SEVEN

 

This boy.

He made me a Mommy.

He is so creative and funny and frustrating!

He is a great big brother.

Tomorrow he will be seven years old.

SEVEN.

I am so blessed to have him as my son.

I love you, Eli.

Happy Birthday.

2013-2014 Curriculum

Well, schools around here started up today, but I'm still working on figuring out our schedule and making lesson plans.  Plus, it's totally still summer, so we're not starting till after Labor Day.  But here's what we're looking at using this year.  And yes, this is mostly just a post for me to look at and help me keep track of it all!  :-)

Eli - 1st Grade (Age 7)

Language Arts:

Reading- Funnix Beginning Reading (continuing where we left off last year), BOB Books, various sight word activities, *read-alouds

Handwriting- Handwriting Without Tears "My Printing Book", Kumon "My Book of Mazes: Around the World"

Grammar- First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind: Level 1

Spelling- All About Spelling Level 1

Writing- Journals, etc.

Math:  Math-U-See Alpha (picking up where we left off), Kumon "My First Book of Money: Counting Coins" and possibly other money and time workbooks

Music: Kids Guitar Course 1 (We'll see!)

P.E.:  Taekwondo, tumbling, fall outdoor soccer, possibly swimming lessons, roller skating


Lena - Pre-K (Age 5)

Language Arts:

Reading- letter review workbooks (dollar store type), Funnix

Handwriting- Handwriting Without Tears "My First School Book" and/or "Letters and Numbers for Me"

Writing- Journals, etc.

Fine Motor Skills- Kumon "My First Book of Cutting", etc.

Math: Math-U-See Primer

P.E.: Dance, tumbling, possibly swimming lessons, roller skating


Together

Science: Unit studies designed around "The Magic School Bus" DVD series (Yay Pinterest and library books!)

Social Studies:  USA study using various resources, including Road Trip USA

Bible: Buck Denver Asks: What's In The Bible DVD series, etc.

Art: ???

*We will be attempting to read some chapter books aloud together this year.  Here are a few that I'm thinking about reading:

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Charlotte's Web
Stuart Little


We will also do music, art and P.E. at our bi-weekly co-op. 

WOW, that looks like A LOT!  Some things will get a lot more focus than others.  Obviously we won't be doing everything every day.  In fact, we're planning on doing a four day school week, Monday through Thursday.  We'll have co-op every other Friday, and the other Fridays will be free for whatever we want!  I am looking forward to finding our homeschool groove this year, and learning a lot!

Checking In!

Hey everybody!  I'm still here, still trucking away at getting things ready for school!  I have a few posts in the works, and I've been taking outfit photos galore!  Can't wait to be back!  But for now, go check out Why Blogging is the Perfect Hobby for Stay-At-Home Moms.  I am so honored that Kim asked me to contribute!  Her blog, Fairy Wings Make Good Soup, is one of my faves!

Summer Doesn't End

**Welcome, welcome to my new followers!  I am SO overjoyed to have you here!  You all are making me do a happy dance!**

It seems that around blogland and Facebook, there is a common topic being discussed these days.  The fact that summer will soon be coming to an end.  Already!  Mommies are sending their kiddos back to school, or off to school for the first time!  Teachers are preparing to go back to work.  But for our family, it doesn't have to end.  Sure, the weather will change, and our schedule will be adjusted, but we still get to be together.

As most of you know, I am a stay at home mom.  But you may not all know that I am also a homeschooling mom.  This year I will have a first grader, a pre-Ker, and my tiny tot.  I'm not sure how I'm going to balance everything yet.  I definitely want to keep blogging, as it is a wonderful creative outlet for me!  SO, it may be quiet around here for a few weeks, as I plan and prepare for the school year.  Please stick around!  I will be back!

Camp Counselor

Plaid top: Target (hand-me-down) / Tank: Old Navy / Shorts: Old Navy

I wore this outfit (plus flip flops!) to take my daughter to swimming lessons on a cool morning earlier this week.  That was a lot of fun...  halfway through she came to me shivering uncontrollably, with blue lips, ready to go home.  So we did.  I wouldn't have wanted to be swimming that day, either!

I'm not exactly sure why, but for some reason this outfit made me feel like a camp counselor.  Maybe it was the Bermuda shorts?  Do people still wear these??  I went through a phase a few years ago where I didn't like short shorts, so I have a few pair.  I thought about getting rid of them, but there have been a few times this summer where I haven't felt like short shorts would be appropriate, so I've chosen to wear these.  What do you think?  Bermudas?  Yes or No??