Homeschool Log Saturday February 27, 2010

Austin
Austin had a laid back day. He slept late, watched Star Wars, played with the younger kids, and helped some around the house. He played Crazy Machines( my review of Crazy Machines here) on his computer and did some art work.

I forgot to mention last weekend that Austin took a trip with the youth group from church to Winter Jam Concert. He was so excited and had a wonderful time. The Newsboys were a big hit with him. He was very disappointed though that he somehow lost the CD and DVD that he bought. He held onto the poster but the other things got away from him. I felt so bad for him but it's just a life lesson to be learned from.

 Amanda
Amanda spent a lot of the day with friends. Around noon the mother of one of her friends, Tina, picked her up and she spent the afternoon at Tina's house. Then Tina's mother brought Amanda back home in time for Holly(11) and her mother to pick Amanda up. They went to a magic show and then to CiCi's Pizza. So she had a great day, but was very tired by the time she got home last night.

Homeschool Log Friday February 26, 2010

Austin
Normally Austin would have posted to his blog today but we are having internet security issues with the kids computers so he stayed off internet today. He did spend some time with the paint program though, making some designs to post when he can.

He also read a chapter from Pinocchio.

Our youth pastor picked him up around lunchtime today and they went out to lunch together. This was something that Austin has been looking forward to for a couple weeks now and he really enjoyed it.

Amanda
Amanda started reading a new book today - The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson. Once again I think she was surprised at how much she enjoyed the book I picked out for her. She also read some from Cats by Amanda O'Neill.

She spent some time playing Solitaire and Spider Solitaire.

After school her friend Holly (age 11) was here for awhile and the girls had fun together.

This evening she put up some wall decorations in the playroom.

 

  

  

Austin and Amanda

We read two chapters from The Shack by Wm. Paul Young this afternoon. We also read 2 Kings 8:7-15, 25-29 and 2 Kings 9.

Both kids did their daily chores, helped with the younger kids and took care of their pets.

Homeschool Log Thursday February 25, 2010

Austin and Amanda
We read two chapters from The Shack by Wm. Paul Young this afternoon. We also read 2 Kings 6:24-33 and 7:3-20. They watched a math video and a language arts video from Gamequarium.

Both kids did their chores, took care of their pets and helped with the younger kids.

They spent the evening at their grandparents house enjoying time with grandparents, cousins, aunt and uncles.

Austin
Austin read a chapter from Pinocchio. He also spent a lot of time on his laptop designing with the paint program.His friend Zac (11) was here for awhile after school and they enjoyed talking together.

Amanda
Amanda finished reading Apostle to Inland China: The Story of J. Hudson Taylor by James S. and Velma B. Keifer. She also read more from Me and My Horse.

Homeschool Log Wednesday February 24, 2010

Austin and Amanda
We got so caught up in the story this afternoon that we read three chapters of The Shack by Wm. Paul Young instead of just one like I had planned. I am so glad we decided to read this book together. We also read 2 Kings 5 and 8:1-6.

Both kids did their chores, took care of their pets and helped with the younger kids. 

Austin
Austin read a chapter of Pinocchio. He also updated his blog. He enjoyed spending time with his friends Zac (11) and Tristan (12) this afternoon.

Amanda
Amanda read a chapter of Apostle to Inland China: The Story of J. Hudson Taylor by James S. and Velma B. Kiefer. She also spent a lot of time reading Me and My Horse as well as researching dog breeds using our set of World Book encyclopedias.

She also updated her blog.

Her friend Holly (11) was here for awhile this afternoon. I'm not sure exactly what they were doing but the howls of laughter coming from Amanda's room certainly seemed to indicate they were having fun.

Homeschool Log Tuesday February 23, 2010

Austin and Amanda
This afternoon we read chapter 1 from The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. We also read 1 Chronicles 21, The Book of Obadiah, and 2 Kings 6:8-23.

Both Austin and Amanda watched a math video and a Language Arts video from Gamequarium.

Both kids also did their daily chores, took care of their pets and helped with they younger kids.

Our afternoon was interrupted by an unexpected visit from someone who may be needing childcare for her two granddaughters this summer. So while we didn't do a few things we had planned, the kids got to listen to an interview as we talked about schedules, required paperwork, and other business related topics. Still educational in it's own way.

Austin
Austin spent a lot of time creating designs with the paint program on his computer and put some more of his artwork on his blog this afternoon. He is able now to post and publish without any help from me. He just tells me when he has published something and I go look at it.

He read another chapter from Pinocchio. Most of the time I thought he looked distracted, almost as if he was just running his fingers across the words and turning pages, but when I asked him what he had read he was able to tell me so I guess he's picking up more than I sometimes realize. Yay!

This afternoon two of his friends, Zac (11) and Tristan (12) were here. Zac, Tristan and Austin spent some time playing games on the computer. After Zac left Austin and Tristan went outside for awhile, then listened to some music together. Tristan also helped Austin clean up the kitchen after dinner.

Austin also watched a few more MacGyver episodes and played Solitaire on his laptop between other activities.

Amanda
Amanda read chapter three of Apostle to Inland China: The Story of J. Hudson Taylor by James S. and Velma B. Kiefer. She also finished the book Veronica Ganz by Marilyn Sachs. Her opinion of the book - "It was weird."

This afternoon she was doing research on different types of dogs using our set of World Book encyclopedias. She was making lists although I didn't check to see exactly what she was listing.

Amanda played Sally's Salon,Nanny Mania 2 and Dairy Dash on the laptop.

I find it endlessly interesting and amazing each day as I watch my children learn in their own ways, even as they enjoy activities that do not technically fall under the "educational" category. Learning happens in many different ways.

Homeschool Log Monday February 22, 2010

Austin and Amanda
We started a new book this afternoon during our read together time. The Shack by Wm. Paul Young is a wonderful book that I wanted us to share together. I debated with myself a little about whether it was to advanced and intense and decided that reading it together we could talk through any questions or issues that came up. We only read the foreword today and they are already intrigued. I think we're going to enjoy reading this book together a lot. We also read 2 Kings 3, 2 Kings 4:38-44 and 2 Kings 6:1-7.

Both kids did their chores and helped with the younger kids as well as took care of their pets.

Austin
Austin updated his blog, read a chapter of Pinocchio, and worked on his time line project. This afternoon we read part of the article Admiral of the Ends of the Earth by Mellville Bell Grosvenor from the July 1957 edition of The National Geographic Magazine.

In his free time Austin has been enjoying watching episodes of MacGyver on his laptop. He has finished Season 1 and started on Season 2.

Amanda
Amanda began reading a new book today. I could tell when I gave it to her that she didn't think she was going to enjoy it. But I had to smile when she told me she forgot to stop at the end of chapter one and accidentally read two chapters of Apostle to Inland China, The Story of J. Hudson Taylor by James S. and Velma B. Kiefer. I don't mind if they read more than their assignment but I usually tell them to finish their other work first and then go back to it if they want too.

Amanda also did her typing lesson and worked on her room for awhile.

This afternoon we played several games of UNO. I was surprised that she chose this because she normally is not much of game player. But we had fun.

 

  

Later this evening Amanda spent quite a bit of time looking up various breeds of dogs online. She wants a dog very much but we can't have one right now. 

I think we had a very good day.

Homeschool Log Thursday 2/18 and Friday 2/19

Just some quick notes on these two days.

Our schedule was pretty much the same as it had been all week except that we did take Friday afternoon off because I had an interview with a family about providing childcare for a one year old.

We finished the book Rilla of Ingleside, had our Bible reading, both kids worked on math and language arts and did some reading. Austin and I read more of the articles about the south pole in The National Geographic and Amanda and I worked on her room some more. Both kids updated their blogs again.

Thursday evening Austin and Amanda spent the evening at their grandparents house as usual.