I don't know how this happened, and I am equally in awe of my firstborn who is becoming such a beautiful little lady, and overcome with sadness at how fleeting these little years are, in every way. Here are a bzillion pictures of Mae's first 9 years and her birthday celebration this year, complete with a surprise visit from Grammy and a new British bicycle. This girls shines brightly ... watch out big world.
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I spent some rare alone time yesterday reviewing our past 10 weeks in order to make sure we wrap up our final 2 weeks of term 1 with a happy WELL DONE.
This year I have kept close records of all that we do, not daily, but yet still clearly for myself on a weekly and term basis. Here's what we have learned, and loved: Family ~ Bible stories from Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Judges John Inductive Bible Study, Ch 1-10 (girls) 3 hymns, 1 carol (December), 1 folk song, 10 Spanish folk songs Habits of attention and gentleness Memory: Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Smells by Christopher Morley, 10 lines from Midsummer Nights Dream Studied the world with Ms Mason's Elementary Geography Studied trees in nature study (we need to be more intentional with journaling) Read Aloud: Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian Read Aloud: Winnie the Pooh Read Aloud: 9 fairy tales from Lang and Grimm Read Aloud: Shakespeare's Storybook Read Aloud (December): A Christmas Carol {The Whole Story} Read Aloud: Fables by Lobel Read Aloud: Finished Little Pilgrim's Progress Part I Read Aloud: 2 Parables from Nature Read Aloud: Midsummer Night's Dream (with our recitation) Audio: American Tall Tales Audio: King Arthur and His Knights Audio: Uncle Remus Composer: Haydn Artist: Van Gogh + 6 living picture books, 9 paintings, 1 DVD, 1 biography Latin: 34 lessons of Getting Started with Latin, freely copying Winnie Ille Pu (girls) Poetry: Milne & Blake & Thanksgiving poetry and praise Mae ~ Exodus through the plagues Luke through Ch 7 Our Island Story through Ch 21 Robin Hood Arthur of Albion Heidi daily copywork or dictation, oral narration daily maths {MEP, Life of Fred, Times Tales} weekly typing Free Reading: Bard of Avon, Inside Out and Back Again, Mary Poppins, Pinocchio, The Door in the Wall, The Saturdays, The Boy Who Grew Flowers, Castle Diary, Chanticleer and the Fox, Good Queen Bess, Apple and the Arrow, A Medieval Feast, Merlin and the Dragons, Saint Francis of Assisi, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Kitchen Knight, The Making of a Knight, The Minstrel in the Tower, William Tell Viola ~ Family Bible stories Our Island Story through Ch 21 14 Fifty Famous Stories Retold Leif the Lucky, D'Aulaire Pocahontas, D'Aulaire James Herriot's Treasury for Children Charlotte's Web Free Reading: Robin Hood, Arthur of Albion, Apple and the Arrow, A Medieval Feast, Merlin and the Dragons, Saint Francis of Assisi, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Kitchen Knight, The Making of a Knight, The Minstrel in the Tower, William Tell, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Lola's Fandango, The Boy Who Grew Flowers, Pinocchio, Pippi Longstocking, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz daily copywork, oral narration, fables main lesson book daily maths {MEP, Life of Fred, xtramath} Zeb ~ daily handwriting {Delightful Handwriting} daily maths {MEP, Everyday Number Stories} daily reading {100EZ Lessons} daily oral narration, fable main lesson book {illustration narration} James Herriot Treasury D'Aulaire Memoria Press 1st-grade read alouds My goals for our new term are to spend more time with art, handicrafts, nature journaling, and a musical instrument. We will also delve into creating a family timeline ... I have big beautiful plans for this in my head all ready for Kevin to bring to life, you know, after he buys us that antique farmhouse on acreage with barns and cows and chickens and goats. I'm also going to begin pre-reading each term's books for the girls and notebooking them myself to smooth their narrations and our discussions. I'm really eager for the self-education and the opportunity to pour into my children even more by letting them see me completely invested in their minds and souls. Despite two weeks of coughs and colds I was determined to balance grace with finishing this week strong. My mom {Grammy} is arriving tomorrow for a surprise week-long visit for Mae's 10th birthday ... I can't even talk about that milestone. This was a very good, quiet week and we finished nearly everything we set out to accomplish, except cleaning the house ... there's always tomorrow ... well, Jack likes to vacuum every chance he can get. And he asks for naps and bedtime. What 4yo does this?
Just an update on how our colored craft sticks are helping {or not} to add some fresh perspective to our school days. In a word, awesome. It took a few days to work out the kinks, make some new ones, toss a few, etc, but we are in a super sweet groove. Here's what today looked like, stick-by-stick.
Hymn & Prayer Fairy Tale: Why the Sea is Salt and narrate Math Facts: xtramath (Viola) & Times Tales (Mae) Gratitude Journal (girls) & Thanksgiving study (me) Copywork & Scripture Recitation: Psalm 23:4 (and review v1-3) Bible story from ICB (boys) & The True Account of Adam and Eve (girls) Latin Outdoor prayer walk, picked up trash ... ICB extension MEP (Mae) & Free Reading: finished Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and started The Wizard of Oz (Viola) MEP (Viola) & Free Reading: finished Door in the Wall (Mae) Our Island Story {audio} and narrate John Bible Study They're all now watching the film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Ta Da! Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
And always be thankful. Colossians 3:14, 15 We thought we ought to demonstrate Christ's love by taking a prayer walk down our street ... praying for our neighbors ... and cleaning up our little town. We donned some lovely hospital gloves, grabbed some bags, and picked up trash all throughout our town. We are thankful for where we live and for the harmony and friendship of our neighbors! The boys and I also read the story of the fall in the Garden of Eden from the ICB and the activity suggested to take time outside today to clean up trash and learn to recycle (which we do every day) and plant some seeds (we may need to wait for spring). I blended our morning thanksgiving devotion with the boys' Bible story/activity for a cool time outdoors together. We welcomed a new owl timer into our family today. Our yellow friend, Errol, took quite a clumsy fall and is no longer as reliable as he once was ... he needs a good, long rest and has been relegated to the toy basket. Our fresh new green owl, yet to be named, is ready for the task of keeping my four on task. A few of my newest favorite resources for getting outside and connecting every.single.day with my children and for unique handicrafts to create together (as in not the cut and fold some paper and toss later crafts). Enjoy!
Have you seen and held this series of classic books ... The Whole Story? You really should. These editions truly bring the story to life with glorious illustrations and distinctive notes and background information and pictures of what life was like for the urban poor of the Industrial Revolution in England. Mae is reading Heidi with The Whole Story and absolutely cannot wait to curl up with this book every week. She will be reading The Jungle Book as well from this series. They are out of print, but well worth the seeking.
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erin.kate
Adorer of my Jesus. Home school mama to four ... three home grown and one from the far reaches of Africa. Ridiculously blessed wife of a man who loves with a servant's heart. Devotee of Charlotte Mason and clean, humble living. Archives
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