More pics from Easter Sunday

Topsy Turvy School Schedule

We spent last week covering SOTW chapters on Jesus and Christians. We continue to move along with our math and phonics and should finish our curriculums by the end of April. Most of our time has been spent on Princess Poodle's very first History Project. She is doing an amazing job. I read to her from the informational sources. She narrarated back to me and I wrote her sentences onto index cards. I had her put them in the order she liked best and then she copied them onto her report paper. She also has done all the coloring, cutting and pasting for her display board. Princess Poodle chose her own topic and named it: The Great Nile of Egypt. She will also be in the musical for her co-op and we have practice 4 days this week. Needless to say our school routine is a bit different with all these projects but what fun we are having. Princess Poodle also wants to put an oil pastel in the art fair at her co-op so we will be getting supplies for that today. Spring is here. Which for us is a mixture of beauty and sneezing! Resurrection Sunday was a great day of worship. I'll post a couple of pics of the family. Have a great day everyone.

Something to Ponder Today

"God is most Glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" John Piper

God has been allowing things in my life that give me security to be taken away lately...my husband's health, his job stability, my two close friends living next door to me, my kids closest friends....Each time this happens it feels like a lightning bolt to my heart. I came across this quote by John Piper...or it came across me...either way I know that I must find satisfaction in Him alone. In doing that I will fill my own heart with joy abundant and will glorify my God.

Just something to ponder as I go about the day.

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Lastest Nature Study

After a morning full of math, spelling, phonics and preK activites we headed out to enjoy the day. I chose the woods behind our church because they are only 15 minutes away, there is a bathroom in the church, and I feel safe venturing there without dh. It was a beautiful GA spring day. The weather was warm not hot, the sun was shining, the birds singing, and the sky a beautiful blue. On our walk we stopped to investigate an old stump, a piece of a fallen tree and an old spiderweb. We also spotted some nests high up in the tree but were not certain of the inhabitants. Princess Poodle chose to draw the old stump and TripleH collected some hickory nuts. After a good 15 minutes in the woods we emerged due to Triple H's hunger pains or so he declared. A picnic of hotdogs and goldfish were a perfect ending to a great afternoon outdoors. Did this 15 minute venture teach them something that will get them into a good college...no probably not. But my kids were away from the tv, surrounded by things made by God's hand, spending time with their Mommy and each other and happy. Happy...not a sensory overload Chuckie Cheese kinda happy...but more of a soul felt satisfied kind of happy. Remember the last time you felt that? I hope you can and if you can't then make a point to get outdoors and breathe in some of that happiness. I'll post pics as soon as I can. Oh and one more thing: Thank you God for your creation and that soul felt satisfied kind of happy that it imparts.





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Mission: General Plan for Next Year: Complete!!!

I'm done. I have ordered the curriculum. I have made many lists and then scratched those out and made new ones. I have registered Princess Poodle for co-op classes. Now I can put my energy into the next two and a half months of this year and then use May and June to organize and plan for next year. Here is layout with curriculum and hopeful general schedule. I reserve the right to freak out, change course, drop something, (not add something, I can't handle more than this)or slow way down as necessary. Let me know what you think please!

First Grade for Princess Poodle:
Math: Saxon 2 : 4 lessons a week
Language Arts: Language Lessons for the Very Young (copywork, picture study, narration, poetry memorization, basic grammar)4 lessons a week
Independent Reading, Read Alouds (from history or pleasure)
History: SOTW 3: 2 days a week:read chapters at home, maps and projects at co-op, home emphasis on Early American History with living books
Science:1 day a week at co-op,Kingfisher First Encylopedia of Animals, Animal fact
sheets/illustrations, Nature Study with Journal, 1 day a week
Art: Art class at co-op 1 day a week, Artistic Pursuits Book One:
on Fridays
Music: music class at co-op 1 day a week
Bible: dh is supposed to cover this one with Awana and other materials

Triple H: Prek4 (will have another year of preK before officially Kinder)

Language Lessons for LIttle Ones
Explode the Code: Get Ready for the Code<
/strong>Handwriting Sheets from Sing Spell Read Write Kinder level
Sit in with sister on History, Science, and Art

Bible: Cubbies at church


General Yearly Plan:
July: School starts, ease in covering math, L.A. and Science
August: math, LA, Science, Art
September: math, LA, Science, Art, History: Explorers, Bible
October: math, LA, Science, Art, History: Colonial Times, Bible
November, math, LA, Break from Science,Art, History: Colonial Times, Bible
December: mostly basics and Christmas activities
Jan. math, LA, Science: Human Body, History: American Revolution/Constitution, Bible, Art
February: math, LA, Science: finish Human Body, History: same as Jan., Art, Bible,
March: math, LA, Break from Science, History: Westard Expansion, Art, Bible,
April: math , LA, Science: plants, History:?, art, Bible,

summer break!

Wordless Wednesday : Taken by dd6

Something funny must have happened to the camera but I love how it looks like a painting.

Getting Back to Normal

Update on where we are

After three weeks of sick kids and the flu we are back on track with schooling this week. Here's an update of what we have been up to.

PreK3: Triple H continues to learn letter sounds. For the letter H we had crazy Hair day complete with colored hair spray. I even got in on the fun. Go easy on me with the pictures. This week we are studying the letter I. Maybe not politcally correct but we are reading books about Indians.




Math: In Saxon dd6 is covering counting with pennies and nickels. She is also subtracting two from a number, using her math fact wrap-ups for practice, and learning to measure in inches. We have around 25 lessons to go in Saxon 1..right on track. I have decided to drop the Meeting book for next year. We will start the day with prayer and praise song all together and then have a calendar time together. Ideas for Triple H and ideas from her 1st grade meeting book will be incorporated into calendar time.

Reading: Newest adventures Princess Poodle is reading on her own are the Nate the Great books. She can handle these pretty much all by herself except for about 5% of the words. She chose for her book challenge for book club to read a Magic Tree House book independently for the first time. We chose one that had a second grade level (she is in K) and hopefully she will enjoy her time and earn her free pizza.

History: We are studying some more about Ancient India. We read a tale from Ancient India called The Drum. DD wanted to narrate it orally and although I didn't write it down I was amazed at her retention. She must be an auditory learner..that girl doesn't forget a thing I read or say! Princess Poodle still does not like skipping around countries even though I have tried to explain the reasoning. I will definately be tweaking history for next year. We will be doing SOTW 3 but mostly focusing on American History in our home while she learns about the other chapters at co-op.

I have also ordered some curriculum for next year. Saxon 2 as well as the Get Ready for the Code and SOTW 3 books are on their way to our house. Is it horrible that I want to finish this year now so I can plan for next year and make the changes I want to make?

We haven't had a good chance for Nature Study this week. Hopefully we will have a great one next week as we are headed to the mountains...YEAH!


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