Oh, we need rain...

We're at about 30% of the average rainfall for this time of year. I am enjoying the gorgeous, sunny, warm weather, but I am really hoping for some good rain!

The kids are enjoying the Netherlands so far, so much so that we've decided to extend our studies of it another two weeks. We have read a number of books, looked at art by Dutch painters (among them Piet Mondrian and Vincent van Gogh). We are starting The Wheel on the School today as a fun read aloud. Because this book is centered around storks, we're suspending our nature studies to study storks. I also hope to take the kids to see the Santa Venetia levees in the next week or so, in order to teach them more about dikes protecting low-lying areas. If we can't make it, I'll do a sandbox project with them, which we may do anyhow because it would be fun. It would also be fun to take them ice skating after reading a (modified/shortened) version of Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates. Thankfully we live quite close to an indoor, year-round skating rink!

School for me is off to a decent start. My classes are both going fairly well, though I have a lot of reading to do! I really am trying to follow more of a day-to-day schedule, though it doesn't always happen ;) I have little gaps of time that the kids are in a class, or at my mom's, that really help with studying (and sometimes housework). By the way, does anyone that homeschools really completely keep up on their housework?

And in other news, my dad loves his new place. Our new budget at home (a la Dave Ramsey) is working beautifully - we are starting out February ahead of the game. My winter veggie garden is going insane with our current weather. I really wanted to do tulips this year, but the weather has just been too warm overall, so I'll have to put them in the fridge for a few weeks to fake winter. And that's it from our neck of the woods.

Reading Lists 2009-10 Academic Year...

These are selections I plan on using, though things are always subject to change around here! I'm sure I'll add in more short read-alouds, etc.

the Elf:
The Mouse & the Motorcycle (rest of series as desired)
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Chitty, Chitty Bang-Bang
Black & Blue Magic
The Indian in the Cupboard

the Fairy (Read-Alouds):
Little Bear series
Miss Rumphius
Selections from Andrew Lang's Fairy Books
Gudgekin the Thistle Girl & Other Tales
Dragon, Dragon & Other Tales
The Classic Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen
English Fairy Tales
The Book of Fairies
Various library books

Family Read Alouds:
Half Magic
Danny, Champion of the World
The Five Children and It
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Saturdays
The Tale of Despereaux
The Phantom Tollbooth

Family "Read Alouds" on Tape:
We're now listening to The Chronicles of Narnia on cd

Please note: This list doesn't include history read-alouds, science read-alouds, etc.

Annual angst...

As always this time of year, I am looking ahead to next year and trying to figure out curriculum. Do I continue with Oak Meadow, even though for us it means a fair amount of supplementing/substituting at this point? Do I write my own, as I did with science and social studies this year? So, I am putting books I may like to use on hold at the library. I am making a list of Oak Meadow's pros and cons. I am re-reading my Charlotte Mason books and The Well Trained Mind.

I do know what I plan to definately keep at this point... Saxon Math works really well for us, and Explode the Code has been good for both kids. I really like Houghton Mifflin's Spelling & Vocabulary - Phonics in Action for first grade too. Handwriting Without Tears has always been good too, and I plan on introducing the Elf to cursive next fall.

I think my main problem in planning is that I feel like I am jumping off a cliff if I just piece together my own stuff, you know?

Phew!

We moved my dad yesterday. It took all day, but went surprisingly well. He enjoyed the food in his new place, especially this morning's champagne brunch (which he gets every Sunday), and the fact that he gets weekly housekeeping. We're heading back over this afternoon as there are any number of small things he needs from his old home, and so that the kids can see their grandpa's new place. I have to admit, I am in absolute awe at how much stuff he has built up over the years, and how much of it he's now willing to get rid of.

I have also finished my blog renovations, at least for now. I like how it turned out!

We are finishing up our studies of Russia today with a Russian dinner. Tomorrow we're off to the library to turn in all the books from that unit, and then we start our tour of Europe with the Netherlands for a couple of weeks (see sidebar for a sampling of titles we'll read). I decided over the last couple of weeks that the time has come to set a schedule at home, with actual lesson times and everything! Part of my organization binge!

In other news, I am over the cold now, thankfully. It was a brutal one. I am so glad the ikids seemed to have steered clear of it. I start my Saturday seminars again next week - only 4 meetings this semester instead of 5 like last semester. I have already started the additional class I am taking - Regional Geography (to satisfy world cultures requirements). Looks like we'll be watching a lot of videos in this class, plus the professor has all sorts of exciting stories to share about backpacking all over the world - something I only wish I could do!

Well, off to get ready to descend upon my dad's aprtment, kids in tow!

I love Amazon....

Just pre-ordered this book. I am so excited! Of course, I have months to wait...

Other than that, I am still working on my blog. Had to remove my booklist for now as it wouldn't display properly. And I have a massive cold, so it takes me a long time to do anything that takes thinking.

Under reconstruction...

As you can see, I am freshening up my blog in honor of the new year. Hopefully, all links will be reinstalled and up and running soon.

Hope all is well with you!