I've probably spent an inordinate amount of time on this project. I figured if I posted it for others to use, my labor would not have been in vain.

Of what do I speak? It's the Table of Contents page for the weekly dividers of the kids' history notebooks.  Because I couldn't cram all the info I wanted on the regular tab dividers, I sprung for the Avery Ready Index TOC dividers. Being the office supply geek I am, I already had the Avery Wizard software. So I figured it would be a cinch to create the table of contents for Unit 1 to use in the kids' notebooks.

Not so. (Note to self: next time, start the Avery Wizard, create the list from there, save the list, edit the list in Word. Score another one for the Obvious Files.) Now I'll have a template for the next units.

In addition to the learning curve for the Avery template, the other time issues was finding the dates to go with the topics. I'm not sure why TOG didn't include those on their topic list, but I added them - as much as for me as the kids. I know the dates are in general and some are subject to interpreation, but even general dates will give them pegs to hang info on.

Now for the moment you've waited for:  Lexie's Table of Contents Cover Sheet for TOG Year 2, Unit 1, to be used w/the Ready Index Dividers. Here's the link to it: Download tog_2.1 weekly topic titles w title.doc (I really need to figure out how to clean up link titles at some point.) 

• Work 1 hour at a time.
  
• Post each day on Mr. Ron's blog.
  
• Morning routine.
  
• Sonlight read aloud
  

• Work 30 minutes at a time
• Do Phonics Pathways and read 15 minutes in Bible w/her.
  
• Math
• Read library books w/them
  

• Read to her daily
  

• Work on writing their part of the Christmas letter.
  

Don't faint G'ma...it's not that kind of birth! 

Ninja Boy has a blog, Gameboy’sGalaxy. I made him start it, but Ithink he'll like it. He was eager during the setup process and even did theflag football post on his own.

I had been talking with strong handsome hubby about helping Ninja Boy discover some interests besides video games. This is a good start, though it's still electronic there's lots of room for "edumacation"value.

If you have a minute, pay him a visit. Thanks!

Update 10/14:  His 3 lovely sisters have joined us in the blogosphere. Fifi, Songbird and BellaBoo have caught the bloggin' bug.

(Disclaimer: my kids are used to listening to somewhat diverse music, i.e., they don’t have a steady diet of pop music. In fact, they have a rain game they’ve invented to one of Vivalvdi’s Four Seasons tracks.)
 

I thought back to my Saturday mornings in front of the TV and thought of all those School House Rock songs that I still remember today.  I wondered if my kiddos would like those? Would my beloved local library have Schoolhouse Rock on DVD?

I jumped onto to the net to find that the RRPL did indeed have it. It was in cataloging. (I get a kick out of being the first one to check stuff out...like I'm ahead of the trends or something.  Those would be the only trends I'm ahead of. Fashion forward I am not.)

ANYWAY, turns out the kids absolutely love it. We watched it a couple of nights in a row. One night Ninja Boy and I were in tears laughing at the "Interjection" song. A few days later, I used the “Unpack My Adjectives” song during school.

My recommendation: buy it. The two CD set with all the original songs plus other stuff is a great buy for $13.99 right now at Amazon.

So, what that has to do with the Statue of Liberty is this. The "Great American Melting Pot" song refers to "lovely Lady Liberty and her book of recipes". Fifi and Spunky want to know if it's really a cookbook. I told them I didn’t think so, but since I couldn’t tell them what it is, they insisted it is a cookbook. I tried to look it up in the hardcopy encyclopedia to no avail. Online again. (I'm so dependent on the net. Thanks, Al.) Now I know the answer to that burning question and shall be able to educate my darlings in the morning.

As a reward for reading through all that*, here's the answer to the question, "What is Statue of Liberty holding in her left hand?"  Drum roll please. It's a tablet that reads, in Roman Numerals, "July 4th, 1776". 

There. Now you know. If you ever win a trivia contest with that knowledge, a small gratuity (after tithing) would be most welcome.

*Yikes...that was 460 words. Oy Vey!

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark."    Michelangelo

Sorry, Mike. Right now, I would be happy to achieve my low mark. 

Here's a quick explanation of that seemingly pessimistic remark. Instead of starting of school with the expectation of running on all cylinders, I'm gradually implementing subjects and routines. My long term goals are lofty, but my short term has to do with getting myself out of bed before my 5 y. old human alarm clock.
 

That said, this semester is starting off better than any before because I'm giving myself a lot of grace. (I can hear hubby saying, "Maybe too much grace! )

Here’s what we’re working on:

1, After breakfast, morning routine of Bible, prayer & brief exercise.

2. Complete skills workbooks by lunch.

3. Use afternoons for daily DEAR, read alouds, and history. Eventually adding writing, science, hobbies, etc.

That’s not counting household routines I’d like to get in place.

So, that’s where we are. I’m so thankful for a supportive, gracious husband.

Thought my expectations of myself may be slow right now, my expectations of my God are not:

²²The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease,
            For His compassions never fail.
²³They are new every morning;
             Great is Your faithfulness.

 ²⁴"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
            "Therefore I have hope in Him." 

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NAS)

I have hope in Him, that
He who began a good work in me will continue it until Jesus returns.
 Thank You, Father God.