See Me Read!

I am very proud to announce that we have a beginning reader in our home! In my last post I detailed how we had to discontinue our Explode the Code workbook, as it was frustrating both of us! I purchased the "Teach your Child to Read" book by S. Engelmann and we started again... and again (at first) I was disappointed, and Bella was frustrated. I ended up breaking one lesson into two days, and that seemed to work better. Doing very short lessons -about 5 minutes- was about all she could focus on. In the meantime, we read lots of books! That's one thing I try to always, always have time for. I try to stop whatever I am doing and read. Many times we have plopped right down in the kitchen floor to read while something bubbles away on the stove!

Then, several days ago, something just clicked, and Bella "got it"! I had purchased the "Bob Books" readers, and also had a few scholastic readers my cousin Michelle (a fellow homeschooler!) had mailed me. One day after reading another book aloud to her, I casually handed her one of Michelle's readers and held my breath as she opened it and began to sound out the words! I was thrilled! She read two pages with very little assistance.

We are continuing our "Teach Your Child to Read" lessons...which leads me to my next quandry. (...because isn't there always another quandry?!) I've (almost) decided to use the Abeka curriculum for Bella's kindergarten. Although using a "box " curriculum - a complete grade level from one publisher- is exactly what I intended not do to, the reason being a more eclectic approach is likely more customizable to your child's interests / abililty. So why did I change my mind (for now!) ? One reason is that I really like Abeka publishing. It is academically advanced and faith based. And as I work three days a week, Bella's education is going to be a group effort! My husband and I will be her primary teachers, with my mother also helping. So having everything layed out for me will be a big help, as I won't have as much time as a stay at home mom would have to use a more customized curriculum. And I still intend to use supplemental materials as much as possible.

Bella's learning to read has been a big confidence booster for both of us. She is so proud of herself, and I am so relieved that we are over that first-of-many hurdles!

I am also very excited that my mother and I will be attending the Great Homeschool Convention in Greeneville, SC next month! There will be 200+ vendors of homeschool curriculum and materials, as well as many workshops to attend. I hope to make a final decision about kindergarted curriculum while we are there and I can physically look over different systems... and who knows, if I make my mind of fast enough, we may squeeze in a trip to the mall!

The fat cat sat on the mat....well, it tried to.

Bella and I have officially hit our first wall...figuratively speaking. Thus far our homeschooling journey has gone swimmingly, as far as academics are concerned. Then, came Book 1 of Phonics! ( Cue the music from "The Wizard of Oz" that plays whenever the wicked witch is near...)

We began our Explode the Code primers in August, and Bella loved them. We flew through books A and B, and finished up book C in November. We were doing at least four, and up to 10 pages per school day because she really enjoyed doing them. These books taught consonant sounds, reinforced writing the letter, matching to objects that began with that letter, etc.

So once we finished book C, I proudly produced Book 1 for her learning pleasure. Except it was not pleasurable for either of us! Book one jumps into three letter words without preamble. Hat, sat, cat, mat...you get the idea. Not particularly hard. But she is not getting it and she does not enjoy her workbooks anymore. We are pulling our hair out to complete one page. And I like my hair. I want to keep it. I do not want to be a bald homeschooling mother.

Anyway, I gave it one last try today with no better results so we are moving to plan B. I really have no plan B, but it sure sounds good to say it. No, since the material is not engaging her and is frustrating us both, I decided to just lay it aside for a while. One reason I chose ETC -besides the glowing reviews- was the economical price. I'm not out a lot of money and if we never touch it again I can sleep at night.

Today I ordered a copy of "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons", a book many moms in our homeschool co-op have used. Until it arrives, I'm just going to play some games and let her do some different activities.

I know she is only four, and we have plenty of time to learn reading. But I have to admit I'm so afraid I won't be able to teach her! I know in my rational mind that I can teach her this. I remember having this same fear about potty training, to be honest...and that turned out fine. Part of the problem is that reading came very, very naturally to me. My mom read a lot to us and to be homest I don't remember learning to read. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite aware that I didn't exit the womb with a copy Tolstoy. But it just....happened. I was the kid in first grade who the teacher had to keep saying, "slow down!" to when I read aloud. After my mom read "The Diary of Anne Frank" to my sister and I in middle school, I checked out every book on the holocaust from our local library. I'm pretty confident in saying I'm probably the only member of my graduating high school class who had read "Mein Kampf" -in English, of course. I read while I eat, I read in the car...I love to read.

So you can see why I'm a little anal about this. I really want Bella to love reading as much as I do. So I am going to relax a little bit about it, we are going to read aloud as much as possible, and we are going to formulate- and try- plan B.

Suggestions, comments, and constructive criticism always welcome!

Teachers Pet

One of the things I love the most about homeschooling is the one-on-one time I get with Bella. Granted, most days Abby is at the table with us or playing nearby, but it still provides a great opportunity for praise (and correction!) as we work together. The downside of this is that sometimes transitioning from "Mom" to "Teacher" is hard for both of us. I sometimes wonder if a "real" teacher (one at a public /private school who is paid to teach!) would get the same attitude I occasionally encounter....like today, for instance. Today was not the best homeschooling day we've ever had!

But it's for that very reason that I am immortalizing this day, that you will see pictured below. This day, she was happy to learn. This day, we laughed. This day, I had it all together. I was almost *gasp* an Alpha mom!


Here Bella is making "Pattern Trains" with linking cubes
for her Saxon Math K lesson. We had a lot of fun with this,
because after she "built" the trains she had to determine
which ones had an "ABAB" pattern. So I made an "ABAB"
tunnel out of a folder, used my arm as the crossing guard,
and we only let the "ABAB" trains go through....she loved it,
and wanted to play with her trains after the lesson was finished.

Here Bella is using her pattern blocks to cover an
animal shape.
She really enjoyed this math supplement.
Many thanks to my homeschooling friend and mentor,
Susan, for the idea!



Working on her Explode the Code phonics workbooks.
As of today is nearing the end of Book C, the last primer,
and I have ordered Book 1! She enjoys these workbooks.



I decided to do some Thanksgiving project during
November. I got a really good (and really cheap)
book about the first Thanksgiving at Mr Ks bookstore.
We have been reading it, and I found the idea for this
art project on Pinterest (Thanks again, Susan!)
Bella had a lot of fun turning her handprint into a
Mayflower!



And here's the finished product! Boy, is she proud!

Cake Pops? Count me in!

So, I have heard a lot of good things about cake pops, but had never tasted or made one. So when I saw a simple recipe in a magazine, I decided we would give it a try! It was messy, and fun, and -most importantly- delicious!

Bella and Ashlyn help me crumble up a cake!
Abby crumbles with panache!

Rachel and the girls give our cake pops an orange coat!

The finished product! The pumpkin stems are green tic-tacs!

Which Craft?

Ever since Abbigail was born, my big sis and I have enjoyed getting together with our girls for crafty, cooking, sewing days! For October, I found some fun (and delicious!) activities. Here are some pics of the girls making Jack-o-lanterns. This is a craft I found in a Woman's Day magazine, and it turned out really well. All you need are glass jars, (I bought the globe ones with the scalloped glass at the top, but you can recycle an old salsa jar!), orange tissue paper (which is NOT easy to find in October!), black construction paper, and decoupage glue. I used ModPodge glue.

You cut the tissue paper into one inch wide strips. Coat a section of the glass with modpodge glue, using a foam brush, then apply the strips, letting them slightly overlap.

Then cut out a face and put it on, and apply another layer of glue.

Let dry, light, and enjoy! (From left to right: Bella, Abby, and Ashlyn!)

The girls had a lot of fun with this! I happened to have a cheap plastic tablecloth in the cabinet, so once we were done I just threw it -glue drips and all!- in the trash. Happy Halloween!

School Report!

So, here's a brief update on our homeschooling!

Our homeschool co-op started up so Bella and I are both enjoying our Friday mornings with other homeschool families. I especially enjoy a discussion group I attend with other moms, and Bella loves her PreK classes.

We are plowing through Saxon Math K, and right now we are right on track, maybe even a little ahead. Some lessons I skip because it covers a concept that I know she already understands. And some days we don't move on, because she needs to review a previous lesson- for example, we spent a couple extra days on ordinal numbers, because she had trouble with it....instead of first, second, third, fourth, she wanted to say "first, two-th, three-th, fourth..." Which was cute and a little bit funny. She finally got the hang of it. And just to be sure, today at lunch we practiced ordinal numbers as I handed her crackers! She's even worked her way up to "fifth"!

In phonics, we are on the third (and final!) primer workbook. Bella loves her workbook and usually wants to do several pages at a sitting. I am also trying to read to her as much as possible and we go to the library every couple of weeks for fresh books to try.

We are also continuing our Bible Story Lessons and memory verses. This month we are also talking about "Obedience" and memorizing 2 Corinthians 10:5 "...bringing into captivity every thought in obedience to Christ."

Overall, I think we are doing very well. Areas I would like to improve on in the future are: more arts and craft activities, even more reading, and more games and activities.

Sometimes, life's a beach...

In late September, we took our fourth annual family vacation to Hilton Head Island. I have to admit, the attraction for me is not so much the sand and the sun. It's the time with my family. There are so many things I love about this trip. I love the morning-of chaos, trying to decide who is riding with who and which vehicle will carry the "big cooler". I love that the big cooler always has my favorite cake inside, my Memmie's Hundred Dollar Cake. Chocolate, coffee, delicious! It is my own personal tradition to have a slice of this cake after lunch and dinner every day until it is gone.


I love that time sort of stands still while we are at the beach. The afternoons seem to last forever, long stretches of time sitting in the sun, punctuated only by snacking, sipping, or sun-screening the kids. Then, before you realize it, the sun has reached it's zenith and and it's time for lunch and naps and sitting by the pool.

I love that when the kids are in bed, I get to sit up and sew with my sister. I love that when I do go to bed, I get to cuddle with my hubby. I really love waking up to a huge pot of coffee in the morning.



This was Bella's fourth trip to the beach. She is pretty much a pro now. She knows to stay out of the deeper water, she knows not to eat the sand, she knows to run into the ocean to pee (*eye roll*).

Abbigail is still busy, busy, busy exploring the beach. She has a sweet little sideways run, with her left arm crooked up and swinging hard, and her little legs flashing. Abbigail still puts sand in her mouth. She still wants you to take her out in the deep water and let her go. And, of course, she still ...goes right in her bathing suit. It's good times.

Well, mostly. We have a bizarre family habit of at least one child keeping us up all night at least once on every beach trip, and this was no exception. Abbigail pulled an all nighter one night, waking us up at 10:30, and 11, and 11:30...at 2:00 I took her downstairs to hang out on the couch and at somewhere after 4 she finally gave out and fell asleep on my chest. I dozed till 6:30, then woke up with an aching back, dying to pee, and a deeply asleep toddler laying on me! Needless to say, the first person to wake up that morning got Abby and I went back to bed!

Here are some pics of our trip.


Kenneth playing in the sand with our girls. He likes it
as much as they do...maybe more! He is a great dad!



Me and my precious girls at the beach. (and yes, this
is as naked as I get on the beach! 2 Timothy 2:9)

Bella digging to China!

Abbigail!