We have reached the point in the school year where it is time to begin evaluating the materials we used and deciding if we want to use the next level in the fall. This is always a fun time of the year because I love shopping. I'm not buying things yet but I am making my list (and checking it twice!).
Our choice in Singapore math was a good one and we will continue to use it. It is getting harder for Babalu but we are working through 3A/3B slowly. Rookie is flying through his books but first grade math is pretty easy compared to third. I've been grateful for that.
Our experience with the biology book from Pandia Press has been fairly positive and the kids have enjoyed it. It is nice having the info given to us, then a worksheet and then an activity. I also appreciate that we don't have to do science every day so it gives us flexibility.
Our Language Arts and reading have been acceptable but not great and we will not continue with Sonlight or the Evan Moor daily workbooks. I have tried to like Sonlight's programs but I just can't. I'm not sure why. But I do love many of the books they suggest so I am using their lists as a starting point for read alouds and the boy's reading lists.
Our history using pandia press and our geography using various things has not been as successful and I had hoped. But these are hard subjects to get my boys interested in and I'm hoping that with more activities next year will be better. They are learning the basics and at their ages this is all I ask of them this year.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
There is an end in sight
We are finally nearing the end of the school year. Rookie will finish two more books this week and both he and Babalu are set to finish their math books before the end of the year (there was some question with Babalu but he has been working hard and getting things done). Our science is also finished but we we may begin our summer science this week or next week. History and geography have pretty much finished and over all were still not terribly successful subjects. Each year we homeschool it gets better. Maybe next year it will finally work out to the point I call is successful. My rough planning of next year has many fun activities planned and several fun field trips planned. My boys learn history and geography best through activities.
In terms of planning this year has been a learning experience. I've determined that shopping trips must happen either in the evenings or on weekends (Unless Big Daddy is off work and can take care of the school work while I'm gone). All planning must happen over the summer and I must keep very detailed records of scheduling. If I don't I will forget things. I also must use the library more, especially for fun reading.
Scouts is also basically finished until the new school year. We still have our ceremony to give the boy's their badges but all den meetings are over so whatever the boys haven't finished is on them. I will be planning our wolf year from start to finish over the summer and presenting our plans to the parents at the first or second den meeting so they know exactly what we are doing and when. Leading the Tigers was mostly a fun experience and I'm looking forward to Big Daddy and I leading the Wolfs next year.
In terms of planning this year has been a learning experience. I've determined that shopping trips must happen either in the evenings or on weekends (Unless Big Daddy is off work and can take care of the school work while I'm gone). All planning must happen over the summer and I must keep very detailed records of scheduling. If I don't I will forget things. I also must use the library more, especially for fun reading.
Scouts is also basically finished until the new school year. We still have our ceremony to give the boy's their badges but all den meetings are over so whatever the boys haven't finished is on them. I will be planning our wolf year from start to finish over the summer and presenting our plans to the parents at the first or second den meeting so they know exactly what we are doing and when. Leading the Tigers was mostly a fun experience and I'm looking forward to Big Daddy and I leading the Wolfs next year.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
When your child reads above grade level...
Since Babalu learned to read in Kindergarten (at 4!!) he has been an amazing reader for his age (and gender, little boys tend to read later than little girls). Right now he can read 5/6 grade books but he can't really do a language arts program geared towards those grades. This has been a huge challenge for me in terms of finding a good program. At the moment we are working through Sonlight's 4th grade LA curriculum and he is enjoying most of the books and being challenged by the worksheets (Sonlight has excellent books but the actual curriculum isn't a good fit for us). It gets frustrating. For next year my plan is this-
- To use a LA program geared toward his grade level/age (in this case, redoing 4th grade)
- A good portion of his English grade will be independently reading books at his level of ability with book reports.
- These independant books will come from a pre made list that Big Daddy and I come up with. He will have to choose one at a time. We will take his tastes into account when we choose these books and the list will have more books than we intend for him to read so that he has a lot of options.
Hopefully he enjoys this. I may actually start this sooner than August, perhaps in a couple of weeks.
I suck at ending posts.
The End.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Awaiting Spring
Spring seems to have sprung early this year but I am refusing to believe that the winter rain is over until we hit April 1st. In the mean time I will try to enjoy the beautiful sunny days even though I know what they mean- the possibility of severe drought. Our plans to redo our lawns are being put off in an effort to save water and our plans for a veggie garden are in question for the same reason. I guess the time to teach the boys about water conservation is here.
It has been hard to get back into schoolwork since our trip plus babysitting but we have figured out a schedule for those days. Basically our days are switched- morning work (which is easy to do with a baby on my lap) in the afternoon and afternoon work in the morning before he arrives. This actually works so well I may make it the usual schedule.
Snuggle Puppy is coming along with his colors and numbers. He is finally more interested in reading the books that I choose and is happy to practice his colors in that way and count. He can count to three and then goes back to one. So very cute. I think in the fall he will certainly be ready for "real" school. Hopefully he will be excited about doing school with his brothers. He does love to sit with them and so his "workbooks"- cheap workbooks from the dollar section at Target that he colors in.
Our evening schedule has been changing a bit. Our Monday has co-op, swim practice, baseball practice and Cub Scouts. One right after the other with only enough time to drive to the various places around town and to grab a very quick dinner between swimming and baseball. Thankfully the only overlaps are between baseball and Scouts so Rookie misses an hour of practice but it isn't a big deal, his coach understands. On Wednesday there is also swimming and baseball so Rookie and whoever takes him to practice has about 20 minutes to eat before heading out. We haven't quite figured out what to eat those two days aside from sandwiches but I'm sure we will think of something. Our Saturday afternoons are also going to be taken up with baseball, Rookie has practice from 4pm until it is too dark to see the ball. The coach is harder than the tball coach and poor Rookie's legs were sore from all the running- Coach Luca makes the kids run when they don't listen. I like this in a coach, it will only help Rookie improve. He has so much potential, he just needs someone to hone it (and I'm not just saying that because I'm his Mommy, he does have a certain amount of natural athletic ability).
Another new thing- Babalu is having braces put on this Wednesday! He is very excited even though he knows it will hurt. This is just phase 1- 8 brackets for 15 months. Then of course retainers until it is time for phase 2. I can't wait until it is over and he has straight teeth (he has never had straight teeth, his baby teeth were crooked).
It has been hard to get back into schoolwork since our trip plus babysitting but we have figured out a schedule for those days. Basically our days are switched- morning work (which is easy to do with a baby on my lap) in the afternoon and afternoon work in the morning before he arrives. This actually works so well I may make it the usual schedule.
Snuggle Puppy is coming along with his colors and numbers. He is finally more interested in reading the books that I choose and is happy to practice his colors in that way and count. He can count to three and then goes back to one. So very cute. I think in the fall he will certainly be ready for "real" school. Hopefully he will be excited about doing school with his brothers. He does love to sit with them and so his "workbooks"- cheap workbooks from the dollar section at Target that he colors in.
Our evening schedule has been changing a bit. Our Monday has co-op, swim practice, baseball practice and Cub Scouts. One right after the other with only enough time to drive to the various places around town and to grab a very quick dinner between swimming and baseball. Thankfully the only overlaps are between baseball and Scouts so Rookie misses an hour of practice but it isn't a big deal, his coach understands. On Wednesday there is also swimming and baseball so Rookie and whoever takes him to practice has about 20 minutes to eat before heading out. We haven't quite figured out what to eat those two days aside from sandwiches but I'm sure we will think of something. Our Saturday afternoons are also going to be taken up with baseball, Rookie has practice from 4pm until it is too dark to see the ball. The coach is harder than the tball coach and poor Rookie's legs were sore from all the running- Coach Luca makes the kids run when they don't listen. I like this in a coach, it will only help Rookie improve. He has so much potential, he just needs someone to hone it (and I'm not just saying that because I'm his Mommy, he does have a certain amount of natural athletic ability).
Another new thing- Babalu is having braces put on this Wednesday! He is very excited even though he knows it will hurt. This is just phase 1- 8 brackets for 15 months. Then of course retainers until it is time for phase 2. I can't wait until it is over and he has straight teeth (he has never had straight teeth, his baby teeth were crooked).
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Trip to Texas Part 3 & 4- Visit With Bubbe and The Drive Home
We had a wonderful visit with my Mom. The big boys stayed with her every night for a sleepover and loved it. That was what they had been so looking forward to about visiting her. They were so well behaved and didn't bug anyone (Bubbe lives with Auntie C and Uncle D). Snuggle Puppy, Big Daddy and I stayed at a local hotel each night which was nice and quiet. Snuggle Puppy has discovered the joy of pushing the button on the elevator. He was so cute.
We did many fun things during our trip to the Houston area. In one day we squeezed in the Children's Museum of Houston and the Downtown Aquarium (where E and her sons Big B and Little B joined us). Both places were amazing. The aquarium has a train that drives through a shark tunnel. So cool.
The next day we went to the Johnson Space Center and it was amazing. For me this is a Bucket List item so for me this was the best part of the trip. We took a tram tour and saw one of the mission control rooms which was empty because they were not using it, they don't allow tours to see the mission control being used. They did have a video feed of another control room that was being used but there were only a few people in it because it was a weekend. Babalu and Rookie asked very good questions and the docent was very patient. We also learned about the Orion Project, NASA's mission to send people to Mars. MARS!!!!! OMG MARS!!!!! So excited to be able to follow this project. They will begin testing the vehicle this fall and in about 10 or so years actually reach Mars. It will be a 6 month trip to get there, about a year actually spend at Mars and 6 months back. That is a long mission. We also saw one of the Saturn V rockets. You can't imagine how amazing it is. It is huge and awe inspiring. Even Snuggle Puppy was fascinated with it... many minutes hearing "Look Mommy, rocket!". There were also other pretty neat things to see at the Space Center- films, galleries, demonstrations. It was great. I spent way too much on souvenirs but I was determined to buy the boys NASA tshirts and little toys (they choose small space shuttles... 2 Enterprise and 1 Atlantis) as well as 2 small birthday presents. Plus a freaking cool magnet. If we are ever in East Texas again we will go back to the Space Center (or maybe go out there just to go back, it was awesome).
We also visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science. I was pretty neat. They had a giant gallery full of fossils and models of dinosaur skeletons. It was pretty neat. All the boys loved that part. They also had exhibits of Ancient Egypt and Native Americans, African animals, Texas animal and jewels. There was a hands-on area in the basement that they boys enjoyed.
If you're wondering how we afforded to go to all of these things I'll tell you- we bought 5 of the Houston City Passes. We bought 3 adult passes (we bought one for my Mom so she could join us) and 2 kids (because Snuggle Puppy wasn't old enough for his own pass so we had to pay out of pocket for him at a couple of places). These saved us so much money.
Our drive home was fantastic. We managed to miss most of the traffic in Houston by using the HOV lane. We were able to spend about 4 hours visiting with my Uncle R in San Antonio which was great, he has never met the boys and had only met Michael once and that was more than 10 years ago. We also met our friend at a McDonald's. He was driving to Pensacola Florida for Navy stuff and we couldn't resist meeting up . We didn't have much time but it was still nice. Plus it gave the kids a change to stretch their legs. Overall the kids were so good on the way home and on the entire trip.
It feels so good to be home, 2 weeks is a long time. I have to go grocery shopping after breakfast (which I will make when I finish this post) because we don't have much food in the house. Tomorrow our normal routine starts again. Or maybe one more day off, it really was a long trip.
We did many fun things during our trip to the Houston area. In one day we squeezed in the Children's Museum of Houston and the Downtown Aquarium (where E and her sons Big B and Little B joined us). Both places were amazing. The aquarium has a train that drives through a shark tunnel. So cool.
The next day we went to the Johnson Space Center and it was amazing. For me this is a Bucket List item so for me this was the best part of the trip. We took a tram tour and saw one of the mission control rooms which was empty because they were not using it, they don't allow tours to see the mission control being used. They did have a video feed of another control room that was being used but there were only a few people in it because it was a weekend. Babalu and Rookie asked very good questions and the docent was very patient. We also learned about the Orion Project, NASA's mission to send people to Mars. MARS!!!!! OMG MARS!!!!! So excited to be able to follow this project. They will begin testing the vehicle this fall and in about 10 or so years actually reach Mars. It will be a 6 month trip to get there, about a year actually spend at Mars and 6 months back. That is a long mission. We also saw one of the Saturn V rockets. You can't imagine how amazing it is. It is huge and awe inspiring. Even Snuggle Puppy was fascinated with it... many minutes hearing "Look Mommy, rocket!". There were also other pretty neat things to see at the Space Center- films, galleries, demonstrations. It was great. I spent way too much on souvenirs but I was determined to buy the boys NASA tshirts and little toys (they choose small space shuttles... 2 Enterprise and 1 Atlantis) as well as 2 small birthday presents. Plus a freaking cool magnet. If we are ever in East Texas again we will go back to the Space Center (or maybe go out there just to go back, it was awesome).
We also visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science. I was pretty neat. They had a giant gallery full of fossils and models of dinosaur skeletons. It was pretty neat. All the boys loved that part. They also had exhibits of Ancient Egypt and Native Americans, African animals, Texas animal and jewels. There was a hands-on area in the basement that they boys enjoyed.
If you're wondering how we afforded to go to all of these things I'll tell you- we bought 5 of the Houston City Passes. We bought 3 adult passes (we bought one for my Mom so she could join us) and 2 kids (because Snuggle Puppy wasn't old enough for his own pass so we had to pay out of pocket for him at a couple of places). These saved us so much money.
Our drive home was fantastic. We managed to miss most of the traffic in Houston by using the HOV lane. We were able to spend about 4 hours visiting with my Uncle R in San Antonio which was great, he has never met the boys and had only met Michael once and that was more than 10 years ago. We also met our friend at a McDonald's. He was driving to Pensacola Florida for Navy stuff and we couldn't resist meeting up . We didn't have much time but it was still nice. Plus it gave the kids a change to stretch their legs. Overall the kids were so good on the way home and on the entire trip.
It feels so good to be home, 2 weeks is a long time. I have to go grocery shopping after breakfast (which I will make when I finish this post) because we don't have much food in the house. Tomorrow our normal routine starts again. Or maybe one more day off, it really was a long trip.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Trip to Texas Part 1 & 2- The Drive & Visit with Grandma L and Grandpa J
We made it to Texas to days ago. We left Friday evening and put in a few hours of driving in. On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday we drove between 7 and 8 hours and it went great. The kids were amazingly well behaved. Babalu and Rookie took nice turns on the Nintendo DS and an old phone for entertainment (as well as books and a Minecraft coloring book). Snuggle Puppy sat in his seat and played with his trains, looked out the window and ate snacks the whole way. I read books (finished one short one and am nearly done with two more, I was alternating every chapter or two) and then out in a half day of driving while Big Daddy slept. I passed the time listening to podcasts from the "Stuff You Missed in History Class" show and it was a blast. I'm a history nerd.
We managed to book hotels with free breakfasts so that was supposed to be taken care of. The last morning the breakfast provided was so horrible that I splurged on drive thru from McDonald's. We did picnic lunches every day to save money and that went well. Dinner was bought at various fast food places. The last night on the road we were all tired so we ordered pizza and had it delivered to our room. The kids thought that was awesome. I just liked that I didn't have to go anywhere in a town with an annoying collusion of highways and nothing that I could really see from the parking lot.
We arrived at the Mother-in-Law's home on Monday evening. The boys are having a blast. Grandpa J took them fishing in his pond twice (once for "catch and release" and once more for keeping) and there are 6 cat fish in the fridge waiting to be cooked tonight. They also went to two of the local volunteer fire stations where Grandpa J is a volunteer to see the vehicles. Babalu wants to be a fire fighter now. There are also goats here including one that was born yesterday (he is one from a set of twins. He made it through the birth but his sister didn't). We are hoping that he survived the night so we can see him today. The boys are also loving playing with their 1 year old cousin, Baby B. He is such a social little guy, a nice change from Snuggle Puppy who is not social at all.
I had a nice visit with my Mother-in-Law yesterday while the guys were at the fire stations. She spends a lot time in bed because of her health so I hadn't really had a chance to chat with her yet. I heard a few new stories about when Big Daddy was tiny. I love hearing about him. And she thinks our boys are wonderful which is always nice to hear (and I think it true, my boys are the best!).
I think today we are planning to hang out around the house and see the baby goat. Tomorrow I'm hoping we can check out the very small zoo near by. On Friday after breakfast we are headed to my Mom's place about 3 hours south of our current location. We have a busy visit with her as long as the weather cooperates. I'll post more about that later...
We managed to book hotels with free breakfasts so that was supposed to be taken care of. The last morning the breakfast provided was so horrible that I splurged on drive thru from McDonald's. We did picnic lunches every day to save money and that went well. Dinner was bought at various fast food places. The last night on the road we were all tired so we ordered pizza and had it delivered to our room. The kids thought that was awesome. I just liked that I didn't have to go anywhere in a town with an annoying collusion of highways and nothing that I could really see from the parking lot.
We arrived at the Mother-in-Law's home on Monday evening. The boys are having a blast. Grandpa J took them fishing in his pond twice (once for "catch and release" and once more for keeping) and there are 6 cat fish in the fridge waiting to be cooked tonight. They also went to two of the local volunteer fire stations where Grandpa J is a volunteer to see the vehicles. Babalu wants to be a fire fighter now. There are also goats here including one that was born yesterday (he is one from a set of twins. He made it through the birth but his sister didn't). We are hoping that he survived the night so we can see him today. The boys are also loving playing with their 1 year old cousin, Baby B. He is such a social little guy, a nice change from Snuggle Puppy who is not social at all.
I had a nice visit with my Mother-in-Law yesterday while the guys were at the fire stations. She spends a lot time in bed because of her health so I hadn't really had a chance to chat with her yet. I heard a few new stories about when Big Daddy was tiny. I love hearing about him. And she thinks our boys are wonderful which is always nice to hear (and I think it true, my boys are the best!).
I think today we are planning to hang out around the house and see the baby goat. Tomorrow I'm hoping we can check out the very small zoo near by. On Friday after breakfast we are headed to my Mom's place about 3 hours south of our current location. We have a busy visit with her as long as the weather cooperates. I'll post more about that later...
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Week 20
Ever had a week where there is so much outside stuff going on that only the minimum gets accomplished? That has been thing week. Monday Big Daddy was home plus we had co-op (which we skipped because the kids wanted to hang out with Daddy), Tuesday the kids started choir practice (which they loved!) then we ran errands and yesterday we had to sit at the car dealership for several hours waiting for the car to have it's oil changed and all that. Today we get to go back and have 2 new tires put on the car. Tomorrow looks like a normal Friday so we can get Cub Scout work done. But the kids have been fairly good and are getting what they can finished. Next week is week 21 and after that we take 2 weeks off for a road trip :)
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