A New School Year!

Here we go again. Another year of school.

Belle will be learning about ancient Egypt and hopefully learning all 50 states. Her favorites are still science, but History may be a new love. She has surprised me by asking to do English of all things. I reluctantly purchased a Bob Jones curriculum, but I love it so far.

Belle's struggles are still writing and spelling, but we hope to overcome those this year. Belle enjoys school when there is a project involved. She does not understand however why she should know her addition facts and even asked me why she needed to know how to spell. Sorry hun, I try to make it fun, but sometimes Math and Spelling are just what they are.

Here are our curriculum choices for this year.

2nd grade
- Bob Jones English 2
- Math U See Beta
- All About Spelling 2
- Story of the World 1
- Magic Schoolbus Science and Mr. Q Labs Earth Science
- Literature lapbooks
- Handwriting Without Tears
- All About Reading 2 (last minute addition, to firm up phonic skills)

Ethan hopes to learn how to read like a "big boy" this year. He is doing great with sounding out basic CVC words. His struggles will certainly be his attention span. He's always been a kid on the go. 

Pre K
- Math U See Primer
- All About Reading 1
- Handwriting Without Tears

Friends

We are pretty blessed to have some awesome friends in our life, and so are my kids. 

And what do best friends do? Teach you how to blow bubbles with your gum.

But don't worry, Belle and Ethan are still each others first best friend.

Spring 2013

Brown County State Park

Ethan showing his muscles after getting hot and taking off his shirt.

They caught this guy in the creek

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Hunting for Geodes

We went to Troy to pick strawberries. 

The kids loved the statues in downtown Troy.

 For Belle's birthday she requested that her door be decorated. We had a garage sale and unfortunately Belle was sick on her birthday. She bounced back after a nap and we went to Rascal's for go karts, mini bowling and putt putt. I can't believe she's 7!

Belle requested this for her birthday.

Belle likes flash cards when the blood is rushing through her head apparently. 

The kids are in swim lessons. I'm so glad they can pretty much swim this summer. 

Belle got riding lessons for her birthday. Everyone pitched in a lesson instead of getting toys and things for her presents. She is loving it and actually not too bad. 

Ethan found a friend at one of Belle's riding lessons

Belle and Abby BFFs

Peter Pan

This year at our homeschool co-op, the kids had the opportunity to be in a production of Peter Pan. Going into this I had no idea how it would all work. I worried that my kids would not memorize their lines. I worried that everyone would figure it all out in a few short months. And I'll be honest, I had my doubts. But we ended up with a truly amazing production.

Because of the number of kids we had and their ages, a few roles were written into the play. Ethan for example was a little indian named "Runs Like Fire". He ended up being quite the little scene stealer. During his scene two boys carried a teepee onstage and sat it up, all the while Ethan sat inside. Then when his music started he popped out of and ran around banging on his drum. Now it was supposed to be a surprise that there was a little boy in this teepee, but Ethan could never stand it to just sit quietly in the teepee. He always peeked out before he was supposed to. Ethan is supposed to sit down after awhile, but the night of the play he kept running around the indians and when he finally sat down he almost fell over he was so dizzy. It was cute.

Belle was a Lost Boy as well as a mermaid. She had a decent amount of lines which made me a little nervous. She rocked it while practicing at home, but once you start introducing distractions, it's pretty easy to lose Belle. During practices she'd concentrate on playing with her bow or watching other people rather than watching for her cues. I drilled her lines all the way up until the night of the play. And I'm pretty sure it all paid off. I say pretty sure because I didn't actually get to watch the final production. I was a stage hand, so I was dressed in black moving set pieces around or running around back stage.

My role in this play was the set. I was in charge of making set elements and enlisting kids help in building/painting. I think it all came together pretty well.

While things got to be pretty stressful, this was truly a great experience and one my kids will always remember. Weeks after this happened the kids are still playing Peter Pan. Ethan has been Captain Hook and even tied Belle (Tiger Lily) up to the grill. I can't wait to see the video of the play.

iphone picture update

We enjoyed a day at Kids Commons in Columbus for their homeschool day. The kids went to a class about animal classification and then got to explore the museum.

Who doesn't want a picture in a toilet?

petting the Hissing Cockroach

Belle went to her first sleepover away from home. It was the Royal Sleepover at church.  She was begging to go to bed at 9:00 but made it til 11:00.

Playing "Princess Belle says"

Praise and Worship.

 Library day. Belle has discovered audio books. Which is awesome because she still doesn't want to read a chapter book by herself. An audio book gave me a break.

Took a break from regular math for play doh fractions.

 

Homeschool Play date at an indoor playground.

A whole lot of homeschoolers

We housed some chickens for Nic's sister for a night. 

Nic and I went to the homeschool convention. 

Ethan continues to impress us with his physical abilities. The little monkey!

 

These two created . . . .

 

5 of these.

 

The kids are preparing for their roles in Peter Pan. Belle is a lost boy and a mermaid. Ethan is an indian named "Runs like Fire".