SCHOOL BREAK!!

Our school is having a long break due to Christmas and packing. So I won't be posting much of anything. Actually, I haven't been able to add a counter to this blog so I'm not even sure if anyone is visiting!! ;0)

Isabelle and Anna are still reading to me daily. And in addition to Isabelle's reading and WRTR (which we're not doing right now) I'm having her do Phonic Pathways. It reminds me a little of what she worked from this summer (PACE and Master the Code). Its really all review but I can see it clicking even better this time around.

I'll be ordering some stuff for Sophia and Kolbe. Its so easy to forget them. I REALLY need to replace alot of my board books. Some of them are missing parts. Starting in Febuary (after we're unpacked) I'm setting up a schedule for them also.

Blessings to you this Advent/Christmas season!!

More Charlotte's Web Reading

I almost started crying today while Isabelle was reading to me. A year ago my crying would have been a sign of fustration and disappointment that I hadn't taught her better and/or she wasn't reading better.

Today, as she was reading, all of a sudden she slipped into the most smoothest, fluent reading (at a higher reading level than normal) for an entire page!! She was just reading smoothly, with intonation and a steady speed. I hugged her and whispered to her that she was reading wonderfully. I'm seeing her confidence grow. She is still bringing the book to me every night. I'm no longer scared about her future. I now know that she just needs time and constant reinforcement as well as consistancy on my part.

Charlotte's Web

Isabelle has started reading her first "real" chapter book. Her motivation is that she gets to go on a date with daddy to see the movie Charlotte's Web when she completes the book.

She is trying hard to finish as fast as she can because its already in theaters!! And she's working hard, too! All without me nagging or reminding. I can't even begin to express my joy.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We will be reading Tomie de Paola's book and continue with our Christmas cards. We're also making Flan, a favorite Mexican dessert.

Later we'll watch the CCC video of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We will also give my sister a call, named after La Virgen de Guadalupe.

Christmas Cards

We're doing light school work this Advent which mostly involves the Tomie De Paola unit study. This week it says to read his Lady of Guadalupe book and make Christmas cards. It also suggests making flan. HOW FUN!!

Except we need 50+ cards! So other than making flan tomorrow, they will be making my Christmas cards this year! Its neat watching them color their best because they know other people are receiving these. Our cards will either have Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Nativity scene. We will then use stamps to put "Merry Christmas" on the top. A family photo will grace the inside and .... a letter if I can get that done! I think I might just have them start making my Christmas cards for me! So much more personal than store bought ones. Of course it helps to have a lot of colorers! I don't know that we will get all 50 cards and I might have to go into my stash of clearance cards I bought last year. I'll try to get a sample card up soon.

Brain Games

Here's a link to cool brain games!! I especially enjoyed doing the jigsaw puzzles. The girls should enjoy these games. I'm always looking for "brainy" type games.

The Elf That Hated Santa Claus

by Isabelle Smith (age 8, 3rd grade)

Once upon a time there was a elf. And the elf hated Santa Claus. So one day the elf did not work! And that was a bad thing. Because if a elf does not work, on Christmas the boys and girls will have no presents and if the children had no presents thought the elf the children will hate Santa Klaus and they will not want Santa Klaus. And that is just what the elf wanted so the elf said to all the other elfs that they did not have to work.

So the other elfs believed him. And the elf said that every day. And when it was Christmas there was no toys made for the children. The elf thought that they hated Santa Claus but they did not. The children just thought that Santa Claus could not come. The elf was surprised.

Why didn't the children hate Santa Claus? The answer was because the children were just happy to have baby Jesus in the manger, and the have one another. The elf was confused. And he felt bad. He told Santa Claus what he had done. He asked Santa Claus to forgive him. And he did but Santa Claus said that he had to make toys for all the children and he did.

And they all lived happily ever after.

The End.

Cursive Handwriting

Now that Isabelle can write in cursive she wants to write all her work in cursive. But it takes her twice as long. Do I let her? I'm letting her copy her spelling words in cursive and I sometimes let her do English in cursive, it depends on how much time we have.

And her narrations are sometimes in cursive.

I'm glad she's enjoying it. Last year I couldn't get her to even start. Now, its the "fun" part of school work. I owe it all to Handwriting Without Tears.

Week 15

We are starting Week 15 in our Mother of Divine Grace Syllabus. Actually, Isabelle is starting week 15. I have no clue what week Anna is on. She kinda messed it all up by finishing 100 Easy Lessons a month ago. So I will be starting her on Sound Beginnings (from 2nd grade lesson plans). We do Singapore Math so that's not in the sylabus either. She's finishing her 1st semester book in a few days. Anna's doing okay! I'm just following her lead and not the syllabus.

I'm so proud of Isabelle this year! She has really put her nose to the grindstone, with tears and all. We'll be taking a break from school in 2 weeks. I had planned to take it easy but now that it looks like we're moving at the end of this month (or early next) I think we'll take our break then.