This week has been really amazing. We seem to have our routine pretty much down except for the curve ball that staying up late on Wednesday threw us. The kids have enjoyed schooling and the time we have spent outside. Mostly they really enjoy looking forward to the end of the week when we meet friends at the Part for Letter Club. Another friend joined us today so it was great fun the kids really enjoyed it and already are preparing for next week. We are bringing the snack so they have been giving me ideas about what of their favorite foods should be brought to the park.
Caden's favorite thing he learned this week was all about plants. How they grown, what they need to survive, and what each part of the plant does. When he really likes something he gets a little obsessed and I have read and reread many science plant books to him this week.
Bug's favorite subject was Beethoven. She thinks he is pretty cool but also gross because he cared more about his music than cleaning himself. She also enjoyed dancing to his music and requested it A LOT...I am glad she liked it but I have never really been a classical music person (something I will not be telling my kids till they have formed their own opinion) so I was a little over it and glad it is Friday so I can at least convince her to listen to some Chopin for the letter C.
They were great little students this week so they made all their 5 Happy Apples. This means they get to do something fun and special. This week it was meeting Grandma and Honey at the mall and going on the carousel. Grandma already had tickets from when Anna and Heidi were down so I didn't have to spend money on it which is one of the things I am aiming for in the special things they earn. I did get them each a sugar cookie from the cookie company because I just wanted to. Caden brought to my attention that carousel and cookie start with the letter "C" so I guess we are just getting an early start on that!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Second Week Has Begun
For our 2nd week of school we of course are focusing on the Letter "B".
Bug had a great time last week doing the letter "A" and then going to Letter Club on Friday. Letter Club is something my friend Sarah and I came up with as a way for our kids to play together and show off a little of what they learned during the week. There is a Story Time, Craft, Show and Tell, and a whole lotta playing. It is nice for the little ones (and their older siblings in my case) to get together and learn some games that they don't really get to play in a two kids household. Some games like duck duck goose...this is rather hard with only two kids and totally not as much fun. Last week Sarah did the leading and this week it is my turn and we have another friend joining us YAY!! If she brings all her kiddos that will bring our little group up to 7. Bug is already trying to figure out which book she wants me to read and what she is bringing for show and tell.
Caden just got his new math book and he can't wait to use it but he is going to have to wait till next Monday as I need Joe to make me some pattern blocks. I refuse to spend 76.00 on a kit I can mostly make up of things at the house. So this week I plan on continuing his learning number order and practice writing his numbers. He tends to be really sloppy and you can't tell some times what he is trying to write. His letters are much better than the numbers but we will be practicing those too.
We also are studying Beethoven for music, Bruegel for art, Buchanan for presidents, Blue Whale for animal science, Tower of Babel for Bible and Plant Life just for fun because they wanted to. Reading Lessons continue from How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for both kids. Caden has moved to copying pages from his favorite books to practice both reading and writing skills. Their favorite school game is Sequence Letters. I really want to get the States and Capitals version too. I have some math games I got off of Confessions of a Homeschooler Blog. I decided to hold of on Geography this week because I am going to download Road Trip USA but I need to wait for another week or so since that is when we get paid again. They really enjoyed learning about Alabama but when I was at the library this week I figured I had enough other stuff not to shove too much in their poor little heads if I want them to continue to enjoy school.
Tomorrow we are making Banana bread as part of school too. I have really been enjoying it but it is such a learning experience. It can be a little overwhelming especially if one of the kids isn't in the mood to learn. I have learned to let them take a short break by going and doing something like clean the bathroom (which I know sounds like punishment but they love it!) or having a snack break. They tend to get back on track with better attitudes and so do I.
please keep praying for us as we continue to press on with all the learning. We want to make sure our focus is on God and that Joe and I are being good witnesses to the kids with our lives. I am so grateful for my friends support and my family helping me figure things out. Everyone has been really helpful and truly has had some great ideas!
Bug had a great time last week doing the letter "A" and then going to Letter Club on Friday. Letter Club is something my friend Sarah and I came up with as a way for our kids to play together and show off a little of what they learned during the week. There is a Story Time, Craft, Show and Tell, and a whole lotta playing. It is nice for the little ones (and their older siblings in my case) to get together and learn some games that they don't really get to play in a two kids household. Some games like duck duck goose...this is rather hard with only two kids and totally not as much fun. Last week Sarah did the leading and this week it is my turn and we have another friend joining us YAY!! If she brings all her kiddos that will bring our little group up to 7. Bug is already trying to figure out which book she wants me to read and what she is bringing for show and tell.
Caden just got his new math book and he can't wait to use it but he is going to have to wait till next Monday as I need Joe to make me some pattern blocks. I refuse to spend 76.00 on a kit I can mostly make up of things at the house. So this week I plan on continuing his learning number order and practice writing his numbers. He tends to be really sloppy and you can't tell some times what he is trying to write. His letters are much better than the numbers but we will be practicing those too.
We also are studying Beethoven for music, Bruegel for art, Buchanan for presidents, Blue Whale for animal science, Tower of Babel for Bible and Plant Life just for fun because they wanted to. Reading Lessons continue from How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for both kids. Caden has moved to copying pages from his favorite books to practice both reading and writing skills. Their favorite school game is Sequence Letters. I really want to get the States and Capitals version too. I have some math games I got off of Confessions of a Homeschooler Blog. I decided to hold of on Geography this week because I am going to download Road Trip USA but I need to wait for another week or so since that is when we get paid again. They really enjoyed learning about Alabama but when I was at the library this week I figured I had enough other stuff not to shove too much in their poor little heads if I want them to continue to enjoy school.
Tomorrow we are making Banana bread as part of school too. I have really been enjoying it but it is such a learning experience. It can be a little overwhelming especially if one of the kids isn't in the mood to learn. I have learned to let them take a short break by going and doing something like clean the bathroom (which I know sounds like punishment but they love it!) or having a snack break. They tend to get back on track with better attitudes and so do I.
please keep praying for us as we continue to press on with all the learning. We want to make sure our focus is on God and that Joe and I are being good witnesses to the kids with our lives. I am so grateful for my friends support and my family helping me figure things out. Everyone has been really helpful and truly has had some great ideas!
Monday, August 15, 2011
First Day of School
Today was the kids "first day of school" I had them get up and get dressed as if they were leaving the house and then we sat down for our family breakfast. While they were eating we did our Bible Lesson and Flash Cards. Then I had Casey practice her ABC's while Caden did a work sheet. Next we went over words that started with "A". This was mostly for Casey's benefit as she is doing the letter of the week preschool lessons but Caden can always use the refresher. We played a game where they each had to run through the house as fast as they could and find 3 things that started with "A". It was really fun to watch them running around! Caden found his really fast and then of course big brother that he is kept trying to help Casey who didn't want help at all. After that I let Casey take a break and Caden did some flash cards for his counting. He can count pretty good but has trouble recognizing the numbers. We then did some president flash cards and I answered questions they had about some of the men and why they looked so funny : ) Casey did really well on her worksheets today. They were for practicing writing the letter "A" and finding objects that are the same. Caden loved doing his worksheets which were identifying the first letter of some animals and objects as well as a follow direction one. We also learned about Tomaso Albinoni for our composer of the week. Caden finished up with a reading lesson and then we called it a day.
In all I learned some important things.
1. Caden loves to get a big A on his paper with a 100% if he gets really annoyed if he doesn't
2. Bug works really really well if you tell her she will get a "Sad Apple" on her door if she doesn't listen and follow directions.
3. I didn't plan enough! My kids were wanting more and I had done everything for the day.
4. Caden can color in the lines but he doesn't think he should have to.
5. Bug does NOT liking being told which colors to use in a picture. If the girl wants to use blue for an apple you are not going to convince her to color it red.
Tomorrow we are doing more in depth research on one of the Presidents (Adams obviously because of the letter A" )as well as Albinoni and do a geography lesson on Alabama. I still have to get my Math curriculum and of course Caden's Classical Conversations doesn't start till September but for now this is working.
Please pray for our continuing work with the kids schooling and that we can keep God the center of all of it.
In all I learned some important things.
1. Caden loves to get a big A on his paper with a 100% if he gets really annoyed if he doesn't
2. Bug works really really well if you tell her she will get a "Sad Apple" on her door if she doesn't listen and follow directions.
3. I didn't plan enough! My kids were wanting more and I had done everything for the day.
4. Caden can color in the lines but he doesn't think he should have to.
5. Bug does NOT liking being told which colors to use in a picture. If the girl wants to use blue for an apple you are not going to convince her to color it red.
Tomorrow we are doing more in depth research on one of the Presidents (Adams obviously because of the letter A" )as well as Albinoni and do a geography lesson on Alabama. I still have to get my Math curriculum and of course Caden's Classical Conversations doesn't start till September but for now this is working.
Please pray for our continuing work with the kids schooling and that we can keep God the center of all of it.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Dinosaur Kisses
I LOVE getting dinosaur kisses!
When Caden was 2 he fell in love with dinosaurs (he still is obsessed with them) and at night when I would read him his bedtime story he would say "Mommy I give you a dinosaur kiss" then he would start to growl as he leaned in to give me a kiss. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen him do so we kept it up. Now he is 5 and still will give dinosaur kisses at bedtime. <3 I will be so sad when he out grows them but for now I am just really enjoying his love and cuteness.
When Caden was 2 he fell in love with dinosaurs (he still is obsessed with them) and at night when I would read him his bedtime story he would say "Mommy I give you a dinosaur kiss" then he would start to growl as he leaned in to give me a kiss. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen him do so we kept it up. Now he is 5 and still will give dinosaur kisses at bedtime. <3 I will be so sad when he out grows them but for now I am just really enjoying his love and cuteness.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Hunt for School Items
Caden starts kindergarten in August. I am starting his schooling the same week Joe goes back to work for the public school just so that we have a starting point. We are doing Classical Conversations so I had to pay a fee for the 28 class days Caden and I will attend (which are awesome and I will post on that a lot this year) then the book that we make some of our weekly plans out of. I also need to get him a tin whistle and veritsa press history timeline cards. We are going to do Saxon Math too. Caden is really excited and can't wait for his "school" to start. I am pretty excited too except for the money we are paying. This is when I became a fan of searching for deals!!
The Foundations book is 50.00 bought new. I really didn't want to spend that so I started looking on e-bay and they didn't have any listed for cheaper than that so I put my need on Facebook. That is when my friend told me I should ask if there were any moms that weren't doing Foundations this year that did it prior and if they would sell me their book for cheaper. What a great idea except I am immensely shy and don't like to call people I don't know asking for things. I bit the bullet though and asked our coordinator and she gave me two names to call. God is so good!! One of the ladies told me I could just have the book! It is missing a page in cycle two but I won't need that page for 2 years so I don't care at all.
The tin whistle is only 10.00 I don't mind paying that.
The Veritas Press cards are the big ticket item. They are 100.00 for the whole 5 sets (which covers from Creation to Present Day History) I have become slightly addicted to e-bay because of this. I check everyday and am amazed at the people paying MORE than the retail price for USED cards. I mean come on people use your head. I have been outbid on every one I bid on because I refuse to pay more than 80,00. I am sure I will succeed though and it has been kinda fun trying.
Walmart is my friend too. They have terrific school supply sales right now! Caden got to pick out a lunch box and pencil carrier along with folders and scissors. We got some other things too and of course I didn't leave Bug out she is doing preschool with us after all.
Bug is very excited about it too I mean I did some with her last year but because she is going to be 4 soon she is sure she will be a great little learner.
I think it is going to be a great school year : )
The Foundations book is 50.00 bought new. I really didn't want to spend that so I started looking on e-bay and they didn't have any listed for cheaper than that so I put my need on Facebook. That is when my friend told me I should ask if there were any moms that weren't doing Foundations this year that did it prior and if they would sell me their book for cheaper. What a great idea except I am immensely shy and don't like to call people I don't know asking for things. I bit the bullet though and asked our coordinator and she gave me two names to call. God is so good!! One of the ladies told me I could just have the book! It is missing a page in cycle two but I won't need that page for 2 years so I don't care at all.
The tin whistle is only 10.00 I don't mind paying that.
The Veritas Press cards are the big ticket item. They are 100.00 for the whole 5 sets (which covers from Creation to Present Day History) I have become slightly addicted to e-bay because of this. I check everyday and am amazed at the people paying MORE than the retail price for USED cards. I mean come on people use your head. I have been outbid on every one I bid on because I refuse to pay more than 80,00. I am sure I will succeed though and it has been kinda fun trying.
Walmart is my friend too. They have terrific school supply sales right now! Caden got to pick out a lunch box and pencil carrier along with folders and scissors. We got some other things too and of course I didn't leave Bug out she is doing preschool with us after all.
Bug is very excited about it too I mean I did some with her last year but because she is going to be 4 soon she is sure she will be a great little learner.
I think it is going to be a great school year : )
Friday, July 15, 2011
email issues
I have a new e-mail address haleyshumway1@gmail.com if you would like to know why you can read my venting post. If you don't care but are wondering why I haven't responded to an e-mail you sent resend it to this address and I will get back to you I promise. If you don't care about this at all well you don't have to read any of it : )
About a week ago I went to check my Yahoo e-mail and couldn't get in because according to the little message my e-mail had possibly been compromised so I needed to change the password and all would be okay...
Sounded simple enough and I have changed my password a few times before so I did it just like they prompted me to. Only every new password I tried to pick they told me it was not a good password so I had to pick another one. This went on for like 5 different ones and then I got irritated. I read directions and I had followed all the criteria for a good password. So I decided I would just try again later. That was a BIG mistake. When I tried to sign on later nothing worked at all. when I tried to do a new password they said my old when wasn't my password anymore. So I tried all 5 of the new ones I had tried but they told me didn't take. None of them worked either. So then I followed the prompts for "I have forgotten my password" and they asked some security questions. The second one was "What is the last name of the maid of honor at your wedding" I put in my sisters last name. NOT CORRECT! I am sorry my sister wasn't my maid of honor?? Now I know she has a long last name so I tried spelling it all the ways you could possible misspell it because I thought maybe I did that or something. NOPE. Then I tried putting in our Maiden name because maybe I goofed up and put that. NOPE. I even tried her first name and even Jeni's name just because. NOPE NOPE. Now I am sorry but I don't think I would have gotten that question wrong. She is my sister AND it was my wedding. I tend to remember things like that.
So I tried to find a number a Yahoo rep. NO GO! So a live chat maybe?? NO! They are always too busy and it says 'Try again later"
Now by this time I am getting really frustrated and that takes a lot because I usually don't care but I mean at least be available to leave a message with people.
I filled out a form and they said they would get back to me within 24 hours. Then I got an e-mail (using Hubby's of course since mine was the problem) that said they were really busy it could be longer. I was okay with that they responded I was happy. Then I got a nice e-mail asking silly questions I already answered in the form I filled out but I answered them anyway and sent it back...
That was last Saturday. I have heard NOTHING back. Since then I have replied to the e-mail again and filled out another form hoping for some more action but those didn't even get a response at all.
So now I am a gmail girl and hopefully when Yahoo fixes there busy schedule they will fix my e-mail and I can get all my contacts out of there and all the e-mails people have sent me in the last week.
About a week ago I went to check my Yahoo e-mail and couldn't get in because according to the little message my e-mail had possibly been compromised so I needed to change the password and all would be okay...
Sounded simple enough and I have changed my password a few times before so I did it just like they prompted me to. Only every new password I tried to pick they told me it was not a good password so I had to pick another one. This went on for like 5 different ones and then I got irritated. I read directions and I had followed all the criteria for a good password. So I decided I would just try again later. That was a BIG mistake. When I tried to sign on later nothing worked at all. when I tried to do a new password they said my old when wasn't my password anymore. So I tried all 5 of the new ones I had tried but they told me didn't take. None of them worked either. So then I followed the prompts for "I have forgotten my password" and they asked some security questions. The second one was "What is the last name of the maid of honor at your wedding" I put in my sisters last name. NOT CORRECT! I am sorry my sister wasn't my maid of honor?? Now I know she has a long last name so I tried spelling it all the ways you could possible misspell it because I thought maybe I did that or something. NOPE. Then I tried putting in our Maiden name because maybe I goofed up and put that. NOPE. I even tried her first name and even Jeni's name just because. NOPE NOPE. Now I am sorry but I don't think I would have gotten that question wrong. She is my sister AND it was my wedding. I tend to remember things like that.
So I tried to find a number a Yahoo rep. NO GO! So a live chat maybe?? NO! They are always too busy and it says 'Try again later"
Now by this time I am getting really frustrated and that takes a lot because I usually don't care but I mean at least be available to leave a message with people.
I filled out a form and they said they would get back to me within 24 hours. Then I got an e-mail (using Hubby's of course since mine was the problem) that said they were really busy it could be longer. I was okay with that they responded I was happy. Then I got a nice e-mail asking silly questions I already answered in the form I filled out but I answered them anyway and sent it back...
That was last Saturday. I have heard NOTHING back. Since then I have replied to the e-mail again and filled out another form hoping for some more action but those didn't even get a response at all.
So now I am a gmail girl and hopefully when Yahoo fixes there busy schedule they will fix my e-mail and I can get all my contacts out of there and all the e-mails people have sent me in the last week.
Summer
We have had a very eventful summer so far!
Colorado was our big trip this year and we went with my mom and dad. When we were waiting to take off on our second flight my mom called my Honey and Papa to tell them that the flight had been late due to some problems they wouldn't tell us about and Papa informed her that Honey was very sick and couldn't even get out of bed. This was pretty shocking as we had just seen them that morning before we left but my mom told him to make sure he got her to the hospital right away! It turned out that Honey had a kidney infection that was so bad it had gone septic and was in her blood. She has Alzhimers and still lives with my Papa but my mom takes care of them but Honey and Papa had been hiding that she felt bad because of our trip. Mom wanted to come home right away but that couldn't happen and my Aunt was coming down with her family to take care of them anyway. So she came down a day earlier than expected. Mom was NOT happy about not being home but she also really enjoyed her vacation with all of us so it was definetly a time of mixed emotions for her. Especially when we got the call after Honey was home from the hospital that Papa had collapsed and was now in the hospital himself! AND my Grandpa (dads dad) was in the hospital because he broke his leg.
By the time we came back Papa and Honey were in much better shape and Aunt Janet had done a pretty good job being mom for a while LOL so well in fact mom asked her to move back but Aunt Janet said "No!"
My Aunt went home the 29th and my sister Heidi came in on the 4th of July for 10 days!
It was so much fun the kids had a great time with their cousin Anna and baby Brielle. We went to the mall, the outlet mall, the water park, and had lots and lots of family dinners. They left this morning to go back home to Dallas and I am not a happy camper at all to be sending my sister home.
I will hopefully have pictures and more on all of this a little later but for now this is the update so you know we didn't fall off the face of the planet.
Colorado was our big trip this year and we went with my mom and dad. When we were waiting to take off on our second flight my mom called my Honey and Papa to tell them that the flight had been late due to some problems they wouldn't tell us about and Papa informed her that Honey was very sick and couldn't even get out of bed. This was pretty shocking as we had just seen them that morning before we left but my mom told him to make sure he got her to the hospital right away! It turned out that Honey had a kidney infection that was so bad it had gone septic and was in her blood. She has Alzhimers and still lives with my Papa but my mom takes care of them but Honey and Papa had been hiding that she felt bad because of our trip. Mom wanted to come home right away but that couldn't happen and my Aunt was coming down with her family to take care of them anyway. So she came down a day earlier than expected. Mom was NOT happy about not being home but she also really enjoyed her vacation with all of us so it was definetly a time of mixed emotions for her. Especially when we got the call after Honey was home from the hospital that Papa had collapsed and was now in the hospital himself! AND my Grandpa (dads dad) was in the hospital because he broke his leg.
By the time we came back Papa and Honey were in much better shape and Aunt Janet had done a pretty good job being mom for a while LOL so well in fact mom asked her to move back but Aunt Janet said "No!"
My Aunt went home the 29th and my sister Heidi came in on the 4th of July for 10 days!
It was so much fun the kids had a great time with their cousin Anna and baby Brielle. We went to the mall, the outlet mall, the water park, and had lots and lots of family dinners. They left this morning to go back home to Dallas and I am not a happy camper at all to be sending my sister home.
I will hopefully have pictures and more on all of this a little later but for now this is the update so you know we didn't fall off the face of the planet.
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