1 Aquarium ... 2 Aquariums

In early July, my parents gave us a neat dual-aquarium stand. It also had 1 aquarium, a filter and air pump sustem, and the lid complete with a light. WOW !! So after having it sit here for a while, we decided it was time to set it up. Of course we needed MORE pets, right ?!?!

The top aquarium is for fish (and eventually a snail, but we need algae first !). We have 7 fish now. The photo was taken just after we bought the fish - they were getting settled before we let them out of the bag. It turned out nicely !!

And the bottom one needs a screen cover first, and then we will use for "gathered critters" (for observation followed by release) - lizards, turtles, neat bugs, and such.

The bottom so far has been very handy - with a heating pad and some fluffy towels, it makes a nice "chick recovery center" for baby peeps. We have 12 baby peeps, and 4 peeps that are around 4w old right now. We have had a few struggle or get pecked by other hens, and of those, we have saved 3 and lost 3 that could not be helped.

Tiny Praying Mantis

A few days ago, the children found this little guy outside - isn't he cute ?? (he was free after the photos.)

Time Is Ticking ...

This picture always makes me giggle ...

I just wanted to let everyone know that time is ticking ... summer vacation is nearly past ... the time for paper and books and pencils draws nearer and nearer .... it is almost time to embark again on the Adventures of Learning (assuming someone stopped ?) .... reading, writing, arithmetic, science, history, geography ... and PLEAE do not forget the Humanties like Poetry, Art (REAL art, not crafts), Music, Shakespeare ...

The children are excited .... we are starting school on August 13th. We have a wonderful year planned (and are looking forward to "normal life" too).

Our Curriculum Is From ...

For those who have asked, we do a modified version of Ambleside Online ( http://www.amblesideonline.com/ ). We use the "bones" (and more) of this curriculum, and then we add and subtract things that will work for us.

So I suppose we are eclectic homeschoolers ?? Hummmm ... I never thought of it that way.

In any event, we generally stick very close to Charlotte Mason's methods with a tiny bit of "Classical" thrown in here and there.

Our New Planner

I have finished our lessons plans ... for the WHOLE YEAR ...

HIP HIP HOORAY !!! YAHOOOOOO !! YIPPIEEEEE !! (can you sense my joy yet ??)

I generally write ALL of our lesson plans by hand, which takes A LOT of time at first, and then even more time if changes are to be made ... we prefer a daily TO DO list for each child. I used to spend many many evenings working on plans for the following week, or even sometimes the following day. Then we tried a few software "planners" but they were nearly as much work as writing everything out, and even tried making documents in Word and Excel that turned out NOT to work as planned. The LESSON PLANNING (actual written / typed kind) is my BIGGEST frustration with homeschooling ... so it HAD to be fixed.

This summer we found the CM Organizer and subscribed for the trial after seeing the demos - jsut to play and see if it was actually what it seemed. Well, there are so many neat features specific to a literature type curriculum (we use a modified version of www.amblesideonline.com ) ... plus the daily print option ... cumulative records (for viewing or printing) ... dates and titles that "roll" if not completed or if it was missed or if more time is needed (worked on OR finished) .... optional NOTES for each book / subject ... oh, there is just so much I like about it.

But most of all, I am THRILLED because in one (M-F) week I have planned a full year of school for all 6 of our children --- the only things that may get added or changed will only be AFTER someone makes significant progress (like for our 2 non-readers who hopefully will begin reading solo this year). Sick days, unexpected traveling, missing books, needs for more time or slower pace ... these will not interfere with our plans anymore. HOORAY !!

If you get a minute, please stop by http://www.simplycharlottemason.com/ and watch the demos of this program. It is worth every penny (in my joyful but very humble opinion).

School Plans For Cherub 6

In all honesty, we are not SURE that Cherub 6 is "ready" to begin school. He says he is ready, and there are some "signs". He will turn 5yo in December. So we are going to "plan" for school, but if he resists or does not make progress (very flexible here !), we will slow down or stop ... whatever is needed.

As a family, we had 1 other child who "claimed" and seemed to be ready at just 3 1/2yo ... and he begin reading just 2 monthes from when we began. Then roughly 6 monthes later Cherub 3 was 4+ grade levels ahead (in reading ability and comprehension). At the one year mark our PreK student was reading on a 6th grade level. And he is still reading "ahead" - he never looked back and has said (on Cherub 6's behalf) that he did not feel the early start harmed him in any way. The only downfall, he says, to being such an early reader (high levels) is that Mom slows you down because she has to proof-read so many books before you can read them. HA !!(Maybe that would not be so hard if we have to do it again because we proof read so many ?!?!)

So - we will give it a try -and we will post his progress.

Bible:
Bible History (by: Ignatius Schuster, D.D.)
Butler's Lives of Saints (By: Bernard Bangley)
Scripture Memory & Bible Notebook
** CCD (made available through our church)

American History:
Benjamin Franklin (D'Aulaire)
Pocahontas (D'Aulaire)
Buffalo Bill (D'Aulaire)
George Washington (D'Aulaire)
The Story of the Clipper Ships
The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner
The Story of Mount Vernon
The Story of Old Glory
The Story of the Capitol
The Story of the Statue of Liberty
**Book of Centuries will be completed as needed daily / weekly.

World History:
Fifty Famous Stories Retold (James Baldwin)
Viking Tales (Jennie Hall)
** Book of Centuries To Be Completed Daily / Weekly as needed.

Natural History / Natural Science:
Animal Book (Thorton Burgess)
Bird Book (Thorton Burgess)
James Herriot's Treasury for Children (James Herriot)
Weekly: Nature Studies & Nature Notebook

Geography:
Geography of the United States (By: Dover Publishing)

Science & Biographies:
Apologia Botany (term 1)
Apologia Zoology I (term 2)
**only as he wishes to participate. May use parts of Considering God's Creation for him to work "with" everyone on these subjects.

Math:
Singapore Math Workbooks Level 1
Math games (Pre-Math It, Muggins, Math It, etc)
** Will begin Saxon 1 when progress is seen.

Spelling:
Dolch Sight Word List
**May change as this depends on individual progress.

Handwriting:
Handwriting Without Tears

Education & Business Skills:
PreK - K computer games (keyboarding, mouse skills, etc)

Foreign Language:
Spanish ?? Rosetta Stone ??
**only as he wishes to participate

Shakespeare:
Lamb's Shakespeare (1 per term - yet to be selected)

Poetry:
Childs Garden of Verse (R.L. Stevenson)
Now We Are Six & When We Were Very Young (A.A. Milne)

Literature:
Aesop For Children
Blue Fairy Book (A. Lang)
Red Fairy Book (A. Lang)
Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling)
Mother Goose Rhymes (classic)

Artist Study:
Great Masters Study (By: Dover Publisher)
The Story of Painting: From Cave Painting To The Modern Times

Art:
Coloring Pages, Dot-To-Dot pages, mazes (skill practice)
Beginner Watercolor Technique
Beginner CHALK Pastel Technique
Beginner Sketch Technique
Beginner Colored Pencil Technique

Composer Study:
Color The Classics #1

Health:
The Body Book

P.E.:
AYSO Soccer (practice and games)

Daily Workbook Skills:
Hearts & Hands (1 page per day - beginning letter and number skills, and early phonics)
**We will add Alphaphonics or Word Mastery when sufficient progress in these skills can be seen.

Phonics & Early Reading:
TENTATIVE: A Handbook For Reading (Abeka)
TENTATIVE: Word Mastery: A Course In Phonics For 3 Years
McGuffey's Readers (Primer - ?)

Additional Reading:
A generous variety of story books from the library read aloud (and classics too !)
**This plan will vary according to his progress with reading skills.

School Plans For Cherub 5

Bible:
The New St. Joseph's Catechism (No. 1)
Bible History (by: Ignatius Schuster, D.D.)
Butler's Lives of Saints (By: Bernard Bangley)
Trial & Triumph (By: Richard Hannula)S
cripture Memory & Bible Notebook
** CCD (made available through our church)
*** First Holy Communion Preparation (FHC Spring 2008)

American History:
Benjamin Franklin (D'Aulaire)
Pocahontas (D'Aulaire)
Buffalo Bill (D'Aulaire)
George Washington (D'Aulaire)
The Story of the Clipper Ships
The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner
The Story of Mount Vernon
The Story of Old Glory
The Story of the Capitol
The Story of the Statue of Liberty
**Book of Centuries will be completed as needed daily / weekly.

World History:
Our Island Story (H.E. Marshall)
Fifty Famous Stories Retold (James Baldwin)
Viking Tales (Jennie Hall)
** Book of Centuries To Be Completed Daily / Weekly as needed.

Natural History / Natural Science:
Animal Book (Thorton Burgess)
Bird Book (Thorton Burgess)
James Herriot's Treasury for Children (James Herriot)
Handbook of Nature Study (By: Anna Comstock)
Weekly: Nature Studies & Nature Notebook

Geography:
Geography of the United States (By: Dover Publishing)
Paddle To The Sea (Holling C. Holling)
Tree In The Trail (Holling C. Holling)
SeaBird (Holling C. Holling)

Science & Biographies:
Apologia Botany (term 1)
Apologia Zoology I (term 2)

Math:
Saxon
4 "living Math books" (yet to be selected).
Math games (Muggins, Math It, etc)

Spelling:
McGuffey's Eclectic Spelling Book

Penmanship:
Handwriting Without Tears

Education & Business Skills:
Typing Instructor (software)

Foreign Language:
Rummy Roots (sets 1 & 2 ) - greek and latin roots
Spanish ?? Rosetta Stone ??

Shakespeare:
Shakespeare - Lamb's AND original plays (1 per term - yet to be selected)

Poetry:
Childs Garden of Verse (R.L. Stevenson)
Now We Are Six & When We Were Very Young (A.A. Milne)

Literature:
Aesop For Children (finish)
Blue Fairy Book (A. Lang)
Red Fairy Book (A. Lang)
Just So Stories (repeat) (Rudyard Kipling)
Parables From Nature

Artist Study:
Great Masters Study (By: Dover Publisher)
The Story of Painting: From Cave Painting To The Modern Times

Art:
Watercolor Technique
Oil Pastel Technique
Sketch Technique
Colored Pencil Technique

Composer Study:
Spiritual Lives of the Composers
Color The Classics #1

Health:
The Body Book

P.E.:
AYSO Soccer (practice and games)
Swim Team

Phonics & Early Reading:
A Handbook For Reading (Abeka)
Word Mastery: A Course In Phonics For 3 Years
McGuffey's Readers (Primer - ?)

Additional Reading:
Little House Series (5 books) (By: L.I. Wilder) READ ALOUD BY SIBLING
King of the Golden City READ ALOUD BY SIBLING
Sarah Plain and TallREAD ALOUD BY SIBLING
The Weight of the Mass READ ALOUD BY SIBLING
The Hundred Dresses READ ALOUD BY SIBLING
The Twits READ ALOUD BY SIBLING
The Pilgrims' First ThanksgivingREAD ALOUD BY SIBLING
Squanto - Friend of the Pilgrims READ ALOUD BY SIBLING
Treasury of Winnie-The-Pooh (READ ALOUD BY PARENT)
Treasury of Thomas The Tank Engine (READ ALOUD BY PARENT)
Treasury of Beatrix Potter (READ ALOUND BY PARENT)
Patron Saint of First Communicants: The Story of Imelda Lambertini (READ ALOUD)

Easy Readers (to be read alound by Cherub 5):
God Is Good Series (9 books)
Biscuit books (3)
Little Bear books (5)
Henry & Mudge (3)
**More to be added later according to progress made.

School Plans For Cherub 4

Bible:
The New St. Joseph's Catechism (No. 1)
Bible History (by: Ignatius Schuster, D.D.)
Butler's Lives of Saints (By: Bernard Bangley)
Trial & Triumph (By: Richard Hannula)
Scripture Memory & Bible Notebook
** CCD (made available through our church)
*** First Holy Communion Prep (FHC Spring 2008)


American History:
Benjamin Franklin (D'Aulaire)
Pocahontas (D'Aulaire)
Buffalo Bill (D'Aulaire)
George Washington (D'Aulaire)
The Story of the Clipper Ships
The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner
The Story of Mount Vernon
The Story of Old Glory
The Story of the Capitol
The Story of the Statue of Liberty
**Book of Centuries will be completed as needed daily / weekly.

World History:
Our Island Story (H.E. Marshall)
Fifty Famous Stories Retold (James Baldwin)
Viking Tales (Jennie Hall)
** Book of Centuries To Be Completed Daily / Weekly as needed.


Natural History / Natural Science:

Animal Book (Thorton Burgess)

Bird Book (Thorton Burgess)

James Herriot's Treasury for Children (James Herriot)

Handbook of Nature Study (By: Anna Comstock)

Weekly: Nature Studies & Nature Notebook


Geography:
Geography of the United States (By: Dover Publishing)

Paddle To The Sea (Holling C. Holling)

Tree In The Trail (Holling C. Holling)

SeaBird (Holling C. Holling)

Science & Biographies:

Apologia Botany (term 1)
Apologia Zoology I (term 2)


Math:
Saxon
4 "living Math books" (yet to be selected).


Spelling:
Spelling Wisdom Vol. 1


Penmanship:
Handwriting Without Tears


Education & Business Skills:
Typing Instructor (software)


Grammar:
First Language Lessons (Susan Wise Bauer)
Primary Language Lessons (By: Emma Serl)


Composition:
Writing Skills Workbook 1 & 2 (Spectrum)
How To Write A Book Report (Scholastic)


Foreign Language:
Rummy Roots (sets 1 & 2 ) - greek and latin roots
Spanish ?? Rosetta Stone ??


Shakespeare:
Shakespeare - Lamb's AND original plays (1 per term - yet to be selected)

Poetry:
Childs Garden of Verse (R.L. Stevenson)
Now We Are Six & When We Were Very Young (A.A. Milne)


Literature:
Aesop For Children (finish)
Blue Fairy Book (A. Lang)
Red Fairy Book (A. Lang)
Just So Stories (repeat) (Rudyard Kipling)
Parables From Nature


Artist Study:
Great Masters Study (By: Dover Publisher)
The Story of Painting: From Cave Painting To The Modern Times


Art:
Watercolor Technique
Oil Pastel Technique
Sketch Technique
Colored Pencil Technique


Composer Study:
Spiritual Lives of the Composers
Color The Classics #1


Health:
The Body Book


P.E.:
Swim Team


Phonics & Early Reading:
A Handbook For Reading (Abeka)
Word Mastery: A Course In Phonics For 3 Years
McGuffey's Readers (2-?)

Additional Reading:
Little House Series (5 books) (By: L.I. Wilder)
Desmond The Dog Detective
King of the Golden City
Sarah Plain and Tall
The Children of the Noisy Village
The Weight of the Mass
The Hundred Dresses
The Twits
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Phoebe The Spy
The tale of Timothy Mallard
The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving
The Little Riders
The White Stallion
The Light At Tern Rock
The Biggest Bear
Squanto - Friend of the Pilgrims
The Pie and the Patty Pan
A Lion To Guard Us
A Bear Called Paddington
More About Paddington
Paddington Helps Out
The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel
The Adventures of Bobby Raccoon
Saint Francis of Assissi
Patron Saint of First Communicants: The Story of Imelda Lambertini
Augustine Came To Kent

School Plans For Cherub 3

Bible:
Scripture Memory
St. Joseph's New Catechism
Bible History (By: Ignatius Schuster, D.D.)
Trial & Triumph (By: Richard Hannula)
Butler's Lives of Saints (By: Bernard Bangley)
(Service projects and CCD offered through our church)

History & Biographies:
This Country of Ours (By: H.E. Marshall)
George Washington's World (By: Genevieve Foster)
An Island Story (By: H.E. Marshall)
Poor Richard (By: James Daugherty)
Abagail Adams - Witness To A Revolution (By: Natalie Bober)
**Book of Centuries to be completed as needed (daily / weekly)

Nature Study:
Madam How, Lady Why (By: Charles Kingsley)
Nature Walks & Nature Journal
Christian Liberty Nature Reader #4

Penmanship:
Handwriting Without Tears Cursive

Geography:
US Geography (Dover)
Kon Tiki (By: Thor Heyerdahl)
Lewis & Clark (By: George Sullivan)
Tree In The Trail (By: Holling C. Holling)
Seabird (By: Holling C. Holling)
Pagoo (By: Holling C. Holling)

Science & Biographies:
FairyLand of Science (By: Arabella Buckley)
It Just Couldn't Happen (By: Lawrence Richards)
Leonardo daVinci (By: Emily Hahn)
Along Came Galileo
Apologia Botany (term 1)
Apologia Zoology 1 (term 2)

Math:
Saxon
**possible switch to Teaching Textbooks later this fall
Math drills (facts)
Math Games (Math It, Muggins, etc)
**4 Living Math books yet to be selected.

Foreign Language:
Rummy Roots (greek and latin roots - game)
Spanish - Rosetta Stone ?

Poetry:
Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson
Works of Emily Dickinson
Works of William Wordsworth

Literature:
Age of Fable (By: Bulfinch)
Age of Chilvary (By: Bulfinch)
Robinson Crusoe (By: Daniel Defoe)
Kidnapped (By: R.L. Stevenson)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (By: Washington Irving)
Rip Van Winkle (By: Washington Irving)
A Tale of Two Cities (By: Charles Dickens)

Shakespeare:
Lamb's Shakespeare
Original Works of Shakespeare
** movie (of play read) ??

Music Study:
Spiritual Lives of the Composers
Color The Classics

Artist Study:
Art Masterpieces (Masters)
The Story of Painting From Cave Painting To Modern Times

Art:
colored pencil technique
sketch technique
watercolor technique
oil pastel technique

Business Skills:
Typing
Idiot's Guide To Letter Writing

Spelling:
Spelling Wisdom 3

Current Events:
Newspaper

Grammar:
Primary Language Lessons (finish) (Emma Serl)
Intermediate Language Lessons (Emma Serl)

Composition:
Writing Skills Workbooks 3 & 4 (Spectrum)
Help ! I Have To Write A Book Report
Writer's Inc.Story Starters: Helping Children Write ... (Karen Andreola)

Health:
The Body Book

P.E.:
Swim Team

Additional Reading:
Calico Captive (By: Elizabeth George Speare)
Sign of the Beaver (By: Elizabeth George Speare)
Johnny Tremain (By: Esther Forbes)
The Red Badge of Courage (By: Stephen Crane)
Common Sense (By: Thomas Paine)
Reb and the Redcoats (By: Constance Savery)
Amos Fortune, Free Man (By: Elizabeth Yates)
Bambi (By: Felix Salten)
Ralph Moody's LITTLE BRITCHES series (8 books total)
Chronicles of Narnia series(7 books total) C.S. Lewis
Lord of the Rings series (4 books) (J.R.R. Tolkein)
Gentle Ben (By: Walt Morey)
Gone Away Lake (By: Elizabeth Enright)
Return To Gone Away (By: Elizabeth Enright)
Justin Morgan Had A Horse (By: Marguerite Henry)
Lassie Come Home (By: Knight)
Pollyanna (By: Eleanor Porter)
The Railway Children (By: Edith Nesbit)
Thimble Summer (By: Elizabeth Enright)
Tree of Freedom (By: Rebecca Caudill)
Children of the New Forest (By: Captain Marryat)
Michael Farraday - Father of Electronics (By: Charles Ludwig)
Misty of Chincoteague (By: Marguerite Henry)
King of the Golden River (By: John Ruskin)

School Plans For Cherub 2

Bible:
Scripture Memory
St. Joseph's New Catechism
Bible History (By: Ignatius Schuster, D.D.)
Trial & Triumph (By: Richard Hannula)
Butler's Lives of Saints (By: Bernard Bangley)
(service projects and CCD offered through our church)

History & Biographies:
Abraham Lincoln's World (By: Genevieve Foster)
This Country of Ours (By: H.E. Marshall)
Child's History of the World (Hillyer)
What Everyone Should Know About The 20th Century (By: Alan Axelrod)
Of Courage Undaunted (By: James Daugherty)
Nothing Is Impossible: Beatrix Potter (By: Dorothy Aldis)
Carry A Big Stick - Teddy Roosevelt (By: George Grant)
* Book of Centuries to be completed as needed (daily / weekly)

Nature Study:
Wild Animals I Have Known (By: Ernest Thompson)
Nature Walks & Nature Journal
Christian Liberty Nature Reader #5

Penmanship:
Handwriting Without Tears Cursive

Geography:
US Geography (Dover)
Book of Marvels (By: Richard Halliburton)

Science & Biographies:
FairyLand of Science (By: Arabella Buckley)
Pioneers of Science: Isaac Newton (By: Douglas McTavish)
Alexander Graham Bell - Man of Sound (By: Elizabeth Montgomery)
George Washington Carver (By: David Collins)
Apologia Botany (term 1)
Apologia Zoology 1 (term 2)

Math:
Saxon
**possible switch to Teaching Textbooks later this fall
Math drills (facts)
Math Games (Math It, Muggins, etc)
**4 Living Math books yet to be selected.

Foreign Language:
Rummy Roots (greek and latin roots - game)
Spanish - Rosetta Stone ?

Poetry:
Works of Rudyard Kipling
Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Works of John Greenleaf Whittier
Works of Paul Lawrence Dunbar

Literature:
Age of Fable (By: Bulfinch)
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (By: Howard Pyle)
Oliver Twist (By: Charles Dickens)
Kim (By: Rudyard Kipling)

Shakespeare:
Lamb's Shakespeare
Original Works of Shakespeare
** movie (of play read) ??

Music Study:
Spiritual Lives of the Composers
Color The Classics

Artist Study:
Art Masterpieces (Masters)
The Story of Painting From Cave Painting To Modern Times

Art:
colored pencil technique
sketch technique
watercolor technique
oil pastel technique

Business Skills:
Typing
Idiot's Guide To Letter Writing

Spelling:
Spelling Wisdom 3

Current Events:
Newspaper

Grammar:
Intermediate Language Lessons (Emma Serl)

Composition:
Writing Skills Workbooks 3 & 4 (Spectrum)
Help ! I Have To Write A Book Report
Writer's Inc.
Story Starters: Helping Children Write ... (Karen Andreola)

Health:
The Body Book

P.E.:
Swim Team

Additional Reading:
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (By: Jean Lee Latham)
Rifles for Watie (By: Harold Keith)
Across Five Aprils (By: Irene Hunt)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (By: James Hilton)
Anne of Green Gables Series (7 books total) (By: L.M. Montgomery)
A Christmas Carol (By: Charles Dickens)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (By: Mark Twain)
Captain's Courageous (By: Rudyard Kipling)
Hans Brinkler (By: Mary Mapes Dodge)
Little Women (By: Louisa May Alcott)
Little House On The Prairie Series (5 books total) (By: L.I. Wilder)
Puck of Pook's Hill (By: Rudyard Kipling)
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (By: Kate Douglas Wiggin)
Helen Keller
The Story of the Treasureseekers (By: Edith Nesbit)
Rascal: A Memoir of a Better Era
The Wouldbegood's (By: Edith Nesbit)
Tanglewood Tales (By: Nathaniel Hawthorne)
The Prince and the Pauper (By: Mark Twain)
Lad: A Dog (By: Terhune)

Prayer Request

Some dear friends of ours have a son named Abel who was bitten by a snake last afternoon. Below is a link to their family blog, which has the "story".

PLEASE pray for Abel's relief from pain, rapid healing, and please pray against any further difficulties. Also please pray against any ER trips for a while, as this is his 2nd this month (HA !).

http://shadybrookacres.blogspot.com/

UPDATE: Saturday August 4th: We called today to check on Abel. According to his father, Abel's arm is MUCH improved. The swelling is nearly gone, and the strength in his arm is approximately 75% restored. PRAISE GOD !! Please continue to pray for him.

School Plans for Cherub 1

Bible:
The New St. Joseph's Catechism (No. 2)
Bible History (by: Ignatius Schuster, D.D.)
Butler's Lives of Saints (By: Bernard Bangley)
Trial & Triumph (By: Richard Hannula)
Scripture Memory & Bible Notebook
** CCD and Youth Service Projects (made available through our church)

History:
The Story of Mankind (By: Hendrick Van Loon)
What Everyone Should Know About The 20th Century (By: Alan Axelrod)
Augustus Caesar's World (By: Genevieve Foster)
Story of the Greeks (By: H.A. Guerber)
Story of the Romans (By: H.A. Guerber)
** yet to be selected, 3 - 4 biographies
** entries for Book of Centuries To Be Completed Daily / Weekly as needed.

Natural History / Natural Science:
Handbook of Nature Study (By: Anna Comstock)
School of the Woods (By: William J. Long)
Sea Around Us (By: Rachel Carson)
Weekly: Nature Studies & Nature Notebook

Geography:
Book of Marvels (By: Richard Halliburton)
Geography of the United States (By: Dover Publishing)

Science & Biographies:
Secrets of the Universe (By: Paul Fleischer)
Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity (By: Cwiklik)
Archimedes and the Door of Science (By: Jeanne Bendick)
Galileo and the Magic Numbers (By: Sidney Rosen)
Apologia Botany (term 1)
Apologia Zoology I (term 2)
Apologia Physical Science (solo)
The Body Book

Math:
Saxon
**possible change to Teaching Textbooks in late fall.
2 - 4 "living Math books" (yet to be selected).

Spelling:
Spelling Wisdom Vol. 3

Penmanship (first term only):
Mrs. Bridges (calligraphy)

Education & Business Skills:
How To Write A Letter (The Idiot's Guide To Letter Writing)
Typing Instructor (software)
Easy Typing (additional exercises for practice)
How To Study (By: Scholastic)

Grammar:
Intermediate Language Lessons (By: Emma Serl)

Composition (Writing Skills & actual Composition):
Writing Skills Workbook 1 & 2 (Spectrum)
How To Write A Book Report (Scholastic)
Writer's Inc.
The Writer's Jungle (& Bravewriter Program) ??

Foreign Language:
Rummy Roots (sets 1 & 2 ) - greek and latin roots
Spanish ?? Rosetta Stone ??

Poetry and Verse:
Shakespeare - Lamb's AND original plays (1 per term - yet to be selected)
Poet Studies & Memorization - Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, and Alfred Noyes

Literature:
Age of Fable (By: Thomas Bulfinch)
Age of Chilvary (By: Thomas Bulfinch)
Black Ships of Troy (By: Rosemary Sutcliff)

Artist Study:
Great Masters Study (By: Dover Publisher)
The Story of Painting: From Cave Painting To The Modern Times

Art:
Watercolor Technique
Oil Pastel Technique
Sketch Technique (continued from last year)
Colored Pencil Technique (continued from last year)

Composer Study:
2 per term (yet to be decided)
Spiritual Lives of the Composers
Color The Classics #1

Health:
The Body Book

P.E.:
Swim Team

Additional Reading:
Animal Farm (By: George Orwell)
The Endless Steppe (By: Esther Hautzig)
The Bronze Bow (By: Elizabeth Speare)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (By: Mark Twain)
Blue Willow (By: Doris Gates)
Call of the Wild (By: Jack London)
Cricket On The Hearth (By: Charles Dickens)
Jack and Jill (By: Louisa May Alcott)
Letters from Rifka (By: Karen Hesse)
Little Brother Bear (By: William J. Long)
Little Men (By: Louisa May Alcott)
Miracles On Maple Hill (By: Virginia Sorenson)
Number The Stars (By: Lois Lowry)
Penrod (By: Booth Tarkington)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (By: Mildred Taylor)
Snow Treasure (By: Marle McSwigan)
Swiss Family Robinson (By: Johann Wyss)
VonTrapp Family Singers (By: Maria Von Trapp)
Where The Red Fern Grows (By: Wilson Rawls)
Winged Watchman (By: Hilda Van Stockhum)
Johnny Tremain
Amos Fortune, Free Man
The Sign of the Beaver
The Fields of Home
Misty of Chincoteague
At The Back Of The North Wind
Captain's Courageous
Falcon's of France
The Reb and the Redcoats
The Children of the New Forest

Counting Down The Days: Back-To-School

Today is August 1st, and the beginning of our countdown to the end of our Summer vacation.

We will begin our new school year bright-and-early on August 13th.

I am busy preparing lesson plans, and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the final order of our school books. We are using a wide variety this year, mostly from the Ambleside curriculum. And of course we have added a few things that we will all do together. For planning, we are trying the CM Organizer from www.simplycharlottemason.com .

Our children have each said independently that they are "ready" for school to begin again. And I think they are ready for that "routine" that seems to come naturally with our "school year" as well, after a few rather chaotic monthes. They each seem to genuinely be looking forward to this year.

Cherub 1: Grade 8
Cherub 2: Grade 6
Cherub 3: Grade 5
Cherub 4: Grade 3
Cherub 5: Grade 2

... and even Cherub 6 (grade PreK) will be a "student" this year, but only for as much as he is ready to do. We are going to focus on his pre-reading skills, letters, basic math skills (numbers), and basic penmanship.

For the remaining summer vacation days, we have some projects to complete and some fun times planned.

Projects:
1.) Deep room cleaning (children's rooms) and toy organization.
2.) MAYBE paint the boys bedrooms (paint and supplies on hand - just need to find some time.)
3.) Chicken House and Pen clean out.
4.) Trip to "big city" library to renew our out-of-county membership.

Fun Times Yet To Come:
1.) Trip to the local lake to swim, maybe a few more times.
2.) Swim practice through this week, followed by the County Swim Meet on Saturday. (then Summer Swimming is finished.)
3.) Trip to Coolidge Park to ride the carousel and play in the fountains.
4.) Trip to the Art Museum (combined with Big-City library trip - free admission on Tuesday evenings !). We are hoping to take our sketchbooks for this trip !
5.) Nature Hike and Nature Study planned with some other homeschoolers - scheduled for mid-August.

And soccer sign-ups are this month, and so Fall Soccer will officially begin September 8th. We think only Cherub 5 and Cherub 6 (finally - he is so excited !) are playing this season. Plus our VIP soccer team, of course.

Then in mid-September we are planning a trip to the Aquarium with the passes Grandpa bought for our family last Christmas - THAT should be a lot of fun (and educational too !).

I will post a final list of "studies" for each child for this upcoming year - book (or resource) titles, or project details.

I am best off to get my day started ... lots to do, lots to do.

When The M's Came To Visit ...

The girl's had a Care Bear Party - of course !

And we played some board games.
We visited the Playground at the Park - the girls had a GRAND time on the Tire Swing.
And we stopped to feed the ducks. Their tummies were FULL when we left.
And Cherub 6 enjoyed walking the 2 littlest girls in their stroller.

Vacation Bible School

This week we have been attending Vacation Bible School. Cherub 1 and MomToCherubs are teaching the K4-K5 class, which has been a hoot !! Everyone has had a wonderful time. Our Cousins were here visiting so they attended as well and LOVED it.

Above are some photos from Bible School.

Photo 1: K4-K5 class - all smiles !

Photo 2: Mucis class - we learned new songs to sing and we even danced !

Photo 3: After learning about what God made that we CAN see (trees, flowers, people) and what we CANNOT see (air, love, faith, heaven), we blew bubbles - we called this our BUBBLE PARTY.

Homeschool Picnic

Last week we were invited to a Homeschool Picnic, hosted by some friends. We played and made some new friends, and we had a grand time. We even made Vanilla Icecream in Ziploc baggies - it was really yummy !!

This is a picture of our picnic lunch, although we had to have it inside because the rain came a bit earlier than anticipated.

Curriculum Fair

Today begins the big Curriculum Fair / Homeschool Fair. And I am armed with a list of what I need to purchase for this next school year, plus a few things from a Wish List too. Most years I do fairly well not to fall into the trap of "new and exciting" materials from the homeschool fair that are purchased and then barely used - let's hope I can withstand this year as well. I think many people have a tendency to impulse-shop at these things, which can get pretty pricey and rather frustrating. My helpful hint to new homeschools regarding the Curriculum Fairs - GO WITH A GOOD LIST AND A GOOD PEN TO CROSS OFF WHAT YOU FIND (that is ON your list).

Since we use a Literature based curriculum (www.amblesideonline.com ) for the most part, I am looking for more than a few actual "whole" books rather than textbooks. I think at last count our shopping list is around 50 books. Since we are still working on our home library (after the fire) we need more than "on an average year". I was amazed, however, when I was compiling my general lessons plans and my to-buy list just how many wonderful living books are already here in my home .... thanks to a wonderful friend who expended a tremendous amount of energy and time focused on our needs this past spring after our housefire. WOW - it is just amazing when I really step back and "take stock" of what is here. And we are so thankful - all of us !! We would be in such a mess without having had so much help and guidance during those first several weeks. We have so many great books that came from other homeschoolers, near and far, given to us (and in some cases they were lent to us) out of understanding of our difficult situation and out of genuine love and concern - thank you fellow homeschoolers and Ambleside Ladies ! It just brings tears to my eyes .... and I thank God every day for all of the wonderful people He has brought into our lives, both those we know personally and those we have never met. He has blessed us beyond measure, and we will praise His name to the mountaintops.

Back to the Fair .... I am heading out shortly armed with my list and a SHARPIE .... and hope to be back just after lunchtime with lots of books .... hopefully ALL of the books on my list so that I do not have to order them online. Either way, I will have books either here OR on their way (we will order whatever is left to buy this evening) ... and then I can finally complete my weekly lesson plans for each of our children (more on this later) .... then just sit and wait for school to begin.

The children are staying home today with a sweet young lady whom they all love dearly, and DadToCherubs will be sound asleep (he works nights) .... and so I will be going alone to brave the crowds and to hold up against that little (strong !) voice inside me that says BUY MOREEEEE BOOKS .... WHAT A NICE BOOK - BUY IT .... OHHH MORE NICE BOOKS TO BUY .... so I will have to arm myself with restraint and try to stick to my list.

Thank you Shadybrook Acres .... MamaLion, as I look at the library that is here before me at home, and to many things in our home that "arrived" during those tough weeks, and as I look back at all you and your family did for us during those weeks .... I can barely keep from getting tears in my eyes .... we are so blessed to have you in our lives !! And then I need to say thank you for helping me finalize my shopping list for today (from one book-junkie to another) .... and thank you C&ace for coming to hold down the fort which I am out today ....

I think the expression is usually "wish me luck" ... but instead, maybe you can pray for me today (and maybe for those who happen to stand between me and something I need on my list - HA !).

JULY 28th UPDATE: We ordered the rest of our books from Amazon on the evening after the curriculum fair, and now the things we ordered are arriving daily. YEAH !! We just love getting books in the mail ! We have also purchased all of the supplies we need for this year. Sooooo ... we are nearly ready to begin our school year ... just as soon as MomToCherubs finishes the lesson plans. We have a very exciting year planned with lots of neat materials. And we are SO looking forward to getting back to "normal life".

Science Comic

This weekend I have been working on Science lesson plans for our upcoming school year, which begins in August.

And I was looking around for additional resources, I stumbled across this comic and wanted to share. (from http://www.comics.com/comics/franknernest/archive/franknernest-20070714.html )

A Very Difficult Day

Our 6yo cat, Smudge, became ill on Wednesday evening, and by last evening she was getting worse. We called our vet yesterday afternoon, and he came out to see her early this morning.

Dr. M performed an emergency surgery in hopes of saving her - DadToCherubs and Cherub 1 helped, as did I. Things were thought to be going well after the surgery was completed and she was beginning to awake from the anesthesia. Dr. M left to see another patient and we were holding Smudge as she was "waking up". And then suddenly Smudge stopped breathing. DadToCherubs and I tried CPR (the breathing part only) for her which helped for maybe 5 minutes until Dr. M could return (he left less than 10 minutes before things started going really badly, so when we called he came right back). After some additional efforts on his part, Smudge gave up and was gone.

We had a small funeral, and shed more than a few tears. She was such a very sweet cat, loved by eveyone (humans, cats, and dogs alike) ... and will be dearly missed.

Our Latest Rescue Attempt

Photo: Our found Baby Barn Swallow; cell phone to show size.

Since moving into this house we have had birds living in the chimmney - Chimmney Swifts to be more specific. We can hear them chirping mostly in the evenings - they are QUITE loud. And we had decided to wait before calling someone to remove them - atleast until their babies had hatched and fledged. We are hoping to call SOON to get them mvoed, and then to cap the chimmney to prevent them from returning as there are plenty of other place around where they can nest safely.

Well, our plan worked well until Tuesday evening when we heard a THUMP and a CHEEEEEPPPPP in the chimmney, and saw at the bottom a flipping-flopping little fledgling Chimmney Swift .... since named Smokey.

First we tried leaving him there in hopes his parents would rescue him, but that did not happen. We had a bonafide rescue in progress. We placed him in a small crate with warm towels, covered it with screen, and put it in a draft free warm corner. Next we have been feeding him a tiny bit of "formula" at a time and so far he seems to be doing well.

And tomorrow we are going to take him outside and we are going to HOPE that he flies away to live a happy Birdie's life.

This has been quite a Science lesson - the care and feeding of a small bird, learning about Chimmney Swifts (which are quite interesting birds !) The children have been most attentive as they are fascinated with this little one. Please pray for the "launch" tomorrow.

July 16 UPDATE: The Launch did NOT go off as planned - only flapping and many "attempts" to fly, but no actual flying. So, another idea came about ... and Smokey was put back into the fireplace (sans fire, of course). His parents have been coming to feed him, however he still is not able to fly "up" the chimmney. We are really hoping he gets himself moving UP and OUT soon so that we can have the chimmney cleared of nests and capped to prevent future "invasions".