Busymom2girls

Family update:

2010-05-05T06:03:00.001-04:00

Louie is doing well. He continues with his role as Captain for the Miami Dade Rescue Training Bureau. Most of you already know he was dispatched to assist in Haiti with the Earthquake that occurred in January of this year. He has since traveled to Washington D.C. and Tallahassee, Florida (to name a few) to be honored for a job well done in Haiti. He and his crew were able to rescue 11 live people from the rubble. Louie was touched by the devastation he witnessed in Haiti in ways I can not even begin to describe. On his return from Haiti, he wanted nothing more then to spend time with his family. So, he booked us on a one week Caribbean cruise. We had a wonderful and restful time!

Gianna has recently recovered from a fracture to her right foot that she received on the very last night of our cruise. She was unable to dance for a month and has recently returned to her Ballet classes. Although she has decided that Girl Scouts is just not for her, she did complete and receive her Silver Award. This award is the highest award one can receive as a Cadette Girl Scout. Her project consisted of holding a 3 day Summer Camp for 2nd grade students in hopes of sharing with them her love of the ocean and sea animals. She did an amazing job! The children loved what she had shared with them. Gianna has successfully completed the 8th grade. She is continuing to school in the summer and God willing, will complete 9th grade by the Fall.

She has completed the following novels this school year:

Heidi

Shark Life

I Kissed Dating Goodbye

Love Off-Limits

Johnny Tremain

Taming of The Shrew (her favorite so far)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Books and essays on her list to complete by the Fall are as follows:

The Scarlet Letter (currently reading)

The Red Badge of Courage

The Pit and the Pendulum

A Model of Charity

Through Gates of Splendor

Born Again

Ash Liv

Up From Slavery

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

The Glass Menagerie

The Song of Hiawatha

The Midnight Run of Paul Revere

To Kill a Mockingbird

Thoreau's Walden

Emerson's Self Reliance

The Old Man and The Sea

These novels and essays are all part of her Challenge I curriculum for Classical Conversations. Her goal is to finish Challenge I and be ready for Challenge II in the fall. She is also completing the following areas of study:

American Government: all areas of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, the Presidents, etc...

Economics: Whatever Happened to Penny Candy and The Money Mystery (Free Market Economics)

Latin: Latina Christiana I

Mathematics: Saxon 7/8

Philosophy: Sophie's World

Science: Apologia's Physical Science

Against her wishes and to please her father, Gianna will continue to play the flute in the Fall. :) She will be attending her first Prom geared for homeschoolers with her buddy Matthew and friends. I promise to post pictures! She will also be attending her favorite SeaWorld Camp in July, where she plans on rooming with a friend she met last year from South Carolina. She will also be attending our Church's Summer Camp in Daytona Beach with her friend Hannah. As you can tell, she is extremely busy and she somehow still manages to keep in touch with all her old and new friends on facebook!

Leanne is amazing! Although her schedule is no where near as busy as her sisters, she is as happy as can be. Her goal in life is to make everyone laugh! She is an amazingly talented young lady. She loves to draw Anime/Manga characters and would like to someday have a manga comic book published. She attended her first Anime Convention this Spring and was the happiest I have ever seen her. She owns more Anime/Manga books then anyone I know. She has taken to teaching herself Japanese. She loves to listen to and sing Japanese songs. How she does it, I haven't a clue! :) She has read way too many of these types of books for me to begin to list them, so instead I will show you a picture of her collection:

Leanne continues to be a part of Girl Scouts and is in the process of earning her Bronze Award, the highest award one can earn as a Junior Girl Scout. She will bridge to Cadette in the Fall. She has been steadily memorizing her lines for her upcoming role as Dorothy of The Wizard of OZ. I promise to post pictures some time in September after the play.

As for her studies, Leanne has successfully completed the 5th grade with many of her studies being of 6th grade level. Among the many Anime/Manga books she has read, she has completed the following novels this school year:

Where The Red Fern Grows

A Wrinkle In Time

My Side of The Mountain

The Golden Goblet

Warriors

Other areas of studies:

Geography: United States - Draw and label all states their capitals, rivers, mountains and surrounding bodies of water. Memorize all states, capitals and state abbreviations

Grammar: Junior Analytical Grammar

Latin: Latina Christiana I

Literature: Alice in Wonderland

Mathematics: Teaching Textbooks 5

History: The Story of The World, Volume I

Science: Florida Science

Leanne is preparing for the heavy workload of the Challenge A curriculum through Classical Conversations that she will be working with in the Fall. She will also be learning a new instrument through a local homeschool band program that she will attend in the summer. So far it looks like percussion, but we will have a better idea after she tries the different instruments. She is looking forward to her SeaWorld camp in July. This year she will have two buddies with her at camp!

As for me, I continue to love homeschooling the girls. I feel as though I am learning right along with them. I love the time we share reading aloud on the couch in the middle of day. Especially when the weather is beautiful and we take our reading outside on the porch near the pool with the sound of birds chirping in the background! Aww, the beauty of homeschooling! I am truly Blessed!

I will be teaching Latin in Leanne's Challenge A class at Classical Conversations. Latin, who would have ever thought I would be teaching Latin! I am very excited about this new journey! I am looking forward to the FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention at the end of this month. This is my time to rejuvenate and prepare for the following school year. :)

I look forward to continue being a member of the Board for our Parent Support Group, Girl Scout Leader and soon to be Latin Tutor. My goal for this coming year is to participate in the Disney Princess Marathon next Spring. So I will be training for this marathon throughout this coming year.

Wow, you don't realize how busy you actually are until you take the time to reflect on all that you have done and are preparing to do!

Until my next update, Ciao!

Family update:

2010-05-05T06:03:00.000-04:00

Heidi

Shark Life

I Kissed Dating Goodbye

Love Off-Limits

Johnny Tremain

Taming of The Shrew (her favorite so far)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Books and essays on her list to complete by the Fall are as follows:

The Scarlet Letter (currently reading)

The Red Badge of Courage

The Pit and the Pendulum

A Model of Charity

Through Gates of Splendor

Born Again

Ash Liv

Up From Slavery

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

The Glass Menagerie

The Song of Hiawatha

The Midnight Run of Paul Revere

To Kill a Mockingbird

Thoreau's Walden

Emerson's Self Reliance

The Old Man and The Sea

Where The Red Fern Grows

A Wrinkle In Time

My Side of The Mountain

The Golden Goblet

Warriors

Megacon 2010

2010-03-17T17:52:00.001-04:00

My youngest daughter is a huge fan of Anime and Manga comic books. She can read 2 or 3 in a day. She loves to spend her spare time drawing Anime and Manga characters. We actually have to put a time limit on the time she spends reading and drawing these characters. If anyone is familiar with these books, you would know that they can range anywhere from books written for "all ages" to "mature" in content. So, we have to keep a close eye on what she is wanting to read. She is aware of this and complies with our rules. She has even turned down books that were given to her, because she knew that her Dad and I would not agree to her reading them. We were very proud of her decision to follow through on what she knew was the right thing to do.

She has been asking to attend an Anime convention for quite some time. So, I decided to do some research and find the closest convention to where we live. After much prayer, we decided that I would take her to the Megacon convention that is held in Orlando, Florida with the stipulation that we would leave if I thought it was inappropriate for her or if I felt uncomfortable. One of the big deals about attending these conventions are the costumes. Apparently, people spend months designing and sewing their costumes. Leanne decided that she wanted to be "Maka" from her favorite book, Soul Eater. We began by shopping at a local thrift store for pieces that she could use to assemble her outfit. We had her jacket and skirt made by a friend, she and I worked on the boots and she and her Grandfather put together her weapon. By the time we were done, she looked amazing! Although, she entered a contest and did not win, she had a wonderful time! As did I! It was wonderful to see a bunch of people, adults and kids alike, dressing as their favorite costume and just having fun! We are looking forward to attending next year.

Megacon 2010

2010-03-17T17:52:00.000-04:00

The 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

2010-01-14T06:32:00.001-05:00

This challenge is being hosted by J.Kaye's Book Blog and I thought it would not only be a good way to support my local library, but a way to keep me out of Barnes & Noble for awhile...yea, right! Ok, so I thought it would be fun!

There are four levels:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

I am going to aim for The Mini level - check out 25 library books. Wish me luck! Better yet, join me, head over to J.Kaye's Book Blog and sign up!

I will list my 25 books below as I pick them up from the library:

1.

2.

3.

The 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

2010-01-14T06:32:00.000-05:00

Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge

2010-01-14T06:15:00.001-05:00

I am so in on this challenge! I love to read books and then go see the movie. I love that as you read the book, you imagine your characters and scenery one way and then you see it on the movie screen and say, "What? That is not at all the way I would have pictured the town!" Or, "No way, they picked her for the main character?" On rare occasions, like with the Harry Potter books and movies or the Twilight books and movies, do they (in my opinion) get it right!

Ok, here are the choices for this challenge:

Matinee: one book/movie

Double Feature: two books/movies

Saturday Movie Marathon: four books/movies

Film Festival: eight books/movies

Festival Jury Member: ten books/movies

I am going to go for the Saturday Movie Marathon: four books/movies! I will keep a running list of the books and movies I plan to read and see below.

If you want more information on this challenge or you care to join me, head over to Ready When You are, C.B. and sign up!

Dear John, by: Nicholas Sparks

Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge

2010-01-14T06:15:00.000-05:00

Matinee: one book/movie

Double Feature: two books/movies

Saturday Movie Marathon: four books/movies

Film Festival: eight books/movies

Festival Jury Member: ten books/movies

Dear John, by: Nicholas Sparks

Home schooling is on the rise in Florida

2010-01-13T16:30:00.001-05:00

It seems that home schooling is becoming more popular in Central Florida. I came across an interesting article that was published in the Orlando Sentinel. It seems more and more parents are choosing to home school their children. Many basing their decision on not being able to afford private schools anymore. Others are simply unhappy with the education their children are getting. Whatever the reasons, it is safe to say that homeschooling is not for everyone. It is a decision that should not be taken lightly. It is a lot of work, but so worth it!

Home schooling is on the rise in Florida

2010-01-13T16:30:00.000-05:00

2009 Read alouds

2009-12-29T09:12:00.001-05:00

The following is a list of the books we enjoyed as read alouds in 2009:

Ginger Pye

Red Sails To Capri

Westing Game

Pollyanna

Gladys Aylward

Adam and His Kin

Candy Shop War

Paddle-to-the Sea

Tree In The Trail

Mathematicians Are People Too

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Some we actually enjoyed more then others! Most of all, we enjoyed reading the books all cozy on the sofa and then popping some popcorn and watching a few of them on TV!

2009 Read alouds

2009-12-29T09:12:00.000-05:00

The following is a list of the books we enjoyed as read alouds in 2009:

Ginger Pye

Red Sails To Capri

Westing Game

Pollyanna

Gladys Aylward

Adam and His Kin

Candy Shop War

Paddle-to-the Sea

Tree In The Trail

Mathematicians Are People Too

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Some we actually enjoyed more then others! Most of all, we enjoyed reading the books all cozy on the sofa and then popping some popcorn and watching a few of them on TV!

Graphic Novels Challenge

2009-12-27T08:42:00.005-05:00

My daughter, Leanne, who is an avid Graphic Novel reader devours these books! I have attempted to read some of them and just can't seem to get into them as much as she does. So, in hopes of trying to understand her fascination with these books, I will joining this challenge with her. The rules are simple and overlapping is accepted, so if you are interested in joining us on this challenge, head on over to Graphic Novels Challenge and sign up.

There are 3 levels you may join:

Beginners - 3 Comics or Graphic Novels

Intermediate - 3 - 10 Comics or Graphic Novels

Expert - 10+ Comics or Graphic Novels

I will be joining the Beginners level and Leanne will be joining the Expert level!
This challenge will run from January 1st - December 31st, 2010.

Mom's list:

Shugo Chara, volume 1

Ultra Maniac, volume 1

Alice and The Country of Hearts, volume 1

Alice and The Country of Hearts, volume 2

Shugo Chara, Volume 2

Leanne's list:

Shugo Chara, volume 4

Fruits Basket, volume 5

Full Metal Alchemist, volume 4

Full Metal Alchemist, volume 5

Shugo Chara, volume 5

Oran High School Host Club, volume 1

Oran High School Host Club, volume 2

Soul Eater,Volume 1

Please check back for more on Leanne's list!

Graphic Novels Challenge

2009-12-27T08:42:00.004-05:00

Beginners - 3 Comics or Graphic Novels

Intermediate - 3 - 10 Comics or Graphic Novels

Expert - 10+ Comics or Graphic Novels

I will be joining the Beginners level and Leanne will be joining the Expert level!
This challenge will run from January 1st - December 31st, 2010.

Mom's list:

Shugo Chara, volume 1

Ultra Maniac, volume 1

Alice and The Country of Hearts, volume 1

Alice and The Country of Hearts, volume 2

Shugo Chara, Volume 2

Leanne's list:

Shugo Chara, volume 4

Fruits Basket, volume 5

Full Metal Alchemist, volume 4

Full Metal Alchemist, volume 5

Shugo Chara, volume 5

Oran High School Host Club, volume 1

Oran High School Host Club, volume 2

Soul Eater,Volume 1

Please check back for more on Leanne's list!

Finish That Series Challenge

2009-12-27T08:04:00.007-05:00

I have decided that in the year 2010, I am going to finish all those book series I have started and never finished. So, I have joined a Reading Challenge that is being hosted by Royal Reviews. The rules are pretty simple and there are four levels that you may join:

-- Curious – Finish 2 series.

-- Fascinated – Finish 3 series.

-- Addicted – Finish 5 series.

-- Obsessed – Finish 10 series.

Because I have so many series that I have started and never finished, I will be joining the Addicted - Finish 5 series.

The series I will attempt to finish are:

Fabel Haven by: Brandon Mull

InkHeart by: Cornelius Funke

The Shadow Children by: Margaret Peterson Haddix

The Kingdom Keepers by: Ridley Pearson

Blossom Street by: Debbie Macomber

If you would like to join me on this quest, head on over the Royal Reviews and sign up.

Wish me luck, as this will be a big challenge for me!

Finish That Series Challenge

2009-12-27T08:04:00.006-05:00

-- Curious – Finish 2 series.

-- Fascinated – Finish 3 series.

-- Addicted – Finish 5 series.

-- Obsessed – Finish 10 series.

Because I have so many series that I have started and never finished, I will be joining the Addicted - Finish 5 series.

The series I will attempt to finish are:

Fabel Haven by: Brandon Mull

InkHeart by: Cornelius Funke

The Shadow Children by: Margaret Peterson Haddix

The Kingdom Keepers by: Ridley Pearson

Blossom Street by: Debbie Macomber

If you would like to join me on this quest, head on over the Royal Reviews and sign up.

Wish me luck, as this will be a big challenge for me!

Weekend Update

2009-10-14T06:36:00.004-04:00

The girls and their Dad attended a Father/Daughter Dance through Girl Scouts last Saturday. The theme of the dance was Western. They seem to have had a nice time!

We had been talking about getting a bike rack for our van for some time. After much ado, Louie finally found what he was looking for and spent all day Saturday putting it together. Monday, we took it for a trial run to the park. We rode our bicycles for 4.2 miles while Leanne attended her PE class. I don't think I had been on a bicycle since I was at least 11 or 12 years old. We had a very nice time and are looking forward to doing it again soon, especially in December for our annual Fort Wilderness trip!

Weekend Update

2009-10-14T01:36:00.001-04:00

Weekend Update

2009-10-14T01:36:00.000-04:00

2009-10-07T18:07:00.000-04:00

I know this should be no surprise, but it has occurred to me that I am in school right along with my daughters! Since we have been schooling at home, I have learned many new things. For example, I have gotten much better at math. Okay, not really, but I have "brushed up" on my pre-algebra. I have relearned what nouns, adjectives, prepositional phrases are and I have learned to diagram sentences. In all my public school years, I was never taught how to diagram sentences. What I will do with this new skill, I do not know, but that is not the point.
I have read some pretty good books. Way too many to list when it comes to homeschooling resources. One of my favorite happens to be A Thomas Jefferson Education.

We spend a lot of time on the couch reading. Here are just a few of the books we have enjoyed as read alouds:

The Red Sails to Capri
The Westing Game
Pollyanna
The Life of Gladys Allyward

We are currently reading:

Adam and His Kin
The Candy Shop War
Mathematicians are People Too
The Book of Virtues

Leanne is currently reading Where The Red Fern Grows after completing A Wrinkle in Time.
On her spare time, she enjoys reading anime and manga comic books. She is currently learning to speak Japanese using a book called Japanese in 10 minutes. Leanne loves to draw and spends much of her free time drawing characters for her future anime comic book. She is a very talented artist! She is also part of a home school PE group called SAINTS that meets every Monday for 3 hours where they play all sorts of sports. Math is probably her least favorite subject. She is working out of Teaching Textbooks 5 and is continuously working on memorizing her multiplication tables. Leanne's vocabulary and spelling are being challenged everyday by using Wordly Wise 5 and her language arts curriculum, Total Language Plus. Her handwriting is always improving through copy work and dictation. Although, grammar is also taught through TLP, Leanne is also working out of Analytical Grammar.

Gianna is working through a curriculum for high school girls called Far Above Rubies. Although, I am having a difficult time communicating with the author of this curriculum, we are thoroughly enjoying it. The curriculum is centered around Proverbs 31. In the first unit, Gianna is learning what it means to be a virtuous woman. She is reading Little Women and will be asked to write a character sketch on each of the sisters in the novel. She is also studying the women of the Bible and will be asked to do the same character sketch on one of the women she reads about. So far, she has chosen Queen Esther in the Old Testament. She is also enjoying logic by reading The Fallacy Detective. She is doing her last year of grammar with Analytical Grammar. Gianna is very creative. She has been taking Ballet for 10 years and also plays the Flute. She will soon be enjoying the art of Calligraphy, to go along with her beautiful drawings. I can truly say that without a doubt, Gianna's least favorite subject is math. She is in pre-algebra and isn't very fond of it. She is using a curriculum Chaulk Dust and Kiss My Math. She seems to be really enjoying Kiss My Math. It is a book that was written by a former movie star in the late 80's, Danica McKellar. Mckellar relates math to every day life, which seems to help Gianna. At this point, whatever works!!

Both the girls and myself are enjoying taking an online Florida Science class with Catie Frates, a very energetic and passionate Science Instructor. Our science has thus far taken us back to Genesis and the Global Flood. We are currently learning about Natural Selection and Adaptation from both a Creationist point of view and an Evolutionist point of view. Very interesting stuff! We look forward to getting to all the plants, animals and the geology of our state.

During our Mom school time, we are learning about Greek and Latin derivatives using English From The Roots Up. The girls really enjoy this part of their day. Since both the girls are in Girl Scouts, I had them memorize The Girl Scout Promise and The Girl Scout Law. Gianna has currently finished her Silver Award and Leanne is in the process of completing her Bronze Award through Girl Scouts. We also spend a lot of time discussing the books we read. It is amazing where our conversations take us!

So, you see, home schooling is not just for the kids. We adults get a second chance at a higher education, right alongside our children! How awesome is that!

I will do my best to post weekly updates on where our studies are taking us!

Busymom2girls

2009-10-07T17:59:00.000-04:00

Busymom2girls

2009-10-07T13:07:00.001-04:00

2009-10-07T13:07:00.000-04:00

2009-10-07T11:50:00.003-04:00

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2009-10-07T06:50:00.000-04:00

Character Workshop

2009-08-19T16:09:00.003-04:00

I just attended two nights of the best Character Workshop ever! If anyone ever has the opportunity to sit in on one of Linda Kaetterhenry's Character Workshops, do it!! You will not regret it!! What an amazing gift she has. If ever you feel like you need a reminder of why we home school, attend her workshop. She reminds us that if our children can master good character traits, good biblical character traits, everything else will fall into place.
Children that know the character trait of responsibility will want to finish their school work. Why, because they know what it means to be responsible. Children that have mastered the character trait of attentiveness, will be good listeners, because they have been taught the importance of being attentive. I could go on and on about the things she talked about.
Linda, has such a love for the Lord that it pours out of her and showers anyone in her presence. What an amazing gift God has given her!
Thank you Linda for sharing your knowledge and love of the Lord with us! Many Blessings!

Second Week of School

2009-07-23T15:11:00.000-04:00

We are wrapping up our second week of school and the girls have done a fantastic job! We completed our first Geography lesson, which we had actually started in late May, but put on hold for our busy Drama schedule. We will be using the Holling C. Holling series through Beautiful Feet Books for our Geography this year. We just completed Paddle-to-the-Sea, where we read the book and traced Paddle-to-the-Sea's journey from Nipigon, Canada to the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, we learned about Canadian geese, the differences between ponds and rivers, the inner workings of a sawmill, the Great Lakes, Davy Jones Locker, iron-ore freighters, Jacques Cartier, Samuel Champlain and the states along Paddle's journey to the Atlantic Ocean, just to name a few!
Next week we will begin working on Tree in the Trail by the same author.

The girls will be presenting what they have learned to their Dad this evening and we will be choosing a classic for our read aloud. More then likely, we will be choosing a classic that ties in with our Geography and History of the United States.

It's amazing! When you actually take the time to journal/blog about your school days, you realize just how much you are accomplishing!

Second Week of School

2009-07-23T10:11:00.001-04:00

Second Week of School

2009-07-23T10:11:00.000-04:00

Pretty Bad

2009-07-07T10:15:00.000-04:00

This is pretty bad! I just noticed that I have not posted on my blog since April! Not that many people would notice. LOL!!! I guess I have been pretty busy. Lets see, I have worked on our home school yearbook, which did not turn out anywhere near as nice as we were hoping for, so that’s a do over! I have worked on costumes for our Drama Clubs production of the Lion King and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I have attended a home school convention in Orlando, Florida. We took a family road trip to Marshall, Missouri for a family wedding. I did read a great book by Florence Morse Kingsley, “Titus a Comrade of the Cross”. Great book, the story of Titus, one of the other persons on the cross next to Jesus; this historical fiction also retells the story and betrayal of Jesus by Judas. I am currently in Orlando, Florida where my daughters are attending their annual SeaWorld Camp. Only this time, my oldest is attending the sleep away camp. This is the first time, she will be away from me for more than a few days. I hope I can cope!! I know she will be fine and that God will watch over her and keep her safe, I only pray she will room with someone that has her same kindness and values. As a parent, you work so hard to protect and shield her from all the cruelties of the world and the thought of someone trying to destroy what you have instilled in your children for so long is unnerving. I can rest asured that we have given her a strong foundation in her belief in God to make wise choices and to always pray for guidence and wisdom. So I hang fast to one of my favorite verses...Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. -Proverbs 22:6

Pretty Bad

2009-07-07T05:15:00.001-04:00

Pretty Bad

2009-07-07T05:15:00.000-04:00

Pollyanna Our Latest Read Aloud

2009-04-20T21:56:00.000-04:00

The girls and I have just finished Pollyanna by: Eleanor H. Porter. This story is about an orphan girl that has been sent to live with her Aunt Polly after her father, (who had been caring for her after her mothers death) dies and she is left with no one else to care for her. Despite her misfortune, she manages to always find "gladness" in everything. Pollyanna quickly turns the town of Harrington into "Glad" Town!
After the girls and I read the book, we borrowed the Walt Disney version of the movie starring Haley Mills from the library. We popped some popcorn and broke out a box of tissues!
A must read and see classic!

Stay tune for our next read aloud, Around The World in Eighty Days! This read aloud will work well with our history unit on the Explorers!

Pollyanna Our Latest Read Aloud

2009-04-20T16:56:00.001-04:00

Pollyanna Our Latest Read Aloud

2009-04-20T16:56:00.000-04:00

Science

2009-04-10T22:41:00.000-04:00

I have read many books on Charlotte Mason's method of using nature studies. I love her belief in filling a child's day with living books and nature notebooks. Below, my youngest daughter's passion for nature is displayed. She loves all sorts of animals. We are using Apologia's Zoology series and she loves them!

Leanne has completed her first lapbook! Lessons 1 through 6 of Apologia's Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day. We purchased the templates from one of my favorite sites Knowledge Box Central. She really enjoyed putting this lapbook together, so much so, that we will be using Cindy's templates for the remaining lessons in this zoology series.
After completing Lessons 1 through 6 and her lapbook, Leanne did some research on parakeets. She put together a proposal for her Dad and I on how she could purchase and care for a parakeet on her own. She also sketched what her parakeet would look like. She did a great job! So....
meet KeKe, Leanne's new parakeet!! She is hoping to help her Dad wash the car tomorrow in hopes of earning some extra cash to purchase KeKe a friend!
I swear this child will grow up and become a Veterinarian. Keke is her third pet...there is Frosty our Bichon and Flapjack her turtle! What next?

Science

2009-04-10T17:41:00.001-04:00

Science

2009-04-10T17:41:00.000-04:00

Reading Challenge Update

2009-03-04T06:35:00.000-05:00

I just completed two wonderful books. The first being"The Worn Out Woman" by Dr. Steve Stephens and Alice Gray. This book is for the more then 60 million worn-out women in the U.S. It is like a retreat for your soul. It was a quick read and can be read all the way through or can be read in parts. If you are one of these worn-out women and would like to read this book, please comment below or email me and I will gladly send you my copy. I only have one copy, so it will be on a first come first serve basis! I was first introduced to this book by reading through a blog I frequently visit Biblical Womanhood.

The second book, I completed with my daughters as a read-aloud. "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin. The back cover reads...Where there is a will, there's a way- and Sam Westing has left quite a will!
One fateful day, sixteen people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. To their surprise, the will turns out to be a contest, challenging the heirs to find out who among them is Westing's murderer. Forging ahead, through blizzards, burglaries, and bombings, the game is on. Only two people hold all the clues. One of them is a Westing heir. The other is you!
My girls loved this book! There are twists and turns in every chapter. After completing the book, we watched the movie and are now going to learn to play Chess! We will also be preparing a Lapbook.
The only drawback I see (if you want to call it that) is that the girls have now put me on a mission to find another mystery of this type! So, I am going to reach out to Molly of My Cozy Book Nook. She is an English Literature major and Professor with an awesome blog welcoming literary friends! I hope she can point me in the right direction.
If you have any recommendations, I will gladly consider them!

2009-02-20T07:58:00.000-05:00

READ ACROSS AMERICA

"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child."

What better way to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday than reading to a child? On the evening of March 2nd (Dr. Seuss's birthday), Random House and the National Education Association (NEA) urge you to participate in the second annual Read Across America and read to a child.

WHY CELEBRATE DR. SEUSS?

Dr. Seuss epitomizes a love of children and learning. Also, his use of rhyme makes his books an effective tool for teaching young children the basic skills they need to be successful. When we celebrate Dr. Seuss and reading, we send a clear message to America's children that reading is fun and important.

We've compiled some materials to help you celebrate the day.

Please note: In order to view the printable activities, you will need Adobe Acrobat 3.0 Reader software. You can download this software for free by following the link provided here.

# Click here to print out your own certificate of participation.

# Click here to print out your own Cat in the Hat door knob hanger.

# Click here to print out a Dr. Seuss read and color word search.

Need help finding the right book? You can search our Seussville catalog for your favorite Dr. Seuss story, or browse through our entire library in our Kids@Random catalog.

For more information on Read Across America, please visit the NEA's Web site at www.nea.org/readacross.

Dr. Seuss characters, text & images © and ™ 1999 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All rights reserved.

2009 Inauguration Unit Study

2009-01-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

For the last two weeks we have been working on an Inauguration Unit Study by Amanda Benette in preparation for this years inauguration. What a great time to work on this unit study! After preparing the journal, we sat glued to the television for three days experiencing history in the making! Amanda Benette's unit study prepared the girls for what was happening during the inauguration. Everything the girls researched came to life. The history of former inaugurations, as well as, the traditions that have been in play since the 1800s. Everything from the church service, to the actual taking of the Oath, to the departure ceremony of the former President, to the parade and the Inaugural Ball! She does a great job in leaving nothing out.
Today, the girls collected all the newspaper clippings leading up to the inauguration, as well as, the actual inauguration articles and decorated their journals with them. They did a beautiful job!

2009 Inauguration Unit Study

2009-01-22T18:00:00.001-05:00

2009 Inauguration Unit Study

2009-01-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

SURPRISE

2009-01-09T05:59:00.000-05:00

Look what popped up in my mailbox yesterday! After spending the morning schooling and the afternoon with my daughters at dance, I came home and found this book laying on my counter. I asked my husband, who had just gotten home from work, where it came from. He told me it was in the mailbox. I asked him if it had a note attached or was it wrapped, since I occasionally use paperback swaps to trade some of my books. He said, "no, it was in the mailbox just like that". So, I started wondering who would put a book in my mailbox and not leave me a note or call me and let me know they had left it? I called the only two people I thought could have done this, my sister or my friend Joelle. They each said no. So, my second guess would me my mother, which I highly doubt, since she is totally against the whole homeschooling thing. However, I did ask her and she of course said no. After awhile, I gave up guessing and decided I would just read the book. When I opened it to the author's personal note, I thought, okay, this is too weird, whoever left me this book most have had some instinct to how I had been feeling.
I was feeling doubtful and questioning our reasons for homeschooling the girls. What was I thinking? What if we made a mistake by pulling them from school? What if I can't give them what they need to get into college? Why did we even pull them out to begin with? I was loosing my motivation and feeling overwhelmed.
After much re-assuring from my wonderful husband and much prayer. I receive this book in my mailbox. I felt like the author, Mary Hood, Ph.D had written this book, The Joyful Home Schooler, about me for me! Everything she talks about in this book, at sometime or another, I have questioned. I love this book! I have not been able to put the book down! I can't help but think that this book was sent directly to me from above! It is amazing how God answers our prayers!
So, if you are homeschooling your children and are in need of motivation and re-assurance that are doing God's will, then I highly recommend this book to you. I hope that you would enjoy it as much as I am. I can't wait to read more of her books!

SURPRISE

2009-01-09T00:59:00.001-05:00

SURPRISE

2009-01-09T00:59:00.000-05:00

Back to School

2009-01-04T23:12:00.000-05:00

Well, it is back to school for us tomorrow. We have had a great time off. We went to Nevada and Arizona, where we visited the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. In preparation for this vacation, the girls put together a notebook full of information on both states. They collected brochures and took pictures of the state symbols, flags, trees, birds and/or animals that they learned about. As our read aloud, we chose Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry. The girls really enjoyed visiting some of the different areas in the Grand Canyon that Brighty had roamed. Unfortunately, the North Rim was closed, so, we were not able to see the bronze statue that is said to have been dedicated to Brighty and is located in one of the resorts.
We had planned on eating a traditional Thanksgiving meal at one of the resorts in Las Vegas, only to find they were packed and the wait was going to be at least 2 hours. So, we wound up at P.F. Changs and had a delicious Chinese meal for Thanksgiving!

After returning from the west coast, we did our traditional family vacation to Walt Disney World, where we stayed at the Fort Wilderness Camp Grounds. We love the laid back feeling we get when we stay at this resort/cabins. This is the closest we have gotten to staying in a real cabin. Hmmm, I think that warrants a trip to the mountains soon?! Ok, back to reality, the girls and I rode horses and saw deer along the trail. It was a very peaceful and relaxing time!

So, here we are, ready to pick up in school where we left off. My oldest, will be attending a Marine Biology course being given by the Marine Institute to home school students at our local library. She is very excited about this, because she has a fascination with sea life. She hopes to pursue Marine Biology as a career. I think this will be a great opportunity for her to get a true look at what Marine Biology entails. My youngest daughter hopes to pursue a career on Broadway and raise horses in Kentucky! We'll see how that goes!

For now, I wish you all a safe return to work and/or school and I hope to connect with some other home school moms through this blog!

Back to School

2009-01-04T18:12:00.001-05:00

Back to School

2009-01-04T18:12:00.000-05:00

Go Dolphins!!

2009-01-04T13:15:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

This year will be a year of challenges for me. First, I will begin by joining the world of blogging and participating in a couple Book Challenges. I won't take on too many, as I tend to take on too much at one time and then find myself unable to complete any of them.
So, please check out the Book Challenges I have chosen on the right sidebar and maybe you will become inspired to join me in a few of them. They sound like a lot of fun!

Secondly, I have decided that this will be the year that I challenge myself to a healthier lifestyle. I will schedule those doctor appointments I keep putting off. For Christmas, my family gave me the new "Cooking Personal Trainer" DS and a Nintendo DS in the new pearly pink. Do you think they are trying to tell me something? LOL!! Actually, I am not a very healthy eater, so I intend on making that another one of my challenges. Eat better in 2009!

Thirdly, I would love to participate in a marathon, so I will begin training for one...a small one! Perhaps, I will sign up for a couple 3k or 5k marathons in my area. I will start off walking and hopefully by the end of the year be able to actually run one of the marathons.

My list could go on and on, so I will end it with finally finishing school and earning that Education degree I so desperately want. I know, "teaching?", "what are you crazy?" I guess I am! I have taken on the challenge of homeschooling my children this year and have loved every minute of it! I am so close to finishing my degree. I am one of those people with over 100 credits all over the place, yet not enough to major in any one field. So, I vow to finish school this year!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful first day of 2009 filled with love, hope and prosperity and surrounded by family!

Many blessings to all!

2009 Book Blog Challenge

2009-01-01T14:07:00.000-05:00

100+ Reading Challenge, which at first I tried to stay away from because I thought, there is no way I will be able to read 100 books! After realizing that I would be able to overlap my challenges, I decided this just might be doable. Not to mention, that it will be a great way to keep track of all the books I have read in 2009! This challenge will run from January 1st - December 31st and all books count: children’s, YA, adults, fiction, non-fiction, how-tos, etc. I guess as I finish the challenges above, I will be adding to my list:

1. Gladys Aylward: The Adventure of a Lifetime by: Janet&Geoff Benge
2. The Joyful Home Schooler by: Mary Hood, P.h.d (1/10/09)
3. The Worn Out Woman by: Dr. Steve Stephens and Alice Gray (3/3/09)
4. The Westing Game by: Ellen Raskin (3/2/09)
5. Easy Homeschooling Techniques by: Lorraine Curry (3/31/09)
6. How Good is Good Enough by: Andy Stanley (4/12/09)
7. A Thomas Jefferson Education by: Oliver Van DeMille (4/21/09)
8. Pollyanna by: Eleanor H. Porter (4/19/09)
9. Titus, Comrade of the Cross by: (7/1/09)
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Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T09:40:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T09:40:00.000-05:00

Stay tune for what's in store for 2009...

2008-12-29T23:58:00.000-05:00

Stay tune for what's in store for 2009...

2008-12-29T18:58:00.001-05:00

Stay tune for what's in store for 2009...

2008-12-29T18:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Leanne!

2008-10-14T07:27:00.001-04:00

Today is my youngest daughter's 10th birthday and her dream was to swim with the Dolphins! Well, her Dad made her wish come true! He arranged for her to have some up close and personal time with "Bimini"! This will become her Science lesson for the day. She will be putting together a lapbook on her experience with the Dolphins. We will be using what she learned at Dolphin Harbor along with her science book, "Exploring Creation with Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day" by Apologia! Her sister will be joining her on this project. We have never made a lapbook, so she is really looking forward to working on it today. We will be looking for examples on "how to" on other's blogs. Suggestions anyone?

Happy Birthday Leanne!

2008-10-14T02:27:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Leanne!

2008-10-14T02:27:00.000-04:00

September Book Swap

2008-10-04T23:19:00.001-04:00

I participate in a monthly book swap hosted by Deb over at DaBookLady's Book and Bookmark Swap and these were the goodies I received from my swap partner. Two books, "So You Don't Want to go to Church Anymore" and a Laura Childs' Scrapbooking mystery novel, a scrapbook with stickers, a delicious mango mandrin bar of soap and a beautiful handmade card! Thanks Kristie, I love everything!
If you would like to join in on this fun swap, head over to Deb's place and let her know I sent you! You won't regret it! I can't wait to see what is in store for October!

September Book Swap

2008-10-04T18:19:00.001-04:00

September Book Swap

2008-10-04T18:19:00.000-04:00

Kingdom Keepers

2008-09-29T07:44:00.001-04:00

Well, it is no surprise to those that know me, that my family and I are big Walt Disney World fans! We have had a family tradition for the last 6 years where our family along with my mom and stepdad, my sister, her husband and her two kids, my brother, his wife and his two kids all stay at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds in Disney World every December. Each family rents a "made to feel real" log cabin and we spend 7 days enjoying the theme parks and the Florida winter weather, as well as each others company! This has to be my daughters' favorite vacation! They love everything about Disney World! They were even fortunate enough to be picked as Grand Marshalls of the MGM Motor Vehicles parade a couple of years ago! Our home is decorated with many of our Disney memories!
One day, my daughter sees this book at the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and most have it! So, me being the book lover that I am, never say "no" if the girls ask me for a book, purchased it for her. She devoured it!! She quickly had her sister reading it, friends at school and ofcourse, me!
I loved it as much as she did! I love the author, Ridley Pearson's imagination! What a great suspense novel, made just right for kids and grown ups of all ages. If you are as much of a Disney fan as we are, you must read this book. He doesn't leave anything out. He had my daughter so interested in the "hidden room and upside down staircase, Eshcer" in the castle that she went on a "google" mission to find out if it was true! :-)
She is now reading the second book in this series and ofcourse, I will read it when she is finished!
Aye...all these great books, makes it very hard to stick to the challenges I have signed up for!

Kingdom Keepers

2008-09-29T02:44:00.001-04:00

Kingdom Keepers

2008-09-29T02:44:00.000-04:00

Season of Change

2008-09-12T15:50:00.000-04:00

WOW!! What a great book! I highly recommend this book to anyone parenting a middle schooler! I read this book while I patiently waited to find out if I was going to be selected to serve as a Juror. Which, by the way, if you notice from my previous post, my summons to Jury Duty came just as we were beginning to prepare for our Election Unity Study. Ya think God had his hand in this one?!!
Anyhow, back to this awesome book! I felt as if I knew Rebecca Powell personally. Every time she referenced her life as a middle schooler, it was as if I was right there with her! Right from the desire to own your own telephone line in your own bedroom! We must be the same age!
She has a wonderful way of inviting parents to get deeply involved with our kids during this crucial time!
I can't wait to begin her book, "Wise Up! Experience the Power of Proverbs" with my daughter!
Oh, if you have a chance follow her link to her daughter's my space page where she wrote a beautiful song called "Hey Miley". I immediately had my daughter listen to it!

Season of Change

2008-09-12T10:50:00.001-04:00

Season of Change

2008-09-12T10:50:00.000-04:00

Elections

2008-09-06T01:36:00.000-04:00

It is no secret that this year's presidential election will be history in the making. This is the perfect opportunity to teach our children about the importance of voting. So, we decided to order a unit study on the elections, in order to give our daughters a better understanding of our government and the voting process. We chose a four week course by Amanda Bennett at http://www.unitstudy.com .
I love Ms. Bennett's thorough research of the unit studies she puts together for home schoolers. She divides her studies into doable lessons making it not only very informative but fun for kids. She includes weekly activities and books that tie into the subject matter. She also gives several sites for the kids to go to for more information.
I am looking forward to really getting the girls involved in this election. I randomly asked them, "if you had to vote right now, not knowing much about the candidates that are running for president, who would you vote for?" It was interesting to hear their choices. My youngest, without hesitation, answers, "Obama!" My oldest, replies, "can I vote, neither!" (after asking for more time to think about it) I can't wait to see if their choices will change after the unit study, especially since they will be required to study each candidate more closely!

Elections

2008-09-05T20:36:00.001-04:00

Elections

2008-09-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

Beautiful romance novel

2008-09-03T23:36:00.000-04:00

I was looking for an inspirational book to read on my plain trip to Iowa, when I came across this recommendation from my nephew's teacher. I was a little leery about reading it, because it was based on a woman that was sold into prostitution at a young age. I almost put it down twice due to some of the graphics of her life as a harlot. I am so glad I continued to read it! What an amazing story about one man and God's unconditional love and the power of forgiveness. Francine River's is a wonderful writer!

Beautiful romance novel

2008-09-03T18:36:00.001-04:00

Beautiful romance novel

2008-09-03T18:36:00.000-04:00

R.I.P.III

2008-09-01T10:15:00.000-04:00

Okay, I couldn't resist this challenge! I love this time of the year! So, I have decided to join this challenge being hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings. Since, I tend to stay away from scary movies and books, I have chosen to do Peril The Third. Below are the rules. If you would like to join this challenge with me head over to http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/ and drop me a comment with the book(s) you have chosen. I have chosen, American Gods by: Neil Gaiman.

Book Awards Reading Challenge II

2008-09-01T00:16:00.000-04:00

I am so excited, I will be attempting my first book reading challenge: Book Awards Reading Challenge II.

This challenge began on August 1st and will run through June 1st, 2009. The goal is to read ten award-winning books over ten months, with the condition that the books represent at least five different awards. Here is my list (in no particular order):

1. What The Dead Know by: Laura Lippman (Quill)
2. American Gods by: Neil Gaiman (Bram Stoker)
3. A Wrinkle in Time by: Madeleine L'Engle (Newberry)
4. The Thirteenth Tale by: Diane Setterfield (Quill)
5. The Invention of Hugo Cabert by: Brian Selznick (Caldecott)
6. Dead Until Dark by: Charlaine Harris (Agatha)
7. Water For Elephants by: Sara Guen (Alex)
8. The Time Traveler's Wife by: Audrey Neffenigger (Alex)
9. The Westing Game by: Ellen Raskin (Newberry)
10. Flush by: Carl Haisaan (Newberry)

Great Read!

2008-08-28T07:19:00.000-04:00

I recently read, "The Shack" by: William P. Young. What a great book! I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoyes chrisitian fiction. After reading what the book was about, I was a little leery about reading it. However, it was so highly recommended to me, so I took a chance. Boy am I glad I did! This story will make you cry at times and laugh at others! It may even answer many of those questions we all at some time or another ask about God.

If you decide to read this book, please let me know what you thought about it.

Great Read!

2008-08-28T02:19:00.001-04:00

If you decide to read this book, please let me know what you thought about it.

Great Read!

2008-08-28T02:19:00.000-04:00

If you decide to read this book, please let me know what you thought about it.

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-04T12:14:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!