Journal Entry #4

In my life this week…

With the help of daylight savings I have been getting up two hours earlier (7).  I thought it would be a big adjustment, and it has been, but it has gone great!  I've even managed to get some house work done in between running around.  Go Me!

In our homeschool this week…

Charry finished her Kirsten unit.  She also has started division with remainders.  And she managed to read "The Hobbit", which I never thought of as a kids book.  I'm trying to convince her to sing the bilbo song as a book report: 

Merry is working hard at reading, she has four more books before she gets her own Animal Crossing character.  We had fun with gardening using these fabulous worksheets.  The best part was after watching "Wall-E" the cousins drew their own gardens on a piece of paper and Merry added a pizza plant, she cracked herself up.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We spent Tuesday at my dad's last week.  And will be going again on Friday.  Well we go to my dad's a lot but those are days we stay while my mom is at work.  Next Saturday is a Bible Quiz meet for Charry.  She has been studying hard, thanks to her teachers candy incentives.  

My favorite thing this week was…

My mother-in-law and I connected.  We had both grown up reading "Disney's Wonderful World of Knowlege" encyclopedia. Her mom had saved them and sent them up for the grandkids.  I was more excited than the kids were.

Things I’m working on…

Cleaning for Christmas.  My husband and I made a deal when the apartment is all the way clean (vacuumed/mopped/ etc.) I can decorate, no matter how early it is.  I hope to be all decorated by Thanksgiving.

I’m grateful for…

Holidays and their distractions.  Lately life has seemed harder and knowing that God keeps His promises gives me hope and a smile.

I’m praying for…

Families going through change.  Some changes are bigger than others, some changes are harder than others.  Some changes are happy (new baby nephew coming soon).  Some less so (a friend is losing their job).  They are all in my prayers. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

For my birthday month I've been adding an old photo to facebook each day, here is a sneak peak at tomorrows:

I'm the one with glasses. The chubby baby is tomorrows birthday girl, she'll be 21!

American Girl History; Kirsten 1854

Kirsten was my favorite American Girl when I was growing up.  I loved looking through the catalog at her painted wooden furniture and even wore my hair in braids like hers.   So it is not a big surprise that Charry's Kirsten unit was a huge success!  The books aloud us to explore so many different aspects of immigration, prairie life and travel in 1854.

We started by talking about Sweden and how hard immigration was.  Charry decorated an envelope like a trunk and then had to "pack" what she would want to bring.  Then I reminded her the entire family had to share the trunk, she made more clothes.  Then I reminded her they had to bring everything, pots, silverware, blankets, etc.   She made dishes and blankets, and she was able to see the "trunk" get fuller and fuller.

We talked about the type of things that families found important enough to bring, traditions and keep sakes.  Then we used an idea from "The American Girls Club Handbook" and made our own painted wooden spoon.

Next we talked about language and communication.  Charry was able to copy a poem (that I found here) in Swedish and then in English.  She had fun making her letters "fancy."

We talked about ways to communicate with someone you couldn't talk to.  Charry made a picture book of one page picture reports on what happened in each book.

Her favorite part was using the stickers.

Next we talked about on of my favorite parts of the Kirsten books, Saint Lucia Day.  And I had Charry make a wreath for her doll's head.

Charry did a short report on bees and how they make honey.

and made "how news travels" flash card

But I think her favorite part was playing with my Kirsten paper dolls.  I did have to laugh when I saw the very first thing she did with them was sort the outfits by book.  This is especially funny to me because that is what I use to do also.

And so our Kirsten unit has come to an end.  It took us about three weeks to read the books and complete all the different activities, so do not attempt in one day (or even one week.)

So here is the finished project:

Front Cover: Kirsten and her log Cabin

Back Cover: MAp of the U.S. with Kirsten's journey marked in red

Middle: All Charry's hard work 

Journal Entry #3

In my life this week…

I didn't have a free night, we had "Trunk or treat" with cousins, dinner with in-laws, Girl Scouts, Dance, AWANA, Bible Quizzing, Work.  As well as baby sitting, being there for my dad (he has a condition), taking nieces to get a present for baby brother due in December, and birthdays (3 this week 7? more coming this month)  So I've been busy.

In our homeschool this week…

Charry has been working on "Living Science" We're trying to study animals and plants by ecosystem.  It's gone well this week.  
Merry did a pumpkin unit with her cousins and I got a taste of what teaching a class is like.  I had one meticulous student who had a grand plan in mind and wanted to do everything perfectly even if it took all day and one student who was eager to finish as much work as he could as quickly as he could, even if it meant not quite following the instructions.  It turned out ok, just had to print more worksheets for him.

I am inspired by…

This blog, Craft with Me I want to try art jurnalish wall art, I'm thinking Christmas Coca Cola for my dining area.  It looks like fun.

My favorite thing this week was…

Spending time with a friend I think of often.  We don't see each other much anymore, life has taken us different places.  But she is as sweet as ever and it was good seeing her.

What’s working/not working for us…

Not so much working/not working as HAS TO WORK.  Starting next week Two days a week we will be staying at my folks house while my mom goes back to work.  This will mean getting up two hours earlier and taking ALL our school with us on those days.  Currently those are my "home" day when I try to do computer activities. But change is necessary. 

Things I’m working on…

I've started leading my daughters Daisy Troop, I work under the other troop leader but she focuses on the Brownies.  So I'm working on figuring out what the girls need to do to earn their patches by the end of the year.

I’m grateful for…

A full pantry.  My husband did our First of the month grocery shopping and managed to by thing we use, that are healthy, easy to put together (with our schedule thats important), and not junk food.  So I guess what I am truly grateful for is my uber responsible Hubby.

I’m praying for…

My mom and Dad.  Even positive changes (like dad being well enough for Mom to go back to work) can be stressful.  Especially when there are other changes happening (like Dad starting radiation on his lung.)

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Since Fashion Friday didn't happen this week here is my cute "Kitty" all curled up on a comfy chair.  Her costume was basically felt ears and black clothes, She does have a tail.

Rainforest Ecosystem Project

Today I am proud.  Not only did my daughter do a wonderful job making a rainforest model, but I came up with the idea almost all by my self.  At the doctors office I saw this in a magazine.  My first thought was, well my first thought was, "What a lot of work for something my kids would destroy in minutes."  My second thought was, "that's a perfect way to divide the layers of the rainforest.  Then we can talk about which animals live on which layers."  So that is basically what we did.  This project was special for my crafty 8 year old, I would have had to do more work with my impatient 5 year old.

First we traced some circles:

Then I drew the lines for the trunks:

 Then the cutting, child scissors and cereal boxes didn't work well so I ended up having to cut out the circles:

 All that was left was to turn the pieces into a tree:

 We used straws both to keep the trunk pieces from flopping and to keep the middle layer from sliding:

 Charry used lots of tape to keep it together:

 Then she made it green with construction paper leaves:

 She seemed to especially love tearing paper today:

 We added ribbon vines:

 Then the fauna:

 The animals were a combination clay and googly  eyes:

 She had an impressive variety, can you name the animals:

Toucan, eagle, alligator, frog, panther, snake, python, orangutan, monkey and butterflies

 She took care to place each in its proper habitat:

 I for one love how it turned out:

 Notice the snake hanging in the vines:

We used rainforestanimals.net for information on what animals live in a rainforest and which layers they lived in.