Homeschool Open House & Weekly Report--Week 7

Sunday
As I think I have mentioned in last week's post, we had my family over for Sunday dinner after church, and celebrated my kids birthdays and my mom's birthday. Here they are with their soccer cake, which meant a lot to my mom (it was a disguise--the fact that it was her yummy pumpkin cake recipe with cream cheese frosting was meant for her).

This is my fall centerpiece for the table. I found this urn (I think it is a soup tureen without the lid) at our neighborhood garage sales a couple weeks ago.

These gourds were a craft Catie did with my mom--she helped pick them and decorate them when she spent the night at Grandma's house last month.

Monday

These are just some random pictures of our normal school day routine.

The Pledge of Allegiance--We alternate between the United States of America, Christian and Bible pledges.

map activity

'Refrigerator Phonics'--Here Andrew is 'teaching' Catie some sight words and word families with these beginning reading Post-It notes set by 3M. He puts beginning sounds together with the end blends to make words. It is lots of fun!

Right above that on the refrigerator, by the way, is our weekly review pages from the kids' new Sunday School curriculum--Andrew and Jess are on the same lessons in their classes, while Cate is doing a separate preschool curriculum by the same publisher.

This month the older kids have been learning what the Bible teaches about respect, while Cate has been learning that God made everything. She knows this concept well now! When I asked her who made this mess recently, she retorted, "God did!" "God doesn't make messes--I think Catie made this mess!" "Uh-uhhhh!" "Catherine!" Maybe she needs the 'respect' lesson!

Handwriting--learning cursive

Play Dough and tools for experimenting with making shapes and patterns--This is what saves me when trying to homeschool with a busy toddler--usually done in the highchair, and we usually make our own play dough because it somehow disappears or dries out very quickly.

Homeschool PE lately has included practicing soccer skills in the back yard (dead because we're in the process of replanting). Here they're dribbling the ball around some orange cones set up in the yard.

Tuesday

The kids have been making up their own games and activities using things we already have:

Uno games--math games, hiding cards and taking turns finding them around the house (this one kind of made me nervous--but they assured me they were finding them all).

Dice PE game--rolling dice across the family room floor and running to see what each rolled--highest number wins (pretty simplistic, but all three kids were running and sliding and having a ball).

Math BINGO Game--using 2 die and multiplication charts--shade out the facts as they are rolled--first one to get a row yells BINGO and wins.

Piggy-Back Rides with Baby--good strength and endurance PE activity.

Wednesday

My mom came up again this week and did school with the kids while I took a little break--not my idea I'll have you know. I would have never asked her to do this (or at least I would have felt guilty if I did), but she has been insisting she wants to come up and help me and spend time with the kids every week! It is very nice of her, considering it is over an hour's drive. I went shopping at IKEA and ran some errands, while my mom made the kids a pancake breakfast, did school, read to them, baked apple turnovers with them, took them for a walk, did all the dishes, fed the kids lunch, put Catie down for a nap, took them to choir practice, and gave Jessica a haircut (She cut 6 inches off--I took the before pictures the Tuesday night, knowing Mom was going to cut her hair--this is the longest it has ever been! We all just couldn't bear to see 10 inches cut off, so no donation to Locks of Love this time like we'd planned! Jessica loves having long hair.). I came home in time to take the kids to their final soccer practices and say good-bye to Mom. It looked like they all had a fun day--I know I did!

Before After

Before After

Before After

Thursday

This was our week off co-op classes in between sessions. We will start Session 2 with new classes next Thursday. So, we did school at home today.

This is our 'school cupboard' where we store most of our books and school materials. Our kitchen, breakfast bar, dining area, and living room are all in one open area--'great room' concept, so this cupboard is in a handy spot. We mostly do school in these areas.

On top of the cabinet is our globe, flag, some jars full of our collections, rocks, superballs, some wooden cubes painted as dice (something I made in my student teaching days), Blessings jar (where we put notes from Daddy left in the mornings, and slips of paper with prayer requests and God's answers written on them), 'gumball machine', jars of gummy bears and old-fashioned candy sticks (all are used for counting/math, games, and rewards).

The door next to the cupboard leads to the laundry/mudroom where there are more school activities stored in the cabinets there. There is a counter in there, too, where I have an art and activity center set up. I just bought two tall stools at Ikea to keep there, so the kids can grab a stool and sit and work at that counter. I will post some pics of that area sometime.

This 'gumball machine' is a craft made from a terra cotta pot painted gloss red, turned over and topped with a round glass candle holder using a stong adhesive. It really should be finished off with a dowel cut to size, painted silver and stuck through the gumballs and up through a lid made of the terra cotta base painted gloss red and turned upside down on top of the candle jar. This is a cute project I learned about from Kelly, a creative friend. She had used this idea for the centerpieces at a woman's event at church.

These are our fall leaves decorations hanging in front of the school cupboard in the corner of the dining area--painted chipboard leaves and beads strung together and hung from the ceiling--Just a fun touch we put up each year for 'Back-to-School' time.

Friday

This was another gorgeous, sunny day. We spent the afternoon going to a playdate at the home of some new homeschooling friends. We had lots of fun!

Saturday

Soccer Season comes to an end! Soccer season in review...

The kids final soccer games were both at noon followed by their trophy ceremonies and party, so Jac was at Andrew's since he coached and I was at Jessica's in the next town.

Andrew had asked if Daddy was going to pick him up on his shoulders when he got his trophy, like the real players do when they win a championship. So, here is a picture taken from Andrew's "One Moment In Time"--thanks, Courtney, for taking this precious photo when I couldn't be there!

The team gave Jac a neat mug with their team photo on it, as well as notes, cards, and gobs of candy bars to say thanks for coaching this season, and the parents gave goody bags to the boys, as well.

Andrew had a great season and was fun to watch with his intensity and leadership on the team. It was fun to see the whole team improve and by the end of the season, all the boys were scoring in the games. Jac and Drew were excited about that. Andrew scored something like thirty-some goals because he is quick, really competitive, works hard and sticks with the ball. As parents, we think it will be exciting to continue to watch this guy in sports. He may be a superstar someday, but more importantly, we think he'll be someone who helps others to be their best--a team player and a good sport! Way to go, buddy!

A look back at Jess's first game...and first goal...I love how you play with a smile on you face, J!

Jess's team had pizza, cake, and goody bags at their trophy ceremony after the game. Jessica's coach's comment about her this season were that she was one of the most agile athletes on the team, did great for her first year of soccer which they hadn't even realized until I told coach at the end of the season, and that she really improved on her dribbling! Jess also made some great goals this season. Good job, Jess!

After soccer games this season, we would spend the rest of the afternoon working outside when the weather was dry with Dad. Here are the kids collecting gourds and squash, and eating sunflower seeds from our garden a few weeks ago, on a Saturday.