First Day Back

 

 

The holiday break is over and time for school.  It is never easy to get back into the routine of a schedule much less a change in the schedule.  I am changing the time we do school with the new year.  We had been doing school after lunch, it worked well for us but we have some changes coming this spring and an adjustment in our schedule will be helpful. 

I have not made any changes in curriculum this semester just added a few things.   This semester we are doing a unit study and lap book on Japan.  My first lap book, I think I could easily come addicted to these, they look like so much fun to do. 

To ease back into school today I planned mostly fun easy things to do.  Today we are doing art class, start on the lap book on Japan, spelling via a new DS game along with some math and reading.  A very light and easy day to get back into the swing of things.  

 

Happy New Year - My 3 in 30 Goals

 

 

I have joined a group from twitter and other homeschool moms to help create small manageable goals that we can complete with the encouragement of others. To learn more about 3 in 30 click here.

We have a lot of changes coming in the new year and in order to adapt to those changes we need to make some adjustments.  This will be a great way for us to do that.

 

 Here are my 3 in 30 goals for January. 

 

1.  Stop drinking soda, of any kind.  I actually started this one the day after Christmas, so far so good.  I do miss my Diet Dr. Pepper though.

2. Start school before lunch. We have been doing school after lunch and while that is not a problem with some of the changes we have coming school before lunch will help. 

3. Start Project 365  I wanted to do this last year and never got off the ground with it.  This year I am making a commitment to give it my best effort.  One photo per day for 30 days is totally doable.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.  We will be taking a small break from blogging to enjoy the holidays with family.  See you next year!

Wordless Wednesday – First Snow

We are in the south so having snow at all much less in December is a real treat.  These are from early afternoon just as the snow had started. 




Then for breakfast the next day, a family tradition snowcream.





EDITED TO ADD  Snowcream Recipe

Big bowl of snow
1 can of eagle brand milk(sweetened condensded milk)

 Pour condensed milk over snow and add vanilla. Mix to combine. Serve immediately.


As my husband likes to point out you can used shaved ice and get the same result but that is not the point, you have to use snow.  It is a tradtion in my family with the first snow you make snowcream for breakfast. 

Christmas Break

We are officially on our Christmas break.  Although I plan on doing some reading, a little Astronomy and some math.  We are almost finished with astronomy so I would like to finish it so we can pick back up with botany for spring.  I have learned taking a long break from math is not a good idea, it seems to set him 2 steps back. 

We will be doing crafts, baking and enjoying the season.  We have already started on a few crafts which he has had a great time working on.  Such as the faux fireplace we built, he distressed wood and helped Dad cut the wood.  For instructions on the fireplace click here.


We made a Noel sign, which he does not like he thinks the letters are out of order.

We have started on his gingerbread house, he loves decorating one every year.

He signed his own name to our Christmas cards this year.  I started out getting him to write Merry Christmas and his name but you would have thought I was being cruel.  He does not like to write but signing his name he was o.k. with.  

I am looking forward to the break and the holidays. 

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Birthday

My little man turned seven this past weekend,  He wanted a skeleton pirate birthday.  He also wanted wanted the face for his piece of cake so we cut into the middle of the cake.

Thanksgiving Cooking

I know I am really really late with this post.  I have been sick for the past few weeks and am just now getting back into posting.  

We finished our Thanksgiving unit study for school by preparing Thanksgiving dinner.  He had the best time, he had to taste test everything.  He tasted baking powder, sweet potatoes, flour, powdered sugar etc.  He had fun mashing the sweet potatoes and pouring ingredients into the mixer. 
He mentioned several times he thought it was sad that the pilgrims didn’t have sugar for Thanksgiving and were not able to have sweets.  According to him that is the best part, I secretly agree. 
Here are a few pictures from preparing our Thanksgiving feast. 

His favorite to make – marshmallow salad



He insisted he could chop onions and they wouldn’t bother him.  Some lessons they have to learn on their own no matter what you tell them.  He did really well until he touched his face, I was not fast enough to grab his hand.  He handled it like a trooper but left the rest of the chopping to me. 


My official potato masher

Pouring and mixing


Learning to measure

He loved crumbling the cornbread


Taste Testing - Yum