Light Day

Definately a light day.... We had Zulu staying with us overnight, so in the morning they played. After lunch, I had had enough, and so Mike took over, and I had a nap for a lot of the afternoon!

Later on, we went for a drive - we went by the waste water treatment plant (we went by a different one yesterday on our trip to Zulu....) - and so we had another discussion (a review) about it. We also discussed (not for the first time) the electricity towers.

Before bed, I got out the "Hop on Pop" book I had taken from the library, and Delta read some of it. I think he found it kind of cool that he could "read" some of it (although it was hard work....). And he had me read another book I had taken out. It is also a beginner reader - "The Bernstein Bears go Up and Down" - but I just read it to him. He took that one to bed with him....

We haven't practice the violin for days!!!

Disapproval

Yesterday:

Did the reading cards with Delta and Echo, and the scripture mastery. It was cute, I started with Echo doing the new scripture we are learning (we now practice the one we sort-of have down every other day as well....) - and Echo was saying that she wanted to do "Moroni". (our first scripture is in Moroni....) LOL

I also stopped at the book and got a few books that Delta might be able to read on his own with my assistance.

Then we went to Zulu for a daytrip - and visited with Mike's sister.... and proceeded to get told that we need to stop (having kids) - and she also was not happy to hear that we are homeschooling. Mind you, this is the sister that is mad at us since about a year after Delta was born.... so whatever.... but still. Mind you, it was nice to hear Mike defending homeschooling instead of me. (well, we had a discussion with his brother and his fiance about it - but they were doing the whole discussing it like they are interested type of disapproval instead of the straight out saying we are wrong method.... you guys know?

Oh, and when we went outside yesterday, there was a fresh layer of snow - and Delta noticed right off there were paw prints right near our door. I thought they looked like mouse (they seemed pretty small to me) - but Mike said they were probably rabbit....

Later

This evening while Mike was cooking, Delta got out the "House at Pooh Corner" book and wanted me to read more, so we read about 1/2 of the next chapter.

Of course, he would want to do it while I'm trying to watch my TV show! LOL

Later

I forgot - we also worked on the scripture memorization - and I think we have the first one memorized....   (well, I seem to have it memorized, and Delta was able to put in the missing words.... I doubt that he could say it by himself.   Echo is good at repeating after me, which is all I expect....)    So I've put that into position to be practiced on "Odd" numbered days....  and we started the next one....

 

And Delta has done that "Traffic Jam" puzzle on the computer again!

Great Day

Having a good day I guess - didn't start off looking great - but is going good now!

 

The kids were colouring, and Delta was making letters, and asking me what it said.  He did STOP first, and TOP, and HOT, and a bunch of nonsense words too....  but it was cool.    He also on his own made 3 of his puzzles, and is currently making a train track.

 

I did the word cards with both of them - and tried not to help Delta so much with the blending.   I think I'm going to get from the library a few Dr. Suess books (we have a couple, but the one I know would be great is missing....).    I'm thinking I've got to get "Hop on Pop" as there is a lot of words in there that he would be able to work out.   Also, I think maybe Green Eggs and Ham - because although there are more words he doesn't know, I know it has very limited vocabulary.   I'll have to look.

 

We got distracted from the word cards, as a machine came by across the street to break up the ice and snow in the ditches.   (In our neighbourhood, there are no storm-drains - we have a sloped ditch that works its way to the river....  but in spring it is all blocked with ice and snow, and so the water from the melting snow on the yards would overflow if the ditches aren't broken up....)   So we watched from the window for a few minutes.

 

So then I read the other half of the story that we are in the middle of in "House of Pooh".   Delta listened to most of it pretty good - got distracted on and off.  Echo pretty much just went off and played, but that is fine...

 Anyway, after lunch, I figured it was such a nice day outside, that I'd take them outside for a bit.  The porch has cleared etc, so I figured I could sit and read.  Well, I got ambitious, and took them for a walk for about 1/2 a block.   Delta picked up a bunch of rocks and threw them in the water in the ditches....  Echo did some too.   Delta also enjoyed finding tire tracks.... ok, maybe not exactly nature study, but it is observation anyway!     We didn't go very far though - this is the first time I felt up to trying any walk at all!    So we came back, and I let them play in the snow in the backyard for a while and I sat on the stairs.   Delta then needed to go to the bathroom, so we came around the front (easier to keep track of them...).  Besides, I could hear the machine coming back.   So they played in the snow out front (harder on me as there is water puddles in the front too....).   Then when the machine was getting near, they were sitting beside me on the stairs - so I tried playing a memory game with them - it went not too bad for a first run.

 

It was basically you say "I went to the market and I bought..."   normally you would have to do it alphabetically (which is easier to figure out what is next.....)  but of course we didn't do that part.  although it happened to start that way....    We got all the way to "I bought  Apples & Bongos & Cheese & Donuts & Mittens & Mommies & Eggs".   I did a bit of helping them remember, but not too much.   By then, the machine was visible.  So we watched the machine - and we waved when it was by our yard, and the machine operator waved back.

 

So - that is our homeschooling so far!

 

oh, plus a discussion with Echo....  I asked her where the water came from that was on the yard - that it wasn't there the other day...  she didn't know.... so I explained that the snow was melting, and that it turns into water.

 

and of course we discussed (more with Delta) why the machine was breaking up the ice....

 

"D" and "E"

I printed up more reading cards for Delta - turns out he knew the sounds the next 2 letters made   (one was "D" so that didn't surprise me, and he was SO excited that we did D....  the other was "E" (as in bed....)

 

So we went through all the new cards....     and although we will be reviewing them the next few days - in the program we are doing, that means he will be starting sentances next!   He knows 15 letter sounds, and about 100 words.   The problem I see is that he still isn't blending that well - I think I've helped him too much with the blending....   So I've got to get him working better on that - but he tends to want to push on instead....

More Blending

Sounds great Sally!   it is amazing how much they can learn from things around them.

 

So far today, I did reading cards with Delta and Echo - I added the "G" sound and words to Echo - will take a bit for her to get it I think....    Delta did a bunch - has no problems with the sounds, but still needs more practice blending.   I'll need to print more cards I think....  he is getting pretty close to the point where he switches to sentances....   

 

We also did the violin practice, and work on the scripture we are memorizing.  

 

I wish I felt better, we would do a lot more outside if I felt that I could walk for more than a house length!     Maybe if I even got something comfortable to sit on, they could do more in the yard....