I know I should be planning for Thanksgiving since I am planning to host my family at my house next week, but instead I have skipped Thanksgiving (at least in my head) and moved on to Christmas.
Here is a list of the top 10 things I love about Christmas
1. Christmas Songs- There is always at least one radio station in our area that plays Christmas music starting from mid-November until the beginning of the New Year. I love singing along to all the Christmas songs about home, happy feelings, and snow.
2. Christmas Presents - I know it sounds greedy but I love opening gifts and seeing what other people thought I would like. Mostly my sister has learned that a gift card to Barnes and Noble is always appreciated. The kids and I also love shopping for our family and friends and are always on the look out for the perfect gifts.
3. Warm Cozy Nights Around the TV. - Who can resist a night around the television watching your favorite Christmas specials. Every year ABC family has the countdown to Christmas. Every year they are always the same movies with one or two new ones. I DVR them all and watch them with the children on those nights when we don't have any outside commitments.
4. Baking - It never fails that I will find a cookie recipe, convince my sister to come over and help me bake, and then spend the whole day baking cookies. I usually bake about 4 - 5 different types of cookies and then we package them up and take them to the neighbors.
5. Christmas Tree - I once bought an artificial Christmas tree thinking I could store it and I wouldn't have to buy our family a new tree every year; thus saving us money. Big mistake!! I have always bought out family a real live Douglas Fir. It smells nice, looks nice, and it gives you the warm cozy feelings inside just looking at it decorating our living room.
6. Christmas Pictures - Every year, without fail, I drag the kids dressed in their holiday best to the local department store for the annual Christmas picture. They take individual pictures, pictures of just the boys, then just the girls, and finally some group pictures. I always buy pictures for the grandparents as Christmas presents, a collage for my wall, and our Christmas cards. This turns into an all morning event because after pictures we go visit....
7. Santa - The Santa in our mall is super good with the kids. He opened and read (word for word) all of their Christmas lists. Poo guy even got his glove stuck on the envelope glue and had to laughingly ask the kids to help him open it. He talked about the elves and Mrs. Claus at the North Pole. The kids left Santa with magic in their eyes and gladness in their hearts that their Christmas letters were in the right hands.
8. Christmas Parties - Our local community throws a Christmas potluck. Each family brings a dish of their favorite food and we share. Families getting together just to give thanks for friends, food, and fun is all part of the Christmas spirit.
9. Black Friday Shopping - It is such an awesome thing to wake up before any one is even thinking of opening an eyelid and standing in line at Toys R Us all to get that last Play-Doh set for half price. I think I mostly go for the crowded IHop pancake breakfast.
10.Christmas Tree Lane - Taking the kids for a drive through Christmas Tree Lane was a tradition we stared last year and I think we are going to continue it. Although I must admit that while driving through Christmas Tree Lane and seeing some of those houses with so much decoration, I can't help wonder what kind of person has the patience to put it all up just to take it all down in a month.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Schedule for 2013 - 2014
Our schedule this year:
We usually start school around 8:30am and finish around noon. We get lunch going and after lunch we finish up any subjects that we didn't have time to get to before noon.
Daily
- Math
- Spelling
- Reading
- Portuguese
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs.
Writing - This is a four day a week subject.
Mon. Wed.
Science
Grammar
Tues. Thurs.
History
Sat. Sun.
Art and Music as time allows.
We usually start school around 8:30am and finish around noon. We get lunch going and after lunch we finish up any subjects that we didn't have time to get to before noon.
Daily
- Math
- Spelling
- Reading
- Portuguese
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs.
Writing - This is a four day a week subject.
Mon. Wed.
Science
Grammar
Tues. Thurs.
History
Sat. Sun.
Art and Music as time allows.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Curriculum 2013-2014
This year I will have a 4th grader and a kindergartener. I will also have a Pre-K and the toddler.
For our 4th grader:
Math: Saxon Math 4/5 - We have been using Saxon since we started homeschooling and my dd loves math so I keeping this one the same.
Grammar: First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind, Level 4 - We have also been with this curriculum since starting to homeschool. It does make us memorize lists but they do help with diagramming sentences and so we are sticking with it.
Spelling - All About Spelling, Level 4 - I can't say enough about this program. I love both their Spelling and Reading programs. My dd has improved so much in her spelling with this program. Even I have started to learn the rules of spelling.
History - Living History of Our World - American History - Volume 2&3 - We are continuing out study of American History this Year. This is a simple pick up and go program that come with a notebook and I love that at the end of the year I get a book of what my dd has learned.
Science - Apologia - Physiology and Human Anatomy - We worked our way through the cell and bones chapters before summer school started and so we plan on finishing the rest of this book. This program also comes with a notebook that I get to keep with things my dd has learned. Every once in a while I like to go back over it and review what we are doing.
Writing - Writing With Ease - Level 4 - I still have mixed feelings about this program. I like that it is pick up and go and I it doesn't take long for my dd to complete a lesson. On the other hand, we are not doing much of our own writing with this program. Apparently, we are doing more narration and dictation this year in preparation for next year in which we begin to write our own papers.
Reading - Sonlight - Level D Readers - We are using these just to be reading books on grade level. Dd is also required to read at least 20 minutes a day of fun reading.
Geography - Evan Moore Geography - We do a weeks worth of work, mostly orally, on Fridays. There are only two questions a day so to do a week's worth of work in one day is not hard at all.
Music - Homeschool in the Woods - Composer Study - We will be working our way through this hands-on study. It comes with music selections and I am hoping this will be a fun Friday study.
Art - 1-2-3 Painting - We have been working through the paintings in this book. There are only 5 or 6 paintings to do and then we will move on to the Busy Teachers Art Book or try some chalk pastel drawings from some tutorials I have found online.
For our 4th grader:
Math: Saxon Math 4/5 - We have been using Saxon since we started homeschooling and my dd loves math so I keeping this one the same.
Grammar: First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind, Level 4 - We have also been with this curriculum since starting to homeschool. It does make us memorize lists but they do help with diagramming sentences and so we are sticking with it.
Spelling - All About Spelling, Level 4 - I can't say enough about this program. I love both their Spelling and Reading programs. My dd has improved so much in her spelling with this program. Even I have started to learn the rules of spelling.
History - Living History of Our World - American History - Volume 2&3 - We are continuing out study of American History this Year. This is a simple pick up and go program that come with a notebook and I love that at the end of the year I get a book of what my dd has learned.
Science - Apologia - Physiology and Human Anatomy - We worked our way through the cell and bones chapters before summer school started and so we plan on finishing the rest of this book. This program also comes with a notebook that I get to keep with things my dd has learned. Every once in a while I like to go back over it and review what we are doing.
Writing - Writing With Ease - Level 4 - I still have mixed feelings about this program. I like that it is pick up and go and I it doesn't take long for my dd to complete a lesson. On the other hand, we are not doing much of our own writing with this program. Apparently, we are doing more narration and dictation this year in preparation for next year in which we begin to write our own papers.
Reading - Sonlight - Level D Readers - We are using these just to be reading books on grade level. Dd is also required to read at least 20 minutes a day of fun reading.
Geography - Evan Moore Geography - We do a weeks worth of work, mostly orally, on Fridays. There are only two questions a day so to do a week's worth of work in one day is not hard at all.
Music - Homeschool in the Woods - Composer Study - We will be working our way through this hands-on study. It comes with music selections and I am hoping this will be a fun Friday study.
Art - 1-2-3 Painting - We have been working through the paintings in this book. There are only 5 or 6 paintings to do and then we will move on to the Busy Teachers Art Book or try some chalk pastel drawings from some tutorials I have found online.
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