Worms and Ants

The whole family got to go to the park for a while today - and there was little tiny canker worms on the picnic table near where we were - the kids watched the worms for a good 30 to 40 minutes.... and tried giving them leaves to eat when their dad told them that was what they ate.

Later in the evening they were in the front yard, and took out the magnifying glasses, and spent a bunch of time watching the ants that we have.

Wish they didn't freak out at flies!

Park Day!

The other day was a beautiful day out! The whole family, (Mike, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Zulu, and I) went for a campfire at a nearby provincial park. Of course, it being the weekend and the first really, really nice day, it was very busy. All our good choices for picnic spots were gone, but we did eventually find one that worked out ok - except it was right beside the campground with a lot of traffic coming in and out. The actual campfire spot was far enough away from the road that we didn't have to worry too much though, as the children are good at following the boundaries.

Because of the traffic, the proximity to the campground, and our unfamiliarity of this specific site we didn't let the children explore out of the clearing, however.

I had bought a few little launch-airplanes from the dollar store, and those, plus a few soccor type balls kept the children pretty happy. We brought an old sleeping bag to put on the ground for Foxtrot so that she could explore without getting too dirty. She did wander off it a bit to experience some nature, but it made a nice base for her.

The children loved their hotdogs - Mike enjoyed his smokies.... and I had one of the meals I prefer on a campfire - a tinfoil dinner. I had 2 hamburger patties, some cut potatoes, and various cut vegetables, with some seasoning and a touch of BBQ sauce. It ended up cooked just right on the fire, and was a luxury.

We were outside for a few hours - although the son was VERY hot, and our site had no shade until the late afternoon. We ran out of water, but we did have enough with the other beverages.

Although it was after 6:30 when we were done, and Zulu had school in the morning - we still decided that the children (Except Foxtrot), and I would have a quick swim at the man-made lake at the park. It was quite cold, but very refreshing after the hot day. The children would have stayed there for hours I'm sure, but I kept it fairly short. It was still almost an hour I think before we were back in the car. We just put shirts back on over the swimsuits, and drove home.

I love "wild" days!

Found a Nest!

It would appear that a little bird nest has fallen out of one of our trees. I'm assuming it is an older nest - there is certainly no sign of any eggs. I noticed what looked like a ball of grass on our yard yesterday. Today, after a longer glance, I had a good look, and I'm sure it is a nest.

Tomorrow, if the weather is good, I'm going to have the kids examine it, and will probably draw it in my nature notebook.

First Day

Just started the year today.   Did the schedule I'd made up, but not everything on it.  I decided ahead of time to start with a few topics, and add more.  (I tried 1 day on the schedule in the summer as a trial, and have done some non-scheduled stuff in the spring.)   As we are doing Kindergarten, it was light.

 

Delta and Echo played with Lego in the morning (they got stuff given to them by my sister when she visited this weekend...) - while I fed the baby.   Then we did a shortened devotional, which included reading from the Book of Mormon (which I had tried the 1 day in the summer), and scripture memorization, and other stuff.    Then they practiced the violin.   They did their reading instruction.   Then Delta  had his first lesson from me on the piano and Echo played a bit on it.  

 

Later we went for a picnic lunch - a "not back to school" picnic in the park by a local homeschooling group.

 

Overall, it went fantastic!   Tomorrow we do "Day 2" of our 2 day schedule.... Math instead of reading.   Next week, I'll add in the handwriting, and/or the Life Skills / Handicraft into the schedule.   Once I've decided on our next literature selection (have already read a few), I'll add in that... 

 

With the reading, Echo was trying to guess a bit much.  (we took a break for a couple of weeks) - so I may have to back up on the sentences and practice words for a bit.     For Delta, I tried to find out where he was comfortable on the letter combinations - and start about there - but it was a bit hard for him.... so we backed up a bit - and I was pleased.   He was reading the words quite easily, and was pleased with himself.

 

He is excellent with his new lego - very good at making stuff to the directions, and ALSO not bad at making stuff himself....

 

Also, on the way back from the picnic, we heard Delta and Echo playing a game they made up in the back seat - and I'm impressed.... They both had 2 different "Arthur" books.... and they were playing "go fish" with the characters.    So, Delta would be on a page in his book, and say "Do you have a D.W."?, and if she didn't, she would say "go fish".  One of them would then turn the page, I think.   Not sure if there is any way to win or anything - but it was very imaginative!

Otter!

Had a good day - Delta got his Otter level in swimming. (yeay!) In the afternoon, we went to the Forest again, and collected a few flowers and some more leaves. The kids really enjoyed watching the grasshoppers as well.

Not much else I guess....

Raining at the Zoo!

Yesterday we had a great time....

The family (ie, Mike, the kids, and I) went to the zoo. Well, after we had been there a while, it started to rain lightly. We continued on a little bit, but then in started to rain a bit harder. So we worked our way (under trees) back to a shelter. It was kind of funny, because across from where we were sitting under a shelter, all the kangeroos in their fenced area where standing under a similar shelter.

So, we kept asking our kids to go out and see if it was still raining (it obviously was) - and basically encouraged Delta and Echo to go play in the rain for a bit. They loved it. So that was great, but then it was getting a bit colder and raining harder. I would have had us walk back to the car, except that poor Foxtrot would have gotten soaked too, even under a blanket. Mike took off the kids shirts, and dried them off with the 2 blankets I keep beside Foxtrot's head (I have a third that goes on her...). and fashioned the little blankets into a wrap-shirt type thing, so that made them warmer. (Mike had a plan before sending them out in the rain.) So we sit longer, and the rain is starting to slow down a bit.... when along comes a zoo person driving the covered tour trolley thingie. She asks if we want a ride to the gate (that is what they are doing) - so we get on. Rain still got on us some, but not TOO bad. It was cool, because she was driving around looking for more people, so we got to see a fair bit off the zoo at quick speed - all for free! Back at the gate, Mike takes the kids into the bathroom and puts the blow drier on them for a moment or two - then he goes and gets the van. We keep spare clothes in the car, so we had them change, and it was all good. (mind you, I was cold for a while, but oh well.)

The kids thought it was great! It is still raining this morning, and Delta wants to go play in the rain again!

I know it is kind of funny, but I kind of have a list of things I would like them to get to do this summer (it is in my head) - and playing outside in the rain is on my list

Simon Says

Today was swim lessons - I was kind of mad because they swapped teachers today from yesterday because one was sick.... and so this teacher let him have a life belt. (He is the smallest one in the class so they don't realize he is close to passing it....) - so it was pretty much a wasted class as all he needs to do is pass the unassisted floats when tested. The deck supervisor did get him out of it with about 5 minutes left.... and I think she watched him float again - but he didn't hold it good like he did yesterday. sigh.

In the afternoon we went to the park. We fed the ducks and watched them for a while, and then went for a bit of a walk. Just off the paved path near the duck pond, there was a small wooded area - and the brave mom that I am, I let them play in it (there were little pathways) as long as they stayed together, and checked on me occasionally and come when called. They did great, and had a fantastic time. I was pretty darned nervous.

Oh, and before we did that, we had another violin practice. I'm trying to get them in every day. I've been thinking that the whole thing just hasn't been quite what I'd expected - definately a bit different from when my sister took Suzuki 43 years ago! Mainly, I figure it should have been more fun, and moved faster. I'm wondering if we have the best instructor match for Delta. Anyway today I approached the practice by getting out both our violins, and suggesting playing Simon Says. Delta wasn't going to, but I said, well I need to practice, and got ready to start, and Delta grabbed his violin and did a bow. So we did a little simon says, and then he decided he was the teacher and played a pattern, then said "your turn". We did that for quite a while - and the main thing is that he was enjoying it. His technique wasn't great - but hey, he was playing and right now I think that was more important. Then later I was telling Mike about the practice, and Delta went and got his violin and played a bit for him. So I started showing him how to play a bit of Twinkle - and he was really thrilled.

I was figuring all along, well he is pretty much in the same level as the rest of his group class........ but I'm thinking now - most of his group class had the same individual teacher as Delta - and the OTHER group class was further ahead most of the way..... the reasoning given for that was that the other group class was mostly older, but now I'm wondering if the individual instructor is just a little to strict on technique so that the kids are held back from playing as she gets them doing everything just right. I don't want the love of the violin taken away from Delta, which was happening. Big problem - his teacher is now the director of the program, so I don't even know how to talk to someone about if another teacher would be better....

Campfire

Still going great

 

we went out the other night to a provincial park, and we had a campfire etc.  We stayed and looked at the stars, and located a planet too

Tentative schedule

Today went pretty good.  I have figured out a tentative schedule for the fall for how each day will go, and gave it a try today.  Although I had pretty short lesson periods scheduled, I will have to make them shorter I'm sure.

 

We started reading the Book of Mormon - we aren't doing the Book of Mormon Stories, we are reading straight from it.  However, I'm using suggested selections that are kind of the stories in the Book of Mormon.  Delta seemed interested, and listened well.  Echo wandered around.  I'd like her to sit an listen too, but will have to work on that I guess.   We also did the Scripture mastery practice too.

 

We did violin practice - Delta didn't really want to, but I went to some very basic stuff. 

 

Then I read them a fun book, one of there regular ones while I fed Foxtrot.  On one story I had Delta read a page, and I read the next, etc.

 

We did their sentences.   I also did some work with Delta on his handwriting.  I'm using a new program for that.  I don't know, he had done fairly well when I had him tracing, it is a lot harder to actually write without tracing.   I'm wondering if maybe I should alternate learning how to properly write a letter with tracing stuff that is interesting to write....  will have to think on it a bit.

 

In the afternoon, I took them, as well as Bravo and Zulu to the zoo.  Boy, Bravo sure does the zoo at a different speed then our family does!

 

This evening,  had introduced them to the piano method book that I'm using to teach them the organ.  (we don't have a piano...)  I'd use an organ method book - but I can't find any for kids - in fact I can't find any other than what I have already.   The one I have for piano is GREAT.   There are even some videos online to help the teachers some (which is great as I hardly know what I'm doing) - and it is designed for the young beginner.  It has cool songs, and teaches stuff slowly while still learning a lot.   I think I'll be able to do it for a number of levels.   Im not sure I'm good enough to play the teacher parts on all the duets - and darned if I can figure out how to fit 2 people on the bench....

 

I didn't do the handicraft item as I didn't have much in mind, and I didn't read the Beatrix Potter story I was going to because Delta wanted to listen to all the piano songs on the CD.   I won't be able to get everything done on the schedule every day right now because of swim lessons in the middle of the day, and Foxtrot still takes out a lot of time in the day.   But hopefully I'll be able to tweak things.   It is kind of hard now because I need to do everything with them.

 

My schedule has 2 different days, and I'll alternate between them.

The Forest

So today I took them to babysitting at the Y - and then we went for a walk in the forest. I've nver been in there before, it is really nice! We kept to a paved trail because I had the stroller, but it was a good 1.5km. I put bug spray on us (except the baby) - but it wasn't necessary, as there were no mosquitos. (which is funny because the trail we were on is named mosquito in the Cree language....) There were a lot of dragon flies there though - I think the city has put them there. So they eat mosquitos.

The kids really enjoyed it, and want to go tomorrow. I think we will - I might pack a picnic lunch, bring water, and maybe my nature notebook to draw in - and a book to collect a few leaves and flowers in.....

Berry Picking

Today was berry picking day! We drove to a U-pick place.

The kids loved running around the strawberry plants, and did a great job picking. They ate a few, but they mostly picked pretty hard. We drove to a different place for raspberries. Delta didn't like picking the raspberries because some of the plants were prickly, and he didn't seem to like the taste much either. Echo had a little pail for the raspberries, and was picking quite a way down the row from me. She would get 2 or 3 in the pail and then run to empty it into my big pail. LOL. I don't know if she ate a bunch of those or not.

While picking the strawberries, Delta asked me what "that" was - pointing at a strawberry plant leaf. I told him it was a strawberry plant, but he said "no - this" I did manage to explain that it was the same plant that the strawberries were growing on.

We also bought some fresh peas - and I had the pleasure of showing Echo the treasure inside! She loved it and ate a bunch. Mike had shown Delta, and he ate some too. (Mike has shown it to him before, in a snow-pea, but the regular peas are much bigger of course.)

Beach - well sort-of

Well, today we spent some of the time at the park - with the kids just playing in the sand and the grass (there was an area for beach-volley-ball - hence the sand....).   They spent a lot of time poaking around a gopher-hole.  we also got to see the gophers (from a different hole).

 

we also bought a cheap glockenspeil (a type of xylophone) and some kazoo's.   They loved both of them!

Delta doing great

 

Well, last night, we pressed Delta's leaves - they are now sitting between some encyclopedias

 

Echo is basically finished the letter sounds that are before the sentences in our program.  I'll probably keep her doing review for a bit though.   Delta is onto letter combinations - and his reading seems to have suddenly improved.  He still has to sit and figure a lot of words out, but it is going a LOT faster - he seems to have the blending concept figured out.

Swimming

[asked about what swim level the kids are in]

Delta is in Otters even though he isn't 5 yet - the non-parented lil'dippers and parented lil'dippers don't have a summer class at the same time, or even at times that you could put one in babysitting, get then changed in between, then have the other in babysitting!   Anyway, he is THIS close to passing Otters this time!  He has everything marked by the teachers - he just needs to be tested by the deck supervisor.   So they will test him first day of the next session next week.   So he will probably pass and get his badge, or else they will tell me what he has to work on.

 

Also - the teacher and deck supervisor have both told me that Echo should go into the non-parented lil'dippers (bobbers I think?) now even though she isn't 3.  She passed both levels of the parented one months ago, is tall enough to stand at the deep end of the kid pool, and is comfortable in the water and independant.

 

So, I spent a bunch of time today changing our summer swim times so that she can be in the non-parented, and Delta can still swim at the same time.   It'll be nice if it works out, as I can then walk on the treadmill!

 

This afternoon, for a few minutes, we went and collected leaves.  Delta has wanted to for MONTHS.  I'm going to show him how to press them later tonight.

 

Hopefully we will get in some violin practice (I've let that slide again - sigh) and some reading tonight - but will depend on Foxtrot.  I suspect she will want to eat most of the evening.

 

Oh yeah, Echo is so motivated on reading - she wants to do everything Delta does.  She is always the one that wants to do it - Delta needs coaxing a lot of days.  It just makes me wonder though - she is almost to sentences!   I think there is only 1 more letter - maybe 2???

 

a Few things

Well, it rained today, so we didn't get to do the leaf collecting that I'd told Delta we would do today.  Hopefully it is nice tomorrow.   Also, at swimming today, a lot of kids got report-cards with badges on them.  As Delta didn't, I assume he hasn't passed yet.  I'll be getting his report-card tomorrow.     I think he is just so skinny that he can't float yet, and swimming is harder too.   Oh well, he doesn't seem to notice or mind, and I'm assuming he is improving all the time....

 

Today was a BAD day - but did get some homeschooling in.  I'd read up on the writing program, and it looks pretty good.  It is setup to go along with a different reading program (but is supposed to be ok on its own) - it should be fine, but some of the terms and stuff is hard to figure out without using their reading program...  I did a preliminary exersize with Delta.   There is a bit of stuff I gotta do before really using it.

 

I also had Echo do a few of her reading cards - she now has over 100!  (I introduced "D" to her, and added those words.)    Delta also did some more of his sentences - which finished off the main sounds of the entire alphabet, along with a LOT of exceptions.   According to the book, he would be reading at a grade 2 level now!   But I don't think he is fluent enough to say that - so we need to work at practice.   

 

I also read him the Tale of Benjamin Bunny.  Oh, and they also played with the mosaic pegs.     I have in mind that when I'm working with one child, the other can play with the mosaic - but although I haven't tried that, I have a hard time seeing that working, as I think that they would both be wanting to play with it....   it is going to be so much fun trying to work out how to keep Echo busy when working with Delta, and the other way around!

Beatrix Potter

Tonight I read a couple of Beatrix Potter stories to Delta and Echo.  The Tale of Peter Rabbit - and one about a squirrel.... don't remember its name.

 

It seemed to me we did more - of course there was swimming.   Oh yeah, we also took a little walk down the street - Foxtrot in the snugli, and the other 2 kids walking.  It makes me sad to realize that I don't even know the name of many of the common weeds here!  

 

I also received a writing program I ordered a bit over a week ago.  I hope it is as good as I've heard.

Canola is not dandilions

We've still been taking it easy so far. Mike has been off the last couple of days...

Today we went to the playground - a different one from normal. Echo liked the clover growing in the field there, and had a close look at a bee (which made me a little nervous...) We also did a bit of driving around, and Delta pointed out the canola fields. (they are bright yellow - and used to be called rape seed). Even though he knew what it was last year, today he thought they were dandilions.... I told them what they really were though. And a bit further on, they were right up near the road, and he was able to see that they were different from dandilions - so that is cool.

Gotta get a routine

Well, not doing as well right now.... but they are getting a lot of run-around time (hey, phys-ed, right?) and a lot of it is outdoors.

We went swimming at the Y this evening - I heard Mike explaining something to Delta, don't remember what it was - but something to do with one of the toys....

I've got to get a daily routine going!

Harder words

Yesterday we went to the zoo - I don't remember anything specifically brought up, and we have been there before - but I'm sure they learned something!

 

Today they spent time outside....   We also had the opportunity to do reading and sentances.   Delta is doing great with his sentances - we did ones that introduce (amoung other things) the letter "j" - but he already knew what it "said"....   He is also doing a lot better at figuring out words, although a few still require me to help him put it together....   he managed, with some help, to figure out "jackrabbits" and other words like that.

 

He has done most of the letter sounds now.... I think there is "w", "x", "z", and "qu" left....   then it is on to combinations like "th" and "ch", etc.        He is also doing a lot more finding of words, and looking at books....

 

 

Echo is also doing well, and was able to handle the random words I got out for her.  I added the sound that "N" makes tonight - but didn't give her any words with it yet.   She is on card 66 or so, so she has figured out about 55 words or so (the other cards would be a simple letter).

Dandilions

Well, had baby circle in the morning - wasn't happy at all with the babysitting arrangements today for the older kids....  oh well.

 

Delta had his violin lesson - wasn't TOO co-operative, but did get a little done in review....  and this was his last lesson for the year.  We can pay for a few summer lessons - but it is basically it until September.   I had really wanted him to be playing Twinkle by now - oh well.

 

I also took Delta to the "old" baby circle - the one I attended when he and Echo were babies.  It starts same time as violin lesson.   Now that that is done, will probably move back to this one, as I prefer it, and so does Delta, and Echo likes it too.  Delta made something for Father's Day - it is wrapped so I have no idea.

 

This evening we went outside for a bit.  I drew some dandilions in my nature handbook.... and discussed with Delta how the seed is like a parachute so it can travel a bit.   We also got to see 2 squirrels chasing each other around one of our trees....

 

Overall a good day - but no reading work was done....