Catching Up…Week 8

I’m so sorry to report that I’m a bit behind on my blogging.  My original goal was to blog once a week but now it’s more like twice a month.  I’m hoping to be able to carve out some more time to get back to once a week updates.  Fingers crossed!

Okay, so back to homeschooling.  This week started off with a bang as it was our once monthly visit to Crystal Springs Preserve.  The topic this month was “slimy monsters,” aka frogs and toads.  Here are some photos from the day, and yes, it did include touching and examining a dissected bullfrog. 

MONDAY

“B” and Little Bro checking out the American bullfrog insides…Love Little Bro’s expression…partly from the insides and partly from the “lovely” smell! 

                                           

The dissection (already done for us by the way) was just too much for Big Bro…so he waited outside until we were done.  So much for his career as a surgeon!  Later on our hike, we found the origin of the spring.  This is where Zephyrhills water comes from!  Water here is $.25 per bottle!

                           

My now-not-sick-to-my-stomach Big Bro…an 800 year old tree, too.

Checking out this really cool frog trap which is nothing more than a safe home on the bank of a pond for frogs to hide in and away from snakes.  Neat idea!  PVC pipe!

                                                       

A sweet moment between buddies and then between brothers. 

                                       

Checking out the naughty toads taking over Florida and eating all of our native frogs

                           

                                                         And now lunchtime!

                              

TUESDAY

Big Bro hardly working, oops, I mean working hard.  :)

 

                                        

We went to a drummer’s circle called Hands on Heroes at Ruth Eckerd Hall.  The topic was bullying and how to help other’s who are experiencing it and how to recognize it within yourself.   Absolutely well done!  They even had (top photo) a group of youths who were in a detention center for bullying (and other type things) who are now teaching others the devastation created by such actions. 

                          

                                            

WEDNESDAY

Can’t find my photos for day at co-op, I guess.  Or maybe I didn’t take any which would highly unusual.

THURSDAY

I had a dr.’s appointment today and was gone all morning so Dad was in charge.  So no pictures from the morning lessons.  All independent work, though, for Big Bro and play time with Papa all day.

 

A little one on one time with Papa…Ala is enjoying her treat Papa brought her :)

           

Preparation for the Fantastic Florida Fair with a homeschool group.  Our topic was “Unique and Quirky Facts about Florida” which was fun for all of us to learn about.  Other topics students had were:  lighthouses, backyard animal friends, Seminole Indians and other similar topics.  Ala loves to help!

                             

Big Bro giving discussing his project with a family.

                                      

After the demonstrations the younger kids went outside for a little free play.

                                                                  

FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY

This was the highlight of the week…a camp trip with about a dozen other families.  We went to an awesome campground and actually stayed in a cabin for the first time, primitive, yes, but oh so fun!  Here’s a few highlights from the trip:

Cabin and potluck dinner the first night

 

Time for bed

I think someone takes his job a little too seriously!  Rest time with his girl!

It’s lunchtime…grilling their dogs.  Our wonderful friends…great time together!  Played canasta and Catch Phrase together at night…lost miserably…although in our defense, we had only played once in close to 4 years.

A sweaty, grimy but happy boy!

Tin Foil Cooking…Yummy!

S’mores by the campfire

Jiffy pop camp popcorn…great!

We had so much fun there.  Very relaxing.  The boys all (ALL the kids in camp) brought bikes and since we had the whole cabin area reserved and it was gated, they had the full run of the circle drive around the cabin area.  It was great!  Lots of time for just enjoying the wonderful weather we had and great company.  The last night, Daddy and I sat by the campfire after everyone had gone to sleep and saw a huge deer walk in front of our cabin.  He stopped and stared at us and then went on his way.

Until next time,

Crystal

The Comfort Zone---Week 6

WEEKEND

We spent Saturday at Nana and Papa’s house just chillin’ out and checking out their new bathroom redo.  While there, Nana graciously offered to address and stamp all 50 postcards we need to send out for our exchange!  Wow!  That was certainly a timesaver for me!  Thanks, Mom!  Gotta love it when the grandparents get involved with homeschooling as well! 

MONDAY

We began the week with a bit of  a surprise for the boys.  Big Bro has worked so hard for the past six weeks and one of our homeschool groups planned a trip to Adrenalina so I thought I’d take him to surf some waves.   (Adrenalina is an indoor surf shop in our local mall.)  He was super excited when I told him where we were going since he’d never been!  Little Bro has also been working hard and adjusting well to all the changes so I had a bit of a surprise for him as well.  I took him to Build A Bear.

                        Surfer Dude!                                                                      Ride the wave, Big Bro!

                    

Little Bro with his new friend, Fluffy!                              True love…with a Nascar shirt and all!

                       

TUESDAY

An art lesson (stealth bomber, of course) in between core classes

                                                        

Here’s “B’s” day with us this week:

Playing “Pet Shop” with Webkinz                                         Planes, trains and automobiles

              

 

A nice morning bike ride (sorry camera fogged up when we went outside) down street

              

These two are photos from last week’s co-op…forgot them on another camera

Little Bro’s new “school uniform”…lunch is pizza on Wednesday!

                               

Big Bro’s new lesson in science is on Energy…so we took advantage of a drive (after having some wholesome conversation) to Nana and Papa’s house to watch an awesome DVD about how energy places a part at Disney….very fascinating and even kept Little Bro’s attention

                                                                                                     Just a cute photo of Ala checking us out                   

Seriously, just cute photos of both boys!

                            

A fun listening activity for the two younger boys, but the two older ones took part as well.   Basically, the tape plays a sound like a dolphin, a telephone, rainstorm, etc. and you check to see if it’s on your bingo card.  They really liked this game and let me say, it wasn’t as easy as you’d think! 

Nice break from the computer for Big Bro…on a side note, have found out this week that his laptop which was a gift from Nana and Papa (muchas gracias!!!)  for school is not only faster than mine but also has newer softer.  We secretly use it at night when he’s asleep!

                    

                                       

One of Big Bro’s assignments was to demonstrate his knowledge of energy (potential and kinetic) in whatever form he chose.  He, thanks to Apple Camp this summer, chose to make a movie using a bow and arrow to demonstrate.  So here’s Dad helping to repair the arrow and then he and Papa filming as he shoots and then explains on film the specifics of the science.

                    

WEDNESDAY 

Now the boys are so into co-op that by Tuesday night they are asking about the next day.  They’ve made friends and really look forward to getting together with them.  And a plus is that both enjoy their classes they do while they are their, too!         

                     

 

Big Bro’s favorite time is when Daddy works in the school room, too.  We are blessed and so thankful Daddy is so involved (and really believes in what we are doing) in the boys’ schooling!!  Thanks, Daddy!!

                                           Little Bro working on fine motor with a ladle and a container of rice

                                                       

 

After the rice, I switched to letting him use the ladle to scoop and pour water.  Of course, Ala thought that was her new bowl of water so Little Bro just gave her some!  Cute!

                     

 

Okay, so after co-op we headed to the Gastrointestinal doctor for Little Bro.  To help determine the cause of some existing issues, the dr. had us do a “clean out” of his system all day Thursday and half-day Friday.  So his new 36 hour diet was…4 oz. of Gatorade (which he hates, I mean hates) with 17 g of Miralax every hour, for food he was to eat broth, jello and gummy bears (because they dissolve once eaten).  So to make it less painful Daddy and I followed along with him and what he had to do.  (NOTE:  we did sneak snack food when he was occupied in another room and Papa took Big Bro out to lunch.)  We had no other food out, no cooking, no microwave, no drinks even other than Gatorade.  By the evening, he asked “Can I have a cracker?”  He was so sweet…he knew he couldn’t have anything else.  We tried to make the stuff he could sound exciting and special, but really how many gummy bears can you eat without being truly hungry?  So following his x-ray on Friday, we took him to Chili’s for some grub! We were so proud of how well he did during his dr. imposed fast.

THURSDAY

                      

Broth, broth and more broth                      We tried to keep the activities light for the day.

Learning some very important skills on Friday morning…organization!  I had

him take each course and divide his material up according to module and hole punch and sock it away.  The funny thing was that unbeknownst to us that afternoon one of his assignments for a class was to look for a particular print out.  The catch was that he was to do it in 30 seconds or less.  The task was to see just how organized the student was with their work.  So he asked me to time him and this is his time.  He was pretty proud of himself and I think he learned the true value of being organized!  Let’s hope it sticks! 

 

                  

Doctor was the word of the day on Friday as Big Bro had his yearly recheck with his eye doctor.  We go every 6 months to a year to make sure his year of Vision Therapy is holding up well.  He got a good report today but he does need a new pair of glasses and an updated prescription.  We also learned that he needs to use his lapboard for the computer while working (photos and explanation next week when school is back in).  So good visit! 

  

Okay, so we are hoping next week is filled with less doctor visits. 

Until next time,

Crystal