Art Class and Science Projects

Is it really the week before Christmas?  I can't believe it!  I am ready for the Holidays though, not because I have completed my shopping list. Far from it! (yep that means I haven't even started!) I am just ready to visit and catch up with family!

The kids worked on science projects this week.  We have been studying protists and so I gave the kids an assignment to make a protist for me.  I let them each choose how they wanted to make it.  The boy, who likes to draw, pulled out the construction paper and poster board and got to work drawing and cutting out a didinium eating its dinner.  The girl pulled out some styrofoam balls and colored clay and began building a podophrya.  I love how you can see their personalities and learning styles come out even in the smallest thing like a science project.  Both projects are looking great so far. 

We also did something new.  The kids went to an art class on Wednesday.  It is the first time it has worked out in our schedule for them to go.  So off we went to the library to meet the art lady.  The kids had fun and made some cute pictures.  they enjoyed it and want to go back next week.  We will see if we can fit it in before we head off out of town for the Holidays. (I hope we can so we can decided if it is something we want to add as a regular to the schedule starting in January.)

Speaking of Holidays...it is time for a Holiday break right?  I think we are all ready for a break.  I really want to have some "do nothing" days.  Of course, I don't think that we will have any of those until we get home from Holiday travels.  But that is okay, I can wait because just stepping back and doing some fun Holiday things like decorating cookies and a gingerbread house will make for a relaxing break too.

April

The week with the Recital

It was a great week here in the Nicholson house!  Lots of learning and some fun mixed in too! 

We had:  Two point paragraphs, and decimals too, don't forget the adverbs (how?, when?, where?), or adjectives (what kind? which one? how many?) definitely don't leave out the articles adjectives because they have the cutest jingle!  We are the articles adjectives, teeny, tiny adjectives A, AN, THE, A, AN, THE!  (sorry, it gets stuck in my head!)

We also got to play with a microscope this week!  A neighbor has one and we were able to borrow it.  We played with it for about 1.5 hours.  (I know you don't really "play" with a microscope.  Saying "play" just makes it sound fun and gets the kids attention.)

We started something new this week.  We are incorporating copywork into our daily work.  I thought that the kids would really grumble and moan about it (which is why we are just now starting instead of when I first read about it a few months back), but they are doing great with it.  They have even looked through some books to pick something they want to copy!

We had something big happen this week.  We had our first piano recital!  I am so proud of my kids!  They did great!  They were so nervous, but they did it.  After practicing their songs all day long on Tuesday we headed to the recital where they continued to practice on the big beautiful grand piano.  Nothing like seeing your kids sitting at a 150 year old piano that has real ivory keys and actually playing a song!

I also set up the Jesus Tree, and we have begun opening presents to hang on it.  I love that the kids enjoy doing it and they remind me that we need open something under it each night.  I love having a tradition to do every year that is worth so much more than making lists and opening presents.   

I am off to catch up on some of my other favorite blogs like Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers and the Hip Homeschool Moms.  I so love being able to see what other families are doing.  I always learn some great tips!

April
Bienvenido a Mi vida loca

Field Trip, Thanksgiving

What is the world is wrong with my neck? Oh yeah, I know!  It is the whiplash I have from how fast time is passing by.  Crazy to think that Christmas is just few short weeks away. 

Things are going well for us.  We seemed to have found a groove and everything is running pretty smoothly. 
If only it would stay that way! 

It probably wont though because these people I live with keep wearing different clothes when I tell them to just wear the same thing they wore yesterday.  Hey it's already dirty right?  OK, OK!  I was just trying to cut down on the piles of laundry! 

After a couple of weeks of having a husband out of town for work, we decided to mix it up and go with him the week before Thanksgiving! Definitely one of the perks of homeschooling!  It was a great trip!  I was pleased with how well the kids did with getting school work done.

It was cold and rainy, so I had to rethink my field trip plans for the trip.  We ended up going to the American Printing House for The Bind.  They have a neat little museum and they will give you a tour of the facility.  IT WAS AWESOME!  Not only were able to see the machines they use to make braille books but we learned some of the history behind the education of the blind.  It was a great experience.  I think everyone should go and check it out!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  My parents came up from FL and we had a blast.  I really enjoyed have a break from school! (Did I say that out loud!)  I am looking forward to having a break for Christmas too! 

What?  Did I say Christmas? 
Yep!  I think I did! 

Find something to hang on to and hold on tight!  This is life baby!  And...

IT IS GREAT!       (make sure to keep some Thera-Gesic around for your neck though!)

April

Domestic Goddess

I am a Domestic Goddess
By: April Nicholson

I am a Domestic Goddess!
My home is never in a mess
In perfect order, everything
Into your day, sunshine I bring
A smile forever on my face
Frustration there's not a trace.

No crumbs on my kitchen table,
My pantry shelves all have labels.
The kitchen floor is spic and span,
There's no dust on the ceiling fan.

I clean the baseboards every week,
The bathroom mirrors have no streaks.
I vacuum the floors everyday,
Dust on the blinds is wiped away.

Storm Door hand prints can not be found
No outside toys left on the ground.
My puppy always goes outside,
There are no carpet stains to hide.

No laundry piled up on the floor,
Clothes are neat in dresser drawers.
Clean bedrooms you will always find,
Kids do their chores and always mind.

A menu plan I have in hand
While in the grocery line I stand.
I make nutritious tasty meals
All while wearing pearls and heels.

Children never jump on the couch
I always smile and never grouch!
Big bad coughs and runny noses?
By the bed I will put roses.

I am a Domestic Goddess!
My house is never in a mess
In perfect order, everything.
Into your day sunshine I bring.
A smile forever on my face
Frustration there is not a trace...Well
that's because I just woke up!
It was just a dream! CRAP what bad luck!

Have a great day everyone. I hope my ramblings brought a little smile to your day.

April

Hi Ho Hi Ho it's Geocaching We Go...



One of our caches!



We started our week with a little geocaching adventure.  If you have not heard of geocaching just go to geocaching.com.  It is like a treasure hunt game.  Last Sunday morning we decided to give it a try.  It was a blast!!  We found three caches within a few miles of our house.  We also found some hiking and mountain bike trails that we never even knew where there.   

On Monday, I decided to take the kids and let them have a try at finding a cache.  There is one conveniently located at the park right next to the library. (one of our favorite parks)  The location was great and it was an easy find for kids.  They enjoyed it and so off we went to find another.  -fun family time and learning to read a map at the same time!  Does it get better than fun plus learning? 

This week we also invited some friends over to make Thanksgiving cards.  There is a lady in our area who collects cards for Meal on Wheels and they hand them out with the Thanksgiving meal.  Out came the construction paper and markers and stickers. Oh and let's not forget the warm from the oven cookies and juice boxes that made the card making even more fun!  now don't go thinking that I was some great domestic host who made homemade cookies because we had company coming over.  I am NOT that good a host.  They were pull apart Toll House!  hahaha

We also had a play date with new friends this week.  It is nice to sit and chat with another homeschooling mom about what works and what doesn't for their family. 

Next week will be a new homeschooling adventure for us.  We are taking our school on the road for the first time ever.  I am excited!

April
Bienvenido a Mi vida loca

The week with Halloween

So glad for the weekend to be here. 

I am going to veg out in front of the TV for a little bit today.  Did everyone hear that!  I am going to watch TV.  DO NOT BOTHER ME!!!   Bahahaha

We started our week with an off day.  No, don't go thinking that we like Halloween that much.  It just happened to work out that the Dad was off of work on Monday and we wanted to spend time with him before he went out of town for the week.  Anyway, back to Halloween...

We hosted our neighborhood's Chili Cook Off this year.  It was a driveway full of people and loads of fun!  Especially the part where my girl and her best buddy put on a show/play for the whole neighborhood.  They had been practicing- some scripts they typed up -for about 2 months.  I was not sure they would go through with it, but they did!  It takes guts to get up in front of anyone and speak, but to do it when you are 7 and 8 year old girls is just about the coolest thing I have seen in a long time!  I am one proud mama!!!

Due to a doctors appointment we had to change our schedule around a little this week.  It made for two super busy days instead of just one.  But even with that we were able to get some good "work" time in.  The kids spent a good bit of time this week on Math Whizz.  Still seems to be a fun place for them to play and learn. 

I also took it "back to old school that's so cool..." (oops sorry it might be a little early for singing) and brought out the School House Rock Multiplication DVD.  We have been watching it during breakfast time! 

We also read about protists in Science.  I have a friend who has a microscope that we are going to borrow and use next week.  That will be really neat.

The kiddos have also been playing a new game I downloaded onto the iPad.  Well, two new games actually!  One is Presidents vs Aliens and the other is Stack The States.  The iPad has gone with us everywhere this week so they could play these games.  It has been fun listening to them talking about the Presidents.  During one game session they apparently missed the question and my girl said "oh no AHH it was the one with the weird hair!"  I guess we just can't appreciate the fashion of other times.  hahahahaha

It was raining during piano this week so I drove the kids around to the piano lady's house (instead of letting them walk through the little patch of woods behind our house).  While I was sitting in the car waiting on them I was able to catch up on a favorite blog of mine www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com .  This week she shared a post about how important our words are.  A good post if you have a couple of minutes to read it. 

Off to go and refresh my coffee and kick some kid shows off my TV!  (I guess that will give me mean mom title for today!  But too bad so sad!)  :-)

April
Bienvenido a Mi vida loca

Dance Party Week

We partied this week!  No really, we partied!  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Halloween party after party every afternoon!

That is how it goes when you have a daughter who loves to dance and takes 6 classes!  Yeah, do the math on that! 

That makes 6 parties, and 4 afternoons of dressing up in a costume! 

We did some serious partying!!  It was fun!! 

One more Halloween party to go this year.  It's the neighborhood Chili Cook Off!  We are hosting it in our driveway this year.  It is always tons of fun.

Piano is going great!  #1 son said that this week's lesson was the best one.  Totally Awesome is what he said.  He actually wrote his own little song this week. :-)

The piano teacher is having a Christmas Concert and the kids get to play a song.  They are excited about it.  They have been playing several different Christmas songs to find ones that they like.  I love Christmas songs so to already have them playing in the house is great. 

Our month of math is coming to an end, but it has been great.  I like the progress that has been made.  I think we are all well on our way to enjoying math more and more.  The Math Whizz online tutor website has been great.  I think we will keep up with it for a little while longer. 

The leaves here in East TN are beautiful.  We are going to ride into the mountains today to see them.  Here is a picture of the pretty tree in my yard.

April
Bienvenido a Mi vida loca