What We Are Reading→
Rebuild My Church
(working on a book review for December)
(working on a book review for December)On my Kindle: The Rosary
Bob is reading The Hobbit
to the boys
to the boysOn My Waiting to be Read Pile:
Theology of the Body for Beginners
Jane Eyre
Brideshead Revisited
How to Read a Book
Around the House→ We have been very focused on a more simplified curriculum this year, focusing our attention on the three R’s and dipping into unit studies a bit. My sister has been loosely following Robinson Curriculum and I have been watching a seminar on the website that he presented. I am finding many of the things he has to say very interesting. Lots of food for thought. We are going to implement a few small changes. Our main priorities are for our children to know, love, and serve the Lord. And I am all for a relaxed educational atmosphere, but I also firmly believe they need to properly use the brains God gave them! We are working on and discerning a bit more balance in that area.
Tea Time→ I snagged many of our J ideas from here this week. One include Jam pockets. I made them and they tasted good, but I am pretty sure they are not supposed to look like this!
As I have said before, if you are looking for Martha Stewart type stuff you are definitely reading the wrong blog. Our style is much more "Shabby Child" wouldn't you say?!! Oh well, we like to keep things interesting around here.
Feast Day→ St. Martins made laterns/candles also discussed Veteran’s Day and talked about the Pledge of Alligiance.
I printed an image of St. Martin and then Mod Podged tissue paper around the rest.
Well we planned to get to the Veteran's Day stuff, but I ended up getting hit with the little bug that has been going around our house since last week and we didn't quite get to everything.
Discovery Time→
Basic Skills Unit: We finished the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
and started The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore
(another free download). The boys have been crafting this week. Finger knitting and latch hooking. This is an especially good activity for my 7yo to do while we are reading. Even though he does enjoy a good story, he is the one that can often be found practicing his head stands or some other such thing while I am reading. That tends to be a distraction for the rest of us ;)
and started The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore (another free download). The boys have been crafting this week. Finger knitting and latch hooking. This is an especially good activity for my 7yo to do while we are reading. Even though he does enjoy a good story, he is the one that can often be found practicing his head stands or some other such thing while I am reading. That tends to be a distraction for the rest of us ;)Jacob ~ Religion, Handwriting, Mental Math, Vocabulary, Map Skills, Nature Reader
Jonah ~ Religion, Handwriting, Phonics, MUS, Bob Books, this week Jonah has been book writing. Books about spiders, wrestling, moss, trees and anything else he can think of.
Sarah ~ Religion, Handwriting, Phonics, MUS, Bob Books, all of a sudden her reading fluency has really taken off.
Along the Alphabet Path: - J is for Jam, Jesus and St. Joseph. We read Happy Birthday Jesse Bear
, and Dear Juno
, good prep for our Korea week! Due to sickness we didn't make our weekly trek to the library so the J books were slim pickins at home. However we did have lots of fun doing some Jelly Bean math.
The big boys spent some time graphing and the younger kids sorted colors and Sarah did some addition with hers.
We watched a youtube video on how jelly beans are made, that was interesting and a good reminder about why we don't eat them too much. Real food anyone?
I am thankful for....our health
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, and Dear Juno, good prep for our Korea week! Due to sickness we didn't make our weekly trek to the library so the J books were slim pickins at home. However we did have lots of fun doing some Jelly Bean math. The big boys spent some time graphing and the younger kids sorted colors and Sarah did some addition with hers.
We watched a youtube video on how jelly beans are made, that was interesting and a good reminder about why we don't eat them too much. Real food anyone?
I am thankful for....our health
Join me in Wrapping up the week, grab my button and add your link below!
21 comments:
Looks like you had a productive week. It's so hard to find that perfect medium in homeschooling. I think we were a little over the top with textbooks, so I am slowly crawling out of that box, and I don't feel so stressed when we miss a page. Hope you're feeling better!
We're really struggling for that balance too! Last year the three R's were more of a matter of necessity and this year I've been having real difficulty delving into much more. Like you, my priority is that my boys love the Lord and learn to pass everything they do through that filter. We use everything as a learning opportunity around here but have only been consistent with math, reading and writing...again!
Why is it that I feel guilty and inadequate because of it?!? So I think it's safe to say we're really searching for that balance too!
Danielle
I just smiled when I saw you are reading the Bobbsie Twins. I read them when I was a girl, along with Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Trixie Belden. My oldest son is a huge Hardy Boys fan and has even asked on occasion that we call him "Fenton" because he wants to change his name to Fenton Hardy. :) I love those books.
It sounds like you had a wonderful week. I might try out those jam tarts with my kids. Ours will look well "handled" too. It's all good, it's all good. Really all that matters is how they taste, right. Yum.
Sounds like a productive week despite "the bug." I took down the Amazon stuff on my blog too, how gross! I'm so disappointed!
Hi Jen!
First, I highly recommend Theology of the Body for Beginners! It's a great book and my husband and I just did a talk on Marriage and NFP to our church's RCIA class and we quoted things from TOTB by Christopher West. Awesome read and JPII was a genius with his insights about his TOTB! I really feel TOTB is a treasure yet to be fully discovered and appreciated! Be sure to check out the paragraph when West asks "what is the purpose of contraception?" His answer is not at all what most people think. We read that paragraph to the RCIA class.
OK enough rambling on about how much I love our faith...sounds like you had a wonderful week of schooling and thanks for linking up to our Thankful Hearts Blog Hop again. Maybe one day I'll have a productive and fun enough school week to link up a post for Weekly Wrap Up. Until then I'll try to continue to find the "right" balance and peace in my homeschool days. Sorry to write so much :)
Tracy
http://www.asliceofsmithlife.blogspot.com
I was reading the other comments and then forgot everything that I wanted to comment on! Ha..ha!
At any rate, I think when we step back and re-evaluate a little here and there, we are actually being really good parents.
I want to show my kids the jelly bean video. Good idea putting that into the mix!
And as I always say, Martha has nothin' on homeschool moms :)
Glad you are feeling better. That really throws a wrench into things, doesn't it?
Thanks for all your ideas!
Finding that ground between keeping a relaxed atmosphere and encouraging our children to reach their potential is tough. It is something I am constantly evaluating.
Your boys might also enjoy making potholders. I ordered a nice quality kit from Harrisville Designs. The potholders my oldest son made for Christmas gifts 5 years ago are still going strong.
The Jelly Bean video is very cool. We actually live just a few hours from the Jelly Belly factory. I am thinking we need to go again soon.
I hope you all feel well! Your week looks productive in spite of your tummy bug- I love the St. Martin lanterns.
Hope you are over the bug we have been lucky this year no one has been sick -- I just jinx us:) New follower of your blog. Enjoy your weekend
I always *admire* your balance...and ability to reflect on the balance.
Still not sure what to make of that whole Amazon thing...I decided not to promote anything more through them for the moment too. Wish there was an alternative...they stock everything!
Uggh . . . I completely agree! I can't believe people will actually sell books like that! Or buy them, for that matter!
On a much more cheerful note, I love your jellybean activity! Fun stuff!! And yummy, too! :)
I too have Jane Eyre in my waiting to read pile. And I really like the Saint Martin lanterns.
you always have a jam packed week, no pun intended. those shabby child jam pockets look delightful -- good enough to eat. I too heard about that dreadful book. and bobbsey twins at the seashore was a favorite book of mine as a child. I will have to check out your link. have a great weekend. we've got rain here, and Our indian summer is fading.
It is so nice when things just seem to click into place. Homeschooling doesn't have to be anything we don't want it to be. At least it was a productive homeschooling week for you. Have a wonderful weekend.
I love your “Shabby Child” style lol! I always enjoy reading about the great things you’re doing in your homeschool and with your adoption advocacy. I gave you the Me Encanta Tú Blog Award at http://livingmontessorinow.com/2010/11/16/me-encanta-tu-blog-award-to-happily-pass-on/
I am also re-evaluting our curriculum choices. I do not want to take away any of our subjects or focuses, but I do want to find a way of simplifying what we are using.
I am trying to start the very difficult task of purging my homeschooling books. Oy!
I too have Jane Eyre in my waiting to read pile. And I really like the Saint Martin lanterns.
you always have a jam packed week, no pun intended. those shabby child jam pockets look delightful -- good enough to eat. I too heard about that dreadful book. and bobbsey twins at the seashore was a favorite book of mine as a child. I will have to check out your link. have a great weekend. we've got rain here, and Our indian summer is fading.
Finding that ground between keeping a relaxed atmosphere and encouraging our children to reach their potential is tough. It is something I am constantly evaluating.
Your boys might also enjoy making potholders. I ordered a nice quality kit from Harrisville Designs. The potholders my oldest son made for Christmas gifts 5 years ago are still going strong.
The Jelly Bean video is very cool. We actually live just a few hours from the Jelly Belly factory. I am thinking we need to go again soon.
I hope you all feel well! Your week looks productive in spite of your tummy bug- I love the St. Martin lanterns.
I was reading the other comments and then forgot everything that I wanted to comment on! Ha..ha!
At any rate, I think when we step back and re-evaluate a little here and there, we are actually being really good parents.
I want to show my kids the jelly bean video. Good idea putting that into the mix!
And as I always say, Martha has nothin' on homeschool moms :)
Glad you are feeling better. That really throws a wrench into things, doesn't it?
Thanks for all your ideas!
Hi Jen!
First, I highly recommend Theology of the Body for Beginners! It's a great book and my husband and I just did a talk on Marriage and NFP to our church's RCIA class and we quoted things from TOTB by Christopher West. Awesome read and JPII was a genius with his insights about his TOTB! I really feel TOTB is a treasure yet to be fully discovered and appreciated! Be sure to check out the paragraph when West asks "what is the purpose of contraception?" His answer is not at all what most people think. We read that paragraph to the RCIA class.
OK enough rambling on about how much I love our faith...sounds like you had a wonderful week of schooling and thanks for linking up to our Thankful Hearts Blog Hop again. Maybe one day I'll have a productive and fun enough school week to link up a post for Weekly Wrap Up. Until then I'll try to continue to find the "right" balance and peace in my homeschool days. Sorry to write so much :)
Tracy
http://www.asliceofsmithlife.blogspot.com
Sounds like a productive week despite "the bug." I took down the Amazon stuff on my blog too, how gross! I'm so disappointed!
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