I haven't had much blogging time as we have all been under the weather physcally(sinus infections, runny noses, tummy aches, sore throats, coughs)in one way or another for the past week.  The addition of the ridiculous heat around here--there was one report of 117 degrees with the humidity making it feel like it was 123!!!--is making us all pretty edgy and cooped up.  Praise God for the gift of air conditioning!

But even through that, we were able to accomplish a lot more school wise than I thought we might.  Here are a couple of the highlights of the week:

• AK read his first sentance(SEE ME EAT and the next day SEE ME READ)!  After my post last week, I made the executive decision to skip ahead in the curriculum to a lesson that really started sounding out words since he was so bored the week before.  I think that was all he needed--to feel like he was learning something worthwhile.  I was going to buy the Explode the code workbooks for him, but decided to save some money and just print out some phonics pages as I am finding plenty online(google free phonics worksheets or printable phonics worksheets and you get a ton!).
• We read the awesome and fun book, The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge.  The kids really enjoyed this story.  We studied lighthouses in some detail and then made our own out of paper towel and toilet paper tubes, baby food jars(courtesy of AF).  I borrowed a great Reading Rainbow video from the library that showed some lighthouses, how they work and how people make those ships in a bottle.  I even sacrificed a library fine for a couple days so they could watch it a little longer.  We had numerous art projects this week including making a picture that shows a contrast in size and making another that only uses 3 colors.
• We memorized James 4:6(God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble) and learned about Nebudchadnezzer.
• CJ learned about New York(setting for the book) and made lots of pictures this week.  She's speeding through her math these days.
• I took the kids on Thursday to see the Cars movie.  It was EF's first movie and she did pretty well(only two trips to the bathroom).  AK was a little freaked out at first as the last movie he had seen in the theater was Narnia and he didn't like the previews for Pirates of the Caribbean.  Once I explained that we were seeing a cartoon, he reluctantly got out of the car.  It was a very cute movie and we will probably own it in the near future:)  Did figure out that the movie theater is going to be a luxury in this family (Ended up spending close to $50 at a matinee for 1 adult & 3 kids sharing one popcorn and 2 drinks!  Thanks to Grandma & Papa for sending down some $$ to pay for it!)
• BW & I went out on a date to celebrate our anniversary on Saturday.  We ended up at the Charthouse in Malibu where we had eaten for special occasions back in the college days when we just charged meals and tried to pretend we were grown up.  It's so wonderful to be in a place where we aren't trying to impress anyone or put on a show.  We have changed so much in the 14 years we have been together!(10 married) It was nice to be out and the heat was a little better by the ocean. 

Please pray for a break in the heat (weather service says it will be like this through the end of the month!! AND the electric company is raising rates effective Aug 1st by up to 55% retroactive to January 1st.  Didn't think that they could do that but what do I know?).  Pray also for complete healing of all of us, especially BW who has been fighting his cold for several weeks now. 

Off to bed!  Will write more soon!