Two for Tuesday.

Printable alphabet worksheets, these are my current favorite worksheets for Three:

http://www.education.com/slideshow/get-ready-reading-all-about-alphabet/reading-all-about-letter-a/

One and Two are currently doing science together as we work through the systems of the body, we've finished the skeletal system (they both aced a quiz on all the major bones of the body, woo hoo!) Now, we are moving on to other systems, beginning with circulatory system. Here is a link to some of the stuff I'm using:

http://www.proteacher.com/110074.shtml

Just Another Manic Monday!

Oh Monday, Monday. Some homeschool families have schedules set up so that school occurs on Monday-Thursday, and they have Friday off. Ours works in reverse. We don't school on Monday, we school on Tuesday-Friday. Monday is always *CHAOS* and it is currently my least favorite day of the week, but you do what you gotta do. *wink*

One and Two take a class on Monday mornings at a community center, while they are in class Three and Four go to the childcare center so that I can take Zumba (YAY for something for Mom!) Every other week, Two and Three participate in bowling league an hour after the morning class. We get home from that, and dinner needs to be made, laundry needs to be put away, and One has a dance class.

Yeah, you read that right....we ALWAYS have 2 activities on Monday (3 if you count *MY* thing) and every other week we have 3. I know, this probably sounds like a complaint...but I don't mean it that way. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have my kids in this many activities! It does make for a crazy day though...getting all 4 kids out the door at 9am after the weekend, including snacks (and my boys eat snacks like it's their job) is a challenge.

It's ok...it's a challenge I'm up to. It makes me feel accomplished if I can get us all out the door on time....mostly it takes caffeine to make that happen. I've been trying to drink less soda--not buying it, only drinking it when I'm out of the house....but today (Four had a rough night, being up from 2-4am...then Three was up for the day at 6) I swiped a Dr. Pepper that was slated to be Two's....Thanks baby girl. *wink wink*

Sunday Snapshots

Two had pneumonia and it took 2 weeks for her to recover, this is a pic from the first day she really felt all better. Yes, she is trying to copy her face.

Boys working on Valentines for their friends.

Three working on Valentines, and practicing writing his name. Having your tongue stuck out is ALWAYS helpful.

Meeting Moritmer the groundhog. The highlight of the MONTH.

Four was so very proud to have found one of the shadows for the shadow hunt game all by himself!

Three learned how to flip himself over the bar at the playground. He was SO excited, he did it OVER AND OVER...I'm not sure how he didn't throw up.

Busy Bags AKA Quiet Time Bags

Since I'm fairly certain that Four intends to give up his nap by summer (because...well, he's freaking brilliant and far to smart for day time sleep, DUH!) I'm trying to prepare several bags that I can swap out and rotate through for he, and Three to use during "quiet time." Currently, Three has quiet time when Four sleeps...and honestly, most days it consists of watching Netflix, or playing Wii. I LOATHE this reality, but most days I'm a.) exhausted because Four likes to wake when the first number on my clock is 5 or below b.) exhausted because we've been running all morning/week and I just want an hour or two of QUIET c.) helping One and/or Two with their assignments. Undertaking this project will eliminate this reality...and I like it.

If I get my stuff together, I can get started pretty quickly. I picked 20 activities to start, and only have 3 things to buy to be able to put it all together. Yeah, I have that much stuff lying around my house. Don't judge.

My list:

1. Color Wonder books...because no way in H-E-Double Hockey Sticks will I be giving Four "real" markers during unsupervised quiet time.
2. Beads and pipe cleaners. I'll use the big beads for Four, and the small pony beads for 3. Pipe cleaners work better in our house than laces. I go with it.
3. Stickers/crayons/paper. The crayons are really a maybe.
4. Hanging Felt Clothes on a clothesline. (Cut out clothing shapes from felt, string up a clothesline between a couple chairs, give them some clothespins...done.)
5. Pom-Pom transfer. Use either a big spoon (Four) or tongs (Three...maybe Four, his fine motor skills almost match those of his brother) to transfer poms from one bowl to another.
6. Pom-Pom push. Push poms through a hole cut into a lid of a container (raisin/crunchies type container.)
7. Water painting pages. I'm not sure how to describe these...I'll try to get a picture for you. I found them at Michaels, and Dollar General ($1 both places.) It's a picture like a coloring book. At the bottom of the page there is a panel of water colors. Give the kids some cotton swabs, and a cup of water and they dip and paint. It's self contained, easy, and non-messy. Win in triplicate form.
8. Rocks in a bottle. Put the small decorative stones you can buy at $Tree into a plastic bottle, shake them out and start again. Not so quiet necessarily, but busy, yes.
9. Clip matching colored paper clips to laminated construction paper pieces. Possibly more for Three than Four. I can see Four just throwing the clips around.
10. Peg Picture making with this toy.
11. Sorting pasta. We have different shaped pasta, and different colored pasta. Sort away boys, sort away!
12. Memory Matching Game
13. Matching Puzzles (items that go together, rhyming words, animal babies...those are the 3 I know we have.)
14. Popsicle Stick Puzzles (have you seen these??? Genius, someone was a genius.)
15. Velcro Dots/Popsicle stick building set (Again, with the genius. God Bless the Interwebs.)
16. Building Blocks (just our general wooden ones.)
17. ABC Match. Lay out the alphabet magnets and take a picture of them against a white background, then print it. Put it on a cookie sheet during quiet time, and have them match the magnet to the picture.
18. Collage Bag--cut out random pictures from magazines/newspaper/shopping circulars and throw in a piece of paper and a glue stick.
19. Dress-Up Joey (it's a large wooden/magnetic dress up doll.)
20. Shades of color (scroll down, it's a few activities down) I've been wanting to make this activity for ALL OF ETERNITY. Now, I'm going to do it.

Bonus: We have a magnetic set that I don't let them play with very often (which makes it SPPPPPECIAL) and I vow to let them play with it during quiet time occasionally.

I set up a Pinterest board about it and everything. So, you know, I'm serious.

I need to buy: velcro dots, felt sheets, and some of those decorative stones.

Lazy Housewife Dinner

Cheesy Manicotti Shells:

Manicotti Shells

Jar spaghetti sauce of your choice

Mozzerella String Cheese

Shredded Italian Cheese blend

Spray your baking dish. Slide a string cheese into your manicotti shell. Line a baking dish with them. Dump on sauce. Top with shredded cheese. Bake until shells are al dente.

Seriously.

If you're feeling ambitious, you can pre-boil the shells. Then you only have to bake for 30 minutes to melt the string cheese a little, and brown the cheese on top. :)

Blog Update!

Ok, so we've been getting a lot done, but I'm not finding time to blog. This is not the way I want things to be, as I love having this as a resource for myself, to offer to others, and to sort of keep track of all the cool stuff we do. ;) I'm going to try to do better, for myself AND you. Best intentions...yadda yadda yadda.

Last week, we covered the letter G. For some reason, Three has had a mental block about G and F. *shrug* Last week, the letter G just clicked. I think it was the groundhog, honestly. We predicted whether or not "Mortimer" the groundhog would see his shadow, and then on Groundhog Day we visited a local park and got to meet Mortimer up close and personal! Then we played a shadow game (they had stapled groundhog "shadows" all over the playground and you had to find all 6 of them.) Three also found the letter G on all the signs posted around the park. We also talked about hibernation, and what it means to hibernate, which animals hibernate, and how they prepare. We also learned how the sun changes your shadow by tracking our shadow on the driveway at different times during the day (he has asked to do this again this week, so it was a hit.)

This week we did a mini review of letter H (which he's known for awhile, but my OCD wouldn't let me just skip over it *eye roll*) and moved on to letter I. For letter I, we've only done one craft...we made Ice Cream cones with Three and Four's names on them, one scoop of ice cream for each letter. I have hopes of building an igloo (from cotten balls) this afternoon after we attend a Valentine's Exchange Party this morning. We've also been talking about adaptations that animals have to survive the winter (extra layers of fat, getting a winter coat....) We attended a waterfowl class, and talked about how some birds migrate to warmer climates, and how the ones that stay here survive (although, this winter has been one of the mildest on record for our state...so they haven't really struggled!)

Now we are in a full on Valentines Day blitz! We are going to an exchange this morning, we have a party on Monday-Wednesday next week too! FUN!

Looking ahead (for a change!)

Honestly, I was once one of the most prepared people....over the last year though, my personal life (meaning: the grown up stuff) has fallen apart around me, and as I've been trying to piece it back together others areas of my life have most definitely suffered. I'm trying to get THOSE parts back on track.

My plan for December consists mainly of a countdown to Christmas. We will only do "real" school through the 16th. The week leading up to Christmas has a birthday for our family (Two is turning 12....*sigh*) as well as Yule, and the week after we need to recover. ;) Plus, I think MIL is coming in for at least some of that time. We'll do a study of Winter in January (even though it starts this month.) For December, we're going to countdown and discuss some of the symbols of Christmas.

I found this link that gives some background to the different symbols of Christmas. There are Bible verses and biblical reference. I'm good at taking the parts of things that work for me, and leaving the rest...I recommend you do the same. *wink*

http://www.achristmastestimony.kingdomdesignministry.com/christmas-symbols-and-their-meanings

Our Christmas Countdown, which will start on the 1st, includes these activities:

1. Open new ornaments for the tree (Each year the kids get new ornaments for the tree, I try to find something representative of their year, and I'm SUPER excited about this years ornaments.)

2. Take Christmas Pictures!

3. Attend a Christmas parade.

4. Write letters to Santa.

5. Discuss St. Nicholas Day and leave out shoes!

6. Shop for a gift for Birthday Buddy (this is a birth board gift exchange.)

7. Shop for a gift to donate to Toys for Tots.

8. Train ride

9. Make Christmas Cookies!

10. Make a handmade ornament.

11. Make and leave gifts for neighbors on their doorsteps.

12. Drive around to see Christmas lights.

13. Buy presents for siblings.

14. Choose a special treat.

15. String popcorn for the birds.

16. Have a family christmas movie night, with special goodies.

17. Make Chex Mix and Muddy Buddies.

18. Make chocolate covered pretzels

19. Learn a French Christmas tradition

20. Make Christmas presents for family.

21. Visit the bookstore and choose a new Christmas book.

22. Christmas lights hayride and visit Santa.

23. Make a craft with Mom.

24. Make reindeer food, and Santa's cookies. :)