wordless Wednesday...Preemie Hat Factory

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:10:00 -0600

See more Wordless Wednesdays over at 5 Minutes for Mom!

Win an Apron!!

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:26:00 -0600

Go visit Connie over at Smockity Frocks and check out her adorable "Strawberries and Gingham" apron. She is going to be giving one of these away on January 26th!!! Thanks Connie!!

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:58:00 -0600

Monday: Jambalaya and Salad

Tuesday: Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas

Wednesday: Clean Out the Fridge Night

Thursday: Potato Soup and Salad

Friday: Breakfast for Dinner: Egg-white Omelette with Turkey Bacon and Fruit

Saturday: BBQ Sandwiches with Baked Fries and Fat-Free Brownies

Sunday: Jake's Choice

See other Menu Plans over at Laura's!!

In Memory...Happy Birthday Gus!

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 08:55:00 -0600

Today we celebrate the life of our 5th child...Henry Larsen Doriot...fondly known as "Gus". Gus was only here with us for a short time...16 months to be exact. Gus was awaiting a liver/ small bowel transplant but his body could just not hold out for a donor. Today would have been his second birthday. We are sad that we are not celebrating with him today but we rejoice that he is taking part in daily celebrations in Heaven!

Gus was profoundly and bilaterally deaf due to the extreme high doses of antibiotics he received early in his life. It was next to impossible to keep hearing aids in this kid's ears! He would have gone on to get a cochlear implant if he had survived.

He loved to watch Signing Time videos. Here he is sitting in his bumbo practicing his "signs"...or maybe he's just trying to pluck out his hearing aid!

The little "punk" signed "daddy" first...not "mommy". I will be talking to him about this when I see him!!

He had many "girlfriends". Here's Courtney his Personal Trainer...

and Laura, his Synagis Shot Girl...Synagis is a med to help prevent RSV or to lessen it's attack....too bad those gazillion dollar shots didn't really help Gus. He contracted RSV in the hospital and that is what led to his major pulmonary bleeds. PLEASE, wash your hands! lol!!

And now, the beloved Nurse Janice from the 2nd Floor. The love was deep, folks!!

Gus often had to get blood transfusions....blood was fondly renamed "red soldiers". Here is a picture of the soldiers marching...

When he wasn't busy getting his "red soldiers" he would be out roaming the halls with his brothers and sister...in his "Gus Bus"!

When Gus was at home, his sister would take him around the house for a "tour". He was so small that he was able to fit in her doll stroller with no problem.

He loved to fly. We flew to Pittsburgh several times to see his transplant team. We would often get bumped up to first class because Gus was such a flirt!! This is on one of the flights.

He even liked to "fly" in the pre-surgery area. In this picture, Gus is waiting to go in to surgery to have his central line replaced. Look at that cute little hospital gown...awwww...cute! We had so much fun with him!

At the beginning of March '06, Gus cut two teeth and we could not control the bleeding. We ended up moving back into the Ronald McDonald House so that he could await "the call" to fly to Pittsburgh for a transplant. This was before he was intubated.

Here I am with Gus right before he leaves us to go Home. We are on the edge of eternity in this picture! Gus died on May 31, 2006. He was among his entire family and his favorite nurses and Chaplain Sandy. A great peace filled the room as he left. I thank God that he allowed me to be Gus' mommy. It was such an honor to take care of this precious child. I look forward to our reunion!!

Henry Larsen Doriot

"Gus"

January 18, 2005--May 31, 2006

Please consider organ donation. There are a lot of children who die on the waiting list because parents do not donate their child's organs. Organ donation is something you should decide before you are in the situation where you need to decide quickly. It is not something that is easily talked about but let me reassure you that talking about it doesn't kill you or your child!

Low-Fat Chicken Enchiladas

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:47:00 -0600

I tried this recipe this evening and it was pretty good. Not "crab legs dipped in drawn butter" good but "better than rice cakes" good! I served a salad with the enchiladas. I'm not sure about the rest of my family but I am stuffed. We have a BIG problem with salad dressing...as in we use too much! I have started measuring out the dressing and tossing each salad individually and then taking it to the table. Tonight, I cut the dressing in half and no one complained!! In all honesty, I couldn't really tell...in fact I think my salad tasted better than ever! lol!!

Low-Fat Chicken Enchiladas

Enjoy!

Telescopes, the Bill of Rights and Antarctica

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:43:00 -0600

School started late today so we had to skip our read aloud time. We focused on catching up on some things that we were falling behind in...like science and history. Pete fixed us a nice lunch of Chicken and Rice...wasn't that nice?! That rhymed....

Nik:

Grammar: adverbs

Science: tools that astronomers use, astrolabe

History: different regions of the US

Math: ratios

Jake:

Grammar: adverbs and note-taking

Science: fertilization of flowering plants

History: The Constitution, Bill of Rights,George Washington and his cabinet... we tried a new way of taking notes today and I think it really helped Jake retain a lot of this info!

Math: review

Belle:

Grammar: letter Y and Z, wrote short sentences

History/Geo: Australia and Antarctica

Copywork: a line from the "Field Daisy"

Math: line addition and number words

Gee, when I write it all down, it doesn't seem like much!! It sure did feel like a lot! lol!!

Wordless Wednesday...I Love You!

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 08:30:00 -0600

Visit other WW over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

In Memory...Samuel Finn

Tue, 9 Jan 2007 08:25:00 -0600

Samuel Finn Doriot January 9, 2004

19 weeks gestational age--cord accident

Butterfly

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam

And for a brief moment

it's glory and beauty belong to our world.

But then it flies on again

And though we wish it could have stayed

We feel so lucky to have seen it.

Author Unknown

She's Six!

Mon, 8 Jan 2007 18:17:00 -0600

This day, six years ago, we were welcoming our sweet little girl into the world. Pete, my mother and I had left for the hospital early in the morning because it had started to snow...I was scheduled to be induced first thing that morning. Dr. Pelletier was the on-call doctor...he's our favorite. By the time we got to the hospital there was about an inch of snow on the gorund. We all couldn't wait to see her!!

I was in labor for about 5 hours. Labor was a breeze, really it was! I slept through most of it!! Of course it helped that I had quite a bit of Stadol on board! lol!! My mom stayed with me while Pete ran to the bank...we had to call him back though because I wanted my epidural and I wanted him there...to feel my pain! lol!!

Around noon, our sweet pea was born weighing 7 pounds and 14 ounces. She came quickly with no complications. She was beautiful and small (my boys were whoppers!) and cuddly...I just thought she was wonderful!!

Now, she is six and she is is such a sweetie!!

She is very focused:

learning how to draw up meds at Wellmont

She is helpful:

helping make laundry detergent

She is great at math:

She is a Daughther of the King:

She is a great nurse!:

Giving Gus his meds

You may not want to let her brush your hair!:

She is very dramatic:

She drinks out of the milk jug!:

She sticks by you through the thick and thin:

And these are just a few of the reasons why I think she is just GRAND!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET PEA!!!!!!

Please Welcome....

Sat, 6 Jan 2007 22:56:00 -0600

my good friend Sonya over at The Sugartree Adventures. I'm thrilled that she has decided to start blogging with us!! WooHoo!!

Look At This Neat Chanticleer!

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 21:26:00 -0600

Pink Chandelier by anniebee

DD1 came to me today talking about our dog eating the "chanticleer" that is supposed to go into her new dollhouse. DS2 comes in and says "Did you see that chanticleer? It is so cool!"....What???!! There's a rooster in the dollhouse? Nope...that would be a "chandelier" in the new dollhouse...and yes, the dog did chew it up! lol!!

I personally think this "chanticleer" is really neat! One day I'm going to have an all pink room!!

Blankets of Love

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 21:09:01 -0600

We have decided to create two quilts to send to Blankets of Love in memory of Gus and Sam. Both of their birthdays are in January. This evening we started making the strips out of my scrap pile. We are going to be making "chinese coin" quilts and binding them in black. Here's some of our strips....

Everything was going well until Pete decided that he needed to show the kids how he could throw a cheeto up in the air and then catch it in his mouth....because, you know, that's very important when you are putting together a quilt! Jake snapped this picture just at the right time...see the little cheeto up near the ceiling?? I think we'll be able to get these sent out by the end of the month if I can keep our house "cheeto-free" lol!!

Crazy Tanya!

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 21:07:00 -0600

Me on the left...Crazy Tanya on the right! lol!!

Flower Dissections

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 21:03:00 -0600

Here is a photo of the flowers that DS2 and I dissected this afternoon. I just love my scalpel...it came from one of Gus' central line repair kits from the hospital!!

Flower dissection, Handel and Hogarth

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 20:06:01 -0600

Yipee!! We started school on time this morning!! During breakfast we talked about I John 3:18..."Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions in truth." Pete had to go take a entrance exam for nursing school in the afternoon...he passed and was allowed entrance! lol!!

QOTD: Life is an adventure in forgiveness. ~Norman Cousins

WOTD: flummery

TDIH: the euro debuts

Read alouds: Twelfth Night from this book, Saint Ursula Reading 3 from this book, and various poems from this book.

DS1:

Bible: Elisha

LA: self-test, copywork from the poem "Mischief "by Jane Taylor, 3 new words from SAT list, adverb review

Math: reviewed percentages to decimals to fractions, self test 2

History: self-test 1

Science: Isaac Newton, measuring the sky

Art: freewriting using a Hogarth painting, cool and warm landscapes

Music: listened to Handel

DS2:

Bible: telling the truth

LA: note-taking, cursive "Pp", copy work from "To a Lady" by Anna Laetitia Barbauld, spelling w/s

Math: fractions review

History: Articles of Confederation, discussed report to be done

Science: flower dissections

Art: freewriting using Hogarth painting, cool and warm landscapes

Music: listened to Handel

DD1:

Bible: discussed how the earth is full of God's glory

LA: line leader letters, matching big letters w/ little letters, copywork from "The Field Daisy", listened to "The Tortoise and the Hare", practiced writing "Ww"

Science: read One Bean by Anne Rockwell

History: read about Africa

Art: freewriting using a Hogarth painting, cool and warm landscapes

Music: listened to Handel

Early US, Amer. Revolution Test and Europe

Wed, 3 Jan 2007 17:43:00 -0600

We had an abbreviated school day...slept in and then had company in the afternoon. At breakfast we had a mini-lesson about Zacchaeus. In the evening we meet up with our friend Crazy Tanya and her daughter...who is making this really cool scarf out of eyelash yarn....and had 1/2 price appetizers at Applebee's.

QOTD: They can conquer who believe they can. ~ Virgil

WOTD: hootenanny

TDIH: 1521 Martin Luther Excommunicated

Read aloud time: Reading 2 of Saint Ursula from this book, All's Well That Ends Well from this book, and several poems from this book.

DS!:

Bible: Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa and Nadab

LA: reviewed abbreviations, adverbs, copywork from "Why the Bear is Stumpy-Tailed", QOTD in cursive

Math: decimals to fractions

History: Early US

Reading: The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum

DS2:

Bible: Living happily with others

LA: Unit Test, cursive "Oo", copywork from "The Sheep and Pig Who Set Up Housekeeping", spelling exercises and adverbs

History: American Revolution Test..unit test

DD1:

Bible: Who's in Charge?

LA: reviewed vowels, copywork from "The Young Minnow Who Would Not Eat When He Should", read aloud was The Lion and the Mouse

Science: Plants and their parts

History/Geo: Europe

To help DS2 prepare for his American Revolution test, we played our game we created called "Revolution". It is basically a trivia game...there is no strategy involved...just have to know the answers! LOL!! We will be adding questions to the game as we work through our history lessons. I guess the name of the game will change as we progress...hmmm...hadn't thought about that! lol!!

The "Common Sense" cards are the questions. You move around the board and gather things to give to Gen. George Washington. Each item is assigned a value. The winner is the person with the most valuable "pile"...we are still making some changes to the rules....overall though, we have fun play the game!

Ian Johnson Loves to Crochet!

Wed, 3 Jan 2007 12:22:00 -0600

This video is for my dear friend Judi who is teaching herself how to crochet. Visit her and send encouragement her way!!

I first saw this video over at Craftzine.

Wordless Wednesday--Sunflower

Wed, 3 Jan 2007 08:38:00 -0600

For more Wordless Wednesday go to 5 Minutes For Mom.

Of Stars, Flowering Plants and Penguins...

Tue, 2 Jan 2007 17:09:00 -0600

We started this morning with a bowl of oatmeal and a mini-study on Job. Pete had just returned from work and was able to lead our discussions...I like it when he's around to do that!! DS2 asked if our pets would be in Heaven which lead to the reading of a chapter from Randy Alcorn's book Heaven for Kids. A nice discussion followed. Pete went to bed and the kids and I headed for the schoolroom....

At 10:30 we stopped for apple muffins and The Merchant of Venice from this book, several poems by Edgar Guest from this book, and Reading 1 Saint Ursula from this book. I use The Home Educator's Tutor for the Saint Ursula readings.

DS1:

Bible: read about Jeroboham and Ahab

Language Arts:

reviewed types of prose and poetry
copywork form the "Quote Jar"
discussed 3 words from the SAT list
reviewed adverbs
creative writing: free write

Math: reviewed decimals and place values

History: read about the different regions of the US

Science: studying stars...read about Galileo, Brahe and Keppler

Art: visited Olga's Gallery to view William Hogarth collection

Music: review of instruments and their families

Reading: The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum

DS2:

Bible: illustrated a verse and read about the ant

Language Arts:

reviewed adverbs
practiced cursive "Oo"
copywork form the "Quote Jar"
spelling words were alphabitized...silent letters underlined.
creative writing: free write

Math: Test on Polygons and Circles

History: discussed Benedict Arnold, Nathanael Green, Rochambeau and the Treaty of Paris

Science: discussed the male and female parts of the flowering plant.

Art: visited Olga's Gallery to view William Hogarth collection

Music: instruments and their families

Reading: The Yellow House Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

DD1:

Bible: worked on memory verse Genesis 1:1 and made a collage of God's Creation

Language Arts:

letter review
copywork form the "Quote Jar"
practiced writing "Ww"
creative writing: illustration and writing
read aloud: The Dog and His Shadow

Math: none today because the math book has traveled to some unknown destination...hmmm...

Science: worked on penguin lapbook

History: studied about Asia and the Great Wall

Art: visited the Olga Gallery to view William Hogarth collection

Music: instruments and their families

Reading: Bob Books!

Remembering Emma...

Tue, 2 Jan 2007 16:58:00 -0600

We are remembering Emma and her family today as they celebrate her short life here on earth. Today would have been her first birthday. You can read more about Emma over at my other blog, Gus' Gang.