So much to tell

Making discovery bottles
#1 Ocean Waves- 1/3 water, blue food coloring, 1/4 cup baby oil
#2 Viscosity- clear hair gel and sparkly pony beads, leave room open at the top-- the beads never make it to the bottom of the bottle. All three keep fighting over this one.
#3 -Crayon shavings and water--Pitty-pat had to make the shavings with our broken crayons.
#4- hair gel and googly eyes
#5 Static- tissue paper squares in empty bottle rub on hair or wool to see them cling to sides.

We have the pattern blocks out and all three are using them don't tell them it's math (geometry).

Ice cube tray with 16 spaces and bottle caps labeled 1-16 for counting and  one to one correlation.

Back to school still

Today I updated our calender bulletin board. We have a shape of the month-Circle. A quote-this week is one by C.S Lewis. There is a skip counting chart-counting by tens. It also has a letter of the week-A. Today is National waffle day. I have a weather chart on the board also.
Pitty-pat is on the computer doing starfall and pbs kids.(Don't tell her its learning)
Tippy-toe won some leapster l-max time. He read three BOB Books to me this morning.

Garage sale finds

Brain Quest cards 2nd grade 0.25 cents
A Fun kids Workout Denise Austin 25 cents
The Magic School House #5 chapter book 10 cents
Henry and Mudge easy reader level 2 10 cents
Fables by Arnold Lobel 10 cents
The Usborne Nurssery Rhyme songbook 10 cents
DK Watch me grow bear 10 cents
set of 4 scholastic Literacy Place books- Free
A Child's Calendar by John Updike 10 cents
Leapster L-Max
Leapfrog spelling toy

Questions people ask us about homeschooling

These are some of the silly questions people have asked us about how homeschooling works for us.

"Do the kids get new school clothes?"
Yes, each of the kids got 5 new outfits, a new good/dress outfit, and new shoes. Everyone got to pick out their own outfits. (Mom and Dad did get vetoes.)

" Do the kids homeschool all year around or do they have summer vacation?"
We homeschool all year but we do take breaks when Camryn is off but sometimes we do school then too it just depends on how we feel.Our routine stays pretty much the same.

"What grade are the kids in?"
We don't have the same grades we teach to the level they are learning. But they are close to what they would be in public school. In some ways each is ahead and in some ways not quite up to level so we try to teach to the level they are and help them completely get the concept before moving on to something else.

"Do they take tests?"
Yes and they will take the meap or another standardized test in the future.

Quote for the day

August
August brings soft, quiet days
for carefree summer fun
for storing up sweet memories
And lots of summer fun.

Happy birthday

Little-man is three! Happy Birthday big boy!

field trip

Went to Michigan Adventure in Muskegeon Michigan today! Little-man and momma no likey the rides! Water park was awesome needs more umbrellas for shade! will edit this post later just wanted to get it started.

Summer bucket list

We went canoeing on the little Au Sable river today.  It was so much FUN! Everyone had a good time.  It was my sister Carolyn, Myself and the 5 kids- Taylor, Cam, Pitty-pat, Tippy-toe and Little-man. A dragon fly landed on Little-man, he watched it and then shook it off. It was crowded on the river but the people were actually really nice. To be honest I have only been twice before, twenty five years and eight years ago. Well we can cross that off the summer bucket list. It will make next years list and the kids all want to go again this year. It only cost $30.00 for the canoe, we took our own life jackets, a picnic lunch, $20.00 at McDonld's for cold drinks and supper,and $23.00 in gas. Not a bad day trip and It would have been cheaper if I didn't crave that cold drink from McDonald's. Plus no pics because I didn't stop to by a disposable camera.

progress

Tippy-toe read three more BOB books today. Then while little-man took his nap, Tippy-toe, Pitty-pat and I did the "Smithsonian rock and gem dig" activity I paid $9.99 for at Meijer. DO NOT BUY IT! It is a rip-off! The 11 rock and gems are not even the size of my pinky fingernail! The tiny magnifying glass that comes with it can't even pick them up. I was really disappointed. The stones were way too small to identify and nothing I would add to our collection! Don't waste your time or money on them. The only good thing is they did sweep the floor for me afterwards because of the sandy mess.The poster inside wasn't even anything we could use either. I must say Tippy-toe did enjoy digging them out.

reading

I bought Tippy-toes a set of BOB Books.  He read his first book and is so proud of himself! I love to hear him brag how he reads now. This was so much fun for me too. The set was worth every penny of the $16.95 it cost me at the teacher's store in Midland. This is our goal for this weekend to read the whole set more than once together.

Progress

Tippy-toe showed EMPATHY tonight! For a kid with RAD-Reactive attachment disorder this is true measure of progress. I am so happy! He "feels bad' when his little brother gets punished so I should take it easy on Little man. Empathy. I told Tippy-toe  he should be a good example so Little-man learns to do good things and not to do naughty things that get him time outs and toys taken away. Empathy is a wonderful thing.

quote for the day

"Mothers of boys work from son up to son down"