Posted in Family

Well, we generally do some school year round, but the girls are going to camp this year and so we are working on wrapping things up in the next couple of weeks.

Little Miss has already finished her "school" work - grammar, math, spelling and handwriting.  Sweetie Pie Girl still has a little bit of math and grammar left, but should be done with it within the week.

Besides that though there is a bunch of big projects we are working on that are keeping us busy right now.

1)  The girls both had their end of year show for their dance/gymnastics class this evening.  They both did beautifully - really the whole class did.  It was kind of sad having the class end.  It was just a great program.  I was just so proud of my girls.  Sometimes they are so beautiful they just take my breath away.  Tonight was definitely one of those times.

2)  Next Tuesday is the Homeschooler's Fair.  I am organizing this for area homeschoolers.  I did it a few years ago as well but then moved and haven't done it since.  I was ready to do it again this year.  A homeschooler's fair is similar to a science fair, but kids can do their displays on any subject they are interested in - not just science.  We are homeschooler's after all.  SPG is doing her display board on Leonardo Da Vinci.  This was actually an assignment from TOG to do a display board a few month ago, but she had no where to show it.  Now she does.  I also got her a Leonardo DaVinci Treasure Chest.  She has been having a good time exploring that and has made a model of his flying machine for her project, and has also been reading a bio of daVinci.  She has been having a lot of fun.

LM is doing her project on the brain.  She decided a few weeks ago that she was really interested in studying anatomy.  I found her one evening, reading a human anatomy book (Usborne First Encyclopedia of the Human Body) and crying saying that she wanted to go to school!  We talked about it for a while and what it finally came down to was she really wanted to learn about the Human Body, and it wasn't in our curriculum for this year.  She thought if she were in school she would have been able to.  I explained to her that in school, they don't change the curriculum to meet what she wants, but in homeschooling you can!  That basically there was no reason we couldn't do some human body studies at home.  LOL.  She asked if she could do her "science fair" project on the body and I said sure but also suggested she narrow it down some if she wanted.  She chose to focus on the brain.  I gave her some of my college anatomy books, and she got some library books. She has made a model of the brain and is working on her display board now.  She has worked really hard and I am proud of her.  She also now realizes how cool homeschooling is. :)

So that is next Tuesday.  I will share pictures later.

3)  The very next day, we are going to Plimouth Plantation as our end of unit project on the pilgrims.  I was able to get a group rate (almost half off) if I could put together 15 people.  So I invited 30 other homeschoolers to go with me and we are going next week to Plimouth Plantation, the Wampanoag Village and Mayflower II.  It should be a phenomenal trip.  www.plimoth.org

I am just trying to figure out what possessed me to organize 2 homeschooling events in one week!  I have no one to blame but myself.  I chose the dates!

4)  We have next Thursday at home, but next Friday is their graduation/final Program from Zoo School.  We did this once a month all school year long at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI.  It was a phenomenal program.  It was just homeschoolers, and every month they got to see a different part of the zoo, including parts visitors can't normally go (i.e one month they went to the zoo hospital).  Their last class they get to play "Zookeeper for the day" and everyone gives their family a tour of the zoo and then there is a graduation ceremony.  Everyone also has to do a project on an animal of their choosing.  SPG is doing hers on butterflies (there is a butterfly garden at the zoo) and LM is doing hers on Moonbears (Asiatic Brown Bears).  So again, that will be a busy but exciting day.

After that we should be all done with school!  The week after that the girls won free tickets to Six Flags New England through a reading program.  So we will do that to relax and have some fun.  And then just get ready for camp.

So all in all, we have an busy couple of weeks, but it should be a lot of fun!  I plan on blogging about some of these events as they are pretty cool. :)

Posted in Family

Wow, I can't believe I haven't blogged since February!!  I have got to do better.  All I can say is, I'm going to try...

So, let's see we have been crazy busy around here, so grab a cup of tea and let's get caught up :)

Dante is doing great.  He is 18 now and I am left in shock.  He will be out of school in a couple of weeks and then immediately leaves for a trip with one of his teachers to Greece and Turkey.  They will be studying Greek Mythology.  So he won't be home until June sometime.

Little Miss is great.  She is just all over the place with interests right now.  She is studying herbalism with me (we are supposed to go out on an herb walk this morning, so hopefully this rain will clear out).  We are also making our first quilt together - I can't promise it will be beautiful, but it will be done, and we will have learned a lot.  And Friday she spent most of the afternoon at the piano writing music.  So, she's an eclectic.

Sweetie Pie just turned 7 last month but she is still my little baby girl.  She is absolutely obsessed with horses right now.  And spends all her free moments, reading about, talking about, and playing with horses.  Oh, and I almost forgot - pretending to be a horse. Both girls have started to take some riding lessons, VERY casually, because I just couldn't take it anymore! LOL  No really, they have both been passionate about horses for months now, with no end in sight.  So I figured I had to find a way to let them follow their passions.  They are both a natural on the horse, so we will see how far they go with it.

My little Boo Bear is now 14 months and is absolutely adorable.  He is walking everywhere, making lots of mischief.  His favorite word is "No" and he says it constantly.  Actually it is generally more of an "uh-uh" with a shaking of the head.  Absolutely adorable.  He has admirers where ever we go and is generally just a really sweet good natured little guy.

School wise we finished up our Renaissance Unit a while ago.  We ended it with a trip to the Museum of Fine Art in Boston and just had a great time.  We went and saw the Renaissance art, of course, but also art from a variety of time periods all over the world.  I was amazed at the level of art knowledge coming out of my children's mouths!  It was just incredible.  When they compared art pieces to each other and discussed what made the impressionist art different from the Renaissance.  I was amazingly impressed.  Even one of the guards (there was a guard in every room) commented that he had never heard such young children with such a high level of art understanding.  So I was really impressed.

So now we are doing the PIlgrims and having a lot of fun with that.  In addition to our readings we are making a salt dough map of the 13 colonies.  And we are also doing the Evan Moor History Pockets on Life at Plymouth Plantation (my girls said that they love the History Pockets and hate lapbooks.  Go figure...)  We will finish up this unit with a trip to Plymouth Plantation.

This summer the girls are going to a Girl Scout Day Camp for 5 weeks.  Is it wrong for me to say that I can't wait??  They get along great for the most part, but have been getting on each other's nerves lately.  I think they could really use some time apart.  They will be in different groups at camp so that will be good for them.  I love homschooling them, but am looking forward to having a break from them too. And I am looking forward to some time alone with the baby.

So for the most part that gets everyone caught up in our life.  I WILL blog again soon!

Posted in Family

Argh!  Now you know why I made my blog public!  I have this tendency to let life get away from me.  I felt sure that if I knew people were reading I couldn't drop it for long.  Well, I did, but enough people told me to get back on there and get my butt in gear so here I am. :)

I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted.

So here are a few things that have been happening:

We are now on Week 17 and enjoying the Renaissance.  Almost done with it actually.  But we have been having a lot of fun.

A few weeks ago we celebrated Dante's 18th birthday, and Baby Boo's first birthday in one weekend.  Yes, my baby was born the day after my oldest son's 17th birthday.  I am crazy.  The weekend was emotional, but good.

A couple of other Jewish family and I are starting a Jewish studies co-op, and I am hopeful that will be good.

Both Little Miss and Sweetie Pie Girl have started blogs on HSB as well.  Mainly just for fun and mischief.  But it gives them their own websites.  Little Miss is writing under the name SimchaK and SPG is writing under the name Avinka.  You can find them on my friend's list.

Little Miss went to a Jewish Girl's Retreat last weekend in Saratoga NY.  She was the youngest one there and I was really nervous about letting her go, but she did great.  It was also her first time away from home.  But everyone loved her there.

We also did some photos of the younger kids a few weeks ago.  Dante was away at school so unfortunately he isn't in them, and it seems strange saying "pics of my kids" without one of kids!  But it is what it is.  Enjoy!

Posted in Family

OK, so I am not really channeling Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady... Well, maybe just a little bit.

Little Miss and I had a discussion today.  It went like this:

LM:  Does the President live in the capital and run the state from there?
Me:  Not exactly.  The president lives in the country's capital and runs the whole country from there.  Do you remember where the capital of America is?
LM:  Washington, DC
Me:  Right!  The governor runs the state from the state capital.
LM: Oh, OK, I get it.  So is the President in charge of all the governors?
Me:  Not exactly.  The Governors all run their states government. And the president runs all the national government stuff and works with other countries.
LM:  Oh, so it is like the Feudal system!  The President is like the King.  And then the Governors are the Lords, and then the kids are all the peasants.
Me:  The kids are the peasants?
LM:  Absolutely!  We have to follow the rules our parents give us an do what they say.
Me:  But you don't work for me.
LM:  But we do chores.

This went on for a while and i won't bother you with the rest.  Let's just say that my little lawyer of a daughter was actually able to come up with some good reasons how we still live in a Feudal society today with kids as the peasants.  Oy vey.

But at least I know she has a good understanding of a Feudal Society from our Middle Ages unit :)

Posted in Family

We have a tradition in our homeschool.  The first snow of the year is an official holiday!  As soon as we see the snow flying, we stop what we are doing and go outside and play!  Then we have hot cocoa :)

Well yesterday was the day!  The first snow of the year!  We went outside to play!  Well really, the girls just danced in it.  There wasn't enough to really play with.  No Snowmen - or even snowballs could be made.  And it is all basically gone now - which made it all the more special.  Just us out dancing and trying to catch the flakes in our hands and in our mouths!  Truly enjoying another of G-d's miracles.

Yesterday was all the more special because it was baby Boo's first snow!  Well, really not, since he was born in February.  But he was never able to play in it last year. But he did this year.  Well, when he wasn't trying to figure what the heck this stuff was.

Posted in Family

Well, as I said in my first post, I knew CPG would hate her moniker which is why I didn't tell you what it stood for.  But, she soon found at that is stands for "cutie pie girl" and as she was very quick to point out she "is NOT CUTE!"

She asked for a name change and after much debate, she agreed to "Sweetie Pie" so effective immediately, that is her new moniker.

I was going to upload a picture to prove that I was really right, but for some reason wasn't able to.  So, you will just have to take my word for it.

Posted in Family

So, you can't turn 8 without planning a birthday party!  Little Miss starting planning hers a few months ago - she wanted to be prepared LOL

The party was yesterday and it was great!  It was a Bella Bee Bubble Gum Friendship party.
I highly recommend this for anyone planning a party!  Don't know what a Bella Bee Bubble Gum Friendship party is?  Well neither did I until a few months ago.

Bella Bee Workshops are part of Noah's Ark Workshops.  You can see their website here and find a consultant near you.  Noah's Ark Workshops are kind of like Build-a-Bear only they do it at your house (this could also be a great birthday party).  You invite some kids over and have some fun.

Anyway, here is how G-d works in my life.  A few months ago, Little Miss comes to me and says she wants to start planning her birthday party.  I have a baby and not much time so I want something really easy.  In my community most people have parties at home, pretty low key-  which is great, but i just don't have the energy this year.

Little Miss is very crafty and we were looking at different crafty ways to have a party with a minimal of fuss.  I just so happened to be looking around the Build a Bear Website trying to figure out if it was even doable, and how could I manage to do it out of my house this year.

So this is where Hashgocha Protis comes in ("Divine Providence" - Jews don't believe in coincidences).

Later, on that very same day, a woman posted on our local homeschooling list that she had just joined Noah's Ark Workshop as a consultant, and wanted to know if there was any interest in doing a homeschooler's workshop.

I clicked on her link, browsed her site - and said "This is exactly what I needed!  Thank You, Hashem!"  So while Little Miss and I are browsing around the site deciding on how we will do her party - and have her come and do it for me :), we see the link to the Bella Bee Workshops.  We click on it and Little Miss is immediately in heaven.  THIS is even better. A  spa makeover party - that incorporates values and teaches that beauty is within!!

How can you NOT love this!

A consultant comes to your home, gives all the girls makeovers (actually helps the girls do it themselves) and talks about a value while doing so. At the end of the party, the birthday girl gets an autograph book that all the guests have signed saying how she emulates that value.  All I had to do was get some cake and ice cream and decorations.  Shelli did the rest!

Little Miss chose a Bubble Gum Friendship party.  That meant that all her makeup smelled like bubble gum and was blue - it even came in a little blue purse.  While doing their makeovers they talked about friendship and what it meant to be a friend.  Each girl wrote a card about how Little Miss is a friend which was made into her autograph book. At the end they got certificates promising to be good friends and about how true beauty shines from within.

So this was probably one of the easiest parties I have ever done and truly one of the best ones.  The girls all had a great time!  There are consultants all over the US so I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Posted in Family

It is my sweet little girl's 8th birthday!!  Well, actually it was yesterday, but I never got a chance to blog yesterday.  So first I want to share a picture of my new 8 year old!

So, in honor of her 8th birthday I thought I would share:


1)  Little Miss is a natural born teacher/helper.  She loves to help people and does it in the nicest possible way, usually without them even knowing.  She loves to teach and does it without being condescending.

2)  She is also a natural leader without being bossy or demanding.  She is very charismatic and people want to follow her and play with her.

3)  Despite #2, she is not mean to children that are not as popular as she is.  Just the opposite.  She likes to take the underdog under her wing and make them her friend -  even if it has meant losing other friends.

4)  She is absolutely beautiful.  So much that sometimes it takes my breath away.  And while she is told this frequently (usually by total strangers), she is not in the least bit conceited.

5)  While she is beautiful on the outside, the most beautiful part of her is her Neshama (her soul).  She has an amazingly gentle neshama.  It is one of the main reasons I homeschool her- I didn't want to see it get squashed in school.

6)  She is smart.  I sometimes don't realize how smart until I speak with other 8yo.  She is a very mature grasp on the world and a deep understanding of what is going on around her.  Even at her young age, I greatly enjoy our conversations.

7)  She loves to read -also one of my favorite hobbies.  She reads on a very high level for her age and we enjoy reading books together and discussing them.  Meanwhile she keeps librarians at 2 different libraries busy finding books for her.  If I am ever looking for LM, I know I will find her in a corner some place lost in a good book.

8)  She is a great sister.  She is always looking out for her younger siblings - and her older one too :)  She always makes time to play with them and be with them.  She is best friends with her sister, and if I ever want  to make the baby smile, just have LM play with him. And of course, she has Dante wrapped around her little finger.

Well, that is 8 already- and I can still think of a bunch more reasons that LM is very special to me.  So:

Happy Birthday Little Miss!! I love you!!

Posted in Family

Well,  I have tried a few times to start a blog.  Let's see if I can keep it up this time...  I titled this Blog Shalom Bayis - which means "Peace in the Home".  Shalom Bayis is a quintessential Jewish idea and something I really strive for.  I don't always make it, but I do my best and that is all one can ask for.

I should probably introduce the cast of characters so you know who I will be writing about, huh?

The main characters are my DH and I and our 4 children.

The oldest DS is 17.  He isn't really part of our homeschooling anymore as he finished high school in 2 years and is now a Sophomore in College.  He is an amazing kid though and I do have quite a lot I can say about homeschooling him and how he brought us into this journey.  Since I would rather not use their real names, we are going to call him Dante - for reasons only he knows.  I will probably shorten that to D most often though.

Next is my DD who is 7 almost 8 - going on 30.  There is way too much to say about her in an intro post.  You will get to know her as Little Miss or LM for short.

Then is my 6yo DD who will always be my baby - even though we have a new baby.  But she is deceptive - behind the shy girl sucking her fingers is an amazing mind.  I know it is there and even I am amazed by it at times.  I am going to call her CPG, but I can't tell you what it stands for.

Then there is the real baby - DS who is 7 months old.  He is mischief waiting to happen!  We will call him Boo.

And of course there is DH and I, but you will get to know us - well me mostly-  through the posts.  That is of course assuming there are more...

We are now in our 9th year of homeschooling and it has been quite the ride.  We are classical homeschoolers for the most part, but have a lot of "child-led" and Charlotte Mason tendencies as well.  What makes this most difficult is that we are also Orthodox Jews.  This is only a problem because there are no Jewish homeschooling curriculums - and I am often then forced to use Ch-stian one.  Choosing curriculum and then making it work has always been a huge struggle for me.  So expect to hear a lot about the qualms of using curriculum!

So c'mon in and join me in a cup of tea.