Meet Chica Chula

This is our 5 1/2 month old puppy named Chica (pronounced cheeka, for those who are not Spanish speaking).  She is a long-haired chihuahua.  As you can see by her photo, she fits perfectly into the girls' doll dresses!!  She is only 3 1/2 pounds.  She was the runt of the litter, so she will probably stay small.  She has not grown much at all since we got her 4 months ago!  Her hair is just now starting to grow out, so she should look totally different in another 6 months.  She has brought a lot of love and joy to our house so far.  Even LeCount is warming up to her!

Girl Scouts Brownie: Wonders of Water Part 1

Jaden is a Brownie Girl Scout. Brownies are grade 2 and 3 girls. The Brownie series, is a great addition to a girl's learning. It allows girls to grow and develop new skills and spend time with girls their age.  You can follow this blog as Jaden learns through the Brownie program.  I am hoping this will provide you with ideas on how to help your girls earn their badges. 

Above is the book that I am referring to in this post.  In Part 1 of the book, the girls learn about the way water gets to their homes, and how it leaves.  It is an effort to teach them conservation as well.  Jaden and I went through the chapter page by page.  Then, she drew a picture of how the water gets to the house, and how the it gets to the sewer.  She brainstormed on how she can save water at home as well. 

And, this is what I LOVE about homeschooling- I learn something new everyday as well! 

At the end of the chapter, we watched these informative videos on the San Francisco Sewage System:

Sewer Part 1

Sewer Part 2

In the back of the WOW book, there are the last things the girls must do to earn the badge.  For this one, the girls should think of and write down their 2 favorite things about water and make a water promise.  Once that is complete, you can hand your girls their part 1 water badge!

I hope this post helps you and your Brownie on your Girl Scout journey!

Girl Scouts

Did you know that Girl Scouts has a home school program? Well, if not, here is some big news: They do!! It is called the Juliette program. The pluses for this program are:

1. The girls can go at their own pace

2. You do not have to fit an extra activity into your weekly calendar

3. You can purchase the GS items as you have the money to, or need to.

4. The Juliette girls are still part of district, and can attend any of the girl scout events!

The cost is hardly anything- $12 per person! However, as a parent teaching your girl scout on your own, you will need to pay $12 for yourself as a leader. That is a total of $24. Not bad!

As the leader, you are required to follow a few steps:

1. Register and become a member as a troop leader

2. Sign up for event e-mails, so that you will be notified by your district as events are available

3. Do a background check via the link the district leader provides you- This will allow you to be with your daughter at events as her leader

4. Attend online training to become informed and be the best leader you can be

Now, that's it!  Time to move on to getting started in the program.

Every district has a store where you can purchase all of the items you need.  If you can not, or do not want to go to the Girl Scout store, you can purchase most of the items online. 

The Juliette program is flexible, since your girls can start with whichever books and earn whichever badges they choose.  You, also, do not need to purchase the uniforms right away.  This is perfect for us because money is limited at this time. 

Go at the pace you and your girls wish to go, and enjoy the program! 

My Baby is 5!!

Morgan turned 5 on Sunday!  It is surreal to me that she can be so big!!  Where does the time go?! 
I am glad that she is officially 5, since I have had a hard time convincing folks that she is smarter than her age.  She has been doing 1st and 2nd grade work at home, so at least it won't seem so far fetched now!  The adults that do not homeschool don't understand when I say she is not in preschool... she can't even be in kindergarten at a public school at age 4, so how could she be in 1st grade at 4?!
At church, she is with the kindergartners, so that she can be with kids her own age.  Now, she is finally 5 like the rest of them =)
We celebrated her big day at home with Justin Beiber cupcakes and cake.  She was excited to get a beauty set of things: hair dryer, flat iron, brush, hair spray, and curling iron.  All pretend, of course, but they are real to her =) 

My Unsocialized HomeSchoolers

(Morgan falls asleep reading her book)

It always amazes me to hear people's comments when they hear that my girls are home schooled.  It is a 50-50 reaction.  Some people agree and some disagree with homeschooling. 

Those opposed to homeschooling, usually site the social aspect of staying at home.  My children will become freaks of nature- not able to communicate with people outside of their family- is usually what they say. 

I have had people so adamant that I am wrong tell me stories of children they know who were home schooled and turned into quiet children.  They are so sure that if the children don't go to a school building, they will not develop skills to socialize.  Maybe they will turn into hermits!  Like the lepers of Jesus' time, they will live separate from society, never to see or talk to anyone! 

I tell you, they must not know my children!  If you meet either of my girls, you would never look at them and think those things.  They are faced with more activities than many children their age.  We have a calendar full of them! 

I am making this post for the people who are bent on thinking home schoolers are unsocialized.  Follow my blog, and watch all of the fun we have!  In addition, you will learn some things about what you can do with your own children.  Children are meant to be cherished!  They are only little for so long! 

Service Project #2

The 2nd service project for Jaden's GEMS club is today!  They are decorating boxes for the local food pantry.  The boxes will be filled with food to fill hungry bellies for the holidays.  We filled 2 boxes with food as our contribution.  It included veggies, gravy, jello-o, rice, beans, etc. 

In a couple of hours we will be headed to the GEMS meeting where the girls will decorate and fill boxes.  How fun is that?!

Service Project #1

The girls did their first service project of the school year at the beginning of September.  They visited the seniors at an assisted living center.  They sang songs for them, and then, they passed out cake and juice to everyone.  They had, also, made handmade birthday cards for all of the seniors in the center that were born in September.  What a great experience!

Class #8: Religion

For religion, many of the school books we have center around God as the creator and give value to He who deserves the credit for creating our amazing bodies, lives, universe, etc.  This is something that can not be taught in the public school system.

Jaden is reading some first readers about bible stories.  Dennis Jones has a series of books that offer great illustrations and simple words for each story.  Jaden read "Who will Help?" last night.  This is a book about the good samaritan.  Such an awesome story, and I love that it is made in a way that she can read it and understand it all on her own.  Mary Manz Simon and Dennis Jones are paired up on several of the books. 

In addition, the girls are now in 2 God-centered programs.  One of the programs meets every other week, and the other one meets every week.  Each program teaches about God, the Bible, service, self-worth, and those kinds of values.  They do service projects as well.  Today, they are going to a nursing home to deliver hand-made cards and a cake and to sing for the elderly men and women's birthdays. 

Class #12: Writing

The girls have been doing writing that is included with their reading exercises in Abeka.  I, also, give them printed off sheets from the internet for extra practice.  Their formal writing practice comes from Rod and Staff.  These workbooks are great because they give lots of practice and are a good price!  Morgan is doing the writing book for Grade 1 and Jaden is doing the one for Grade 2.  Jaden is now officially starting to learn cursive. 

Class #2: Art

Art is a easy subject to fit in.  It actually is part of a lot of the other subjects.  The world studies, writing, and reading all have art projects to go with them.  For writing, they use Draw, Write, Now which shows them how to draw step by step and includes copy work to practice writing.  We, also, go to Michaels and take advantage of their free crafts.  This painting above is one that Jaden made at Michaels.

Class #14: Wood-working

LeCount is in charge of wood-working with the girls.  He takes them to the free workshops 3 to 4 times a month.  Each time they make something, they even get a completion badge!  How fun is that?!

Class #7: Reading

For reading, the girls started with Explode the Code, but they are both working with Abeka now.  It is amazing how far they have come!!  It was a struggle at first for Jaden because the words would overwhelm her, but not any more.  She is tackling them all!!  Because of the rough start in reading, she is completing her grade 1 reading book this week.  All of the rest of her curriculum is grade 2.
Morgan will be starting grade 1 reading in October. 

Class #11: World Studies

World Studies turned into a large project these past few months.  I am always on the lookout for fun and free activities for the girls to do, and Michaels is a great place for free craft classes!  This summer they had world crafts, and I took their schedule and worked the learning into the crafts.  Before the girls went to craft class, they learned about the country at home.  It was so much fun!!  I checked out books about each country and had worksheets and activities for each one.  Then, I put the crafts they made and the worksheets and activities into binders seperated by continent.   We had world studies and art all rolled into one!!

These are the countries they studied to go with Michaels crafts (I inserted a few more countries and added my own crafts for them as well including Nigeria, Kenya, Argentina, and Venezuela):

*Tuesday June 21: 11am-2pm Swedish Dolls & Flags

*Thursday June 23: 11am-2pm German Hat & bell

*Saturday June 25: 11am-2pm Eqyptian Heiroglyoph & Mummy

*Tuesday June 28: 11am-2pm Bahamas Can Hug & Lei

*Saturday July 2: 11am-2pm United States warrior shield & pin

*Tuesday July 5: 11am-2pm Italy suncatcher & pizza

*Thursday July 7: 11am-2pm Australia aboriginal art & koala

*Saturday July 9: 11am-2pm India henna hand & elephant

*Tuesday July 12: 11am-2pm Russia nesting dolls & bear

*Thursday July 14: 11am-2pm France impressionist painting & man

*Saturday July 16: 11am-2pm UK crown & shamrock

*Tuesday July 19: 11am-2pm Japan printing block & dog

*Thursday July 21: 11am-2pm Greece  pot & torch

*Saturday July 23: 11am-12pm Mexico sun & flower

*Tuesday July 26: 11am-2pm China Tibetian painting & tangram

*Thursday July 28: 11am-2pm SouthAfrica friendsh bracelet & lion

*Saturday July 30: 11am-2pm Brazil mask & snake

Class #6: Mathematics

I am using Singapore Math with the girls.  All of the other programs we tried, I just did not like.  We tried Horizons, Rod and Staff, and Abeka.  So far, this curriculum has been awesome for teaching math!  As always, Jaden and Morgan are at the same level.  Morgan always wants to keep up with her big sister =)

Class #13: Computer Education

Computers- such a fun thing to learn!  Jaden and Morgan do not get computer time at home... Only because we have only one comuter which is used for work/job searches. 

However, the local library has an awesome computer lab for them to use.  There are books to read, educational games to play, and just the overall "getting used to how to use a computer" aspect of it.  I know I will need to break down and purchase Reader Rabbit software to use at home every now and then... Or find something safe online. 

Class #9: Spanish

For Spanish, the girls have been using songs, dance, and conversation to learn Spanish...  They are using the workbooks only for extra practice.  They took a Folklorico Dance Camp in the summer and learned some songs and dances.  They don't seem to notice they are speaking a different language that way.  I need to find a bilingual play group for more practice. 

Class #5: Gymnastics

For physical activity, Jaden and Morgan are taking gymnastics 2 times a week.  They LOVE it!!!  I never imagined that they would enjoy the class as much as they do, but they can not get enough of it!!  They are part of a homeschool group, so we even get to go to gymnastics during the day when the public school kids are in school.  The class lasts 2 hours, and includes 30 minutes of free time.

Some of their accomplishments: skilled jumps on the trampoline, handstands, cartwheels, splits, rolls, and working on the bars and balance beams.     

I like the fact that the place is professional, so they can go on to be real gymnasts if they choose to.  Many of the teachers and teachers' children have gotten to the professional level or junior professional level.  If either or both of the girls decide to get serious about it, the teachers are stern and require perfection.  For now, the girls are enjoying the playing =)

Class #3: English Literature

For Literature, we are reading several classics and doing lapbooks and crafts to go along with them.  The first book we started with and are almost finished with is part of the Little House on the Prairie series.  It is the 4th book in the series called "On the Banks of Plum Creek".  In the book, Laura and Mary made a button string for Carrie for Christmas, so Jaden and Morgan made button strings =)

Class #1: Anatomy & Physiology

For their Anatomy and Physiology class, we are using Apologia's Exploring Creation Science Series.  There is a textbook and a notebook that goes with the class.  Jaden and Morgan each have a notebook.  In the first chapter, it is a study of what anatomy and physiology mean, the history of it being studied, and started off the body discovery speaking of cells.  There were several fun experiments in the textbook, and the notebook had activity pages for them to write and draw what they remember from the chapter.  Their favorite part has been the "Try This!" sections which allow them to test out a theory or other project.  They made these "cells" out of jello and included all of the organelles inside the cell. The organelles were candy, fruit roll ups and chocolate- Every type of organelle was a different kind of candy.  At the end of it, they ate the cell up!!
We are in Chapter 2 now- studying bones.  It is a lot of fun & full of so much learning!

Homeschool 2011-2012

School is back in session for us!  Jaden is in 2nd grade, and Morgan is in Kindergarten... This just means that more is expected out of Jaden than out of Morgan, though they are basically studying the same things.  This year, they have these classes:

Anatomy & Physiology

Art

English Literature

Geography

Gymnastics

Mathematics

Reading

Religion

Spanish

Texas Studies

World Studies

Writing