Fun science!

Our science this year is Jeannie Fulbright's Apologia Science curriculum on Anatomy and Physiology. Our first week we discussed cells and the different parts they each have. After a week of talking about cells and making diagrams of cells we actually made a cell..an edible cell. We took Knox gelatin and jello and made the cytoplasm. Once it hardened we used candy to make the parts!

We used fruit snacks for the Mitochondria because they were bean shaped, skittles for the Lysosomes, a fruit roll up, sprinkles and a mini marshmallow for other parts and then a big marshmallow for the nucleus.

Esther and Nathan said it tasted pretty gross , but they were able to tell me each part and what its job is as they created the cell!

Rainbow Night

We had a Friday night at home and decided it would be a good night for Family Fun night because Friday nights at home are few and far between anymore! We decided to have Rainbow Night! Everyone had to wear a shirt one of the colors of the rainbow. Check out the yummy selection of snacks... Lucky charms, Rainbow Chips Ahoy and a little Taste the Rainbow (skittles)For dinner we had' Rainbow Kabobs', green beans and tomatos and cucumbers (very colorful)The table was set with paper placemats and crayons. We played a game trying to see who could make the most words out of the word rainbow and then everyone had to color a rainbow on the back of the placemat. We also had rainbow punch..it was really good!Here are the kids rainbow picturesWe finished the night munching on our skittles and rainbow cookies while watching a little "Somewhere over the rainbow!" It was Esther Hope's first time watching the Wizard of Oz and she loved it!

Back to school celebration

Our back to school celebration was so much fun! Here is a picture of the cherry pie I made..complete with hearts and initials! Here is a picture of the kids after the scavenger hunt as they are dividing everything up and choosing what color they each want of everything.

My big 5th grader, Nathan

Esther Hope, 3rd grade

I really can't believe it but Abigail is in 7th grade this year.So far the first week is off to a great start! We are loving our new Bible study!

School year 2010-2011

The new year school starts today!!! We really have an easy week to get us back in the grove. The kids are taking a class at the local 4-H building called Chef to Child and it is a cooking and health class. We are also going to be starting our Bible and Science curriculum this week. Today is crazy with 4-H, volleyball practice, dance and a softball double header SO tomorrow is going to be our actually fun back to school day!

I let each student chose a favorite for dinner. Abby picked appetizers and chose Won Ton wrappers.

Esther gets to chose main dish and has already decided on chicken legs

Greg and I both picked a side item ( him- mac and cheese, me- broccoli)

Nathan chose dessert which will be cherry pie and ice cream.

After dinner there will be a back to school supply scavenger hunt! Here is the list of things they are looking for:

Go GO GO and find the glue..It is in the place you go Doodoo! ( I know...potty humor!, but they think it is hilarious!) - bathroom

Markers are nice, Markers are neat. Go find the markers where Mac likes to eat! -back porch

Crayons will help you draw lots of art, but where they are hiding you can also find a poptart! - pantry

A binder will hold all the fun projects we do, but to find them think Chicken Stew! - pots and pans cabinet

A notebook is where your journal will be, but right now your notebooks are under a tree! - back yard

We use tape to keep things together you see..but for now your tape is on top of the Wii! - living room wii

Pencils can help you write or draw, but right now they are hiding out in the hall! - hallway

A folder is great to make a lapbook, so lots of folders are in the breakfast nook - kitchen

It is school time again, but please don't BooHoo..these little kids will do that for you! I thought a treat might be kinda nice, so get check them out they are hanging out with the ice! - sour patch kids in the freezer!

I am also planning to take pictures of the kids outside for their "school picture". I am hoping the weather will be nice.

Happy Monday Y'all!

New School year

Our new school year will begin this coming Monday Aug 16th. I am so excited! Every summer, I toss back and forth about maybe doing some summer school, but we never do and by the time August rolls around I am so ready for it to begin. So Abby will be in 7th grade, Nathan in 5th and Esther Hope in 3rd. Here is a look at some of the things we will be doing this year:

Math U See ~ We love this program and I even looked at a few other curriculum's and all three kids were in agreement that we stay with MUS.

Apologia Science ~ We are all going to do the new Anatomy book together. Abby will have a little more research to do, but I am looking forward to studying the Human Body together.

Story of the World ~ We have done SOTW before but this year I bought the activity book as well. I am already planning some really cool map activities and art projects to do.

Bible ~ We will be working through a book on the Names of God this fall, I have an advent book for Christmas and I am still praying about what to do in January

Total Language Plus ~ This is new for us this year! We have been using Abeka, but were ready for something different. TLP is a concept where your Spelling, Vocabulary, Writing and Language and Reading are all based of a fiction book. Abby will be reading and working on Anne of Green Gables and Nathan will be doing The sign of the Beaver. It is designed to work through three or four books a year, but I only bought one to make sure we like this concept. If it goes as planned, I will be placing a order again soon! :)

Esther~ She isn't ready for TLP just yet, so we will continue on with Explode the Code and Abeka spelling and phonics thrown in and hopefully get her reading improved by Christmas break. We are also going to work through FIAR ( five in a row) Volume 4 together.

We also have Nature Journals and read alouds. We are taking a bit of a break to do an in depth study on Ben Franklin probably the month of December..this will be new and with the stress of Christmas might be fun! I also have started a Family Fun Night at least once a month. I have all kinds of cool themes planned! Like oceans, winter, Hawaii, baseball, football...I will try to keep them all updated here on the blog!

Here are our extra curricular for fall:

Abby:

ACE Clubs Co-op

FHE Volleyball

FHE basketball

Korners Folly puppeteer

Church youth group

Dixie Classic Fair entries

4H Club

A trip to ETHIOPIA!!!

Nathan:

ACE Clubs Co-op

YMCA Baseball

Club SODA ( at church)

Dixie Classic Fair entries

4H Club

Korners Folly puppeteer

Esther:

ACE Clubs Co-op

In HIS Company Dance

Club SODA ( at church)

Dixie Classic Fair entries

4H Club

Korner's Folly puppeteer

Praying the Lord will bless our year. It is going to be an exciting on with adding to additions fro Ethiopia to our family! I am so thankful to Homeschool!

Abby's Ipad contest

Abby's Orthodontist sponsored a week long patient appreciation contest last week. For 7 days you could try to get as many people as possible to go to the orthodontist website and vote for a patient's picture.

Well, Abby got it in her mind she reallly wanted to win this thing and so we sent out email and face book messages the first day and she jumped ahead by about 50 votes!

Then another little girl started coming on strong, so Abby began making "Vote for Abby" signs for peoples cars, stickers to wear..it was crazy! She streamed the Internet to the wii and we watched the votes climb each day on the tv in the living room!

By the last day, her and second place were neck and neck. She had her grandparents calling and emailing all their friends. Greg and I were even inboxing high school friends on facebook we hadn't talked to in 20 years! By Thursday at noon when the contest was over, Abby won by 68 votes and she had votes from 8 different countries! Her grand total of votes was 635!

On Friday night, she was given her Ipad! Talk about one happy little girl!!

Thanks so much for voting for her and putting up with us and all our campaigning for one crazy week. Oh and by the way, the Ipad is cooler than I ever imagined it would be!

The winning screen shot!Finally getting her Ipad!

A Favor...PLEASE

Hey! My daughter Abby is in a contest that her orthodontist is sponsoring to win an Ipad. Right now she is number one!! She still has a few more days until its over and we would reallllllly appreciate your vote for her...pretty please!!!!

Thanks!

Click here to vote!