Weekly Homeschool Journal

November 12-December 1

In Our Homeschool This Week:

chocolate play-dough, chocolate pudding finger pudding, more chocolate books with vocabulary words and follow-up questions

Tornado said this about his bell pepper slice, "It looks like lungs!"

Thanksgiving morning: while I cooked, the kids colored their Native Americans and also put these hats together.

They joined us for our Thanksgiving meal.

Tornado had two big reports due for homeschool co-op: one on the state of California and one on Zebra Finches. He chose Zebra Finch over any bird in the world. Those of you who know him will understand why. He loves mixing silly things together, and it's silly to him to think of "zebra" mixed with "finch." He did a great job with his reports, although I felt like I was in college again after helping him with them. And I loved his visual aids. We printed off an actual size finch and made realistic size and colored clay eggs, picked grass, a Zebra Finch's choice for nest, and he glued it all onto a thick piece of cardboard.

His visual aid for his CA report were pages of collages - he loves making collages - including pictures of earthquakes (which is why he picked CA, of course), state facts, and one of our trips to California.

Peeking in on Sissy at Preschool:I always enjoy watching Sissy with her friends. I took several pictures of these two, whispering to and giggling with one another at their Thanksgiving feast.

She has been blessed with very sweet friends at school.

Extracurricular Activities This Week:

Dash,

Sissy,

and Tornado at homeschool gymnastics

In Roni & Ghetti's Life This Week:
The girls got cleaned up and groomed for $70. And as irony would prevail, one of them peed in their crate the very next morning, even though they haven't done that in months. Ryan and the boys had to give them another bath. Sigh.

Preparing for Christmas This Week:

I broke a door off my Advent Calendar cabinet last year, so I had to get something new this year. I looked around for the perfect one but didn't want to spend a lot of money. I have so many cardmaking and scrapbooking supplies, I was able to come up with this, only purchasing the pom pom fringe and alligator clips at Hobby Lobby with coupons.

Our fun holiday activity or gift is printed off on a card and clipped to the back of each number. I got a lot of my ideas from my sister Cary.

Every morning, they get to unclip a number, going backward, to see what we'll be doing that day. They are loving it. This was #25:

Are you as excited about Christmas

like me?

Open your first present;

it's not under the tree.

Where could it be?

My rhyming skills are impressive enough for the 11 and under crowd.

What We're Playing This Week:
I had to get permission to post this picture of Sissy because she's not wearing a shirt. I can't get her to wear clothes lately! I'm sure the childhood version of her Aunt Tracy will understand. She's always hot (but then she screams when I try to take a picture). That's why I can't post any pictures of them decorating our Christmas tree. Anyway, they are playing with first Advent gift, a Melissa & Doug wooden nativity set.

Speaking of her nakedness, this morning both she and her 6 year old brother were running around in their underwear playing "naked mole rat." They went on to explain it was really "superhero naked mole rat." And, "In our closet is our "strength" food." That helped explain why I saw them earlier go into the pantry, shut the door, then come out each with a cup of applesauce, which they ended up eating with no spoons. They were trying to capture their older brother who was also running around playing with them.

Dash came inside with two VERY sharp sticks, one sticking out at the top of his pants, as his weapons he was using one day. Yikes. I inwardly gasped, took a picture, applauded his creativity, and asked him to please find sticks that weren't so sharp to play with.

One of their favorite things to play is "Mom & Dad." But the other day I overheard them playing "Poor Mom & Dad." They said they didn't have any money or a car, they made a home for themselves outside, and they had to gather "berries, mushrooms, & other things to eat." (Of course, they didn't really eat them.)

Quotes to Share:

When I was playing with Sissy, she said, "I'm washing off the germs and chemicals...are germs and chemicals the same thing?" After I tried to explain, she said, "If you pick your boogers and eat them, you have chemicals in your mouth. And (brother) does because he does that."

My 6 year old said, "Momma, I wish I was older so I could marry you." Swoon!

While she was eating her Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, Sissy said, "Mommy, when we wake up, is it still going to be Valentine's Day?"

Linkin' up to the great:

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

Weekly Wrap-Up