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So, I have not been writing much lately, but I wanted to write and tell you that I have been working with Beyond the last couple of weeks. My ds is 8, and we are going very very slowly because of the summer activities, but he is enjoying it so far. He loves history, and it has been very interesting for him to hear what it might have been like to be a child coming to America.

The first book genre is biography, and let me tell you, he can not get enough. I had a biography on Johnny Appleseed, so we did that the first day. Then we started Helen Keller. The hardest part of the day is telling him no more for the day. I will be having to find some more biographies to stretch it out as long as we are supposed to LOL.

He loved the geography lesson from day one, but it nearly did me in. He tends to go overboard (pardon the pun), and so we were jumping on those continents, and crossing that ocean with such gusto, that I nearly could not keep him focused enough to get the point across.

On a humorous note, last year in a blog, I was stating my yearly goals. Jokingly I wrote that I wanted to build a raft from trees which I cut by hand and sail across the ocean. Well, I did not cut trees by hand and make my own raft, but I did get to sail across the ocean, and I never even left home. LOL

The first weeks verse is about laying down and sleeping in peace. My middle son has been having difficulty with this recently, and so this was a great verse for us to learn. They both love the songs (Steve Green is a favorite at our house anyway), and so we have listened to the whole cd over and over and over and over and over and over again (not trying to be redundant, but did I say that we have listened to that cd a time or two).

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you how it is going...or maybe I just wanted to write a post so you did not think I had forgotten how. Either way, here it is.

Hope you all have a good day.

sounds like a very successful time for you guys!!! wonderful!!!

Oh Martha,

I so enjoyed your check-in! I am getting ready to start DITHOR next week and I'm looking forward to it. I don't know if I'll start with biography, historical fiction or Adventure?

PS- I know it's tricky getting all the different forums down, but this would normally go under weekly check in! (warm smile) That way when people come to the board and are interested in HOD, it's a place where all the check in's are together and they can easily go through and catch the big vision. (Big Warm Smile)

Btw, do you know I've NEVER read Johnny Appleseed?

So glad you are enjoying it. I loved your story about sailing on the ocean.
Isn't it wonderful when they get to see the adventures they can have with books. Glad you are back to the board and so glad you are enjoying Beyond.

Marty,

It sounds like you're having so much fun! I'm so glad you shared with us.

My boys loved doing the continent activity too. Those boys love all of that movement don't they!

I had to smile when you shared about your son taking comfort in the Bible verse for the week. My second son was really struggling with bad dreams when we did that verse, and he has been so comforted by it ever since!

P.S. I'll move this post over to the check-in, so other moms can be encouraged by you too!

Blessings,
Carrie

We officially finished Little Hearts today! Yea!! I know this is a big no-no, but with the impending option of public school looming ahead of us, we did the last 2 weeks in one so that we can move more quickly into Beyond.

Highlights of the week were trying to carve a face from clay like Mt. Rushmore and trying to create something from the cornstarch and water mixture. I have to say, the cornstarch experiment was super fun (and super messy) and was a perfect ending to Little Hearts....we have truly loved every day of this book! I especially enjoyed the last chapter of History for Little Pilgrims....we had some very deep discussions.

We have everything ready to start Beyond on Monday and the kids can hardly wait. I have to say, I'm pretty excited about it, too! We have already started our Singapore books and that is going great. We also started the emerging reader Bible last week and that is going great as well. We had been easing into the easier spelling lists, and I've discovered that we need to do the second list...which was a pleasant surprise. I think Monday will go fairly smooth with everything moving into place.

We haven't discussed that they may be going to ps this fall with our kiddos yet. I'm starting to regret some of the negative things that I have been guilty of saying in the past about ps. I have also learned that "never saying never" applies to everything!! I am sure that God will use this experience for good, and I'll be able to look back and see His perfect providence for our family!

I go for my blood test the first week of July (3rd I think) to see if my radiation treatment was successful....I don't want a do-over on this one! I am ready to get started on my medication and (as Mary mentioned in her post) feel normal again.

Well, that's our update! I'll try to remember to post here more often...I always forget to post a check-in! Have a great week-end everyone!!
Mel

Mel, Glad to hear that you have completed Little Hearts.

Karen

Oh Mel! Congratulations on finishing! I am so excited that you get to start Beyond on Monday! We'll be doing the same core!

Melanie,

I'm so excited that you have finished Little Hearts! It sounds like you and your girls have made some wonderful memories and have had precious heart-to-heart talks along the way. It also sounds like your sweeties are very solid in their skills, so you are doing a wonderful job! We have to remember to take time to rejoice along this journey, so I'm so glad that you shared!

We're continuing to keep your family in prayer for your health and for your upcoming school decisions. We know the Lord is faithful!

Rejoicing with you and your girls on your completed guide today!

Blessings,
Carrie

I just have to agree that reading Helen Keller was a hi-lite in our year. Even though we began BLHFHG in March at unit 15, we went back and read that anyway...and the kids loved it!

Ok, I know that this is suppossed to be WEEKly check-in, but this is more a recap of our first 2 weeks.

We started LHFHG last week. Dd is loving it! Ds is loving joining in for the rhymes and story (and that he doesn't have to share the play-doh while big sis is "in school" )!

Even though we are now on unit 2, dd is still doing the rhyme in motion from last week all by herself (well with her brother) on her own time...she thought "God's Creation" was great fun! Her favorite thing to do with the memory verse/bible study was when she got to through socks into a basket before saying her verse (which she remembered very well!). What a great way to also work on gross motor skills! She also loved when on day 5 we did a video of her saying her verse and emailed to some friends (who also loved it!).

Today we added a little project of our own to the phonics. Today we just did review of yesterday so I told her if she got all the sounds right she could make mosaics of each of the sounds. Needless to say there are now 4 new mosaics on my hallway wall.

Here are some pictures of our first 2 weeks!

Evelyn making her history picture to depict that Christ is the center of history.


hopping to Austrailia (rhyme in motion)


Some of our school stuff out and about


Working on the phonics mosaics today


Mosaics proudly displayed (along with the days/weather)



Thanks Carrie...we are having such fun with this!

Hello,

This is the first time I am writing about our week. We are in week 21 of LHFHG. My ds of 5 absolutely loved the archeological dig. We only some old couscous and it worked great.
My ds of 3 loves to participate with any of the activities especially the Rhymes, Science and the scripture memory activities. He usually also likes to pick one from a previous week. Even my dd of 1 joins in for the rhymes.

We love doing the activities they are easy to do and quick.

Have a great week everyone and Happy 4th of July!

Kelly, I LOVED your two week update! I can tell that HOD is a perfect fit for you guys. Your little girl is just precious! (Now I know why God didn't give me girls.., they'd get away with EVERYTHING! Cause they're so cute

Sandra, I am so glad you shared your week. I can't wait till I use LHFHG next year with my youngest. I love doing things like archeological digs!

Mary's Weekly Check In~ FINALLY!




This week we just dipped our toes back in, after a short break. This activity was one we had not gotten to before I had to stop and so we reviewed by using the questions at the end of each chapter. I was amazed by how much the boys are remembering and I'm convinced that it's because the literature and the hands-on, tie in so well.

In an effort to cut back on my blogging time. I have gone back to doing week in review. Here is the link to more pictures:

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/556890/

We've been off for 3 weeks, now we'll be on for one more week after this and off again for two because of company, our homeschool convention and Mad Science week at our church, but we finished the "Early Reader's Bible" this week and my dd said, "NOoooooooo! I want to read it again". She loved it! And she keeps sneaking a peak ahead in Sarah Whitcher's Story. I'll have to hide book...some pictures are telling what's going on next.

We're also adding a few more projects since she's a junkie and made the Mayflower and the voyage as a review from being off of school earlier, out of an Easy To Make and Learn Projects book. She loved the footprints to the basket Geography activity in Unit 9, which is what we just finished. Neat idea, Carrie.

Ladies,

I loved your weekly check-in! It made me miss the school-time with my kiddos, even though we're enjoying our summer break! I'm checking in late, as we're working on wrapping up the final version of Preparing. But, I loved your sharing!

Blessings,
Carrie