Monday June 9, 2008

Wow. It has been 3 plus years of blogging.

Actually my first blog post EVER was on August 2007 which is four years ago!  The blog was called Veni, Vidi, Vici. But over a whole year I only have about 20 posts!  I  don't remember why I even started the new blog or why I switched!  I have no idea!  But I do have some cute video of Emily swimming---

 I only wish NOW that I had blogged everyday! I wish I had done better but alas I shall only look forward! I started off blogging for my own place to put my thoughts, and to record our day and lives! I ended up getting wrapped up in "blog world"... needing comments to make myself feel I was doing it right. But for the last year I have comfortably settled into just because I want to---- not need to. For the past few months I had posted EVERYDAY but I have been slacking lately!

I really enjoy blogging- I wish I could get better at all the codes and stuff but I have learned some and I know that I am smart enough that when I REALLY want or need to do something I can!

I have had a LOT of silly post, worthwhile posts, educational posts (I hope), memory filled posts and some posts just marking the day to day workings of our family.

I really hope you will all keep reading so see where find ourselves in

THE STORY OF MY WORLD.

Here are a few links to some favorites of mine....

How Crazy Can I Make You


The Livestock Show and How I almost Died

Happy Birthday Mary Faith--- where I made the mermaid cake!

My Resourceful Niece...

Going Green Makes Me See Red and Feel Blue

Out of the Mouth of Babes...

My Beautiful Ballerina

Twas the Night Before School Starts....

I Hope You Dance



 

I hope you dance.. by Lee Ann Womak

this is TRULY one of my favorite songs in the entire world. 

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small

When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens

Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance

Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making

Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance

Wordless Wednesday...

Not good.....

Amanda the Guinea pig has died.  WE shall henceforth take a break from any new pets.

Weekly Wrap Up : Week 1: Day 1-3

This year I am adding my day count to my weekly wrap up so EVERYONE will know exactly where I am in my 180 day countdown!  If it is October and I am only on day 20 you might want to check on me!  :0)  Just kidding!

Wednesday: Day 1

We started off our day by studying the daily lives of the vikings, we saw their lifestyle, folklore, how they ate, slept and educated their children.  HA  we saw How to Train Your Dragon!  It was at the dollar movie!  Love that movie!

We did history at Amy's house:

I taught on the second great awakening.. George G Finney was responsible for a large majority of this huge revival that swept our nation.  Unlike the first Great Awakening whereas people had turned from God because of everyday hardships... this Great Awakening was meant to SAVE people in hoards... this was more like preaching the Roman Road.  In addition this started a huge wave of social reform... there were large groups started against slavery, groups for temperance and groups against Woman's liberation.   It swept through Yale University at the time and over 300 were saved. 

Out of the many denomination like Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians were given HUGE boosts in numbers and everyday farmers in the South were getting the "call" from God to become lay ministers and were being ordained and sent out.  This is basically responsible for forming what we call the Bible Belt down here in the south. 

Other denominations were started at this time... one being Seventh Day Adventist and parts of the Church of Christ.

One other things to come out of this revival were circuit preachers....

We also studied Daniel Boone and put a lap book together on his life! 


The kids also did math and worked on getting our notebooks ready for next "year" and cleaning out our folders and stuff.. they are READY for new work!


Thursday: Day 2

We actually got up at a decent time and did a few chores!

The kids did math, and we checked it {{{gasp}}} and corrected right then and there.  I know a novel concept!

We finished Jonah and the Whale in Bible and did a hide and seek worksheet-- it was VERY hard!

The kids also watched a Jonah movie.

We worked through a spelling list.  This is 2nd grade obviously MANY easy words.  We simply went one by one and had each child spell a word.  Emily had CONVULSIONS with the word as but spelled beautiful fine (she just missed the a)  CRAZY!  Matt spelled all his words fine and Kate missed caterpillar of all words using an er at the end instead of ar.

I had them write the words they missed 5 x each.  I will add THOSE words onto tomorrow's list and we shall press on!


We did two lessons in All About Spelling and reviewed all the rules from All About Spelling 1.

We watched Chisum with John Wayne-- Matt was SOO excited to see TWO outlaws in the movie- Billy the Kid and Jesse James (who he had just read a biography on)

We also worked on our Swimming Creatures..

we did review cards for chapters 1-3

Started chapter 4!  TURTLES .... I love turtles!

Emily patched.

We also did our Logic time...today the kids played Rush Hour and Mind benders.


Friday...

We celebrated Matt's birthday today... we ate breakfast at McDonald's- Matt's choice
We swam at Ma Ma's and ate lunch at Cici's - Matt's choice!

Pa Pa picked up Matt for a night over at the grandparents--- air soft guns, go karts, KFC and Pa Pa's undivided attention!

Happy Birthday Matthew Brian Thompson...

I love this boy!  I really, really do. 

He is difficult, he is stubborn

 but I KNOW

 the man he is going to become will be a good man, a Godly man and a man who loves God. 

I wanted to link up to last years post for the birthday boy because I simply LOVE that post!

  It is pictures of him throughout the years and a lot of scriptures that I pray over him. 

It is really one of my favorite posts!

HE has grown a lot this year... both in wisdom and in stature!

But he is still my little boy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!

2011-2012 School plans

I already posted most of my curriculum choices and have already changed a few of them but for the most part it is correct.  Some of my changes for this current year have more to do with time management, skills and the kids abilities.

• For instance we are using All About Spelling... I love this curriculum and we will continue using it to concrete our spelling rules.  However I feel the kids also simply need some rote memorization in this area as they are HORRIFIC spellers- they come by this naturally!  I plan on using lists  like these and website like SPELLING CITY....as a base.  I figure I can use Write Start program to make up lists for the kids.  I will simply test them both orally and on paper.  We will use these list to practice nouns, verbs etc and also things like dictionary practice and alphabetical order.  I don't care so much that they learn 20 words and take a test on Friday this will simply be on ongoing activity.  I also don't care about a scope and sequence.. this list is just something to start with.   I know it will help their vocabulary also.  I don't want to make a huge time consuming thing of it but I also feel this is an area the kids are lacking and this is WITH reading as much as they are reading.. which is A LOT!

• Another change is with Kate's math.  She is struggling... it can take her an hour and a half to do a math lesson easily and we still end up with a lot of silly errors.  I am going to have her work on a math lesson EVERY other day.  On the days she has math, I will lesson her chore load simply to make up the time.  On the off math days she will use about 30 minutes to either correct from the day before or play math games online like Math blaster, timed tests etc.   

• As far as all three kids.. I LOVE Math U SEE, but I HATE that there are 6 days of math.  A few times this year I have simply had them skip pages if they HAD the concept down and only do ONE systematic review.. this year I will do it with every lesson.  If they do not have a concept down we will work until they have mastered it but on the lesson they are good it is simply a waste of time when they DO review the material on each systematic review anyway!  I think this will end up saving us time that I feel is wasted.  We will continue playing Math Blaster, online games, timed tests, playing physical games and flashcards in addition to their math worksheets.

• We will be adding a logic time each day:  Kate will be doing some exercises for her processing issues and I will be using this time to also do Mind Benders, play Rush Hour and other logic puzzles.

• Kate will begin choir in the fall, which will take up time on Mondays so I will be switching out what days I do certain work just to not have the majority of it fall on Mondays anymore.  Because we will have more independent work this year I will NOT struggle when all three kids are not ready, gone, sick or needing extra help... I always felt like I had to stop and I would get behind for all three kids in TOO many subjects.  This way with more independent work I can move on with each kid as they are ready and I am able to work with them at odd times.  

• We will be adding some home skills to the mix this year.. not really adding many more chores on a daily basis but adding to the amount of chores they have been trained to do.

• We are continuing with memorization, finishing up Old Testament, working on our Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day for science, American history and handwriting.

• In addition we are still working on our State study, presidents and adding in some geography with our state study.

• We will hold off on our New Testament curriculum for a while and go through the Survival Kit

          after we finish this we will start the New Testament curriculum.


These are most of the changes and choices for right now.  I am still thinking and planning and figuring out the best for the family--- it is hard and we always want whats best right!

Fathers Day... June 2011

I already posted that spending the day out on the prairie really wasn't Dave's idea of "fathers day" but he did it with a "MOSTLY" happy heart and wasn't a grouch! Therefore... he shall be rewarded! I already cooked him this, his favorite breakfast!

I shall also send him off to the gun range... his favorite past time!

The back of this vehicle contains 12 guns plus the two actually ON the front seat passengers...

Rossi 38 Special
FNP 9mm
Remington 1911
Taurus 1911 (9mm)
Keltec P3AT
XDm 9mm
Derringer 38 special
Taurus TCP
Walther P22
Ruegur 10/22
Henry Leveraction 22
Savage 22 rifle
Mossburg 500 shotgun
Siaga 12 gauge shotgun

because that is how we roll!!!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!

Yearly Wrap Up: 2010-2011 school year

Monday: DAY 179

We all slept in but Emily and I slept the latest!  I personally slept until 10:36!  I cannot remember the last time I have slept that late!  It felt wonderful!

We ended up going to moms house to swim this morning.

We came home and went to our NEW WHOLE FOODS that just opened!  It is a beautiful store-- feels totally switched and twisted around and it will take me a while to learn where everything is!  I am very excited about it though.  It is a whole 4 minutes from my house! 

All three kids did math.

Emily did handwriting and patched for two hours.

Matt and Kate began working on their homework assignments from Mama for history.  They read their books and started doing their research for a poster they need to make for Wed. 

We worked on chores. 


Tuesday: DAY 180

Today was our anniversary... Dave was off work and he got to sleep in!  We got up and did a few things around the house and the kids did math and worked on history.

Dave and I went to lunch together and afterward we all went to the Children's Museum.


LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR THIS YEAR!  WHOO HOO!
Like I have stated before we are not really starting much new curriculum, still finishing up stuff but technically our new school year starts on Wed....so I will start our weekly wrap up over at week 1.  I am hoping to be more consistent with our weekly wrap up this coming year!  I love having a pretty decent record of our school week!  We will began doing a few things differently though...

We will take a week break mid June and possibly a two week break in late August, plus a day or two here and there throughout the rest of the summer weeks.

So this year we have accomplished a lot. 

We have "seen" history from the landing of the pilgrims through the developing of a nation with the use of MANY living books.

We studied how we are FEARFULLY and  WONDERFULLY made through our Apologia Anatomy.

We have written, added, multiplied, memorized, copied, played, read, experienced, conjugated, studied, created in all our school work.

We started the study of great composers...

We learned and saw works of art and the artists lives....

We went through the Old Testament and saw the MIGHTY and GREAT works of God through creation, the savings of Israel, the acts of prophets, the sins of men, the foretelling of a Savior...

We participated in tap, gymnastics and volleyball--- learning obedience, some team spirit and the conditioning of our body ( a lifetime NEED)

We began serving as a family-- always more we can do but we purposed to start!

We worked on loving each other.

We devoured many, many books... of all subjects, both fiction and non fiction.

We had a good year and plan to KEEP ON KEEPING ON....

Kirsten Faith June 2011

Prairie Days June 2011

We spent last Sunday after church at Armand Bayou Prairie Days.. in history we have recently began studying the westward expansion and the life and times of settlers and pioneers.  This prairie days fit perfectly into what we are studying and we couldn't pass up attending!

We took a wagon ride around the prairie grass lands at Armand Bayou.  On our tour we had a biologist who is so good at his job he has a prairie in League City named after him!

We also got to see the buffaloes!  We of course had already studied buffaloes in science (not this past year but the year before) and the kids remembered many facts about Buffalo and ruminants (animals with four stomachs)  I was very excited!  Home school moms get GREAT satisfaction when they SEE the product of their work!

Random Catch up!!!

Okay I know I have been blogger missing for a few days but I've been a busy girl!

Life got in the way of blogging about life---

isn't that the way it should be...

anyhoo---

• I PASSED my drivers test.. I am all legal and a real person BTW! Just had to let you know!

• Emily's doctors appointment went really, really well-- she has made HUGE strides in progress so no surgery for right now. A lot of the progress she has made is up to par with what would have been achieved through surgery so her doctor is happy.. as am I! We will patch (down to 2 hours 5 x a week) for the next three months again and re check. If there is any deterioration (possible from less patching) we will re visit the surgery option down the road.

         But for now the doctor is amazed at her progress! SO yeah!

• We are VBS'ing this week-- sooo busy and sooo tired!   But having fun!  Here are a few shots, I have literally taken hundreds and it is only the end of Wed as I type this!

• Fathers Day was wonderful--- not really my hubbies cup of tea by choice but we had a good time anyway!  We shall graciously allow him a trip to the shooting range this weekend to make up for it!  :0)  We went to church on Sunday morning and then headed to Armand Bayou Nature Center for Prairie Day-- we went on a hayride of their "prairie" (they are actually growing and planting grounds at the center to re create prairie land, it is a work in progress).  We also got to see a buffalo!  The kids remembered some facts about these ruminants (4 stomach animals) which made this mama very happy!  It was incredible hot so we were glad to get back to Mama's house for swimming and dinner!

• I am really enjoying my camera-- really, really want to take some classes with hubbie to learn how to use it!  I am hoping that will happen later on this summer!

• We had no a no school week-- planned!  The kids were so excited and to honest I LOVED the guilt free break!  We have two days next week and then we "technically" began our next year!  I am not taking a week off in between as there are no curriculum changes right now and we will take the week off mid July for our San Antonio trip...

• We have watched ANNIE and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS for our state study.  On Wednesday we will start Northeastern States--

Capitol Pictures June 2011