Warm hearth

I have chilli in the crock pot, sourdough in the bread machine, laundry in the washer and dishes in the dishwasher.  The three littles have two friends over to play.  Aaron has taken Taylor and Cam ice fishing with friends to the river near our house. It is so satisfying knowing a hot meal will be ready when they come in the door. I am free to blog and play on the computer while I watch the kids. We got several inches of snow yesterday. So today we will begin reading Snowflake Bentley. We need to get back on the FIAR path. It has just been so hectic around here since Christmas break.

world community service project

We have learned of a project to build houses in Haiti. I am proud to know Connie M. a friend at work who is retired and does alot of medical mission work by going to Haiti with her church.  I feel it is important for the kids to learn to help others in need. The rainy season is coming and many people are still living in tents so everyting they own gets wet.Each house costs $2,000.00 US dollars to build. The houses are very small 6ft by 9ft with a cement foundation, wood walls, tin roofs, a window and a door. All the materials must be shipped in to the island. I think it is a reasonable goal for the kids to raise enough money to build one house for another family in Haiti.  The kids all have agreed.
So far we have collected on day 1
couch cushion change and moms honey jar we have $9.00
+ Cam put in $12.21 from her savings.
+ Pitty-Pat put in $2.89 from her piggy bank
+Tippy-toe put in $0.15 from his savings
+Laundry room change jar
=$24.25

$2000.00-$24.25=$1986.75

We brainstormed and came up with these ideas to raise more money
Sell candy bars
Take back pop cans/pop can drive
Bake sale
Sell candles

If anyone reads this and wants to help or also build a house please contact me and I will send you Connie's and the church info. I can't publish it until I ask her permission.

Pitty-pat and cursive writting

Pitty-pat is working on cursive writing. L.H. gave me some work books and most were on a 3rd grade level. Pitty-pat is excited about writing letters so lately we have been practicing letter writing. Tippy-toe is still working on spelling words. Not much else going on around here at the moment.

Book list 2011

This post will be for listing all the books we read in 2011. It will be an on going record for the year and hopefully updated regularly.
Mom's list
(You will see many simularities between lists as I try to read everything my kids read and read to the little ones as well.)
1. Wolves of the Beyond by Katheryn Lasky This is set in the same realm as the Guardians of Ga'hoole series that Aimee and I read together. ISBN#978-0-545-23331. Cam checked this out from school and we both read it today.



Cam's list ( girl-age 12)
1. Wolves of the Beyond by Katheryn Lasky this is set in the same realm as the Guardians of Ga'hoole series. ISBN#978-0-545-23331. She checked this out from the library at school .

Pitty-pat's List
Tippy-toe's List
Little-man's List

The Great Birthday Getaway Surprise!

     Aaron took me away for my birthday this weekend. It was a picture perfect escape. I was so surprised. Aaron came home at 330pm Friday with a babysitter and a dog-sitter. He had been planning this for a while I am told. We went to Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt Pleasant. I have always wanted to stay there since it was built but it is out of my price range and I don't gamble. It was wonderful.
     We had a giant jacuzzi tub in our room and Aaron brought romantic music and a cd player. It was snowing these big fluffy snow flakes, like we were in a snow globe. We walked around and looked at all the history displays inside. I gambled away my free $20.00 birthday money from the casino. We ate at the buffet. Then we just watched tv  from the bed in our room. Totally romantic. I slept so good. I want to redo the bedroom at home  like a hotel suite.
     I love the enormous fireplace in the lobby it is the perfect place from which to people watch. Aaron brushed the snow and let the car warm up while I sat by the fire in the morning. It was so good to get away together and recharge my batteries.

It's a boy!

Well I am officially a mother-n-law! My daughter called me last night to tell me she eloped. I am speachless.

January is for Jan Brett

We are reading The Mitten , an Ulkranian fold tale Illustrated by Jan Brett. Little man got the board book version for christmas. Even though we have done this book last year it is worth repeating again for little-man along with  all the rest of us. I have printed out on tag  board from Jan Brett's website this neat mitten and all the animals for a sequencing activity. I will back the animals with sand paper for flannel board use. After we did the story last year I found sandy lion stickers with all the animals so this year we will make our own bookmarks. Pitty-pat can practice reading aloud using this book. I am sure she would like a break from Little house in the Big Woods. In 2010 we studied bears and used this as a tie in to a hibernation unit study  and animal tracks in the snow, we will test for learning retention by reviewing these with Pitty-pat and Tippy-toe. This fall we studied owls and Cam got the Guardians of Ga'hoole movie for christmas so we can watch the movie as part of our Owl study. I am making a winter words board for spelling and reading practice. Over all a simple unit study to ease back into the school routine again.