Week I

Well, we just finished out the Ii (insect) week today. Yes, it turned into about a 2 week unit instead of one, but we had all three children sick last week (still getting over it), traveling, and family gatherings...I think we will be fine. :-) We talked about ants, ladybugs, inchworms, spiders, and other sorts of insects. We even have some in our home. See..... ;-)

Aren't they cute? I never thought I would say that about insects. ;-) We have centipedes, ants, spiders, and even ticks. The children had fun making these and choosing the colors. Well, I better get ready to start the next unit tomorrow.

Insects.....

This week the children are having so much fun this week learning about insects and the letter I. On Wednesday we talked about the ant and the ant farm we had. All the ants are dead now, but the last one didn't die off until last week. They lived much longer than we expected. Anyway, yesterday we talked about the ladybug and that it is a predatory insect. So we decided to make our own ladybugs from rocks. The children chose the two small ones and we painted the larger one together. I know...they look more like Asian lady beetles, but that is what happens when we don't have black paint. Still haven't figured out why there are two shades of blue in the paint set we bought, but not black. You can make the other blue color by mixing paints. Oh well, I just need to go buy black paint. The children are happy with how the ladybugs turned out anyway. They want to put them out in the garden. I will put them on our back porch till spring and then I will have them put the bugs outside then. :-)

Homeschool Memoirs #18: Winter Treats

THEME

This week I want to invite you to share one of your favourite winter treats. A treat you look forward to making when the snow falls and include the recipe for it so others can try it out.

When you add your link to the linky you’re welcome to put in what you posted. For example: Miss Jocelyn -Eggnog

My theme:

My favorite winter treat is easy....it's a Mocha or Stash's white Christmas tea. Yummy!

The mochas I make are super easy. Just brew yourself a good cup of coffee. Then you add one packet of hot cocoa mix (homemade or store bought) to your cup and add coffee. That's it! I usually add some milk and if we have it, whipped cream to top it off. Can't get much better then that. But if you prefer tea, White Christmas Tea is my favorite hot tea.

Letter W

Well, we are finishing up our week for the letter Ww and water. We have done experiments with seeing how liquids change shape depending on the container you pour them into, seeing how water turns to ice when cold enough and which melts faster....ice in the refrigerator or ice left out. The children have had so much fun with this. Today was their favorite I think. Today we started with this. 5 glasses of water and rice, salt, coffee bean, sugar, and oil. The children then made guesses on what would dissolve and what wouldn't. They had a lot of fun guessing what would and wouldn't. They even wanted to see what the salt water and sugar water tasted like. Obviously they prefered the sugar water. :-)

We are finishing up the week of W tomorrow and then we will be starting Letter I and insects. ;-)

Homeschool Memoirs #17: Chores

THEME:

This week I would you to share how chores are done in your home. How you order your day with school and getting housework done. How do you decide which chores should be done by which child, of which age? I’m looking forward to hearing them!

My Theme:

My children are still fairly young yet and this is something that we are finally starting to develop. The children are to help set the table and to clear it. Then one of the older two help me with dishes. Our oldest son helps feed the animals (just a dog and a rabbit) and give them water. He does a very good job of it. Actually we are in the process of making more of a list and a schedule as our family needs structure. Without it....it turns to chaos. :-) Hope to learn a lot today reading of others ideas.

When I was...

I forgot to mention something that happened when our family went to the Messiah on Sunday. As we were walking in this is a conversation that took place.

Beloved talking to the children: "This is where Mama used to go to school."

Sweet E: "When she was smart?"

We had a good laugh over that. I guess after I got my diploma that my intelligence went down hill. LOL :-D

Water Week

This week we are talking about the letter W and the theme is water. So here are a couple of videos for your. :-)

Another week

Last week they children learned the letter "Oo" and the theme for the week was the octopus. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the mural they did yet. I do have a picture of them painting the water, but they then added their own octopus to the water. (I will try and get a picture of it up soon.)

Then I let Big T have some time with the magnets, which he loves! His favorite thing to make with them right now are ships. You can see how proud he is of his creation. He asked me to take a pictue for him.

The music portion of our lessons this week was easy to fill. The local college...my Alma Mater (MVNU) has a wonderful tradition of performing Handel's Messiah. We haven't gone for a few years, but I so happy we were able to attend this past Sunday. My pictures are not that great, pretty blurry, because we sat in the balcony and I can't hold still enough to get good shot with the zoom. But I do have a couple of videos. And I think you can hear Little E crying in both. By the time the Hallelujah chorus came around it was 9 and way past his bed time. :-)

Homeschool Memoirs: #16 Candy :-)

This week it’s seriously going to be just fun. This week share your favourite candies. I know from being on the HSBA Post team that Sprittibee and Dawn love gummy-bears, and maybe Bunny too. Have fun with this… and you’re welcome to post a photo of YOU eating your favourite candy. Haha!

God’s Word is also like sweetness to our souls. His sweet love, forgiveness, comfort, peace, and more is what makes our lives seem a little more bearable when things get rough. Whenever you eat your sweet piece of goodness remember that God loves you and will always be there when life seems sour.

Share a scripture for this week as well. One that lifts you up when you’re feeling discouraged.

My Theme:


What is my all time favorite candy? Reese Peanut Butter Cups! I have a major downfall for those. Especially the heart, egg, or tree shaped ones because they have extra peanut butter in them. :-) I also like dark chocolate a lot, but I am telling you...the peanut butter cups are pure delight to me. :-)

Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

Homeschool Memoirs: #15 A Thankful Heart

"THEME

This week, you guessed it, is going to be about having a thankful heart! Yes, of course, we should always be thankful for everything we’re blessed with, but it’s not too often we actually sit and ponder what. This week please join me in writing 27 things you’re thankful (There’s got to be at least 27things!). I picked 27 because this year Thanksgiving is on the 27th of November.

Also, share a Scripture verse for this week!"

My theme:

1. My Lord, Jesus Christ- through him I am saved
2. My Husband- He is the most wonderful man in all the world (To me he is). He works hard for his family and makes time for the children everyday to tell them stories. :D
3. Big T- My oldest....he has been such a joy to watch, to see him grow up and learn new things
4. Sweet E- my little princess....the one who loves all things pink.....she is such a wonderful little girl to have around. it is so much fun to watch her play mom. :-)
5. Little E- Mr. Independent......also known as Curious George.....always keeping me on my toes. :-)
6. Family- They have been with me through all things
7. My Sissy- We have had our rough times, but she is always there for me.....she's definitely a blessing. :D
8. House- and opportunity to make a home for my family where we can have friends for dinner, hang art projects on the wall and have homeschool. :-D
9. Cinnamon and Clove candles- LOVE that smell this time of year
10. Dark Chocolate- Need I say more. :-)
11. Mocha- I can't drink coffee black, but add chocolate....it's great.
12. My Mill- it's a blessing to be able to grind fresh wheat flour for bread.
13. Homeschool Mamas- all of the mamas I have met in real life and on the internet...such a wonderful support group. :D
14. Miss Ginny- for keeping me on my toes and not being afraid to tell me when I miss something with the children. Thanks! Oh...and can always make me smile.
15. Brothers and Sisters in Christ- they are such a wonderful support group that without them.....I don't know how we would get through the rough spots that we have. :D
16. Pizza- especially homemade since the children and I make it together. AND it's better than any takeout. :-)
17. Shea Butter Lotion
18. Construction paper- without it....what would school crafts be. :D
19. Vinyl Tablecloths- Without them...my dinning room table would be ruined.
20. Water- not only do our bodies need it, but water helps with science projects of all kinds, whether it is a volcano, making ice, mixing with food coloring....it is used in many, many ways. :D
21. Pets- They are a joy to have around, but my oldest is also learning responsibility by taking care of their food and water.
22. Digital Cameras- this way we don't waste film by printing pics that didn't come out right. And...so I can take 4 times as many pictures than needed. :D
23. Internet- so I can keep in contact with friends and family, and so I can do TONS of research for school projects.
24. Snow- not only is it my last name, but it helps brighten any winter day!
25. Sweaters- Nothing like a warm cozy sweater and a mocha on a cold winter day.
26. Coloring Books- Their not just for children...it's great "therapy" for a stressful day. :D
27. These Memoirs- It's fun to learn about others. :-)

Psalms 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Rooooaaaarrrr!

This week we learned about the letter "D" and dinosaurs. The children had a blast. Sorry it took me this long to get things posted, but that is what happens when the hard drive crashes. :D Big T finally got to use his birthday gift that a friends gave him. You dropped a dinosaur egg into water, it foamed up, and them you discovered dinosaur bones inside to put together. (The egg was pretty much a bath bomb, but the children had fun)

Then the children drew pictures of a pterodactyl and a brachiosaurus. I think they did a wonderful job. :D They are so proud to have there pics up on the wall. :-)

I almost forgot....we got the play dough out and make our own dinosaurs. The purple one is mine. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of their dinos because they tore them apart before I could. Oh well....I will just have to be quicker next time. :-)

But the favorite thing of the week was making/painting dinos of their very own. We saved this project for the "art teacher" to do with them. Beloved drew out the basic design of the dino that they wanted, stapled the outside edges together, the children stuffed them with newspaper, and then......

Can you guess what colors they painted their dinosaurs? I am actually surprised that Big T did not choose green, but instead chose......PURPLE!

Sweet E's should be easy.....it was PINK! ;-)

We have one more day of lessons to finish up with the Letter D and it's on to the next lesson. :D

Done....

Our harddrive just crashed. We just happen to have a laptop that is pretty much just for the children to use to play games and such. So I just wanted to let you all know that it will be a while before I post again. I am praying that Hubby can save the files from the harddrive, but at least he said the pics to CD's about a week ago....So I haven't lost too many. Just ones of the first snow. So anyway, I pray that you all have a blessed day and hope to see you all soon. :D

Pirates and Symphony?!

Yesterday, Beloved took Sweet E to a concert for children. She loved it! My SIL plays violin (First violin I think) in the Knox County Symphony Orchestra. She is on the conductor's left closest to the edge of the stage. The theme was pirates. This video is about 5 minutes long but if you have time I suggest you watch it. It's really good and you can hear Sweet E a couple of times.

After I posted it I realized that it is missing the ending. Gotta love technology. :p Anyway, here is the end. :o)

Deep Breath In.....

and breathe out. That is how I felt yesterday. We had some difficulty with one of the lessons which gave me two children that didn't want to try. So we all had to step away and come back to it about an hour later. It was better, but the lightbulb still hasn't "gone off". So I am praying that today goes more smoothly. :D

Homeschool Memoirs #13 "Mom" Help

"Homeschool Mothers do a lot in a day…. I’d say they do more than the working mom because they have to care for the kids, the house, the meals, and much more. They are constantly on the go and with the kids! Sometimes you just need a break. You need to sit down and have a break. While I’m not a mom - YET - I know there I are times I need to sit down for a breather."

THEME:

This week I’d like to invite you to share what YOUR “Mom” help is. Some drink coffee, soda, or chia-tea. Others check email or read their favourite blogs. Some talk a walk…. what do you do when you need to clear your head and take a breather?

Scripture Share:

Please share a Scripture that gives you a “mom” help when you’re spirit is feeling overwhelemed.

My Theme- Okay....my mom help is...well...it varies. It depends on what is going on. A nice mocha helps but I usually go to a piece of chocolate for the help. It is especially wonderful when it is Dark chocolate. I love dark chocolate. :D When I really need to clear my head I have a CD that sings "holy, holy, holy" over and over again. It is very calming and helps me clear my head.

Scripture Share- "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11: 1-3

On to....

..the Letter U. This week we are learning about "Us" and that God made us wonderful! Today we read a book about our 5 senses and did an activity with touch. I placed some items into a bag and then the children had to put their hand in and guess what the object was by only touching it.

They had a lot of fun, but then we changed it. I put a sock on their hand and then they had to try it again. This time it was a little harder and we all laughed as they tried to guess the objects.

I think we are going to have a ton of fun this week with this topic. Oh and our ants are doing very well. The children just love to see what new tunnels they have made. Unfortunately I don't have a new pic of the ants, but they children wanted their pic taken with the ant hill so I will share those instead. :D

Gotta love....

..new school projects. Look what we got in the mail yesterday. Can you tell what it is?

Do you know yet......................

They are harvester ants! The children were so excited to find that they came in the mail yesterday (and I was excited too) that we had Beloved put the ant hill together right away.

We all spent a lot of time watching the ants last night. This morning you can tell that they got a lot done last night. Here is a picture (blurry, I know) of 2 of them. I circled them to make them easier to see. The children keep asking to see the ants so that they can watch them.

Homeschool Memoirs #12 Let's Play a Game!

"Homeschoolers are very resourceful people. They use what they have and use them to their best ability. I know in our home many times people ask us how we use this or that for learning, and we are happy to explain it’s value. I think the main thing that a lot of people miss is that life is learning, and you must use everything in your home for learning otherwise you won’t fully be prepared.

THEME

This week I want to invite you to share what different games you use for learning in your homeschool. Outside games, board games, or card games, and what purpose or subject you use them for."

My Theme-

My husband and I enjoy playing games and the children are starting to enjoy them as well.

Candyland- This games helps the children with counting, colors, and taking turns.

Little Bear's Leap Frog Game- This is one of the children's favorites. This game helps with their counting and matching. It also helps teach patience (as Candyland does)

Memory- Helps them to learn to match things and memorization

I Spy Bags- helps with their dexterity and matching skill. Here is a picture of some that I have made.

The newest game that the children have found is Mancala. They haven't figured it out yet, but they are trying. :D

Turtles.....

I forgot to post these yesterday. Better late than never. Big T and Sweet E are continuing to make progress in school. Although, a new curve ball is thrown at them this week. They are starting to blend sounds together. Anyway, in these first to pictures it shows them doing one of their exercises. They have cards with pictures on them and they have to put the cards under the appropriate letter (The letter that it starts with). Big T did very well and Sweet E needed some help (but she is only 3 and is doing great keeping up with her big brother.)

I just realized that I forgot to show you what they started painting last week. Well, they made some turtles and had a lot of fun doing so. They are so proud of their turtles.

But, these days, they have to have a goofy picture as well.

Making Progress...

I love seeing the lightbulb go off in a child's head...so to speak. Today we did a sound recognition type worksheet (They have to circle the pictures that start with the letter for the week and cross out the ones that don't) And Big T did his worksheets all by himself today. Usually I have to help a lot with them but he did it all on his own. I am so happy for him.

Also...the children started painting a project last night. I will show pictures when we get it finished. :D

Homeschool Memoirs #11 Field trips

THEME:

"This week I’d like to invite you to share your favourite field-trip that you’ve been able to go on since you’ve started homeschool. I’d encourage you to include photos, but you don’t have to."

My favorite field trip so far......It would have to be to the apple orchard. The children, Nana, and I had so much fun. Especially after we went to Nana's house and made yummy applesauce. :D

It coincided nicely with out school lessons. It happened to be the week for the letter A and the unit happened to be...APPLES! It was fun to see my Sweet E learn that apples do grow on trees (she kept saying they didn't before we went to the orchard.) Granted.....we have only had a couple of field trips, but we are only into our 3rd month of homeschooling. Many more field trips to come. :D

Why this name?

I know some have wondered why we chose to name our school Pilgrim Pathway School of Discovery. Well, it first came to me because my children love the story Pilgrim's Progress. They enjoy watching Dangerous Journey, which I think does a good job with the storyline and pictures. So pilgrim was a word that was stuck in my head. And then we got to thinking about how our life is a journey and that it is our responsibility to raise our children up for the Lord. So, that is where pathway came from. And the school of discovery part, well, that is what it is. They discover something new everyday. So that is how we came up with the name Pilgrim Pathway School of Discovery.

'Nother blog...

Yeah...why two blogs? Well, I have been thinking about this for a few days and I thought it would be "easier" to put things that are school related in a different place. More so I can keep things straight than anything. Hope to have some posts up soon. :D