Me reading time!

I'm at the inlaws. One thing that I like about time at the inlaws is that I manage to find some time to read, not just to Anna, but for me. It's a 6 hour drive to get to the inlaws so the reading starts on the drive here. Also, bedtime at the inlaws is 10-10:30pm, unlike my usual the 1-2am bedtime, so I get to read in my bed until I finally fall asleep. Also, I don't get to choose what I watch on tv so any time that I would normally spend watching tv, which really isn't much but it is some, I now spend reading. All that adds up to lots of reading time for me, and I love that, even if I am missing my TV shows.

A while back I received Trudy Morgan Cole's newest book Lydia, A Story of Philippi. I have really been wanting to start reading it but just couldn't find the time. Now I have the time, and, boy, am I enjoying the book!

I actually received the book compliments of the author. I participated in a challenge she had on her blog last year and my prize was this book! I was thrilled, because I haven't yet met a Trudy Morgan Cole book that I haven't enjoyed. And this book is proving to be no exception.

I'm only about a quarter of the way through the book yet, but it's only been two days yet, and I do still have to spend time reading to and occupying little one. If I could devote all my time to reading for myself I would be much further ahead. Still, I'm hoping that I will get pretty far through the book before the week is over.

I've come across a few quotes already that I think are worth noting. Here are some of them:

While Lydia and Luke were discussing the seemingly opposite teachings of Jesus saying that he did not come to bring peace, but Paul talking about the peace Jesus brings, Luke says "Perhaps He meant that following His Way would bring us into conflict with others, yet we would have peace in our spirits."

When Lydia was thinking about one of her fellow Christians that tended to rub her the wrong way she thought to herself "Being sisters in Christ was one thing, but even the love of Jesus didn't make it possible to actually love everyone."

In a discussion about what roles and responsibilities the Christians had Epaphroditus says "Our job is to tell people about Him so they'll be ready, not to attack the rulers of the world"

I'd say more but I'm being driven to bed again. Time to break out my little night light reader and get into the book again. :)

I don't want to go hunting!

I used to love hunting. Moose hunting. I've successfully shot a moose a number of times. One particular time stand out in my mind. One shot and the moose dropped right to the ground. It wa amazing! This year, however, I have no interest. Actually, my interest has been wanning a few years now. Unfortunately I have to go hunting this week. It started today. Bleh. I'm just not in the mood. Apparently I have to go again tomorrow too. Bleh! I'd like to get the moose within ten minutes and get it over with. I wonder will I be that lucky. Probably not. I'll let you know.

That's what's on my mind right now.

Yesterday's Library Loot

Where's Pup? by Dayle Ann Dodds, pictures by Pierre Pratt
David and Goliath by Mary Auld, illustrated by Diana Mayo
Song of the Circus by Lois Duncan, illustrated by Meg Cundiff
Norman the Doorman by Don Freeman
Birdsongs by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox, Helen Oxenbury
Ollie's Easter Eggs by Olivier Dunrea
Ollie by Olivier Dunrea
Where the Giant Sleeps by Mem Fox, pictures by Vladimir Radunsky
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems, pictures by Jon j. Muth
The Cow Love Cookies by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Marcellus Hall
Carl's Summer Vacation by Alexandra Day
Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer
Toy Story 3: A Read-Aloud Storybook adapted by Christine Peymani
Good Morning, Chick by Mirra Ginsburg, pictures by Byron Barton
Caramba written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
What Are You Doing Sam? written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Stella Princess of the Sky written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
When Stella was Very, Very Small written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Stella Fairy of the Forest written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay

Will I Nano this year?

NaNoWriMo time is coming close. I've given it a try a number of years but I've never actually finished. To be perfectly truthful, I don't get very far. For some reasons, though, I just can't seem to resist given it a try.

Last year I found a site which I used to help prepare plot notes. There were daily assignments for the month of October to help you get ready for writing in November. I'd really like to try that again, but I can't seem to find the site. Grrrrr....

That's what's on my mind tonight.

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!

I love it when Little One says something that is inspired by a book we have read together. That happened just now. I was sitting at the dining room table on my laptop and there was a bag of Christy's Chunks Ahoy! sitting on the table. Little One came by and reached into the bag while saying "Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!"

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! happens to be the title to a book that we read recently by Candance Fleming. This is a cute story about a man that has to war with some hungry bunnies while he tries to grow a vegetable garden. Little One loved the book. We've read it a few times. We especially like making the sounds the bunnies make as they invade the garden.

I love that I knew what was on her mind as she reached for the cookie and said "muncha, muncha, muncha". She often does that, repeats a phrase from a book that we've read. I'm glad we get to share those special moments reading together and that they allow for more special moments when we get to share a secret that others might not fully understand.

That's what's on my mind tonight.

Submitted to, and included in, Carnival of Homeschooling #253

Wanna win some Fudge?

Check out the Happy Birthday contest at DownLoad N Go.   There are a number of different ways to get your name in for the draw.  Be sure to check it out.

While you're there, check out DownLoad N Go.  It's a great idea by Amanda Bennett, unit study queen.  I attended a webinar presentation by Amanda tonight and she said that DownLoad N Go takes unit studies to the next level.  These are downloadable unit studies complete with web links to helpful resources.  They look very interesting!

I completed the 90 Day Challenge with One Day to Spare!

I learned about Amy's, from Mom's Toolbox,  Bible in 90 Days Summer 2010 Challenge the very day that it started, July 5, 2010.  You can read my post about joining the Bible in 90 Days Challenge by clicking on the words.  I seriously wondered if I could do it, but I completed the challenge today, with one day to spare!  I actually read the whole Bible through in 89 days!  I still find it hard to believe.

I truly loved this experience and I will be doing it again.  Actually, Amy is starting another challenge January the 3rd.  If you are at all  interested or curious about it, be sure to check it out.  I challenge you to take the challenge yourself.

There were over 600 people that signed up to take Amy's challenge.  As people report in about finishing she is adding their names under the Bible in 90 Days Summer 2010 Grads list on her blog.  It is amazing to think that so many of us did this together.

I have to say, that I am proud of all those that took on the challenge, even if they didn't finish.  Sometimes life gets in the way of your plans and you don't get to do the things that you really want to do, but you shouldn't let that get you down.  The time that you did take to read your Bible was profitable and I'm sure it helped you grow in ways you may not even realize.  If you happen to be someone that took the challenge but didn't complete it, chin up, don't get down on yourself.

Today's Library Loot

Some of these we have read before.  I'm getting less picky about that.

Arthur Babysits by Marc Brown (boardbook)
The Best Pets Yet: A First Book, Set 2 by Foster & Erickson, illustrations by Kerri Gifford
Busy Little Mouse by Eugenie Fernandes, illustrated by Kim Fernandes
Peek-a-Little Boo by Sheree Fitch, illustrated by Laura Watson
Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon
One Ted Falls Out of Bed, by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Anna Currey
A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp by Denise Fleming
Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
Buster by Denise Fleming
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming
Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming
Time for Bed by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jane Dyer

"....in it's own time."

One of my favorite books from our latest library visit is Once Upon a Time, Upon a Nest by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Rebecca Harry.  I love this book!

The story is about a little duckling that is behind its siblings in everything right from the start.  Her daddy worries about it and wonders if she'll ever catch up.  But her mommy keeps saying, "She will, in her own time."  And sure enough she does.

I love the message of the book!  Each child will develop in their own time.  Don't get caught up in comparing them and expecting them all to develop at the same speed.  Relax and let them develop at their own speed.

Love it!

Math turned into Art

I am sure Little One has an artistic bent.  Our walls are full of indications of this.  :)  Seriously, from a very young age she has loved to draw, color, paint, create and I have been amazed by many things she has done.

One day last week we were doing a page in the Kindergarten Scholar work book I picked up at WalMart a while back.  It was a math page on identifying geometric shapes.  There was a suggestion at the bottom of the page to use cans, bottle caps, etc, to trace around to make a bunch of different sized circles on a sheet of paper.  Little One loved doing this and we filled our paper with circles and that was that.  Instead of doing a whole lot of different sized circles we used just a couple of different sizes but we used different colored leads to trace around them  A little later in the day I found the page of circles sitting on the bench in the porch, but the circles now had faces in them.  I thought it was very cute.  She informed me that it is our family and the Reids, friends of ours that found come visit.

Palette knife painting workshop

This is what I created during a palette knife painting workshop that I attended today.  Doug Downey is a local artist that uses a palette knife to do his impressionistic style paintings.  He has started offering day long workshops to anyone interested in trying the technique and I was privileged to sit, well actually stand, in on a workshop today.

I say stand in because Doug actually encourages his students to stand, rather than sit, while painting.  I'm not used to being on my feet for such a long period of time and I'm also not used to having footwear on for such a long period of time.  My feet were burning by the end of the day, but it was worth it.

Today's Library Loot

We read all the books we had out and needed new ones so off to the library we went.  Here's what came home with us today:

Spot's First Easter by Eric Hill
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., pictures by Eric Carle
White if for Blueberry by George Shannon, pictures by Laura Dronzek
Chicken, Pig, Cow and the Purple Problem by Ruth Ohi
The Queen's Feet by Sarah Ellis, illustrated by Dusan Petricic
Ben Over Night by Sarah Ellis, illustrated by Kim LaFave
Watch out, Little Wombat! written and illustrated by Charles Fuge
A Number of Numbers by bp Nichol, pictures by Michelle Nidenoff
Brady Brady and the Most Important Game by Mary Shaw, illustrated by Chuck Temple
The Boy Who Loved Bananas by George Elliott, illustrated by Andrej Krystoforski
Once Upon a Time, Upon a Nest by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Rebecca Harry
I Love You Always and Forever by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Daniel Howarth
Home to Me, Home to You by Jennifer A. Ericsson, illustrated by Ashley Wolff
Thing-Thing by Cary Fagan, illustrated by Nicolas Debon
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak
Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert

I hate technology!

I know, I know.  In my last post I was gushing about how much I love technology, and it's still true, but it's one of those things where you have a love hate relationship at the same time.  Technology is wonderful when everything works right but it's a royal pain in the backside when it doesn't work.

Tonight I was reminded of the hate side yet again.  I had power cord trouble again.  I don't know what it is with me and power cords but I am on my 4th power cord in less than 2 years, and the one I'm using now my husband has had to repair 3 times.  Thankfully he was able to repair it again tonight.

Why can't I get a cord that will last forever?!  I'm so fearful that one of these times the cord is not going to be fixable and I'm not going to be able to find a new cord that fits, or I'm not going to be able to afford to buy a new one.  So far so good, but how long is it going to last.  Hopefully forever, but I guess time will tell.

That's what's on my mind tonight.

I love technology!

I recently participated in my first webinar courtesy of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.  They are hosting an online homeschool conference called Schoolhouse Expo October 4th-8th.  The webinar that I participated in was part of their first preshow on August 24th and featured presentations by Jeannie Fulbright and Dr. Jay Wile. The next preshow is coming up September 21st and I can't wait for it!

Thanks to the wonders of technology I get to sit in my home in Newfoundland, Canada, and connect with other homeschoolers across the world and sit in on presentations by some veteran homeschoolers and experts in their fields.  I love it!

A few weeks back I listened to and enjoyed the interviews made available by Kerry Beck during her Homeschool SuperHeroes Week.  Every weekday, excluding weekends, from August 23 - September 3 she made available an audio recording of an interview with a homeschool superhero.  I missed the first day or two because I didn't find out about it until after then but I did manage to catch them all once I heard about them and I found them every inspirational and encouraging.  The recordings of the interviews are available for purchase and I was considering purchasing them to loan out to friends but when I asked if that was permitted I was told that they were really meant for single family use so I didn't get them because I had already listened to the interviews live and had notes taken from them.

I also participated in Kerry's Start School Year Right This Year webinar this week and once again I was inspired and took lots of notes.

Just this week I discovered something else exciting!  The Old Schoolhouse and HomeschoolBlogger.com have joined together and are offering a number of Free Classes!  There is a schedule of classes on the site and more are added to it from time to time. I participated in one this week and I'll tell you more about that in a bit.  I also discovered that you can check out classes they have done in the past on their Recorded Free Classes page!  This really is a great resource.  If you can't actually make the class during the actual presentation time you can always check it out later when the recording gets posted to this page.  I will definitely be checking out the classes that I missed.  Actually, I already did check out the "Level With Me About Math" - Can I really Teach It presentation and I loved it!

The Free Class I participated in this week was called Quizzy's World and Cram Stoppers.  The recording of the presentation isn't up on the Recorded Free Classes page at the time that I'm writing this but it will be there later and it is worth checking out.  During this presentation I learned all about Quizzy's World, Cram Stoppers, and Quiz Infinity.  The first two sites were created with the purpose of helping students learn how to study properly and to help them master their learning.  Quizzy's World is especially for grades pre k-8 and Cram Stoppers is for highschool and college students.  The idea is that students learn how to use material they are studying to make quizzes for themselves, thereby learning to master their material.  It really is a great concept.  Quiz Infinity is a site for teachers, including homeschoolers, and tutors.  There is a 30 day free trail to the first to sites but Quiz Infinity is free, at least at the present time.  It really is worth checking out, but you probably won't get to really understand it and appreciate how useful it could be until you see the presentation about it.  So watch for when that is available.

One advantage to participating in the Free Classes live is that they sometimes offer free giveaways during the live classes.  I actually won a lifetime free membership to Quizzy's World in the class I participated in.  :)

I just love technology!  That's what's on my mind tonight.  :)

How big is a whale?

Our local homeschool group went on it's first field trip of the year today.  We went to visit the newly opened whale pavilion in a nearby community. Hanging inside the pavilion is the complete restructured skeleton of humpback whale.  Everyone enjoyed the information shared by the worker on duty.  She shared information about humpback whales in general and also about all the work of volunteers that made the display possible.

I noticed a poster on the wall that I had seen before and brought it to the attention of the group.  The poster shows all the whales that are known to travel the waters around Newfoundland and the drawings are all done to size to compare to a drawing of a moose also on the poster.  Most everyone in Newfoundland is familiar with the size of a moose and when you see the size of the moose compared to the size of the whales it is very eye opening!  The moose was the size of the fluke on the tail of one of the whales.  Pretty amazing to think about.

That's what's on my mind tonight.

Today's Library Loot

Sally Goes to the Vet written and illustrated by Stephen Huneck
Wiggle by Doreen Cronin, Art by Scott Menchin
Daisy Gets Dressed by Clare Beaton
Goodnight, Me by Andrew Daddo, illustrations by Emma Quay
Please Say Please! Penguins Guide to Manners by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
Please Play Safe! Penguins Guide to Playground Safety by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
I Already Know I Love You, by Billy Crystal, illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles
A Child's Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Kady MacDonald Denton
Martha Speaks: Meet Martha, written by Karen Barss, based on characters  created by Susan Meddaugh
Silvery/Good Night, Good Night by Dennis Lee, illustrated by Nora Hilb (A board book)
Clap Hand by Helen Oxenbury (board Book)
Pinkalicious: School Rules by Victoria Kann
Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon! by Pat Cummings
I am Going! by Mo Willems

My thoughts on dentistry

I am not a fan of dentists.  I had a very bad experience when I was a teen. I had dentistry work done without being properly frozen. I told the dentist that it wasn't frozen but he chose to ignore me and proceed.  It forever scared me and that is part of the reason for my dislike of dentists. But it goes beyond that.

I don't think that we are all meant to have the same perfectly straight, perfectly white teeth and it really bugs me that that seems to be the goal of dentists these days.  I think that the way your teeth are is part of what makes you unique.  I happen to have what is sometimes referred to as fangs.  Now days if you have fangs you are encouraged to have them removed.  I'm not interested in having my fangs removed.  They are part of me that makes me unique.

That is just some of my thoughts on dentistry.  I have many more, but I'll leave it at that for now.

That's what's on my mind today.

Little One is so Eager to Learn!

I thought we would start out slow and gradually introduce more learning into the day, but Little One just wants to get to it!  She flicks through my plans in no time, and leaves me scrambling trying to get more for her to do.  It's so exciting!

One of the things we did today was work on one of the readers. What's the Weather Like?, that comes with the Weather themed unit at Kinderplans.  We printed off the pages, colored them together, made them into a book, and then read the book together.  Later, when we had reading time, she asked me to read it to her again along with the library books that she had chosen to read.  When Dad came home she read the book to him all by herself!

Tonight before she went to bed I suggested that she read a book to me and then I would read a book to her.  One of the books that we got out of the library this week was All Fall Down by Helen Oxenbury.  It is a book of few words and I thought it would be a great one to work on her being able to read all by herself.  I read it to her the day we brought it home and the next day I typed up with words and printed off two copies, one to cut into strips and one to keep whole.  Yesterday I helped her match the word strips to the book and we read them together.  Then I showed her how they matched the words on the copy I printed and left whole and we read it again.  I put the book, along with what I had printed off into a ziplock bag.  She discovered that bag this afternoon and took it out and read the book to me with very little help, but she wasn't interested in matching the strips.  Tonight this was the book she decided to read to me and she read it with no help at all!

I know that at this point some of it is simple memorization of what is on the pages based on the pictures.  I also know, however, that some of it is actual reading because she is pointing out the words and correcting what she says based on the letters she sees.  I just love watching her learn!

That's what on my mind today.

I'm so tired!

It's been a crazy busy day.  Little one was very demanding today.  She wanted to do school and I was doing my best to keep her happy.  We covered a lot of stuff.  It wore me totally out.  I lay down to read tonight and fell asleep and slept for about 2 hours!  Meanwhile she was still going strong.  There's something wrong with this picture.  I think tomorrow I'll try to find ways to wear her out so she'll want a nap.  :)

That's what's on my mind at this moment.

Today's Library Loot

For Anna:
Animal Song, adapted and illustrated by Marcia Sewall
All Fall Down by Helen Oxenbury
Later, Rover by Harriet Ziefert, pictures by David Jacobson
Animals should definitely not wear clothing written by Judi Barrett and drawn by Ron Barrett
Seal is Lost by Priscilla Galloway, pictures by Karen Patkau
Rat-a-Tat, Pitter Pat, sounds by Alan Benjamin, pictures by Margaret Miller
Very Last First Time by Jan Andrews, illustrated by Ian Wallace
Mother Hen's Canada by Kenneth M. Mercer, illustrated by Clara (maher) Dunne & Danielle Dunne
Father Fox's Pennyrhymes by Clyde Watson, illustrated by Wendy Watson
Look! I Can Read by Susan Hood, illustrated by Amy Wummer
Clifford's Busy Week by Norman Bridwell
Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Carolyn Bracken
Arthue Writes a Story by Marc Brown
Brachiosaurus text by Lucie Duchesne and Andrew Leitch

And renewed for me:
Love in a Time of Homeschooling: A Mother and Daughter's Uncommon Year by Laura Brodie


I wonder will I get a chance to read any of my book this time.  Since we've been home from the library we've already read the first 6 books in Anna's list, and if I'd listened to her we would have read more, but my throat needed a break.  :)