My online journal about family life, homeschooling, vegetarian cooking, personal photos, and whatever else is on my mind. Picture posts are password protected. It's not terribly personal stuff. I just like to know who's looking. So if you want the password, just let me know who you are and ask.
I just found this posted on my Facebook account. I never thought I’d see this again. I still remember the names of most of those kids, and I could get in contact with several of them if I wanted to. That’s me in the front with the pink sweater and the scuffed up knees. I forgot that we all rolled our pants like that. First you had to fold it over so it was nice and tight, then roll it up about three times. All the cool kids did it. I was not one of them, but I tried.
This evening she finished reading the entire Beginner’s Bible, all 523 pages of it!
Warning: Spoilers to a 20 year old movie and 100 year old book. I’m not sure that this qualifies for a spoiler alert.
We came up with another alternative to reading the remaining Anne of Green Gables books. I’ve copped out and we’re watching the movies. Movie #1 was compressed, but faithful to the book, so I’m hoping #2 is also. We just finished watching #2 tonight. When Anne accepted Gilbert’s marriage proposal and they kissed, Alison and I squealed and hugged and swooned and danced around laughing. I love having a little girl to share these things with. Number three is on the Netflix queue, right after a documentary on Native American leaders and nations and Disc 4, Season 1 of Mad Men.
Go Knights! Andrew’s team won their game Saturday 6-1. Yesterday I was kind of in a slump and feeling a little under the weather. Rich took care of everything, taking the kids to their activities, to a playground, and then to the movies. I know not everyone appreciates this, but for me having a day to be a lazy slug once in a while is great.
Today we finally put the cover on the pool and hung out with Mom and Micah’s family for a while. Sometimes when I hear other people talk about their families I have to realize how lucky I am. I think we know each other’s faults, and maybe there are some things that we might not appreciate about each other, but we all get along and generally like each other. I’m talking about my side and Richard’s side. If there is any drama, I’ve never been a part of it. When I hear about other peoples’ in-laws, I have to say I am thankful for my in-laws’ sanity. There are some crazy people out there!
History: In SOTW I read aloud and they wrote narrations about the Spanish American war, westward expansion, Crazy Horse and Custer, Geronimo, and the endangered buffalo. Also, learned about the stock market. Watched a History Channel show about Andrew Carnegie and the American steel industry.
The kids and I each took an imaginary $1000 and invested in the stock market. We’re going to check it every week or so to check on our money and hopefully strike it rich. This probably isn’t the best year for that kind of thing. Maybe it will influence them to be conservative investors.
Science: We learned about the prisms, and how we see color. Made prisms with jars of water and CD’s. Also discovered that when you shine a red light at the CD, it only shows red light. But a blue light splits into blue and green.
Math: Andrew did some difficult word problems that I would use algebra to do, but Singapore math teaches a different way to think through them. He is also multiplying fractions. Alison practiced subtracting big numbers.
Spelling: Andrew finished his Sequential Spelling book, an entire year’s worth of spelling lists. This program is perfect for him with its daily lists of words that practice spelling patterns without beating him over the head with a bunch of rules and busy work. He is generally a natural speller. If he has seen the word or a word like it that uses similar patterns, he usually already knows how to spell it. I’m not sure if this series of books would work well with someone who needs extra help or doesn’t quickly see the words in his mind.
That’s why I’m using All About Spelling with Alison. There are rules to review and tiles to spell with before anything goes down on paper. I’m seeing progress. This week she completed step 15. She doesn’t like spelling with the tiles, so we have adapted it. I bring out the tiles, and she just spells aloud. If there is a mistake, then she goes to the tiles. So far she prefers this method, and it’s working.
Language Arts: Alison finished step 32 of SSRW. Andrew has done the “Dog in the Manger” chapter of Classical Writing: Aesop. I’ve noticed significant improvement in his writing already. He thinks about how to add interest, use strong verbs, and vary his words.
Latin: Completed chapter 6 of Latin for Children A. It was mostly about male verbs like boy, man, male teacher, male servant, master, etc. Last week was the female version of these words. Feminine nouns are usually first declension while male nouns are second declension. I’m not sure if I worded that properly though.
Other: Andrew baked a pecan mystery pie. The mystery part is the cream cheese layer. He did everything by himself, except breaking the eggs, because he really hates doing that. I have to watch myself about my “helpful” comments and reminders. I really need to remind myself that the kids are not going to be as fast as me, and there will be more mess. Mess cleans up and we have plenty of time, so dear old mom should chill. I don’t think he even noticed though because he was too busy pouring and mixing. The pie was sinfully good.
Reading List:
I introduce the headmaster of the academy.
Tonight is the parent/kid soccer game in lieu of regular practice. When we’ve done this in the past I’ve been hesitant, but OK with playing against the kids without shin guards. Now I’m just scared.
Designed an elaborate obstacle course Monday, which they continued to use throughout the week, attempting to improve their times.
Civil War and Reconstruction
Visited battle sites and forts in the Charleston area. I blogged about it Wednesday.
Chemistry Club: Did an insane number of experiments and demonstrations. Blew CO2 bubbles, sucked an egg into a flask, did several experiments with sound and light. Some acid/base indicator things. Many more. The kids learned a lot and had fun.
Andrew: more fractions, Venn diagrams, classification
Reading List:
We lost our first Meals on Wheels client this week. The kids did fine with it. Actually the last time we saw him he was sitting on his porch in his wheelchair, sleeping so still that I was afraid he had passed away already. He lived a very long time, and to the end I always saw loving family members visiting and helping him.
Our homeschool group has a ballroom dance class for teens. Enough younger siblings have expressed interest that they’re setting up a class for 9-12 year olds. I did my best to talk it up, but Andrew was adamantly against signing up for this. Based on the people who are signing up, it looks like there are more boys than girls in the class anyway. Still, I think he would like it if he could get over his thing against standing arm and arm with girls and gracefully waltzing around. Richard just laughs.
