Abandon...

Well...I think I am going to abandon this blog for awhile (actually, I think that has already happened, but this is a formal announcement) LOL...I am having too much fun on Facebook and Twitter to update the ol' blog. 

For now... :o)

Daybook Entry

Outside my window...snow, lots and lots of snow!

I am thinking...this could be fun, but I really think it is sort of self-centered to think anyone would really want to read this...

I am thankful for...so much...how do I even begin!

From the learning room...we are keeping on track and really accomplishing a lot this year. I think I have found a good balance for Carter and Cooper and myself. I am loving combining the classical approach with some of Charlotte Mason's ideas. It seems to be comfortable for us all. Wow! Have we read a lot of great books!

From the kitchen...Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden copy) - family favorite!

I am wearing...Blue workout pants and a white shirt. Just finished a 2 mile walk with Leslie Sansone.

I am creating...a mess - laundry day and I have piles all over that need their owners to put them away!

I am reading...The Tale of Despereaux with the boys and re-reading The Well Trained Mind. Carter is reading The Year of the Dog to me!

I am hoping...it is 75 degrees and sunny tomorrow...ok, maybe that is dreaming!

I am hearing...the boys and dad playing a game.

I am praying...for my Aunt and cousin to get their heat back on...

Around the house...this place is a mess! Somebody really needs to get it cleaned up!

One of my favorite things...hot tea. I think I need to fire some up!

A few plans for the rest of the week...well, this is the last day of the week, so I guess I will get this laundry done and maybe do some cleaning...or play some games!

Here is a picture shot I am sharing...gonna have to do that later, no pictures loaded on my tiny computer!

What We Have Been Up To!!

So...what have we been up to? Just the usual...

Homeschooling, visiting with friends, book club, co-op and today we had our Homeschool Christmas party. We had a great turnout - 37 kiddos and their moms. We made four different crafts and enjoyed some yummy food, fellowship and fun! My favorite part was watching the kids play with their old friends and welcome in new friends. It was like they had all known each other for years! I would show you pictures, but I did not take any. I actually had my camera with me, but I was too busy helping with my craft to get any pictures...oh, well!

I do have pictures from our last book club...we discussed "The Rough-Face Girl" - it is a Native American version of the Cinderella story. After the book discussion, we made a Native American craft...For next month, each child picked a different book - based on giving and each child is going to do a book report. I am really looking forward to hearing all of their reports!

I also have pictures from our last co-op. I taught the class this month; the topic was Japan. Thought it might be a good time to put that degree to work! We had it at my house this time because the library was booked. We learned all kinds of facts about Japan, learned to speak some Japanese, learned to write our names in Japanese, read a story about Japan, did some origami and ate some sushi. It was a fun day!

So...now you know...that is what we have been up to!

Florida...'nuff said!

We recently went on a trip to Florida to visit family. While there, we stayed on the beach, played on the beach, fished on the beach and visited Kennedy Space Center. While at Kennedy Space Center, we got a rare, up-close look at the space shuttle. The bus driver said this is only the third time they have moved the space shuttle this close and left the observation tower open. He said he had worked there 15 years and had never seen the space shuttle this close. It was really amazing. Here are some pictures from our vacation...

Bio Poem

Last week, at our home school book club, we learned about bio poems. We created one for the main character in the book we read. The librarian challenged the kids to go home and make one up about themselves. Here is Carter's bio poem (you can find many different formulas for bio poems by googling "bio poem formula")...

Carter,

Sill, obedient, kind and handsome,

Brother of Cooper,

Lover of acting, playing with friends and being outside,

Who feels happy when with others and loved by mom, dad and Cooper,

Who fears spiders and scary movies,

Who would like to see Lego Land, Disney World, the White House and Kennedy Space Center,

Woodland.

The Renaissance Festival

Last week, we went to the student day at our local Renaissance Festival. Dad took the day off and we were really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it was not what we expected. I expected us to learn a lot about what it was like to live during the Renaissance period. I did not run into a lot of learning experiences. I did run into a lot of over priced merchandise...

In prior years, they have had two student days, but this year they condensed it to one day. That was a mistake. It was incredibly crowded - so much so that we could not make it from one show to the next and then when we did make it there was no room left for us to watch - at least where the kiddos could see or hear.

It was, however, a beautiful day and we did see a hilarious sword fight and an exciting full armor joust...we just didn't learn a whole lot! Here are some pictures...

Sorry for the Delay...

I know, I know...It has been a while since I have updated...

After a brief Elvis sighting...

and hurricane force winds followed by the "Great Blackout of 2008"...

...things are finally getting back to normal! (10 days without power sets you back a bit)

Last week, we had our co-op. We learned about mummies and mummification. After watching a video and listening to some books about mummification, we ended our class with mummifying a doll (a G.I. Joe and a Ken doll in our case). First we cleaned the dolls with white wine vinegar (the Egyptians cleaned the bodies with wine), then we drew a heart on our dolls (the Egyptians removed the organs, but left the heart because they thought it was the center of all thinking and emotions), next we covered the dolls in salt (the Egyptians would cover the bodies in natron - a salt like substance - and place the bodies on a slanted board with a grove cut out - the bodies would remain their for 40 days - this was their mourning period), next we painted our dolls with an oil and spice mixture (the Egyptians did the same), finally we wrapped our mummies with muslin that had been dipped into a flour and water mixture.

Here is G.I. Joe (Carter's mummy)

And Ken (Cooper's mummy - he had a little help from mom with the wrapping, but he did all the other stuff)

Later in the week, we went on a field trip to Woodland Cemetery. Woodland Cemetery is a very old, beautiful cemetery in Dayton. It is a National Historical site. The Wright Brothers, Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Erma Bombeck are all buried there.

Here is a picture of the old chapel (they now use it for the business offices). The windows on the sides are all Tiffany and there is a huge arched window in the back that is also Tiffany worth over $1 million!

Here is a picture of Erma Bombeck's grave site. There is no grave marker at this time and her husband has not decided whether he will put one or not. The large stone that does mark her grave is from her neighbor's yard in Arizona. Erma used to sit on this rock and write.

Here are some pictures from the Wright Brother's grave site. They are buried in a family plot with their mother and father, sister and infant siblings that died very young. Neither brother ever married.

Tomorrow we are going to the Renaissance Festival...I should have those pictures up in about a week or two...LOL...that is if I remember my camera!