Friday, October 15, 2010

Nightgown 1 - Done

Finished Emily's first nightgown late last night. Just in time for our trip to the mountains this weekend where it is going to be very cold.



The pattern ended up running large, which is okay. I hope that Emily will be able to get a couple of winters out of her nightgowns.



I've got one more to make for Emily and then I have already received orders from the other three for pajama pants.

Peace,

Amy

Monday, October 11, 2010

Biweekly Update

*****


The Fall weather has been drawing us out in the evening for fun by the firepit. It has been nice to take a breath for a little while and catch up with everyone. The big girls have been sharing the campfire songs they learned at camp this year.

We've been busy these last couple of weeks. Emily finished her weather study and selected Continent & Cultures study. Today we put together her world map and colored in the continent of Africa. The first stop on our 'journey'.

Katie has finished up her study on Vikings and spent most of today putting together her "Viking Village" as her finished project for the unit.

Mary provided a little creative direction/suggestions to Katie's project.

Mary's project today was to make a 3D representation of a Slave Ship from Story of the World Vol. 3 (Eventually we will finish vol 3 and move on to vol 4).


We are all having a lot of fun with our unit studies. It has been a really good addition/change to our school.

Katie finished up her softball season this past weekend. She loves playing softball!!

Katie really likes playing catcher! We'll see if she continues to like this position in a couple of seasons when she starts playing in the kid-pitch league.


Mary also had a soccer game on Saturday. Each week her team is getting better and better. Last weekend they had a tie against the Wilmington team. This week they got their first win 3-1, and Mary finally broke through for her first goal of the season. It has taken her so long to get into the swing this season with her knee injury at the very beginning.






This coming weekend we have a rare weekend off from any activities. Still not sure what our plans are. Maybe do nothing but nothing for a change.

Peace,

Amy

Sunday, October 03, 2010

October, really!


The month of September flew by. It wasn't helped by the fact that I have not really felt well for the past month and my mood has been in the dumps. Every day we have had something that needed to be done, generally outside of the house. So, I've just been concentrating on making it through each and every day.

School, surprisingly has been my saving grace this month. We are having a very good fall term so far this year. It is busy though, because I am basically doing three different curriculums/approaches for each of the girls. My days are very long, but every one is having a much better time of school this year and much less fussing over the work that needs to be done.

Mary is doing a physics unit for her science. She loves the hands-on, building approach of physics. Here is one of her recent projects studying force, angles and gravity.
Emily is doing a weather unit study from Intellego. The lesson for this day was to examine the sky and determine what type of clouds were in the sky. As you can probably tell from the picture, we had to postpone the activity due to the weather being too nice. Not a cloud in the sky to identify.
As you can see, on the days Robbie is home he is very involved in our school day.

Katie is studying Whales. She is also using an Intellego Unit Study. Here, Mary is working with Katie for her activity about whale blubber and how it helps them to stay warmer in the cold waters. Mary had actually done this activity somewhere else, so she and Katie did it all by themselves.
Emily has spent a lot of time lately 'creating'. She has been building with legos, doing recycling art, and lots of painting.
And, of course we have had soccer. Lots and lots of soccer. Mary practices three nights a week and we have had to travel for a few games so far. This past weekend we had a game in Wilmington.



Because, I have been driving to soccer games DH has been pulling softball game duties. It works out better because he can actually help with the base running/coaching duties. But, the camera goes with me. I don't have any recent pics, but Katie is having a lot of fun and has improved since she started last Spring.

Katie has also started her Brownie group for the year. She is in a new troop this year and has meet with them once so far. She says the new girls seem really nice and her troop leader is very experienced.

My big boy turned 4 this weekend. WOW! He is enjoying his 'school'. He gets up in the morning and "helps" me pack his lunch for him and gets ready to go with no fussing. He is funny though, on school days he insists he has to wear a shirt with a collar, "just like Daddy". Every other day of the week stained t-shirts and shorts are what he wants.

I'm hoping that I will feel much better during October than I did September. The girls and I are looking forward to taking our nature study out to the woods now that it has gotten cooler. Not to mention just how much needs to be done to get the house ready for the winter months.

Peace,

Amy


Sunday, September 12, 2010

New Preschooler

For the first time since Mary was 4, one of my kids is attending an outside school. We found a play preschool for Robbie that was just what we had been looking for. Three mornings a week of relaxed, educational fun. Plus, the class is full of boys for Robbie to run around with. I think he gets enough of us females at home.

Wednesday was his first day...very excited and up extra early. He helped me make his lunch and pack his school bag.


He loves going and every morning since then the first thing he asks is whether it is a school day.

Having 3 hours, 3 mornings a week is working out well here at the house also. We are using that time to focus on projects for the girls' various unit studies. Activities and books that he always wanted to be in the middle of, but really wasn't ready for.

I'm amazed at how quiet it can get in the morning when all of the girls are busy working and Robbie isn't here. This is my first experience at homeschooling and not having a preschooler/toddler in tow.

Other than getting used to a new routine on M,W,F; everything else is moving along normally. Fall is coming, we've had the AC off for nearly a week and have been comfortable. I can smell the difference in the air and it is making me more interested in fall cleaning, preparing for winter and doing more knitting/crocheting. I have a pork loin in the freezer that I am just waiting for cooler weather so I can use the leftovers to make a Brunswick Stew.

After almost two weeks off from soccer, Mary was back on the pitch playing. So happy to be back out there instead of watching.



Next week looks to be another busy week. The calendar is filled with activities & practices and Katie will be celebrating her 8th birthday. Wow!

Peace,

Amy

Thursday, September 02, 2010

September!!!

Wow! I shouldn't have blinked during August because it just disappeared.

We came back from the trip to the beach, picked up Mary in the mountains from camp and promptly became sick for nearly a week. The joys of a stomach bug running through a home of six. I think it took me extra days to just mentally recover from that experience. Thankfully everyone was well enough by the weekend so that we could make it to all the games.

This past weekend was Mary's first soccer tournament of the year, a home tournament. Her team has looked really good in practice so far, but came out to the games looking a little flat. It was a good warm-up to the season which starts after Labor Day.



Mary hurt her knee early on Saturday, so her play was limited Saturday afternoon and Sunday. She played goalie the first half of the first game and looked good. She volunteered to be part of the goalie rotation this year and is doing extra goalie training.

As far as her knee goes everyday it is getting better and we don't believe it is a severe injury. Her knee collided with another's knee. Her coach has limited her practice time this past week and on Tuesday told her that he wanted Mary to take the whole week off from training (Tuesday-Tuesday after Labor Day).

Katie also had a softball game on Saturday. The schedules worked perfectly so that we could see Katie's game in-between Mary's games. Katie's team is doing really well and having lots of fun.





As far as the two little ones go, we are getting used to our go..go..go lifestyle. The back of the van is filled with lots of trucks for moving piles of dirt around, because every field seems to have a playable pile of dirt right next to it. Of course there are trees to climb.




And facilities to explore.


Schoolwork amazingly is still moving along. After six years of homeschooling it appears the children have finally adapted to the ebbs and flows of life and can do schoolwork even with everything else that is going on.

I've finally scored on curriculum choices, as there have been no complaints so far this year about our schoolwork. The biggest hits have been the unit studies. I'm using a couple from Intelligo right now that are so easy to use. Literally click and go.

After Labor Day, Robbie will begin attending a play preschool three mornings a week. The first time one of my children has attended a 'school' outside our home since Mary was in preschool six years ago. It was an opportunity I didn't feel like I could turn down and something that will benefit all of us. I've just got to get used to getting the kids up and ready to leave the house in the morning again. Robbie is very excited and keeps talking about 'his' school.

Right now, we are watching the weather and waiting. We are supposed to head back to the beach for one last summertime visit with the family tomorrow. Hoping that Hurricane Earl speeds on up and moves out as quickly as possible. DH has taken off Friday-Tuesday and we are looking forward to a long, family weekend by the pool.

Have a great holiday!

Peace,

Amy

Monday, August 16, 2010

Back at the beach and Pics for Hubby

I'm at the beach with Katie, Emily and Robbie. Mary is enjoying her second week of camp in the mountains for the summer. I took some pictures today of the kids swimming and playing at the sound to share with DH, who is back home working and holding down the fort.























Peace,

Amy
A family of six living and learning. You might catch us outside in the mud or working on crafts. We always seem to be on the go, come on and join us.