Fun with Art

For art this year we decided on Artistic Pursuits K-3 book two. With all that has been going on we hadn't gotten much done so today we got back into doing it. We did lesson 3 which was about Giotto. We read a little about him and then did the project. It was scratch art. This is the boys coloring their black oil pastel over their first colors.

Here is the finished product. They were proud of their artwork today. Do you see the smiles?

This is the first year we try Artistic Pursuits and we are enjoying it. Tomorrow we start on lesson 4 which has a Fresco project. My boys want to actually draw on the walls. A big HA to them.

A nice series of books that we use to learn about different artists is Getting To Know The World's Greatest Artists and for this lesson it is the one about Giotto. I like this book for its wonderful photographs of this artists work and the ease of reading for the littler ones.

Can't wait till tomorrow to continue our art!

Eyes come in all sizes

Eye've got my EYE on you!

This weekend

Revelation 21:4

And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.

Big, Round and Orange

No it is not an orange but our moon. This was Oct. 26, 2007. Isn't it amazing?

Outdoor weather

If you've ever been to Texas you know that it is usually hot and sticky and muggy and did I say HOT? We finally got our first cold front and it was way too nice not to go out and run around.

Paper airplanes were also in order. Jumping from the swings and just plain old running around the house was this days form of physical education.

Have you ever had one of those days when you're doing school and the kids just don't want to cooperate? They don't pay attention. They try to wiggle their way out of school. They daydream. Then it's time for some moving around time. I have found as I'm sure some of you have too that when this happens you just have to drop things and change gears. Not to mention that all this running around gets them good and tired so they go to bed on time.

Running around and exercising is so important not just to motivate but for the health of everyone. Its so easy to have the kids sit in front of the tv or in front of the computer or playing video games after school gets done. Since the introduction of all these wonderful new exciting forms of entertainment children in general have become more sedentary. In other words they just don't get the exercise they need. So we as homeschooling parents have to make sure they get out. There is anything from organized sports to dancing, hiking, walking and just plain old running around the house.

There are so many games that your child can play but most are made for a large number of children and unless your the Dugger's you really can't make your own baseball teams. I found this book that has activities that a family can play and get the exercise they need. Most of the games are for 2 players and up to 4 players and more. If you have an only child I guess mom or dad will be the second player.

I like the book. Although I am sure you could think of a few things to play but I like to open a book and it has all the ideas written out for me. Why make life difficult when someone has already invented the wheel.

So get up and get out and exercise. Have fun!!

Amazing life cycles

We were outside clearing out some cement blocks and I knew we would find something interesting out there. I had my camera in hand when we came across this snake skin. I looked up some information on snake skins and found out that when they are ready to shed their skins they look for a secure, dark location because the scales that cover their eyes become cloudy and its eyesight gets very poor. Hence the reason we found it in the cement blocks. What is amazing is the eyes.
You can see that the covering of the eyes also comes off. Isn't that amazing.
While looking to try to identify this which I didn't by the way. I went off in another directions. I found some interesting ways to tell if it is a poisonous snake or not. There are a few distinguishing characteristics that help us in this. Poisonous snakes have vertically elliptical eye pupil. If it is a pit viper it has an opening between the eye and the nostril which is called a pit. Non-poisonous snakes don't have that pit and their eyes are round.

Another interesting way to tell them apart that I didn't know is their tails. Poisonous snakes have a single row of scales under their tails. Basically they are circles around the tail. The nonpoisonous snakes have divided scales that appear to be in two rows.

I think I'll look at their eyes first before checking out their tails if I come across a live snake, don't you think?

We need vitamin C

This weekend we went to a friends house to pick oranges and lemons. Glad we did too. Can you see the tree with all that fruit? The kids had fun seeing it on the tree and peeling it right there and eating it. YUM!! We had to be careful to make sure we closed our mouths as we chewed. There was juice everywhere. We got bags full of lemons and have been having lemonade all day. Glad we got them this weekend because now I'm coming down with a cold. Oh great, all I needed. Can someone please hand me some tissues? *sniffle*

As a friend told me today, it's time for plenty of vitamin C. So we'll be resting and getting better.

Long-jawed Longhorn?

Any comments on this one? We went to a friends house way, way, way out in the country. We had to cross about 6 cattle guards to get to their house. They invited us over to pick oranges and lemons from their bursting at the seams trees. We brought home bags and bags of two varieties of oranges and some lemons. Then they showed us this persimmon tree and look what we saw.

Of course, the kids were all, "ooohhhs and aaahhhs" then I took this picture. The closest thing I found is the Long-jawed Longhorn but it says it's yellow and black and this was more orange than yellow. So any ideas? Can it also be orange?

UPDATE: Yes, I was right. Here is another link where you see it. http://bugguide.net/node/view/42430 Thanks to those that helped find out.

What curriculum do I get?

Houston Museum of Natural Science

The first question I always get asked is about our curriculum. What to use or if we have heard about a certain curriculum. It always comes down to what I think is the best curriculum to buy.

There is no way to answer that question with one sentence. Each curriculum is different. There is basically two kinds of books. That is christian(bible based, religious, creation directed) and secular.

Let me say a bit about christian books. Some range from mildly religious to way too much religious content for some. Each and everyone needs to decide what they will accept in their home and what they will not.

A note about secular books. They are written with the idea of evolution and no existence of God at all. Therefore, again we must decide what we will accept in our homes.

I personally think there can be a balance in each and know many who use one or the other or both. That being said there is no one family that is using the wrong books to teach and learn from. It is all a matter of conscience.

First thing I suggest is read, read, read. I think it's very important to just read about homeschooling. To look up the different curriculum's out there. Different ways of homeschooling. There is classical, eclectic, CM, unschooling and everything in between. I think I consider our schooling classically eclectic with a bit of CM thrown in there for good measure. Is that possible? Anything is possible.

There are two books I always suggest to those that are just beginning to homeschool and they are The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise and the book 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy.

So there you have my thoughts on curriculum. This is a very basic and easy explanation I always talk to the new ones about. If you are thinking of homeschooling you have to put some time into it by reading about homeschooling and learning the laws and requirements before even making a final decision on what books you will use. Homeschooling takes time but it can be fun times.

Homeschooling Help part 2

There are more things that have helped us in our journey. Scheduling has become very important for things to run a bit more smoothly. I have heard of some who can plan out 4 or 6 weeks at a time and stick to it. I am not one of those people. I've tried but we never get it all done that way. So now what works for us is knowing what we have to do and write it out every week. We stick to it that way and if something comes up then I just have to add what we haven't done to the following week. This week has been full of sickness with the kids so not much got done. No need to worry though. Which brings me to the next thing.

Working around sickness and surprise days off. We pretty much stay with our schedule but there are times where someone gets sick. We do very little those days. We are very relaxed and get ourselves better then get right back onto schedule. There are times when hubby decides to take a day off and go somewhere. It will usually turn into an educational fun time. If we go to the beach or the zoo or a museum. So even though we didn't do seat work we still learn while having fun.

This brings me to the last subject which is having fun. I think it has taken me a while to finally relax and see that children learn no matter how ignorant we might think we are. I have heard so many parents say that they don't think they could ever teach math or language because they were never really any good at it when they were in school. Well, surprise, I don't think anyone would consider themselves an expert in every subject. There is something we can always learn while we teach. There is always something to learn and there is nothing wrong with jumping in with our children and learn right along with them. Sitting on the floor with them while they count out dinosaur counters for math or getting our hands in the paints while doing and art lesson helps our children have fun. Although, getting up off the floor may get harder the older we get. It's still fun while we are down there.

There is so much to learn and so much fun to have so enjoy it and jump right in.

Homeschooling Help part 1

There are many reasons some homeschool. Some say they love to be with their children and I have heard some say that public schools are getting bad. I have even heard that some children return home from a full day at school with three hours or four hours of homework. Whatever the reason for homeschooling we must calculate the cost first.

I am not talking here just about the monetary issue. Yes, money is an important issue but what matters is commitment. It can be a big thing to have your children at home all the time. I personally could not leave my children at school for someone else to instruct them what I knew I could do. I enjoy being with my children even tho sometimes I would like to just go and drop them off at my mom's house for a week or two. I think those that homeschool have felt that at one time or another during their homeschool venture. So you are not alone if you feel this way.

Whenever I start doubting myself or why we continue to do this I think of ancient times. Did they have schools to send the kids to? Who taught them? It was up to the parents to instruct their children. So for me I know I am doing what I want to do.

Most of us that homeschool are the only ones that do it and seems like our other family members feel we must be crazy for doing this. Some will openly say something and some just have an uncomfortable feeling when someone somehow gets onto the school conversation. At that point it's time to quickly get off the topic if there is any uncomfortableness. I know what I am doing is what is right for our family so I have no problem saying anything but prefer to just not bring it up with those that are not in favor of homeschooling.

A few things I've learned in all my years of homeschooling I will share now. First there is always feelings or thinking that maybe we are not doing the right thing. If you are new or have been homeschooling for years, every now and then these feelings pop up. This is nothing unusual. We all second guess ourselves on different things we do in our lives so why not in our homeschooling. This second guessing gives me the opportunity to look over our curriculum and to find help when I need it. This being said, groups and close homeschooling friends will help in this.

I will suggest that you find a yahoo group that helps give you ideas on the subject you are having problems with. Maybe you will find the answer to your problem there. How about finding friends that live in the same town or that live close by that homeschool and can share and listen to your concerns and even offer some advise. No matter what we do it is always better to do things with friends so why not homeschooling? This is definitely something we need to have a group of friends around us to help build us up when we are down same as we would do for them. We have to speak up about our concerns to them so that they may offer suggestions. It doesn't help to stay quiet because we feel bad for having feelings of not doing things right or feeling like we don't know what we are doing. Like I said before we all have these feelings at one time or another.

Next time I will talk about a few more things that will help us in our homeschooling career.

Look what we saw today

We found these today on our walk outside. It's a Leaf-Footed Bug. Don't the legs look like a leaf? We had our magnifying glass out and checking him out closely. Lots of "oohhs and aaahhhhs" outside today. In the last picture he was cleaning off his wings. He was getting ready to fly and he did. It flew to a close branch.

Now this next picture I took last year not knowing what it was. I just figured I would eventually come across it somewhere and today was the day. This is a nymph of what??? Guess....yep, the Leaf-Footed Bug. This orange bug will turn into the ones you see at the top. Wow, how cool. I found a great website in the process of trying to figure out what this was and its here. I hope to use this site more to figure out a few other interesting creatures I had the pleasure of photographing.
As far as our inside school work, it's getting done. Math has been a non-stressful time. They are all liking their math. More on school tomorrow. We better stop going outside for walks because I will never post of our indoor adventures.

Cleaning the pool

We were cleaning the pool today. No we have not gotten in because the water is starting to get a little cooler. Now if we put that solar liner on there we might get a few more dips in the pool before we shut it down. Anyway, we were getting those leaves out and look what else we got out. It's a Black-and-yellow Mud Dauber.

It looks like part of one of it's wing is torn off so I took the opportunity to get our handy jar to get it for closer inspection. Of course I finished cleaning the pool first but then brought our jar in to take a close look. Then I took it out again and let it out. It walked over to the top and I took as many pictures as I could. It's it amazing what creatures we find in our own back yards? Well, ok, in our pools.

In the book under the section Life Cycles it says in part, "Using its mandibles, female shapes small masses of moist mud into balls and makes joined tubular cells. Into each cell female stuffs 1 paralyzed spider, immobilized by venom, then lays 1 egg on the spider and closes the cell with mud." I don't think I would like to be that spider.

I heard from the boys, "Oh, wow!" I think that sums it up.

Sick days

Life sometimes throws you some curves that you don't expect. As moms who homeschool three kiddos, you must know that when mom gets sick, things still need to get done.

I am just recovering from what the doctor thinks was a migraine. It was a week long migraine. We'd start off with school and I would end up with a pulsing, throbbing headache with only a few hours into our school day. Not much got done.

So what do you do? Well, I finally had enough and went to the doctor a second time and was given two shots. Oh and let me tell you, the first was not that bad but the second was a doozy. OUCH!! Did it do the trick? YEP, my migraine is gone. That was only after 22 hrs of sleep. Those shots knocked me out almost a full day. I have never slept that long. I think I need a massage now because my back hurt so bad from being in bed so long.

Now it's back to doing our extras. Gotta get art and some nature time in to our days. What a wonderful school day we had today. Life seems wonderful when you don't have a migraine. Back to work now.

Our year of Math

This year we are using two different programs for math. First of all we are using Teaching Textbooks. Our oldest is doing 7th grade math on that. This has been a great program for our family. He just puts in the cd and the lessons are taught on the computer and then he does the problems and it instantly tells you if you got it right or wrong. It keeps the grades and will give you an option of printing out the grades. He loves this program and so do I. It actually frees up my time so that I can spend with the other ones that are using a different program. We decided on 7th grade to serve as review and to make sure he was ready for Algebra. Wow, next year he will be doing Algebra. I can't believe that.

Now this program is one that is on the high price range but in my opinion well worth it. We are definitely sticking to Teaching Textbooks for next year.

The other two are doing Rod and Staff. This link will take you to a site where you can review the different grades they have. These are the most inexpensive books I have ever gotten. Not only that but I have gotten some of my Rod and Staff second hand or from a used book store and it's usually half price.

I like these books because they are easy, clear and you get lots of practice which is what kids need at a young age.

Now what about if you just want a little something else? Here is something free to use. It's called Superkids website and you can create your own worksheets. Lots of good free things can be found free online.

I also have some suggestions on some fun reading books for math. These are books I have in my own library and will read again starting with my little one. For the older ones is the books The Adventures of Penrose the mathematical cat. There are a few pages in this book that are titled Penrose meets Fibonacci rabbit. I remember using a magazine for a math lapbook lesson we did on the Fibonacci sequence. Interesting stuff there.

The other book Math for Kids and other people too is not just for kids. It's a neat book. Of course, The Grapes of Math and the series of books about Sir Cumference are fun books too. I think that the story of The Greedy Triangle is for the younger crowd. It's got big colorful pictures and the little ones love this one.

Those are just a few of my collection of math books for kids of all ages. Math is fun when you add some good fun extras. Not just sit down book work in our house.

Day 7 Photo

This is the last day of my photos week. I hope you have enjoyed seeing my wonderful pictures. Today I have two pictures of mountains. This first one is from the Rockies in Canada. We were driving to Banff to spend a few days and enjoyed watching all the mountains and the different scenery from here in Texas.
This second picture was a trip I made to California to visit a friend. This was one of the best days. This is Half Dome in Yosemite. What an awesome site. These pictures don't do justice to being there in person.
Oh and the waterfalls!!!! Both places had wonderful waterfalls. I can't wait till the time when I will live next to my own mountain and have a waterfall that cascades down into a stream that comes close to my very open and airy home. Sounds wonderful doesn't' it?

Day 6 Photo

On our field trip to Snake Farm in New Braunfels this is one of the pictures I took. I thought immediately of the book Verdi. I thought of it first because of the position of the snake but then also because of the story behind that book. Boy, do I feel old today. If you haven't read it yet be sure to read it.

Day 5 Photo

Just because it's October doesn't mean that all creatures have gone south for the winter, after all, we are in the South. It's only pretty much two temperatures here in South Texas and that's hot and hotter. We still have some busy bees outside the house. Anyone ever get stung by one of these? OUCH!!

Southwestern Texas Paper Wasp

Day 4 Photo

Another of my favorites!! My yellow roses are so beautiful and not only that but they smell sooooo good. Hey it's also the Yellow Rose of Texas. Love this one with the water drops on it.

Day 3 Photo

I took these pictures while spending some time looking around outdoors. It was at the most high point of our house on the brick. It was trying to get some shade under there. It's a Green Tree Frog and isn't that green beautiful? The first one is a bigger one and the second picture was a tiny baby. What an awesome looking frog.

Day 2 Photo

Don't you think this guy has hit the glass at the zoo one too many times? hehehehe
A rhinoceros iguana looking right at you.

Day 1 Photo

How about 7 days of pictures? I have some great pictures I want to share that I took in our adventures. I'll start off with this one. This is a Black-and-yellow Argiope. We found this one on our walk thru the nature trail in Kansas. Don't you just love that web?

School is fun!!

We had fun drawing outside. They could draw anything they wanted to. Yep, trees were in every page. It was hot outside so we had our quick outside time. Then inside for some cool air.
Not only did we draw but there was a Survivorman shelter built with twigs and leaves. I think the thumbs up sums it all up. A great time was had by all.

More books!!

Here is my 3 boxes full of books that I was given. Yes, given. There are some great treasures in there. Some books I've wanted to buy just to read and keep and now I have them. I haven't gone through each book yet but there are three that I saw quickly. One on the Mona Lisa another on Monet and one about Degas and that dancer. There is some great artwork in these books.

This is a wonderful book. It also has a video of the story. We checked it out of our library. I can't believe OUR library actually had something I was looking for.
I just scanned thru this book and love the art work in it. I've gotta read this and study Degas and do some of our own artwork to go along with this book.
Hey, maybe I'll start a lending library? Whatcha think?

Our Sky

Don't you just love our clouds? Lately the clouds during the day have been worth seeing. I had to take this picture on our trip to San Antonio. It just looked like giant puffs of marshmallows. Yum, reminds me of chocolate and graham crackers!

This was a wonderful sunset. You can still see the clouds with a wonderful glow. Goodnight!

Remember the Alamo

Yep we made it to the Alamo. Got a picture of us all in front of the Alamo. This was our last vacation day and we did a lot that day.

We took a ride on the boats at the Riverwalk and while going down that we saw some awesome buildings and art in those buildings. If you look down that is the Riverwalk and since it was getting dark and a little cooler than HOT we went for it.
This building is lighted and has gargoyles which you can see sticking out on the top. The gargoyles are also used as rain gutters so when it rains the water comes out of their mouths. I'd like to see that in person when it's raining but then I would get soaked. Ok never mind. Also if you look at it from this angle it looks like a ship coming from the water. Do you see it?
Of course you know I had to get a close up to see them better. Sorry that is as close up as I could get.
This is not my greatest picture but it was dark and we were in the water but had to show you. They were playing some different kinds of wooden instruments. It sounded pretty cool.
Hope you enjoyed your very quick tour thru San Antonio, Texas. I know we had fun.