Homeschool: The last few weeks

I haven't posted much lately about what we have been doing in school.  We still continue to have the theme of Dinosaurs and Volcanoes.  We started to make our paper mache volcano but need to paint it and then let it explode!  Charlie and I had great fun putting it together during nap time one day.  It was so nice to just do a project with him and be able to really talk with him and listen to all the neat ideas and thoughts he has.  He is such an incredible kid!

We also have been working on a Dinosaur lap book.  I found a few fun things to put in the book and so far Charlie decorated the cover, wrote down the definition of Paleontologist and a fact about Dinosaurs.  He also did an addition and subtraction Dino game. His math skills are great, that has always been his strength!    We still need to complete a Dino measurement graph and a fact sheet about his favorite Dinosaur.  We plan to finish that up this week.  We haven't made many lap books but I do like the fact that it is a review for Charlie of what we have learned and he made it!

Working in our ABC magnetic book, Buzz Lightyear costume and all :)

Color by number, I have seen a change in his coloring abilities.  He is becoming more deliberate with his strokes and trying to stay in the lines more.

Tommy has done a few worksheet pages, coloring by number and making patterns.  Nothing formal or really planned out.  I will be starting his preschool curriculum in the Fall and have found the resources I want to use and just need to get things organized.  Sometimes I get so caught up in making it "perfect", a perfect theme etc, that I lose sight that he doesn't care if there is a theme or not, he just has fun doing projects, reading books and learning together!  Our children are such good teachers!!

We made Daddy birthday cards, made fun cookies and sent them to Aunt Chelsea, had a tea party and did a lot of cleaning and organizing.  Speaking of which, I have a new chore plan for the kids.  It not only involves chores, but money management and giving to others.  We started today actually and so far they are both eager and excited to do it.  I took pictures of different things around the house, like the kitchen table, the garbage, the snack container, Penny's diaper and wipes station, dog food etc.  Then I printed them out and laminated them.  Each day the kids will be given between 2 and 4 cards.  I am thinking 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.  These are paid chores, not things that we already expect them to do like clean their room everyday and put their toys away etc.  If they complete each chore (without fussing and in a timely manner) then they have the opportunity to make $.25 each day.  They will get paid on Fridays and they have to divide the money into 4 different banks.  The first bank is money for God, that they will give as an offering at church. The second is for giving to others.  We will buy food for the pantry at church, use some of the money for our Good Samaritan Christmas Child shoe boxes or perhaps even sponsor a child through the Compassion network. The third bank (their piggy bank) is for saving and the fourth is for spending. Once in awhile we will take them to the toy store and match what they have to spend.  They must put their money in the banks in that order and if the earn the entire $1.25 (in quarters)  a week then they can choose where to put the 5th quarter.  I am as equally excited and can't wait to see how it goes!

We read lots of books, continued to work on our daily lessons in Phonics and Math.  Finished up the requirements for K12 LA and need to focus more on our science lessons in the next few weeks.  Charlie continues to show progress with his reading abilities and I plan on starting a new journal of types where he will draw a picture and then write a sentence or two about what the story was about.  He had to do something similar for his K12 teacher that we mailed to her last week.  He was to have no assistance with writing out the sentence, and I think he did really great!

Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne digging a tunnel through the mountain for the train.

Nana

Nana and her boys

Our blue eyed babies

Penny and Charlie

Sweet little baby hands

Our boy

Happy Birthday Baby

Trent's birthday was last week.  The kids and I spent the day making cards and a cake for him.  Charlie worked for 2 days on the present he made for him, a dinosaur sticker mosaic picture.  He was really concerned if Daddy was going to like it or not.  He was really proud of it and asked Trent to not take it to work to display but leave it at home where it would be safe.  He is so cute!

We had a nice dinner, Trent's pick of pizza. We sang Happy Birthday and he opened his presents and cards while the kids scarfed down their cake.  Then it was time for everyone to clean up and head up stairs to watch our evening viewing of Little Bear (Daddy's favorite cartoon).

Trent is such a super guy.  He is a wonderful Daddy, playing with the kids and always letting them help out with a project....even when it would be easier or quicker for him to do it himself.  He reads them bedtime books at night and helps Charlie with his nightly reading.  He wrestles with the boys and lets them climb all over him and then laughs as to why they typically only attack him (honey, it is because you let them:).  I just love watching him with our children, it really warms my heart.

And words don't even really do justice to the kind of husband he is.  He is always kind, even when I don't deserve his kindness.  He is always loving to me, kissing me when he gets home or before he leaves.  He always makes sure that we have what we need and works really had to make sure that we have a lot of what we "want" too.  He never complains that I don't have dinner made or that the house is dirty.  He will sweetly remind me if he needs clean underwear and socks or just go down in the basement and throw a load of laundry in himself.

I hope you had nice birthday baby and I pray that your year will be blessed!

I love you!

Penelope Jane 4 months

Today you, Miss Penelope Jane, are four months old.  I can barely believe it has only been four short months that I have held you, for it feels as though our soles have known each other for much longer.  On the other hand it feels as if it were just yesterday that they placed your warm little body on my chest.  Funny how time can seem to stand still yet pass us by in a blink of an eye!

You are such a sweet baby, seriously, you are.  You smile and coo, you barely whimper.

Your best friends are by far your brothers.  Tommy is relentless and is forever kissing you on the mouth and smacking patting your head.  He really tries to be gentle and you are not even bothered a smidge by his love pats.  You also never seem to grow tired to his one liners "LOOOOOK at to me BABY" he screeches at you day after day, hour after hour.  And you sweet thing, just look up at him with your big toothless grin.  You are the dotting sister.

And Charlie, oh sweet Charlie.  He is so funny and always wants to know if your eyes are open.  He feels so connected with you because you both have those brilliant blues.  He loves to lay down with you on Daddy and Mommy's bed, snuggled up.  He is so gentle, always asks if he can rub your soft furry head and wants permission to play with you while you are in one of your contraptions.  He is famous for wanting to get you toys and goes to great lengths to pick out just the right one that he is sure you will like.  He is my big helper and often fetches diapers or even extra set of clothes.....for all those blow outs you are known for ;)

You enjoy your weekend dates with Daddy when I am catching up on my zzzz's.  He read you your first book, though he said you had little interest :)  He walks you around the room (just like he did your brothers) and calls you "honey".  He is always concerned that you are healthy and doing well, and he thinks that your eyes are pretty.  You have him wrapped, tightly, around your little finger!

There are so many things you are doing these days.  Kicking and laughing, you have found your fingers and want desperately to sit up.  You are talking more and tell me lots of stories.  You love the bath but hate with a passion the lotion that follows.   You weigh just about 17lbs and are in the 95th percentile or above on weight, height and head circumference (can you tell we just got back from the Pediatrician?!). You are reaching for things and know your name.  You smile all the time.

You are a hungry girl and just recently have started to get on a schedule of eating every 2-3 hours instead of every 30, 45 or 60 minutes.  You also just recently (4 days ago) went through a huge growth spurt in where you ate ALL.DAY.LONG and then 2 days later you SLEPT.ALL.DAY. long.  Within that 48 hours you outgrew all your clothes....no joke!  We just started you on oatmeal cereal and bananas.  At this point you could take it or leave it.  The bananas you find mildly interesting.

At this point you are taking three short (45 min.) naps a day and putting yourself to bed by 6pm.  You often will fall asleep nursing and if not then you fuss yourself to sleep.  It usually only takes a minute or two and then you are in sweet slumber.  You continue to wake two or three times a night and are up for the day by 7am.  I still enjoy those middle of the night feedings and know that before long you will sleep soundly and not need me to comfort you in the wee hours of morning.

It is amazing to me that our Heavenly Father choose you for us.  He knew that you were exactly what we needed.  He knew that your smile would warm our hearts when there was so much sadness.  He knew that your snuggles would be a welcome embrace.  He knew that those middle of the night feedings would make me grateful and show me just how much He loves us.  We feel blessed to have you as our daughter and you bring our family so much joy, so much love and have brought us even closer together.

We love you Penny!

Thomas

Sweet

Silly

Fun

Serious

 

 

 

My Baby

 

 

 

It isn't just snow blowing

 

There has been a lot of this going on the last few weeks.  The boys love to help Daddy out in the snow and Trent is so patient with them and their "help".

 

I am so glad that the boys get to spend time like this with their Dad.  I know that not only is it really teaching valuable life skills, but more importantly it is building the bond of father and son. Which in my book is priceless!