41 days under our belts!

Lazy blogger that I am, here's our week in photos:

maple helicopter dragonflies - my apologies for the shadow!

Grandma's beautiful handiwork

graph paper samplers (we're studying colonial times) 

solenoid train signal (google it!)

more solenoid fun

We're baaaack!

After a week and a half off, we are back at school.  We started back last week and this is our first full week.  It was great to have some time off and I see how much it renews our energy for school.  We'll have to take more regular breaks.  The kids and I did decide one week off at a time is enough.  We were glad to get back to our routine.  Turns out, for all my (and their) complaining, we are creatures of habit and we love our little school in the basement.  It's a very pleasant, bright, happy place to be.

So, without further ado,  here's what we've been up to:

Thing 2 filling in the ocean around the continents.

Learning primary and secondary colors with Skittles!

Playing Row, Row, Row Your Boat on the lapharp.

Playing Row, Row, Row Your Boat on the flutophone.

Leaf rubbings - 'tis the season.

 Hope this works.  My first video.  Thing 1 explains our science experiment here: 

And in the 8th week, they rested...

But first let's wrap up the 7th week.  We limped through it, but we now have 34 days under our belts and that feels great.  We made a paper chain this week in anticipation (already!) of our 100 day party.  Photos of our week below!

Teddy bears riding the number train

Decorating for fall

Sorting and counting by 10s
(Gotta love the table scatters from Target's  Dollar Spot!)

The kids' idea of injecting some fun into our week

With 34 days under our belts already, this colorful paper chain will help us see the light at the end of the tunnel - our 100 day party!

More fun with magnets - this time using iron filings

Thing 2 can't get enough of pattern blocks
(Saxon homeschool math rocks!)

End of Week 6

We had a great week.  Grandma came to visit and subbed.  The kids loved it and can't wait for her to sub again.  In the words of Thing 2, "Grandma's a real teacher, Mommy."  'Nuff said.

It was a short week but still, after 6 weeks of school, I feel like we need a vacation.  I think we'll limp through next week and then take a week off.  I am ready for it and hope it will renew my energy.  I've gotten a bit tired of our routine.  I think the kids have too.  It's time to mix things up, starting with a much-deserved vacay - 1 week and counting!

And finally, our week in pictures:

Hard at work on spelling.

Hard at work on science (complete with magnetic duck in bowl).

Daily calendar routine

Paper collage inspired by Leo Lionni's "Frederick"

Wrapping up the week in pictures

We ended week 5 today.  Thing 2 is beginning to read!  And Thing 1 and I are continuing to negotiate our new teacher/student relationship.  We'll get there.  I won't lie and say it's all roses.  At least a few times each day I wonder why I am doing this and whether I should just put the kids back in public school.  But also a few times each day, I marvel at the amazing things they are learning and all the insightful questions which springboard into meaningful discussions (which we now have time for!), and revel in the moments when we are at peace side-by-side and living in the flow.  6 in one, half a dozen in the other?  For now, I will take it!  Enjoy your weekend.

Fun with pattern blocks

Doing grammar

Helpful student cleaning the whiteboard :)

 

Weekly Update?

Is that what it's coming to?  I suppose the excitement of the daily blog has waned and for now, the weekly update will have to do!

We are joining a co-op on Tuesday mornings.  Thing 2 had a great time when we visited.  Thing 1 was her shy self and will take a few weeks to warm up.  All in all, it's a great thing for us.  We need the community and the time away from home and our classroom.  Although we love the classroom, being in one room every day is tiring.  The co-op will do us all good.

Thing 2 read his first book today.  He's decoding words in the -am and -at families.  Amen for the Bob books!

I am struggling to motivate Thing 1 to work as hard for me as she would for a teacher.  When it comes time to write paragraphs, she's always looking to do the least amount of work possible.  A short lecture (and yes, a threat to send her to school) brought her in line today.  Maybe she's just testing and we'll move through this.

Photos to come!

Picture Update

I've been a little lax with the photos the last few days.  Here's what we've been up to (today was a good day, by the way!):

Learning the flutophone

Crazy for dot-to-dots

Patterning

It's a beautiful thing!

Celebrating the letter 'S' at lunch (photo by Thing 1)

Opposite poles attract - magnetic cars

A favorite from today

Art - Thing 2's miniature room (in progress)