Letter to Lou- 6th Grade

Dear Lou, 

For 4 years now, I have been able to witness every step of your learning. My only regret, Every. Single. Day, is how I wish I could have homeschooled you from day 1! But God had a plan, and though, its been 4 years, our journey of homeschooling each year, feels like its just beginning, and I think its because God is doing a work in Both of us, and I am so excited about learning what else he has in store to mold each one of us into the Women of God he has called us to be. 

I started off writing this explaining to the blog world about what you have been up to, but as I ended the post, I felt like I needed this to be for you, and not just about you. I spend a lot of time sharing about what the boys do, and new ideas for tot trays, but I want you to know, even though you are getting older, I still love watching you learn. Sitting back and seeing you play and hearing your ideas. I love that you are 12 and still love to play just as much as your brothers. I love your adventurous heart, and your hunger for learning.  Here are some of the things that you have done this month that I loved watching you do, and explore.... 

Here are somethings my Big Girl does, don't let 6th grade fool you, she loves teaching and helping, AND participating in most activities I do with my little ones :) Here is a Wrap Up of some of the things Lou has been doing and Learning :)

You are never too old for Water Beads...

In Science, she is learning all about the Human Body with Apologia Exploring Human Anatomy she has done lots of experiments regarding the body, here Lou, along with her cousin, (who is also homeschooled) are making a edible model of the Human Heart using Graham Crackers, Marshmallows, and icing. 

Some Dramatic Doctor Playtime, as Doc Cowboy, and Doc Butter work on Lous kneecap to see if she has any torn ligaments and if she may need surgery ... 

Here we are using the Magic School-bus Science Kit - Human Body. It provides all the materials you need to do their experiments. Here the kids are making a ball and socket joint, using a ping pong ball, tape, and a rolled up piece of construction paper. 

Cowboy and Butter love participating in all of Lous experiments, and I am so glad they do! They are learning so much just by wanting to be "Big" like their sissy. Here Cowboy and Butter are learning what a ball and socket joint is and moving it around to feel what it does. 

Yes Mommy even tried too =) 

I love when my kids use their imaginations!! Lou has an excellent imagination, even at 12 years old she still has the best ideas and it really gets the boys excited! This particular morning, the kids made pancakes, and had a tea/breakfast party for their stuffed animals.

Cookie Monster of Course was very excited and pretty much ate all the pancakes =0 

I love these two girls they are such a blessing! They love helping and teaching right along with me! The boys really love them and I am just so glad they have excellent loving roll models !! Who still love to play like the little ones! Here they are sorting and playing with water beads.

Art Lou is painting a pumpkin while the boys play with playdough. 

Beautiful Pumpkin! 

Working on a reading and writing project where she writes a story and also illustrates it then she will present in front of class. 

Here she is presenting us with her written and illustrated story 

 Exploring!!!

This was not an assigned thing- this was FREE TIME! Her good friend Chrissy was over spending the day with us, and they decided to go "exploring" they ended up finding an old Turtle Shell. This really sparked Lous interest, So they started observing it and pulled out books to learn more about turtles... I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING!!! This is a perfect example of why I love it so much :) Freedom in Learning. 

Lou pulled out her microscope and looked at different parts of the shell, then looked up in her skeleton book to learn more about turtle skeletons.

 Playing Hi-Ho Cherrio with the boys because she is just an awesome sister like that! 

Decorating Felt Pumpkins

 Yes, I know.. Boys and Fingernail Polish??? But hey, shes gotta get practice in right??? HAHA -  we just paint their toes, who cares, they are little and I think its awesome how its times like these that make memories for a lifetime!!! I can hear Lou now telling their future wives about how they used to beg her to paint their finger and toe nails! They absolutely love it! And I think it is ADORABLE!!!  

Lou is a Girl Scout, and this month she Bridged from a Jr, to a Cadette!! She also received the Bronze Award which is a very great honor in the Girl Scouting Community and takes a lot of hard work and dedication, I am very proud of her!! 

Ice Cream Truck comes down our street... and the days that we catch him, I end up with 3 HAPPY- smiling fudge faces!!! 

Clay Model of the Brain

For history we use Story of the World Vol. 1- We are studying Ancient times. Its for all ages, and the boys even do the maps, and coloring pages that correlate with the lessons. Though they are still too young to grasp everything, they are learning a TON with Lou about history!! 

Bible- Who is God- Apologia

Gin, Lou and Butter are acting out a skit, on how would you tell someone about Jesus? How would you know if they knew him? What questions might you ask them? I don't have very many students, but when we have an extra over for a day, we make the best of it! I love watching them act out different skits!! 

My Beautiful 6th Grader!! Your doing so much this year and learning a ton. I am so blessed to have you as my child, my helper, but most importantly, my very closest friend... There is just something about moms and daughters and the bond they make. Each day, I try my very best to be there for you, show you how crazy I truly am, and teach you how to be a wife, mother, and friend. I know I fail... A WHOLE LOT- and I am by no means perfect, but if not for grace... I just pray the very best over your life in hopes that you grow up to be a Godly Little Lady.. So far... I could not ask for anything better than what the Lord placed in my hands 12 years ago.. You are Wise beyond your years..and just an amazing human being... I LOVE YOU!!!

Note For Lou:

         The Very Tree of Life

proverbs 13-18 

You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom,

    when you make friends with Madame Insight.

She’s worth far more than money in the bank;

    her friendship is better than a big salary.

Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth;

    nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.

With one hand she gives long life,

    with the other she confers recognition.

Her manner is beautiful,

    her life wonderfully complete.

She’s the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her.

    Hold her tight—and be blessed!

 I love you my DEAR SWEET Lou! 

~Love Mommy~ 3-5-2014

First look at the 2013-2014 School Year

All in One

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This post is of our first few weeks of school, I am just putting it all in one post because I am lazy and need to play catch up :) This year I am trying and testing workboxes with Lou and Cowboy and tot trays for Butter. The main planning focus for me this year is Lou, who will in the future have her own separate posts from the boys- because for Cowboy and Butter, its still so much more important to me that they play and explore than do paper work. Although Cowboy BEGS for School Work! It still is not mandatory or a requirement that he does anything as far as I am concerned because I know he learns best by exploring things at this age, but I will say that it makes me so proud that he WANTS to learn! Then Butter, well he is all about making a mess, digging in everything and trying his best to fit into this new world of homeschool. So I would say hes pretty much doing what any 2 year old should be :P 

Here is what our first few weeks looked like! 

This is our setup in our schoolhouse this year... (if you are not familiar with our schoolhouse it is a rv that we renovated and made into a schoolhouse.) I am terrible and only took one picture that doesn't even show everything but here is a general Idea. To the left of Lou is her Workboxes, and I used an old toy organizer to hold Cowboys workboxes on the right. Butters tot trays are to the left as well but I didn't get a picture of everything together... maybe Next week!

I am still undecided as far as a base plan for Cowboy. I only say plan because I like to be organized and prepared for each day ahead of time. I know he LOVES doing his school work, so until he stops showing interest in his workboxes, I will continue to fill them up! So I am starting the year off with Raising Rock Star Preschoolers Curriculum from 1plus1plus1. I also pull a lot of things from online and another resource book called Do and Learn Preschool.

Coloring his Letter A Bible memory verse "A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath" Proverbs 15:1

 Q-tip Painting Letter A Sheet while Butter plays with Busy Gears

Butter is doing Tot Trays, so when he is interested in doing school work, his trays are filled with Tot School Printables and Learning Toys. For this Tray he used the Melissa & Doug Alphabet Stamp Set to stamp on the letter a Apple. 

We talked about Apples and the Color Red. 

 When I am working with Cowboy or Lou, I try my best to get Butter involved in one of his learning toys like this - Rock-a-Stack while I work with them. It doesn't usually last very long, but I will take a few minutes over none !

Cowboy making some patterns with Pattern Cards using Domination game pieces. Butter decided he wanted to join in as well so I talked about colors with him and patterns while working with Cowboy.

Cutting practice with a matching worksheet 

C had forgotten how to do this Sequence Sorting puzzle and was being a real grump about it... so I gave him a few hints and told him he didn't have to do it if he didn't want to but he was determined to finish it (totally love that quality about him) so when he finally finished he was extremely proud of himself... Can ya tell?

Happy to be reunited with his Candy Construction set. 

Working on writing the letter A together :)

My sweet girl... doing her reading assignment... how she concentrates during it all.. I will never know

Butter mailing out his colored letters... telling me the colors as he puts them in the mailbox! 

Love his little expressions!! Dot Painting the letter A and loving it!! 

 Working on another Cut and Paste Worksheet putting together a turtle.

Talking about Letter A and telling me what kind of animal he sees! 

Butter Poundin Nails...

 Color by number Letter A Worksheet

Gems in a Treasure Chest - We did lots of counting, adding and subtracting- Butter did some sorting but mainly loved filling and dumping the boxes :) 

 For spelling each week I try and switch things up.. because spelling is just so boring and who likes to spell? So Lou and I played Zip-It on this particular day and she LOVED it, so when daddy got home of course she had to challenge him!! Each player gets 12 letter blocks and start at the same time to build a crossword puzzle board of words...whoever uses all of their letters to make a word board first wins and yells Zip-It! And gets to Zip the zipper up on the bag, the first person to 10 wins!

Lessons in Responsibility : Cooking on the stove... Lou is already pretty good with the stove but just as a review she made lunch on this day. Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese.

Sight word : Away

Cowboy READING yes that is right... READING on his own, the little reader from RRSP. He was so excited when he realized he could read a book! So was mommy! 

Counting to 12 on Abacus

Letter A Practice

Tech - K- 

Starfall, ABC's of God and Letter School Letter A on the Ipad. 

 Sorting by color- with Stack and Sort

Cutting, Taping and Measuring his Bible Memory Verse.

Apple 3 piece puzzle and order sequence- which after instructions... he put together ALL BY HIMSELF! 

Foam Magnets - Pattern Blocks with number 12 worksheet from COAH. 

C with his Letter A Certificate 

Everyone doing their own thing... this is my Class... and I love Them SOOO Much!! 

Sorry such a long post, I just needed to play catch up!! Hope you enjoyed a peek into our New School Year- In the future I plan on splitting up the Boys posts and Lou's for easier reference but also doing a week at glance- with all of them. Be sure to comment or ask any questions and I will do my best to answer! I love hearing from everyone and about what they are learning!!!  

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