Family Hike and Science Factory

We started off our week with a family hike. Blueberry has taken an interest in our point and shoot camera so I have been showing her how to take pictures with it. She takes pictures of flowers, people and her toys.

Looking for acorns

 

Showing me the acorns she collected

 During Nonna's visit this week we took advantage of the nice weather and opted for a day at the park. Blueberry needed to get outside.

 The Science Factory preschool program has started. We are lucky to have friends to go with this year.

He always falls asleep in the carrier.

We made a butterfly out of construction paper, then she painted it Rorschach-style with multiple colors. She has a lot of watercoloring experience so putting a "big blob" on her page was something new and different. Here is the result:

My smart, thoughtful, kind, cooperative, witty, funny, and beautiful little girl.

Apples, Apples, Apples

Can you guess our theme for the week? Blueberry knows the letter A but we love apples, so we repeat this theme in the fall.

Some of the projects we did this week are:

Stamping with Apples

Apple Taste Testing

Gala were Blueberry's Favorite

Ten Apples Up On Top, by Dr. Seuss

I have an apple punch so we do many projects with them. For this one I printed a picture of Blueberry at the bottom of a page and as we read the book she glued more apples on top of her head in the picture. She wanted to do it again the next day so it must be fun!

Here is our Smiley Tiger

Blueberry and her Bible

Blueberry has started asking me to read her Bible Story Book to her. We got her a "beginner bible" (early reader) with activities and discussion points. The idea is to get her in the habit of doing devotions. I was not taught to do devotions as a child and honestly I am still learning to make it a regular habit. It touches my heart when she brings me her Bible Story book.

After every chapter we talk about the story. Though the discussion points in the book focus more on "obeying", my discussions focus more on Love. The Father loves us no matter what and these people obeyed because they were loved by God and they trusted that God knew what was best for them. God rewarded them for obeying but he loved them no matter what.

At the end of the story of Moses, one of the questions is "Who should you obey?" There are four pictures under the question. They are labeled "Mother", "Father", "God", "Bad Friends". We talked about that, but then I asked her "Which of these loves you?" She was smart enough to figure out that people who are "bad friends" must not love you, and that Mommy, Daddy and God love her and want what is best for her, so that is why they tell her what to do sometimes.

Seventh Anniversary

For our seventh wedding anniversary we took our children out to dinner. We have a date planned for next weekend, but it is important for us to share this celebration with our children. We had so much fun at Buffalo Wild Wings. (No, we aren't insane and our children are not perfect, but they are pretty awesome!) That place is perfect for taking the family with little ones because everyone is loud and the wait staff is super friendly and even interact with them.

As I sat there enjoying the company and the tasty wings, I reflected on how when we got married seven years ago, I couldn't imagine how great my life would turn out. I feel no "seven year itch" and I am as in love with my husband as I was seven years ago, if not more. My children are fun and bright and did I mention fun?? We have our ups and downs but overall I have no complaints.

My husband and I acknowledge that neither one is perfect. Perhaps it is our humility that holds us together. Definitely our love for each other. Forgiveness on both sides. Some things that have brought us together have been our struggles so when we are told to be thankful even for our struggles, it is because they are there for a reason. We are imperfect that we may show forgiveness and grace to each other. Those are opportunities to truly show love and devotion.

Things are getting better. Our family has gotten bigger. Though parenthood was in our plans, even we could not imagine how amazing it would be.

This coming May we will have been together for 10 years and though it doesn't seem like it could possibly be that long, I can't imagine my life without him.

Fall and Football

Last week we officially started homeschool. Of course, when you homeschool, you don't really ever stop. Any minute you may find a learning opportunity. Learning is fun at our house. When Daddy comes home and asks "What did you do for school today?" the answer is, and should be "nothing, we didn't do school today." At least I think that is true for preschool and kindergarten. In reality we are always learning, always curious, answering questions, solving problems.

So my biggest project for last week was making this calendar to learn the days of the week and months of the year. We also learned songs to help us remember months and days. The days of the week are from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is one of Blueberry's favorite books. She loves to move the sticky arrows every morning.

Our theme for the first week was Fall and Football. She traced fall words and we did some football themed activity pages. She also did a lot of workbook pages and we made cards for grandparents and great grandparents who are Packer fans.

Little Tiger likes to sit and play with toys while I do school with Blueberry.

We had a playdate with a friend. We also did a lot of playing together at home. 

Little Tiger is very ambitious and is wanting to stand and walk. He takes very large, deliberate steps when we support him across the floor.

On the weekend Blueberry finally was able to purchase her "My Little Pony Magazine" that she has been saving up for with her chore (we call it a cooperation chart) money.

Start of Non-School

OR Non-School Start, OR Non-Start of School

"Stickers" are a reward system that is still working!

Blueberry got some "not-back-to-school PJs". I read about another mom doing that for her homeschoolers and I liked it. Since she is completely potty trained, her footie PJs won't work this fall/winter so even though they still fit, we needed new ones for our independent 3 1/2 year old. She loves them. She loves to be independent.

We have already started schoolwork, but we are officially getting into our routine on Monday. We finished up some family trips and things should me moving into "routine mode", at least until the holidays hit....

Curriculum is finished and worksheets are printed for the first 1/3 of the year. We are still finishing some Pre-K workbooks and starting some Kindergarten level workbooks. This is a bit of a summary.

Blueberry

Faith: "Beginner Bible" with activities and we are going through that along with "Hide 'em in Your Heart" 1 and 2 Worship Music CDs. ABC bible verses found online (printed and laminated).

Language: Pre-writing and tracing worksheets. I pulled some stuff from Letter of the Week curriculum from ConfessionsofaHomeschooler.com. Alphabetizing. Read-Build-Write cards and worksheets with sight-word cards. Pre-reading books.

Math: Counting to 100. Counting by 2s, 5s and 10s. Addition and Subtraction flash cards and manipulatives. Number recognition and tracing worksheets. Shape sorting and pattern sheets by theme throughout the year. Simple pattern block activities.

Science: Animals and Habitats. Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, etc. recognition. Various hands-on projects throughout the year. Cooking "reactions". Seasons and climate. Nature walks. Activities out of "Good Science" by Richard Bliss. Children's Science Museum Preschoolers program.

Art: Various mediums including watercolors, clay, cut-and-paste, mosaic art, collage, chalk art, etc. Craft projects by theme related to other subjects. Play-dough play mats and cookie cutters.

Circle Time: This year we have Tiger too so it feels more like "circle time" than in previous years. I am collecting a variety of songs and poems for Blueberry to memorize (just by repetition). We also read books together and play.

Social: MOPS and Unschoolers playdates, as well as playdates with a neighbor friend. Library Story Time.  Making cards and writing letters to family. Skype with family members. Cooperation (Chores) Chart for family responsibility with age-appropriate tasks.

Tiger

He is only 8 months old, but he will be participating in circle time. He enjoys songs and reading books. 

We are teaching Baby Signs. Tiger already knows "milk" and "up". We will be working on others as he figures out he can get what he wants with signs. 

He is steady sitting up and is pulling himself up and seems to want to walk. He might skip crawling altogether. 

Resolving Contradictory Values in Our Society (or Teaching a Three Year Old Confidence Without Pride)

Boasting. Confidence. Pride. Gratitude. Self-awareness. Faith. Dignity. Self-expression.

As a mother of a little girl (but this goes for boys too) I have been pondering how to give her confidence without pride. How to teach her gratitude instead of boasting. How to teach her self-awareness and at the same time teach her to appreciate being created by a perfect God who loves her. How to teach dignity while allowing for self-expression.

We tell her how smart, brave, cooperative, friendly, kind and yes, even beautiful she is. However, I cringe when I hear her say "I'm so pretty!" When someone gives her a compliment, her reply is usually "Uh huh!" We are working on "thank you."

To those without faith in the Lord, it may seem like our world is confusing and holds such contradictory values. Our society puts the spotlight on gorgeous people who seem "perfect" on the outside and flaunt their "assets" while at the same time breastfeeding in public, doing something that is clean and natural, is a "controversial issue". We value autonomy and independence, but have given a whole generation of people "confidence" without earning it, which just leads to entitlement. No wonder teenagers are confused.

Christians are not immune to these woes of the world, but if we examine the Word, it becomes so simple:

...May I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. -- Galatians 6:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. -- Psalm 139:14

If we make everything and do everything for Him, then we praise Him for what and who we are. Humility can co-exist with Pride in our Lord. Confidence in Him, Self-awareness of our need for Him. Gratitude for all the blessings He has given us, both material and spiritual. This is what we can model for our children. Simple? Yes. Easy? I'll let you know....