Friday, September 16, 2011

A Glimpse of Our Week: September 10-16

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In My Life This Week
The deciduous trees are starting to put on their colors. Splashes of reds, golds and oranges are spreading through the leaf cover. Our days are comfortable, but our nights are chilly. Windows are being closed in the late afternoons and evening darkness arrives around 7:00pm. Soon, it'll be dark 5:30pm! Autumn has arrived and with it thoughts of warm stews and seasonal pies. And what better way to celebrate Fall then with a sweet 6-year-old Sous Chef helping to make a pumpkin pie!
Homeschool Happenings
It was one of those weeks - a week of interruptions (me), curriculum changes (J) and pessimistic attitudes (C) - so we only completed 2 days. ((sigh)) Perhaps next week will go a little a lot smoother! But learning still goes on even without textbooks!
 
Nicole from Journey to Excellence has created a WONDERFUL curriculum around "America: The Story of Us" videos from The History Channel, and a new American History Linky party on Saturdays, so I thought we would join up this week!

C is working on History Pockets: Explorers of North America, and her focus was Christopher Columbus this week (and probably next).
C And I Read This Aloud
C Did Map Work Showing Columbus's Exploration Routes
C Baked Hardtack - a Tasteless Bread Staple of Early Explorers
And since J's Around the World in 180 Days is STILL back-ordered - a new publisher is revising the current edition - I revamped his History/Geography. We're going to use some of the same materials that Nicole is using: "America: Story of Us" videos with accompanying illustrated history book and episode guides from The History Channel with historical fiction and non-fiction literature, WonderMaps and Sheppard Software Geography games. He's a TOTAL American History buff so this works out just right for him!
J's Revamped History Videos and Book
Oh, and I had to share S's self portrait! Don't you just love the spiky hair?! LOL
We ended our challenging week with a "reset" - a crisp, early fall morning spent exploring the state park near the lake and a picnic lunch. ((contented sigh)) 
Deer Prints!
Oak Galls - Inside Are Growing Wasp Larvae
 People We Saw And Places We Went
  • With our neighbor's 3 sons, the kids traipsed through the woods and rode bikes on Saturday, and then that night J and C went to the Rec Center to play basketball. LOVIN' Saturday ball!
  • J and C spent the afternoon with friends on Sunday.
  • Soccer, Soccer, Soccer! J had 3 games and 2 practices this week while C and S each had a practice.
  • C and I went to Band Info Night at the school on Monday and had her first lesson on the clarinet on Tuesday.
  • J and S had Scout meetings. S was SO EXCITED to don his cute Cub Scout uniform and head off to his 1st meeting! 
  • My doctor. Again. ((sigh)) 
My Favorite Thing(s) This Week
C and S slipped on some "hospital" gloves and hung plastic grocery bags off their bikes and rode around the neighborhood picking up aluminum cans and trash. I LOVE that they're responsible for our environment even though others aren't! 
Photo(s), Video, Link, or Quote to Share
Isn't Stripe a Hoot? She Fell Asleep Playing With a Stick!
Linking Up With:

16 comments:

  1. I love the colors of fall too...and pumpkin pie :) Looks like you had a wonderful time at the lake.

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  2. thanks for linking up!! looks like a busy and fun week!

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  3. Pumpkin pie, yum! Our apple pies are in the oven right now, and I picked up ingredients for pumpkin pie too (love having a kitchen, lol).
    I'm sorry you didn't get a lot of school done this week, we didn't really either, but it's ok with me. We had a lot going on. Have a great weekend! Oh, are you going to see any lighthouses tomorrow? I read it's open lighthouse day, and we were thinking of driving to Freeport/Portland area, but might need to just stay put tomorrow.. We'll see.

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  4. What a great post! I loved all of your picture. Wasp larvae--really? I wouldn't have known. And a pumpkin pie sounds fabulous right now. I Love fall. :)

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  5. Wonderful!! And I learned something. Wasp larvae are weird. LOL

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  6. I will have to show your egg picture to my kids. They will love it!

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  7. "Reset". I like that. :) And the self-portrait is the best.

    My boys really enjoyed *Story of Us* movies- I'll have to take a look at the curriculum. Thanks.

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  8. Fall colors already! I just can't believe how time just keeps flying by.

    You're SO much more energetic than I! My 6 year old has been beeeeeging me to make a pumpkin pie with her. I think I've slowly convinced her it's so much more fun to buy it from BJs! ;)

    And I love all the history tid-bits. I'm always on the look-out for history stuff. My oldest is a "history guy" as he likes to say. :)

    xoxo

    ...danielle

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  9. what an AMAZING post girl! and a fun week! so neat that doing homeschool .. we can cook things with our kids to round out the experience! im just starting out so i LOVE seeing posts like this! :) thank you ... Hugs from http://littleadventures-als.blogspot.com (stopping by from MHJ)

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  10. First of all, the photos from your reset day are wonderful!!!

    And THANK YOU for linking up to Study America Saturday! I am thrilled that you have decided to use America: The Story of Us to build your curriculum. We are enjoying it, and I know you guys will, too!!

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  11. Sounds like a great week. I love your history studies and the general learning fun you have had this week! Your kitty is so cute!

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  12. I love the self portrait and the beach pictures!

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  13. Ooo, I'll have to check out those American History resources!! I love your "reset" idea. We don't do that often enough. Great post!

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  14. AWESOME recap! I agree that learning goes one even without textbooks!

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  15. Thanks for stopping by my blog for weekly wrap up. Thanks for the curriculum link to America the story of Us. I forgot I got that free in the mail and will have to add that to our U.S. studies. Looks like a great week for you!

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