UPDATES

Here is the latest and greatest around here!

Candice is reading and reading and reading and reading! The library has a "Button Book Club" and they give the kids Buttons if they finish the books and then 3 buttons gets you a pizza. It worked! Candice read books, got a pizza, a new book and a bookmark because she read her first book! Its SOARED since then! Shes do so much better at everything! We are done with Bible for the year and are almost finished with Math. She is so creative wit her writing.

Lana is doing great too. She can write her first and last name now. She knows her letter sounds and can write most of her letters. (We are working on other Psychological issues that may be slowing her down). She got GLASSES too! Its been GREAT! This has really been helping her. I wish we had done it sooner. She doesnt even want to cut and paste anymore, shed rather write. I really believe its because of the glasses.

We have not done our end of the year stuff. I need to get on it because my teacher buddy " AKA Cat" is moving! Its good for her though because she finally gets the teaching job shes been wanting for some time.

As for next year? We are working on getting another Rainbowresource.com scholarship (search for it here on the blog). Im not sure how much we will get but it will help get next years stuff. Here is the way I think we are leaning:

Candice (3rd grade)-
Bible- Positive Action Bible 3rd grade
Math- Saxon 2
Reading- Gruffys Readers OR just reading on her own.....
Writing- ??? Something w/Cursive
Spelling- A Reason For Spelling B
Art- Artistic Pursuits 2
Music- ?? Guitar again maybe?
History- Story Of The World 2
Science- Zoology 1

Lana (K/1st grade)-
Bible- Positive Action Bible 1
Math- Rod & Staff OR Saxon 1?
Reading- Rod & Staff OR Explode The Code
Writing- ???
Spelling- A Reason for spelling A
Art- Artistic Pursuits 1
Music- ???
History- Story Of The World 1 (or 2 WITH candice)
Science- Zoology 1 WITH Candice

Rainbowresource doesnt have Rod & Staff so it will matter on if we can get it through the R&S site.

Catch me if you can

Its been slow progress here. Candice is having trouble with her doubles (7+7, 8+8, etc) so we are not moving on in Math until she gets them down. The book will move on to subtraction when she does get the facts down. She has really taken off with reading. I just wish shed find a book that REALLY drives her!

In other news- Candice is looking for a new Scout group if anyone knows of one. For a few reasons we pulled her out of the troop.

As a family we started attending Crossroads and they have a MOMS group there, much like MOPS. Its more biblical but still a good group. Im not leaving MOPS though, in fact im hoping to become a DGL next year! Im sad it will be our last year. I know Candice and Lana have really enjoyed it.

Whats In The Bible REVIEW!

Thanks to 1+1+1=1 I have been wanting to try Whats In The Bible? Its from the maker of Veggie Tales and its a great curriculum for Bible. The problem is that its expensive! At the MOPS sale last week, I saw a DVD and had to get it since it was only a few dollars! Here is my review:

While it is cute and informative with cute music and characters, its a bit old for my girls at 5 and 6 years old. Not that they couldnt make any sense of it, but there were some longer words and references that were above their age level. They have watched it several times and do get the point of it.

I think its safe to say, im glad i paid only a few dollars. I will save WITB for when we are past Veggie Tales.

Worrier Wart

This is not our first year. I swear by it. You'd never know it because of all the worrying I do. Is Candice behind? Is Lana learning enough? Do we need 20 sets of Ten Base? Lately though it has been about our first time with End Of The Year Assessment/Testing. VERY stressful! I know Ill look back next year and say " What the heck was I so worried about? " but right now Im worried! im freaking out!
I thought we would do the portfolio and we are but then I wonder what her "ability" is? I wonder how my teacher looking over it will see things (Thank you catherine!). I wonder if i need a 2nd opinion? Then I thought, maybe I should do the IOWA test so I know WHERE Candice is? Should we move on to 2nd grade? Go back to Kindergarten? The problem is the slow progress. Im not going to lie, we dont do school every day 9-3 BUT we also dont skip days on end and never learn anything. Candice does not know how to skip count, which would be covered on the IOWA.
So what do I do? I have no idea! I have to do something. I am leaning towards doing the portfolio and testing her but testing her to just see where she is and not worry about it. If she flunks it, then she does. If she surpasses my expectations, than great! Im not turning in the results. Of course I want the results to say shes at LEAST on level 1.7 (which is the max level for the test shed take) but in my heart Im not sure. Id honestly say 1.1-1.5 if i had to bet money on it. Only because I think she will actually do better on the reading than math. 1.5 for reading and 1.1 (or lower) for Math. It goes as low as K.7).

Group!

There are a few moms at MOPS that Homeschool and after talking to 2 friends at a Book Study, i thought of starting a small group. Even if moms come and we talk about the weather (or make a lesson, haha) then thats ok with me. Im pretty excited actually! Plus I LOVE to host things at my house. (Even though its an absolute ZOO here!).

In Homeschooling news... We are making slow progress here. Reading is slow but everything else is zooming by. Lana is still at a break. It was just to hectic. She does sit in on lessons and we do little lessons but nothing from her R&S. The Convention is coming up and it would be a waste to go because we cant buy anything. I do want to go though! Just for the fellowship.

Pass the blessing

I had homeschool curriculum up for sale but it didnt sell. It just sat around here collecting dust (perhaps the Supply Monster had a part in it?). I decided to just give it away. I posted it on my local Homeschool Groups website and Jennifer emailed me. We met up today and Im so glad I could bless her! I hope you can use what i gave you!
and in the same thoughts, here are a few resources I know for FREE curriculum help:

RainbowResource.com (they will give you a scholarship- search their site for scholarship). I applied and got $500.

thebooksamaritan.com (you apply for what you need and they will send it to you). I applied and they sent misc curriculum.

Thats all that i know for now but i know CHEAP would be Craigslist, Freecycle and even a local Homeschool Group.

The monster who steals supplies!

I cannot imagine a teacher with 28 students how many supplies they go through! Parents must get so frustrated to buy 20 boxes of crayons, as well as 10 more half way through the year! I can relate. I only homeschool 2 children and yet we are constantly missing supplies! Where did the extra glue stick go or how is the blue marker missing? I have no idea. I think there is a monster and he eats them. Thats the only explanation I can come up with. Perhaps the dust bunnies are friends with him and they have a feast?
It doesnt seem to matter if we only have 1 box of supplies or a china cabinet full (which we have), there is something missing. I do what most parents do though, I buy more in hopes of fixing the problem. Then that stubborn monster pops up again and I have to keep buying more. Its never the same thing either. He never eats 2 blue markers in a row. Sometimes he tricks me and completely eats the container but most times hes very selective. Most recently its 2 blocks of our 10 bases for Math. Now why he'd choose those and not something more appealing I dont know. I think he wants the girls to count to 98 rather than 100. Maybe 98 is a better number?

Until this magic monster is found (who by the way is WANTED) I will just have to keep buying supplies. Who ever said its cheaper when Homeschooling must not have this guy at his house.