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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Moments to Remember :: When Math Goes Well

Joining Carisa, and many others, remembering a moment this week.
Holding it close and keeping track of it.

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Miraclously one day this week #2 woke up with an interest in just doing school. No fights. No tears. No whining. Just get it done. It was a delightful morning. Then, he took it a step further and insisted on helping #3 with his math. I sat with them, of course, so that #2 wouldn't just do the math for #3 and so I could make sure that the information was shared correctly but they really did just talk through it and read instructions and got #3's math done without any issue.

Best school day of the week. Followed by the second-best school day of the week the very next day!!!!

Linking up ::

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

:: Yarn Along ::

Another week with Ginny, over at Small Things, to yarn along and share what I'm knitting and reading. Leave a comment so I can visit and get inspired for new projects or new reads.

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On the needles :: I got my order from Knit Picks and I immediately cast on the sweater I've been promising #3. The yarn is Wool of the Andes in grass and I'm just doing a percentage raglan with instructions from here. Part of what drew me to the Knit Picks yarn was the very affordable price on 100% wool. I'm seeing that part of the reason the price was so awesome was that the skeins are so small...I've already used one skein so I'm thinking I'll have to put in another order. I also cast on a pair of baby pants in Knit Picks Swish DK yarn and I'm getting to use my new book! Both projects are going quickly and give me plenty to work on in my sit-the-afternoon-away-end-of-pregnancy-ways.
Ravelry links, here and here.

On the nightstand :: I finished Fablehaven (#2 :: 8year old :: has also finished it now and we both loved it!) and all my other books were due at the library so I pulled out my trusty Harry Potter to give me something to read before I fall asleep at night.

Linking up ::

Monday, January 23, 2012

Vacay!!!!

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Last week found the house of Wiedz on the road. A year and a half ago we spent an amazing few days in Sunriver right after Labor Day weekend. This year we'd planned on visiting Mr. Wiedz's parents in Arizona so didn't plan our fall vacation. A fact that really upset the children (#1 particularly). So when we didn't take a trip to Arizona this fall Mr. Wiedz started making plans to make up our Sunriver vacation. In order to get a good deal on the condo we need to pick out of season dates so mid-January sounded just right.

We played board games and built puzzles. We took walks in the almost snowing, really snowing, and really melting paths. Went on a treasure hunt with Cousin B and her friend J :: geocaching for the first time for the Wiedz family. Everyone but the pregnant mama donned ice-skates for the first time :: amazing by the way, so much fun to watch each of their personalities come across in skates! We built snow forts. Played in the hot tub :: isn't Mr. Wiedz wonderful, took the kids to the hot tub everyday while mama sat back at the house with #5 in the quiet and relaxed. Vacation knitting :: I heart vacation knitting. And just spent an amazing week together.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Moments to Remember :: The Best Anatomy Lesson

Joining Carisa, and many others, remembering a moment this week.
Holding it close and keeping track of it.

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#1 came with us to my 31 week ultrasound. We saw all four heart chambers, pumping. We saw the stomach and the kidneys and the umbilical cord. Amazing. #1 asked great questions. The best anatomy lesson ever!

Linking up ::

Friday, January 13, 2012

Rowing :: Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening


The boys and I spent the last two weeks with Robert Frost's poem, Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening. It was a sweet book, beautiful illustrations, we all really enjoyed it. I had planned this row to go for two weeks then I looked in the manual to find that this is a review unit and there wasn't much in the manual as far as new lessons go. Eeeep. Lucky for me at the time I was doing my prep work and planning Carissa and Jolanthe posted some winter packs that would fit perfectly! Saved the day! So we also added Jan Brett's The Mitten. It all worked out perfectly!

Centers :: 


I mentioned last week that I made some changes to our morning. The major change is the time the boys spend in the "front room" alone working on centers. I've tried to plan centers with our row in mind. The first week of this row we had peppermint scented playdough with silver glitter. This was a huge hit. They both loved it and the room smelled so good when they were playing.

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The second week I had purchased Insta-Snow Powder and made a tub-full. This was another huge hit.

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There were other activities in the centers; 3-letter word puzzles, our animal classification cards/pockets, snowflake pattern strips, first sounds wheel, the iPad games, etc. But the snow and the playdough were the most popular.

Seatwork :: You Can Read (a, and, see, the and I, can, me, you) and Printables


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During Christmas break while I was doing some planning I found Carissa's You Can Read program. It was just what I was looking for to do with #3 but I thought #4 would benefit as well as we work through the lessons. I worked parts of the first unit into each day's school work and the boys really did great with it. #4 liked the connect the word to make a shape page. Both boys liked the bingo and the word finds. #3 didn't love the coloring pages (color by number or tracing/coloring) as much but I saw some improvement in the words through the weeks.

Crafts ::
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I can't remember where I found the puffy snowflake (link below) idea but it was a fun craft. I think they would have turned out really puffy but I forgot they were on top of the cabinet drying when I put our tub of snow on top of them for the whole week. They boys still like them and they would've gotten smooshed in the keepsake binder anyway.

Feeding the Birds ::


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Other ways to enjoy the book ::


I found some YouTube videos of the poem being "preformed" that I thought the kids would enjoy.

A Muppet version of the poem (thanks, Michelle) ::

And a lego version ::


Links ::
Homeschool Creations :: snowy day printables
1plus1plus1equals1 :: I used the Mitten story props but she has a whole post on winter themes!
I can teach my child :: puffy snowflakes
Natural Kids :: birdseed cakes
Delightful Learning :: of course...love her rows!
Homeschool Share :: here are all their resources for this row, I used the animal track worksheet
Homeschool Share :: animal classification (found this from Michelle's link)

Linking to ::

Thursday, January 12, 2012

History is Alive :: Pilgrim's Badges

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I was really looking forward to getting to the Crusades in our history book. I, of course, knew about the Crusades a little bit. But I also knew it wasn't the best time in history and I wondered how the book would cover it. I thought they did a great job. Just right for the ages I've got and we read some read-along books which provided some additonal "sides" of the story and gave us some things to discuss. Our craft that went along with our chapter was pilgrim badges. We have read a little bit of The Canterbury Tales so we had a vauge idea of "going on a pilgrimage". We read a bit more from our book, decided which badge we'd like from the Activity Book, colored it and wore them. Even #5 needed a badge on his shirt. They were so cute. My friend came over later that day and when #2 started telling her about his badge and why people wore them she decided he knew more history than her. *smile*


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

:: Yarn Along ::

Joining Ginny, over at small things, again with yarn along. A single photo of a current knitting or crocheting project with a current read. I am really loving these posts, taking a moment to think about what and why I'm knitting or reading. I read...a lot. And I knit...not as much as I'd like but I do have 2-4 projects going either on the needles or in my brain.

I do love seeing what others are knitting and can always use some reading suggestions! Leave a comment so I can see what you're up to. And go over to Ginny's to see what others are up to.

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On the needles :: I finally put all my projects into one basket and noticed that I have a fair few in the works. I'm sure not as many as some people have but for me...it's a lot. But I have a few new reasons to move some stuff off! I can finally put Mr. Wiedz's sweater back in the picture, 5 rows done this weekend. That's more than in the past few months so I was happy with progress. I finished my hat and my cowl. I'll post about those on their own when I have a chance to take pictures. I was working right along on #5's socks (they use size 1 needles, I confused some commenters last week) until he pulled all the needles out, I'm a little frustrated so I haven't tried to fix them yet. I cast on a hat (Soulemama's pattern) for my sister-in-law. And, I got the Big Book of Knitted Monsters from the library so I could knit a monster for #5 for his birthday though #1 has requested making herself one...I have to start it for her.

All that but while at my girls weekend with my mom she bought me Vintage Knits for Modern Babies and I ordered a whole load of yarn from knitpicks.com. I have about 10 days until it arrives...then I'll be casting on projects I've been waiting on and some from the new book! I can't wait! Motivation for sure to get some of these projects done!

On the nightstand :: I tried to stick with The Friday Night Knitting Club but I really couldn't keep going. I read a fun post of Jessica's awhile back and she recommended Fablehaven in the comments so I grabbed that when I had to run into the library real quick. So far a great book. Right up my ally. I'm really enjoying it and I think one that #2 would enjoy (he's my most difficult to find books for).

A Girls Weekend

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My mom's birthday is January 2nd. And she has "suffered" with that close-to-the-holidays birthday for quite some time :). We don't mean to forget. Personally, I have some of the greatest intentions but that week between Christmas and New Years just flies and before I know it it is too late to do anything. Some years too late to get a card out on time. sigh.

This year at Early Christmas (November) my sister posed an idea to my dad, my sister-in-laws and I. A girls weekend to celebrate Mom's birthday. Sounds great. We were all in. Dad even offered to spring for pedicures.

So after a couple of months of Facebook message conversations and some texts and some trying-to-be-sneaky phone conversations with my dad we had a surprise girls weekend. Not on her birthday...it really is just a crazy time with the holiday and this year the Duck game on her birthday...but for the whole weekend after.

What a time we had. Dad really did spring for pedicures (and manicures!). We ate out. We visited. We made delicious food on our own and ate in. We slept in. We stayed up late. We went to the mall. In the 15ish years we've all been married into this family together we've never done anything without our children and husbands and it felt great to be friends and sisters for the weekend.

Memories to last a lifetime.

And major points for when we forget to send the card on time next year :).

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Moments to Remember :: Latin Dance Party

Joining Jolanthe, and many others, remembering a moment this week.
Holding it close and keeping track of it.


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We use Song School Latin as a group Latin program. Each morning we listen to the songs, color the coloring sheet downloaded from their site and talk about our words for that week. We've been using this program for both years we've homeschooled. I love it. I love the songs. And the kids love it too. This week we had an impromptu dance party while singing along to our favorite latin songs.


Friday, January 6, 2012

Rowing :: Some Changes

I spent a lot of time this past summer planning our school for the year. I planned which cirrculum to use. Then when it arrived I sat and poured over it. I planned which projects we would do and which day which section of history we'd do and how the preschool/kindergarten work would tie into our other learning. I made calendars, charts, spreadsheets, lesson plans, you name it. When our first day of school arrived (in August) I had our school boxes packed and our schedules hung and I was ready.

But things weren't all working out like I'd planned. Like I had so tidy in my spreadsheets and lesson plans. Doing school with a 18 month old is much different than doing school with a 6 month old! #2 isn't as capable of independent work as I'd thought/hoped/planned. #1 didn't want to be where the boys were making so much noise and being into her things so she's moved much of herself and her supplies into her room. 

I sensed this year being more difficult. Was it because the rose-colored glasses were off? The age range of my kids and my students? Difficult stages of maturity {or lack thereof}? My attitude? Bad cirrculum choices?

We had thought we'd be taking a couple week vacation in October that didn't actually happen. I took that week off anyway...I needed those days.

As we creep closer and closer to my due date and looming business of adding another person and their needs (being substantial at first) Mr. Wiedz has grown increasingly worried that I'm not prepared for school and life and house with that other person.

So during Thanksgiving break I re-worked the calendar...we were already behind a little so that had to be re-worked...by really looking at what was working and what wasn't. Where I could easily meet someone's needs and fulfill my educational goals for all of my little students with little tweaks and twists here and there.

The result? A new, shiny spreadsheet schedule posted up. Even a little bit more organization and forethought into some of the kids routines and plans. Some deep breaths. Some new books coming. Some new things printed off and saved. And two weeks into our new schedule (one before Christmas break and this one after) I'd say we've got a keeper...until the next thing happens that makes me rethink how we need to do something.

So. Let me tell you what those changes have meant for my little preschooler and kindergartener.

Now after we are done with our morning meeting (5th grader #1 didn't like calling it circle time this year)  the little boys go into our "front room", kind of a mixture of playroom and school room, where I have centers set up. They stay in there while I work one-on-one with #2. He has that time for me to help him and keep him on track, if he wastes it then he's on his own to finish his work. #1 spends all this time happily in her room working away at her checklist and getting her work done at her own pace. #5 wanders around, though the front room has a child safety knob on it so he can't get in there and create chaos, and messes with things, has his own toys to play with where #2 and I are in the living room or sits in my lap.

I'm going to try to coordinate our centers with the row we are working on. This week we are "rowing" Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening, so to go along with that theme there was ::

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playdough. White playdough with peppermint essential oil and glitter. The boys LOVED the smell and the whole front room smelled good because of their playing. I also sorted through the playdough tools and tried to get them winter themed cutters. And our word mats for the You Can Read unit we're on are in there. I modified the playdough basket from Carissa's playdough box here.

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"seatwork". Or things from our row that I would have ordinarily done during our FIAR time but thought would make a nice center to work out on their own. Above is the animal classification pockets and cards, I later added pictures to represent the "fur", "feathers", etc since I wasn't in there and the boys don't read independently yet I realized this wouldn't work with no further clues as to where to put the animals. I also had snowflake patterning (from Jolanthe's Snowy Day printables), 3 letter-word flashcards to put together, and story props from Carissa's "The Mitten" pack that rotated through this space. These will be in rotation again next week (we're continuing this week's "row" over two weeks) as with the fun new playdough and our other center activity these didn't get very much attention. :)

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the iPad. I found some new preschool apps (this post from Carissa) that I downloaded as a surprise. I put out the iPad and let the boys use these learning apps during centers. A huge hit! I downloaded Magnetic ABC (free), Creationary (free), Alphabet Tracing (free), Preschool Memory Match (free), Kids ABC Alphabet Puzzles (free) and Monkey Math ($.99). Monkey Math was one that #3 told me about that he plays at speech therapy, highly recommended, they LOVE it!

After centers we clean up and have a snack as a group usually spending some time reading our current read-aloud. Then the little boys and I head back into the front room to work through whatever I have planned for our FIAR row and their other school work. We added this week Carissa's You Can Read Unit 1 and I have on order {and anxiously awaiting} All About Reading Level Pre-1 to use during this time. #1 heads back to her room to continue working. If #2 has stayed on track he's able to join us for these fun activities and to be a little bit of a helper with the boys' work, if not he has to continue working on his list. #5 is no longer kept out of the front room, he joins us, gets  his own pieces of paper to write on, plays with things he's brought to the table, etc.

I am cautiously optimistic that our new plan will work out for everyone for most of the rest of the year. As this pregnancy gets to the end stages this plan has me sitting down a little more, not running from kid to kid and emergency to emergency. I still haven't worked out how nursing, holding, and having a new little one will look with our plan...sometimes you just can't plan those things, seems to me like they just happen.

Next week, I'll post about our row of Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening and let you know if everything is still working.

Linking up ::