Human Body Unit

I almost forgot to add a picture of our bodies for our notebooks.  Remember the story about our life size bodies that Anakin destroyed.  Well thankfully we had a body in the girls' notebooks as well.  They pasted in each organ as well as bones.  I think they understood their body systems better by being able to see how they are laid out inside.

Too Cute for Words

Lil is such a ham!!!!!

The Graduation Celebration

At the end of the year our Co-Op has a Spring Program.  Each class does a presentation to showcase something they have learned throughtout the year.  Lulu and Monkey both sang with their classes. 

We also have a Kindergarten Graduation.  Lulu did this last year.  This year was Monkey's turn.  She looked so beautiful!

She was very proud in her cap and gown.  So were Mom and Dad!

 

Lulu even played the xylophone!

After the Spring Program, we try to do something special.  This year we decided at the last minute to head to Cincinnati Saturday afternoon.  We stopped in at the Cincinnati Children's Museum and then went to a hotel.  The girls love staying in a hotel.  Then Sunday we spent the day at the Cincinnati Zoo.  I'm not sure who let these animals out of their cages.

At the end of the day when our feet were exhausted we took one final look at the animals, by way of train.

Pitfalls of Kittens

Our new kittens are very active to say the least.  They rip and run through our house like it is on fire sometimes.  Especially at night when I am trying to get to sleep.  The past eight weeks or so we have been doing a unit on the Human Body for science.   At the beginning I traced Lulu and Monkey's bodies onto large paper and hung them in our hallway.  With each body system we studied they added the corresponding organs to their body on the wall.  They were looking so good.  Next week we finish up and the girls were going to add a face (similar to their own) to their body and take pictures.  Well....not now!  Anakin tore them both to shreds.  He was jumping up the wall and pulling down on their bodies with his claws.  They had survived Lil but not Anakin.

At least they still have their body that they have been building in their notebook from Considering God's Creation.  When we finish those next week I will take pictures of the girls with them. 

Field Trip to Louisville Science Center

James has been working out of town during the week for a little while.  The only nice thing about it is that he has been working 4 - 10hr days.  So he has been coming home on Thursday nights and has a three day weekend!  So last Friday we took advantage of him being home and went to the Louisville Science Center.  It's not very often that Daddy gets to take a field trip with us.  We had a great time.  The girls really enjoyed all the interactive displays.  They also enjoyed building with Daddy.  Each one is pictured below with their own creations.  Lil is especially proud of hers!  Lulu built Luke's (a Star Wars character, of course) snow fighter.  James' creation is an AT/AT Walker (once again, Star Wars....Lulu is standing right here and told me what it is called).  Monkey's creation is an AT/ST Walker (more Star Wars....).   I tend to just take pictures and assist when needed.  And keep Lil from disappearing...

The girls also learned about static electricity from a demonstration.  Monkey and Lil both experienced their hair standing on end.  Of course, when I did it, James kept touching me so that I would "feel" the static electricity.  He can be a little rotten sometimes!  They also saw a demonstration on Shrinky Dinks.  Each of them decorated their own and it was made into a necklace.  Who doesn't love Shrinky Dinks?

Overall we had a wonderful day as a family. 

Easter Lapbook

The girls finished their Easter lapbooks today.   We had so much fun doing them.  We have been spending this whole week really studying Jesus' week leading up to His crucifixion.  God's love for us is so amazing.  He gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be forgiven of our sins.  Jesus came to this earth, the earth He created, to the people He created and they rejected Him.  They feared His power, they beat Him, they spit on Him, they mocked Him.  The same people that He breathed the breathe of life into killed Him.  Even when He conquered death and rose from the grave, people still did not believe.  And so many do not believe today.  It is so sad to know that a lot of the people I love do not know God.  God loves them with everything that is in Him.  He desires to have a relationship with each one of us.  And it is so easy.  Admit that you are a sinner.  Romans 3:23 says "everyone has sinned and falls short of the glory of God".  Believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that He rose from the grave.  Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Then confess Jesus as Lord of your life.  Romans 10:9 says, "This if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your hear that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."   That's it.  Jesus did so much for us on the cross and it is so simple for us to know Him.  Thank you Lord!

Here is Lulu's lapbook:

Here is Monkey's lapbook:

 

Have a great Resurrection Sunday!   I hope you spend your day in worship and praise unto God for all He did for you at Calvary!

Planning Time Again

It's that time of year again.  If you are like me, your school year has flown by.  We are already finishing some of our subjects.  And that means my mind is racing about what to do for next year.  What curriculum will I continue to use?  What new curriculums will I try?  What am I going to do the same / differently next year?  All those questions we all ask ourselves.  When I first decided to homeschool that was my biggest fear...what will I use?  There are so many great resources out there to choose from.  What if I pick the wrong one?  Four years later I still have the same questions flood my brain.  The big difference is that I know how to deal with them now.  As the questions roll in, I let them roll out.

I'm so thankful for the many homeschooling friends, mentors really, God has placed in my life.  I have learned from them to let things go.  My girls will learn what they need to know, they will succeed and I will not "ruin" them by keeping them home.  They will actually be better off by staying home. 

So, if you are feeling overwhelmed by all the material to choose from, relax.  Compare a few choices and pick one.  If it works great for your kids, good.  If it doesn't work great, no big deal.  Just change it a little or pitch it all together.  I figure we have wasted money on so many meaningless things in life if I loose a little on some curriculum, oh well.

JBQ State Tournament 2007

This past weekend was the State Tournament for JBQ (Junior Bible Quiz).  Lulu's team won 2nd place.  They were one question away from taking 1st place.  Her team consists of two 1st graders, two 2nd graders and one 3rd grader. 

JBQ is a great program.  The kids learn questions and answers about God's Word.  Each question has a "buzz in" word.  For example, one question states: As described in Hebrews, what was the ark of the covenant?.  The buzz in word for this questions is 'As'.  When the quizmaster says "As", the kids are racing to hit their buzzer first.  Then they complete the question and give the answer which is -- The sacred box which contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, the gold jar of manna, and Aaron's rod that budded.

It is amazing to watch young children recite details from the Bible most adult Christians could not recall.  The Word is in them and as a parent that is what I want most for my kids.  That they would hide God's Word in their hearts that they might not sin against Him. 

Lulu quizzes in the B league.  She has learned 288 questions.  There are 20 questions in one match.  By the end of the year, they can pull from all 288.  Monkey has been learning questions this year as well.  She will quiz competitively next year too.  When they reach 4th grade (4th-6th) they will quiz in the A league.  These kids have three levels of questions: 10 points (288 questions in all), 20 points (192 questions in all) and 30 points (96 questions in all).  The questions get much more detailed as the points go up. 

For more information on JBQ for your church, visit www.nationaljbq.org .  It really is a great program for all kids!