Look Who's 8 Months Old

Jadon is growing so much!! He is a very busy little boy who loves to move all around. Last month I was actually worried that he couldn't sit up but now I realize he can and has been able to but he would much rather be crawling. When I sit him down he goes straight to a crawling position! This month Jadon has learned how to pull himself up already and he stands every chance he gets. He pulls up in the pack-n-play, the couch and chairs. It is crazy. I think he might be walking by 10 months. He is a very happy little boy who loves getting attention from everyone he will "click" or cough at us just to get us to acknowledge him.

He finally got his first biter biscuit and loved it. I have a picture of each of the kids first eating one of these. They make such a mess! LOL They love them.

Some one turned FOUR today!

Happy Birthday to my dear sweet Alexa! She is so excited to be four. Alexa is determined, full of life and always on the go.(aren't those are positive words for stubborn, over active and never sits still LOL) No, I wouldn't trade her for the world and I know the Lord will one day use all those qualities for His Glory.

We celebrated this special day by playing and hanging out then we went to dinner (Chinese food of course). Then we came home and had cake and opened gifts. I think she had a lot of fun. We are planing a party in a couple of weeks (when our yard is complete).

The Homeschool Convention...One of my Favorite Times of the Year!

Well after 4 days of camping we came home and the next two days were spent at the annual home school convention. I love the convention for so many different reasons. It has been such an encouragement for both Jay and I over the years. I love the speakers, the exhibit hall, catching up and seeing friends and I especially love the focus of Christ being ever present through out the two days.

We spent our time listening to speakers and wandering the exhibit hall. I was able to get the curriculum needed. (Read my next post for what we will be using.) We are adding another official homeschooler to the bunch this year with Savannah starting kindergarten. She is so excited. So Anastasia will be in 7th grade, Joshua 2nd grade, Savannah kindergarten and Alexa preschool. I told them I would bring them each home their books and Alexa wanted one too. I didn't want to leave her out so I found a preschool book for her. We will officially start back to school on August 2nd. We will school that week then take the next week off to go camping and then start again. Isn't homeschooling great!!!

It was a refreshing and tiring weekend rolled into one!

Our Curriculum Choices

I have been so busy picking curriculum for this next year. I need to be a bit more structured and make things easier in the planning department, so we have gone with some set curriculum and workbooks. But never fear I can not completely give up unit studies, so here are our picks for this year:

Anastasia- She tried Switched on School House this last semester and decided she doesn't like it and would rather use lifepacs. (There is nothing wrong with it she just doesn't want to be on the computer for everything.) She will be using Alpha Omega Lifepacs for all main subjects-language, math, Bible, history and science. Anastasia also gets to do an elective this year and it's going to be Home Ec. For spelling she will use All about Spelling and she will also do Trail Guide to World Geography with us. For vocabulary she will be using "Vocabulary from Classical Roots" by EPS.

Joshua- Lifepacs for Bible and Language.

Hooked on Phonics for reading

Horizons by Alpha Omega for Math

All about Spelling for spelling.

A Reason for Handwriting for handwriting

Galloping the Globe and Considering God's Creation for Social studies and science. We will be travelling the world and visiting different countries. We will also be using Trail Guide to World Geography.

Savannah- She is so excited to be starting Kindergarten!

Hooked on Phonics for reading

Horizons by AOP for math

A Reason for Handwriting for handwriting

We will still also work on the letter of the week curriculum and she will be doing Galloping the Globe with Joshua

Alexa- I of course had to get her her own special book at the homeschool convention so she wouldn't feel left out and she is so excited! I found a preschool workbook.

She will also be doing letter of the week curriculum and joining in where she can for our Galloping the Globe studies.

Tasha- Lots of centers and activities that will keep her busy (hopefully) She will be the challenge during school this year.

Jadon- his job will be to teach the kids to keep their stuff cleaned up and off the floor. He will hopefully be taking a morning and afternoon nap and then just enjoy being around us! :)

Youth Camping Trip

This week we had the opportunity to take the youth from our church on a camping trip. We partnered up with Calvary Chapel (the worship pastor from that church and Jay have become great friends. Our families do things together as well). Jay was going on the trip and taking Anastasia and I didn't want to stay home for four days with the others in this heat so we were able to borrow the motor home and go along as well. We went to Mt. Lemon the elevation is 8,000 feet and at least 30 degrees cooler!

My camera batteries ran out so I didn't get many pictures but we had a great time. Even despite getting rained out two of the nights. (Yikes!) The tents flooded but we were nice and dry in the motor home and figured out that it could sleep 12!! Girls bunked in with us and some boys slept in the suburban and van. It was beautiful during the day and we went fishing and hiking. During the evening they had worship and Bible study.

It's not a camping trip with out a fridge and microwave! Ha! The people who were supposed to do the cooking for us backed out at the last minute so Jay and James had to do all the cooking as well.

Setting up the tents. Hanging out.

Chow time.

Boys being boys using hatchets.

Joshua was in heaven for four days he got to hike through the woods, go fishing and swing a hatchet! He did not want to leave and he even asked if the next time we move can we move to Mt. Lemon!

The girls.

Things happening in our school room

I have been working on organizing our school room and busy planning for this upcoming year. In my last post I told you about our great find with the school desks. My hubby also finally got my rain gutter bookshelves up! Yea! I am so excited. We hung them under the white board and I will use them to display current books we are using. I first saw these here and you can google "rain gutter bookshelves" to see more pictures and ideas.

Another great item I found was at Target I got poster frames. I got one for each kid and they get to pick a piece of art work that we can frame and hang to display. We will probably change these about once a month.

OK I should have taken more up close pictures. This first one is Alexa's. I had them create a mat by painting a piece of white paper then we used a colored piece of construction paper and then they put on their picture.


This is Savannah's
This one is Joshua's. He was so proud of it. He told me "Mom, I really like that. And when I am dead it will hang in a museum and everyone will say "he painted that when he was a boy". I was laughing. Yes he has learned that artists become famous after they die!

Now the thing I have been working on the most is our calendar. We always do calendar each morning but I was wanting to add more to it and boy did I find all sorts of great ideas. Of course I started at Confessions of a homeschooler and this started me on a rabbit trail....

Here are some pictures of our calendar wall:

Under our calendar I added "What's the weather, "Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday", "Days in school", and "What season is it?" These forms can all be found on Confessions of a Homeschool.

To the left of my calendar I have posted these two mini posters. I think they are great and I want the kids to learn them. You can print them from here

I have been wanting to make a "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom " tree and have had no luck so I was so excited to find this one already made. I just had to print it out along with the letter and laminate them. As we do a letter of the week I will have them add the letter to the tree. You can download it from kizclub.com. Click here for the direct link.

I put together a basket to hold all of our calendar stuff. It holds our flags, each of the kids folders (see below) calendar pieces and our Bible.

I made a folder for each kid to keep their calendar activities in. I used a variety of sheet from different things I want to cover with them. We are going to do patterns, a weather graph and number of days in school. Joshua and Savannah will also practice writing the date.

I got these great ideas from :

Homeschool Creations

Mama Jenn

1+1+1=1

Workboxes

I have been busy in the school room the last couple of weeks. As you know I love work boxes and last month I was able to participate in a live webinar seminar by Sue Patrick. It was like attending one of her workshops live through the internet. I have owned her book and have been using her work boxes for over a year now so this was a great chance for a refresher and to learn how to integrate more things.

So all the kids have work boxes now and we are going to even start Natasha with some. Savannah has her own rack now and Alexa and Natasha share a rack with 6 boxes each. I made all of their tags, --Anastasia's are Twilight, Joshua-Star wars, Savannah-gymnastics, Alexa-dance and Natasha- Dora.

These are their schedule strips (Natasha won't use a schedule strip) We do a lot of schooling at the kitchen table and on the floor but the kids also need their own space where they can sit and concentrate. Well I found these desks on craigslist for only $5.00 each!!! I love craigslist! The people I bought them from buy things in bulk from business's and things going out of business. So I got Alexa one as well.

This is Joshua's set up with his desk and work boxes.

We are going to officially start back to school on July 27th (at least for 2 weeks and then we will be taking another camping trip! :) I will let you know what we are putting in the boxes.

Happy 4th of July

Happy Independence Day! We celebrated by going to church this morning and starting our day at church worshiping our Lord and Savior. Then we went and spent the day with our friends the Roger's family. We swam and ate and talked the day away. The time got away from us and we missed the fireworks. Joshua and I were really bummed but everyone else was OK. So other than that we had a great day!

Here is a picture I took right before church. I wanted an outside picture but had to get them somewhere where they wouldn't squint they are horrible trying to take pictures in the sun.

A day filled with swimming, playing, eating and of course yummy Popsicles.

My future son's-in-law.....Yes I would love to do arranged marriages. hehehe