Keeping track

       So I have a hard time keeping track of everything that we need to do let alone everything that we have done. A friend suggested that I keep an ongoing record of our projects and adventures by posting them on the blog. Sounds like a good idea if I can get around to it. I have been wanting to start this for 2 months and I still haven't figured out when this will fit into my day/week on a regular basis. Oh well, better hit and miss record keeping than none at all. So here we go...

So far we have finished a quick overview of Egypt. We started this last school year but didn't finish the History Pockets. I think I enjoyed the making of these more then the kids. We also had an Egyptian supper with flat bread, Kofta Kebabs, and rice.The family liked it well enough and we have had the lamb sausage again. Always looking for new ways to use up the ground lamb.  We are also listening to a lecture on the Great Courses called The Other Side of History. We all love it. The kids work on a project as we listen and then we talk about it. Some words are big, some hard to understand, some topics go way over their heads but we are all learning bits and have fun info to share with Joe in the evenings.

On to Greece! We are having a blast with his. Way to many crafts and activities to fit into the 4 weeks I was hoping to spend on the part of time and the World. So far we have had a Greek feast, gone to the Cheyenne Greek Festival. and make clay oil lamps. The Festival was far from fun. The building was loud with a horrible echoed and we got there to late on Saturday and all the good food was sold out. The kids were terribly  disappointed. So we got pizza and had root bear floats at home. The day did turn out to be good but not they way I had planed.

So there is an overview of the last 2 months. We did have Wallace and Brody's Birthdays and the baby is growing like a weed. We also got a new dog somewhere in there. Well, lets see if I can keep after this new form of record keeping. Until next time!

What a day

We got snow! This is the first time all winter we have a significant amount of snow on the ground, it's wonderful. Monday the sun was out and there was NO WIND! Yesterday the wind came back along with a bit more snow. Now all we have is drift the size of my car and bare dirt. So do we send the kids out with sleds or wagons?

 

 After sledding down snow drifts we hit the books.Today as part of school we decided to move the timeline. The wall it was on, behind the empty book case in the picture, was just to small. We took the time to clean out and under everything, it's amazing what you can find.

This is the new timeline, it runs from 1800 to 2019. Its behind the couch and the first thing people see when they come in. So much for getting the house decorated in anything but We have Kids style. We are all looking forward to filling it up, even Joe enjoys looking at it or asking the kids to tell him about something on it.

And in other educational news, the kids took it upon themselves to explore the world of science as I made supper. Brody made a potato clock, Hank got a recoring to play using 2 plants and Karlee got a  light to work using 3 bottles of water. They also planted beans in 3 different size pots and want to watch them grow.
 

School days

A few books,A little Donkey,An art project,
Some Friend coming over to say hi!
What a great day.

We call it school

We have been learning about houses, discussing the different styles over time and around the world. The book we are reading from has been getting a little dry this last week but I have been pushing on seeing we only have this week left and then we move on to food and eating habits through history. I was hoping to get them more interested in the houses, after all their Uncle Tim is an architect. Well, last evening they found a box and asked for tape to turn it into a a Viking long house. I was so excited about this. Today we have made Teepee's and Indians and started on a small castle. They also asked if this summer we can build a mud brick house! Wow, on Wednesday they were falling asleep as I was reading and today I have houses everywhere. The best part is we have learned a lot more about the people who lived in the homes by building them. We call this kind of day a great school day, some would call it playing with paper and boxes.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

Yesterday was my birthday! We decided that far to many cookies were eaten around Christmas so a birthday cake was the last thing we needed. So the cracker and easy cheese cake was invented! Saved everyone from eating more junk food but me, someone had to eat the "cake"!

Joe took off work and we went to the aquarium in Denver. The kids have been studying fish in school so it was a birthday/school field trip. We had a great time and the kids got to see some of the fish from their school book.

Texas or bust

Yesterday my kids tried to go to Texas on foot. Joe and I were fixing the dishwasher and the kids were taking about going to Texas to see real cowboys. We thought that this was a game just like when they built a boat and went to sea. Well about 30 minutes later I look out the door to see my children at the county road. That's about 1/4 of a mile. One good thing is we live well off the road and that it doesn't get a lot of traffic. When I got them and and questioned Karlee on what they thought they were doing all I got was " We told you we were going to Texas." They got in trouble for going out of the yard and taking Brody with them as well as leaving their shoes at home. We talked about how far it was and went over strangers, cars, money, food, and what happens when it gets dark. I think all the reality of the trip was harder on them then me being mad. I don't think they will do it again but they are not going to play outside without me now. So much for some quiet time alone. Its funny when something like that happens, you want so much to yell at them and yet hug them because they are home safe. It was also hard not to laugh, they were so serious and determined to go.

Karlee, Hank and I made cookies today at nap time. They had so much fun and we worked it into our math lesson. They also folded and put away all their own laundry! Today was also our first science experiment, what public school has a science experiment on the 3rd day of school and lets you bake cookies? I love homeschooling!

First Day of School

Wow my babies are 5 and starting school. I feel like I just had them, I'm not ready for this but like all things it happens if your ready or not. It went well I think. A little anticlimactic. We have done so many projects and work sheets the last year it was almost like any other day. I had the kids get dressed before breakfast and when were finished eating we started school. We did bible class first, about 35 minutes, than they went out to play and I cleaned the basement. It's going to be the school room someday. Hank thought if he worked fast he could go play before Karlee so his first page looks like Brody did it. When he found out this didn't work he did a better job. After abut 30 min we were back to the table for science and language arts. We also read some poetry and worked on handwriting. We are starting the kids with cursive this year. I know their a little young for that. We will see how it works and if they just cant get it then next year we will try something new. We skipped history and math today as we started that last month and are about a week ahead of schedule. Brody did great, he colored and played with toys. Over all it was a good day. Oh, the kids climbed on the roof of Joe's pickup to night and were put to bed with out a story.

So in other news my garden is trying to grow but with all the cool weather and rain things sre slow. I have about 3 heads worth of lettuce today and some beans. I just love my garden ans wish I could spend all day in the dirt!