A Look Back: Silly clowns, Rome and More Paint

We are back in the swing of things with our second semester. I haven't gotten back to my weekly reports but here is an update of this week and last week combined.

Math: Princess Poodle is learning about line segments, double plus one facts and many other things. I truly like Saxon. So at this point I will stick with what is working for her. Today we pretended to be math detectives complete with magnifying glasses and found clues to locate and answer our doubles plus one facts. Triple H is now counting past twenty and can count objects up to 20 without missing a beat or skipping an object.

Language Arts: Princess Poodle's reading is taking off. I am amazed. She is reading, reading, reading. Her latest find is Nate The Great books. She read an entire book to me before bed one night.I swear this girl loves a mystery and practically jumps into the books we read. We continue to plug along in our Sing, Spell, Read and Write program now with less singing and alot less writing than required. I am giving Spelling Workout A a try to see if I like this format. I figure it will give Princess Poodle a review of her phonics rules and ease us into spelling. I have found her to be one of those kids that loves to write (stories etc. ) but insist that every word be spelled correctly. This makes it hard and I was hoping to add some journal time next year and I want her to just spell the best she can.
Triple H is learning his letter sounds with a new letter each week. This week we are studying the letter C. He loves having his own work. We are reading books about cows and clowns this week. The kids found it fasinating how milk was taken and made from cows. And we decorated our faces to look like clown faces. I can already see that he will be ready for handwriting next year as he is already forming his letters without instruction and doing ok on his own.



History: Story of the World...Alexander the Great was fun and the kids enjoyed making the Pharos lighthouse at Alexandria. This week we are on to Ancient Rome. Along with our maps, coloring pages and copywork we hope to do chariot races, read Magic Tree House: Vacation Under the Volcanoe, and anything else we can find time for. Princess Poodle is intrigued by all of this history but I can see concern in her eyes when things are unjust or unfair. As we edge closer to Christian persecution I pray God gives me wisdom on how to teach her and guide her in understanding and seeing His hand in all of this. His redemptive story woven through history..still something that amazes me.

And the really good stuff :LIFE: We enjoyed a wonderful trip to the N. Georgia Mountains to spend time with my family and play a bit in the snow. The kids enjoyed making snowballs and riding a 4 wheeeler with Papa while the snow came down. I enjoyed a brief walk alone through the field with falling snow. There is the quietness when the snow falls that I can't quite put into words other than a beautiful silence. It was good for my soul.
Now with life back to normal we juggle school, activites and painting. Yes I am painting. I am trying to finish up my kitchen renovation project. THe cabinets I refinished are done but the new floors and cabinets called for a more dramatic paint color and so I am applying 3 coats of a brick red color and I love it. Still alot of work to be done but I find painting somewhat cathartic and so I press on.

All in all school is going well. Reading, math, history and PreK3 are flowing nicely. And I continue to look forward to next year and what curriculum and path I will take with the kids. Have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by.

First Day of Second Semester/First Day of PreK

Today was our first day back to school after a much needed break. Its funny..I thought the long break would make it hard for the kids to get back into the swing of things but they were truly excited and ready to go. I think we all long for some structure and each of us found it to be a means of peace this morning.

The day did not go perfect of course. I slept horribly last night (long story) and so my 7:00 rise, shower and prayer time didn't pan out. So I was sluggishly up at 7:30 when Triple H came asking for breakfast. But we did manage to start school on time. Triple H loved having his own things to do. He colored his A apple sheet and did a good job for a 3 year old boy. He completed his Kumon tracing and cutting pages. Then we read a nonfiction wonder book on Apples and also read The Apple Pie Tree. For snack we ate apples with peanut butter. He also worked on counting to 20 and counting items like pennies.

Princess Poodle worked on ow/ou words and read in her reader. She also caught on very quickly to reversing the double facts and turning them into subtraction facts ie : 6+6= 12 so 12-6=6. She completed her math sheets with skill and is looking forward to learning about Alexander the Great this afternoon.

A good day back and now we gear up for the second semester of this school year. Alot has changed in the last few days with our family. My husband learned of a potential lay off with his company..stress he didn't need. So we have decided not to put our house on the market which does take a lot of stress off me. Please pray for God to open just the right door for him and his career. With a degree in engineering, 6 years experience in pharma sales, and a masters of divinity it will be a God-sized task in finding the right job for him. But I will not let fear take over...I will not let Satan win this battle. I will trust in God's provision and timing. And I will pray that if we are jobless and the job hunting is slow that God will help me continue to trust in Him and will be our strength when we are weak.

I love Christmas with a childlike passion and I have enjoyed our pajama days but I welcome in this new year and even though it has started off rocky with this job situation I still feel this will be a great year of growth..spiritually, emotionally, and physcically for our family. Wishing everyone a wonderful 2008.
Now its off to finish up this first week of the new semester.
Thanks for stopping by.

Triple H and Preschool starting in January

I've read alot of posts and thought on this until I can think no more but only do. So here goes my attempt at giving my 3 year old some preschool now rather than waiting until next school year. He knows his capital letters and can county to 25almost with no mistakes. Shapes, colors etc. are already well founded.

MotorSkills/Prewriting: Pages from Kumon Tracing and Kumon Cutting
Math: we are already doing this: using 100 chart to count to 20 and by 10's, play with pattern blocks, counters etc.
LA: Letter of the week/sound of the week:
color letter page from SSRW; put in notebook, cut and paste magazine pics for letter, read story related to letter, ABC Bingo/ABC Match, sing A_Z phonics song, snack for letter or other fun activity

He also sits in on most of the SOTW reading and of course we read alot of library books each week for storytime. Crafts come into play with our SOTW and holiday/seasonal related crafts. We also have free painting at least once a week. If this goes well I hope to be through the letter Z by mid summer. Next year for PreK4 I hope to do SSRW Kindergarten(which we will start with letter review as necessary) and FIAR. I am praying (all my friends with PreK kids next year) for God to provide a few friends to do this FIAR Literature with on Tuesdays while Princess Poodle is in school)


Thoughts on Next Year at a glance: Princess Poodle:1st grade TripleH: PReK

Princess Poodle: Finish SSRW (we don't! do all the writing), FLL,Journaling at her request, Spelling Workout (we will start A as a summer item), Saxon 2, SOTW 3 (we think), Christian School homeschool Course on Tues: Science, History (SOTW), Music and ARt, Activities: Awana, Baton Lessons

Triple H: Listed above plus some math games etc.

So I am hoping this works out. I think it feels good to me which means alot. Of course I am open to suggestions from my homeschooling friends. Thanks for stopping by.
Sheryl

New Semester...Need Structure and so on

Ok..I've been using this downtime to think about how to start next semester. I started this year structured and reved up. Well the structure, in somewhat of a clandestine manner crept away. We are still half way through our curriculum and I feel good about where we are but: I've let chores slide, I've allowed our 7:30 rise and shine to become 8:00 or whenever you get up. Our starting school by 8:30 has become more about 9:30 some days etc. So here is what my goals are for the new semester starting in Jan.

7:00 Mommy up and shower. Time to pray and think about day.
8:00 Kids up and eating breakfast. Cartoons on.
8:30-9:00 Princess Poodles's chores and Mommy and Triple H play.
9:00 30-40 minutes for Math Block
Little snack and break after Math.
10:00 LA block 30-40 minutes
After LA: playtime and lunch and cleanup activites until 12:00

12:00- 2-3 days a week; HIstory Block, other days library runs etc.
1:00 Outside time or exercise kids video/ read books on blanket etc.
2:00/3:00 somewhere in there 1 hour of room time for both kids.
4:00-tv time/computer time while Mommy preps dinner

7:00: Read aloud/science reads
7:30 lights out for Triple H. / husband does Bible with Princess Poodle
8:00 lights out for Princess Poodle

10:00 in bed and lights out by 10:30pm!

I have got to start exercising so I can start sleeping. I have a sleeping disorder..talk in another post about that one...but I know exercise will help.
I have got to have some playtime with ds in the moring before! school starts. He needs this time with me.

So...these are just thoughts and when I am trying to plan next year and add in prek activities and spelling etc. I just feel overwhelmed. One semester at a time. Here's hoping I can stick to most of this most days.

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to share any advice on scheduling you may have.
Sheryl

Embrace the Season

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Take hold of the many magical moments and may this Christmas be filled with wonder and amazement as you ponder the coming of our Savior.
Love from the Hazel"nuts"

A Look Back in Pictures

I have fallen behind on the weekly updates. The holidays are upon us and I can't stop making glitter ornaments and cookies to type so a week or two in pics should give a gimpse. We have been all over the place...Princess Poodle was in her first parade as a baton twirler..I love a small town parade! And she got to be the angel at our church's Hanging of the Green service. We have started learning about Crete and Anicient Greece. Triple H loved Theseus and the Minotaur and Princess Poodle loved the story of The Trojan Horse. We have been reading The Adventures of Odyessus; today we played make believe in the backyard. We blinded the cyclops, escaped the song of the spheres, got caught in a terrible storm sent by Posiden, and fought a six headed dragon to name a few things we did on our adventure. So much fun to reinforce this way!
Subjects all going nicely and I feel good about where we are mid year. So here's the pics enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

I've Been Tagged by Jennifer (SSA)

Ok here goes. These are in no particular order.

8 things I'm passionate about:
1. Simplicity...I have always and still do yearn! for it. Sometimes I get in the way of it but I still yearn for it and all the peace it brings.
2. Showing my love to my kids verbally and physically. Each day making sure to tell them, hug them, kiss them, dance with them, laugh with them.
2. Photography...I'm no expert but love the camera...I love to see life through that little frame and stop it for a brief moment and capture something priceless.
3. Growing my relationship with my husband. We have had 10 wonderful but hard years and I am passionate about continuing to know him deeper and love him even more.
4. My Savior...God is using circumstances of late to deepen my understanding of His love for me and for that I am passionate and thankful.
5. Weather..sounds silly but I LOVE a thunderstorm, miss the snow, feel alive in the wind...I could keep going. Who else but weird me runs and splashes in the pouring rain with my kids in the summer(the neighbors think I'm a little odd)
6.Homeschooling: a growing passion but is quickly becoming one.
7. This is only # 7 ....I have to move on.

8 things I want to do before I die:
1. See my children saved by God (praise God I have seen this in one already..wow!
2. See my children grow and become what God has planned, to see them happy,with families of their own.
3. to have one of my stories published.
4. To renew my vows with my husband and all of our children present.
5. To bring our adoptive daughter home from China to be with us (we have been waiting to adopt for a year now and looks like God has planned for us to practice our trust in Him ...could be another 3 years)
6. To go back to Hawaii with the kids and take them on the road to Hana and jump with them hand in hand into the waterfalls.
7. to be in another play on stage (other than at church).. I miss the theatre.
8. To become a better cook and homemaker...


8 Things I say often:

1. I love you (to kids and husband)
2. You make my heart smile)
3. Lately to "TripleH" Don't chew on your clothes!
4. Make a smart choice.
5. You're my Princess Poodle doo.
6. Everynight for my daughter " Dear God please help "Princess Poodle" have no bad dreams.
7. What I'd like to and need to say more of Dear Lord Jesus and Amen


8 books I've read recently:
1. Knowing God by J I Packer
2. Some sappy (not tacky) romance novel given to me by my Mother in Law
3. The Well trained MInd...over and over and over
4. So your thinking about homeschooling. (welch)
5. Lots of children's Christmas books
6. Starting to read to my daughter Ida Early Comes over the Mountain by R. Burch ..a well loved author of my youth that is dying. Note to self..go see him this week with pictures from the kids.


8 Things I've learned this year

1. Disease is hard. My husband has been diagnosed with rheumatoid disease. He's 33.
2. God can and does hold us up when things are hard.
3. My daughter is growing up and I don't know all the answers anymore.
4. Boys cry and whine more than girls!!!
5. I love homeschooling but need to continue to pray for God to give me wisdom and grace.
6. I still want another child and I know this cause I'm willing to wait 3 more years for her.
7. I miss my old friends...they know who they are. Some are far away, some are grown men now and for obvious reasons I don't keep in touch too much.
8. I'm stronger than I thought I was.


8 songs I could hear over and over
1. Somewhere over the rainbow.
2. God bless the usa
3. Crazy Love by Van Morrison
4. Anything by van Morrison especially his MoonDance alubm
5. What a wonderful world.
6. Its a small world after all (but I like to be on the ride for that one)
7. Silent Night
8. Hymns of old..

People to Tag:
I'm new to this world of blogging so I don't really know many people..if you want to play join in!

Thanks to Jennifer for tagging me..I enjoyed these quiet moments to stop and think about these things. Off to get stuff ready for the week!
Thanks for stopping by.

Sheryl