THOSE HOMESCHOOLING PEOPLE

Circumcision, the controversy

2012-01-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of buzz on the internet these days about the horror of circumcision.
I've been a mother for over 25 years. I have had three sons. I chose to circumcise my sons based on my biblical beliefs. I have been judged, attacked and basically been told I'm uneducated,by various factions of the anti-circumcision groups.
The topic itself doesn't offend me or compel me to voice my opinions, it is the overdramatization and untruths being imposed on an unsuspecting public.
A ridiculously nonfactual video has been circulating over the net. this video shows a doll, strapped to a huge gurney being taken to a sterile operating,room for the alleged torture session.
the video claims no anesthetic is used. every claim in this video is false.
My first son was born in 1982 in Boston. my second son was born in 1990 in Portland Maine. My third son was born in taunton Massachusetts in 2001. over the past 19 years the procedure has not changed at all.
my sons were circumcised immediately following a feeding and slept through it.
I held my sons in my arms all three times.(no giant gurney ,restraints or operating room)
topical anesthetic was used.
the area healed within several days.
prayers were recited before and after the procedure.

The issue here is really, hysteria verses fact, parental rights and religious freedom. oh I've heard every scientific theory for and against circumcision, however it didn't influence my decision. and my sons are not traumatized in the least by an event they slept through at 8 days old. I'm sure some psychologists will attest its traumatizing, however that is not based on any scientific fact either, as you really cannot interview an 8 day old infant and get his opinion.
the biggest issue in all this controversy is parental rights weather you're religious or not. we've got the for/against vaccine lobby, the spanking verses not spanking forum, and the home school vs public school argument. Either way, it really is a parent's right and responsibility to research these topics on their own and make a decision based on their own personal values, and to be free of societal pressure.
my only objection is these special interest groups that publicize outrageous lies to sway public opinion. there are lots of groups out there for and against just about everything under the sun.
my advice? do your own research, and make parenting decisions based on your own personal values.
and if the hospital in your area straps a tiny infant to a giant gurney for a 5 second procedure, perhaps choose a different hospital.

ALL ABOUT HERPS

2012-01-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

Abe adopted a turtle from the Mass Audubon way back in August

the donation helped build his habitat and buy food

after learning about turtle shells, we used a texture board and some tinfoil

to make this colorful turtle

an experiment to simulate diffusion

checking the development of his tadpole

using a meat tray & a pen with the cap on

some tempera paint & a roller

and a rolling pin for uniform pressure

Abe made a snake print

this is the life cycle of a frog

He added snakes & turtles to his Ocean board

2012-01-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

We wrapped up our unit study on WW1 today. We used history Scribe Carol Marsh and our Prentice Hall history book we got a yard sale for a dollar. I like inexpensive curriculum that is somewhat hands on. History Scribe allows kids to draw or glue in photos from the internet. my son can practice his writing (which he hates) I dont use a spelling curriculum so this gives me an opportunity to see where he needs help in that area. It also gives him a chance to apply what he has learned from his Rod & Staff english. Carol Marsh offers quick little units with puzzles and work sheets which Abe can add to his notebooks.

some sample pages from the notebook

a 2 liter soda bottle, duct tape, a paper respirator, a box cutter and a hole punch

turned into a home made emergency gas mask

Holiday traditions

2011-12-29T06:48:00.000-08:00

We have several Christmas traditions. Tree trimming, having fun at Edaville Railroad in Carver Massachusetts, cookie bake-a-thon, and a Christmas Birthday. As our children get older we relish these traditions even more, as it is no longer about presents, but love and time together. As our children grow up our family is growing too, welcoming new members to join us in our festivities.I do miss the days when they were little, when we had our children all to ourselves, but, I also welcome the new phase of our little family's life, new members, new ideas and more fun.

choosing the tree at a local farm

cutting it down

a hay ride

a tree trimming party

putting up the lights

decorating cookies

the annual christmas bake-a-thon

a trip to Edaville Railroad for the festival of lights

a visit from Santa

our christmas baby turned 21

The Art of The Brick Exhibit

2011-11-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

An absolutely amazing exhibit !

Veterans Day Lapbook

2011-11-10T12:35:00.000-08:00

God Bless our Armed Forces and their families. We Thank you for our Freedom!

We salute you!!!

We didn't forget The national Guard!!

God Bless the Border Patrol too

Couldn't forget the National Anthem or the Pledge

Some great vocabulary words Abe came up with!

Building Bat Boxes

2011-11-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

each child was given a bat box kit and some simple tools

Charles Ditata of Dartmouth MA was the instructor

Kids checking their inventory

busy...busy

almost done

only thing left to do is paint it black

great job!

a great turn out

afterwards some recess

and lunch

I've got people for that

2011-11-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Life has gotten crazy over the past year, besides homeschooling, we own two businesses and sometimes a third, depending on the amount of work available. My house is admittedly a disaster but, I'm working on it.
Several things I've been doing to free up time and save money is to shop on line. Sure we all shop on line for curriculum or Christmas presents but it never occurred to me to go grocery shopping on line. Well last month it occurred to me so I gave it a shot.
I order bulk freeze dried foods and grains and basic baking supplies in bulk through Thrive. I recently started using Stop & Shop's Pea pod service. Sure there is a delivery charge, it's $6.98 per order. Gas here is $3.39 per gallon, so for 2 gallons of gas I'm not going out, I'm getting my groceries delivered right to my door.
Pea Pod is super, you can use your rewards card, coupons, and track your spending with their on line tools. You can also add items to your list throughout the week and save it, until you send your entire order when your finished. I figure I save at least $100.00 per month on the impulse shopping I'm not partaking in, or the on the go snack or meal I'm not buying while we're out, and the co-pay for the doctor, for the flu we caught at the grocery store.Our tiny town does not have a grocery store, we have to travel, it takes all day, we hate it. The food is great and comparable to other groceries in our area, which are limited. See if a major chain near you offers this service, and spend more time on other things, get yourself some people for that.

http://www.stop&shop.com/
http://fortifyyourfodder.shelfreliance.com/

Geography & Social Studies

2011-10-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

Social Studies & Geography are a favorite around here. We spend a whole day each week learning about our great country, and far off exotic lands, we wish we could visit. History, Bible, Science & Math sneak into every lesson. Some resources we use are http://www.paperbackswap.com/ and http://www.enchantedlearning.com/ as well as resources from the BSA, state websites, tourism websites, mapquest, google maps and http://www.rod&staff.com/ . We use the following for trading post cards. postcardkids/yahoogroups for national swaps, and http://www.postcrossing.com/ for international swaps.

We have an organized center

Continent Mobile & Moon Phases

an inexpensive desk organizer keeps books and accessories neat

A globe and maps are essential

notebook cover

social studies notebook

We love Rod & Staff

we organized the notebook by continents & US States

sample pages

Swimming Creatures of the 5th day Thar She Blows!

2011-10-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

new facts entered into Abe's notebook

whale facts

photos we got from the internet & a photo of the Beluga whale we saw at the Mystic Aquarium

we learned about the whaling industry

does salt water freeze?

well it sorta did

learned about echolocation with paper cups & string

Abe added a whale to his ocean wall board

Apologia Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day

2011-09-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

The Lesson instructed us to make an ocean box, we do not have room for a large box so, we made an Ocean wall. Abe labeled the ocean layers

Abe put as photo of himself swimming on the Continental Shelf

Showing off his Ocean in a bottle

He learned about ocean currents & tides

Our swimming creatures; a tadpole, it grew legs over the weekend. @ ghost shrimp that are quickly eating the pond plants in their biosphere

Remembering September 11th 2001

2011-09-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

My youngest child was only 8 months old on this fateful day 10 years ago. He had so many questions and is 10 now, I decided it was time to teach this lesson.

We started with a lapbook from Hands of a Child

we talked a lot

we got a little emotional

we talked about heroes vs villians

and we discussed loss

And We Remember

a page from Abe's postcard geography notebook, this card was made before 911

we ended with a mixed media art project

And We Remember

2011-08-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

No power, cable, internet, or water

The pond was warm and inviting

Horsing around

Beautiful bike trails

The kids entertained themselves

A big pot luck dinner on Saturday night

There was too much food which is never a bad thing

It was a full moon & we saw some meteors

of course S'mores

We stayed up real late singing songs, acting out skits and telling spooky ghost stories

I think he had a great time

Unschoolers Rock the Campground at Pinewood Lodge

2011-07-18T16:46:00.000-07:00


Beautiful sites under tall pines

A wonderful Pond

A very cool lodge with Ice cream & video games

Interesting little nooks & crannies

Lots of swimming

And boating

All the kids loved the raft

More boating

Tactical Planning

Susan from NH painted faces

And arms

Lets lock & load

More swimming

This weekend we gathered with Unschoolers & Homeschoolers and regular Gotoschoolers for a fun filled weekend of fellowship & fun. Pinewood Lodge in Plymouth MA is a beautiful campground , we had a great a time...I think we may have converted a lot of families, there sure was a lot of curiosity about us.

The Mystic KOA Campground in Stonington CT

2011-07-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

We had a large corner lot with full hook-up

A super playground and they were building another

free wifi & cable TV

Even Dad relaxed

plenty of bike riding space

The jumping pillow was the coolest thing ever!

2 pools , this one had a shallow & deep end

the shallow pool was 3'6" deep & warm

the jumping pillow is huge!

don"t have a tent or camper? try a cabin with everything!

Local attractions include the Mystic Aquarium with hands on activities

and a walk in bird exhibit

Beluga Whales are the main attraction

we recommend Costello's clam shack in Noank

step back in time at the Olde Mystic Seaport

you can explore real ships & learn all about colonial maritime life

We had a great weekend in Mystic Ct. The KOA campground is fabulous! Not included in the photos is a mini golf course and go carts. There were scheduled activities all weekend long. On Friday night, in the pouring rain, there was an outdoor movie in the pavilion & I went to bingo in the rec hall. on Saturday there was an ice cream social & a DJ for the dance. and on Sunday morning after a pancake breakfast, a Church service was held. The staff was exceptional & the campground and restrooms were sparkling clean. There was so much to do in the area we could not take it all in. If you are ever in the Mystic area, we highly recommend the KOA in Stonington CT.

the solar hot dog cooker

2011-07-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

Cut the Pringles can 7" l by 3"w , fold back flaps, cover inside and flaps with tin foil, add a window, we used report covers, poke a hole in each end, push your skewer through

hot dogs cooking on the beach in the sun

Turn them to keep them in direct sunlight

Steam your buns, in the bag ,in the sun too

Then eat it!!!!

keep that project a little bit longer

2011-06-19T05:47:00.000-07:00

It"s really hard to just throw out that project ,that a child worked so hard on, but large projects are cluttersome to store .We came up with this idea to preserve Abe's Zoo School project just a littel bit longer.

First, we took the pictures and information off the board

we cut off one side of the board made 2 covers & punched 3 holes in the sides & added 3 rings

Abe reglued the pictures onto the inside covers of the new book

now it is all together an easily stored

inside of front cover

materials from the notebooking project are all there

his final report and cover too

the inside of the back cover

Zoo School Final Project & Zoo Guide for A Day

2011-06-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Abe's Red Wolf presentation

Today was the last day of Zoo School, the kids did a fabulous job on their final projects, and all enjoyed being a zoo guide for their friends & family.

members of the zoo's education dept asked the kids questions about the animals and their project research

commending Abe for a job well done

This project on the Chinese Alligator was eye catching

lots to learn about Zebras

This one was like a giant lapbook and has animation!

pull the stick and the blue tooth snake's tongue comes out

3D animation

bold and symetrical full of information

love the black background wish we had thought of it

so creative!

lots of family & friends and zoo staff visited

All the kids got this neat certificate

Abe enjoyed showing his Dad all the zoo exhibits the best

we found some new stuff we had not seen before

A little Inspiration and a fine argument for the opposition

2011-05-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

Today's post is a list of famous homeschoolers & homeschooling families. There are far too many to mention them all, but here is a condensed list .Its important to remember, prior to the public school , a child's education was the sole responsibility of his or her parents. Children also entered University in their teens, usually around the age of 13 or 14. Those who didn't attend University, became apprentices in a trade, sometimes as early as aged 8.

Here we go!
Inventors

Alexander Grahm Bell
Thomas Edison
Ben Franklin
Elias Howe
William Lear
Eli Whitney
The Wright Brothers

Artists/authors/composers
Irving Berlin
Mozart
Hans Christian Anderson
William F Buckley
Agatha Christie
Mark Twain
Charles Dickens
Robert frost
Alex Haley
C.S. Lewis
Beatrix Potter
George Bernard Shaw
Walt Whitman
Laura Ingalls Wilder (more often than not was homeschooled)
Lois Armstrong
Charlie Chaplin
Whoopi Goldberg
Hanson
Jennifer Love Hewitt
The Jackson 5
LeAnne Rimes
Jonas Brothers
Other
Joan Of Arc
Abigail Adams
Susan B Anthony
John James Audubon
Clara Barton
Davy Crockett
Sam Houston
Mary leaky
Florence Nightingale
Thomas Paine
Will Rogers
Martha Washington
Frank Lloyd Wright

Families you might recognize that homeschool today
Chuck Norris
Ted Nugent
Glenn Beck
Will Smith
John Travolta
Lisa Whelchel
Darrell Waltrip

Phew, There are so many more. So the next time someone says you're not qualified to educate your own children, or that they will not amount to anything, Give them this list!

Zoo School at Roger Williams park Zoo

2011-05-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

The last Zoo class was this week. Next month the children will be presenting their final projects to freinds, family and the education department at the zoo. The weather was warm and sunny. Today's topic was wetlands. We all had a great time!

We met a Tiger Salamander

A Barn Owl

Miss Andrea explained the different kinds of wetlands

Abe had many questions

New to the zoo is the Tree Shrew

along the wetlands trail we saw turtles sunning

a really funky tree

wearable nature

Mrs Goose keeping her eggs warm

what is more exciting than a scat display?

Abe is doing his final project on the Red Wolf

post card geography

2011-05-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

We are really enjoying this new Journey ,post card geography. A great resource we have been using is
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/ Abe also has completed his geography & Map and Compass cubscout belt loops & pins.

The front cover "From Sea To Shining Sea"

Coloring the states he completes

Connecticut

Arizona

Florida

Make Your Own Bug Repellent Candles

2011-05-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

I recently saw bug repellent candles at a major retail chain for almost $8.00 each! I make my own for pennies and they are all natural. Here is how I do it.

melt you wax in a pot placed inside another pot of boiling water

while your wax is melting, prepare your containers. I use tuna cans for camping & picnics

if you use clay plant pots, make sure you plug the hole in the bottom, I use duct tape

let your wax cool considerably before you add scent

here I am adding 30 drops of Young Living's Purification ,a blend of citronella, lemon grass, rosemary,myrtle & tea tree

use any stick to keep your wicks straight

the finished product

You can learn more about & order Purification at my website
http://www.youngliving.org/andreaburrill

What's Blooming?

2011-05-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

Spring on the Southeast Coast has been a lot less rainy than the last few years

soon we'll be eating strawberries

maybe cranberries next fall

a cool rainy day followed by warm sun & the potatoes popped up

shallots taking off

onion & peas

pink bud

blueberries taking nicely

apple blossoms

violets

baby's breath

lily of the valley

Working hard on the homestead

2011-05-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

We're working on our future orchard. We planted apple trees .

We have strawberries & blackberries, this year we added blueberries

romaine lettuce soaking up the sun

shallots & cabbage

basils & lavender

marjoram, oregano & catnip

branches & jute for a pea trellis

We've been busy, we've had a lot of rainy days, so on the sunny days, it's necessary to get a lot of work done. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, we make lists & just plug along . Nothing is ever really done anyway.

Today's Nature Excursion

2011-04-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

I bet it was 80 degrees today!

We decided to get out for Arbor day and hang out with the trees.

King of the mountain

Fiddle Heads

Barb Toothed Violet?

Off the beaten path we found the remains of an old homestead

we found 3 headstones but, couldn't make out the names

Abe had to take off his shoes and get his feet wet

Flowers in the swamp

going home

Salt Dough Civil War Project

2011-04-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

We have been studying the Civil War. Abe made a salt dough map of The Battle at Gettysburg.

First you need a box

Abe used water colors to paint the background scenary

We attached them to the box, giving it a 3D appearance

here he is adding the dough to the box

Add caption

add your embelishments before the dough dries. The toothpicks will hold labels

after the dough dries, paint it

use a clear coat spray when the paint dries

Abe added civil war army guys & labeled important features of the battle

The finished product

This was a lot of fun.

2011-04-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

Since it is April vacation we are taking a break from our textbooks & usual studies to enjoy the Spring weather. Today we made bird treats and filled our feeders, to welcome the birds back. We watch the birds all year long. Living in the forest, we see many. Some we have only heard like, the owls in our back woods.

Mix Peanut Butter & Shortening

We used a rubber spatula to smear the mixture on the pine cones

Then rolled them in bird seed

hang them where you can see them

We've been certified since 2004

A suet mix that didn't set up and some fruit past it's time

An inexpensive tube feeder

A home made suet log

Fun, Frugal, Postcard Geography

2011-04-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

We found this printable map on the internet

any geography book will do, we found this one at http://www.paperbackswap.com/

The first page of Abe's Post Card scrapbook

An interesting fact Abe found

I first learned about postcard geography while reading the magazine "Countryside" I've also seen the idea on several blogs. Aunt Kitty sent us a post card from Connecticut to get us started.Our goal is to learn about all 50 states. Its not a subject you study every day or week. You wait until you receive a postcard and then learn about that particular state, when it arrives. A free curriculum is right up our frugal alley. We used the Connecticut government sight to learn about its history , state symbols & interesting facts.If you would like to exchange postcards with us, contact us!

Dighton Rock State Park, a hidden jewel

2011-04-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

Through our back yard and into the forest, our path leads to Dighton Rock State Park. We love living here, rich in history (King Philips War was fought here) and abundent nature we can always find something to do. Today we met friends and had a great time. The weather was warm and sunny it was great to get out.

stopping to rest at the sitting place

The Taunton River

The Ranger Station

Homeschoolers meeting on a Sunday

Our Town's Little Museum

Replicas of Portuguese Ships That may have visited

The main attraction "The Rock" this rock has been a hot topic since it was found, who carved those inscriptions? American Indians, Portuguese Sailors or maybe the Vikings?

A beautiful stone mural made by a local artist

A map of the park also shows our property

Today the local archeology society hosted a viewing of private collections found by local treasure hunters

Mulching to prevent weeds

2011-04-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

nobody likes weeds, mulch helps ease your workload and hold in moisture to conserve water

ready to plant

free paper grocery bags from the store. wet them down

use your trowel to poke holes for your seedlings

plant your seedlings

lettuce

paper shred from your home office makes excellent mulch

romaine lettuce

cover with straw

Hands on learning -forever skills

2011-04-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

If you live in the Berkley Mass area, visit Ashley, a graduated homeschooler & new Mom who is offering full horsemanship lessons at her farm. Shepherd's Way Farm 50 Jerome St, Berkley Ma 02779

Learning how to groom Dakota

After learning the importance of a helmet, Ashley showed Abe how to put the bridle on

mounting

The very first horse ride!!

An impressive dismount!!! We were all impressed, the boy's a natural

Outdoor Hour Challenge/Year Long Tree Study

2011-04-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

It was very cold & wet the day we did began our year long tree study, following the Handbook of Nature Study ,Out Door Hour Challenge

We chose the Black Walnut Tree
It measured 89" around, it was too tall for us to measure the height

We discovered a squirrel had made a home way up top

Woodpeckers had found a tasty meal

Lichen and air pollution

Large buds

In Dad's wood pile we found some Black Walnut he had cut up and studied the inside

A sketch of the Black Walnut Tree in The Nature Journal

The garden

2011-04-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

We spent about 4 hours in the garden today. It was great to be in the sunshine

We planted wild flowers in the Insectary to bring in the bees

large compost bins hold leaves , cornstalks & small twigs

the asparagus & garlic patches

I moved this Blackberry cutting from the large patch last fall, the red stalks & buds indicate success

red worms indicate healthy soil

Catnip growing very well

found this wierd thing in the dirt. it feels like plastic & is light in weight

Oregano growing like crazy

The Spring Garden

2011-03-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

It was 50 degrees in Southeast Massachusetts today!

when thinning plants snip, do not pull

we planted 3 beds of onions, mache, lettuce & peas

French Tarragon

Oregano

Marjoram

top setting Egyptian Onions

Rue is one of the few tender herbs in our Apothacary that survived the harsh winter

Catnip

All You Need To Plant A Garden Is A Dream

2011-03-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

You'll need to keep some records

With the economy the way it is , food prices skyrocketing & quality dimishing, everyone is talking gardens this spring. No matter how much or how little land you have, supplement your income & improve your health with a garden!
No yard? google urban gardening for ideas on how to grow your own food with little or no yard space. Follow us as we achieve victory over this recession. We grow a large garden every year, along with strawberries, black berries and many herbs. As the season progresses, we'll share our tips, successes & failures, our battle with the weather and the bugs. we'll also share "art in the garden" processing & preserving tips. so come along and pledge to weigh your food, compare it to your local produce costs and calculate how much food you've produce in how much or how little space & how much money your family saved. happy planting everyone!!

Make a list of plants you'd like to eat

Draw a map of your garden spot, make sure it gets at least 6 hours of sunlight

Here is a nice square foot garden plot plan

You do not need a lot of money, you can start plants in trash

here we used yogurt cups from the recycling bin at the dump baby tomato plants are thriving

These are card collector sheets, hung up with suction cups, perfect for starting herbs

cabbage

My husband made these plexiglass shelves for our bay window

here is a moss garden terrarium

water is very important to your garden, too little or too much can effect production, we made this simple rain gauge from a pickle jar, place it in your garden on a level surface. a garden needs only about 1 inch of water per week. only water when necessary

Helping the reluctant writer

2011-03-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

we started with an empty box

covering the box with modgepodge

adding photos of postage stamps we found on the internet

The finished Letter Writing Kit

we used a cereal box & scrap paper to make an address book

I had Abe fill the box with items he thought he would need to write letters

sample of how to properly address an envelope

how towrite a letter

he is writing without complaining!!!

My son does not like to write, in fact he'd rather do anything else. His good buddy moved out of state, and being an opportunist homeschooling Mom, I took advantage of it. I suggested the boys become pen-pals to stay in touch. He still wasn't very enthusiastic about writing a letter. I had to make it fun. I had Abe make a "Letter Writing Kit" . It kept him busy and he almost did not notice we were doing a writing assignment.

Field Trip to Matfield Maple Farm

2011-03-08T13:54:00.000-08:00

Today our homeschooling group visited the Matfield Maple Farm to learn how maple syrup is collected & processed. It was a beautiful spring day , old friends connected and new friends were made.

the farm is located in West Bridgewater Massachusetts

llamas spit at us

Into the woods we go

The children sampled pure spring water from an artisian well

wooden footpaths helped us stay out of the mud

Some folks wanted to get into the mud

vacuume lines run from the taps

a big holding tank , see the sap?

onion grass, the first sign of spring!

Rich explains the evaporation process

After the tour, socialization

It was wonderful to get outside after a long , snowy, cold winter.

Apologia Anatomy & Phisiology lesson # 5

2011-03-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

here he tested the starch content of fruits and vegetables

here he tested the fat content of some favorite snacks, learning about good fats & bad fats

here he tested how vitamin C prevents oxidation

in the final experiment we tested the vitamin C content of fruit and vegetable juice

Moving along slowly attempting to catch up after a bout of "Family Flu" this winter which seemed as if it would never go away. Today we tackled nutrition in lesson #5 of Apologia science. Abe also earned his cubscout Nutrition loop & pin while doing this lesson. here are the results of his experiments.

The Art Gallery

2011-02-28T06:47:00.000-08:00

I love all of my children's creations. Art is an important part of our lives. We enjoy creating and looking at the artwork of others. I have some of my children's best pieces tucked away in home made portfolios. I wanted to see them every day, not stick them in a closet. Our friend is a woodworker. An artist himself, his medium is wood. We asked him to build us this shelf. We finished it ourselves, and installed it. It cost less than $100.00 to finish off our kitchen wall & use the dead space for a wonderful purpose. Our very own Art gallery!

Boys & Toy Guns

2011-02-21T06:08:00.000-08:00

My son is 10 years old. He dreams of joining the Army one day. He has a plan. Make Eagle Scout, go to West Point , join the Army. He is not violent, he wants to protect & serve the country he loves. My son plays with toy guns. Nerf Guns, pellet guns, bows & arrows, sling shots, squirt guns etc. I cannot tell you how many times I have been rudely accosted by panic stricken parents, who feel the need to lecture me on the dangers of guns. We live in the country, not a violent drug infested city. My son has respect for our local police because, they respect the rights of the citizens of our community. My son admires our all volunteer fire department. He knows nearly every man in town hunts, he respects that. My son doesnt play "I'm robbing a convenience store". he plays Army, sometimes Swat team, other times Navy Seals. Our back field has seen every war reencacted, even our pool has become a naval battleground. The tree fort is a tree top vantage point, I call my son for lunch over a walkie talkie.( he learned the greek Alphabet talking in code) Alpha Beta Epsilon this is Mu Omega Mu, please report to the mess hall for grub........

These parents who accost me with their opinions don't know my son, he would never play pirates, wouldn't think of emulating murdering, raping, thieving, slave trading thugs. In fact, he would play Marines to the rescue! Did everyone miss Anikan attempting to kill his pregnant wife? Is it less violent to hack off your enemies arm with a light saber? Oh I get it, violent battles are okay if you're battling aliens..right?My oldest son played Army, he turned out to be a musician. My son emulates heroes, he loves the Lord, he is kind & a good friend to all he meets.He cannot pass by an American flag without saluting.His favorite subjects are history , especially American History & the Bible. he thinks our Constitution is awesome, fair and worth protecting. I do not know if his life plan will manifest. Deep down in my heart despite my fears, I believe it will. He's that kind of kid. If he were attending public school, I'm sure he'd be in trouble, I'm sure I would be pressured or perhaps, even forced to get him therapy for his disturbing behavior. Thank God we homeschool, he can be a little boy, a ten year old boy who likes to play Army, climb trees, and throw rocks. Thank God he can be raised to be a man of God with conviction, instead of constantly worrying if he'll get in trouble for simply being.....a ten year old boy.

Story Cubes

2011-01-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

Abe received a box of Story Cubes for Christmas. We enjoy playing the game. It's very simple and lots of fun.

Each player takes a turn rolling the cubes & adding to the story.

Abe then made a book, illustrating the story.

This lesson included, punctuation, capitalization, quotation marks, run on sentences, spelling and so on. Pulling together our lessons from Rod & Staff English.

Story cubes can be purchased at Toys R Us.

The end of a year and the beginning of a new one.

2011-01-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

We made it through the holidays with some unexpected medical issues with our daughter, we managed to enjoy ourselves and be grateful & faithful despite it all. So here is our New Year's Eve post.

We made a family time capsule out of a coffee can & scrapbook supplies.

We included a family photo

controversial figures of the year

hot items, entertainment news, top song, movie & best sellers.

weather/disaster events from 2010

we folded up our collages & put them in the can.

The ground is frozen so, we hid it in our stone wall.

The origins of the New Year celebration are interesting to say the least. The first celebrations of the New Year began in Babylon 4000 B.C.It was known as the Akitu festival. Julius Ceasar declared January one as the offical date of the New Holiday in 46 B.C. Father Time was the god Cronos, who was a cannibal & feasted on babies. New year's Eve is celebrated all over the world and has grown to a simple feast to fireworks, parades, and all sorts of festivities. If you're older you may remember Guy Lombardo singing Olde Lang Syne amongst a barrage of bubbles. We spend the holiday simply, snacking, spending time together and whooping it up as the ball drops in Times Square on TV. We'd like to wish you all a Blessed & Happy New Year!

Making a Ginger Bread House

2010-12-13T11:26:00.000-08:00

This is the easiest way to fill a frosting bag, fold the top over a canning jar and fill.

Abe had to make a free standing sculpture for his Webelos Art Pin. So being the Christmas Season, we decided on a Ginger Bread House. Abe had a lot of fun creating this despite some construction issues in the beginning. He is very proud of his creation, but was a bit disappointed when I told him we cannot smash it until New Year's Eve.

Cinnamon Ornaments

2010-12-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

We made cinnamon ornaments today.... they smell fabulous & look nice too. They can scent an artificial tree or can be used to adorn gifts too.

1 Cup applesauce
1 Cup ground cinnamon
1 TBS white glue
5 drops Young Living clove essential oil
10 drops Young Living cinnamon bark essential oil

Mix all ingredients until a soft dough forms. I used a standing mixer with a dough hook.
chill for 30 minutes. roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Use a drinking straw to make holes near the top of the cut-out.

place cut-outs on parchment paper . Dry in a food dehydrator for about 1 hour at highest temperature.
dry for about 30 minutes in a regular oven at lowest heat setting. Once dried & cooled, use ribbon, yarn or other material to hang your ornaments.

Scouts, Notebooking & Homeschooling A winning combination

2010-12-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

When my son crossed over to Webelos, he became very overwhelmed . He enjoys scouting but, keeping track of all his work was difficult. Only one solution came to our minds. Notebook it! Well, this caught on in our pack & now you'll often see the cubs with their notebooks, comparing their projects & achievements. www.theboyscouttrail.org has all the requirements for badges, pins & belt loops in downloadable PDF files.

as well as other cool tools for moving up in the ranks of Boyscouts.

Mystery of History The Dead Sea Scrolls

2010-11-23T08:07:00.000-08:00

We did the crystal growing experiment . I altered the scroll project a bit. I scanned a page from my book about the Dead Sea Scrolls, I cut water color paper to fit the printer and printed the page onto it. Abe painted it with browns, yellows & blacks. Once it dried, he tore out some pieces & painted the torn areas to give it an aged look. He placed it in a page protector in his notebook.

The Wizbang Outerwear Organizer

2010-11-18T13:23:00.000-08:00

The term wizbang can be applied to any gadget , project ,or solution, that is created from items found around the homestead or found for free. Our problem was the coats, shoes, totebags , hats & mittens etc. We have plenty of milk crates lying around , left over from when we raised pigs for meat . So I used them to solve my problem. Here are the photos and the end result. Not fancy by far however, similar systems are sold in stores for 100 bucks. I used 9 milk crates & 3 cans of krylon spray paint for plastic and some zipties. I found this rug on freecycle to keep the mud off the kitchen floor. The last photo is the before picture. The total cost of my project was $15.75.

The Math Notebook

2010-11-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

I used the notebook method in college. Abe loves this method as he stays organized & can see his own progress. ( or lately..lack thereof) Another benefit to keeping subject notebooks is that, you have dated work samples (in case the "Man" er uh I mean the school board) requests them, in my state they can legally do that. Its also a great place to keep charts & lists all in one place for quizzes & tests. Math is memorization, you cannot memorize , if it isn"t in front of you. This year's Math Notebook is on its way but, it's slow going, as Abe is resistant this year to the whole idea of math. All you need for a math notebook is a binder, sheet protectors, some paper & a glue stick.

The Story of Massada Mystery of History

2010-11-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

Today we read the story of Massada in our Mystery of History text. We discussed self reliance, commitment to our faith & the resilience of our adversaries. Abe was a bit disturbed by the story as they committed mass suicide, he felt the children involved were not given the right to choose their own fate. I agreed. All in all a tragic story of the Romans refusal to allow the Jews at Massada to live in peace & the Jews oppression left them helpless with few choices. We discussed why our Constitution allows us to practice our religion peacefully & how blessed we really are. I took the opportunity to teach Abe how we can survive on very little, so long as we are prepared & maintain our Faith. We made 72 hour kits from ingredients readily available in our local grocery. I Incorporated a math lesson as well. Planning a daily menu with enough calories to survive for 3 days. (addition & subtraction) as well as liquid measures to calculate how much liquids we would need to cook , drink & wash up. We put these kits behind the seat in our truck , just in case we are caught off guard when we are away from the well stocked fortress of our own.
we used the following resources.
www.foodstoragemadeeasy.com & www.backwoodshome.com

Mystery of History Notebooking etc.....

2010-11-09T16:07:00.000-08:00

Notebooking is a great way to keep track of lessons & my son loves the hands on aspect of it.

spiral bound index cards help keep a record of key information as we go along.

Maps help give a visual of times past.

easy simple crafts add fun activitites to offset monotany

a time line helps keep people and events in order (Its fun)

some links to the resources we used find history scribe notebooking pages (cheap) at http://www.currclick.com/
http://www.calvarywilliamsport.com/ (bible coloring pages) http://www.homeschoolshare.com/

Apologia exploring creation with Anatomy & Phisiology

2010-11-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Bible based copywork

free lab sheets from homeschoolnotebooking.com

how the skull & fluid protect your brain

One thing I really like about this curriculum is that everyday items found around the home are all you need for the labs.

Its Election Day!

2010-11-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

We don't use lapbooks very often, however the topic of elections is complicated so for young children a lapbook can cover & review a lot of information in a short amount of time. This lapbook is free at Homeschoolshare.

Why we love page protectors

2010-10-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

Abe practices his cursive writing

he also uses them for math

the question was ...write one Kilometer and 600 meters as meters

just wipe them off when you're done!!!

Get that text book up off the table! New use for the cookbook stand

2010-10-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

Abe was complaining of a neck ache & headache, so I got the text book up off the table , shut off the fake lights & used natural light instead. No complaints so far !

Today's art project

2010-10-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

This idea came from "That Artist Woman" it was featured in Family Fun Magazine

We did not have fleece on hand so we cut up strips of felt

Abe found the yarn wrapping tedious so he chose to wrap his trunk with brown felt

Apologia Exploring Creation with Anatomy & Phisiology

2010-10-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

This is a simple experiment to learn about how the Egyptians mummified people.

Abe's drawing of a cell.

A cell made of Jello

This was fun!!! Let's Eat!!!

We just finished up Lesson #1 of our science book. We are behind due to catching the Flu. Abe is really enjoying this book & is really excited about Lesson #2 coming next week. Bones!

This is really cool!

2010-10-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Just came across this fabulous product for carrying your lunch!

check out http://www.laptoplunches.com/
to order and receive 10% off your total purchase price use the coupon code..... homeschool

you'll find fabulous affordable bring it from home lunch products, menus & there is even a blog.

save money, save time, and get your family excited about bringing it from home!!

Took this pix at the Historical Society open house.

2010-09-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

I was thinking it might make a wonderful needlepoint.

Back to School

2010-09-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

We've returned to full time learning after a long rest for summer. Our curriculum this year is new & interesting,
Apologia Exploring Anatomy & Phisiology
Mystery of History Vol 2
Singapore Math
Civil War unit study using History Scribe
Bible
Zoo School at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island
Free choice reading
Park Days
Rod & Staff English
Latin's Not so Tough

Anything else that provides an opportunity for learning

learning about presidents

2010-05-26T14:49:00.001-07:00

lapbooks

2010-05-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

2010-05-26T14:46:00.001-07:00

roman numerals & a lunch bag

2010-05-26T14:44:00.001-07:00

what have we been up to?

2010-05-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

We've been up to so much we havent had time to blog. i posted some folders of file folder games,
lapbooks etc.

busy busy busy

2010-03-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

we have been very busy, spring is here, stay tuned for updates to our blog

Big Changes

2010-02-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

We are changing things around in our homeschool, stay tuned for photos & links, tips & resources.

a wonderful day!

2009-11-18T18:31:00.000-08:00

We began our day with our unit study on France. We learned the days of the week, months, and seasons. Abe made himself a birthday cake ( even though it isn't his birthday) with his birth month, day and year in french. He made a calendar for Decembre with the holidays in french .This unit study is for our upcoming geography fair in the spring, this way, as it nears, he can just put all of his work on his poster board and boom he's ready!Today was a wonderful day, the sun came out and, we met our neighbors at the local playground. It was a half day for the public school kids so ,a whole bunch of kids showed up!There was whole bunch of boys which really made Abe's day. They played hard for over 3 hours. It was good for me because , I was able to chat it up with Moms of all ages and get my own socialization time. Phew, I'm beat.
I'll post more on our unit study on france, we are using the notebooking method for this study, as we need it organized and available for later use for the geography fair. God Bless You!

Coming soon!!! Inexpensive Holiday Gifts & Making paper!!!

2009-11-16T19:20:00.001-08:00

2009-11-16T19:17:00.003-08:00

2009-11-16T19:16:00.001-08:00

2009-11-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

2009-11-16T19:13:00.001-08:00

the long awaited volcano eruption!

2009-11-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

tonight was the big night. Abraham erupted his volcano. It was great fun and the whole family thought it was a BLAST!!!

weekend business

2009-11-15T20:59:00.000-08:00

Daddy was home all weekend so Mommy got some things done. I caught up on some sleep, started my new journal ( just for me time) and cleaned that kitchen, and cleaned it up good! I made a few pumpkin pies, did some errands and took a nap. My time management plan is to break down my household chores, onto a 5 day schedule , leaving the weekends free for more family time. This is going to be hard and it will be even harder to say NO when i see something needing done, but hey, I should have the weekend off too right?
I'm going to start planning my menu a week ahead, and eventually planning it out a month ahead.
This week, we will only have actual class time 3 days, as we have one day of swim & gym, and on Friday we are taking our turkeys to the butcher so they'll be ready for the holidays. Then of course the next week is the rev up for Thanksgiving which we're going to finish up our fall lapbook, with Thanksgiving stuff. Not sure if our daughter will be here for dinner or not, she has to juggle her inlaws as well. Hopefully they'll be able to spend some time here with us. Abraham really misses his Sissy and, is getting agitated with all this talk of James leaving for college in the fall. He is so much younger then they are, and no matter how much we tell him, he'll have mommy & daddy all to himself he does not like the sound of that. Nope, not at all!
This week we'll be continuing our unit study/geography fair project on France which is chugging along quite nicely. I'm getting ready for Abraham and I to learn the piano together around Christmas time. Hopefully we'll be able to plunk out a few carols, and maybe if we're lucky convince James to accompany us on his guitar. That would be fun to do on Christmas. well it's very late, so happy blogging everyone and God Bless you!

Organization

2009-11-12T18:19:00.000-08:00

I am not known for my organization however, lately i have been searching blogs and websites for ideas. I have my older son's college stuff in a nice folder. We arrived at his appointment with admissions looking quite impressive. ( if the she only knew lol) . Today we were not feeling well so we stayed home and took the day off from school & activities. Abe practiced his computer skills while I finally, put all of my printed recipes into a binder, organized and color coded. I plan on going through my cookbooks and scanning the favorites , printing them up and putting into my own personal binders. Then i will donate the cookbooks to my daughter and her friends. I plan on downsizing and combining things that are useful and purging those things that are merely taking up space. I'm hoping my home will more organized, cleaner and more peaceful to be in. I am slowly doing over my spare room ( where i now sit in a huge mess) to accomodate my crafting, office and library. Its slow going but , it is going along. I'm hoping that this plan of mine will leave more time for my hobbies, business , thus making more time for my family. That is my goal. The next room i plan on tackling after this room is my bathroom. I intend to go room to room, making changes that will make my home more pleasing to the eye as well as more functional. Lots of changes going on in my life and I am trying to trust in the Lord and go with the flow of HIS WILL. He has seen fit to protect us somewhat from this economic mess in America by providing my husband with work, and me with the inspiration to keep our home and eat very well, by being frugal and grateful, and continuing to tithe . Times are tough, if we have to we'll begin to shut off or do away with luxuries . All we really need is a home, food and electricity.
I processed most of our pumpkins & butternut squashes, I have a few pumpkins left which i'll do over the weekend when , hopefully i will be feeling better. Well, thats all for now. God bless you .

tip of the day

2009-11-06T04:18:00.000-08:00

I recently found some great books at the library, for our unit study on France. Knowing i cannot renew them forever , i used my scanner to create art lesson plans, and copy other needed references for our imaginary trip . In most cases, i dont use the whole book, only parts of it. so Basically I have compiled an ETEXT book that suits our needs. when i finally get out to buy some ink, i'll print it up, put it into a binder and, viola, i'll have our very own text book unique to our unit study. I know printer ink isnt very frugal however, neither is buying a bunch of books i'll only use once. I did notice last month, that printer ink had gone down substantially, and staples offers a reward program, ink cartridge credits for recycling, and a 10% discount for homeschoolers. i'll try to post a photo of the finished product so you can see how cool it really is when you put it all together!

getting ready to let go

2009-11-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had the pleasure of joining my oldest son at an open house for a college he wants to attend.
He'll be 19 soon and graduating this year. To see him so excited about his future was very rewarding.
He wants to move to the state where the college is. It is only about an hour away but , i'll have to prepare myself to let go. I've already done it once with my daughter, i'm hoping i dont cry so much this time.
of course our youngest has big plans for his older brother's room lol. we told him he;ll have wait .
I will say, for all the worry, the tears, the fighting, and the joy, i wouldnt change a thing! I'm proud of my adult children and it is always worth it. I thank the Lord every day this rotten world has not ruined my children.
for all of you struggling with those wild & crazy teens with thier moodiness and arrogance, relax, they'll be okay, just trust in the Lord, remember he has their destiny all mapped out, and he will never let harm come to them. going to college!!! what a trip!

getting math

2009-11-03T08:37:00.000-08:00

The past two weeks have been spent working with Abraham on his math issues. this week we can confindently announce that he has masters his addition & subtraction facts. adding & subtracting up to 3 digits, understanding place value, word problems and of course Yahtzee helps. next week we will be moving onto renaming and hopefully can return to a 3rd grade level text book. we had to backtrack to review and isolate the problems. He is not as reluctant to sit down and get busy any more. he has confidence in himself and it really boosted mine as well! Yahtzee works and I suggest it as a fun way to learn facts. for boys, you have that "competition " componant they aall seem born with. Have a great day!!!

the child who cannot settle down for sleep

2009-11-01T17:50:00.001-08:00

Our son was having a very difficult time settling down and falling asleep. The usual things parents do simply were not working. We did not want bedtime to be a traumatic event.
We decided to try audio books in his boombox. Well it works like a charm. His fears, and anxiety were washed away by listening to a story. We are so thankful he is sleeping now. his behavior has improved, and he is focusing on his lessons much better. We were really beginning to worry about his health. now we can sleep too! if you have a child with this dilemma, try audio books from your local library, make bedtime something to look forward to, so everyone can get a good night's sleep.

We will be traveling to France soon

2009-11-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

We will be traveling to France soon ( in our imaginations) while we prepare for the upcoming Geography Fair. Stay tuned for our unit study, which includes art, geography, foreign language, music and home economics.

Tip of the day

2009-11-01T09:17:00.001-08:00

If you have purchased lesson plan forms, unit study journals, or other forms for organization, heres a tip for saving some money.

Make master copies of blank forms to keep in your computer or files to avoid having to purchase again or running out.

you can scan the blank forms into your computer, or use the library copy machine to make copies and keep on file.

This way you'll stay organized, never come up short, make plans in advance and, save money too!

Research on Essential Oils, part I

2009-10-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

Research on Essential Oils, part I

more dino art

2009-10-30T11:08:00.001-07:00

DINOMITE ART!

2009-10-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

time sure flies!!

2009-10-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

well, we have wrapped up our unit study on dinosaurs & the Bible.
We had an amazing time!!! check out the art work from this unit study.
We began a Fall lapbook- "Autumn Treasures". Lots of activities, learning, creativity .
The artwork for this unit study will be posted soon. We went on a hayride, carved a Jack-O-Lantern, made a pie, and spent a lot of time outside collecting treasures. We found some great resources at our local library on Johnny Appleseed, made apple prints, and will continue with this "mini unit" through Thanksgiving. Hope everyone is making progress & most of all having fun !!!