We started our next lapbook today. I chose and easier one with more pockets and moveable stuff. We are studying birds. We did a history one so I thought a science one would be a good change of pace. We live kinda in the country and have lots of birds around. I let the boys look through some books and find some feeders and houses they'd like to make.
Here's some of the books we've checked out to use: Feeding our Feathered Friends, The Life Cycle of a Bird, and What is a Bird?. We've also checked out some books on John James Audubon: The Boy Who Drew Birds and Audubon, Painter of Birds in the Wild Frontier. I purchased the Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 4. Just got it in today and was looking through it. It definitely looks like something my boys will LOVE! I may need to order some more. (Anyone have any they're looking to get rid of?)
Oh yeah, and I downloaded this cool Homeschooler's Guide to Project FeederWatch! (www.feederwatch.org) as well as the Hands of a Child Bird project pack. I'm on for this one!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Paper pregnant!
Yea, God! I just got back from sending our dossier to our agency! As long as they don't find any mistakes, it will go to China next Friday (April 4th). Now we wait... This is what we call being paper pregnant!
We still have our website up for Shaoey's adoption. If you want to check it out, go to www.journeytoshaoey.com . We're going to use this one for this adoption too.
We still have our website up for Shaoey's adoption. If you want to check it out, go to www.journeytoshaoey.com . We're going to use this one for this adoption too.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Who am I?
I realized that I haven't told you much about me. So here we go.....
My dear husband and I started dating when I was 16 and he was 17, so we've been through it all together-high school, college, med school, residency...This year will be 22 years that we have been together. We have been married for 14 years. We became Christians in 2002. We have 2 wonderful sons, ages 10 and 8, and an amazing daughter we adopted from China in 2006. You can read about that journey at www.journeytoshaoey.com .
This is our 4th year homeschooling and I have come a long way. My degree is elementary education and I thought homeschooling was school at home...WRONG! My oldest and I had a rough first year or 2 until I figured out how to relax, but that's another post.
The past year and a half have been rough, which is part of why I'm so out of shape (not that I'm excusing it). We travelled to China and adopted our daughter in Nov. 2006. My mom went in the hospital for surgery in February but didn't have it. They did keep her for a week to get her ready for surgery. Then she went in for the surgery March 29th. She never came out. She went to ICU for 2 weeks and then we transferred her to a long term acute care facility for the next 2 months before she passed away on June 10, 2007. During this time our daughter had surgery to fix her palate. She was cleft lip and cleft palate-the lip was repaired in China. I also have sister who is 30 years old and mildly mentally retarded, hearing and vision impaired, and cerebral palsy. She lived with mom. So since mom passed (and while she was in the hospital) I am in charge of Charlotte. I have hired sitters to watch her during the week at "her" house and she comes to our house from Friday to Sunday and holidays. She works at a special center during the day. Our daughter is very attached to me and I don't get out often. Thankfully that has started to change the last 2 months.
Looking back, I have seen how much I have neglected my own health and wellbeing. It's time for that to change.
My dear husband and I started dating when I was 16 and he was 17, so we've been through it all together-high school, college, med school, residency...This year will be 22 years that we have been together. We have been married for 14 years. We became Christians in 2002. We have 2 wonderful sons, ages 10 and 8, and an amazing daughter we adopted from China in 2006. You can read about that journey at www.journeytoshaoey.com .
This is our 4th year homeschooling and I have come a long way. My degree is elementary education and I thought homeschooling was school at home...WRONG! My oldest and I had a rough first year or 2 until I figured out how to relax, but that's another post.
The past year and a half have been rough, which is part of why I'm so out of shape (not that I'm excusing it). We travelled to China and adopted our daughter in Nov. 2006. My mom went in the hospital for surgery in February but didn't have it. They did keep her for a week to get her ready for surgery. Then she went in for the surgery March 29th. She never came out. She went to ICU for 2 weeks and then we transferred her to a long term acute care facility for the next 2 months before she passed away on June 10, 2007. During this time our daughter had surgery to fix her palate. She was cleft lip and cleft palate-the lip was repaired in China. I also have sister who is 30 years old and mildly mentally retarded, hearing and vision impaired, and cerebral palsy. She lived with mom. So since mom passed (and while she was in the hospital) I am in charge of Charlotte. I have hired sitters to watch her during the week at "her" house and she comes to our house from Friday to Sunday and holidays. She works at a special center during the day. Our daughter is very attached to me and I don't get out often. Thankfully that has started to change the last 2 months.
Looking back, I have seen how much I have neglected my own health and wellbeing. It's time for that to change.
Getting healthy
It's long overdue. It is time for me to get back in shape and get healthy. I am doing Weight Watchers at home and trying to exercise, something I haven't done in years. I have lost 4 lbs. in the last 2 weeks! I can't believe how much I had lost sight of what real portions were suppose to be. I don't want my children to grow up with my issues. We are doing this together, eating healthier and watching our sizes.
Anyone else doing Weight Watchers? I am enjoying being in control again.
Anyone else doing Weight Watchers? I am enjoying being in control again.
Lapbooking
We have been a bit slow in finishing our Roman lapbook. Any suggestions? Do most people fill out the booklets as you go or do you read about it and do a bunch at one time? I'm really hoping that by the end of next week we can be finished.
I'd really love to hear from some others who have done lapbooks. I think they sound wonderful and would like to do more, if we get through this one!
I'd really love to hear from some others who have done lapbooks. I think they sound wonderful and would like to do more, if we get through this one!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Oh no, it's back!
My husband just called me to say he's got the flu--again! I am praying so hard that it doesn't make the rounds again. It's a different strain this time...
Monday, February 25, 2008
Our first attempt at Lapbooking
We are doing our first lapbook. I've heard such wonderful things about them that I thought we'd give it a try. It's on Rome. We're using the Ancient Rome Lapbook from www.knowledgeboxcentral.com . So far the boys seem to like it. We've been reading out of Who Were the Romans and The Roman News as well as Story of the World. We also have the DVD "Drive Thru History Rome if You Want to."
We should be done in the next week. I'll post pics when we finish. We have a 3 day art class this week by Barry Stebbing, the author of the art curriculum "How Great Thou Art." So our week will be short on the other subjects. So glad I finally figured out how to relax! My first year or two this would have sent me into a tizzy!
We should be done in the next week. I'll post pics when we finish. We have a 3 day art class this week by Barry Stebbing, the author of the art curriculum "How Great Thou Art." So our week will be short on the other subjects. So glad I finally figured out how to relax! My first year or two this would have sent me into a tizzy!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Feeling better
I think we have finally gotten rid of the flu! First my husband had it, then our 8 yr. old, then our 2 yr. old and I, and lastly our 10 yr. old. We are all feeling better.
The weather is beautiful here, you can tell spring is near. Our grass is getting green again and the trees are just starting to get leaves again. I love spring. We have all our windows open in the sunroom and are listening to the birds and feeling the breeze pass through. Love it!
The weather is beautiful here, you can tell spring is near. Our grass is getting green again and the trees are just starting to get leaves again. I love spring. We have all our windows open in the sunroom and are listening to the birds and feeling the breeze pass through. Love it!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Please help Half the Sky
Please take a moment to read this entry. China is being hit with terrible winter storms. Infants and children are in need of heat, clothes, food, diapers... Power is out or nearly out in many of these orphanages. Some only have a couple of days food left. Please consider donating. Be sure to put Little Mouse Emergency Fund in the special instruction box.
http://www.halfthesky.org/journal/?p=74
http://www.halfthesky.org/journal/?p=74
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