Our Last "Row" :: Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?

Weeks ago now the boys and I "rowed" our last book  of the school year. I kept waiting to post about it because there were a couple more things we could have done, but we haven't and so I'm ready to put it all away for the year. I'm really ready to start planning next year...

But, Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? was a great book. The boys enjoyed the rhyming and could relate to Jesse Bear's day.

Dress Jesse Bear ::

I printed out the bear and clothes for the boys to color. The intention after that was to cut apart the pages, laminate, and put velcro on so they could play with them. The coloring happened, but nothing else. They didn't ask about it so I'm thinking they are missing anything but it took me a couple weeks to put behind me that I flaked that one.

Rhyming Pairs ::

Another item from HomeschoolShare. This was just right for #3 and took a lot of guidance for #4. They love the activities that have their own little pockets so right away this was a hit.

Eat healthy like Jesse Bear ::

In the book Jesse Bear has a healthy lunch. I would have been dreaming if I thought my kids would eat sprouts so I didn't even buy any or try it out. We did have an apple and carrots for our morning snack. The boys each got to help with making the snack and shared it with their brothers and sister.

Later in the week #4 was drinking milk with another meal or snack and pointed out that he had a mustache just like Jesse Bear. "Hurry, get the camera! Take a picture, Mama!" Who am I to deny his brilliance?

The boys and I had an incredible year rowing these books together. I think they have learned a lot but in such a gentle way that they don't even realize it was school or work. We just had fun! We just cuddled together and read books, great books, and did some great projects together.

Next year I'm planning on continuing with Five In A Row for #3's Kindergarten and integrating #4's preschool alphabet focus with it. I'm planning and planning and trying to get as much as I can ready...remember when I was prepared we had even more fun! And #5 isn't going to be taking two naps next year, I'm going to need all the pre-planning and preparation I can get.

Links ::

Homeschool Share

Delightful Learning

:: this moment ::

A photo from the week. Not too many words. A simple moment, extraordinary, special. Something I want to remember, cherish, to pause over. If you have a "moment" leave a link in the comments for others to find and share.

inspired by soulemama.

Staying cool and busy while Mommy works in the garden!

:: 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. Leave a comment to share your yarn along.

On the needles :: Well, actually, not on the needles yet, but it is the next project. A sweater for Mr. Wiedz. I've printed off these instructions. I'm going to measure him and a sweater he loves tonight and try to cast on. He wants dropped sleeves and a weird collar (I've got the instructions for the collar) so once I'm done with a endless amount of stockinette stitch I'll have to worry about that...any advice? The yarn (once I find my tag I'll post what I got), we picked up at a local yarn store. We only got a skein of each with the intention of getting more as the budget and sweater need. Not normally a wise choice with dye lots and the like but I'm holding the two strands together, which gives it a really nice mint chocolate chip ice cream look and will hopefully make no issue with dye lots!

On the nightstand :: Just finished Sally Gunning's Bound. Oh. My. So good! Not disappointed. A little disturbing at the beginning but so well written. I'm already missing the characters. I've started Harry Potter 7 again in anticipation of the movie release later this summer. Last time I did this I was disappointed with the movie but I'm holding out hope that I won't sit through the whole thing muttering how unlike the book it is.

BTW: over at small things, yesterday's post about the hats coming in for the Japan project, the top picture with a note about 48 hats coming from one woman...that was my MOM. She was so excited to see her hats in blogland. Mom has set a goal to crochet a hat a day this year, she was already on target to make her goal and now with a broken ankle to keep her in bed with her foot up, she's sure to surpass it!

Pack Camp-out

#2 and I joined our Cub Scout Pack for a camp-out a couple of weekends ago. He was practically jumping up and down all day with excitement. We got to camp, not too far from home actually, set up and I helped with dinner while #2 ran around, climbing trees and exploring camp.

At our camp fire we had an awards time. #2 was awarded his Tiger Badge, he had worked on it all year and I was so proud of him. We also had a graduation time at camp fire. All of the boys moving up a den level got their new neckerchiefs. #2 was excited about graduating into the Wolf Den. He got his new neckerchief and we'd gone to the Scout store and picked up the new Wolf slide and Wolf book.
He's a WOLF!

After the awards part of the campfire we moved to a ceremonial campfire to retire two American flags. It was a special ceremony and was really neat to see. I was really impressed with how much the boys are taught about respecting the flag and all the details they put into the ceremony.

When all the campfires were wrapped up we went straight to bed, many hours later then our schedule.

Next morning there was lots of fun to be squeezed into our day...the plan was to leave after lunch to make it home in time to help with dinner and bedtime. The pack leaders took the boys on a hike to idetify plants and trees. A dad taught the boys about orienteering and they used maps and compasses to find treasures. The fire deptartment from the local town came out and gave the boys a first aid demonstration. Another dad lead knife safety and the boys whittled a bar of soap for practice, earning their whittling chip...another part of the weekend #2 was thrilled about! And yet another dad showed the boys how a GPS unit works and they used them to go geocaching for yet more treasures. All that with meals thrown in too.

As you might have guess, we were exhausted at the end of the day!

A huge thank you to Grammie and Grappie D for coming and spending the weekend with the other kids. It was a special time for #2 and I and wouldn't have been possible without their help!

:: this moment ::

A photo from the week. Not too many words. A simple moment, extraordinary, special. Something I want to remember, cherish, to pause over. If you have a "moment" leave a link in the comments for others to find and share.

inspired by soulemama.

Celebrating a new babe-to-be with Cousin Scary.

:: 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. Leave a comment to share your yarn along.

On the needles :: I pulled out the pattern for baby socks from More Last Minuted Knitted Gifts before we went camping a couple of weekends ago. I thought they would make a great easy-to-pack project and I needed a little gift for a baby celebration for my cousin who requested no gifts. I just couldn't show up empty handed... I had never attempted socks before and after a few starts and a couple of impolite words I was SO thrilled to finish one sock. I figured I'd easily finish the pair at the Cub Scout Pack camp-out. I got all nice and settled in front of the campfire only to discover that my working  needle had fallen out of my basket somewhere between this photo and the campfire. I didn't have another size 4 and the big box store I stopped at on my way home didn't either but I was able to limp through with a size 5 needle. I was happy they turned out. Already have cast on another pair for a different baby shower this weekend. Already lost the working needle for the size 5 too...

On the nightstand :: I finished The Widow's War this morning. Such a great book. I really enjoyed the historical elements, the characters, all of it. I've got a few more books in my basket from the library but I'm not really in a hurry to start them...still thinking about this one.

:: this moment ::

:: this moment ::  A photo from the week. Not too many words. A simple moment, extraordinary, special. Something I want to remember, cherish, to pause over. If you have a "moment" leave a link in the comments for others to find and share.

inspired by soulemama.

:: 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. Leave a comment to share your yarn along.

On the needles :: 


baby socks from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I've never tried socks before and they have caused more ripping out than I ever do while knitting, actually last night I started completely over. But I think I've finally "gotten" it and I'm so happy with how it is turning out. Since they are baby socks and I now get what I'm supposed to be doing I'm thinking I'll be able to get them done for my deadline :: baby celebration for my cousin Scary this Sunday. Yarn is Rowan Belle Organic by Amy Bulter DK weight in Robins Egg. I love it.


On my nightstand :: 


#1 and I have been reading together {read: competing over} The Lost Hero by Rick Roirdian. She waited on the hold list at the library for months for this book. It was so good. We'll be in line to buy book 2 when it is released this fall, no library waits for that one! Once she finished I could read it whenever I wanted which meant my sink is full of dishes and the laundry hasn't been folded since I was reading any free moments away. But now that I'm done I've moved on to The Widow's War by Sally Gunning. A couple of weeks ago I posted about The Rebellion of Jane Clarke written by the same author. The Widow's War comes first, which I wish I had known, but it was nice to recognize characters as I started the book.