We are 4 months into our homeschooling year. Seems like yesterday was our first day.

I thought I would write a post on what we are keeping, dropping and adding.

With Joshua, we are dropping Phonics Tutor. Josh, is not a computer person. He doesn't like to do school on the computer. We are replacing it with Spell to Write & Read.  We will continue to use CQLA (minus the spelling portion), Christian Light science, reading and social studies and he will continue with Math Mammoth.

Annette, we added CLE LA. She enjoys T4L but I prefer a more workbook type LA program. She still uses Time4Learning about three times a week. We are also adding in CLE Math. She wants to give it a try. Since she is using CLE for science, social studies, reading and language arts she wanted to include math. We will continue with Meaningful Composition. She is not thrilled with MC but she doesn't like writing period!

Caleb, will continue CLE math and The Phonics Road to Reading. I love the PR. It includes phonics, spelling, writing,grammar, and reading. I'll give it a review once we complete level 1. I can't wait to purchase level 2 so I can look through it. For now I did drop CQLA. Since he is getting grammar and writing with PR.

Brent, will continue using Phonics Road, Math Mammoth/Schoolaid math. He is doing well. Both Brent & Caleb's reading and spelling as improved with PR.

Ethan, is starting SWR & Cursive First.

All the children are adding in Cursive First. Josh, my 6th grader is now using more cursive then manuscript. His cursive has improved too. Brent, is also starting to write more in cursive since we started Cursive First. Annette, can still use some improvement and Caleb's penmanship is looking better too.

I bought all the children a copy of The New England Primer

I am having the four older ones memorize the alphabet. In Adams fall we sinned all. Annette, Caleb & Brent have memorized up to the letter M. Josh memorized up to the letter F. I thought they wouldn't be interested in the book but they all love it. They even carry their own book around and practice on their own. I plan to have them memorize some poems and such this year. We'll see how much of the book they can memorize by the summer.

Lance is so sweet! Every time he goes down for a nap he gives me kisses. He starts by giving me one kiss on each cheek, then my nose and last my forehead. 

It's been a busy morning. I have done three spelling lessons. One with Annette using SWR, one with Caleb & Brent using Phonics Road and one with Ethan, he did his first SWR lesson.

Ethan did his first Spell to Write and Read lesson. Some words were hot, all, but, and etc. He had ten words. First I would say the word, use it in a sentence, finger spell it and let him write it in his Primary Learning Log (PL). He new most of the words so I had to slow him down so we could do all the steps. I new with 'all' he would get stuck. We did the finer spelling and I asked him what 'o' sound are we going to use for the first sound in 'all'. Of course his first thought was using an O I gave him a hint. I asked him what letter says /a/, A, /o/. After a while he figured it out but still wrote "oll" instead of "all". I asked him to help my pencil write out 'all' and when he compared my word to his he realized that he made an O instead of an A.

Ethan, wrote with some capital letters too. I am teaching him cursive but for now he is going to write manuscript in his PL until we finish learning how to write all the letters in cursive or almost all. He is still learning how to form the letter 'a'.

When I first introduce him to a letter we start using the 'salt box', trace the sandpaper letter or finger trace the enlarged clock. Then I have him practice tracing a stamp of the clock face using his SmartPal. I insert the paper and he using a dry erase market. Lastly I give him a copy of Cursive First for the letter we are practicing. We don't do all this in one day, so it has been taking us a while.

We are doing the clock face letters first; a, c, o, b, d etc. any letter that goes around the clock  I'll add pictures soon.

We started using Math Mammoth Complete Curriculum Light Blue Series this past June (2009).

Joshua used 3A and is almost finished with 3B. Annette is almost done with 3A and will start 3B in January. Brent is using 2A and Ethan 1A.

So far so good.The children aren't jumping for joy to do math but they do like Math Mammoth.

Pros:

• You can download and print as many copies as needed
• Inexpensive. You pay about $30.00 for a full grade/year. This includes the student text, answer keys, test and review pages.
• There is no need for a Teacher's Manual per say; everything is written in the student text.
• Step-by-step instructions for both mom/teacher & student (in student text)
• Starts a new concept using illustrations then moves away from until there is only problems with no pictures etc.
• There is an end of chapter review and then a test. You can file these away instead of keeping a whole workbook. You do have to print the test off separately (same download though)

Cons:

• The answer key is sometimes hard to follow. It takes me a few minutes to find the page in the answer key that I need, to quickly correct a students page.
• In the 3rd grade Answer key some of the pages are off. For instance to correct lets say page 92 of the student page it's not the same in the Answer key. Minor error and I have penciled in the correct pages.

Other then answer keys I haven't really found any cons for us. It would be nice if the answer key was set up with the problems and the answers, but I can see where that would be a lot of printing for the customer.

The Complete Light Blue package is a full years worth of math. There is also a Blue Series. You would use the Blue Series if you are using another math program but your child needs review or you want to supplement your current math.

Click HERE to see how the author of Math Mammoth compares MM to other math programs (MUS, Saxon, Singapore etc.)

I have bought many math programs, R&S, Right Start, Singapore, MUS, Miquon, Saxon, Rays and I'm sure a few more that I have forgotten . For me I have narrowed it down to two that I   have found works great for my children and I. I say "I" because it has to make sense to mom too . The two are Math Mammoth and Christian Light Math.

Caleb has used CLE Math 2 & 3. Brent 1 & 2. I'll post about Christian Light math another time.

I do want to add that I REALLY am trying NOT to combine math programs but it has happened again. Caleb is currently using CLE 3 but wants to do Math Mammoth also. What we are doing is one week he works with MM and the next week he does CLE. We work through the summer so we'll see if he can finish both in 12 months. Samething is happening with Brent. He is using MM and Schoolaid. I started Brent with Math Mammoth level 2 but he wants to complete his Schoolaid math too, so again he is combining also . Annette, I started her off with Math Mammoth (MM) she is almost done with 3A BUT she wants to use Christian Light Math. Aaack! She said she would prefer to use Christian Light math because almost all her other subjects are from Christian Light Education. So, we'll see how that goes. I ordered CLE math level 4.

Blessings,

Linda<><

I received the following book free from Crossway publishers for the sole purpose of review.  I received no monetary compensation for this review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the book:

With Big Truths for Young Hearts, Bruce Ware, a theology professor, encourages and enables parents of children 6-14 years of age to teach through the whole of systematic theology at a level their children can understand.  Parents can teach their children the great truths of the faith and shape their woldviews early, based on these truths.

The book covers ten topics of systematic theology, devoting several brief chapters to each subject, amking it possible for parents to read one chapter per day with their children.  With this great format, parents will be emboldened to be their chidlren's primary faith trainers-and perhaps learn a few things themselves along the way. 

About the author:

Bruce A. Ware(PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is professor Christian theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  He has written numerous journal articles, book chapters, book reviews, and has authored God's Lesser Glory, God's Greater Glory, and Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

My Thoughts:

 Dr. Ware has written book that is filled with wisdom and great theological lessons to teach your children.  Each lesson is broken down into easy, teachable lessons that could be done once a week or nightly.  They end with a few thought-filled questions and a scripture to memorize.  I appreciate the years of parenting that Dr. and Mrs. Ware share in this great tool.   I recommend buying this book if you do not have a lot of knowledge in biblical and Christian theology, yet want your children firmly rooted in them.

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A Tip To Make Using Milk In Baking And Sauses Cheaper

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I have been trying to recall ways  or habits that I do without out really thinking to make our dollar stretch further.  One thing I have done for years in my baking is it to dilute 1/4th   2 % milk or whole milk to 3/4ths water of what the recipe calls for. 

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for example.... if the recipe calls for 2 cups milk  I use 1/2 cup of milk( what ever type you want) and then 1 1/2 cups water.

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 Also in soups I use 6 parts of chicken broth to about 1 part of cup of milk or  in my white sauses.  I don't miss anything b/c the broth is so flavorful. 

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for example....  6 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk. 

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I hope the examples make it more clear.

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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....

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  Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post.   (each Tuesday that  you join in on the fun)  

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example of a URL ...

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/

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  Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's. 

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 Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars  together !

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"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."

We had an awesome & busy weekend. Parties, caroling, open house at a horse trainer's place & a Christmas Cantata at church.  We thoroughly enjoyed it all.  But last night (Sunday) Hannah was acting miserable & when I asked her what was wrong she said she was dreading the next day (Monday).  She said Mondays are always so frustrating because the house is in a shambles from the weekend & we have to do schooling plus cleaning & it seems like most Mondays just don't go well.  Plus she's having trouble w/ conversions in Math & didn't want to do it. LOL  We talked about things for awhile-math, routines, what she wants to do with her life, etc.

So, this morning, I got up at 5:30 & did the dishes, started laundry, picked up the living room & got some of the school subjects ready.  The kids got up, did chores & then I made breakfast.  I thought I'd try to make Monday breakfast more special than any other week day.  So, we had pumpkin spice pancakes (a mix) with maple cream spread on them & cool whip on top of that. YUM.  Also had clementine oranges.

I told the kids it was up to them to help keep the house picked up & the sink empty.  My goal was to keep the sink empty & so far it's gone well.  Even with deer butchering going on!

So, I'm very pleased with how today went.  The baby makes the most mess & isn't old enough to pick up much, but I got her to put some books back on the shelf & push in chairs.  Everyone's schooling got done, some extra house cleaning got done & a little Christmas decorating, too.  It was a good day!