My Memories Suite Weekly Freebie

 

I love these dark earthy tones!  Get your free download here.

If you haven’t purchased the My Memories software you can do so by clicking here.  Then, use my special code  STMMMS5881 to save $10 off the price

Weekly Wrap Up–The Thanksgiving Edition

 

It’s hard to believe it’s Thanksgiving week already!   My goodness this year has flown by!!   We had a light school work week.  We mainly focused on math, reading and writing.  And we wrapped up our Pilgrim unit study this week.  Be sure to go read all about it!

My husband has been filling in for me as I get adjusted to working 10 hour nights and sleeping 3 hours in the mornings.  Olivia asked this week if I’d go back to teaching her math because she’s apparently not understanding it as well.  So my goal this weekend is to work on a schedule that will work better for everyone.

There was no regular Awana, ballet or piano this week (thank you Jesus!)   We did have Nutcracker practice one evening and the girls picked up their official 2011 Nutcracker shirts.

Thursday was a huge day of cooking, eating and family time.   Of course, the oven went out shortly after I put the 24 pound, stuffed bird in the oven.  I noticed several hours later that the oven had stopped working…thankfully I was able to get it going again and dinner was just a bit later than planned.   Everyone on both sides of the family came to my house for dinner…and they all got along!!  

We took a little excursion downtown to check out some of the local shops.  I did a blog post about it at S.A.H.M. I Am!  You’ll definitely want to check out the gingerbread houses in the window displays.  Here’s a teaser.

Today we did our traditional bell ringing for the Salvation Army.  Normally we freeze while ringing the bell, but today the temperature was in the mid 60’s!  The girls love this activity and seem to sway people to give more than adult would.  We’re doing it again in December, and I’m sure it’ll be a lot colder then.

That’s pretty much our week in a nutshell.  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Life in Plymouth Colony

Thanksgiving is on of those events you just HAVE to teach on every year, no matter how old your kids are.  (Or maybe I’m the only one who does that?)  You can check our older study of Squanto by clicking here.

My kids love history, and these history pockets by Evan-Moor are just the thing to help make the learning fun and memorable.   While working through Life in Plymouth Colony both girls created 8 discovery pockets, including:

~Voyage to the New World
~The New World
~Building a Village
~Home Sweet Home
~The Family
~Working in Plymouth Colony
~Going to School
~What Did the Pilgrims Give Us?

Books we used:

Squanto Friend of the Pilgrims; by Clyde Robert Bulla
Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving; by Eric Metaxas
Squanto’s Journey; by Joseph Bruchac
Miles Standish Colonial Leader; by Barbara Witteman
Sarah Morton’s Day; by Kate Waters

We made a diorama of a”keeping room” where the family slept, ate and worked.

The pilgrim paper dolls were a big hit!  The girls continue to play with these daily.

Lindsey enjoyed working on her “stew of good manners”…mostly because most of the items listed are things we do, only worded different.  For example we don’t allow singing at the table, the Pilgrims etiquette was “Sing not, hum not, wriggle not.”   And of course the world famous “Stuff not thy mouth to fill thy cheeks.”

We also made a geese in the garden game.  The original would be made of wood, but ours is made of poster board.   You pull back and forth on the paper strips and the geese rotate towards the garden.

We also made hasty pudding from the recipe included in the history pockets.  Lets just say it wasn’t a big hit with the girls.   But if you’d like to try it, here is the recipe.

1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
pat of butter
maple syrup or brown sugar

1.  In a bowl combine the cornmeal and 1 cup of cold water.
2.  In a heavy saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and 1/2 tsp. salt to boiling.
3.  Carefully stir in the cornmeal mixture, making sure it does not lump. (Easier said than done.)
4.  Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.  Cool slightly.
5.  Serve the pudding warm with a pat of butter on top.  Add a little maple syrup or sprinkle with brown sugar.

The girls also learned about dame school (being taught by a woman in her home), and we made our own hornbook and New England Primer. 

Now we’re off to work on some thankfulness crafts and start our pre-Thanksgiving day cooking.   Happy Thanksgiving to each of you!

2011 Homeschool Blog Award Winners

The winners for the 2011 Homeschool Blog Awards have been announced.  Congratulations to all the winners!!   Be sure to visit the winners blogs when you get a chance, and congratulate them.

My Memories Suite Weekly Freebie

Rich colors are featured in this week (and next weeks) freebies.  Get your free download here.

If you haven’t purchased the My Memories software you can do so by clicking here.  Then, use my special code  STMMMS5881 to save $10 off the price

Weekly Wrap Up–The Substitute Teacher Edition

We’re all trying to get into a new rhythm with my having gone back to work.  This task was made a wee bit more difficult by the fact that here, in week 2 of my job, I’m on mandatory 10 hour nights.  So I’m working from 9pm until 7am.   I’m tired.   So this week my husband (who works 2nd shift 3pm until 11:30pm) has stepped up to be the substitute teacher while I sleep in the mornings.

Basically I get home around 7:15am, take the dog out, feed whichever offspring are up and then go to bed around 8am and sleep until 11:30am.  The husband works on school work with the girls while I’m sleeping.   We have lunch around noonish and then I finish up schoolwork and house work before hitting the evening activities.  I try to sneak in a 1 or 2 hour nap at some point.

We started a Thanksgiving Unit Study this week.  The girls and I are working on it in the afternoons.  I’m hoping to be finished by Thanksgiving, but that may or may not be the case.

All the major subjects were covered this week.  No major issues that' I’ve been made aware of (yet).    We also had our monthly activity day get together..  My class learned about Pocahontas this month.  Be sure to check it out!

Regular ballet and tap lessons are over until January.  We do of course kick it up a notch now with Nutcracker practices.  Only a few weeks until show time!!

Awana and piano are finished until December as well.  I actually have this week to be home (with the exception of working).

This is a very abbreviated wrap up, but it really was a great, I just failed to document most of it.   Be sure and visit the Weekly Wrap UP though!

Activity Day–Pocahontas

Pocahontas was a huge success in this months Activity Day.   We learned about her life before the white man, including the diet, housing and travel methods.   We built dioramas including long houses, vegetables and fruits out of colored clay and used tiny pieces of leather to make items to put in the longhouse.

Then the girls learned about Pocahontas’ introduction to the Englishmen, her trip to England, her marriage to John Rolfe, the birth of her son and her unfortunate death in her 20’s.

Books we used: 

Pocahontas, Bridging Two Worlds; by Larry Dane Brimner
Pocahontas; by Lola M. Schaefer
Pocahontas; by Grace Steele Woodward
Pocahontas; by Lucia Raatma

Here is a finished project.  Obviously we didn’t make the items to scale, but I still think the girls did a great job making their Powhatan Indian dwelling.

My Memories Freebie of the Week

Purple is my favorite color and the makes the green in this designer pack POP!  Get your free download here.

If you haven’t purchased the My Memories software you can do so by clicking here.  Then, use my special code  STMMMS5881 to save $10 off the price

Weekly Wrap Up–The One Without Sleep

I started working a third shift job this week.  My schedule is 11pm until 7am Sunday through Thursday.  This brings back memories of having a newborn in the house…minus the screeching and poopie diapers of course.

Since I wasn’t sure how coherent I’d be this week, I scheduled a light school week for us.  In addition, Monday Olivia had a follow up with the ENT about her ears.  Her tubes lasted less than 6 months from surgery.  However, we’ve been issue free for almost a year now.  This weeks hearing test showed a bit of a change from the one 6 months ago, but she has a head cold and the doctor things that was to blame as there really wasn’t any signs of a problem.   So we go back in one year and if all is well she’ll be officially done!  Thank you Jesus!

Math:  Olivia began working with dry measures (pint, peck, bushel).   Lindsey began working with liquid measures (cup, pint, quart and gallon).

Latin:  Prepositions were our topic this week, which went along great with First Language Lessons where we are also studying prepositions.

Science:  We discussed rainbows, mirrors and shadows this week and practiced creating rainbows and shadows.   I guess we could have created a mirror, but don’t tell the kids.

Extra Curricular Activities:   Ballet, tap and piano are on target.   Awana has been awesome, both girls memorizing scriptures left and right!

Ok, that’s my poor rendition of a wrap up.  I’ve been up for over 24 hours and my brain is putty.  Visit the Weekly Wrap Up!

My Memories Freebie of the Week

 

This weeks freebie pack will be great for fall photos of the kids playing in the great outdoors.  Love these great colors and the graphics!  Get your free download here.

If you haven’t purchased the My Memories software you can do so by clicking here.  Then, use my special code  STMMMS5881 to save $10 off the price

Sleep Deprived

There are some changes taking place in our lives and home.  If all goes according to plan, I should be the only one affected a great deal, but we all know how plans can quickly go amuck!

First of all let me say that we are still committed to homeschooling.  However last night, at 11pm I started my new job.  I’ll be working 3rd shift (11pm through 7am) Sunday nights through Thursday nights.   Then coming home and sleeping until around 11:30ish.  Homeschooling will be done a bit later in the day from noon to 4 or so.  Hopefully a nap will be thrown in later in the evening as well.   This schedule will least impact everyone (except me), and still meet the financial needs that we have.

Hopefully I’ll adjust to my new schedule, and lack of sleep, quickly.  However, if you happen to notice me nodding off, give me a nudge, will you?

Weekly Wrap Up–The Montana Edition

Our week started off with some fresh snow, yeah, snow,in Virginia, in October.  Nutcracker performances were almost cancelled due to treacherous roads and power outages.  Then the temperatures rose, and we had mud; and now we’re back to very chilly weather, with frozen mud.

Geography:  Studying Montana was especially fun for the girls.  My husband and father-in-law have traveled “out west” several times to go elk and buffalo hunting, so they had lots of stories to share with the girls.   Although both children are convinced they’ve never eaten elk or buffalo.  I’ll just let them live in their make believe world on this topic.

Books we used:

Montana; by Conrad R. Stein
Montana; by Charles and Linda George
Where the Waters Divide, a 3,000 Mile Trek Along America’s Continental Divide; by Karen Berger and Daniel R Smith
Grizzly Cub, Five Years in the Life of a Bear; by Rick McIntyre
The Grizzly Bear; by Steve Potts
The Biggest Bear; by Lynd Ward

Math:   This was mostly a review week for Olivia.  I was really glad of that.  She’s still having some struggles with finding the unknown number in an equation.   She knows the correct answer, but can’t for the life of her get the hang of how to lay it out on paper to prove the right answer.  Lindsey began working with thermometers, and telling time to the half hour this week.  No issues with either!

Science:   We learned about rainbows and mirrors this week.  We created a rainbow with a bowl of water, a mirror and some white cardstock.  Pretty cool stuff.

Writing:   Olivia has almost finished her first Writing Strands book.  She’s doing much better with her composition, so it’s working!  Lindsey has started doing more copy work, focusing mostly on neatness and cursive formation.

Latin, spelling and First Language Lessons are just plugging away. Nothing particularly noteworthy in any of these areas.

Ballet/tap/piano:   Regular lessons are full swing.   Nutcracker practices are slowly taking over. 

I spent a lot of this week getting ready for the newest life altering event.  (In the last 5 months we’ve had a parent move in, and added a new puppy.)  Check in next week to learn about the latest change.

Be sure to visit the Weekly Wrap Up and see how everyone else’s week went.