Where did November Go? And how is it the end of December?

I can't believe I didn't post anything since the first of November. We were very busy with our regular school work and our different co-ops. I've been working hard to catch the girls up to their "grade level" in their LA and Math. They are doing well but since we started curriculum last March and started over it is going to take us a little bit to be on schedule where I would like them to be. We worked some through the summer as we will do this summer. I LOVE the curriculum we use, Christian Light. The girls are doing so well in it and learning things thoroughly!

We made our way through Canada in Galloping the Globe.
This is us making Maple "Moose"

We learned a good bit but I am tiring of the curriculum. (I'm a little ADD). We still have Central America, South America, Africa and Australia to go. I will probably slim this curriculum down a bit since we are doing Astronomy and I'd really like to start Latin with the girls after Christmas.

We plan to take about 4 weeks off. I am exhausted...smile! During that time, I'll be planning, hopefully the rest of our school year.

During our off time, we will be playing, reading (quiet and aloud), making fun stuff and goofing off. Sometimes we need just plain ole goof off time. So that's what's planned.

Chad will be off for vacation and we are so excited!

Cool Grocery Ad Activity for Kids

I am always looking for free ways to do fun activities...I found this one and had to link it to my blog so I wouldn't forget it. Once we start school back after the holidays, we will have to try it!!!

Grocery Ad Activities

Cinderella

We went to Jackson Prep's play- Cinderella- last Saturday. The girls had so much fun. It was a fantastic performance. I hope the girls will remember it for many years. The girls dressed up like princesses for the occasion. After the play, the girls went to a tea party put on by the school. They had yummy finger foods and of course tea.

We borrowed Mikayla's dress and I found Hannah's at a garage sale. I made the tiara for them to wear with them.

The girls writing about their pumpkin patch fieldtrip

We used clustering to help us reign in the details of our trip.

Hannah's Writing:

The Pumpkin Patch

By Hannah Alford

10-30-09

On October 20, 2009, I went on a field trip to a pumpkin patch. On the thirty minute drive to the pumpkin patch, I played my cousin, Katy’s, Imagine Fashion Designer DS game. After we arrived, I had to wait so all the other home schoolers could get there. While I was waiting I played with my friend, Abigail. Once the other home schoolers arrived, we took our home school group pictures. Then our journey began. First, we went to see all the animals. There was a pig, a donkey, and hens. Next, we rode on the hay ride. The trailer was crammed full with kids and adults from the ReACHE and CHEB home school group. While on the hay ride we noticed a Zedonk. The tractor driver told us it had a heart like a zebra and the brains of a donkey. Next, we saw a cow and bulls. Then we saw many trees followed by a catfish pond. At the catfish pond, we had to sing “If you are happy and you know it” to try to get the catfish to jump out of the water. Afterwards we stepped off the trailer to pick a pumpkin and play a little. We went through the hay maze and we went down a hay slide. Next, we climbed back up to the hayride again and headed to the picnic tables. For lunch, I ate a sandwich, chips, and sweet tea with Abigail and my friends. When I finished lunch, I played with my friends. Lastly, I rode in my car back home. While I was in riding, I finished my book about Abby Hayes. The pumpkin patch was truly very fun even though I was exhausted when I got home.

Mikayla's Writing:

The Pumpkin Patch

By Mikayla Alford

10-30-09

Revision

I went on a fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch with home school friends. I rode in the car for thirty minutes. When we arrived, we saw the bull with a ring, Eeyore the donkey, and Porkchop the pig. Next we went on a hayride. All the hay gave me a stuffy nose. We stopped and picked a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. While we were stopped I went down the hay slide and through the hay maze. We ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. There was also candy bags and pumpkin juice waiting for us at the lunch table. After we ate lunch, we went home. I read Minnie and Moo while we were driving home. The pumpkin patch was much bigger than I imagined it would be, but I still had fun.

A week of busy school...studying the sun, and all the other fun things we do...

This week was jam packed.

Monday-School picture day, quiet reading and Astronomy.



Tuesday- Pumpkin Patch, quiet reading on the way home.

Eating lunch with home school friends.

Wednesday- Workboxes (see what's in our workboxes), Quiet Reading, and finished up astronomy.
Thursday- Workboxes, Notebooking Astronomy.
Friday-Co-op Day. We reviewed our Astronomy chapter-"The Sun". We made a pinhole box for viewing the sun, sponge painted a sun to put in our notebook, and did a visual representation of a solar eclipse. We also studied Giatto, the artist. My dear friend led this. She had them do a creative painting using his techniques. They painted on plaster to cardboard, then penciled in a design they wanted to draw followed by painting it with water colors. We then had lunch. After a fun play break and Mommy talk, we started back with ASL. We've been learning praise songs. We reviewed "I am a friend of God" and continued our work on Kari Jobe's "Revelation song". They did really well. After this, each of the girls had their piano lesson.

Learning about Giotti.

Our painting master pieces!

It was a busy but productive week.

The girls new Workboxes

I originally made their workbox covers a few months ago. I used contact paper to cover everything. This didn't hold up well. Later I purchased a laminater and LOVE it. I let the girls pick out new scrapbook paper to do their new workboxes.

I also scrapped the schedule strip which seemed to be too much to keep up with and just added more Velcro dots to the hanging file folders so I could add their extra things like piano, keyboarding, snack and lunch without having to use a file folder slot or use the schedule strip. Since there are several Velcro dots on each folder I can switch around what order we do what at any time. This is working for us and has produced good independence in the girls. I still have to go over lessons with the girls but they at least know what to do next when they finish their current work.

They love to see the front of their boxes all filled in which tells them all we have left for the day is quiet reading, Astronomy or Galloping the Globe, and an art project or something fun.

Our fall handprint tree

I got this idea from a friend who also did this. All three girls did 12 hand prints each. Now...we have a beautiful tree in our hallway!