Thursday Tagging...

I've been tagged by my friend Rhonda.  My mission (since I chose to accept *L*) is to tell 7 things about myself and then tag 7 others..

So here goes:

1. I had a scholarship in mathematics...

2. I have seen every James Bond film and read most of the books...  

3. I am the consumate expert on Cheetos... (especially while pregnant)

4. I play the flute, piccolo, and clarinet...

5. I played softball for years... as a left-handed catcher...

6. I have always wanted to be a pilot...

7. I am a big fan of westerns and love John Wayne!!!

I am a conservative..... as most people know... And it doesn't matter to me what anyone votes as I think everyone is entitled to his/her own view politically... But as Super Tuesday comes closer, I find that I am really getting more concerned as to who will be the nominees... in that I want to feel confident in my vote and empowered in the faith in our democratic system...

I have several friends that like me are placing their support for their candidate on their blogs... I have long had a Mike Huckabee button on mine... My friend Michelle put this voters guide on her blog this morning... I think that it certainly will help others to make a decision as to who they wish to support by who represents their views...I'm joining Michelle in urging everyone not to forget to cast their vote... It is important to take a stand on issues that concern you and to be able to say I supported the nominee that supported my views...

More Books...

Okay... I am excited... Just got a new book in the mail ( I love getting things in the mail...)            

It's by Francine Rivers. I started it sometime ago from the library and didn't get it done due to some things coming up and so I decided to order it.. When I am done, I'll post it on PBS and let someone else enjoy it too...*S*

Valentine Craft...

I have found a great idea for Valentines Day that I am going to make for my kids... I found it online from Seasonal Delights Magazine.  There are plenty of little tuck-ins on which to write messages of love and appreciation, or you can include coupons redeemable for breakfast in bed, a special night out, or homemade cookies!  I am making one for each of the kidlets and one for DH too!! 

You can find more winter / holidays  crafts here.

What I'm reading now...

I, like millions of people, like nothing better than sitting down and reading a good book... It has to be my favorite pastime... I like nothing better than to curl up on the couch, under a quilt and read something... I am not particular in my preference for reading matter and sorta hang on the eclectic side... I tend to quote Andrew Zimmeran on eating: "If something looks good, read it"..*L*

Various authors from Max Lucado, Janet Dailey, Dean Koontz, Steven King, Robert B. Parker, Patricia Cornwell, to Andrew M. Greeley all being some of my favorites.. though lately I have sorta strayed off into the land of "self-help" and "guidance"... Which means the current topic for our house is how to make our homeschooling more productive and continue to be enjoyable..(which this has been on our list of goals, "to create a relaxed, fun, learning environment", since we started). My current reads are:

 

Next on the list to read is " The Unprecessed Child: Living Without School" by Valerie Fitzenreiter... (if anyone has read this, drop me a review and let me know what you thought..

Have a great day!!

FREE USBORNE BOOKS!!!!

Is anyone out there an Usborne Book Groupie besides me? They are fabulous and especially for homeschoolers like us, they are a wonderful resource to keep in our family library...

My friend Valerie is an Usborne Book consultant and she is currently having a contest right now on her blog for a chance to win $10 in free books!! And who doesn't like books, especially FREE ones!???All you have to do is write a post about Usborne books, your favorite, and how you use use it, or what you love about it... and link it back to her website. 

She is accepting entries until Jan. 31... On Feb. 1, she is putting all of the names in a hat and is going to announce the winner on her blog.   Sounds great,  doesn't it?

Now for the part that I like most... After you read this and you decide to enter, just make a note that you heard about the contest from me in your post or on her blog (make sure you drop her a comment to let her know that you are posting about the contest) and I will have the chance to win $10 in free books also by recruiting the most blog entries...

Currently, Valerie has listed some "INTERNET ONLY" sales with some HUGE savings...You can check them out here.

So here are a few of our NEW favorites...     

The kids love them and I like being able to easily tie them into our lesson plans and the ease of use... These are some in our collection, some we use all the time... a few on a daily basis!!

 

DD's favorite right now is her    We recently purchased  and DS loves it... He reads it at bedtime...

So, if you have a favorite, which I am sure you do, share it with everyone and let Valerie know and it might just win you and me some FREE books!!!

What's cookin' at our house this week...

Monday:  Pork Chops, Apple Cornbread Stuffing, Buttered Noodles, Tea,

Tuesday: Tuna Noodle Casserole, Salad, Chocolate Cake for Dessert, Tea

Wednesday: Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (church might)

Thursday: Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

Friday: Kids Meal (kids choice and they help make it) Crispy Chicken Tenders, Parmesean Potato Wedges, Chocolate Cake...

Snacks this week: Homemade Potato Chips, Rainforest Pizzas (rice cakes with peanut butter, dried tropical fruit, chocolate chips)

Update:

Now, I am going to being making bread this week... Something I rarely do... If anyone has a favorite bread recipe they would love to share (machine or oven) I would love to try it!!

Have a great week!!

 

DS holding my "NEW" nephew....

 

31 Ways to Practice Spelling...

While having the night to myself, I did some internet searching and came across these neat and fun ideas to use while working on "Spelling" ... I think we will try a few of them in the next week, just to change up things and have a little fun... Happy Learning!!

 31 Ways to Practice Spelling

1. ABC Order – Write your words in alphabetical order.
2. Reversed Words – Write your words in alphabetical order – backwards!
3. Rainbow Words – Write each word in three colors.
4. Cheer Your Words – Pretend you are a cheerleader and call out your words!
5. Backwards Words – Write your words forwards, then backwards.
6. Picture Words – Draw a picture and write your words in the picture.
7. Silly Sentences – Use all your words in ten sentences.
8. Pyramid Words – Write your words adding or subtracting one letter each time. The result will be a pyramid shape of words.
9. Ransom Words – Write your words by cutting out letters in a newspaper or magazine and gluing them onto blank paper.
10. Words-in-Words – Write your words and then write at least two words made from the letters in each word.
11. Magazine Words – Use an old magazine or newspaper and find your word. Cut it out and glue it onto blank paper.
12. Story Words  – Write a short story using all your words.
13. 30 second Words  – Write a TV commercial using all of the words from your list.
14. Popsicles – Make your words using Popsicle sticks to make each letter.
15. Secret Agent Words – Number the alphabet from 1 to 26, then convert your words to a number code.
16. Etch-A-Word – Use an Etch-A-Sketch to write your words.
17. Telephone Words – Translate your words into numbers from a telephone keypad.
18. Sound Words – Use a tape records and record your words and their spelling. Then listen to your tape, checking to see that you spelled all the words correctly.
19. Words You Can Eat – Write your words by arranging alphabet pasta or Alphabits cereal.
20. 3D Words – Use modeling clay rolled thinly to make your words.
21. Bathtub Spelling Practice – Using foam letters, make your words by sticking the letter to the side of the tub.
22. Sidewalk Spelling – Use sidewalk chalk to write the words on the sidewalk or driveway.
23. Poker Chip Spelling – Write all the letters of the alphabet on poker chips. Use them to spell your words.
24. Scrabble Spelling – Play a game of Scrabble using the spelling words.
25. Go Fish – Each time you spell a word correctly, eat a Goldfish cracker for each letter in the word.
26. Word Processing Practice – Use the computer to type the words. Use different colors, fonts, and sizes for each word.
27. Spelling Word Finds J – Create a word find
28. Crossword Spelling J -- Create a crossword puzzle with your spelling words using the words’ definitions.
29. Spelling Puzzles – Write each spelling word on an index card. Cut each card in half and mix them up. Then match the two parts of the word.
30. Finger Paint Bag – Pour a little bit of finger paint into a Ziploc bag and close it tight. Lay the bag flat on the table and use a finger to spell the word.
31. Spelling Squares – Write your word on graphing paper, putting one letter in each box.

HOME ALONE....

Yes.. I am home alone... My DS and DH have gone to a "Boy Scout Lock-In"  and my DD is staying the night with her grandmother...

I almost don't know what to do with myself... I've got the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha"  ( I read the book, but never saw the movie), and I think I will take a long, hot bubble bath (which I rarely ever do without DD joining me), pop some popcorn (with extra butter, of course), make some hot chocolate with all the extras (whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate sauce) and just relax...

and then again, I may sit and eat ice cream in lonliness... *L*

Yes, I realize how much I miss my family and how much I really enjoy the noise and the hubbub of them being around...

But for tonite, I will relish the idea of peace and quiet... and gotta go run that tub..

Science Class at the A.M.S.E.

Today we went to class at the A.M.S.E.  It was called "Spaced Out" and was of course about Space...

The kids had a great time... They played several games where they actually got to be the planets, they learned what "equinox" means... They discussed the various Gods that certain planets were named for (ie Mercury, Mars, Venus, Neptune)... they got to look at some really cool maps of the solar system... We discussed "AU"'s and the temp. of the sun... the difference between a rotation and revolution, waxing and waning, what "Mare" are, and the phases of the moon and to use "What's up DOC?" to remember them...

Then they played with a topological box for Mars... and discussed how it would take 9 months to get  Mars and then we would have to stay there for 4 years because of the revolutions of the Earth to Mars...

Here are a few websites that you can look at for more infomation...  

www.space.com

and google: Astronomy Picture of the day...

The Beauty of Winter I Am Longing For...

Pine Wood Derby...

Here are some pictures of DH and DS working on DS's Pinewood Derby Car for BoyScouts...

 

BBbRRRrrrrr....

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful"... I mean literally... We've have had freezing rain this morning and continued low temperatures...The Hwy. Patrol is implementing their inclement weather protocol already....

The kids and I are happy to just be able to stay at home this morning, sitting on the couch in the playroom covered up with a comforter and reading... Drinking hot cocoa and with the only decision to make is about moving upstairs to sit by the fireplace... *S*

I count my wonderful blessings on a morning like this, knowing that we are able to keep our 2 most prized possessions at home where they belong and not have to worry about getting out...

Our Monday...

Today we did a lessons and activities on Martin Luther King Jr that I found  here. We read several books on him from the library  (our favorite was by Rookie Read-about Holidays) and watched a movie from Holidays for Children on him and his works...

My kids were saddened by learning about segregation... They really didn't understand why it was excepted and why people wanted to do something like that... It really made my heart swell to see that they don't see color as a difference in people... It is so wonderful to hear that from little ones...
We used the example of the brown egg and the white egg and that when you crack them, the inside yolk and white is the same... (then we ate them for breakfast)...

We did several worksheets from about.com and then we made the "DREAM" mobile... We talked about the famous "I have a Dream" speech and how important it is to our society today. And then we worked on this poem for our copywork:

Wouldn't it be terrible? Wouldn't it be sad?
If just one single color was the color that we had?
If everything was purple? Or red? Or blue? Or green?
If yellow, pink, or orange was all that could be seen?
Can you just imagine how dull the world would be
If just one single color was all that we could see?