AP

Fern has started working on her Word Families! She is so excited! It is wonderful!

So I made Fern some cards to make some of the AP words and then after she had sounded them out she showed me the words!

She came up with all of these by herself I was just the photographer!

And Leili wanted in on the fun too!

As a family we are learning about the Civil War era, slavery, and Abraham Lincoln. Mostly through out loud reading, it is amazing to me how much the kids absorb when I read aloud verses other learning!

We scored this week at Goodwill and found a mostly complete set of Lincoln Logs! The kids have been building Abe Lincoln's log cabin, with no windows but they have not found a bear skin for the door! ;)

I have collected these books over years at thrift stores and library sales. We are onto the second book in the Addy series, the American Girl Books are great historical fiction! We also read the If you Grew Up With Abraham Lincoln which I just found at Goodwill last week! Perfect!! I am also planning that we will listen to THIS free recording of the Gettysburg Address. This all ties into our learning about Nevada as Nevada became a state during the Civil War. Which is why our state's nickname is Battle Born!

I came across some great thought provoking articles recently that I thought I'd share. The first one is an article from Simple Homeschool's Homeschool Day in the Life series. Rachel DeMille shared one of her days, I have always wanted to peek into the windows of her homeschool among others. A couple things that really stood out for me was the excitement in sharing what she figured out with her children. Lately as Dan has been traveling and not having a true kindred friend here yet I have felt a little without. Maybe I should just get over the hump and learn to enjoy sharing more with my children. Of course it can not completely fulfill my need for adult conversation but that does not mean I can not enjoy them more! I also read another article from the DeMills about the importance of reading, both as an individual and as a family. We really adopted and made this practise our own, our youngest has thrown that off a bit in the 2 1/2 years she has been with us. I need to make this more of a priority in our day, it is so enjoyable to see everyone getting excited about a story!

I also read this story about Steve Jobs, I'm not a huge fan but I think he was good at what he did and I do want my children to find their passion! I also agree with the article that if we want our children to find their passions and desire to find things out then they need to have that time outdoors, they need to have time. What more can we truly desire for our children's education than curiosity, passion, and time for them. I truly remember going to school because it was my "job" and then coming home to enjoy my passions. It was not uncommon for me to stay up late into the night because a book had sparked the fire of my curiosity!

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Teaching is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire. ~ William Butler Yeats

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He ate and drank the precious words ~ his spirit grew robust ~ he knew no more that he was poor ~ nor that his frame was dust~ he dance along the dingy days and this bequest of wings was but a book ~ what liberty ~ a loosened spirit brings. ~ Emily Dickinson

We are back! Thank goodness that did not last as long as I thought it might! Mostly because we did not have to replace the computer just the hard drive. Thank goodness for self learning husbands! ;)

While I was away from the computer we had a most deliciously warm day! So we did our school work quickly and headed to the nature center near our home. I am not sure there is a better way to learn than by being outside in an unstructured way! The kids threw rocks in the river, they ran and yelled. We soaked up as much vitamin D as possible and we ate outside (which I just love to do)! It was lovely!!

If you have not read Richard Louv's book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. PLEASE DO! He has a new one out that I can't wait to get my hands on!

So we are trying something new to help us get through our day. At the beginning of the year I bought Riley a student planner because he likes to know what is expected of him before he starts his day. I thought eventually he would be able to look at our schedule and look at his weekly assignments and fill in the individual days himself. It has not happened that way and in fact I realized he rarely even looks at the daily list, he jut asks me again... But I have to say it was nice to have a daily list of what we were going to get done, so I am trying out the white board. I take the weeks assignments, look at what subjects are scheduled for the day and then write every ones assignments. Jake is enjoying this as he has become a super reader, Fern really does not need a list as she does not read yet but I knew she'd feel left out so I put her right at the top. Besides it helps my brain (it needs all the help it can get)!

So we will see how this goes, maybe it will stick maybe it won't.

And a little FYI for those who are not readers of my other blog, my hard drive is fried so I will just be posting occasionally now when my husband is not traveling and such. But also the photos will suffer as the few I do share will be off of my phone...

Sorry.

Here is an interesting article about homeschooling rising!

My Riley who has never enjoyed reading is today finishing the first book in the Wimpy Kid Diaries. 200 some odd pages... get this... in 2 weeks! It is not my first choice of books, but if it can give him confidence and desire in reading then well who am I to say. We all enjoy different genres.

With this new confidence it did not take too much for me to get him to read his science section on his own. I enjoy reading to my kids but it is very nice to have the ability to ask Riley to read something and then discuss it! He read a bit about what all is contained in a seed and then we talked about the amazing-ness of God's creation. So Riley and I did a little art project, it is so nice to get to paint! He is old enough now that we can paint side by side where as everyone else is still small enough that I don't actually get to sit down and paint. We decided to mix mediums, we used wax crayons and water colors. I love Riley's sun and my roots.

Now if only I could get him to write without a fight...

This is Miss Fern's picture from the story we read yesterday about a screech owl, she also practiced her O & o's! I just LOVED her owl!

And Jake has been listening to Solomon Owl by Aurthur Scott Bailey (out of the Animal Stories book on the carousel on the right)! I LOVE his owl too!!

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Just sharing today!

Wouldn't you know it, after having a nice long holiday break Mom is sick on the Monday we were diving back in!!

That's ok, we make it though our morning studies. I did not go all out but we got some good stuff in. Riley thought he might die... SO FUN! ;)

But also we are having one of those freak, "it's Jan. 2 and 70 degrees outside!! Oh it was so good for my cold to go lie in the grass and be warmed in the sun! The kids are running around outside BAREFOOT using their imaginations and fresh air!

The picture up there is of some stone soup Fern and I made recently. She and I recently read the story and she was so excited to make it! I love stone soup and the magic involved.

How are you easing into this New Year? Any changes or tweaks?

Riley and I recently started our block on Native Americans in Northern Nevada. It was slow going for a bit as we non-Nevadans tried to find information. We got excited that there was an exhibit in the airport but that was not as fruitful as hoped. But just today we found some wonderful student guides put out by the state!

This area is home to the Northern Paiute, Western Shoshone, & Washoe Tribes.
What Native Americans live in your area?

How was your week? Was it productive? Oh it's Friday again... errr... Then it has been a full two weeks that we have not gotten any schooling in... Oh the sicknesses that have plagued our house these last two weeks! Oh yea and my partner in crime has been out of town the whole time! Times like this, it is hard to not freak out a little on myself. But seriously between a 10 year old who is THE WORST sick person, a babe who needed to nurse non-stop, two super kids who just sleep through sickness, and an uber sick mama well what can I expect of myself! I am still not 100% my house is still disaster-ish and now I am looking at a holiday week where we are traveling! But do you know what came out of it? We are all over our toast out (not full burn out just toasted a little), and we are all ready to dive back in! I hope it lasts though our week of traveling!!
Happy Thanksgiving! I'll be back after the holiday (and unpacking)!

Seasons

I love seasons, I love all four for their unique beauty. I also love the different activities that come with each season, flowers and vegetable planting in the spring, swimming, and camping in the summer, apple picking and canning in the fall, and the slowness and coziness of winter's cold!

What about the seasons of a homeschool? For me that is a little harder. Letting go of a routine that is no longer working, reading the kids to see if they need more or less rigor in our studies, and just the change. I'm not a big one for handling change well it's hard on me, sometimes really hard. Sometimes I am not graceful about it.

This year I am trying to grow in the flexibility department. This is a must in our house, Dan travels often with just a moments notice. I am trying to learn to give us lighter flowing days when Dan comes and goes, and more studies to fill our weeks when he is gone. One thing I have not given into yet, but have really had a wonderful epiphany about this week is letting go of my public school history and realizing that we do not need to start our week on a Monday and end on a Friday. It could be a Thursday to Wednesday! Just because we don't get a good start on Monday because Dan left and we're all off or the baby is sick and I sit and nurse her all day does not mean that we have to throw out the whole week!

Learning all the time that is what I'm doing! And that is a good thing!

What are you enjoying this season (of the year, of life, or of your learning)?

Well you all know we have lived in a few states, and they all have fun and weird things we have enjoyed. But I have to say Nevada has one I have never even considered but is actually a really cool thing EVERY state should do in my simple opinion!

NEVADA DAY!

What is Nevada day you ask? Well it is the day that Nevada was accepted into the Union. It is a state holiday, technically is is on Oct. 31 but they choose to have Friday off this year so we went on an adventure!

A homeschool group here planned a fun Nevada Day field trip to the Capitol. So the kids and I drove down to Carson City, it's about a 45 min drive through beautiful Washoe Valley!
We had a fun picnic, getting to know new homeschoolers and then one of the parents planned a little Nevada art project (I'll share that soon). The sun was warm and the kids ran until they could run no farther! Then we went into the Capitol building.

Leili was fast expiring, but we pressed on...

The first and second floor were open to walk through, we saw the Assembly room, Senate room, everything was just beautiful!

This is what is painted all around the ceiling of the first floor, and there are paintings of all the past governors (even the "Territorial" governors!

And my cuties (and unhappy babe) on the front steps of the capitol. It was great to learn a little bit more about this state that is our current home!!

And a couple of great articles to share! HERE and HERE!!

There are many activities we do as a family that I am sometimes not sure where to post them, family blog or schooling blog! But I have to say that is one of my FAVORITE things about being a homeschooling family! I see it as our own little homeschooling family culture.

I recently took the plunge and bought the book All Year Round, I have wanted a book to learn more about and incorperate festivals in our home but I have always been afraid of picking the wrong one. Silly right! So I bought this book and got a couple ideas for Michalmas! It was a fun evening, I made this dragon out of beeswax on the candle and then at dinner we read about the war in heaven and talked about the plan of salvation and of course what Michael did. We then lit the candle and have each night for dinner since, the kids love to think about Michaels sword being the flame as it vanquishes our dragon. We also talked brefly about vanquishing our own dragons, it was a fun evening!

I have been thinking a bit about this quote from Mark Twain, "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education". And also, "... they didn’t have to wait for me to be ready to teach them something." from a recent post at Simple Homeschooling.

What thoughts do these give you?

Today I bought a Children's encyclopedia. The catalyst today was Riley's interest in this crazy way mom use to have to look something up (because I did not have the internet)! The funny thing is that he has had his nose in it quite a bit of this evening, or in Encyclopedia Brown. I mentioned this to my mom and she asked if I had the old children's encyclopedia set out, I don't but I was instantly taken back to caring around the blue one. It was about gems and minerals... I love rocks.

It seemed a little funny to be a homeschooling mom of this long and to not have a current encyclopedia, but really up to now my kids were not that curious. My answer to their questions was sufficient. Now that Riley is getting the hang (and enjoyment) of reading I can see that he may really enjoy getting an answer for himself!

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Last week was a review and relax week for us, Riley needed to finish a project after reading Stuart Little. I also saw the week coming, schooling has been good this year so far but it is much more intense for two reasons. 1. Riley's studies have jumped up a notch and 2. I have 3 kids with school work (that is not kindergarten)! And because of that we have gotten behind on life! Winter clothing needed to be gone through and supplemented, drawers needed rotating, and then their is the canning... It was a good week and now we are jumping back into our studies refreshed and more warmly clothed!

This week Riley has started his new book (Encyclopedia Brown), and likes it so much that he read an extra chapter tonight just because he wanted to! Stuart Little was just a tad bit too challenging for him to finish in 3 week, Encyclopedia Brown is a good reading level for him but he likes it so much I am not sure it will last 3 weeks! :) What a nice problem to have! When I was trying yo decide on a couple book choices for Riley I pulled out the book, Great Books for Boys by Kathleen Odean. My friend Cherish scored a copy for me at a library book sale a few years back and since I have no experience as a boy or what boys like to read this has been great. The funny thing about this time while looking through it was I discovered that it has a whole chapter named, encouraging your son to read. I have used this as an excellent reference but I think I may need to read the rest of it!!

I also mentioned, Home Learning Year by Year before. Well I finally bought a copy to have for myself which is especially nice since I no longer live next to a library who has it! It is another great reference for books, although it is categorized by grade level and subject.

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Have a great week!

T.G.I.F.!!!

And a good artical from Simple Homeschool, I know I have been traped in the "grass is always greener" thoughts! This artical really put a great spin on the subject!

Today as all the kids were working on various projects during school time I thought that it would be fun to show what a *good* morning looks like! ;) We are really enjoying our new Oak Meadow materials!

Fern has a goal in mind for all this red finger knitting! We found THIS great you tube video on how to use it to make a flower, but Fern has decided that we will attach our flowers to barrettes as gifts for some of her friends! Hopefully we will make the jump to regular knitting in the next couple months!
Riley is snacking on our zucchini muffins while writing out his nouns and verbs on colored cards for grammar review. Riley has really made the jump this year in his school work. It has been a tremendous blessing for him to be able to be self directing in a few subjects as I have 3 to keep up studies with this year!

Jacob our adventurer is enjoying our ant study this week for science, we saw an ant caring an oat!! Jake is a go-go-er so it is hard to get him to sit long enough to draw what we has seen. But he is a great observationist!

And sweet Leili is just doing a great job being our little one! She has been playing plenty in our little kitchen or coloring like in the last post, she is happy as long as she is with us! Today she even started repeating our morning verse with us, and she is the best candle blower-outer!!

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So all in all the beginning of our year is going quite well, everyone is enjoying our learning together (for the most part) and we are settling nicely back into our rhythm! We love the crazy summer but there is something so comforting to the fall and our family rhythm!

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And I have been pouring over the new Autumn Rhythm of the Home!!!

Whew! We made it through the first week of school and we all survived and had some fun too! :)

After school one day we went to the lake and ended up with an impromptu science class! Jake caught this crawdad! We had some great observation, and then a little "nature" lesson... the kids caught a minnow and put it in with the crawdad... they now know how a crawdad searches, finds, and eats his dinner!
We found a random inch-worm on the beach, the little ones enjoyed watching him inch around my hand.


Today before school we learned about heat rising and wind patterns at the balloon races. It was great to get so up close and to talk to the balloonists!

And in regular schooling news we got our nature table set up and added a few new things to it!

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Yeah for on the fly learning and learning at home! And yeah for our first week being great!!!

Happy First Day of School!!!

It all went well and the boys blew me away with their reading! :) Happy mama!!!
And Leili was such a great helper! Seriously one of the best toddler days I've ever had!!!!
What a lovely way to start the year!

To see our fun school is starting celebration/adventure hop over to our family blog!

Well it is that time of year! I finalized my planning, printed it all out, and took it over to Staples yesterday! I am such a geek, "playing school" to me as a kid was all about the planning, class was never the highlight. :) But my kids are alot more fun to learn with then Mr. Bear, my Cabbage Patch, and assorted animals were!

So whats in it this year? The first page after my lovely cover up there is THIS fun map of Nevada I found on the Nevada Tourism website, next is our weekly schedule. I have found this helps tremendously in getting through the harder times.

Next up is our family study plans for the year, this is stuff that is what we do instead of the regular "circle time".

Riley this year will be challenges but I think he is up for it!

Jake is going to love all of this!

I teetered a bit on whether Fern was ready for this content, but I think she will really dive in. And I am looking forward to doing some of these things with her that I have enjoyed before with the boys! :)

And I like to include this as cooking and food prep is a great learning opportunity that we enjoy as a family.

After all this is my weekly sheets for planning out what we will strive to accomplish!

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You may have noticed I have not attached grade levels, I have never felt overly comfortable with it. One of the joys of homeschooling is being able to tailor to each child. They may be "ahead" in one subject or "behind" in another and that is OK!! Anyway I found this great article just a little bit back and thought I'd share it here!

We are using Oak Meadow again this year and are really looking forward to cracking open our new books, but there is the bit of Charlotte Mason & Thomas Jefferson Education packed in too!!

Happy First Day of Schooling!!

Are you enjoying the summer sun? We are! It has been a fun but crazy summer and even though we are still enjoying it we can feel the change. The winding down. You can feel it in the early morning air, and in the anticipation of our routine. Personally I am a summer baby I really enjoy the lack of rigidity in what we have to do, but even I yearn and look forward to the return of fall and all the comfortable familiarity our routine brings.

I have spent the last few days really tweaking and fine tuning our learning plan for the year, I have been working on my new book, and searching (and finding) many of our needed books on the Goodwill shelf! I will post my pages soon, just a little more tweaking to do and then I'll print them out and have it bound!

How is your planning going?