At Home on this Mountain
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Always running
Posted in ReadingAnd so far not running behind. Our first week of lessons for the year was a great success. The fact that my oldest is now required to be getting an "education" and spend 4 hours a day doing something "educational" has been a great motivator for me. In the past we've done lessons 5 days in a row, maybe 4 times. That's over the course of 2 years. We had no problems last week squeezing in 3-4 hours of read alouds, math worksheets and Explode the Code. Yesterday we started Cub Scouts but we still managed to get our time in beforehand and we didn't even have to have dinner at a restaurant- TH and I packed a picnic supper to eat in the parking lot and Daddy LOVED it. It was pretty tasty, if I say so myself.
Speaking of Cub Scouts, we belong to a great pack of all homeschooling families. It is so nice to spend a little time with other families who are doing the same "crazy" things we are and see how their kids are just as goofy and normal as ours are. Honey is the head of the popcorn fundraiser this year and seems to be enjoying his new role. Our den leader from last year mentioned that his wife does lessons for 3 weeks and then takes 1 week off, all year round. For some reason this had never occured to me, I think because I thought I would want a long break in the summer time. Then I realized that I HATED summer break in school and was always bored after 2 weeks. Also, spending 4 hours a day reading aloud and teaching phonics and penmanship doesn't leave a lot of time for big projects like sewing Christmas dresses, piecing quilts, balancing the checkbook or canning up gallons of chicken stock. I think having 1 week off out of every 4 will be a great set-up for our family. The boys are already counting the days until their "vacation." Hopefully they realize that we're not actually going anywhere :D
Additionally, 3 on/1 off gives us 195 days of lessons per year. We're only required to have 174 in this state so we'll have 4 extra weeks to play with, maybe taking 2 weeks at Christmas and 2 at Easter and an extra in the summer at some point. We'll see how it goes. What I don't want to do is waste those extra days here and there when we don't feel like doing lessons one day in the middle of the week. That is a VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE for me. I can't even get near the edge.
Does anyone know of a good source for books on CD? I have found these to be SO helpful in getting our daily dose of literature (or just-for-fun reads too) but our library's collection is pitiful! My goal is to spend at least 2 hours per day reading aloud but that is a strain on my vocal chords, especially during allergy season (which is pretty much year round for me) I plan to buy The Chronicles of Narnia on CD for the family for Christmas but we just finished reading/listening to those a few weeks ago and Christmas is a long way off. So where can I find more? I guess I need to start checking out the discount and used bookstores that I see from time to time and have the grandparents keep their eyes peeled as well.
Now it's time for lunch and I still haven't emptied the dishwasher or cleaned up the breakfast dishes (though they're in the kitchen instead of the dining room- that's a start!) So it's off the computer for Mom and into the kitchen. I'll be back again soon!!
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{ Last Page } { Page 16 of 93 } { Next Page }Thursday, August 21, 2008 - Hello Friend
Posted by Chas
Hello Dear Friend...
I know that there are several books on "tape" on the LES site. (Library and Educational) That is where I bought Ben Hur. I will be checking around, as I am looking for some as well. I know they carry a lot of the Focus on the Family renditions which is what I prefer. I hope you have a great day dear one and I love you! :D
Love,
Chas
Thursday, August 21, 2008 - books on tape and boyscouts
Posted by Anonymous
I love love love audible.com. I thought the membership prices were pretty good for the number/ quality of books we got. We downloaded them onto my computer about 3 years ago, and when it crashed (last year) and we switched, I was able to download them again since I "own" them. We have also burned them onto CDs and played them on our Ipod.
how old do boys have to be for boyscouts? my oldest turned five yesterday and we're doing our first year of kindergarden- is he too young?
I'm Becky in NewHome btw, and I found you off of Chas's blog ;)
Saturday, August 23, 2008 - School weeks
Posted by Ang
Three weeks on/ one week off does sound like a great plan! We did math work most of the summer for B with a few breaks here and there and she didn't really mind it. Though that work doesn't count hours for our virtual school. I'm thinking about playing with the few days off here and there every couple weeks for this school year, but I'll have to do a few long days each week to make up for it. For our school, we need to have certain # of hours between Aug 25 and the second week of June, or I'd definitely try the 3 on/1 off!!
Good luck!
Does your library inter-loan with any others surrounding since they are limited? You could also try Bookmooch.com. They are a book trading site, you list books you would like to pass one and when someone picks it, you ship it off (media mail of course) then when you find a book you want, you request and they send it to you. Yours to keep or re-list and trade for another when you are done. I started doing this with books I couldn't sell on amazon/ebay, like paperbacks the library kind of wrinkles their nose at. The whole point of that ramble is they do have some audio books CDs available for trade as well. You can search books before you join if you want to look around.
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Preserving the Harvest 2008
~June 22nd~
*11 half-pints
honey-sweetened peach-strawberry jam
~June 27th~
*7 half-pints and 2 pints
honey-sweetened peach jam
~June 28th~
*24 home-grown chickens in the freezer
(7 whole, 17 cut up
plus feet and backs for stock!!)
~July 6th~
*8 pints and 14 half-pints
honey-sweetened peach jam
~July 16th~
*18 cups fresh green beans,
blanched and frozen (a gift from the boss)
*12 pounds ripe bananas,
cut into 1 inch chunks and frozen for smoothies
~July 22nd~
*32 ears home-grown corn
blanched and frozen in meal-sized packages
~July 27th~
*8 pints cream-style corn
(home grown)
~July~
about *8 cups blackberries
and *5 cups wild blueberries
from around our property,
in the freezer
~August 4th~
14 pints
4 half-pints
and 1 quart
hot and spicy tomato salsa
(that's 18 cups altogether)
~October29th~
13 quarts chunky applesauce
5 quart jars dried apple rings
What I'm reading
The Bible- currently in the books of Ezekial and 1 Corinithians
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
The Hobbit (on CD) by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Bondwoman's Tale by Hannah Crafts
What I've Read Recently
One Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
At Large and At Small by Anne FadimanHow To Be Good by Nick Hornby
The Book of Joby by Mark FerrariThe Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
World Without End by Ken FollettAnne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (for the 12th time or so)
The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley
What I Watch
The Office
30 RockDoctor Who
HeroesEureka
Scrubs2008 Crafty Stats
Yardage In:
13.5 yardsYardage Out:
3 yardsItems Made: 2
Money Spent:
$58.06
Recent Entries
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Romance?
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Election- Shmelection!
Blogs I Read (almost)Daily
Money Spent:
$58.06Recent Entries
Giveaway at Teresa's!!Romance?
Pop Dickens
No real theme..
Election- Shmelection!