Today I Wanted To Ship...

...My Kids Somewhere!

I'm the MEAN Mom, I found a bracelet of Camille's under my bed and I told her I was throwing it away. It made her cry and she presented me with this picture to express herself. We discussed, or I should say I told her ...that if she can't take care of her belongings, they don't belong to her anymore.

Danny, getting dirtier by the minute AFTER I've told him to come inside. What a FUN day!
We quit school right after 11:30 am this morning and not because we were done.

Nitty Gritty Schedule

I've hit one of those times where there is a lot happening but by the time you sit down to write/type about it, it just seems either too trivial or too cumbersome to write about! We've gotten so off course with our lessons that we're doing something drastic, we're attempting to follow a rigid schedule. With dh's mom health issues and the latest travelling, I need to regain some momentum. I've decided to stop moaning about it and actually do something about it! I hesitate to write about it but I am determined.

Here's the new regime, I did post it below in Teaching My Children French post but it's what I want to talk about for this post.

5:30 am I wake up and do whatever I want for 1 hour, child free. Whether it be study French, read my Bible, walk the dogs, drink a whole pot of coffee- I can do it child-free! I also have to take my shower during this time because...

• 6:30 am Wake-up call for the kids. Camille is to get dressed, make her bed and comb her hair. I'm helping Danny.
• 7:00 am Breakfast. We eat together, clean the kitchen and brush our teeth.
• 7:30 am Bible and Memory Work. Do our Bible lesson, review our scripture memory work, poetry and history.
• 8:00 am Math.
• 8:30 am Grammar and Handwriting. We do our Grammar lesson together and then I spend time with Danny while Camille does her Handwriting, we're using a digital timer.
• 9:00 am History or Science. Danny gets outside time now or play time in his room.
• 10:00 am Read-Aloud.
• 10:30 am Independent Reading
• 11:00 am French
• 12:00 Lunch

After lunch, Danny is put down for his nap allowing Camille to practice on the piano, Danny free and then she takes her nap. I can take a nap at this time too if I wish.

There is room to move stuff around if we get off "schedule", the read-aloud can be moved to night time, the independent reading can be moved to the afternoon, I don't think French will take an hour but today it did (trying to find everything, the kids wanted to play a game that I hadn't planned for.)

Let's see where we are in our lessons:

Bible 22 out of 30 lessons done = 8 weeks
Math 127 out of 160 = 6 weeks
History 28 out of 40 = 12 weeks
Grammar 52 out of 100. = 8 weeks
Science 30 out of 40. = 10 weeks

Spelling & Art are done for the year, Cursive Handwriting was started early so it doesn't count.

Weeks left that I allotted for 1st grade: 9 weeks although I wanted to be done at the end of May, not June. Let's see how it would work out with 4 more weeks...

To end 1st grade by Friday June 1 we'd have to:

Bible: Double up, one lesson in morning and one at night.
Math: 2 lessons a day
History: 2-3 chapters in a week
Grammar: 2 lessons a day or find places to skip.
Science: read and abandon projects/experiments or replace with nature videos.

Of course the other solution is just tack onto 2nd grade which we start July 16th or July 23rd. I'm still thinking about when to start 2nd grade, especially if we run over with our 1st grade studies. It'll be decided once we're on our month break I guess.

To end 1st grade by June 29th:

Bible: keep lessons how they are
Math: keep lesson how they are
History: do a few 2 chapter weeks but that's it
Grammar: keep lessons how they are
Science: keep lessons how they are.

If we ended June 29th, I'd want a month off so we wouldn't start 2nd grade until August 6th. Hmm. I want to look at that more closely...If we start 2nd grade on August 6th with 40 weeks of lessons the end date would be May 26, 2008. My goal is to have the month of June completely off.

1 week for Thanksgiving
2 weeks for Christmas
1 unexpected week off
1 need the week off
=5 weeks

See, although working until June 29th looks good above as far as lessons go, it doesn't help with the long-term. So we'll be doubling up and seeing where there is unneeded repetition in our lessons so we can end on June 1. We'd then start 2nd grade July 16th or 23rd.

Okay. Is that clear as mud? Lol.

Teaching My Children French

There are multiple ways to teach any subject, French is just like any other subject. Given any advice, you'll find that immersion, reading French, learning vocabulary and grammar and speaking French is the best way to learn French. So, I'm trying to accomplish all of these things without overwhelming myself or my children. Please realize I'm just starting out and doing the best I can as a French learner myself. That said, let me share with you what I'm doing to teach my children French.

OUR POSTERS

I created posters based on posters I saw for purchase, here's our "wall of French" that we review.

Top Left: Alphabet; Top Right: Days of the Week; Middle Left: Colors; Middle Right: Numbers 1-20
Bottom: Common school-related words

I wanted to be able to say, "get your _____" even before I could say it in French. My drawing of scissors is atrocious but you get the idea. I also realized that having the articles (un, une, la, le, les, des) is important to learning vocabulary. Did you know what when French children learn French they don't learn masculine/feminine words? They just learn the words with the appropriate articles, like "un livre" is book instead of just "livre".

Our colors poster. White is blanc but I couldn't figure out how to put that on there.
Below are two posters we have above our kitchen table.

We try to use the French words on this on a daily basis, even if we cannot formulate the question entirely in French. Camille may say, "Maman, can I have le lait with dîner?" "Qu'est-ce que vous voulez manger? is something I say daily. Lol.

Here's Our Lord's Prayer in French. Currently I'm studying this to be able to help my children learn it. I like that it is up there though. I copied it 4 times before I was able to write it without mistake, the hazards of creating your posters in a foreign language!


Here is our daily schedule. I say schedule because right now we're working towards this and I'm being pretty strict about it until it becomes habit. This is more of a homeschooling thing than teaching French but it's an example of how we're starting to use French in our daily lives. It's not just a subject for us.


MOVIES & LEARNING VIDEOS

Bonjour Les Amis 3 Volume Set: Love this! I love it even more that I was able to purchase it for $3.00 at our local library sale.
First Fun With French by Usborne
Brainy Baby French
Baby Einstein: Language Nursery, Baby Wordsworth-Words Around the House, Baby Newton-Discovering Shapes and Baby's Favorite Places-Words Around Town

Most of the Baby Einstein DVDs have French language tracks where the words on the screen appear in French and the voice on the video is in French. This really extends the life of these movies! I thought once Danny was older we'd be done with these but they are perfect for language learning. When looking at them in the store, look for this.

If it says it has a Language Track in French, you're good to go! Also look at the DVDs in your movie collection.
If they have this...

You can watch that movie dubbed in French. This particular one does not have subtitles in French but look for that too. The "heard" words will not match the person's mouth on the video but it is still great for immersion. I particularly like to watch movies heard in English with the French subtitle.

BOOKS

Pictured: Berlitz French Je Parle Français, Let's Learn French Coloring Book, Un Peu De Tout (A Bit of Everything), Mon Papa, Ma Maman, Milet's Mini Picture Dictionary, Barron's French/English Food, Barron's French/English Weather, Berlitz' Bilingual The Missing Cat, Berlitz' Bilingual The Five Crayons, Berlitz' Bilingual A Visit to Grandma, Usborne Internet Linked French Dictionary for Beginners, Camille et ses amis, Camille ne veut pas prêter ses jouets, Camille et son drôle de nounours, Help Your Child Learn a Foreign Language by Opal Dunn and Qu'est-ce que c'est?

Inside the Let's Learn French Coloring Book (which is just an alphabet book coloring book)

Inside the Milet Mini Picture Dictionary (has the all important articles!)

and inside Qu'est-ce que c'est? Which can be made into a game, there are other books like this that use the question words.
This book has flaps that open.


AUDIO & ACTIVITY

Okay now back to talking about Baby Einstein. I found these at Toys'RUs. They are Language Nursery Flash Cards.
I covered the English on the front and put the French word instead. We review these everyday and Danny loves them, especially the car, truck, fire truck and train flash cards!

On the back of them is multiple languages with pronounciation

I put the sticker right underneath the French so I could locate it quickly but I've got these memorized now.
That is what we do daily so far: read a book, review these flashcards, the posters and watch one of the videos. We're about to start The Easy French or Le Facile Français Jr. Level, I just finished putting the notebook together after printing out the activity sheets and combining them with The French Copywork K-3 from www.HomeschoolEStore.com.

I'm still in the planning stages of what songs, poems, nursery rhymes we'll memorize for the year and what order we'll learn them but we've been playing with Hop, Skip and Sing French which is quite fun!

Pictured: Aventures French Language Learning Program for Elementary Schools Book 1 set. (Private schools use this, I'm not sure I will just yet), Play and Learn French, Un Deux Trois: First French Rhymes, Teach Me French, Twin Sisters French, Teach Me French Spiritual Songs and Springboard to French.

There are some things I have too much of, such as I didn't realize that Springboard to French and Un Peu de Tout would be so similar in content. Thankfully, each is a little different. I've collected these those private sales, 4 for the price of 3 deals on Amazon, www.bookmooch.com, www.powells.com

Useful link about teaching elementary children
http://k6educators.about.com/library/bltips1.htm

French Links that I have bookmarked that will help you do anything you'd like teaching/learning French

When I have a schedule ready for what we're learning, I'll share it. I'm currently reading up different techniques for teaching elementary aged children. I'm also working on developing a sequence of concepts, I need a plan. : )
I feel like this is very disjointed but it's hard to share something when you haven't got it all figured out for yourself just yet. The idea right now is to keep the "concepts" or "theme" the same but use:
-songs
-nursery rhymes or poems
-books
-activity sheets
-learn vocabulary and use vocabulary
-possibly copywork
to learn/teach the concept or theme.

I'll post more about this later. I hope this helps someone else and I haven't caused confusion!

Yes, I'm Learning French

Warning: This post is going to be very informative but also very long.

Grab something to drink and maybe a snack.

What I’m currently studying and using:

Side-by-Side French & English Grammar
by C. Frederick Farrell Jr.

ABOUT THE BOOK: The Side-by-Side Grammar books present explanations of the essential elements of Spanish or French grammar alongside their English-language equivalents. This method allows students to build on what they already know; not only do readers learn grammar for a new language but also enjoy the added benefit of strengthening their grammar skills in their native tongue !

Each lesson clearly explains functions and uses of the different parts of speech and includes abundant examples for each entry. Because the vocabulary is limited to frequently used words, students can concentrate more on a sentence's structure instead of becoming tangled in its meaning. A "Quick Check" section summarizes main ideas in each section and helps readers retain the most important information. New to these editions are exercise sections to further reinforce students' comprehension. Also available: Side-by-Side Spanish and English Grammar.

HOW I'M USING IT: Let's be honest, it's been a while since I studied grammar. Camille is only 6, so teaching her grammar is not really reviving my memory of the more complicated terms. This is helping me, it gives the grammar term on the left side in English and explains it well with examples. Then, it explains in English about French grammar- how it is the same as English grammar or different and how. I'm using this to refresh my memory and to learn about French grammar. I'm not forcing myself to memorize grammar rules just yet, only to familiarize myself. I am slowly going through this, taking one or two weeks per subject/chapter as I feel comfortable. I read the selection everyday, there are exercises but I don't do those until I feel confident in what I learned from reading.



Schaum's Outlines French Grammar 4th ed.
by Mary E. Coffman Crocker

ABOUT THE BOOK: At last, a guide that explains points of French grammar and structure simply, then clarifies each with concrete examples. The examples use the language of real-life situations. This new edition also makes difficult topics, like the difference between mood and tense, even easier to understand. Numerous fill-in-the-blank and other exercises with delayed answers help cut down the time it takes readers to gain proficiency and confidence communicating in French. Also available: Schaum's Outlines (German, Spanish, Chinese, Italian and Latin) Grammar

HOW I'M USING IT: I'm using this book as an extension of the first one, it doesn't have the explanations of English grammar the Side-by-Side book above has but it has more exercises and French. Whatever I'm studying in Side-by-Side, I'm also studying it in this book. Same time schedule, as I learn.


Easy French Reader
by R. de Roussy de Sales

ABOUT THIS BOOK: These unique guides are based on the premise that the best way to learn a language is to start reading it, immediately. Suitable for raw beginners to intermediate-level language learners, the new editions of these popular titles feature engaging readings of progressive difficulty that allow learners to rapidly build comprehension.

Easy French Reader begins with the adventures of two friends, an American and a Parisian, as they learn about their respective cultures. This is followed by readings on the history of France, from ancient Gaul to the present. The final section features four abridged short stories by famous French authors.
Also available: Easy Spanish Reader, Easy Italian Reader (by different authors).

HOW I'M USING IT: I have to say, I LOVE this book! What a boost of confidence! It really is easy to read and understand, the back of the book has a dictionary in case you come across a word you don't understand. There are three parts to each chapter: first- you read a narrative, second and third are exercises regarding the narrative. ALL in French. I'm using this daily, reviewing the last story before I read the new one. I'm only moving as quickly as I understand, if I can't answer the questions 100%, then I stay with that narrative until I do. So far, it's been a narrative a day but the book progresses from beginner to intermediate level, so I may be slowing down after a few narratives. This is increasing my vocabulary as well!


Michel Thomas' Speak French for Beginners

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: No books. No writing. No drills. And nothing to memorize-- ever! With his patented method, Michel Thomas has taught languages to top celebrities and--through his bestselling audio programs--more than a million everyday learners around the world. At the end of this ten-CD beginner’s program, you will have acquired:

* A full working vocabulary
* Essential comprehension skills
* Complete language confidence

Don't try to memorize specific words or expressions. It is a basic principle of the Michel Thomas™ method that the responsibility for the student’s learning lies with the teacher. With Michel Thomas as your teacher, your learning will be based on understanding--and what you understand, you do not forget! Also available: Italian, Spanish and German.

HOW I'M USING IT: This is amazing, I've listened to quite a few audio products but when I'm attempting to formulate a sentence or thinking about how to say something, my mind goes back to Michel Thomas' voice. I should say that I don't have this set of cds, I have the older 8 cd set but they are the same with the exception that two of the cds in this 10-cd set are review cds.

Michel Thomas is teaching two people, a man and a woman in the program, they are learning alongside of you, mistakes and all! Now, I think anyone who listens wants to strangle the woman on the cd at some point, especially when you're listening and you think you have the right answer and she's not doing it right. I listen to the same track 3-5 times or until I can use the information M.Thomas has taught and then I move on. It's less frustrating (I've found) to listen to the same one until you're ready to move on instead of listening to multiples and then going back to review. I've been thinking about taking notes about what I'm learning with this, just to see it on paper. I just put this on my ipod and take it with me everywhere, listening 3-5x a week.

French 1
The Standard Deviants

ABOUT THE VIDEO: Never fear, the fun-loving smart people at Standard Deviants have created this video tutorial that will help you master the basics of the French language in no time flat. Subjects covered include basic vocabulary, the French alphabet, vowel sounds and accents, verb forms and conjugation, gender, definite articles, formal and informal constructions, and much more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Also available: Italian, Spanish

HOW I'M USING IT: I try to watch this 1-3x a week, but lately with the travelling I haven't been able to and I've found that it does pay to take notes and pause the video. I don't have the DVD, I have the VHS tape that I bought YEARS ago and found it recently tucked into a closet. This program is available on UnitedStreaming.com if you have access or you can rent it through Blockbuster or Netflix.


French in Action
The Capretz Method

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: This series uses active participation to increase fluency in French, while introducing French culture. Pierre Capretz’s proven language-immersion method is presented within a humorous teleplay with native speakers of all ages and backgrounds. The storyline of an American student and a young Frenchwoman's adventures in Paris and the French countryside is reinforced by Dr. Capretz’s on-camera instruction. The series is also appropriate for teacher professional development. Watch the videos free here.

HOW I'M USING THIS: I'm watching this 3x a week, at first I didn't make it through the first one because I got frustrated. I had immersion frustration! I went back and watched it again and realized towards the end, it is explained with words on the screen and it made much more sense! I found the book to go along with this on BookMooch but I haven't started using it yet. I keep forgetting to grab it. I might put the book into my daily reading so that I'm prepared when I watch the video. Oh, best part- it's free! Click on the link above to get immersed!


SparkNotes French Vocabulary Study Cards
(the Grammar set is waiting in the wings)

ABOUT THE CARDS: There's 1000 vocabulary cards, on the side where the French word is displayed, it also tells you whether the word is a verb, masculine/feminine noun, adjective, adverb, preposition, interjection, conjunction.
Also available: English, Spanish-may be more...

HOW I'M USING THEM: These are perfect for on the go studying, I grab 20 at a time and just flip through them for a week until I can look at the English word and "know" the French equivalent! I also have the grammar study cards waiting to be used but I'm reserving those for after the two grammar workbooks mentioned above.

I like that I can organize these by grammar if I wish without risking being wrong. I can also use these for the children if I wish, maybe as we study new words I can put them up for them to see the spelling. I purchased these for myself and the ones below for both my children and I.


French Vocabulary Flash Cards by QuickStudy

I also have these flash cards which I currently use with Camille. They are organized by subject which makes it easier on me. Here's what it contains.

ABOUT THE CARDS: Box of 1000 Flash Cards include color coded tabs on the top of the cards to easily remove and replace cards in the proper section. Also available: Spanish and possibly other languages.

Card Categories include:
·Adjectives ·Adverbs ·All Verbs ·The Body ·Food and Drink ·Sports/Entertainment ·Studies ·The Family
·Habitat ·Weather ·Time ·Travel ·Greetings ·Bank ·Color ·Clothes ·Measurements ·Numbers


So with the above, I am reading French, studying syntax/grammar, vocabulary, watching & listening to native speakers, listening and practicing with a renowned language teacher but that's not all I'm doing. With all this, I'm watching the children's French videos, our own movies in French or with French subtitles, I'm reading simple French children's books to my children or listening to one of their audio/books with them.

I'm also:
-Applying what I'm learning by talking to my children in the French I do know or teaching them some of the vocabulary I've learned.
-I'm repeating the lessons, rewatching the French in Action, listening again to Michel Thomas until I have a firm grip on the material before moving on. I'm writing in a notebook instead of in the workbooks above.
-Meeting with my "tutor" once a week to speak French and receive constructive criticism.
-Learning through my children's materials as well: books, videos, songs, games, creating learning posters for them, flashcards, etc.

I'll post what I'm doing with the dc in a couple of days. I hope you've found this helpful, there are many wonderful resources out there, the key is finding what will work for YOU.

Getting Back on Track

We've gotten off course in a big way, the news of mil's health and the travelling has my head spinning wondering, "What WERE we doing?" I had everything so organized and even if I didn't cover something one day, I knew it'd be done that week. I was tackling my 2nd grade preparations on a consist basis, I was posting here regularly with something to say or something to share. I was organized with my thoughts, my idea of what I wanted to accomplish and now I feel like I have more "projects" going than I can handle at this time.

The overhaul of our eating habits has required time, the new study of French has taken time and honestly has gotten us off track. I now have a printer and laminator so I'm slowly but surely getting things done. I haven't updated our "Books We've Read in First Grade" list, we haven't even finished The Wind in the Willows! I've taken some time away from being online and this has been healing, I need to do it more. We're so close to being done for first grade and I've learned so much this year. I really want to take those lessons learned and put them into action so that I don't make the same mistakes again. What mistakes? you may ask....

1. Spending more time planning than doing.
2. Adding a new project in order to procrastinate on another thing (like cleaning *smile*)
3. Spending more time worrying about what I'm doing than focusing on what I'm doing
4. Getting trapped into the "what is the newest, latest and greatest?"
5. Spending too much time online talking about homeschooling with other hslers than doing the nitty-gritty work.

So, there it is- the ugly truth. Anything new and exciting can become addicted and destructive, such as blogging or having the wrong attitude in a situation. Homeschooling isn't about what we're doing, or how we're doing it and sharing our hits or misses, it's about time, it's about the kids. It's about consistency, parenting, family relationships and most of all-developing solid relationships between our kids and God. (not for everyone but this is prevalent on my list)

I've been taken off the track by discussions about Old/Young Earth, what type of books are best to be read, what is the best way to do narrations, why isn't my child doing what your child is doing?, discipline issues, and all of these are answered by "JUST DO IT." I've realized I don't have to have the "RIGHT" answers in order to move forward, I don't need to feel 100% confident in everything I do in order to be effective. I can be 10% right and still make a positive impact on my children, as long as I'm there. I can organize the information my children will learn until I'm blue in the face, but the focus needs to be on giving that information to the children and fostering their love of learning about God, life, love and discipline of the mind and body. I didn't understand when others said that faith is the most important subject to be learned. I thought, "how extreme they are", but now I see the beauty, I see the value.

Blessings,
Jessica

Crepes, Pears and Chicken oh la, la!

First, anything written or said in French sounds impressive for some reason but these recipes are quite simple!
On the right is Suprêmes de Volaille a Blanc (Chicken breasts poached in butter with wine and cream sauce) and on the left is Poires Au Gratin (Pears baked with wine and macaroons). We also had white whole grain rice and Carottes Etuvees au Beurre (Carrots braised in butter). The kids didn't have the pears but had Pineapple Sherbert.

CLICK ON THE COLORED TEXT FOR THE RECIPES! : )

This is Vanilla Crepes with Nutella, strawberries and bananas. I've never had breakfast crepes before and this was delicious! Unbelievably simple and our permanent replacement for pancakes and possibly even waffles! Nutella is a spread made from cocoa, hazelnuts, and skim milk and is apparently very popular throughout the world and was on the peanut butter shelf at the grocery store. Yummy!

Dh asked what we're having tonight and I told him Crab Cakes, he was disappointed! "I've had crab cakes, can't you make something else French?" He's eating this UP, literally! All the foods with the exception of a select few (like the Nutella above) is made from scratch, scroll down to look at my fridge! lol.

That's Life (C'est la vie)

A picture of some of the French items we're using right now. Pictured is

• Hop, Skip and Sing French- games, stories and vocabulary
• French Vocabulary 1000 Cards by Quick Study- 1000 ways to save time (lol)
• French Grammar
• Easy French Exercises
• Side by Side English and French Grammar
• Instant Immersion French workbook
• The Big Blue Book of 555 French Verbs
• Webster's French-English/English-French Dictionary
• The Missing Cat by Berlitz (with CD)
• Food (French/English Bilingual) book
• French Ways and Their Meanings by Edith Warton
• Penguin Parallel Text French/English Short Stories 1
• The Easy French Reader
• French Vocabulary Book by Berlitz
• Goodnight Everyone (French/English bilingual) book
• Play and Learn French (everyday conversations & songs)
  

Life. It's doesn't slow down does it? We have things we HAVE to do, things we've committed ourselves to, things we WANT to do. If I were to write all that we've done or have to do in the last two weeks or the following two weeks- I would shut down this computer and crawl into bed until I felt it was safe to come out. Guess what? It will never be safe! We can't hide from our responsibilities no matter how long we procrastinate, it's much better to grab the bull by the horns than to run around trying to cover our red pant wearing behinds! (My grandma used to say that.)

Danny helping Grandpa with yardwork. Grandpa let Camille and Danny both ride the lawnmower with him, they had such a blast! My dad is my hero in so many ways, he even braved taking the children to a drag race! I think it was the first time he had taken them someplace by himself and they all had fun.


A dog statue that Danny had fun with at an arts & crafts festival while we were visiting my parents.



Danny got a race car painted on his arm while Camille choose to have a horse on her face. It was a wonderfully nice day, the weather was perfect and we all had fun.





This picture really captures Danny's softness which I'll miss because he's getting older. Life has been crazy lately, I don't have a post for Camille's work because it has been sporadic as we've been travelling. It's nice to be home and resume some type of normalcy- who am I kidding!? We're not normal. Camille's piano lessons are going well, French is going well, our new cooking is going well as long as I cook the vegetables before they sour. Life is good. And I'm thanking God for it all even while I pray for strength during this time as we deal with Dh's mom going home. There's not an update for her, she still has cancer and it's still untreatable. It may happen at any time but I'm leaning on the Lord and trying to be there for my dh. Her 60th birthday is coming up and we pray it will be a good one for her, a lot of family is gathering. I pray that the Lord will make me an instrument of His peace everyday lately.

What We're Eating this Week

Wednesday
Breakfast: Crepes with Strawberries & Bananas
Lunch: Leek & Potato Soup (leftover) with french bread & salad
Dinner: Suprêmes de Volaille a Blanc (Chicken Breasts Poached in Butter with Wine & Cream Sauce) with Braised Carrots

Thursday
Breakfast: Freshly made oatmeal & yogurt
Lunch: leftovers or sandwiches with fruit or vegetables
Dinner: Risotto (chicken) with Haricots Verts Au Maître D'Hôtel (Fresh green beans with butter, parsley & lemon juice)

Friday
Breakfast: French toast with fresh fruit
Lunch: leftovers or sandwiches with fruit or vegetables
Dinner: Salad Niçoise

Saturday
Breakfast: Croissants with cheese & fruit, yogurt
Lunch: leftovers or sandwiches with fruit or vegetables
Dinner: Crab cakes

Earth Science Plans Grammar Stage

Created using:

1. Usborne's First Encyclopedia of Our World (with interactive activities listed for each subject)
2. Childcraft's World and Space:
3. Evan-Moor's Hands-On Earth Science
4. The Geography Book by Caroline Arnold
5. United Streaming
6. Library books fiction & non-fiction (living books)
7. Other videos I happen to own

Astronomy is not planned out but I intend to do 11-18 weeks using the Childcraft book, A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky, Usborne's First Encyclopedia of Space and other books we have about astronomy. I may "plan" this out later, if I do- I'll post about it.

Use this as you may, I decided a while back that I would do this for myself and share with anyone who wanted to see or use it- I'd do it anyway so why not share it if it may help someone else? Let me know if you have any questions.

Download the File Here

Julia Child, Fresh Fruit & Veggies

We're attempting to go a whole foods route with our menu (mostly from The French Chef Cookbook by Julia Child and French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano), we have vegetables and fruits coming out of our ears because dummy me bought a whole month's worth instead of realizing that I *should* buy each week.

Fresh vegetables:
leeks (which I'm making soup today)
artichokes,
rutabaga
onions,
garlic,
various greens for salad
celery,
green peppers,
carrots,
yellow squash,
zucchini
fresh herbs- parsley, rosemary and thyme.

Geesh, I think I left something out- oh yeah, broccoli, cabbage and I still have to find fresh eggplant.

Fresh Fruits:
Honeydew,
cantaloupe,
pineapple, (made Pineapple Sherbert today)
plums,
peaches,
apples,
pears,
red/white grapes,
oranges,
bananas,
and lemons.

I think that is it for the fruits, I might have forgotten something there too.

Our refrigerator is slam packed full- what can I blanch and store in the freezer until I need it? I know the leeks and artichoke needs to be cooked this week.

Our menu for today is
Breakfast: Yogurt, grapes, slice of French bread w/ butter. Rocquefort cheese does not taste good btw.
Lunch: Ham & cheese sandwiches with greens, fresh pineapple chunks.
Dinner: Leek & Potato Soup (pictured above), salad with fresh greens, and apple tart.
~~~
FOLLOW UP: The Leek & Potato soup will not have an encore performance in our household, the salad, french bread and salad were a hit. DH kept asking where the meat was. I was the only one who ate most of what was in our soup bowls. This is fine, we'll figure out what we like and move on from there.
~~~
I felt so healthy yesterday as I was grocery shopping bypassing ALL prepackaged and prepared foods and the cashiers were amazed as well asking questions. One thing I DO know is that I will NOT buy everything at once again and I HAVE TO plan a menu for the month and shop for the vegetables/fruits each week.

Help me salvage from my mistake!

Baby Got Bible

Passing this on after a fellow hsler shared this on the WTM Board.

Flustered and trying to maintain

Camille is still working on the ten books from the library from last week because our travelling interruption. It seems we're going to experience a lot of travelling interruptions in the next month. This Friday she goes to her Dad's, then Monday we'll be at dh's family's house, after that the kids and I are going to my parent's house. We'll have a week or so at home, then we'll be going to mil's birthday party (6 hours away) that will be a gathering of *everyone* for her.

It's just so sad. Everything we do from this point on is a way of saying goodbye and it kicks me in the stomach. I don't want to say goodbye! Who's going to get my rankles up and keep me on my toes? How is dh's dad going to handle her being gone? This overwhelming sadness lingers throughout the day whenever I allow myself to think of it.

Our lessons are still happening, I'll have to take them with us when we're visiting. Planning for second grade has come to a halt, I can't focus on that right now. I have product reviews to do and I've got to accomplish at least two before we leave Monday for the inlaws. I've got enough to keep me busy and keep me from dwelling on the situation. Let's see...ds2 (about to be 3), dd6's lessons, learning French, puppy, vet appointments, dh's trying to catch up with his school assignments that he missed last week plus this week's, arranging travel, etc, etc.

Butterflies at Callaway Gardens

Inside Callaway Garden's Butterfly Pavilion, the little waterfall there is where Danny jumped in up to his waist.

So cute, but look at that face! Camille dressed for the butterflies.

The parrot that almost bit Danny's finger as he pointed to it excitedly. We have it on video, and of course it was while Danny was soaked from the waist down. (lol)