Lapbooks...We are just beginning.

In an effort to shake things up around here I decided to have the kids make Christmas Lapbooks. This was our first time making Lapbooks and the kids are hooked already. I think they want to do this all day everyday!  Here is the template for the preschool book. The big kids have not finished theirs yet.  Theirs are a little more detailed and they don't have mom helping quite as much as my little did. This is the link to the big kids printables. They did not use all the pages, but picked the ones they wanted and that would fit into their own layouts. 

Atlantic vs. Pacific

Yes, we had the whole beach to ourselves.  This is why homeschooling is awesome.

The shells....the Atlantic has tons of shells!  The kids were in heaven.

The water is so clear....and warm, even in November.

If this were the pacific my people would not be swimming!

The bummer is that we live in California, we visit the Pacific often and it is beautiful in its own way, but as my friend Brit says the Atlantic is "AWESOMER."

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Listen here to be encouraged if you are The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle

The Hand that rocks the Cradle

Is The Hand That Rules The World

Blessings on the hand of women!

Angels guard its strength and grace,

In the palace, cottage, hovel,

Oh, no matter where the place;

Would that never storms assailed it,

Rainbows ever gently curled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,

Power may with beauty flow,

Mother's first to guide the streamlets,

From them souls unresting grow--

Grow on for the good or evil,

Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission

Here upon our natal sod!

Keep, oh, keep the young heart open

Always to the breath of God!

All true trophies of the ages

Are from mother-love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!

Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,

And the sacred song is mingled

With the worship in the sky--

Mingles where no tempest darkens,

Rainbows evermore are hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

...William Ross Wallace

The Second Writing Lesson...more laughs, more samples.

Killer Blobs

By

Carley

The sea wasp is the most venomous jelly fish whose poisoning ability is greater than any snake. Sea wasps search for their food, which is shrimp, near the beach. The creatures are so deadly that when a person is stung they have only seconds to stagger to shore before they drop down dead. They are mostly transparent so they are hard to see. You will not find sea wasps in the oceans of the U.S. or Europe because they are only in Australia's ocean. This blob uses neurotoxin to kill at least 50 people. They are sometimes called the most deadly creatures on earth. These blobs are killing machines.

The Neurotoxic Blob

By

Hannah

The sea wasp is the most venomous jellyfish alive, which has a poisoning ability greater than any snake. They search for shrimp along the shore near swimmers, who if stung by this deadly venom will stagger only long enough to get to shore before they die. They are almost transparent so they are very hard to see. In the oceans of America and Europe you will not find them for they are only in the waters near Australia. This blob of neurotoxin which can kill over fifty people is the deadliest creature alive. No one should want to meet a sea wasp.

Writing Samples.....Institute For Excellence in Writing

This year we finally bit the bullet and bought the Institutes For Excellence in Writing.  I have started watching the videos, but learned that you could begin the program after watching the first video.  Mr. Pudewa is so funny.  I found myself laughing often while watching him.  He is even funnier during the kids seminars and all three kids were cracking up.  Nothing wrong with learning being fun sometimes.  On Friday afternoon, while the Wild Child took her nap, we finally took the plunge and got busy. We all watched and the big girls did the workshop for 4th through 7th grade.  They LOVED it.  We haven't done any formal writing program, just what has been required in the Abeka Grammar books so I wasn't sure how it would go.  I am pleasantly surprised by the results and the best part was how much they enjoyed it. 

Insect Waltzers

By

Carley 

Dance Flies are found in North America. They gather in big mating swarms above forest streams. They gracefully twirl up and down. Another thing that is amazing about these flies is that they give courting gifts. To attract females, male flies capture small insects which are presents. The presents can get pretty fancy. In the Northwest males spin a balloon of silk because they have to tuck a small insect inside. If you ever see a swarm of Dance Flies think of it like a bunch of weddings in one. The balloons of silk are like boxes of rings and there is a lot of dancing.

Meat Mushifiers

By

Hannah

In the forests of Central and South America scientists discovered a deadly bee. This bee is called the vulture bee. They do not feast on pollen or nectar which means they consume the flesh of dead creatures. When they find a rotting carcass they spit out a chemical called enzyme which melts it into a gooey mush. This mush quickly goes into their stomach that is special for storing the mushified meat. Vulture bees are the world's best garbage men.

Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks....Vacation!

There are many great things about homeschooling.  One of my favorites is taking vacations after everyone else has gone back to school.  We just spent four days in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks.  Our base was a cabin at Hume Lake. 

This is the view from the top of Moro Rock. I nearly died, but I did make it to the top. Taking a quarter-mile trail to this national park’s Moro Rock site, you climb nearly 400 stone steps to the top of the barren rock (6,725-foot elevation).

We stopped here for a picnic but decided against it...

The tree in the center of the photo is the The General Sherman tree. The General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park is the largest (by volume) tree in the world.

  

Happy cows!  What a beautiful view they have.

This is a view from the road heading down to Cedar Grove.  Cedar Grove is located in the deepest canyon in the United States. 

 We got to visit Boyden Cavern. 

A glimpse inside the cavern.

The Kings River runs along the bottom of the canyon.

All this right in our back yard.

Sonlight Reveiw and Giveaway

Hi Friends!  The folks at Raising Olives are having a giveaway.  They have a review of Sonlight 6 and you can enter to win a $50 giftcard for Sonlight.  We will be using Sonlight 100 this year for our oldest chick.  I will have to get a post going on our choices for next year, but for now head over there and check out their site. 

Two Flops!!

On Saturday I left the kids at home with Rowdy.  He entertained them well.  They went for a long bike ride and then came home for some swimming.  I left instructions for what was to be done while I was gone.  Just some basic pick-up and finish the bread for lunch.  When I left at 7:15 the dough was rising in the bowl nicely.  I had set the timer.  Rowdy turned the timer off and did not tell #1 chick.  #1 chick remembered bread sometime later and kneaded it slightly, formed a loaf and put it in the bread pan for the second rise. In the meatime there were bike rides and swimming and chicken chores.  When I came at home 10:45 I heard the click of the oven and knowing this meant it was on I went to investigate.  What I saw was disturbing. This was the first flop.

Doesn't that look appetizing?  If you let your bread rise to long, it will fall and be really ugly.  You can revive it by re-kneading it and letting it rise again.  Chick #1 did not know this, she is only 12.

The second flop involved the local homeschool used book sale.  I loaded up my box and headed out.  I enjoyed hanging out with some good friends and caught up with some old friends I hadn't seen in quite a while.  It seemed like it was going to be a great morning.  Then, I sold nothing.  Yes nothing!  I was too honest. 

Potential buyer, "Did you use this book? " 

Me, "No not really (that is why I am selling it!)." 

Now non-interested buyer, "Thanks for your honesty, don't think I want it either." 

That just about sums up flop #2.  I returned home with my box and will now try to sell my books on the world wide web.  Thanks Al Gore for inventing the internet.