In our regular life this week…
Things were much calmer this week which was a true blessing! We were able to concentrate on some schoolwork, relax and get caught up on t.v. shows in the evenings, and intersperse some time with friends along the way.
We realized that our central furnace is not going to be operational this winter. And, since we don't have the money to replace our entire HVAC system, we have been experimenting with electric heaters to see what will work for us this winter. Thankfully we only have a small area to heat during the day as the kids and I are pretty confined to the living and dining rooms which are combined. That allows us to shut off the rest of the house and only heat those rooms. Then at night we can switch it around and just heat the bedrooms. So far what we have going on is working great.
We realized that our central furnace is not going to be operational this winter. And, since we don't have the money to replace our entire HVAC system, we have been experimenting with electric heaters to see what will work for us this winter. Thankfully we only have a small area to heat during the day as the kids and I are pretty confined to the living and dining rooms which are combined. That allows us to shut off the rest of the house and only heat those rooms. Then at night we can switch it around and just heat the bedrooms. So far what we have going on is working great.
In our homeschool this week…
This was a good week of school. We got quite a bit accomplished and progressed at a nice pace. It was the perfect mix of book work and interest-led learning.
Bible - We are learning about David in his early years as king. Our stories this week centered around his defeat of Goliath with only a sling and a stone. As life feels a little like this these days, it was a GREAT Bible story for us to focus on this week. The kids weren't the only ones who took something from these lessons. I have carried those scriptures around in my heart all week.
Grammar - Not much formal grammar happened this week as we had a larger writing assignment that took up more of our time.
Spelling - This week's words were words ending in -aw and -all. The kids each got 100% on their pre-tests so were only required to do the daily lessons and skip the final test.
Bible - We are learning about David in his early years as king. Our stories this week centered around his defeat of Goliath with only a sling and a stone. As life feels a little like this these days, it was a GREAT Bible story for us to focus on this week. The kids weren't the only ones who took something from these lessons. I have carried those scriptures around in my heart all week.
Grammar - Not much formal grammar happened this week as we had a larger writing assignment that took up more of our time.
Spelling - This week's words were words ending in -aw and -all. The kids each got 100% on their pre-tests so were only required to do the daily lessons and skip the final test.
Reading - We continue to read Poppy and Rye by Avi. Eli finished the last Captain Underpants book and Brynne finished Diary of a Real Payne Book 1: True Story (you can read our review HERE). Eli moved onto Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw and Brynne is now reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules. They love those books!
Math - The kids completed Lesson 12 in Math U See. They were working on multiplying 3's and 9's and converting teaspoons to tablespoons and feet to yards. And the word problems are starting to really require them to think, so they are enjoying them!
Handwriting - We continued with the initial lessons of Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Success. Math - The kids completed Lesson 12 in Math U See. They were working on multiplying 3's and 9's and converting teaspoons to tablespoons and feet to yards. And the word problems are starting to really require them to think, so they are enjoying them!
Writing - This week I had the kids work on a book report. So, there was quite a bit of writing: Major Character Descriptions, Setting, Sequence of Events and Recommendations.
However, we did watch several episodes of Liberty's Kids (I finally broke down and bought the dvd set ... it is really cheap on Amazon right now) and an episode of How the States Got Their Shapes. Then since we have been learning about the Revolutionary period and the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Bell, we watched National Treasure on Thursday afternoon.
Extra - The kids wanted to make biblical slings. So, we bought some faux leather and suede leather laces to make them. Then we made aluminum foil stones so as not to break out any neighbors' windows. They spent an hour outside playing on Thursday afternoon, perfecting their throws.
As I mentioned above, the kids also started their new Minecraft class called "Castles and Cannons". They watched a video about the Middle Ages, read an article, took a quiz, and constructed their first building and contraption. This class is SO fun and educational! Brynne just might be a tad bit obsessed.
Homeschool Tricks and Tips ...
Sometimes put away the drudgery work and do something your kids enjoy! Be flexible! Let their interests guide you where you should go, and then be okay if what you had "planned" doesn't get done. Making the slings, watching the videos and movie, and joining the Minecraft class totally enriched our week of learning!! Everybody was happy and I felt accomplished in what we completed.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
I also had my ladies church group over on Tuesday night for our regular meeting. We were asked, and agreed, to take over the W_ Children's Christmas event where needy children in our town are "adopted" for Christmas gifts ... much like an angel tree program. The event was not going to happen this year, but we decided to take it over. It's going to be TONS of work, but I am glad we are doing it for the children in our town.
I love the ladies in my group. There are just five of us right now, and we are all so different! But, it's so nice to connect and grow with these women. I think Kyndal may even start joining us because we are going to be doing a book study on Lysa TerKeurst's book What Happens When Women Say Yes to God. I hope that she does. It's a great book, a study I have already completed, and is so personal to each individual woman that I think she would really enjoy it.
A favorite thing this week was…
Coming home on Wednesday night from my LONG afternoon, all of us getting in our jammies, eating some yummy chicken and noodles, and lounging on the couch watching t.v.
What's in the kitchen this week ...
I made a big pot of easy chicken and noodles on Wednesday. This is one of our favorite cold weather meals and it only takes a few minutes to put together. Boil a bag of egg noodles then drain most of the water and replace it with a large container of chicken broth. Add a large can of chicken breast, salt and pepper to taste, and voila! Served with some Hawaiian rolls and it's a hit!
What we're reading ...
Mom: Nothing .. absolutely nothing. I am too busy during the day and too tired at night. I read a review for I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins and I am waiting for it to be available at my library.
Eli: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney. This was a book I found on the side of the road in a box of free books while we were in Florida. Last night, while at the high school, Eli saw the newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book at the book fair, so we bought it. We are only missing two in the series, I believe.
Brynne: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules by Jeff Kinney. At the book fair, Brynne found a book she wanted called Dog Days for Charlotte Hayes. She says it's next on her list of books to read.
Read-aloud: Poppy and Rye by Avi.
Read-aloud: Poppy and Rye by Avi.
Things we're working on…
Getting out our fall decorations and getting our costumes finished up. I got all the pieces for Eli's costume this week, so I'll be putting it together. Brynne's costume is already complete because she wore it to a costume birthday party last week.
I’m grateful for …
difficult times so I can see God's Hand at work. In the good times, I have a way of leaving God out of it. But when things are tough, I can see Him working. I guess I'm just looking for it more. It happened twice just today. Once was at the grocery store when I was tight on the end-of-the-month grocery budget. God made that money stretch in some pretty cool ways. And the other … I posted about how I have been approaching an extremely difficult situation with just a sling and a stone … well, God made that stone just a little bit larger today. It was all God, and it was neat.
What's coming up this week ...
Bowling league, church, scouts, handbell choir practice, and Halloween fun!!
A photo, video, link, or quote to share (silly, serious or both!)…
 |
| We got to babysit my niece, Ashtyn, on Thursday morning for an hour. She is a wild child and so adorable! She loves Eli's cars! My other baby niece, Bell, will be one year old tomorrow. I had originally planned to be in Oregon for her first birthday, but just couldn't make it work. Can't wait to see her in December before her mama and daddy take her to Nicaragua for 6 months! My oldest niece, Rylee, is bunking at our house tonight. I love my nieces! |
We are happily linking up this week at the following sites:
Bravo to your ladies group for taking on the task of the Christmas event. I'm sure the outcome will be well worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteLOVE your front porch and your niece is adorable!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you can see God's provision for you and your family!