Weekly Wrap-Up

Seriously... another summer week over :(

Bible
To better learn the 10 Commandments, I made copies of a simple list of the 10 Commandments. Then the kids took some time one morning to decorate their own.... I cut off the "aquarium" theme, pasted the Commandment List on a piece of cardstock and the kids decorated. I'm hoping to use this as out first page of a 10 Commandment booklet they will put together.

They all copied and illustrated the 1st Commandment. Anna wrote on her illustration in her own word what the Commandment means, and she did the 2nd Commandment, too. So for those 2 days that was her "journaling".

I also copied a 10 Commandment Train for our "working on it" door or wall. We'll add a piece as we study each Commandment. And I changed the 1st verse to be John 14:15,"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." It's definitely a motivation for learning and following.

My challenge this summer if to read through J.Douma's The Ten Commandments:Manual for a Christian Life as the kids (and I) memorize and talk about each. I read the book in seminary but felt "rushed" through it. I remember loving how it applied each commandment to modern day situations/thought!

Language Arts
We followed our goals each day we were home;) Anna journaled and read! She's also

Chris did most of his reading from Leap Frog "learning to read" set of books. He likes them, but it doesn't follow our reading curriculum's school of teaching reading, so there are a lot of words I have to help him with because he hasn't learned some of the phonics rules yet.

Lydia has been doing a great job in the OPG book. I kind of knew once she started getting some more one-on-one time she'd really start "buzzing" through. But I've been really impressed with how quickly she wants to and can work through her lessons... funny how different kids can be:)

Math
We did a math lesson or two. And Anna practiced her addition facts using a workbook I had saved for her. We also went back to the "store" and played store for a couple of turns:)

Math fact practice and discovery has been happening on it's own. I've lost count how many times Chris or Lydia shares with me a math fact that they've figured out on their own;)

History
We started a chapter on Christopher Columbus and other explorers during that short time period. Obvious in a young children's curriculum Columbus was the one most discussed:) So we read, colored and read some more. Our read aloud book last week was Christopher Columbus from the Sower Series of books. And we'll be finishing it this week;)

We also finished the chapter of explorers learning about Magellan and Amerigo Vespucci. We borrowed a great biography of Vespucci that we're hoping to finish reading after we finish Columbus although a lot of the Vespucci biography contains a lot of Columbus.

We have some company coming in midway through this week, so we'll probably continue working on the 4 explorers that were mentioned in the chapter and finish up the biographies that the kids had started to enjoy listening to:)

Science
No intentional Science again this week :(

But from reading about the explorers we got a nice review some of the constellations that would have guided the explorers and even some earth science with hemispheres, equator, and directions. That wind and currents affected where the explorers landed. And different types of land formations... like islands, peninsula:)

And we FINALLY started planting a garden;) LOL... I know super late. I had really given up hope of having any flowers or veggies. We were given two healthy cucumber plants and then one evening at Walmart we started hunting in their plants and found some clearance tomato plants (we'll see if they do anything!!) and flowers:) So we talked PLANTs:)

Ohh... that gives me some ideas for THIS week;)

Other Activities
On Monday night we made a visit with Brian. Since it was in a hospice facility and we really didn't know how everyone was doing, the kids and I stayed in the car (and explored outside until they got bit by fire ants!!) After a bit, Brian came out and asked if we wanted to visit because our church member was ok with visitors and seemed well. I know the kids were a little nervous, but Chris brought in a picture he drawn and wanted to share and we marched the troops right in.

Looking back it was a simple last minute decision to visit with her too... it really would have been a LOT easier to NOT visit, to jump into the car and head to our next destination/activity for the evening.

But I am soo glad we went in, we had no idea that she was going to pass away soo quickly just two days later. I am soo thankful for her kind and sweet words over the years. Her testimony of a gentle and quiet spirit. And our last visit. The family said that on Monday evening she was talking about all the teeth Chris had drawn on his giraffe picture he had given her.

On Tuesday morning/afternoon we went to town:) First we made a stop at the library to get loaded up with library books for at least the next week and I got history books for next week as well. Then we headed to the park and met up with another sweet family... it was last minute and the kids were glad to have friends to play with:)

And then we completed our grocery shopping for the week. I went without a list or my coupons pulled ;( But I knew that we'd complete the shop during Sonic's Happy Hour so I told the kids if they behaved then we could make a stop... slushies for 50cents... sounded like a cheap way to have a good shop!! The kids did awesome... soo nice and I was GLAD to stop to get their slushies;)

The rest of our days were filled with bike riding, scrapes:), reading, naps, meals, another swimming time, cleaning the playroom, Little House episodes, Father's Day cards:) The kids ALWAYS have something to do:)

Pics of the Week
Just realized I had only 1 picture of schoolwork from last week :(

here's our Father's Day pic for Brian;)

Just taking pics outside with the kids....
I liked this one of Anna and Nate drinking
I think I like it b/c of Anna's eyes;)