Olympic Picnic After Homeschool

On Monday (sorry, just now having time to organize pictures), after our homeschooling day experience we gathered with about 6 other families for an "Olympic Meet & Greet Picnic" hosted by our local WADI, who works with McKenna once a week through home visits. The kids had a great time and the adults got the chance to visit, too. Thanks to Miss Angel and all the WADI staff who provided a delicious ham roll-up meal for everyone!

The Teacher Has Class

Maddy thought it quite funny, and loved the idea of her "skipping" school on Friday so that she and Kenna could stay with Nana and Papa for the day while I went to the local junior college to take the first day of a 2-day Food Service Sanitation class. Even the thought having to "make up" her work didn't bother her.

When I came home from the 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. class with homework on the first day, Maddy again thought it was funny. I wasn't laughing as hard - I had 112 pages to read, 33 essay questions to answer, and was supposed to be at the Friends Trivia Night to help with concessions and I was in charge of the Table Decoration Contest at 5 p.m.. Maddy offered to help me with my homework, and I may have taken her up on it (well, probably not) except that she was already in bed by the time I got back home from the Trivia competition. The girls had stayed home with Alan. I got started immediately on my homework (actually took it with me to the Trivia, but there was no time for studying there, plus a storm came through and the power went out in the town...but they continued to play Trivia thanks to cell-phone lights and flashlights). Enjoyed Pizza Rolls the girls had left me for my supper while reading. When the instructor told us it would take, at a minimum, 2 to 2 1/2 hours to do our work, he was serious. It was 2 a.m. before I was finished - 5 hours! A friend of mine who also took the class and was in charge to the Trivia concessions, told me she was up past 2:30 a.m. and didn't get her questions finished.

But I am very happy to report that, although our grades from the state won't be back for 4 - 6 weeks, I am confident that I passed the Food Service Sanitation test. Which means now I go apply (once the Certificate comes back) for my Cottage Operations permit. My goal is to be able to sell baked goods and produce at our local Friends Farmers Market to bring in a little extra income. My ultimate goal is become a licensed facility so that I can also create and sell my own spice and tea mixtures (and start a small family business). Little steps while homeschooling a kindergartener with a 3 year old, too. But one of these days...

Counting - And Eating - Bears

Math & Mexico

Just a glimpse at our homeschooling experience today...

In math we used pattern blocks again. After putting together various triangles, squares, and rectangles, and then being told to "make something with your pattern blocks that is different from what you did yesterday," our 5-year old came up with this. Can you see the turkey? I'll give you a hint:  it's wearing a hat. Still don't see it? Try this view: 4 tail feathers, the body, the head with the hat on it, and 2 legs. Good job Maddy!

and...

During Social Studies, we learned about the children of Mexico. We discussed how the children in Mexico and the U.S. are alike and different, their clothing (sombreros, ponchos/serapes, and Maddy has a hand-made dress from Mexico), some customs of Mexico, their language (which Spanish is one of our regular subjects), their food, and about Cinco de Mayo (celebrated by local Mexican restaurants). And of course, what study of Mexico's children would be complete without piñatas (Diego and a monkey)? We also located Mexico on the both the world map and on the North American map.

Maddy's Spanish, in two days, has reached...
      ¡Hola!
     ¿Cómo te llamas?
     Me llamo Madison.
     ¿Cómo estás?
     Either:  Bien.    or     Mal.     or     Así, así.
     ¡Adiós!

First Day Of School

We had a great first day at Sisney H.O.U.S.E. When I went in to wake the girls up, they both jumped up, all excited and ready to go. They enjoyed Maddy's favorite link sausage and biscuits for breakfast (both declined eggs or anything to go with it). We had our Bible study on Genesis 1. Both eagerly got dressed for school and we were ready for our 8 a.m. "Morning Meeting" a few minutes early.

Our Morning Meeting consisted of attendance, calendar (day, week, month, and school day count), our weather chart, the Pledges (American, Christian, & Bible), prayer, and then "A Manner A Day".

The rest of our day included art, math, handwriting, science, reading, Spanish, social studies, computer, music, journaling, and P.E.

When we started out for our first recess break, Kenna informed me, "We can't go to recess! You don't have a whistle!"

And we finished just 17 minutes over our projected "school's out" time of 3 p.m.. Not bad for a first day!

The room is ready! So am I!

The desks have been moved into the family room, the chalkboard wall is drying, and the bulletin board is in place. The "Alphabet and Numbers" posters are in place on the wall and on the desks. Students' names are on their desk (even though Kenna is still preschool age - at 3 -  she also has a desk that she may "join" in anytime she would like to).

The nervousness at being out of practice of homeschooling and at teaching a kindergartener has subsided and the enthusiasm has kicked in. Maddy' s excitement over the first day of school arriving is contagious! Can't wait to get started!

Vintage School Desks

Went by a friend's home (they bought an abandoned junior high) and picked up 2 vintage student desks and wood chairs. This was a local junior high school that my husband went to and Maddy and Kenna thought it was so neat to get desks that their Dad may have used "to school in". We plan on cleaning them then painting them, but for the first day of school on Tuesday, they may be used "as is". A busy weekend!