Week in Review

Oops. Once again, I sort of missed the boat on my Week in Review. Of course, we're not doing school in the "school year" sense, so they aren't particularly important, I guess. But, I still enjoy sharing what the girls are doing. Plus, this is a place for me to keep a record of the learning that takes place around here. Saturday just sort of got away from me, what with all the cleaning and what not. :)

I still have no good way to take and edit pictures. That makes me sad. One of my favorite things about the blog was always the pictures. One of my favorite things about other people's blogs has always been the pictures. Ever since I had to get a new computer, it doesn't have the same editing program on it and I don't like the one that comes up on here now. Plus, my good camera is full of pictures but I need a USB cord for it. Ugh.

Whether I have the pictures to prove it or not, we are in a really nice, relaxed groove around here these days. My main focus over the past few weeks has been establishing a good rhythm. That has been very successful. I can talk about that in a separate post. I know that would be helpful to some of you. In the meantime, let me just share with you some of what the girls have been doing.

We read aloud:

• The Child's Story Bible, chapters 41, 42, 43 and 44
• Wisdom and the Millers, chapter 12
• Old Mother West Wind, chapters 1 and 2
• Trumpet of the Swan, chapters 7 and 8
• The Wise Enchanter, chapters on U, V, W and X
• Boy of the Pyramids, chapter 4

Both girls "narrated" (without realizing it) Trumpet of the Swan and Boy of the Pyramids really well one night by telling Daddy the entire stories from beginning to where we are. They filled him in on all of their favorite parts. It was great for me to see what they are picking up! The Hippie also narrated the Bible to me on the mornings we read it. Have I mentioned how much I am enjoying our morning discussions about God and the Bible? I am so proud of the people these girls are becoming!
 
We listened to (audio books):

• Five Minute Animal Stories (8 stories while I brushed their hair)
• Blueberries for Sal
• Corduroy
• The Emperor's New Clothes
• Madeline
• Beatrix Potter ~ The Tales of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle Duck
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
• The Drum Calls Softly (includes some very cool Northern Cree singing and drumming, also listened to it in Cree)

We are really enjoying the audio books. I think it is similar to watching a show or something for the girls ~ to pop in that CD and listen to the sounds and voices and follow along in the book. But, I like it because books are always good ~ always better than TV. And, they give my voice a break. :) If you have a good library, you should really look for some books with CDs for a nice treat this summer.


The Princess read:

• She finished reading The Fisherman and His Wife aloud to me
• She read Breyer Stablemates "Lucky" from beginning to end
• She read "Marley and Me" from beginning to end
• She read "Sleeping Bootsie" from beginning to end
• She read half of The Lad and the North Wind aloud to me
• She continued reading The Nine Lives of Aristotle
• She continued reading The Prodigal Cat
• She continued reading Kitty Corner, Domino

The Hippie read:

• She finished reading Swiss Family Robinson
• She started reading "The Stray" and is currently in the middle of chapter 5
• She started reading "Freaky Friday" and is currently in the middle of chapter 9
• She started reading "Nim's Island" (for the bzillionth time) and is currently on chapter 10

We went out and about:

• Eco Ed Science Program at the Library: OCEAN EXPLORERS (and the girls made it into the paper)
• Pool Day with our Homeschool Group
• To the library to check out yet another ton of books (we've been hitting the library up at least twice a week this summer)
• On a lovely family bike ride at the beach

We enjoyed at home:

• The girls caught a gecko, checked him out and then set him free
• Classical music on Pandora
• The girls made a paper family out of card stock ~ each girl made each member of our family. The Princess also started making animals for a pound. They both enjoyed playing with their paper families, driving them around in toy cars and stuff like that, tucking them in at night. :)
• The girls spent some time on the couch, listening to audio books and sewing ~ the Princess made a dress for her little pony and the Hippie made a dress for one of her doll house dolls
• Lots and LOTS of paper airplanes were made. The girls started out making their own paper airplanes. Then, I had a meeting on Thursday night and they chose to spend their "Daddy Time" making better paper airplanes with him. Then, I picked up a book at the library on making paper airplanes, and the three of them made about 15 different kinds yesterday. Then, we all headed outside and had a paper airplane flying contest ~ I had the honor of being the judge. The "Angry Finch" was the best one.
• During the paper airplane making extravaganza, the Hippie made a swan out of the card stock or paper ~ origami without instructions ~ talent.
• The girls and I did a really cool little project on Friday. I traced each of our hands on a piece of card stock. Then, each of us drew lines across the page ~ straight lines from the side to the hand, a curved line on the hand and then another straight line from the hand to the other side. We then colored in between all of the lines. The idea was that the hand would look sort of 3D or raised when you were finished. The cool thing to me was that the Princess didn't see the hand as raised ~ she saw it as pressed in. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see what I saw ... and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see what she saw. Just like one of those paintings or pictures that can look like more than one thing. :)
• Lots of creative play ... train set, wooden logs, legos, building of a farm and a town, etc.

We did:

• The Hippie copied the third and fourth commandments.
• The Hippie watched lesson 21 in math and then taught me how to do it. She did two practice pages for lesson 21 and then took the test.
• The Hippie watched lesson 22 in math and then taught the Princess and me how to do it.
• We did LOTS and LOTS of math in our heads ... big multiplication, division, addition and subtraction .. around the dinner table, as a game.
• We played Chinese Checkers as a family and learned some strategies.
• We cleaned out and organized the play room.

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I think that about covers it. Our main focus these days is rhythm and chores and reading and the library events and our Homeschool group and creative play. How is your summer going?

The Swan the Hippie made out of paper

The Hippie's Family ~ Daddy, Momma, Hippie, Princess (l to r)

The Princess's Family ~ Princess, Hippie, Momma, Daddy (l to r)

The Princess

Momma's

The dress the Hippie made

Back of the dress the Hippie made 

 

Until next time, 

  ~ IrieMomma