Golden Oak Academy

On the Beach!

2010-06-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

Since my husband was starting his new job soon (today actually!) and wouldn't have much vacation time once he started, and since we had not had a proper family vacation in a while, we decided to splurge just a little and spend some time at a condo on the beach for a few days. It was so worth it! We went to the beach multiple times each day and it was so nice to be able to go the condo, rinse off and rest before heading out to the water again.

We searched for shells, went for walks, made sand castles, played football, baseball and frisbee, played in the water, read books on the beach, and dug lots of holes in the sand! It was a blast!

We also never left in our car during the entire stay. We made all our meals at the condo, and we enjoyed the beach so much that we never felt the desire to go sightseeing anywhere else. It was truly a "getaway" -so peaceful and a great way to enjoy God's beautiful creation!

Advent Traditions

2009-12-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

Our family has some Christmas-time traditions that we've continued for many years, some that we started a few years ago, and some that we are starting this year.

We have ornaments that we have collected over the years, many bought to represent things from that year, and we have special ornaments that were given to us as gifts. But I think our favorite ornaments are the ones that we buy each year for our family picture. We have an ornament from every year since my husband and I were married that represent our family that year. The first one is a picture of us at our wedding and the ornament is a little VW bug that says "Our first Christmas together". That's the one that started this little tradition and I just love to look at each of these ornaments and see what our family looked like during that year.

We also have an advent calendar that we've used for years that has little drawers and the kids pull the corresponding drawer each day to find a little candy surprise. This year we also decided to add a slip of paper in each drawer that says what we will do together as a family that day (an idea I got from Famliy Fun magazine).

Some of them are things we do each year already and others are new things (here are a few):

-go look at Christmas lights

-watch Polar Express while sipping hot chocolate

-make and decorate Christmas cookies

-read about Jesus' birth in the Bible

-make crafts

-do something nice for someone else without him/her knowing

-make wrapping paper

-make a gingerbread house

-play Christmas games such as To Bethlehem

-decorate Christmas cupcakes

-go Christmas Caroling at a children's hospital

-visit our city's special light show.

Each morning the kids are excited to see what is planned for the day, and it has really helped me from getting too busy and not doing these fun things like I may have in the past. Since it's in the calendar, the kids hold me to it!! Our family has had so much fun with this already!

A new tradition we have added this year is to read the book Jotham's Journey for advent. It is a great story set at the time of Jesus' birth about a boy who learns all about the coming Messiah while having quite an adventure. We read a section each night and the story eventually leads to the birth of Christ on the Christmas Day reading. The boys are enjoying it so much they often ask us to read more than one a night, which we don't do unless we are behind a day!

We also still enjoy our Elf on the Shelf, who hides in a new location every day. The kids usually get up and search for it as soon as they are awake.

Christmas Eve day the kids will go on a scavenger hunt to find one small present each. Then in the evening we read the story of Christ's birth in the Bible, read "The Night Before Christmas" and then the kids' cajun uncle reads a hilarious book called "The Cajun Night Before Christmas".
I really love traditions, especially ones surrounding my favorite holiday, Christmas.

I'll post some pictures of some of the things we do together as a family as we do them!

Tae Bo for P.E.

2009-11-25T23:29:00.001-08:00

The kids have enjoyed doing Tae Bo together for physical education. It's a special version of Tae Bo made just for kids called Tae Bo Kicks.

Picking Pumpkins and Strawberries

2009-10-26T19:40:00.001-07:00

We went with our homeschool group to a local ranch to pick some pumpkins. While there, we had to pick some of the delicious looking strawberries as well! Strawberries are Rose's favorite food and she was so happy to pick a basket of them! She wanted to eat some right away.
We had to use scissors to pick the strawberries and Rose got right to work!

We took tractors out to the field to search for just the right pumpkin.

Rose wasn't in the mood for pictures just then.

The kids with their chosen pumpkins.

The Store is Open

2009-09-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

Jakson is a "numbers" guy. He loves doing math on his own terms or as part of play. He remembers number details, and always seems to notice things with numbers. He gets enthralled watching numbers change on a timer and watching the time tick away on a clock. If I'm reading something to the kids, he's most likely to remember the number facts (like the sun is over 92 million miles from earth, or Mercury makes a complete rotation every 59 earth days - stuff like that). However, he moans and groans when I give him a worksheet for math. Although I still give him some math work to do, I don't want to squelch that natural enthusiasm, so I'm on the lookout for ways to practice his math in other forms.

Along these lines, Jakson really enjoys playing with pretend money. I printed out some things for a pretend grocery store and he had so much fun setting up his store with prices, sales, coupons and shopping lists. He spent lots of time writing amounts on price tags (which is amazing in itself as he's not crazy about handwriting). When he was ready I came to buy things with some pretend money and we did quite a bit of "spur of the moment" math computations as he added up my items, gave discounts for coupons and gave me change after I "payed" him. What a fun learning experience! I've gotta find more stuff like this!

First Day of School

2009-08-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

We finally got school started this year after pushing it back a few times (because I wasn't ready for summer to be over!)

I am happy to say that the first day was a success! I love when things run smoothly. We got our basics done in the morning (math, spelling, reading, writing, Bible, etc.) and then had some fun!

In our Tapestry of Grace curriculum this year we are starting with Y2U3 which begins at early American History; we are excited to finally be learning about our country after spending 2 years across the Atlantic in Europe, Asia and Africa as we studied Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Reformation history.

To celebrate, we made maps of the United States. But these were not just any maps; they were not made of paper and they were not even salt maps.

In the past, as we began a unit, we made salt dough maps, (see here and here), which are great for creating topography with mountains, rivers, lakes, and other geographical features. But, this time I decided to go more for the fun factor and so we made our maps from sugar cookie dough! I made the dough the night before, then divided it and gave some to each child on parchment paper. With my sister's help, we rolled out the dough and then let the kids cut and form their giant cookies to the shape of the United States.

After we cooked the maps, the kids decorated them with frosting and sprinkles.

The finished products:

The best part was that they got to eat them when they were done(or at least part of them - they were huge!)

The boys laughed about eating the United States: quote - "wow, Florida tastes delicious!" and 3 year old Rose walked around all day saying "that is the United States" and "California is right here" (as she correctly pointed it out on the map!) So, even in the fun, someone may have learned something!

I think the cookie dough maps were a big hit and a great way to celebrate our first day of school!

Perseids Meteor Shower

2009-08-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun outing watching the Perseids Meteor Showers. We traveled out to a country school where a number of people from an Astronomy Club were gathering. We put blankets on the ground and our family plus my brother lay under the stars until late that night. We saw quite a few "shooting stars" and the kids were so amazed! One very bright one looked as if it was burning up as it made its way across the entire night sky. Rose fell asleep as she hummed under the stars. The boys laughed and talked as they searched for meteors. It was definitely a memory to cherish always. (picture from public domain on National Geographic News website)

Reflecting on School

2009-08-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

As I plan and prepare for our next school year, I like to think back to the past and learn. What worked and what didn't? What can I change? What should I keep the same?

In doing so, I figured out that I have been like a pendulum my first two years of homeschooling. The first year I was at one end of the pendulum; I was so relaxed and fun. I think my kids enjoyed that year, as did I, and things were so peaceful. I took to heart all I had heard about "de-schooling" and that I should be relaxed and we really just enjoyed being together. But at the end of the year I panicked because I felt that I had neglected so many areas of teaching. Yes, it was great, but ignorance is bliss! And I didn't want ignorance!! Ok. Maybe it wasn't that bad. After looking over the year, I did realize they had made progress and learned a lot. But still, the weight of their education felt heavy on my shoulders and the next year the pendulum went full swing the other way.
My second year educating at home, I was very intent on content, curriculum and results. I wanted to see my kids learn so much, to jump by leaps and bounds. I wanted areas of weakness to be erased and areas of strength to be enforced. I wanted to feel that I had taught them everything they "should" know and I went overboard. Unfortunately, I don't think school was as fun for the kids last year. In addition, when I reviewed the year, expecting to see bigger results, I realized they hadn't grown much more than they had the year we were so relaxed! My desire to "teach everything" made me lose sight of one of the reasons we homeschool...love of learning. It's that love of learning that sparks the imagination, strengthens thought, and creates a desire to know more. That's truly where education can begin; when a child decides he wants to learn it is then that he educates himself.
So now, as I am about to begin my third year of home educating, I am hoping that I can slow down those giant swings of the pendulum and actually be more balanced. I want to foster a enjoyment of learning, so that the kids really WANT to open up that book, or write that paper, or figure out that math equation. I want to be relaxed, and yet still give them the mentoring and teaching that they deserve from me. Besides that, I have reminded myself that the weight of their education is really not on my shoulders alone. God is there to lighten the load and I know I must rely on His strength. I'm also praying that God will give me balance; a balance that will stop the swing and bring us closer to that point of equilibrium.
All the pictures in this post are from the end of last school year. I was just looking back and remembering. Here are a few more. Now back to planning for the new year.

Leo teaching the younger kids about light, reflection, and refraction.

Learning the colors of the rainbow in their correct order from their "student teacher".

It helps to play with silly putty when you have to sit still and read!

Already "diving" into books!

She SO wants to do school "like the guys"

River Nature Preserve Pictures

2009-03-16T23:09:00.001-07:00

We had a great time exploring a nearby Nature Preserve with family.
Here's some pictures from the hike. It was a beautiful sunny day after days of cold and rain.

Snowy Egret

Red-winged Blackbird

Hummingbirds

California Poppy

Red Tailed Hawk

Cousin Kisses

Vulture

Red Tailed Hawk

I think these are coons? (can you tell I'm really not an expert in birds - sorry for all the mistakes for those who are!) I liked the picture of that one standing on one leg.

Contest at Counter-Cultural School

2009-02-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

One of the homeschool blogs that I love to follow is having a contest for free items from Vision Forum's Conference Audio Collection. If you're interested click HERE. You have until Feb. 27th to get your entry in. Counter-Cultural School is a wonderful blog that is written by Molly; I have found her blogs interesting, informative and encouraging.

One reason I love homeschooling...

2009-02-14T07:49:00.001-08:00

...slow, quiet mornings together

-- Post From My iPhone

Volcano Eruption Experiment

2009-02-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

We made our own volcanic eruption yesterday!
Here are the items that you need to make your own volcano erupt: Baking Soda, Vinegar, Food Coloring, Liquid Soap, 2 Empty Water Bottles, Funnel, a teaspoon, a Tablespoon, Large Paper or Cardboard that is cut and shaped into a cone (it should fit right over one of the water bottles).
Take one empty water bottle and fill 1/3 with vinegar. Use the funnel to help you. Add some food coloring to give the "lava" some color. Add 1 TBSP of liquid soap. Take the other empty water bottle and put 3 tsp. of baking soda in it. Place the cone over the bottle with the baking soda. Put your volcano on a tray or plate, because this will be messy!
Using the funnel, quickly pour the vinegar mixture into the water bottle that is under the cone. Immediately, the mixture will react and you will have "lava" coming out of your volcano!
What's happening? The mixture of vinegar and baking soda creates carbon dioxide gas. The gas creates bubbles in the liquid soap and the mixture expands until it ends up overflowing out of the bottle. After this experiment we decided to play around with the vinegar and baking soda and the resulting gas it creates. We put some baking soda inside an empty balloon. Then we put vinegar in a water bottle. We put the balloon around the mouth of the water bottle and then let the baking soda fall into it. The carbon dioxide gas then began expanding (gases always expand to fill available space) and this filled up the balloon! The boys started screaming as the balloon expanded, thinking it would pop! Here they are running to take cover! FYI: It didn't fill that much - no popping occurred!
It was a fun science afternoon learning about reaactions and gas expansion as the rain poured down outside. (Science ideas from the book "My Big Science Book" by Simon Mugford)

Nature Hike

2009-02-05T22:34:00.000-08:00

We visited a Nature center last week along the American river and had such a great time on a beautiful day with just the right weather!

We saved this squirrel from a swooping hawk. The hawk was on it's way down, the squirrel made a squeak, we all gasped and our movements frightened the hawk away. The hawk sat in a tree squawking, while the squirrel stood still and observed us.

Mushrooms

The American River

We saw deer and wild turkey too. What a great family day!

Salt maps

2009-01-16T21:54:00.001-08:00

We made salt maps last week of South America. We will paint them this week.

-- Post From My iPhone

Bogle winery

2009-01-16T21:52:00.001-08:00

At a local winery with dear friends.

Post From My iPhone

Keva tower

2008-12-29T08:21:00.001-08:00

For Christmas the kids received Keva planks from Grandma. They are the simplest toy: planks of wood, all made with precision in the US to be the same size. The kids have enjoyed building with them and so have the adults! Yesterday my sister, brother and I built a tower 11 feet tall! Here are some pictures of us building it:

As my sister was just passing 11 feet, the tower suddenly started to lean and fall to one side. We thought it would topple, but it ended up leaning up against the ladder without breaking at all! Then my hubby shot at it with a huge rubber band until it toppled.
When the tower was started we weren't planning on making it so tall, so it was just resting on a book on the carpet. We decided we need to try again on the hard floor.
I'm sure we could get much higher!

- Post From My iPhone

Partridge in a pear tree...

2008-12-27T21:52:00.001-08:00

Well, not a pear tree and not a partridge either, but it was a strange Christmas bird sight!
These birds where perched right next to the entrance to the airport, with lots of people walking just a few feet from them. Most looked like they were sleeping. It was a strange sight, with them being so close to all the hustle and bustle of people during the busy holiday season.

-- Post From My iPhone

Hot Chocolate and Christmas Lights

2008-12-21T23:21:00.000-08:00

I just love looking at Christmas decorations and lights on houses. When I was a child, we used to go and see the same houses every year and see what new lights they had or what theme they would use to decorate their houses. We have continued that tradition with our kids. Last night we went to see the lights. The kids got into their pajamas, grabbed some blankets to snuggle in, and we brought along hot chocolate to sip during the show!

Here they are with their hot chocolate cups.

We parked in front of this house for about 20 minutes. The lights were synced with Christmas music that played on the radio. It was so fun to watch the lights move with the music.!
This house was amazing; it was the last one we visited, but we definitely saved the best for last. We actually got out to walk around at this one (pajamas and all!- I'm so glad I made them wear shoes and bring their coats). The house was covered in lights and there were cute and funny and beautiful Christmas decorations covering their yards (both front and back).

There was a fire pit where we could warm our hands.
The family that lives in the house were so generous and kind. They have hot apple cider and cookies available for those of us visiting. I talked to them a while and found out they start decorating at the beginning of October. Then they spend every evening in December outside greeting those who visit. They also have a lot of trees that are covered in wooden ornaments like the picture below. Each ornament is in remembrance of someone. They started these decorations in memory of a daughter they lost, and they let anyone who wants to hang an ornament in memory of someone do so. They have lots of trees completely covered in these wooden ornaments.

As we wandered throught the lights and sights, we came upon a surprise. Santa Claus was there. Saber seemed to be tongue tied and didn't know what to ask for.

Jakson was excited and happy to see Santa, but he too was very quiet. Rose waved hi to Santa, but didn't want to go near him.

This is the backyard with the giant Christmas tree and the train that exhales steam.

It was a very fun night of Christmas music and blinking lights. The next morning, Jakson woke up and immediately said "I had so much fun last night...can we do that again tonight?" Thanks so much to those families who put so much work into their Christmas displays, and their hospitality in letting us observe and even walk through their yards!

Capitol Tour

2008-12-20T23:44:00.001-08:00

Last week we went on a tour of the state capitol building in Sacramento.

We learned about how state government works and some interesting facts about the building and past governors.
This is above the state senate floor.

We went on the right day because we got the chance to see 4 prominant mayors (of Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco and Fresno). Then we saw the Governor (yes Arnold S.!). We had to wait almost an hour to see him and the kids were getting a bit impatient waiting for him. I think my husband and I were more excited than the kids. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good picture of him.

After the Capitol we visited the train museum, a great museum in Old Sacramento that we love to visit.

It was a great day of fun and learning!

-- Post From My iPhone

Sea Dragon

2008-11-28T14:59:00.001-08:00

This is such an intriguing creature.

We saw these when visiting an aquarium. They look leaf-like to blend into their surroundings.

-- Post From My iPhone

Unit Celebration - Medieval Feast

2008-11-08T21:53:00.000-08:00

We finally finished our first unit in Tapestry of Grace Year 2! Because we had such a busy time during this unit (living in two places, etc.) we had thought that we would just skip the unit celebration. But then, at the last minute, we all decided that we felt like celebrating and sharing what we learned. So we quickly put together a medieval celebration (it was simple - we planned it and put it together in two days). Besides our immediate family, my sister and her family as well as my brother came to join in. We had a great time. Here are some pictures:

Playing 9 Men Morris - A Medieval Game

Playing GluckHaus - another Medieval game

The Kids' work for Unit 2
Leo showing his dad his hard work

The kids' cousin shows her work to Uncle W

Saber shows his work to Aunt A and Uncle Z

Knight Saber

Lady Rose

Cousins singing the night away!!

Although it was simple and quick, we had such a great time at our unit celebration. The "Medieval food" was great and the games were fun. We even listened to some Medieval style music. It was also great to see how much we all learned about this time period in history! Now it's off to the Renaissance and the Reformation!

More Boise Fun!

2008-08-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

The last week we did some more exploring in and around Boise. Here's a little of what we did:

We had such a great time at the Discovery Center. I thought we'd enjoy an hour or two "discovering". We ended up exploring and playing there for almost 4 hours! We were so hungry by the time we left because it was well past lunch.

Baby birds in their nest at the Boise Zoo

Saber Turtle

Hubby joined in the fun too!

We accidentally discovered this black light golf place and just had to try it out.

Farmer's Market
Boysenberry face (the kids devoured the baskets of boysenberries that we bought at the farmer's market)

We took a train ride along the beautiful Payette River. The train left from a quaint little town called Horseshoe Bend. Hubby and I were taken with the town. Even talked about what it would be like to move there! Don't worry, we weren't that serious, but it really was a beautiful little valley.

In our current history studies, we are learning about The Middle Ages and one of the things we recently learned about is falconry. Well, it turns out the World Center for Birds of Prey is right in Boise, and they have the most comprehensive and amazing center and library dedicated solely to falconry! How convenient huh? This place was great! At the main center, there were many birds of prey to see (hawks, peregrine falcons, even a California Condor), and there were so many interesting interactive exhibits thoughout. Then we went to the falconry library and learned so much about falconry and it's history as well as the popularity of it in modern times. It was great way to solidify the learning.

I took this picture because I wish I had this map on my wall!!

Finally, a fun day at home. How many kids can fit in a princess castle? They put this in their "club closet". Yes, it's the members of the Crazy Lemon Comet Club all crammed into one little castle!

Our little apartment

2008-08-06T12:24:00.001-07:00

Our little apartment is cramped, but cozy. It's quick to get messy, but it's also quick to clean up. It's a place where tight quarters can cause quick tempers, yet it's also a place where we must work together to make things work. In our little apartment, it's difficult to get away from each other or have a moment alone. However, in this little apartment, we can develop closer relationships as we spend more time with each other and as we find new ways to enjoy each member of our family.

(Family game time)

This is only the second week of our seven week trip to Idaho, but being in this small apartment, after being used to a large house, has been somewhat of an adjustment. The kids are all sleeping in one room together, and it has been interesting getting all of them to sleep at night as well as an adjustment when they all wake each other up in the morning.

(Hanging out on the balcony - one of their favorite things to do)

There is also no place for any of the kids to really spend much time alone, and so they all must play together more. They have always played well together, but now they play together ALL the time, all four of them. In fact, sometimes they are enjoying their play together so much I have a hard time getting them to do school!

(Can you see they are obsessed with the game "Sorry" right now?)

In addition, we don't have as much stuff here as we do at home. We brought some toys, a box of Lego's, a few games, some books, and a few stuffed animals for Rose. Nothing at all like the clutter of toys and games and books we have at home. But, you know what? They have consistently found fun things to do, without all that stuff, and without resorting to much electronics. We HAVE gone to the library to get books - that is one thing I love to have cluttering my house, but other than that they have made do with what we have and a little imagination.

(A picnic lunch on the balcony)

It really is a great lesson in how much excess we really have. There is a constant message out there that we need more stuff, and there is always some great new toy or game out there that is a "must have". In our family we are now usually good about not buying lots of new things or not getting the kids whatever they want, and we try to limit most gifts to birthdays and Christmas, (even keeping those within reason). Our kids understand this and are usually accepting of our "No's" to things. However, we still have a lot of stuff and really most of it is unnecessary.

(This is in the closet that they turned into a clubhouse.

The club name? "The Crazy Lemon Comet Club")

I know there are many families who live in smaller places or more bleak situations than this little two bedroom apartment. I know there are families that can't buy "stuff" even on birthdays and holidays. I realize that we are blessed to have what we have and be able to live in the house we live in. I have always known that; but living here in this apartment is giving me a clearer picture of that. I'm sure many families in these situations wish for more stuff, but I also think that there are many who are extremely happy and content with their lives, no matter how simple.

(Yes, we all are having lots of....)

I thank God for the blessings we do have, and I want to strive to always be content with what we have, no matter our situation.

The Deepest River Canyon in North America...

2008-08-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

...is Hell's Canyon.

Did you know that? I would have thought that the Grand Canyon had that honor, but no, Hell's Canyon is actually deeper. Yesterday we spent the day doing lots of driving to go explore this canyon. The canyon borders Oregon and Idaho (in fact we had to drive in and out of each state numerous times) and we ended up driving almost 8 hours total for the day! What a long day!

The boys were a little worried about going to a place called Hell's Canyon. They said they would rather go to Heaven's Canyon! Although I wasn't crazy about the name, I told them it's just a name some person gave it; it's still God's creation!

We took lots of pictures (a few are shown below), but I really don't think the pictures do justice to the place. The cliffs where so high, so majestic, and quite ominous looking. It was such an incredible sight and we were awed by the majesty of these high cliffs. Here's a little picture synopsis of our day:

BUGS! MORE BUGS!

At one point during our drive, we noticed something moving on the street. Actually, there were many things moving. The road was crawling with huge bugs!! These bugs were everywhere covering the street; many were smashed, some were jumping, lots were walking across the street, all in the same direction. They were huge, and creepy, and it was so eerie to see so many all around us. We slowed to a stop and just watched and wondered. Later we found out they were Mormon Crickets, and they often move in swarms and at only certain times of the year. On the way back, when we saw them again, we tried to get pictures. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but these guys are big. Most were probably around 3 inches long and very wide.

We stopped at this rest stop on the way there and the way back when everyone was feeling sick from the windy roads (even me, who was driving!) It was along the Snake River, right before Brownlee Dam, which created this reservoir. We had lots of fun skipping rocks!

Hubby and I spent time showing the kids how to skip rocks and play fun rock throwing games (even Rose enjoyed throwing rocks).

Notice the amazing rock throwing form of hubby!

Rose and I finally decided we had enough of rocks and we went to hang out in the shade. She then proceeded to pose for me while I played with the settings on my camera. I got many cute shots of her. Below is one of them.

As we continued on our way through the canyon, the nice sloping hills started to become steeper and more rocky and cliff-like.

After navigating lots of curvy roads along the canyon walls and next to the Snake River, we approached Hell's Canyon Dam and even steeper cliffs; just past the dam was the end of the road, the farthest we could go into the canyon by car. It was rather ominous as we approached this area. The cliffs were so STEEP and very HIGH. There were random rocks scattered along the road, signs of previous rocks falling from the sheer cliffs. There were big black clouds in front of us, peeking between the canyon walls. There were no other cars anywhere to be seen in either direction (and hadn't been for quite a while), and there were posted signs that warned us that water levels could change at any time; sirens and flashing lights would go off when this happens.... What? I was wondering what I was supposed to do with that information? The kids were quiet and said this looked scary. We all observed with curiosity and awe. What an adventure!

We finally made it past the dam and to the small visitor's center at the end of the road. There were no other visitors there- they were all on boat expeditions that had left that morning. Just as we arrived, it began to rain (something that was quite rare this time of year) and we heard loud roars of thunder. Then it began to pour!! We hung out in the visitor center until the storm passed.

There was a small cave near the center that the boys explored.

These are views from the center. Again, the pictures don't really show how amazing these cliffs really were.

On our way back, we stopped at another small rest stop and played around for a while. This warning was all over the place...

Although we spent much more time driving than actually exploring, the spectacle was worth the drive. It's not very often you can see a place like that!

Little girl antics

2008-07-31T22:12:00.000-07:00

Rose loves to sing. I find her at various times throughout the day singing, and it's always the same song. I have no idea what exactly she is singing, but it always sounds the same. She often lays on the floor, with her feet in the air as she sings. Here's a video of her song:

Here is another thing I found her doing today. Whenever she gets a hold of a pen and she's alone, she loves to draw on herself. It's much more fun than writing on paper. Today I realized she was being way too quiet; when I found her this is the art that I found she had created:

Well, at least sometimes she finds the right spot to draw:

School the last 4 weeks

2008-07-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

We are in week four of school and things are coming along nicely. We are enjoying the curricum and learning lots. In History, we are currently learning about Medieval Europe. This week the focus is on Charlamagne.

The following is a little summary of the past few weeks of school and projects:

First Day of School

Salt Maps - After Step 1

Finished Salt Map - Leo

Finished Salt Map - Saber
Finished Salt Map - Jakson

After learning about the mosaic art in the Byzantine Empire, we made our own mosaics. Can you figure out what each of us made? Mine is on the far right.

Both Leo and Saber made cars that are used for various experiments in the their science curriculum. Each made his car almost completely by himself. They are studying forces with the cars.

Leo's motorized car

Saber's racer car
We are now taking our school on the road! I'll keep this updated as much as possible as we travel.

Curriculum and starting school

2008-07-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

This year I am so excited about the new curriculum we are using for school. It's called Tapestry of Grace and it covers History, Geography, Literature, Writing, Art History, Church History, and as the kids get older it even includes Government and Philosophy. It's a four year program that cycles through history and it has four levels in every year. It follows a classical education method (grammar, dialectic, rhetoric), yet also has somewhat of a unit study feel to it. It is so packed with great books to read, interesting writing assignments, thought provoking discussion questions, and even hands on projects, among other things.

I have also been so inspired by many of the other moms using TOG (Tapestry of Grace). I belong to a couple of TOG groups, and I am so impressed with the insight, knowledge, kindness, helpfulness and faith in so many these women. Such an inspiration! I've learned so much about preparing for the school year and have found so much information and interesting topics based on their input. I've read their blogs and laughed and cried as I read. I've prayed for many of them as they list their prayer requests, and I've been inspired to try new things, both in homeshooling and in other areas of life.

Here are a few of our other curriculum choices for the year:

Math U See - All three boys will use MUS again this year

Spell to Write and Read - Saber with start with this, then I'll include Jakson, and maybe Leo later. I'm excited about this program too, but a little worried about the learning curve for me. It's a bit labor intensive at first.

Easy Grammar - Leo

Cursive First - Saber, perhaps Jakson

Exploration Education Science - Leo and Saber

The rest of our work is usually just things that I find or pull together from various sources.

2008-07-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

This is my first post. Ok, I know that's so chiche - starting a blog like that. But, it's the truth; this is the beginning of my blog. This is a blog about our journey in homeschooling and our journey in life as we learn about God's amazing world. It's a memory record of our time together; it's a chance for friends and family to peek into our lives and see what we're up to; it's a way to express my thoughts and explore writing. We'll see where it goes...