You can hear me say it 1000 times a day. Zayden Sam is a busy one. He's everywhere at once and then, suddenly, when you turn around, he's nowhere to be found! Zayden Sam likes to test the boundaries. He likes to eat tiny things and throw anything he touches. He throw toys, books, potatoes (his fav), BALLS, laundry, pacis, food...anything!
Oh, Zayden Sam...
Mama loves this ornery boy!
He loves ground beef!
Zayden likes to eat and throw the raw potatoes from the potato basket.
Just look at this kid...so so full of it!
Most recently we discovered that Zayden LOVES tunnels. He.is.hilarious.
He can, however, be helpful once in awhile. See??
Life is definitely never dull with Zayden Sam around.
We've been having a little trouble finding our groove with karate 2 mornings a week but this past week was better! I think we're going to get there. Natalee, of course, takes school along to do while we sit at karate, and that helps...we're finding a schedule for Xavier and for our combined studies. Often lunch is quick after karate and sometimes it looks like this. And no, I don't feel guilty that they are in front of the TV eating - they watch very little television. A sandwich and Little House on the Prairie is good for the soul.
(Aug 18)
Ameliya entertaining herself while I'm working with the big kids.
(Aug 19)
Daddy has been working long hours - when he's home they swarm him. He also got a promotion - congrats, Daddy!!
Love these curls.
(Aug 22)
Natalee reading history while I prepare lunch. They sit close to me so I can help with words and we can discuss.
On Thursday we had a homeschool back to school game night. It was supposed to be a softball game but we got rained out. Attendance was minimal but those of us who came had a great time. Look at these sweet girls...
(Aug 25)
Friday was a catch up day. Reading, a couple of tests for the kids, and a few other things. Xavier is getting into the thick of reading and it's music to my ears. I LOVE to teach children to read. It opens up ALL the worlds.
(Aug 26)
Natalee is apparently efficient enough at reading that she can read upside down also! I remember doing this as a kid.
100% on Natalee's spelling test!!
He's becoming such a bookworm.
At lunch our table looked like this...
luckily it was beautiful outside!
The calendar this week looks full, but, if it wasn't how would I entertain myself, right? (bahaha!) The best days of my life....
We finished the last two weeks of our four week unit study on caterpillars to butterflies. (See the first two weeks HERE.) We met with our group two final times and did a great many activities. On week 3, Janeane led the children through making beautiful symmetric butterfly paintings and we hunted containers that we'd camouflaged to see how difficult they were to spot (much like the camouflage that God has given many caterpillars and butterflies). We also talked about and labeled the parts of a butterfly.
Sweet boy is leaning to sleep wherever we are - just love him so.
The older 2 children and I worked on their lapbooks at home - inputting information and organizing them how they wanted.
This took us several class periods of cutting, reading, and writing.
The final group gathering was at our home and our children were very excited to host. The topic was the difference between butterflies and moths and Shela graciously led the reading and Venn diagram activity.
Then we did one final craft...the children all got to make caterpillars from a clothespin, pom poms, googly eyes, and pipe cleaners. They also made a butterfly by watercolor painting a coffee filter. We gave them all a toilet paper tube (chrysalis) so they can act out the life cycle of a butterfly.
Ameliya's
Natalee's
Xavier took off with his and I can't find it for a picture!
As our last HURRAH we did a themed lunch for the children and let them have a picnic lunch in front of a butterfly video. Lunch included: caterpillars wrapped in a chrysalis (hot dogs in a crescent roll), caterpillar crunchies (dye free cheese curls - thanks Aldi!), and design your own caterpillars (large graham cracker spread with homemade cream cheese frosting and grape halves that the children got to make caterpillars out of). The children got to have "nectar" for a drink...orange juice and cranberry juice (frozen concentrates) mixed together and drank through a proboscis (straw).
This was a fun day, made even more successful because Zayden was able to keep his nap time in his own bed!
Besides what we learned (which is substantial) we made a lot of memories with our friends through this unit study. We're thankful to have been included!
Most recently we discovered that Zayden LOVES tunnels. He.is.hilarious.
