The whirlwind that is my life…

14. January 2010 by Shannon.

I’ve been gone a LONG time, haven’t I?  Well, I’m finally back on solid ground.  Ah, but the journey’s been fun! :o)

What am I talking about?  Well… we’ve moved!  In face, I feel a little deceptive even blogging on this page since we are no longer “homeschool on the hill”… in fact, we’re far from any hills that I can see.  Maybe we should call ourselves “The Little Homeschool in the Town” LOL!  It’s a strange, yet wonderful, change.  We’re now “in town”… a small town to be sure, but a town just the same.  There are “local” things… like a library, a post office, a GROCER!  I can’t believe how much things have changed… but it’s all been for the good.  I do miss my trees, I miss the mountain, I do… but this new home is just what our family needed, so I am Very Thankful.

As for school.  Well, sometimes Life is enough of a learning experience, eh?  My Bigs have learned about moving, about expenses, about the work involved in setting up a new home, about all kinds of important things like that, so I’m trying to let go of my paper pushing compulsions and just enjoy this season in our lives.  We’re just now getting settled into our school rhythm.

We’ve made some changes from what we’d planned to do this year to what we’ve actually settled on, so let me give you all a little update:

Ev (16) is working through Sonlight Core 200 as planned, but we’ve switched his math to Math-U-See Algebra 1.  Apparently he has retention issues where it comes to math… and although Life of Fred was engaging and he understood it in the moment and did very well on the immediate assignment, he quickly lost what he had learned and was unable to bring back stuff he’d “mastered” earlier.  I don’t think it’s an issue with Life of Fred, I think it’s more his learning abilities.  He’s just not a mathematical kid… I remember once when he was about 8 and had a math word problem along the lines of “if Johnny has to go get 24 apples for his mother, but his wagon only holds 8 apples, how many trips will he have to make to bring them all home?” and Ev just sitting there (looking like he was daydreaming).  When asked what he was finding so hard about the question, he - looking surprised - answered, “oh, it’s not a hard problem… I was just trying to figure out how he could fix his wagon so he’d only have to make one trip!”… ya.  That’s my boy! :o) 

*Ahem* … back to lessons.  SO, he’s still working through his novel, which is complete (all 36 chapters of it!) but in the editing stage.  He’s editing it once, and then a very good Editor friend of mine has agreed to edit it in exchange for Ev working for her for a few days.  This could be a good trade off!  Then it’s through the process of manuscript submission with publishers, and lots of praying that it’s accepted.  If anyone “knows” anyone in the business who would like to encourge a young author… please let me know!

Kenzi (14) is working through Sonlight Core 5, Math-U-See Pre-Algebra and working on a huge dog training project.  She’s read some pretty hefty books on the subject and watched countless hours of DVD lessons (oh joy!).  We’ve also applied to the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind to be puppy walkers (basically raising a pup from 7 weeks to about 18 months till they are ready to go back to the centre for Guide Dog instruction).  Attending dog obedience classes with me and the pup will be part of her project.

Speaking of projects… I stumbled across an amazing site the other day, and I’m adapting the concept to my children… I’m hoping to be able to afford to work with this gentleman at a later date, but for right now the move has eaten up our “school budget” so we’ll have to make do on our own.  Luckily there is enough information there to get me started.

Ev and Kenz will be heading off to England later this month, a gracious invitation by my father-in-law, to meet and get to know some of the family we have living over there.  They have a great-grandmother who is 99 years old who they haven’t seen since they were 6 and 4 years old!  This will be an exciting learning experience for them… just getting used to the changes in vocabulary will be interesting!  My wonderful husband has tried to give them a British Primer with some words they may encounter that are different (such as, “boot” meaning the trunk of the car, or “rubber” meaning an eraser).  We’re SUPER excited for them and can’t wait to hear their reaction and memories when they come back.

Greys (7) and Chae (4.5) are focused on phonics, play, numbers, and drawing at the moment.  I’m trying to be as relaxed as possible with them in their education… without going “unschooling” altogether.  Do I think that unschooling is bad? No… not at all.  I know several unschoolers who blow my socks off with their passions and intelligence… but it’s just not my style.  I like some structure to know I’m covering at least the basics. 

Greyson can read words such as “activity”, “platform”, “calendar” and of course most smaller words.  He is a very eager reader if he’s not asked to read… meaning, if he comes to me to show me how he sounded a word out, but not being asked to read.  Greys loves numbers and what they represent and how they all work.  Recently I was assuring a friend of mine that the main education of Littles comes from their play, and that they can learn and practice many of their “school” skills in play:

Greyson and Chaeli are sitting on the floor playing with their wedgits. No school happening here. BUT.. let’s listen in…

C: do you want to build a crystal?…

G: No.. you are the scientist. I will buy what you make.

C: okay… (builds up a pretty “crystal” with a pattern of all the wedgit colours) do you want to buy this one?

G: well, yes. But I have to check my money (counts up the small and large white “diamonds” he has). How much is that crystal?

C: 3 diamonds.

G: (I’m not kidding, he said this!) OH! I have 5 diamonds, so, if I give you my diamonds you owe me 2 diamonds back in change!

C: okay! Can I use the diamonds to make more crystals?

G: Sure! (hands over the diamonds, Chaeli makes “change” and gets busy working on more “crystals”).

That’s suply and demand/manufacturing/economics/math(subtractions),and customer service… all wrapped up in wedgits!

Chae on the other hand is starting to read blends (words like “hand” “flat” “this” and “toad”), but is definately my science kid.  She’s constantly asking questions, contantly wanting to know how stuff works… she’s learned so much on the topic of scientific classification just because she thought it was neat that scientists make groups like she does.  She loves patterning, building, all that mathy-sciency jazz. 

I’m slowly working through First Language Lessons and Story of the World (Ancient Times with the Activity guide) with them… but we’re defiantely no where near Ms. Bauer’s schedule in The Well Trained Mind.  Oh well.. if it takes me two years for each of the 4 books, we’ll still end up in grade 9 ready to start the 4 year cycle again, won’t we?  It’s all good.

SO.  That’s my update!  I will be back more often now that everything is settled down… see y’all then!

Blessings!

Posted in Chaeli, Greyson, Kenzi, Everett, General Homeschool | Print | 2 Comments »

Figuring out the plan…

24. July 2009 by Shannon.

Okay.. because it’s homeschool planning time, I thought I’d put my plan out there and hope to get some feedback on what people think.

As a basic framework, I’m somewhere between The Well Trained Mind and Sonlight (not that they are that far apart in philosophy… really) and we use workboxes (8 slots per kid per day) to “organise” it all.

Everett, Grade 10:

Sonlight Core 200 - 5 days a week

Latina Christiana - 5 days a week (one long day and 4 review days)

Rosetta Stone French - 5 days a week (doesn’t take long each day)

Life of Fred Advanced Algebra (moving on to Geometry when completed) - 5 days a week

History (Middle Ages through Early Reformation) - Civilizations 2 pgs X 3 days a week with outlining, History of Art 2 pgs X 2 days a week with outlining

Great Books (following TWTM, ending with a Shakespeare unit in the late spring) - 3 days a week

Science (suggestions welcome, was considering Apologia Biology, but he’s supposed to be doing Earth Science and Astronomy but I don’t know of any curriculum at the highschool level for that) - 2 days a week

Grammar (Latin Road to English Grammar and read through the Elements of Style) - 5 days a week

Writing (working on his novel) - 5 days a week

McKenzie, grade 8:

Sonlight Core 5 - 5 days a week

Latina Christiana - 5 days a week (same as Ev)

Rosetta Stone French - 5 days a week

Bible (Grapevine level 4, Old Testament) - 5 days a week

Math (suggestions welcome, can’t really afford Teaching Textbooks again this year, but was thinking Math-U-See might be as effective and cheaper in the long run… opinions? LOF won’t work with her) - 5 days a week

Grammar (same as Ev) - 5 days a week

History (1850-Present using DK History of the World, if I can find a copy) - 3 days a week with outlining

Science (supposed to be computer sciences and physics, TWTM) - 2 days a week

Art (using Spears Art Studio and various prints) - 2 days a week (one for arts & crafts and one for a CM style picture study)

Music (Simply Music piano course) - 5 days a week - (Composer study and Listening to a classical piece) - 2 days a week  (yes, I know these are going to overlap… but Kenzi can do music practice after “school”)

Greyson, Grade 1:

Sonlight Core K - 5 days a week

Bible (Grapevine Beginner OT) - 5 days a week

Math (Math Mammoth and RS Math Games) - 3 and 2 times a week (MMx3, RSMGx2)

History (Story of the World, Ancients, with a notebook page) - 2 days a week

Science (suggestions for following TWTM year 1 welcome) - 3 days a week

Music (Simply Music piano course) - 5 days a week

Reading (Rocket Phonics) - 5 days a week

Grammar (First Lessons in Language) - 3 days a week

Art (Spears Art Studio) - 2 days a week

Spelling/Writing (Explode the Code, All About Spelling) - 5 days a week

Chaeli (TECHNICALLY too young for formal school, but so she doesn’t feel left out), Junior Kindergarten:

Sonlight Core K - 5 days a week

Reading (Rocket Phonics & SL K Reading) - 5 days a week

Math (number readiness and Right Start Math Games) - 3 and 2 days a week

Bible (Grapevine Beginner Old Testament) - 5 days a week

Memory (games and verses/poems) - 5 days a week

Writing (Get Ready Set Go for the Code) - 5 days a week

History (Story of the World, Ancients) - 2 days a week

Science (Nature Study, Classification concepts) - 3 days a week

Basic Skills (cutting, colouring, etc) - 3 days a week

Art (Spears Art Studio K) - 2 days a week

I still need:

Math for Kenzi

and to buy:

First Language Lessons Vol 1

The Well Educated Mind

DK Encyclopedia of Science

DK History of the World

Grapevine Level 4 Old Testament

SO… any thoughts?  BTW, to all my friends in the planning stages, I am praying for clarity of mind, availability of resources, and courage… and I’m praying that the Lord blesses your homeschool year so abundantly - I hope you will pray the same for us!

Blessings!

Posted in Chaeli, Greyson, Kenzi, Everett, General Homeschool | Print | 4 Comments »

March Break

20. March 2009 by Shannon.

WELL!  We had my neice, Bethanie, staying with us this week to give her mom a little break… and what a blast we had!!!  We visited a museum, went to a nature preserve (kinda, it’s for wounded animals from the St Lawrence Seaway), made the St Patricks’ Day lapbook from Hands of a Child (our favourite school activity!), played games, played outside in the wonderful spring weather, laughed a LOT (Beth has a contagious laugh!) and just enjoyed having her as part of our family for the week.  It makes me want to steal her more often! *grin*

Here are Greyson and Chaeli’s First Ever in their Lives LAPBOOKS! *applause*

Blessings!

Posted in LapBooks, Chaeli, Greyson, Bragging, General Homeschool | Print | 3 Comments »

Anyone There?

2. March 2009 by Shannon.

Gosh-Goodness I’ve been away a while!!!

I am so sorry to my readers (if there are any left!) for being away so long.  We have been so busy around here with school, reviewing, and well, just life as a Mom of Four, really.  So…  I’m BACK!

What’s been happening while I was gone?  Well, let’s see.. There was Christmas… that went very well.  We had a wonderful year spent quietly with just the family around the Christmas Tree… playing with the Casio Keyboard we got them, reading their new books and listening to the wonderful Scripture Songs CDs we got the Littles (Hermie and Wormie - who knew these guys were so GOOD?!). 

With January came back to school… we started out a little rough, like most schools (private/public or home)… but after about a week we managed to find out “groove” again.  In February (what a short month that is… you wouldn’t think that losing just a couple of days off the end would make the month go by so fast!), we celebrated with Daddy (Tony) as he gracefully added another year to his age… he’s an “old man” of 38 now!  He got a new kitten for his birthday, then a co-worker blessed him with another cat … so from none to two in less than a week! 

Then came Valentine’s Day, where Greyson learned all about telling others (and God!) how much he loves them.  He spent the month making love-notes for everyone… with his adorable spelling.  Here’s one of his notes:

“I luv Guod.  I wish oters wer nues tu Guod.”

Translation:
“I love God.  I wish others were nice to God”

(okay, we know what subject we’re handling FIRST next year!!! LOL!  Phonics down, SPELLING up next! LOL!)

March is here… it came in like a lamb, so according to my mom that means we’ll be having a nasty blizzard sometime around the end of the month.  I hope not, I’d hate to go into April up to my armpits in snow… but then, last year we had that CRAZY SNOW on the 7th of March… and by Chaeli’s birthday (April 12th) it was gorgeous out… so maybe it’s anytime in the first half of the month?

Both Ev and Kenzi are in a drama class this winter/spring season… I’m looking forward to seeing how it all goes for them, as Kenzi had a less than wonderful experience in a different drama class last year.  This particular class is hosted by a christian homeschool friend of mine, so I have a bit more confidence in it.  Greyson and Chaeli are busy being little… everything is an adventure… an empty box is made into a really cool cat house, a bag of rocks becomes a village of rock people, and any plan they over hearing you talk about means it’s happening right now… so be careful when mentioning a camping trip being planned for the summer as your likely to find a couple of backpacks filled to the brim with stuffies and toothbrushes by the front door next time you try to let the dog out!  Time is a concept lost on them… wish it worked that way for me… time just seems to be rushing by this year… busy-ness will do that to a person, eh?

How have YOU been since Christmas?  

Blessings!

Posted in Chaeli, Greyson, Kenzi, Everett, General Homeschool | Print | 3 Comments »

Book Giveaways and First Games

2. October 2008 by Shannon.

Well, my first attempt at a book draw has come to a close (yesterday) and thank you to the ladies who participated for not attacking me with emails about not paying attention that the 1st came and went.. I was working really hard yesterday and time got away from me.. it wasn’t till I looked at the calendar today that I realised I’d missed it by a day.  Sigh.. busy homeschool life, eh?

SO… without further ado…

The winner is *insert drum roll here* ….. RACHEL LARKIN of http://www.Rachel-Larkin.com.  I’m inspired like crazy at all the possiblities now (why didn’t *I* think of that?).  BUT… since all the entries were on the same “wave length” in ideas (hers just took it to another level) - I’ve decided to send everyone something…. so Danielle, Jennifer and Laura… keep your eyes open in your inbox for a treat from me! :o)

On another note… my husband is an addict.  Okay, not *that* kind of addict… but a sports addict.  He’s a die-hard fan of the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team… and this week he decided it was time to fully indoctrinate our youngest son into the ranks of the truly addicted.  He took him to his First Game. 

This is Greyson’s report on the game:

“Daddy took me the hockey game.  It was so loud but I wasn’t even scared, I was humming to myself.  People were screaming except for me!  A big huge machine and another came out and they cleaned all the ice up.  And the other got rid of the scrapes.  I saw a guy with a costume.  I liked him.  He was hiding from me -  he was sneaky.  I was looking for him.  I wanted him to come and see me but he didn’t, he just came to see the other kids.  He was big and hairy!   The hockey players made the scrapes and made snow and the man witht he shovels cleaned up the snow.  In the picture, that is the thing that shows the players playing the game.  This is a picture of me with my costume, I went in front of Daddy and he took this cute picture.  There was nothing else I could see.  Daddy bought me some pizza with pepperonis and some pop.  The best part of the hockey game was Daddy taking lots of pictures.”

I think narrations of events count too, right? ;o)

The “big and hairy” guy was the Youpi (I think I spelled that right) mascot who was the mascot of the Expos, but then they left, so he was adopted by the Habs (the Canadiens).  See, I know SOME stuff about sports… not much, but I do know a little!  LOL!

I also wanted to share a pretty picture of Chaeli too… I think Kenzi took it, but I just love her eyes… and this is “so her” because she’s ALWAYS got an apple on the go… I’ve read it might have something to do with her GERD, apparently apples can help ??

Posted in Chaeli, Greyson | Print | 1 Comment »

How I Taught My Child to Read for Less Than $1

20. September 2008 by Shannon.

How I Taught My Child to Read for Less Than $1

Check out the great article above - it uses a book I know can be found on MOST homeschooler’s shelves in a natural (unscripted) way… I have 100 Easy Lessons on my shelf, it’s nice to think of a new way to use it.  Greyson isn’t liking it at all…. Chaeli isn’t too picky, she just loves the one on one time, any way she gets it! LOL!

I have some index cards in front of me right now, and a marker beside it… I think I’ll try this with the Littles and see how it goes.

I’m sorry I’ve been so neglectful of my blog of late, but I have been blogging!!! HONEST!  I’m trying to think of a new way to use this blog… maybe more as a forum of my own ideas about homeschooling or things we’ve tried and had work (because lots doesn’t work.. LOL!).  But as for the weekly stuff, we’ve set up a whole new system… go check it out!!!

www.homeschoolblogger.com/ratcliffeauthor - is Everett’s blog which he’s “required” to post in once a week for school.

www.homeschoolblogger.com/horseridergirl - is McKenzie’s blog, same deal.

www.homeschoolblogger.com/ratcliffeblessings - is the blog that I am keeping for updates on what Greyson and Chaeli are doing for school each week.  I get in there once a week, towards the end of the week to keep it current… as they do projects and the likes, we’ll take pictures and post those too.  I also am using it for the funny little things they say, which are abundant!

I also have a blog (well, it could be a blog or a website, right now it’s set up as a blog, but I can undo that…) called www.momlovesbooks.com.  I liked the name of the domain, but I’m not sure what to do with it now… I’d love to hear people’s ideas!!! PLEASE comment and tell me what YOU would do with it… hmmm… maybe I’ll offer a prize for the person with the idea I choose to implement… hmmm… what could I offer?  Let me think… hey, I know!

Alright… here’s the deal.  I a very nice copy of the book “How to be a God Chaser and a Kid Chaser” by Tommy and Thetus Tenney.  SO… leave me a comment about what I should do with my momlovesbooks website, and whoever’s idea I choose, I will send this book to, at my discretion (within Canada or the States - unless you want to help me with the shipping… sorry!).  Okay?  I promise to send it to someone - so y’all better come up with some good ideas!!! *grin* 

So… contest closing… hmm… how about the 1st of October at noon EST?  (this is getting technical!  I’m a homeschool mom, no one is allowed to jump down my throat if I don’t check or decide till after school that day, okay?  It just means you have a longer time to think of an idea! *wink*)

Be sure to leave me some way to get in touch with you! :o)

Blessings!

Posted in Chaeli, Great Ideas, Greyson, Kenzi, Everett, Blogroll | Print | 6 Comments »

All’s Quiet on the Home Front

4. August 2008 by Shannon.

Well, my Bigs have headed off for Cadet Camp… Ev in Introduction to Leadership and Kenz in Basic.  It’s very strange being at home with just the Littles.  I find myself having a lot more time for reading stories, playing games, enjoying funny play.  I’m kept laughing at their funny understanding of the world.  Greys informed me today that he’s the “betht bathkitball player in the whole backyard”  (he was alone in the backyard at the time - and told me this through the back window).  Chae is so impatient… she wants to eat the apples on the trees.. and will not hear me that they are NOT READY yet.. and that worms live in them (Kenz told her that hoping to make her stop picking them).  So, she went on a tangent telling me it is “not fair that worms are in my apple acuz those are MY apples on MY tree and those worms aren’t aposed to eat apples - they are aposed to eat dirt!” (she’s really mad!).  She’s also adopted a pet slug.  I have a feeling she’s finding a new one every day and thinking it is the same one, but who knows… she also brought an inchworm in the house - then promptly LOST it… so now SOMEWHERE in my house there is a confused (or possibly dead) inchworm… Lovely.

My Square Foot Gardening adventure has kind of taken on a life of it’s own… I’m almost scared to go out there each morning as these tomatoes and beans and zuchinis are trying to take over the lawn!!!  The “Beans” and “Tomatoes” are two BIG gangs having a turf war in my garden… everyday it would seem one or the other has been “knocked out” (read: laying on the ground under) by the other.  But my tomatoes are prolific just the same… and my beans, well… with all the foliage, I’m not sure I’m ever going to see a bean on the thing.  Oh well, it’s been so much fun!  I also have some eggplants coming along nicely.. small, but at least they are finally there!!!  Eggplants are so pretty, even their flower is so pretty… I’d almost grow them anyhow just for decoration! :o)

So, All’s Quiet on the Home Front with only half our offspring makin’ noise… I never realised how much noise my “quiet” Bigs generate!   But I have to admit… I do miss them!

Blessings (and peace!)

Posted in Gardening, Chaeli, Greyson, Kenzi, Everett | Print | 1 Comment »

End of Year

17. June 2008 by Shannon.

Well, not that we’re there yet, but we are certainly getting anxious around here for the end of the school year!!  This week *should* be our last for the currect school year, and we’ll pick up again in the middle of August.  Kenzi still has math to complete over the summer to finish up the Saxon book she’s working on, but otherwise all “formal” lessons will end on Friday.  MOM can’t wait!!!  This was a challenging year, I’m not afraid to admit it… it was a lot of nagging and a lot of heartache as we both worked out our comfort zones…. but then we found Connect the Thoughts and that helped SO much, and then a very wonderful friend gave us an old laptop for Kenzi to use for her lessons and that helped even more… I didn’t realise how much of the battles were in fact related to her dysgraphia…. amazing really.  But as wonderful as this new “system” is, we really are in need of a break… a time of just being Mother and Daughter, and not Teacher and Student… really!

Ev is finished his school year in the Junior High School, and will be homeschooling next year as well… that will also make a difference around here in that we’ll be together for learning instead of having all our days so choppy.  Everett can’t wait to start Connec the Thoughts Creative Writing courses either… he’s looked the two I have over and is so excited to get started so he can move onto the Master’s Courses.  I was surprised to hear that he wasn’t as interested in the Animation course… but I think if he tried it he’d probably like it… we’ll have to try it as an elective in August.  He also just finished his Puzz3D that he’d been working on for a while… the Sistine Chapel!!!

This past week was the cadets Annual Review - both Ev and Kenzi were on the Drill Team, and Kenzi even got an award!!!  She was given the “Tracy Turton Award” for “the cadet that perseveres”.  That’s a positive statement, eh?  She was so surprised (as was MOM!) and proud that she’d stuck it out… it was a long haul, that’s for sure!  But she’s looking forward to Basic Camp this summer.  Ev got Leadership Camp, and he’ll be gone for a full three weeks!  I don’t know how *I* am going to handle it… but I guess it’ll be lots of fun for him! *grin*

 

(Ev and Kenzi right beside him…. Kenzi getting her award)

We have a new dog… I can’t remember if I blogged about him already or not, but his name is Charley (okay, I’m a die-hard Lost fan, and we wanted a name from Lost, but we were torn between “Hurley” and “Charlie” *our two favourite characters!* … so we decided on Charley… clever eh?  LOL!  Not that he cares, he just answers to anything - silly boy!), and he’s a lovely blond cocker spaniel.  SO cute…   He had a little “mohawk” going when we first got him, but we trimmed it off because it made him look even sillier than he generally does.  He’s so smart and learning more by the day… and he’s SO sweet to the kids!!

We got him about 3 weeks ago and although he’s housebroken VERY easily, we’re having “Bark Busters” come in to work with us and the two dogs next week. We’re hoping it will make a difference in some of the undesireable behaviours he has, mostly we believe caused by improper (none existant) training he recieved at his previous home.  He’s very bright and learns fast, and best of all, is eager to please. 

  

And lastly… my garden update… this is my garden ONE WEEK from the last picture… I can’t believe how fast this thing is growing!!! We finally got the tomato rings on and had a real battle to do so, since the plants are not only large, but really sturdy - not easy to “flex” to get them through the center!  But we did it… and they seem happy! *wink*  From the looks of the the flowers, we are going to have LOTS of everything.  The only thing I’m not sure of is the eggplants… are they supposed to be slow starters?  If anyone knows, I’d be so happy to find out!

I have to tell you this funny story.  Miss Chaeli came inside COVERED in dirt the other day, and I was, of course, worried about my lovely vegetable gardens.. what had she done?  Well, apparently nothing… she’d been playing in one of our front gardens… anyhow, while I was out there “fixing” her mess, I noticed these three obviously fast growing plants had taken root in my annual bed (I only have one, we positioned it over the septic tank lids so we can always find them AND it doesn’t matter when it’s dug up because they are only annuals anyhow… smart eh?).  As “pretty” as they might think they are, I didn’t want them there.  So, UP goes the plant… well, it has what looks like a giant peanut on the end.  Interesting.  So, I yank up another… this one is a normal looking root.  The third one (these were all the same type of plant, btw) told me what had happened… we had POTATOES growing in my annual bed!  HAHAHA on me!  I guess we must have had some potatoes go to seed and we tossed them, and I suppose a squirrel must have found them and reburied them in my garden… clever little agricultural creature that he must be.  but alas, I stole his harvest…. after all, everyone knows potatoes need to stay buried so they can grow… so I repotted the one plant, buried it up past it’s leaves… and a couple days ago, we could see the little leaves peeking through again, so today I buried it some more.  Chaeli keeps trying to dig them out, but I think this time I’ve convinced her to “let’s wait and see what surprises we can grow”.  I hope we get some good potatoes!!  If we do, I think maybe next year we’ll make this a FORMAL school project… maybe to end off the school year for Greyson… along with a little lapbook on Plants or something. 

That’s me… always planning ahead! *LOL*

Blessings!

Posted in Chaeli, Gardening, Greyson, Kenzi, Everett, General Homeschool | Print | 2 Comments »

I’m Sold!

10. June 2008 by Shannon.

I posted recently about my adventure in Square Foot Gardening.  WELL, I am completely sold!  My gardens are growing like wildfire!!  I wanted to show you all some pictures of this very successful homeschool project we’ve got going on around here… and I will update often (as I have something up update!!).

We built the boxes and planted the gardens on May 17th: 

May 30th:

And again from June 5th:

 

And today, June 10th:

I can’t imagine a more successful garden story at this point!!!  We do NO work.  Once every few days I go out there and pinch off the plant “suckers” (those little sprouts between the boughs of the tomato/pepper plants which don’t produce fruit, just sap the plants growing energy) and take some pictures and I’m done.  Seriously… it’s been THAT easy!  I have flower buds on EVERY plant except the brocoli and the eggplants so far… yes, even my zuchini and cukes have flower buds…. my tomatoes are COVERED in them.  Even my strawberries might get a fruit or two this summer… who knows!

On another note… it’s definately SUMMER here (this past weekend we saw 30 degrees celsius with humidity ranging somewhere above 90 percent!!).  Seems like only yesterday the kids were climbing the snowbanks onto the ROOF, but this weekend we were off at the splash park… Canadian weather is so dramatic! LOL!

^^Chaeli running to save herself from the spray   ~   Greyson running *into* the spray, LOL! ^^

I love how different my kids are… keeps things interesting!

On a side note:  Kenzi’s end of year evaluation is on the 25th of June… so it’s crunch time on portfolios and finishing up projects.  Busy, busy around here!!!  I’m curious to know what others do for portfolios (or if you do them at all, what method of “evaluation” to you employ in YOUR homeschool?  I’d love to hear your comments!!! :o)

Blessings!

Posted in Great Ideas, Chaeli, Greyson | Print | 1 Comment »

I should get more migraines!

23. May 2008 by Shannon.

Nah… I’d rather pass on those, BUT…. after suffering really bad and ending up in bed this afternon, I am wide awake this evening…

 And, apparently, feeling quite creative/resourceful!  I was putting stuff away that the Littles had taken out, when I noticed that Greyson was doing some “math flashcards” (they have the simple problem, shown in pictures, “such as three fish - two fish =” and a blank to fill in the answer).  Not all the answers were right obviously, BUT he was definately INTERESTED.  I also noticed (while cleaning up) that he had found some colouring pages and had coloured quite nicely on LOTS of them… so he must like colouring AND math, right?  

Now, I know what you are thinking I’m going to say… you’re thinking I’m gonna say that we could do up some colour by numbers using math equations… NOPE!  I had an even more “fun” idea… and less frustrating, imho.

 Math Hidden Colouring Pages!

Look…. FIRST I drew a picture and covered it with post it notes (which just touched to overlapping) and wrote math equations on them:

THEN, as he DOES the math equations (CORRECTLY)… he gets to peel off that part of the picture!

THEN when he’s done… he has a picture to colour as a REWARD for working hard at his math! 

How stinkin’ clever is that?  I’m POSITIVE there are lots of other creative Moms who have thought of this first… and NO, I will not be using my DH’s work post-it notes for my son’s math… this was a quick mock-up to show you what I mean.  I’m going to get some coloured ones and vary the colours for each problem… make it more fun.  But as  you know from past posts… I’m the Mock-Up Queen!  LOL!

Hope this blesses you!

Posted in Great Ideas, Greyson, General Homeschool | Print | 1 Comment »