Monday, December 7, 2015

A ROOM FOR BUGS

Since Bugs was @3 years old he and  Elvis have shared a bedroom. We recently decided to switch around bedrooms. Since Sweet Pea is now on her own her room is now empty.  (How did she get so grown up so soon?)  Princess moved in with Boo Bear (their choice) and we moved the office into Princess's old room.  That left a room for Princess to have a playroom and for the boys to have their own rooms.  It's been a busy fall trying to get all this moving completed.  The latest project is getting Bugs' room done.  It needed the works.  The carpet ripped out, new flooring, paint and lots of scrubbing.  Here are some before and after pics.  It's not fully complete but it's getting there a little more every weekend.  

BEFORE:  
This room has been the office/schoolroom since we moved in 7 years ago.





Now it's slowly being converted into a bedroom for Bugs. 

The carpet was torn out and the walls were scrubbed down.
The mop boards were removed for painting.  

                               The first coat of paint was completed.
                    Bugs carefully chose the color.  Mom approved. =)




                                   AFTER:
                           Dave installed the flooring.  
                 The majority of the flooring was a gift from a sweet friend.  



Bugs got to see his newly painted, newly floored room and was ECSTATIC!

We hope to start moving his furniture down this weekend.  He probably won't be fully moved in until after Christmas because of our schedule.  He is okay with that and excited for all the hard work and progress.

What's that?  You are wanting pics of the "new" office?  Um.....er....That may have to wait until March.  =P

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

FOCUS ON READING

Today I focused on Princess and her Reading.  She worked on her Reading Eggs and I encouraged her through it.  She finished another lesson and I was proud of her.  We then worked on copying some of the words she is having trouble with.  Mainly these are sight words.  She traced the words I wrote and then wrote them several times on her own.  Our next focus was to break out the Bob Books.  For those of you not familiar with them they are easy readers with simple, fun drawings.  I've used them with my other children and they've all enjoyed them.  Princess read to me and then practiced further by reading to each of her siblings.

 She read the first book to Boo.

 The second book to Elvis.

 And the third book to Bugs.  
I was really proud of her and she was thrilled with her accomplishments.

 The last thing we did was to go outside.  I've found that the more hands on we get with our learning the better it sticks and the longer their attention span.

 I had her write words from her reading on the driveway. 
 She spelled most of them with no help.


 Then the game began.  I called out a word and she raced to find it and jump on it.

 After a few rounds I then added in spelling the word too.

 I noticed she was still having trouble with a few sight words.  I wrote them in big letters in chalk away from the other words.  This time she jumped with one foot on each letter.  She would say the letter aloud and then say the word.  By the time we were done all the words but one were cemented.

 Bugs wanted to be outside too.  He played a couple rounds with Princess and then I set him to his own task.  He first counted by 2's to 100.

 Both busy at work.

He finished quickly and was looking for more.  This time he counted by 4's to 100.  He cranked them out FAST!

It was a beautiful day outside and it was wonderful to be able to do some of our learning in the sunshine and warmth.  The kids took some time to jump in the leaves and run around a bit too.  These are my favorite kind of homeschool days.

DAYS OF CREATION ~ MYSTERY OF HISTORY

Lots of hands on learning was going on in Hidden Treasures Christian Academy today.  Our focus was the days of Creation.  Our first task was to make Days of Creation books.  The kids both copied the list of what was created for each day on individual pages.  They then drew pictures to illustrate their pages.  Last we stapled them all together.  The kids plan to put the finishing touches on them this afternoon.  I am proud of their hard work.  






The next part was the most fun.  We had a Days of Creation Lunch.  Each day had a theme that we represented with food.  If you know our family you know we are big on food.  The kids cheered, hollered and celebrated when I told them the news.  



                               DAYS OF CREATION LUNCH


And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.  Genesis 1:3-5

DAY 1:  DAY & NIGHT

Our Cool Whip represented the day/light and the chocolate pudding represented the night/dark.

Yes, much to the children's delight we began with dessert.  =)

And God said, "Let their be a vault between the waters to separate water from water."  So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.  And it was so.  God called the vault "sky".  Genesis 1:6-8

                                     
                                               DAY 2:  
WATER  and SKY
                                           We had cups of water for Day 2.  Easy peasy and thirst quenching.
                                 





           DAY 3:  VEGETATION, SEEDS, FRUIT TREES
We gathered sunflower seeds, peanuts, baby carrots, celery, pears, peaches & apples.  It was delicious!

 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.  The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.  
Genesis 1:11-12




DAY 4:  SUN, MOON, & STARS


We got a little creative with this one.  I was at the Dollar Tree and didn't want to make another trip to the grocery store.  Since they didn't have the chicken soup with stars I opted for Star Wars soup.  Hee, hee.  I also picked out oyster crackers for stars.



 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,  and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.  God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.  God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1:14-18


The older kids joined us after they saw the fun we were having.  After all who can resist learning that involves FOOD?  




DAY 5:  SWIMMING CREATURES & BIRDS

Whales were the perfect choice for Day 5.


And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”  So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1:20 - 21


DAY 6:  LAND ANIMALS & MAN and WOMAN

Animal crackers were Day 6.  The kids were excited to see we bought both regular AND chocolate animal crackers.

 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.  God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male & female He created them.  Genesis 1:24-27




DAY 7:  GOD RESTED

Yes, you guessed it.  We rested.  Actually the kids cleaned up first, mama went to rest & the kids rested after the kitchen was clean.  =)


By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.  Genesis 2:2-3

This was a really fun way to review the days of Creation.  I think we will remember this lunch for a long time.


Tuesday, November 10, 2015

JUBAL AND TUBAL-CAIN ~ Mystery of History

We are enjoying our Mystery of History studies.  We got a late start this year because of our vacation & trip to Nana's.  They were both needed and I don't regret the time away one bit.  

Today we did some of our hands-on fun.  First was Jubal and Tubal-Cain.  Boo Bear and Elvis have been taking guitar lessons.  They were more than happy to bring out their guitars, (borrowed from Uncle D.) and demonstrate for Princess and Bugsy.  Princess & Bugsy took turns trying out the guitars too.






They enjoyed it so much I had to call and end to it.  I think they would have spent the whole morning on the guitars if I had let them.  =)

TOO LONG

Long time, no post, eh?  I miss posting on this blog and sharing our days.  Often I find Facebook is quicker & don't make the time for this blog.  I'm going to try to change that.  I know I can't be here every day but maybe once a week?  That's my goal for now.  Wish me luck!  =)

Thursday, February 26, 2015

ON THE PRAIRIE

We have now begun our second book in our Prairie Primer studies, Little House on the Prairie.  We are already enjoying it so much.  Last week we made covered wagons.  This week we learned about Native American hand talking (sign language), pictographs and several other ways the Native Americans communicated with their own tribes and other tribes.  We learned about gophers and prairie hens and other animals on the prairie.  We made masks and played games.  Every week Bugs asks if it is Prairie Primer Co-op week.  This is such a fun unit study made even better by awesome friends.

 Hard at work creating their own pictographs.


 Love the tongue.  =)









 Learning about birds of the prairie, gophers and prairie dogs.


 This photo makes me smile seeing how engaged all the kids are in learning.


 Prairie Chicken.


 A new game.  Wack-A-Gopher.  







 They thought this game was hilarious.  I have to admit I am a big fan too.  


He is loving this unit study.

Gathered around the computer learning Native American Hand Talking.


Deep concentration.

 We were getting into it!  Rain!


 After we were finished suddenly an impromptu marshmallow war broke out.  LOL!


HILARIOUS!