Lots of fun studying China!

We are studying China right now with Galloping the globe. This is our first country to study.

So far we've learned where China is on the map and globe, about the capital- Beijing, the great wall of China, the forbidden city inside of Beijing, what language they speak.

We've also been learning about the rain forest and some of their inhabitants, we've drawn some animals from there, learned to say some of their common phrases in Chinese, found the Yangtze river, the flag and what it looks like, and some of the missionaries that have ministered there- Eric Liddell (the one that was portrayed in the movie Chariots of Fire), and Hudson Taylor.




These are the girls drawings of Ping the duck from one of our stories. We used 123 Draw Book to learn how to draw a duck.



We've also read some great literature based on people or ideas from China. For example: Tikki Tikki Tembo, Stone Soup, the Real story of Stone Soup, The Story of Ping, The Adventures of Marco and Polo. We are currently reading Marco Polo and will watch a movie later this week about Marco Polo.

We've listened to some music of the Beijing Opera and some other music from China-the girls were fascinated with how different it sounded. The girls heard stories about the ancient practice of foot binding...very interesting.

The girls made lanterns today...they had fun making them...so they made more than one...smile!

This week we will be learning about Marco Polo, Lottie Moon, some animals that are local there like the pandas, orangutans, sloth bears, and ducks. We will be reading Zen Ties, In the Leaves, and The Chinese Mirror, as well as, doing some fun books and activities with enchanted learning.

We will also be learning about the Chinese New Year and how it is associated with the phases of the moon. Also we will be learning about the fashion of China. I am hoping we can make a Chinese meal...but I am not so crazy about Chinese food...so we will see what we can do.

We stay busy...busy...but we are having fun.

Lesson on Symmetry

This is Mikayla's symmetrical butterfly.

This is Hannah's Symmetrical Butterfly

We studied symmetry at one point this week so I had the girls draw a butterfly to show how something is symmetrical and asymmetrical. The girls had fun pointing out things around us that were one or the other. They are still doing it. Sometimes they get stumped on the big word but they are trying! We also talked about space in this lesson and how to use the whole space instead of just one little part of the paper...proportion...smile!

Watching them become friends...

I used to wonder if my girls would be close given they are so close in age or if that would drive a wedge between them because they were competing...I have watched them on their own playing...fussing like sisters do...but today I was inspired to see them playing outside together.

When Mikayla came in to get the two of them water, Hannah stuck her head in the door and said, "Hey, where is my buddy going?". They are playing so well together...at least for now...it makes me feel good!

I really do hope that after all the tiffs, arguments, and sister stuff...they will be the best of friends...Hannah the bossy one...Mikayla resistant to Hannah's bossiness...its so fun to watch!

The girls poems they memorized the last few months

We are using First Language Lessons for our grammar. I love it because it is so thorough and the lessons are easy to understand for the girls. It really keeps their attention because they are short and sweet. Part of the lessons are memorizing poems. Here are two that the girls have recently learned. They are sponges...and help me remember them...smile!

Our First Week Back Home!

We'll we made it through our first week of home school since we arrived home. I am exhausted but feel like we did a good job getting back into the groove. I think the hardest thing was getting the girls used to not watching so much TV again. I struggle with them wanting to watch TV so much. While we were in Florida it was a battle because there was so much to be done and Chad wasn't there to keep them occupied. They are doing well adjusting. We really try to only let them watch a few hours a day...and that sounds like too much to me...even the good shows have so much commericialism that I wish we could throw the whole thing out...

We did our first art lessons today. We studied about lines and how their forms make shapes. We are using an Art Curriculum that was designed for home schoolers. My goal is to fit it in at least once a week. It was really good and the girls liked the activity.

So far, it seems like the bulk of our work we try to get done early in the week so that the later in the week the more flexible we can be.




On another note, I so love our home school group. I have never been apart of a group that has had such a heart for ministering. I am so blessed that God put me here in this group of families that are so open to us.


Tonight, I went to Arise, a women's night of worship at Pinelake. It was so awesome. Rita Sweat was the speaker and she spoke about making of our lives more like Mary...just sitting at Jesus' feet. She was so just a regular girl like all of us and really spoke to me! I was blessed by her message and really want to take the things she said to heart by just sitting with Jesus on a regular basis and being with Him and being taught by Him...it seems so hard to slow down to do it...but very necessary!

Anyhow...that's all for tonight...my tank is full and empty at the same time...

so....I'm exhausted....

We started back school yesterday full force. It has been going well but I am exhausted and a little crabby. We are all having some readjusting to do so it makes for a grumpy mommy some moments of the day. I have scaled back on my high intensity and getting what we need to do and then filling in gaps with Galloping the Globe.

It is hard to balance Autumn with the girls but we seem to get it done...and still do the laundry...smile.

We are possibly joining the gym so that is good. Chad is motivated...I am not so much. It will be good for us I know...I am just still roller coastering from the summer....but I know it will be a good thing for us all!

More later...

Where does the time go?

We'll it has been almost two weeks since my mom passed away into her eternal life with Jesus and it feels like time has stood still in someways. It is like a mirage. We took last week off of school. I tried to start school this week but with cleaning out the house, packing, and having to prepare somewhere for my grandmother to live...it has been impossible. I realized...this is such a blessing to homeschool. I can wait til we get back home to pick up where we left off.

I am not stuck to some schedule that is unreasonable except my own inner self raging to get back to a routine. For now, we are reading, doing some phonics, some blogging of what we've been reading and practicing our skip counting.

I took the girls to the eye doctor the other day and Hannah was so inquisative. I thought it was beautiful how she was investigating all the machines they were using. She was like a little reporter asking about this and that in the office. She wanted to know how long she had been an eye doctor. I hope she will keep that inquistivness.

The girls have been collecting snails while we have been here in Florida. I thought maybe it would be a good science opportunity for them. We looked them up online and found out many things about them. We printed off some things from enchantedlearning.com and labeled their parts and learned about them. I thought it was pretty interesting that there are snells as large as 30 inches and that their tongues have little teeth on them. Intriguing to say the least.

Maybe we aren't traditionally doing school but they are learning. I am learning.

I can't wait to go home. I miss my home...my bed...my hubby!