Pentecost & Bike Safety June 23, 2015

Hello dear ones! We made a special dove painting for Pentecost this year. I’ve also got pictures from the Bike safety class our homeschool group did with the Columbus cops. Enjoy.

• Pentecost Dove Painting ~ I was inspired by this similar painting on Pinterest:

Michael painted a sunset on canvas. Then we modge podged a dove silhouette, a Bible verse about the Holy Spirit, and words about the Holy Spirit on top.

Pentecost in the New Testament is the time when the Holy Spirit came to live inside Jesus’ believers. Sometimes the Spirit is represented by a dove. He is our comforter, counselor, and healer. This was a special time because in the past only a select few had the Spirit visit them. No one had the Holy Spirit live inside them permanently until Pentecost.

• Bike Safety~ One of our homeschool moms is married to a park cop. He rides a bike through the parks. So her husband and his buddies visited our group and gave a bike safety course. It was great.

The guys showed the kids the proper way to wear a helmet. One cop demonstrated what happens when you don’t wear a helmet and get in an accident. He used a cantaloupe to show this. We have Crazy Carl who doesn’t wear his helmet and gets smashed all over the floor. Then we have Careful Carla who always wears her helmet. She does fine in an accident.

Then the kids watched a video on bike safety. They learned hand signals for riding in traffic. Michael volunteered to come up and show the signals he learned.

Lastly, the kids got to hear the sirens on the cop car.

Leeland hanging out.

Well, that’s it. God bless and remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

Six Inspirational Christmas Books with Activities December 24, 2014

Hello dear ones! I want to share with you the inspirational Christmas books we read during Advent and the activities we did with them. Also a link to the free Christmas Around the World lapbooks we’ve been doing in homeschool.  Well, all but one of these Christmas books talk about Jesus’ birth. Enjoy and I hope you’re having a merry Christmas season!

1.The Gift of the Christmas Cookie

This delightful story tells how the tradition of Christmas cookies came about. It is a story about sharing God’s love with others. We made Christmas cookies to go along with it.

2. The Message of the Birds

This cute story uses birds to share the news of Jesus’ birth. For the activity I taught Mom and Michael how to draw cardinals. Then they used waterpaint and finger paint to finish.

3. The Candymaker’s Gift

This is one of my favorite Christmas books. A grandfather uses the candy cane to teach children about Jesus. We made a couple candy cane ornaments. Then we made candy cane hearts to eat! Links will be at the end of this post!

Crushing the candy canes

Before adding the vanilla almond bark

Sprinkling the crushed candy canes into the melted candy

Voila!

4. The Legend of the Christmas Tree

Why do we decorate Christmas trees? A tree salesman shares the origin of Christmas trees and how the church has used different trees to share God’s story through history. I learned something new myself when we read this. Michael made a picture ornament and a cornstarch ornament tree.

5. The Little Matchgirl

This is the only story that doesn’t mention Jesus. It is a bittersweet tale by Hans Christian Anderson. The poor matchgirl lights a match to warm herself as she sells matches in the freezing cold. But everytime she lights a match she sees a warm vision. This is one of my favorite classics. It’s sad but also happy…depending on your point of view. I would use this story to talk about helping others and also being thankful for what we have. We made mistletoe luminaries for this story.

We used mason jars, red & green tissue paper, modge podge, and epsom salt. The epsom salt gives it the snowy effect.

6. Mortimer’s Christmas Manger

This adorable story is about a mouse who finds a home in the manger. By the end of the tale he’s given his new home back to the baby Jesus. Then God provides Mortimer with another home, a gingerbread house. So I allowed Michael to start nibbling on the gingerbread house him and his dad made earlier this month. He has until New Year’s to finish it.

I hope you enjoyed this post. You can find these books on Amazon and Christianbooks.com (except my version of the Matchgirl. It’s from when I was a kid.) I believe these stories are worth reading every year. They’re fun and they keep the focus on Christ.

Here are the links for the craft and food ideas:

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

PS: Here’s the Christmas Around the World lapbooks we used.

Free passport:
http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/lapbooks/lapbook_country_and_culture.html
Lapbooks:
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/christmas_around_the_world.php

I used the above link for all but Asia. I wanted to explore countries besides the Phillipines. So I used three other links for Russia, China, and India.
http://www.123homeschool4me.com/2012/10/christmas-around-world.html
http://perciousperks.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-in-russia-free-mini-unit.html?m=1
http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/

We did not make any of the crafts or food this year. But the nice thing about lapbooks is that you can save them and pull them out next time. Maybe next Advent season we will have time to do more.

Michael stamped his passport each time he learned about a country.

I apologize for the poor quality of these photos. My camera hasn’t been the same since I dropped it.

Also Michael learned how to play “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” on the piano. We looked over the lyrics to the song and watched several versions online. I used several Susan Paradis worksheets to go over his notes. They all had a Christmas theme. You can find them at this link:

Jesus, Our Precious Gift: An Interactive Christmas Drama 2014 December 17, 2014

Hello dear ones! By God’s grace, I wrote a nativity play for our homeschool group. I also had an Advent craft and goodies for the kiddos. If you read my Easter play post then you know I do my plays a bit differently. No one memorizes lines and the kids/audience interact as they watch the adults perform. My son Michael performs too and again was a big help. Here’s the link for the Easter drama:

Easter Week & Jesus, Our Passover Lamb Easter Drama

Alrighty, onto how this went down :). I played Mary who was the Narrator.

Here’s the cast list:
Mary/ Narrator- Me
Joseph- Michael, my son
Gabriel- Hannah
Herod- Stacie
Elizabeth- Erin
Zachariah- Michael, my son
Simeon- Stacie
Anna- Rachel

Wise Men, Shepherds, Angels, & Animals~ played by children/audience
Jesus & John~ baby dolls

So the other homeschool moms stepped up nicely to play the main parts. Michael and Stacie played double roles.  I was very excited to include lesser known characters in the play, like Anna and Simeon.

I didn’t have the time or motivation to make all the props/costumes this year. I bought most of it from Oriental trading.
Setting:
Bethlehem backdrop (used for Nazareth & Jerusalem too)
Cave with manger- made from a cardboard box
Cross backdrop
Altar with incense- We just pretended for this.
Chair for Mary to sit on

I had my audience pretend to go back in time with me. Then the children picked their costumes and watched and waited for their part in the story. We have a small group so this worked well.

We began our story by meeting Anna and Simeon in the temple. Simeon explains the dark times the Israelites were in but how God has made him a promise. I wanted to follow the Biblical time line. Most Nativity stories smoosh everything together and leave parts out. We of course did not see Simeon’s big moment until after Jesus was born. I wanted the kids to get an idea though of how everyone was waiting for the messiah. Simeon and Anna set that up.

Then we moved on to Zachariah’s encounter with the angel Gabriel and the prophecy of John. John would prepare the way for the Messiah. If you celebrate Advent then you know the Advent wreathe has four main candles (not including the Christ candle that lights them all). The candles represent Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. The scenes in the drama each represented a candle. The prophetic scenes represent Hope.

Michael as Zachariah. You can read about this scene in Luke 1.

My best buddy Hannah as the angel Gabriel and also her daughter Miriam as an angel in training ;).

Zachariah loses his voice because he doesn’t believe the angel.

We head to Nazareth to meet Joseph, and Mary goes from Narrator mode to being in the story. All of the next part is also found in Luke 1.

Gabriel visits the virgin Mary and tells her that she will have the Son of God, Jesus.

Scene 2: Love (God prepares the world for His gift of Love)
Mary and the audience travel to Zachariah and Elizabeth’s where John the baptist is born. Zachariah’s voice comes back as he announces John’s name and proclaims the prophecy.

Erin as Elizabeth with the baby John.

Mary returns to Nazareth and Joseph finds out she’s pregnant. He doesn’t believe the miracle until he has a dream with Gabriel in it. Now he knows Jesus is the Son of God. Mary hasn’t cheated on him.

Joseph takes Mary as his wife. King Herod (Stacie) announces Caesar Augustus’ decree that everyone should return to their hometown to be registered. Joseph and Mary embark on the journey to Bethlehem. Silent Night played while we walked around the room.

Scene 3: Joy (Jesus is born) story found in Luke 2 and Matthew 1.

Mary tells Joseph the baby is coming. There is no room for them except with the animals. It was most likely a cave not a stable. We used a box with straw in it for the manger.

Baby Jesus is born.

Angels appear to shepherds in the field and announce the baby’s birth. Luke 2: 8-21

We pause at the manger scene to sing Joy to the World.

Scene 4: Peace
Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus go to the temple for Jesus to be dedicated. We run into Simeon and Anna again. Simeon holds the baby and makes a big speech (sorry no pics. Rachel the photographer was playing Anna). Luke 2:22-38

Meanwhile, the wise men ask King Herod where the Messiah will be born. Matthew 2:1-12

He tells them Bethlehem and God sends a star that the wise men follow to Jesus. Mary and Joseph are in a house at this point and Jesus could be as old as 2 yrs. We don’t know. The audience/children used glow sticks to be the Christmas star.

The wise men (maybe 3 maybe not. We don’t know) give 3 gifts. Mary holds up the gifts and explains them.

Gold, a gift for the King of kings. Frankincense, like the incense the priests burned, to represent the Priests of all priests. Lastly, myrrh, a perfume used in burial, a reminder that Jesus would die to save us from sin.

Scene 5: Christ, Our Light

The Wise men return home and Herod realizes that they are not coming back to him. King Herod is furious and commands that all baby boys 2 and under should be killed.

Joseph is warned in a dream. Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus flee to Egypt until King Herod dies.

Everyone exits except Mary. Mary goes to the cross backdrop and explains that Christ brings light to the darkness. Jesus grew up and died on a cross to save the world from sin. Then three days later he arose from the dead. One day Christ will return and destroy all evil. There will be no more sickness or sorrow. We ended the play by singing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. Then we hopped in our time machine to have snacks and crafts.

Shout out to all the awesome moms who helped make the play possible. All of the pictures were taken by my friend Rachel. She has a cool blog. Right now Rachel and her daughter Maggie are making ornaments for the Jesse tree. Check her out: http://homeschoolingmom2mags.blogspot.com/

Michael and I made Red Velvet Cake Balls for the treat. Recipe here: http://www.bakerella.com/red-velvet-cake-balls/

I put together treat bags for the kids.

Nativity stickers

The craft was a simple Advent wheel that the kids colored. I found it on Oriental Trading too.

Here’s a link with Nativity facts:

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Nativity Facts & the End of Advent

I hope the play inspires you. God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Back to School Pictures September 1, 2013

In this Post: Homemade salad dressing, crock pot boiled peanuts, & back to school pictures.  

Hello dear ones! I’ve got Michael’s back to school pictures to share. Note to family: I’m in the process of mailing them to you.  These were fairly simple to bring together: apple, books, and a globe voila! Then I uploaded them to Walmart and had wallet prints waiting for me the next day.  This is our first year of doing official school pictures. I also want to make yearbooks. It’s on my to do list.

This isn’t included but I thought it was a cute shot….my little ninja.

It’s been kind of quiet on the weekends since we got back from Disney. All of us recover from the long school week.

Here’s Tessa, ready to party.

Chester caught in the act. I think all he’s managed to do is drink the fish’s water.

We found out that my best buddy Hannah is having a girl! It was Chris’ idea to throw in the Orangutan :).

Hannah’s daughter, Olivia, enjoying her Mom’s chocolate pie. Hannah’s bunch came over for dinner and games.

The kiddos set up a tea picnic in Michael’s room.

We always have a blast with our buddies. Ignore my husband’s psychotic stare lol.

Mom and I had a girl’s day out. Here she is trying to figure out the massage chair :).

I got Fall colors on my toes. It looks better in person.

Lastly, here are a few recipes :).

• Thousand Island Dressing

http://www.kitchentreaty.com/homemade-thousand-island-dressing/

I didn’t have relish or Tabasco sauce.  I added a bit of Worcestershire sauce.

• Ranch Dressing

http://www.homebodyholly.com/2011/01/mondays-tips-and-tricks-party_31.html

I didn’t have dill weed or chives. I think I substituted the sour cream with buttermilk too. It still turned out tasty and healthier than the store bought stuff.

• Crock pot boiled peanuts

This was super easy and yummy!

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sinas-georgia-style-boiled-peanuts-10000001921271/

How about you, dear ones? Do you take school pictures each year? Fellow homeschoolers do you take them on your own or go professional? What are your back to school traditions? Have any salad dressing recipes? I’d love to hear from you!

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Parenting and Stuff May 5, 2013

In this post: The Christian Parenting Handbook, Night Owls unite, Time Management help and Unschoolers (great blogs).  If you need to skip some of my dialogue I understand but please check out the links. They are worth investigating. 😉

Hello dear ones! I hope you’ve had a blessed week. I’ve got several resources to share with you today. But as I share I also want to show you pictures from my Mom’s house. She planted some lovely flowers and there were many photo opportunities :). Also she found small potatoes that had sprouted from old ones. So enjoy the pics and the info.

•  The Christian Parenting Handbook: 50 heart based strategies for all the stages of your child’s life

I’m loving this book. I haven’t finished it because I’ve been taking so many notes. First off, I haven’t seen any negative reviews. Secondly, this book gives a balance to parenting. Here’s the Amazon description:

“Nuggets of parenting wisdom condensed into 50 short chapters, each one biblical, practical, and relevant for parents of children ages 2-18. Learn appropriate ways to correct, instruct, and set limits. Glean wisdom for dealing with emotions, conflict, and developing closeness in your family… and much more. These 50 strategies provide you with hands-on tools for parenting children of any age.”

~Amazon description

I love that this book is based on Biblical principles. Parenting is hard.

I’ve always wanted a handbook.I’ve found myself going back n forth between the methods I grew up with. I know firmness isn’t the only method and certain punishments lose effectiveness over time. I don’t want Michael to be a robot. He needs to want to have good character because of love. I also know that letting him rule the roost is very unloving. If he thinks the world revolves around him then he will fall on his face as an adult. Children need boundaries to feel safe. God our Father is the perfect parent. We can learn from Him.

The Christian Parenting Handbook shows the Biblical balance of grace and Truth, justice and mercy. I love this quote about the difference between behavior modification and dealing with heart issues. First it explains that behavior modification came from Ivan Pavlov training dogs to salivate with a bell.

“The problem is that behavior modification embraces humanistic thinking, the belief that people are just a higher form of animal. The Bible teaches something very different. God created people different from animals. He gave each person a spiritual “heart”, and that heart affects the learning process….

Parents who simply use behavior modification often end up with kids who look good on the outside while having significant problems on the inside. Consistency can teach kids to appear good, clean, and nice, but to help them change their hearts, other parenting skills must be added to the picture.”

~ The Christian Parenting Handbook  Chapter 1: Consistency is Overrated

Some of the chapter titles include:

• Build Internal Motivation
• Identify character qualities to address problems
• Parenting is an investment- think long term
• The difference between tasks, problems, and conflict
• Use firmness to focus on character
• The difference between punishment and discipline
• Don’t practice in the grocery store- that’s the final exam
• Teach kids to be solvers instead of whiners
• Firmness doesn’t require harshness
• Use creativity to teach your kids spiritual truths
• The  value of grandparents

• Night Owls Unite!

I’ve been a night owl since elementary school (probably longer but I can’t remember). As much as I’ve tried to convert to morning bird-ism it hasn’t worked. My parents made me go to bed early and because I went to public school I had to wake up early. I was always a zombie the first couple of classes in the morning . I was tardy so much that I spent a lot of time in detention. It’s not that I liked being in trouble but I honestly didn’t do well in the mornings and I didn’t understand time management skills.

Now, there are certain aspects of my time management issue that may never change. All the methods I’ve tried haven’t changed the fact that I’m a night owl. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I’m learning that I shouldn’t schedule things early in the morning if I can help it. That’s hard because the world seems to cater to morning people. Night owls are often called lazy and people even twist the Bible  to say that morning people are holier.  But it’s not true and scientist are discovering that genetics and circadian rhythms actually determine what kind of bird we are. People often demonize what they don’t understand. It’s sad. Research is showing that certain personality types lean towards different sleeping patterns. The genes that determine how we sleep can even determine what time of the day we die (if by natural causes). Check out this interesting article:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201212/early-bird-or-night-owl-it-s-in-your-genes

I may not be able to completely change my night owl ways and I can’t change the world system but I can make sure I’m getting the sleep I need. I’ve seen improvement by using this site:

http://www.sleepyti.me/

You punch in what time you are going to sleep and it tells you  the best times to wake up so you don’t interrupt one of the 90 minute sleep cycles. Interrupting a sleep cycle can leave you exhausted. You can also enter when you need to wake up and it will tell you when to go to sleep.

Here are two time management apps that I’ve been using.

Routinely

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.braavos.apps.routinely

Habit Streak

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.amimetic.habits

Although I’m a night owl, I still need to have a routine and a game plan. I still need to have a set bed time and wake up time. It’s not going to be early but it needs to be consistent. I need to make sure that my best hours are being used productively. I’m trying to get there.

I’m so miserable on Sunday mornings. I try my hardest to stay awake in church. An all night prayer session….now I could do that. I can burn the midnight oil and beyond.  But morning prayers and devotion times would guarantee failure in my prayer life. I would fall asleep and not remember what I read. So I may wake up at 11(or later) and spend two hours doing my devotions and drinking my hot tea. Good news is that I do spend time with the Lord and that by the time I’m done it’s lunch time and I get to eat again. Woot! That may seem lazy to some but when most people are asleep I’ve cleaned house, planned lessons, & saved the world. Okay, maybe not the last one ;).

I’m thankful that my best buddy Hannah is also a night owl. When we get together we can all hang out and be laid back. No one freaks out if the kids aren’t in bed by 9 on a weekend. I don’t feel judged by her. You know what they say 🙂 birds of a feather flock together. I also want to note that Hannah is the most productive person I know and an excellent leader.

Some interesting articles for night owls:

http://martant21-healthy.blogspot.com/2007/09/night-owls-wise-up-for-some-people.html

Praise God! Hannah and I are not the only homeschool moms that are night owls. I was delighted to find very intelligent and productive night owl moms online & to see that there kids are doing just fine.  Here are a few to check out:

http://sweetphenomena.com/2012/09/homeschooling-as-a-night-owl/

Homeschooled Teens can rest easier~

http://homeedmag.com/HEM/212/masleep.php

This blog not only deals with night owls but also unschooling…something I’m very interested in~

http://www.ourschoolathome.com/2013/02/late-night-unschooling.html

Early birds I do love you. I accept you. I just ask that you accept me too. And maybe we can all be thankful that there are people who get things running both morning and night.

Pic of Mom planting flowers

Moving on…

• Blog She Wrote ~ http://blogshewrote.org/about-this-blog/

I’m not sure if Heather of Blog She Wrote is a complete unschooler. I’m still learning what all these terms mean. But I do know that her blog is brilliant and her homeschool methods are unconventional. She’s not really into using workbooks and she teaches with a lot of hands on. I really hope you check her blog out. The latest post was about using math to sew a Gandalf doll. Her son won a blue ribbon at the NY state fair for creating a NY monopoly style state trivia game. He’s 14 now and that was in 2010. This mama is obviously doing something very right.

Heather is also very open to helping others. She just took a lot of time helping me with my math issues. She gave me some creative ideas to make math fun for Michael and maybe this will end our battle with the math workbook.

“Honestly, my suggestion is to have him practice the new concepts and the ones he needs work on. I would not continue to do section upon section of work that he knows. It’s redundant and it is fatiguing. Let him do the sections that involve the new concept and only the ones he needs practice with. Skip the rest. Maybe rotate what he reviews to keep him sharp.” ~Heather

She also pointed me to The Life of Fred, a very different way to approach math. I’m very excited to look into this.

http://www.lifeoffredmath.com/

Anywho, Heather’s unit studies are super neat.  She’s also got a great Pinterest that I took advantage of….being the Pinterest master that I am ;).

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Thankful Moments & Everyday Delights January 21, 2013

In this post: Keeping record of your blessings, fitting in the homeschool extras with Hodgepodge, and Winter experiments & freebies with Meet Penny. I’ll post pictures and captions between my story.

Hello friends and I hope you’ve had a great week! You may have noticed that I haven’t posted as many week day posts. Well, we’ve been busy with this Time Machine Unit in Homeschool and plus my buddy Hannah got me hooked on a Korean drama (which is so bad for a person with OCD…I can’t multitask because I have to read the subtitles!). Anywho, that last one wasn’t a good excuse but I hope to start doing more than Sunday & Monday Posts in the near future. I’ve had an inspirational post in my head for weeks.

Michael and I enjoying the big chairs at Sweet Frog

So last weekend was super simple and nice.  We went to the park and walked a mile and a half on the trail. Yaaa me! Maybe I’ll walk the Color Me Rad 5k after all :). Then we went to Sweet Frog for Yogurt and at the shoe store I tried on those funny toe shoes like what Chris has. They are supposed to be better for your feet. Maybe I’ll get some…

Toe Shoes

Me and Little Man at Sweet Frog for Yogurt (Chris took the pic)

There is this idea going around that a person has to jam a dozen activities in a day to enjoy life. Not so and it’s a lesson I’m still learning. Often the simple things are what we remember and cherish. These things usually happen amidst the day to day.

Michael and I soaking up the sun at the park (like Timothy Green)

One of my fondest memories with my Dad was helping him with his late night paper delivery. My Dad was a genius but he switched jobs a lot because he got bored (seriously). He truly was a jack of all trades. I liked the delivery job the best because sometimes I got to stay out late on a school night. We would pick up papers after midnight. I would fold the papers and put a rubber band around them while my Dad practically drove 100 miles per hour (he loved to speed). Then my Dad would quickly pull up to a mailbox and if it was on my side I had to throw the paper in before  Dad drove off and clipped my hand. It was a bit exciting.

We sped down several dirt roads and sometimes spiders would spin these huge webs across the road. Dad would grab a can of spider spray, spray the spider, and as soon as he saw it drop he would speed through. He was like super man!  Many a night we would eat at the Huddle House afterwards. I liked to get a hamburger and listen to songs on the Jukebox. So we weren’t at Disney World and I was helping my Dad work…but that’s one of my favorite memories. It’s because I got to spend time with my Dad and chat. We were like partners in crime, except without the crime.

I can say the same with my Mom and there are too many to name…..Pizza and a movie on Fridays, dancing at the park, riding bikes together, walking on dirt roads during an Indian Summer night, and sitting quietly during a thunderstorm so we could hear God’s wonders. My Mom truly knew how to cherish the simple things and I can say the same for my Step Dad Kim, who was with us on many adventures. We really liked exploring in the woods. But it’s probably easier to treasure the simple in a small town. We didn’t get a Walmart til I was in High school. The city I live in now isn’t huge but there are always things to do if you look. I have to remind myself to slow down and embrace the simple delights.

The Cardboard Box- best toy ever!

Michael made it a space ship for the Avengers

Enjoying the simple has to be cultivated...especially in this day and age. We live in the time of the microwave, fast food, and Tivo. We have to deprogram ourselves and our kids. When I was a kid I would sit with my Papa as he counted how many cars went by our house. Sounds boring but man….how peaceful. It’s got to be good for our health. Stress is a killer. I hope we can deprogram together. Please send me comment love on how you slow down and enjoy the simple :).

So I started writing down my thankful moments and every day delights, in a book my sister got me for Christmas. I’m trying to write in it every day or every other day. Sometimes I forget. When I’m depressed I really struggle to find the good things….so very small things count as good (like a kind word after a rough day with a family member). I added colorful stickers..because they make me happy. It’s almost like that song in the Sound of Music..these are a few of my favorite things. The idea is that this book will help me become more thankful and unlike my prayer journal which is often brutally honest, this book has just the positive.

Some of the entries:

• Michael was asking what to get me for my birthday. I told him all I needed was his love. He said he’d probably get me love or chocolate! LOL!
• Mom visited. 🙂
• The story of Jonah reminded me that I should make God and people my priority…not my schedule.
• Me and the guys finished watching Season 2 of The Avengers.

Things I need to write down include spontaneous tickle fights, eating Ramen noodles while having a late night Korean Drama marathon, and eating Hannah’s blueberry cake. Seriously, all they do is eat noodles in the Korean shows I’ve seen. So I end up getting these cravings. Thankfully I have a whole box of Ramen packets. I won’t be offended if you tease me, Rachel ;).

Moving on, I’ve got some great links to share and I hope you can see them. If not, come to my actual blog page and they will show up. I really enjoy HodgePodge’s blog. She is a seasoned homeschool mom and she always has great ideas for making school fun and relaxed on top of truly learning. Many of her ideas I’ ve been incorporating or already did.

Most of our unit studies are extras and then we have our main studies that are the bones of our day (like what she says).  I usually just share our extras on here, like the Time Machine Unit. Honestly the regular studies don’t take long if Michael is in a good mood. We can finish devotions, reading, language arts, math, and science in two hours if we don’t dilly dally. Since Michael is my only student I can focus on helping him and we have plenty of time. Now this doesn’t always happen. Usually we have errands, chores, and other things that pop up in between. Michael may twiddle his pencil for ten minutes. Those days do happen. But when we can finish early then we have plenty of time for extras.

Fitting in the Extras with Unit Studies:

http://www.hodgepodge.me/2013/01/how-to-fit-in-the-extras-with-unit-studies/

My whole life I’ve gotten an F in time management. So I may succeed at starting early twice a week….maybe thrice. Sadly, that’s an accomplishment. I hate mornings. But I do acknowledge the benefit of starting school early. We are working on that…

Time Management:

http://www.hodgepodge.me/2013/01/how-to-fit-in-all-the-homeschool-extras-with-time-management/

Organizing Homeschool Extras:

http://www.hodgepodge.me/2013/01/the-homeschool-extras-within-sight/

An Extra’s Day:

http://www.hodgepodge.me/2013/01/declare-an-extras-day/

I enjoyed the video in this post. It’s so true that we must teach our children about Christ, because the world will not. Often they will teach against Jesus. We have to set the example.

Mini Cherry Pies- one of my favorite desserts!

Pointing Our Kids to Christ:

http://www.simplylivingforhim.com/2012/03/pointing-them-to-him.html

I’ve just started reading Penny’s blog. She has so many neat things.

Winter experiments with Meet Penny:

http://www.meetpenny.com/2013/01/winter-snow-science-experiments/

Daily Saver with Meet Penny (I like the Love Scavenger Hunt. Good deals!):

http://www.meetpenny.com/2013/01/daily-saver-january-18th/

Cookies:

http://www.meetpenny.com/2013/01/4-convenient-mixes-for-homemade-cookies/

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Warner Robins Museum of Aviation January 13, 2013

Last weekend, Michael and Chris took one of their firsts guy trips together. They went to Warner Robins, Ga to the Aviation Museum. It was supposed to be a field trip to go along with our Time Machine studies but I was sick and sent them off happily.  I will let Chris take over from here and give descriptions for the pictures. Enjoy!

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

Pics from the Museum of Aviation

The first aircraft you see when you arrive, the Boeing B-1 Lancer. It’s a long range bomber from the mid 80’s.

This is the first jet on display when you walk into the south Entrance. It’s an f-15 Eagle.

This is a P-51 Mustang, the fighter plane of World War 2. This one says “Furious Frankie” on the nose.

This is an old MB. Produced by both Willys and as the Ford GPW, it became the known as the Jeep.

Michael looking at some of the flight gear worn by pilots during WWII.

Michael standing beside a squadron guidon, or banner.

This is a P-47, another fighter plane from WWII.

My Grandpa flew at this position as a tail gunner in a B27 during WWII. ~Chris

This is a Cessna aircraft that was converted during Vietnam as a light attack aircraft.

Another Cessna aircraft used for attack runs on enemy targets.

This was a flight trainer cockpit that was used for the f-14.

Michael standing next to a model of one of the earliest airplanes. It’s not the Wright airplane, because the Wright airplane had skids, not wheels.

This is a larger model of the small one that Michael was next to.

This is a mannequin of one of the astronauts from Skylab, the first long-term space station.

This is an MH-53 helicopter that is used by the Air Force. Note the 6-barrelled GAU-17 Minigun. (Note from Chris, A very comforting sight and sound when under attack and this weapon starts firing from above.)

It’s Snoopy!

Michael posing next to the top bubble turret from a B-25 Flying Fortress Bomber. It has two M2 .50 Caliber machine guns.

Michael next to an early jet fighter.

A mannequin of LTG Benjamin Davis, one of the original “Tuskegee Airmen”, an African American fighter squadron in WWII.

A Bell Helicopter.

Michael standing next the propeller of a large cargo plane.

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Cherish the Moments December 17, 2012

 Note: I’m going to post some of our moments in between writing. We’re still doing advent so these pics are apart of that. Please check out the awesome blog links at the end.

Michael and I ready for our 2nd mother-son date. We ate at a nice restaurant and then saw The Nutcracker ballet. Michael’s Nutcracker tie is too cute! At first, little man was against seeing a ballet but once we got there he said “This is nice”. Now he wants to take me on more dates and I’m trying to teach him how to treat a lady when he takes her on a date. I’m thinking of his future wife….those dates. I’m more for courtship rather than casual dating.

Hello dear ones, I pray you are all well. We had a tragedy over here in the states. Several children my son’s age were killed in a shooting at an elementary school. It breaks my heart and makes me want to hug my son tighter. Please pray for the families.

This holiday season I’ve really over done it and I have mom friends who are burnt out as well. In this fast paced society, we are pushed to go, go, go. We want to achieve more….be on every committee….help every worthy cause and still have a house like June Cleaver.

As homeschool moms we are expected to have kids that excel academically, show good character, & become active members in the community. Many of us try to keep healthy homemade meals on the table, budget wisely, and make sure our husbands are loved and respected. We make sure the family makes it to church and that the kiddos are involved in social activities. Somehow the house is supposed to stay clean and we are to have time in God’s word each day…..also keep up our appearance…keep the romance burning in our marriage etc. Some of us are taking care of elderly or sick parents too. The pressure is really on because the world already thinks we are weird for homeschooling. What if our child doesn’t socialize well? What will all those people who frown at our choices/callings think if we fail? It’s a downward cycle of pleasing man instead of God. If God is for us then who can be against us?

Chris and Michael dressed up silly for caroling in the park for RA’s (boys church group).

I personally have felt the pressure and often find myself comparing my teaching to that of public school. It’s strange because when God called me to this journey I didn’t want to be like public school. Most people homeschool because they disagree with public school methods. Yet, I’m trying to keep up with everyone else? I was really bad about this in the beginning.

My friend Sheri, who died of cancer (I did a post on her), was one of the most laid back moms I know & I loved the way she really enjoyed her children. Her kids learned the basics and are smart kids. They took a field trip to Cambodia :). Yeah, she knew that people should live while they are alive. How many of us walk around like zombies? We do what’s expected of us and never take the time to actually live. We keep waiting for things to get better, rather than enjoying the simple blessings already around us.

Chris and Michael making mini cookie cutter pizzas

I’m pretty sure that the parents of the children who died don’t care now if their kid was on the honor roll or how good they could kick a soccer ball. I bet they are thinking of all the special moments they spent holding their child, reading to their child, watching their child explore the world in wonder.

I want to cherish my son’s childhood. Yeah, I’m glad he can read but that only matters to a point. Truth be told, people fail “subjects” all the time and it doesn’t matter one lick. I barely passed Highschool math and honestly I haven’t used much of anything I learned in school except the basics (reading & arithmetic). I want Michael to love Jesus & to have character above all else.  He may be a loner or he may be a social butterfly. I went to public school & I’m a loner. God has more of a hand in who Michael is and becomes than I do. I want Michael to be who HE’S supposed to be….not who some other kid is supposed to be. This is easier said than done. It’s time I put action to my words.

Mmmmm yummy, fun, but WAY too sugary ice cream cone Christmas tree. A cone, green icing, and m&ms!

I love to read Hodgepodge’s blog and to see how she teaches with simple nature studies.

http://www.hodgepodge.me/category/hmscl/natst/

I love the Montessori ideas at Let the Children Play : http://progressiveearlychildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/

Michael and I have some wonderful moments. I think we can have more though if we took off some of the load. December has been just as physically draining as November was mentally draining (NaNoWriMo). Sometimes less is more. Quality not quantity. I’m pretty sure our homeschool methods will change in January atleast some. I don’t know how it’s going to happen but I’m praying  for God’s guidance. After all, this homeschool thing was His idea. Why am I trying to be in control?

Singing Christmas songs while baking cookies & making salt dough ornaments. Yes, a spoon is the best microphone!

Michael was up til midnight helping me and I was up til 5 am finishing. We got tired of Christmas songs and watched several Christmas movies while waiting for things to bake, cool..etc etc. Our selections include: A Charlie Brown Christmas, Precious Moments, The Story Lady, & Seasons of the Heart. The last two are feature family films and soooo good!

These cookies were made for the nursing home and for Chris’s office. Our naughty cat, Chester, decided he wanted some gingerbread and sugar cookies. I was so surprised that he went as far as ripping open the ziplock and eating three cookies! Dang cat! Thankfully I had just enough to make another bag.

I am reading this book to help me learn how to simplify. Also I’m enjoying this homeschool mom’s great blog (Karen De Beus). She uses the Bible as her main teaching tool. For instance, a study of Noah’s ark spurred them on to study fossils and history. They learned naturally by childhood curiosity. I’m sure they will retain their learning better than most. You ought to check her out:  http://www.simplylivingforhim.com/p/simply-homeschool-ebook.html

I encourage you to get her book. It’s only 99 cents on Kindle! I may be looked at funny for doing things out of the box and you may too. But the smiles on our kids’ faces and most importantly the beauty of God’s guidance in our children’s lives will outshine criticism. If God’s leading then it’s all good :).

Chris helped us paint salt dough ornaments. This was his first time doing it and he did really well :). We painted a day or two after baking these.

Please be in prayer for us as we explore uncharted waters. I’m nervous about going against the grain but I know God has laid this on my heart. Things have been really stressful lately and I know that’s because I’ve been doing things my way instead of God’s. I don’t like messing up my planner and I worry what people think. Plus it’s so hard to throw out curriculum when it’s just not working. I’ve learned with math lately that work books are so much easier than hands on. Still, Michael learns better with hands on. So I really have to put in the time to make it exciting. I’m a control freak and a perfectionist. God help me!

We helped my Mom and Step Dad move yesterday. This really has been a BUSY week! Pic below of Chris “napping”  in the moving truck.

Everyone taking a well deserved break at the new house. My parents moved from a one bedroom apartment to a 3 bedroom house in the country. I am SO happy for them and can’t wait to move in with them…..I mean visit often ;P lol. I’m talking girl time at mom’s! Yaaaa!

Everyone schools differently and children are so different. One method may not work for one child yet does for another. That’s why we must follow God’s leading. He knows our children better than they know themselves. I am learning that parenting isn’t as simple as following a guide book. Children learn differently and surprisingly they have to be disciplined differently, if we are concerned with character not just obedience. Helping a child into their calling is not easy and one size doesn’t fit all.

Our Sunday School had a dirty Santa a.k.a white elephant party Friday. It’s where everyone brings a gift and people can steal the presents from each other. It was fun and there were many goofy moments! We brought a Spongebob ice cream set & Star Wars mugs. I feel guilty for stealing my own gift. We now have the ice cream set :P.

Our host had a HUGE Christmas tree!

Please enjoy the holidays and this beautiful advent season. Jesus Christ came to us simply…..as a baby. He was born in a humble place but his birth brought peace to the world and his life, death, & resurrection brought salvation to all. We only have to accept his free gift of love and mercy. So amidst the holiday rush, stop…take a deep breath and remember the simple beauty of that holy night.

       Last year, we went to this thing called Journey to the Manger. It was a live Nativity with a maze to the “city” of Bethlehem. We were led to a quiet manger and then to a cross. The gospel was presented afterwards. While we walked the path through a corn field, Michael said with awe “It’s like magic!”. There was no Santa, no gifts under the tree, & no twinkling lights everywhere…….just a simple manger & a reminder that everything we need is found in one person….the God-man, Jesus Christ.

I got picked at a bit for having a cartoon character on my shirt but I like the Grinch and I was being festive :).

God bless, Merry Christmas, & remember that the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

PS: we used this recipe for cookies: http://www.dominosugar.com/cookiestarter/

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Encouraging Kids to Read, Pancake Muffins, & Reading Sites August 19, 2012

Hello friends 🙂 This  post will be shorter than my last couple of Sunday posts. I will spare you lol.

Pancake Muffins

These are super simple. You simply pour your favorite pancake mix (I used Dad’s recipe)  into a muffin tin, add bacon/sausage, and then bake 14 minutes on 350. I also made sausage and egg biscuits. I used the biscuit recipe I gave you all awhile back and cooked scrambled eggs and sausage in it. These delicious eats were quick meals all week. I froze them and then we just popped them in the microwave to reheat.  Don’t forget the syrup! 🙂

Encouraging Kids to Read

Teaching a child to read is one thing…..inspiring a love to read is another. How do we get our kids to read on their own for long periods of time?  Family Fun Magazine had some great ideas that I want to share with you. Also Kindergarten Kindergarten has a great idea for a reading workshop on her blog:

http://www.kindergartenkindergarten.com/2012/07/oh-reading-workshophow-i-love-you-so.html

1. Hook them on the story ~ I’ve been using this method recently. I was happily surprised. I read a little bit from “Nate the Great” then I gave it to Michael to finish. I didn’t tell him how much to read. It was an experiment. I was thrilled when he finished the whole book and acted like it was no big deal. Then he told me how the story ended since I really wanted to know :).
2. Keep it fun~ Family Fun gave ideas like watching a movie of a book they love, quizzing each other on book facts, and taking turns reading and predicting what will happen next. I believe reward systems like The Book-It program (earn free Pizza with Pizza Hut~ Michael loved this!) & accelerated reader are great.
3. Make it Social~ Family Fun suggests reading to a pet or having a family read-a-thon. My Dad and I read the Kids Left Behind Series when I was in Highschool. It was great to read together and to have something to discuss that we both enjoyed. Also this includes reading to your kids. I think family reading should happen no matter the age. I loved it when both my parents read to me. The most memorable time was when Dad read “The Christmas Box” several nights in December. I think I was in middle school. Read the Bible together, have bed time stories, and start early. I’ve been reading to Michael since he was a baby. Reading should be a normal part of your routine.
4. Offer Books as Treats~ Family Fun suggests the Book Fairy, Mystery Bags, and making a special reading spot. We’ve started doing this. I put a body pillow on my hope chest by the window. Michael lays on it and reads. It’s great because he can read upside down if he wants lol. We may have more elaborate reading spots in the future..
5. Think outside the book: Magazines on subjects of interest, Joke books, almanacs, and computers (I-Pad etc).
6. Read and Write~ Have kids write their own stories. Send Fan Mail to favorite authors.
7. Lastly, bring books to life. Family Fun suggests acting out different characters, having kids make sound effects, and changing characters’ names to names of family/ friends. I can’t wait to try this one :).

Here are some excellent reading sites:

1. http://www.starfall.com~ this is great for beginners
2. http://www.bookadventure.com/Home.aspx ~ Book quizzes and prizes
3. http://www.literactive.com/Download/stories.asp?SUB=READ ~ great interactive videos
4. http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/
5. http://www.cookie.com/kids/games/viewallgames.html
6. http://www.magictreehouse.com/#
7. http://www.jumpstart.com/

100 Best Childrens’ Chapter Books of All Time

I don’t agree with all of this list but I like most of it.

http://childrensbooksguide.com/100-best-childrens-chapter-books-of-all-time

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

PS: Here’s a sweet letter for stay at home moms (a lot of it applies to others as well. I just think SAHM don’t usually get recognition or paychecks. It’s nice to hear someone realizes staying at home is a real job):

http://www.focusonlinecommunities.com/blogs/Finding_Home/2012/08/08/dear-stay-at-home-mom

My Family Rocks! Sunday: Curriculum & Smores Cookie Date Night Food Fight August 5, 2012

In this post: Our Curriculum choices, Smores Cookies, and a food fight for date night

Hello dear ones :). I hope you’ve had a good week. Michael started 2nd grade/ some 3rd grade this past week. This is a bit of a lengthy post so if you’re not interested in Homeschool stuff please skip down to the bottom for the Smores Cookie recipe. It’s worth the scroll 😉

I found these great wipe offs at Wal-Mart for only 88 cent each: a weather chart that has a place for temps and weekly forecast, a chore chart, and a school schedule chart

Look what Michael added to his schedule at the end  lol 🙂

Curriculum

For those considering Homeschool or just curious, here is my curriculum choices from Pre-K to Second/Third Grade.
I always knew I wanted to Homeschool. I knew several homeschool families and loved how well-rounded the children were socially & academically. I just didn’t know when I would start homeschooling. When Michael was itty bitty I realized he was a curious sort. I knew from my time working at an Early Learning Center that kids are smarter than we give them credit and many of them are capable of learning more at a young age. I saw one year olds that truly understood the meaning of “No” and I met 3 year olds who acted like Kindergarteners. Every child is different of course and that’s the beauty of homeschooling. You can meet every child’s individual needs, strengths, and weaknesses.

It didn’t take long for me to realize Michael was ready to learn. It all started when he began destroying things lol…. garlic all on the couch because he wanted to cook, crayon on forbidden walls (yes we actually did allow him to draw on one wall in his playroom. We let it be his corner), and his boredom with regular toys. Going to “My Gym wasn’t enough.  I realized he needed structure and guidance. So I began reading several books on homeschooling. The Summer after Michael turned 3 we began Pre-K.

PRE-K: I wasn’t sure where to start. Thankfully a good friend (my 7th grade teacher who homeschooled her kids) guided me to a curriculum. I was not ready to go eclectic. So we used Horizon’s Pre-K by Alpha Omega. It was great because it had all the subjects in one book with lots of planning info. I just basically had to get the materials together…the book did the rest. The main point of the book was to teach about Creation through story, crafts, and song. It also taught introductory elements of reading, math, science, history, writing, and science. I bought the whole kit which was a bit costly but worth every penny. It came with workbooks, teacher’s guide, and dvds/cds. I kept the books in good shape and sold them later. This also included 3 computer games: Rev up for reading, Rev up for writing, & Rev up for arithmetic.
Pic below

P.E. & extracurricular: My Gym & hanging with kids at the Family Theatre. I was in a couple of  plays at that time. I tried to get Michael to try clogging with me but he’d rather watch.

Kindergarten: I had hoped to find an all in one curriculum again but Horizons only had three main subjects for K: Math, Phonics, and Health. I love crafts and I missed the diversity of subjects from the Pre-K curriculum. So I found substitutes with LifePac first Grade. I found out that Horizons is advanced so Lifepac 1st grade was the same level as Horizons K.

I used LifePac History and Geography which was super simple. It had basics like understanding a family unit. I also used LifePac Bible lessons. I liked the simple pictures. Horizons math wasn’t as enjoyable but we made it through.

We did not like Horizons Phonics at all and only completed the first of four books. Then I had to find other methods of teaching Michael to read. We went a bit eclectic and combined  old school Hooked on Phonics (on cassette tapes too), the free website Starfall.com, and Bob Books (which really helped with sight words). Things really clicked when we began the Bob books. I believe Phonics gave the proper foundation. There are so many aspects to reading…..like comprehension. I don’t really care for the programs that teach babies to read.

I enjoyed the Health lessons for Horizons. They can be used for many grades. I went online to find craft ideas. Before I found the amazing Pinterest I loved (and still do) blogger.com. This is where I found amazing ideas from thatartistwoman and PinkandGreenMama. The links are on my blogroll.

P.E. & extracurricular: Worship music and dance for exercise, Flag Football for a bit, and we got involved with a Homeschool group.

1st grade/ 2nd grade: This past year has been great. We went eclectic and thrifty. I used a bit of curriculum passed down from buddies and I found books on Christianbook.com. I also got books from Barnes & Noble during the middle of the year (teachers get a discount). My best buddy Julie introduced me to Pinterest. Oh how I love my Pinterest (and my buddy). I have been even craftier this year than before he he he. I don’t have pics of all the curriculum but here’s a list.

I noticed Michael had a love for drawing. So I got the Draw Write Now series which combines simple drawings and writing lessons. We used the lessons according to seasons and the themes of each month.

Draw Write Now Series- link has pics

http://www.kindergartenkindergarten.com/2012/07/draw-write-now-books.html

Seeds Family Worship– Musical memory verses…also found free print outs with the words for writing practice.

The ABC’s of Handling Money God’s Way: cute, simple, and short

Music in Me books 1 & first part of book 2: We began Piano lessons. It was a challenge at first and we had to take things super slow. Now with a rewards system and computer games & worksheets piano is a joy.

People Together (Social Studies etc): We got this from a friend and didn’t know what level it was for awhile. I found out it was a 2nd grade book. It was super simple and worked anyways. We did this once a week for part of the year. Short book.

ABC teach & Enchanted Learning websites: for math worksheets, basic spelling words, science, and themed work sheets.

Pinterest: crafts and science ideas mainly…other subjects as well. Michael got a microscope and a “chemistry” set for Christmas. We tinkered with those for several months. It was so gross looking at Nana’s blood on the microscope…yuck.

Explorer’s Bible Studies: this wasn’t the best kid’s devotional I’ve seen but it took us through the old and new testament (the main stories). Michael reads the devotion then answers questions. He also has a primary Bible that he reads a little of each morning.

Drums, Trumpets, Parades, and Carousels reading books: I used these as a kid in first grade. My mom in law gave them to me. Michael read the stories in these quickly.

Spectrum Math grade 2: I looked through this book and realized Michael’s Horizon math for Kindergarten was really on a 1st grade level. Michael was ready for second grade math. He got this half way so we will finish it up in October.

Scholastic Math grade 1: I got this short book to keep Michael brushed up on the basics he had already learned. Finished it.

Other Refreshers: Flash Kids Time & Money, 10 days to Addition Mastery, & 10 days to Subtraction Mastery (wrap ups). Finished these as well.

Spectrum Reading grade 1: We got this midway and have already finished it.

Letters and Sounds 1st grade (Abekka): This was given to us. It was a great refresher for the most part.

Spectrum Grade 1 Language Arts: started Midway will finish in October.

Read and Understand Science 1st-2nd grade: still working on this one. It’s simple and so far no evolution stuff.

P.E. & extracurricular: Karate, church choir,  & our homeschool group. I don’t know what I’d do without my homeschool buddies. We have had some wonderful field trips, crafts, and experiments. Michael has done many things that I never got to do until I was in middle school. We got to know our best friends Hannah and her family (also met Michael’s future wife! ha!).

We try to split up seat-work with snacks, reading, field trips, and playtime. We have on occasion had school at a variety of places…the park, the trampoline, the library….McDonald’s lol. Sometimes we play learning games (on the computer and Hands On). We’ve done a few plays with Nana & Chris. Sometimes we experiment with cooking but not too often. Friday is usually movie day. We are flexible. The most rewarding experience has been playing Bingo with the Seniors at the Nursing Home. Their faces light up when they see Michael & he’s learning to be a great hugger. Character is way more important than academics.

The craziest places we’ve worked on school: the car dealership & the doctor’s office. A nurse helped Michael with his math lol. We’ve also done work in the car and while visiting family members.

2nd-3rd grade: I’m so excited about the themes I’ve picked for this year. I know at least three of them aside from the usual seasonal/ holiday themes. I’ve spent many hours lesson planning. I’ll give you a few ideas: Health & Safety (Community helpers, fire/stranger safety, Just say no to drugs) for August, The Human Body for September, & Time Machine for January. January is going to be so awesome, Lord willing! 🙂

We are still eclectic this year and loving it.

Bob Jones Devotion: Bible Truths: A Servant’s Heart second grade. I have taken Bible courses with Bob Jones and know them to be a good conservative school. I am so excited about this devotion. Not only does it have colorful illustrations with the Bible stories, it also has lessons on famous preachers/theologians, and has lessons on Christian chapter books (2 and they are bought separately). I am using the units at different times depending on seasons/holidays. For example: the unit on Forgiveness for Passover, the Christmas unit for Christmas time, and the Generosity unit for Thanksgiving. Michael will have already read through his primary Bible. It will be time to get him his own big Bible. I have one in mind.

History, Geography, Social Studies: Our Christian Heritage Grade 2

I’m excited about this one too. It teaches children about the Bible and History etc. I love the Christian World View in the book and will probably use this series every year. These lessons will be twice a week.

Language Arts, Writing, & Reading: Michael begged me to teach him cursive so we will attempt that this year.  We have Spectrum Reading and Flash Kids Writing for 2nd grade. Also Grade 2 Flash Forward Language Arts. The Dry Erase Cursive Letters came from Wal-Mart. Some of these are long and some short so they will overlap over the year.

Spelling: I get the spelling words from abcteach.com. I didn’t print all the worksheets but I do have some. Mainly he copies the words off the board for the week. Then he write them two times the next day. The day after that he fills in the blanks and puts the right words with the right sentences. Thursday we study a lot and Friday he has his test.

Math: Spectrum Math grade 3 & Scholastic Math 2nd grade. The latter book is a refresher. Also Jumpstart/ Math blaster are great sites for online math games. I’ll probably use Pinterest for hands on math games.

http://pinterest.com/doverette/math/

Other:  Read & Understand Science grades 2-3 (we will probably switch to a creation science book next year)

You Can Draw book with tabs for different sections

Of course, more Pinterest inspirations for crafts. The more I pin the more I fall in love. I’m a bit OCD…

Reading: Occasionally I’ll buy Michael a book to read but for the most part we go to the Library. Our favorite chapter books are The Magic Tree House series & Nate the Great. We like leveled readers too. We read Biscuit books in the early days but now Michael reads level 3 and  4. We also have this great book series from the 60’s on History, bugs, birds etc…They were my Dad’s when he was a kid. Michael will read a couple chapters a day from those when needed.

Music:  Piano three times a week but he practices on his own daily. We are still using Music in Me (book 2). Also Michael practices a scale & intervals for 5 minutes. He has the Theory book that goes with Music in Me. We do that once a week along with computer games. I did a post about how we do lessons:

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/crafty-monday-sea-horses-piano-lessons/

Craft Staples: I built my craft supply up over the years. This is a list of what I regularly keep in supply.

• crayons, markers, pens (including dry erase), pencils(colored too), and chalk
• paper of all kinds (Construction paper, freezer paper for painting, posters, & tissue paper)
• glue (sticks, white glue, hot glue sticks with hot glue gun, and Modge Podge etc)
• tape
• Paint (water colors, washable, face paint, glow in the dark paint, and acrylic)
• feathers, pom poms, stickers, yarn, string, glitter, and wiggly eyes
• pipe cleaners of many colors, craft sticks, tooth pics, & ribbon
• felt of many colors, foam of many colors, paper clips, & brads
• Necessities: stapler, hole puncher, & scissors
• Cardboard (cereal boxes etc), toilet paper rolls, and bottle caps
• magnet strips, sequins, stamps, ink pads, & folders (for lapbooks)

I think that’s it. You may not agree with this list but I have used these things in so many crafts. I haven’t had to refill my supply much over the past  3 years.

http://www.aophomeschooling.com/blog/homeschool-view/best-school-supply-list-for-homeschool-parents/

NOW FOR THE SMORES! WOOHOO!

Date Night Food Fight

The Hubby planned our date night a couple weeks ago. Well, he planned the main ideas of it: Food Fight and a movie. I filled in the details: Smores cookies & home movies. We didn’t have a sitter so little man hung with us. It became family night which worked out good. Chris wasn’t feeling well so Michael and I ended up doing most of the food fighting.

The Stage is Set….

Let the flour fly!

Chris did help with the cooking even though he felt bad.

Here’s the recipe for these awesome Smores cookies. You’ve got to try these!

Oh, and Michael thought making a super sized cookie was just awesome lol! 🙂

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/07/smores-cookies.html

Then we watched home movies while we waited for then ate our cookies.

Well, God bless & remember the High King lives!~Amber Dover

PS: If you get a chance to try these amazing cookies give me some comment love. I want to know how it turns out 🙂