Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. ~Psalm 128:3 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:05:00 -0600 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:05:00 -0600 I got the candles for our Advent wreath ~ and at 50% off! Plans for the upcoming week: Sunday: The Operation Christmas Child boxes are filled and will be collected at church. Monday: grocery shopping & clean, clean, clean Tuesday: Lulapalooza's 10th Birthday! Wednesday: birthday party with his friends Thursday: Thanksgiving Day: cook, watch the parade, eat, watch the Longhorns beat the Aggies Friday & Saturday: final Advent preparations   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/746640/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:05:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/746640/ Well, our formal academic studies are over for the year. We finished reading aloud The Struggle for Sea Power, Dr. Dolittle, and Just So Stories. The boys finished their assigned silent readings for literature, history, science, and nature. We got our last spelling words for the year into our notebooks. After I finished reading the last history chapter I asked each of the younger three to share some things that they remembered learning this year.  I gave them each three spelling words bee-style, and three mental math problems.  Then I said, "Congratulations, you have just been promoted!"  This was followed by many high-fives until I made them stop, because they were hurting my hand! J~Man has his first LEGO-Robotics competition tomorrow. Now it is on to the boys' birthdays, Thanksgiving, Advent, our wedding anniversary, and Christmas. Of course, the learning doesn't stop: there will be plenty of reading ~ aloud and silent, poetry, music, art and handicrafts that go with the season. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/746376/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:48:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/746376/ Advent begins on 29 November this year.  That is in only nine days.  Here are a few links to help prepare for this season of preparation: at O Night Divine at A Ten O'Clock Scholar and check this out... at Advent Conspiracy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/746177/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:21:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/746177/ I absolutely love this poem/hymn! I love the traditional tune by Conrad Cocher; but John Rutter's choral composition is wonderful as well. We will be learning this this week. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/744956/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/744956/ Wow, only two weeks before Advent begins and 40 days until Christmas Eve! Here is what yet needs to be done: fill Operation Christmas Child boxes turn in CBD order make Advent calendar buy Advent candles (yes, I forgot! again) get rosemary tree sign, address, and mail cards buy stockings (we get new felt ones every year and decorate them for St. Nicholas Day) get supplies for ornaments make a decision about a tree plan for family picture continue decluttering and organizing in preparation for decorating http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/744614/ Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:30:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/744614/ This Week: We finished memorizing our verses from Psalm 139. We finished reading Now We Are Six. Lulapalooza finished his Bible Reader. Toodles finished her Bible Reader and Flower Fairies of the Autumn.   Next Week: We have 2 stories left in Just So Stories. We have 1 chapter to go in The Story of Dr. Dolittle. We have 8 more readings in The Struggle for Sea Power. J~Man has one more chapter to read in Men of Science; Men of God Lulapalooza will finish reading A Picnic on the Island for literature and Snakes and Stars for nature. They will each have one more spelling list. Then we are finished with formal academics for the year. The Extras: J~Man and his partner completed their robot for the upcoming LEGO-Robotics competition. Sgt. Elf bought a bunny. Toodles helped me prepare 20 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Lulapalooza finalized plans for his birthday next week. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/744599/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:04:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/744599/ I am always amazed when God works things out ~ even though I shouldn't be!  October 5-9 was a planned academic break week, which worked out very well since we spent most of it in the hospital.  So this week we were back in the swing of things without having to play catch-up, and we had a great week. we started reading The Story of Dr. Dolittle and Just So Stories for literature Now We Are Six for poetry and The Struggle for Sea Power in our world history series we memorized the first four verses of Psalm 139 I got my supplies organized enough that the kids could draw and play with modeling clay while I did our history and literature read alouds; they were quite excited about that. on Friday we did a little geography block with a story from Africa out of Folktales from Ecosystems Around the World, some songs from Africa from Wee Sing Around the World, and an African-inspired craft from Global Art.  The kids really enjoyed this ~ even the too cool 11yo boy! I like the rhythm we have found to our autumn days, and the kids seem to as well.  They are playing together outside a lot, working on lots of creative projects inside, and even the 13yo manages to show up when we do read alouds (something from which she could not wait to be excused a year ago). http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/737060/ Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:16:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/737060/ Last Thursday Sgt. Elf was healthy.  Her younger siblings had "chest colds", and I was starting to feel one coming on.  Friday it was her turn, and by Saturday night she was in ICU at Children's Hospital with a partially collapsed lung.  Yesterday she got to come home. I am very thankful for: my wonderful husband who insisted on taking her in (I didn't realize how sick she was, since I was spending most of my time in bed myself.) countless prayer warriors ~ many of whom did not even know us emergency rooms ambulance drivers Children's Hospital ICU doctors nurses respiratory therapists physical therapists medical technology insurance to pay for it friends who brought the rest of my family food 13-year-old lungs that are working again 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 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/734287/ Thu, 8 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/734287/ While Frap was in Colorado she went four-wheeling with her Gramps who has built his own four-wheeler. This video is him.  She was not in the car, just watching from the sidelines: He was fine, by the way. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/732004/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:50:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/732004/ I had fun making this! click the image to see it larger and visit the site where I made it http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/731924/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:44:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamatigerj/731924/