Encouragement Needed

Our homeschool was at a climax just days before Christmas. We were rocking it out and it looked like we were not going to take a break. Well we are relaxed homeschoolers anyway.

                                                                         

Projects were coming along, visions were being made.

                                                                        

Aren't those skirts gorgeous? Designed and made by the girls! That shirt is speaking volumes to me.

Then last Sunday a Ice Storm hit our city and has left us without power for now 6 days. Our pipes busted  and since we were out of town staying with relatives we were unaware of the happenings. However we were blessed with an observant Board of Water and Light worker that turned the water off. 

What about the pets? Let's talk about that later. See in our community there was no place for us to find shelter for them. Live and Learn right?

The Water Damage is overwhelming, and I am planning to just get comfortable at my parents house. By the way their power wasn't restored until yesterday. I didn't make a decision to leave until day 3 because I was very optimistic that power would be turned  on any minute. Cold, Brrr!

                                                                                 

Just a couple days before the Ice Storm I taught DJ how to crochet, So Crocheting in the dark was such a blessing.

My, My, My, the kids have the best attitude ever! My blessings are in abundance. When we were visiting warming stations I received tons of compliments from people about them. They are so awesome ya'll! And I know it is bigger then me, the man upstairs does it all and I am eternally grateful.  

I am asking for some Prayers Warriors to pray for us. We have a long road ahead of us! Did I ever mention that I have OCD so I am challenged by the condition of our house and don't even care about all of those great educational materials that I purchased over the years are gone. I am also a procrastinator so I never organized my basement after relocating to the Studio, if I had did that then more than half of that stuff would of been saved.

So I have a new mantra, "If what your doing is easy, then your not doing the right thing", can I get an Amen!!

Woof! Woof!

DJ has been baking dog treats!

                                                                                   

DJ also machine sewed a snack bag to keep the treats in.

Experimenting!

We have been having some fun making Lava Lamps. It is really fun!  All you need is a water bottle and then fill with 1/3 water, add some food coloring, fill the rest of the bottle with vegetable oil. Let the water settle and toss in a Alka Seltzer tablet. Watch, and be amazed by how cool science can be.

                                                                         

                                                                             

Revisiting Piet Mondrain

On Saturday we had another Open Studio time. I was lost for what to do for an art project and was lead to Piet Mondrian by the kids. This was a quick set up and once I gave the kids the paint, canvas and the electrical tape it was on and poppin :)


                                                                             

Logic Play Book

I found a gem of a game that was lost in our homeschooling artillery. It is a fun game that is packed with logic puzzles for ages 10- adult. I am pretty sure that someone younger could play the game, maybe they may need some assistance with reading or solving the puzzle, it still would be worth it to play. What is really cool about this is that it can be played independently or as a game with others.

                                                                               

There are three different levels. All of us have been risky choosing different levels. It is exciting and definitely falls under the playful learning category. The kids describe it as a brain builder, I agree!

                                                                                    

They have even went as far as making a Logic Play Book, writing down the explanations to the puzzle. I love it whenever they make their own copy work.

                                                                                         

The brain building game goes wherever we go. The kids enjoyed sharing this game with family members on Thanksgiving. This logic game has been a great material to add to our daily resources.

Learning about the Tree of LIfe

No pics of last week's work! But we got it done...........

We also started doing some with learning about the Tree of Life while we are doing an Art Appreciation study of Gustav Klimt. I'll try my best to update here. I think this is going to be their best collaboration of project work that they have ever did.

                                                                               

I am absolutely excited in how we are able to incorporate all of this while doing our genealogy studies too.. Everything in our homeschool is starting to connect!!

Our Weekly Plan for November 18, 2013

I am going to intentionally document our work here daily to help me with accountability. The kids and I are about to begin some time consuming project work and I am going to have to stay on top of things so required work will still be done.  Our daily schedule has consistently consisted of Math work, Grammar work with First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind, and Reading.

Required Work: This week the kids and I will be reading independently for 20 minutes a day, after we are all done reading our own books we will orally summarize what we just read. Ken and DJ have been doing math using workbooks, Ken will continue to do this as it is working for her and she is almost done! DJ will be reintroduced to the Montessori Math materials with The Division with Rack and Tubes, this is where he is at and I will add fraction materials back into the mix. I hope that Ken will be finished with her workbook when the time comes to reintroduce the materials so she can delve into a Fraction Unit too. Grammar lessons continue the same, we love the well roundness of First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind.

                                                     Our Daily Group Work
On Sundays we will cover History. In History we are still doing our genealogy studies, and using the Roots Movie/ Book,  as well as reading from The Story of Us: Volume 1. I will document the specifics in another post.

On Mondays we will be starting doing Japanese. DJ and Michelle are using Skype to learn Japanese with their Aunt Mai and on Mondays they will teach me.
                                                                         

On Tuesdays we do Civility and Etiquette work. This is a project that I am working on and the kids are helping me. So far they have been learning lots and we are all having a ball. Also I scheduled in our weekly philosophy discussion to be done.

                                                                       

                                                                         
On Wednesdays we have sewing class and do our geography lesson.
                                                                     

                                                                     

On Thursdays Ken teaches us what she learned while doing her project work, and we enjoy tea time.

On Fridays we do Science.

                                                                   

On Saturdays Ken and DJ report what they have been writing about while working on their monthly writing project.

                                                                Extras
Ken attends Drama classes on Tuesday mornings. DJ attends TaeKwonDo on Mondays and Wednesdays evenings, and Michelle attends ballet lessons on Thursday evenings, and piano lessons with my father on Friday evenings. That just reminded me that Michelle practices her piano at my parents house on Mondays and Wednesdays evenings, my father drops her off when he picks DJ up to go to TaeKwondo. I am so blessed to have the supportive parents that I have!
                                                                         
Here are a list of sneaky math games we will play this week to keep math interesting.

• Target Addition- To provide practice in mental arithmetic and strategic planning
• Bridges-  To practice, planning ahead and keeping a watchful eye on opponents move
• One Hundred Cards- To add a new twist for flashcards, which can help extend number sense beyond basic facts.

* All of these games are found in Family Math.

                                                   

Cereal Again?

One of things that still is being worked out is what to eat for breakfast before we live for the Studio. Also what to pack for lunch, or how should we pack our lunches. Sounds easy, but not for a family who hasn't had to leave the house for work in over ten years.

Well pancakes are what has been on the menu this week and it has been been done in a easy and independent way for the kids, so I can get dress without any interruptions and sleep a couple of minutes longer. LOL. Why is pancakes worth writing a post about? Really it isn't about pancakes. We were strolling through Meijers and Ken spotted a pancake maker on sale for just $6.25. 

                                                                                 

I thought how perfect size this is and how DJ wouldn't be intimidated by the flames on the stove, and in the cart the pancake maker went.

                                                                              

This week it solved the cold breakfast dilemma.

They are coming up with new pancake recipes, but for now it is instant pancake mix because we have to start somewhere right. This should last for awhile:)

Be Safe!

I don't know who loves Halloween more, the kids or me. Stay safe ya'll!

                                                                 

Doll Fashion Show

The girls in the sewing class are making clothes for their dolls. They are going to put on a Doll Fashion Show.

                                                                           

This week they made sewing aprons, next week they will start making their Fall Clothing line. 

Just so you know, DJ is in sewing class too. DJ is designing clothes for animals and of course super hero capes.

"I Wonder..." Take 2

Reactions

                                                                               

Project Runway? OK Not Really But It's a Start!

The girls in sewing class keep me moving. Tomorrow we delve into some fashion designing!

                                                                     

DJ's First Mouse Maze

Question: Can Algernon find his way through the maze but smelling it's food?

                                                                     

Taking a Break

                                                                     

" I Wonder....." Take 1

Documented.