Homeschool!

 We have had 7 days of homeschool now.  It is going to be wonderful, I can just tell.  I'm not sure who is having more fun with it.  Me getting to plan and teach and brainstorm and look on the web and and and. :)  Or them because they are having so much fun with the things we are doing, they are independent, they are leading and speeding, and they are done by lunch so they can do their own thing. :)

This post is picture heavy, but I am so excited and I couldn't choose what to leave out, so it all made the cut.
This first picture is of our schoolroom space.  I took half of our playroom and dedicated it to our school time.  The other half still stores toys, which works out great because Tanner can stay busy.  I love how colorful and fun it turned out.  Jeff added in another light and now we like to go to the basement each morning.

Here are all three of them on our first day, which was also the first day for our district.  They loved that I still wanted these pictures and considered them important to document.  

 The following are closeups of the room and what we are doing.  I found this dresser for free on the side of the road.  A little beat up but it fits our purpose perfectly.  After four coats of paint with help from the kids it looks a lot better.  I need to get it some knobs still.  I am saving for some really fun ones from Anthropologie or Land of Nod.  :)  Each drawer holds a different subject, textbooks, workbooks, binders, library books, etc.  It is fabulous!
This banner crosses the ceiling.  We made it melting crayon between waxed paper and then I sewed them all together.  So cheery.  The big leaves we got from Ikea ages ago.

This table once was yellow and graced our kitchen, and the chairs are an old family heirloom.  I found the fun fabric at a thrift store, a couple yards for $3.  It became the inspiration point for all of the other colors.  And since I had enough we made the little cozies for the top of the chairs just for fun.

 We actually added these shelves last spring when Jeff kicked the kids art supplies out of the office to make more room for his business.  But now it is all organized with magazines, books, folders, projects and all in their own places.

 We already had the easel, but it is coming in super handy.  We have been working on synonyms this week.  I found this fun lesson where you make a list of different synonyms and write them in different/synonym colors (so for example red, brick, maroon, violet red, razzamatazz and then we came up with the list for happy below and they wrote each word in their notebook with the different reds).

This is a closeup of the top shelf that contains some of our past projects that the girls have made and needed to keep...dioramas, knex boat and bike, stuffed owls, sand art, and more.  I think we will need to clear it a little to make room for all of the things I hope to add this year.

 Phoebe was such a good girl and posed for this one.  :)

 I bought a teacher planner for each girl at the dollar store and then decorated each one, differently of course to match the girl.  I write their plans for each day and then as they finish a subject or assignment they put a sticker.  It helps all of us keep track of what they are accomplishing.  Gotta love stickers!

 We have been working on creative writing.  They each wrote about field trips we have been on.  We needed to do a graphic organizer I learned, so I found a cute sandwich worksheet on the internet.  (Can I tell you how much I love blogs and websites and pinterest???) Then we proofread, changed some words using synonyms, and then they typed them up today.  I am hoping to post some of them on the blog.

 For science we started off with a bug unit.  It was a logical choice for us, considering our collection of dead bugs already filling this lovely black lined box.  You can see our cicada, butterfly, and we added the black water scavenger beetle and katydid just this week.  Phoebe has quite the eye for dead bugs.  So we have been making charts, labeling parts, and learning how to identify what makes them insects.  Tanner even got in on our list of bugs in our backyard.  So far we have thirty different species but are adding each day.  In the tub with blue lid is our new pet grasshopper and grub.  They are doing quite well so far.

I have these bulletin boards up now to display projects and writing.  It may need a little jazzing up.  You know, too many cute ideas in the teacher's head and online.  

 So after school this week they decided to raid Daddy's wood and screw supply and have building away on the patio.  They are actually very good with the tools.  Enough so that when we went to the Children's Museum last Friday they all three picked up goggles and tools and went to town.  Enough that the woman in charge of that center remarked on how comfortable they were with tools, and careful.  I think it was a compliment.

And here is the happy mommy/teacher/principal/technology director/librarian/and Jeff's favorites:  custodian and lunch lady.  Yes, all of those and still enjoying it.

I am glad I have this all documented.  We will see if I still agree in February, won't we?

T turtleman turns dancer

All 3 kids have really good dance moves, that is for sure.  And when I post videos most of them have them dancing.  The other night Tanner took it to a whole new level.  Enjoy. 

No Walls!

This is what consumes me for most of July...I start writing and planning our church's vacation Bible school in January.  By March I have it narrowed down to a theme and the stories we will teach.  And then I start writing the curriculum.  But then the middle of June hits and through most of July I am at church 3 or 4 times a week and working on everything daily. My children are awesome about putting up with all of it, and are so comfortable in our church it is nuts.  We had 150 kids attend and we had almost 50 volunteers help. 

This year's theme was No Walls! and was all about how people try to use real walls or ones around our hearts to keep people out and to keep us in.  But God breaks them all down to show us how much He loves us.  It was a great week of fun, fellowship, and learning.  I am always nervous about how it will turn out.  And then it goes smoothly, I see the kids learning, teenagers interacting, adults stepping out of their comfort zones, and everyone coming together and it makes every minute worth it.  Here are a few highlights...

 My science center teachers always dress up in character.  They were building different block walls and knocking them down this day.

 There is Annika in art making a "ram's horn" out of paper and decorating it.  I was afraid the kids wouldn't like this, but who was I to underestimate something that makes noise???

 The band Reign Advisory (current and past church members) wrote our theme song and two of them led music all week.

 Tanner during music dancing and playing follow the leader.

 We tested the strength of different kinds of chains one day in science.  The kids get a kick out of the hands on activities that relate to the stories.

 They played with a parachute one day during story.

 All of the kids worked together to make a giant paper chain that circled our sanctuary. 

 Phoebe in snack time...we try to keep it healthy and simple.  But make it fun and a time that the kids can chat.

 By Friday God had knocked down a wall everyday in a story and we talked about how the sky was the limit for us with God on our side.  So we shot off water rockets. 

 It was super hot each day and by Friday games was all about getting wet.  Here Phoebe had just sprayed her leader (in the tie dye). 

 Reign Advisory raises money for the organization Feed My Starving Children.  We sent home little boxes with the kids.  And our church has been collecting proteins for our local food pantry.  The kids raised $961 and lots of cans, enough that it totalled being able to feed 5000 servings of food to starving kids.  I was so proud of all the kids that they did this!

 Here is Tanner decorating a little wooden airplane the last day.

And some of the kids the final day at the very end. 

This week blesses me in ways I can't even express and fills my heart for the year.  Thanks to Cross of Glory for encouraging me to do this!

Phoebe photography

She is a pretty good little photographer, and you can tell she has an artist's eye.  I was particularly impressed by these photos she took at the zoo recently.

As we homeschool this year, I am planning to turn the blog over to the girls more, and you will get to enjoy even more of her work.

T rides again

Tanner learned to ride his bike this summer.  He is getting so good at it!  He can keep up with the girls now, stop using his brake, and is getting better at turning corners.  It is kind of funny to see such a little bike go so fast, but in true Tanner fashion he pushes it as hard as he can.  Nothing half way for this kid.  I love his choice in socks.  We learned this summer that he is colorblind, which explains some outfit choices.  But when it comes to socks he doesn't care at all.  He is all about having them pulled up to his knees, preferably striped or with pictures, and they match his MOOD not his clothing.  And he MUST wear socks.  Even though they get all hot and sweaty, he will not wear crocs and will wear flipflops only under duress. 

Off he goes.  Probably looking to impress some ladies, or beat them in a race, depending on who he finds.  :)