Home Learning Family Going Sane

Weekly Update - Busy Busy

2012-01-26T19:20:00.000-05:00

We had a busy one this week! I picked CJ and DN up on Sunday and we went full throttle from the get go! KM and I had started prepping her room for the big remodel to start on Monday and CJ took some time to prep the walls. He got both coats on the green walls completed and KM is super excited to get the purple walls done in a few weeks. Since CJ is only home two days each week he has to work in stages on this project and will be taking a week off in between so that we can do something else.

While CJ was painting on Monday KM, DN and I got down to work getting lessons done. For part of our history unit on colonial days we made bread and butter - both from scratch - and I didn't even let the kids use the KitchenAid - KM thought this was a bit drastic and DN was shocked that it took us nearly 5 hours to get a loaf of bread. KM brought up the fact that if we had been making it back then it would have taken even longer because the wheat would have had to been ground, the milk gathered and separated from the cows, etc. So even though we were doing it the "old fashioned" way we were still taking advantage of modern conveniences to do so - GREAT POINT!!! We finished prepping and getting ready for the Journey North Mystery Class which will begin next Monday and played Shopping Spree from the What's Your Angle Scholastic Math Games Resource. We also finished up a game of Trivial Pursuit Junior from the night before.

Tuesday the kids got some lessons done in the morning and then we headed to ice skating before we had to bring CJ back to work. I was really glad that we all had a chance to get back on the ice, especially with CJ with us. When we got back KM had just enough time to finish up her poetry for her skype class on Wed, before we had to get her to her friends for youth group. DN and I replaced a blown taillight on my car and had had a follow up conversation in regards to his interest in the armed forces, as he had not read either of the books that he had chosen from the library while he was at home. He disclosed that he feels as though the only reason he had any interest in the military was to impress his brothers and that it really isn't something he is interested in, so we are back at square one with no interest in anything. Not really sure where to go with this beyond keeping up with the core subjects to see if something inspires or intrigues him.

DN worked on some Manga High challenges, while KM finished some history Wednesday morning before her Poetry class and then we headed off to host a teen bowling event. The kids had a great time bowling and though it was a smaller group - 9 kids - it was totally worth it for me to set it up! After dinner I brought DN to swap back and ran some errands while KM finished up her lessons for the day.

KM and I went to see Joyful Noise Thursday. KM really enjoyed it and I was surprised at well it was done. There were a few bits that I just didn't get, but all and all it was worth the matinee. When we came home KM enjoyed her new walls while finishing up some biology.
Friday is going to be a nice quiet down day, exactly what I need to end this whirlwind of a week.

Disneynature Chimpanzee - Coming to theaters this April!

2012-01-26T14:24:00.000-05:00

We have truly enjoyed going to see the Disneynature movies each year and are excited for the next installment - chimpanzee

As always there is a free education guide available for download - HERE - which has more to offer this year as it is a whopping 135 pages and includes powerpoint presentation with audio and video clips!

You Tube Monday - Frozen Whirlpool -

2012-01-23T05:15:00.000-05:00

Just thought this was pretty cool!

Professor Noggin's Card Games - Official Review

2012-01-21T17:35:00.000-05:00

Our family has been using these games for years and they are a fun, entertaining and exciting way to learn a number of subjects in numerous categories from Science to History to Art to Geography. These fun games can take your family to the far corners of Outer Space and deep into the Ocean. You can find a complete list of titles - HERE

Each game comes with 30 cards and 1 three numbered dice - meaning a six sided die that has 1, 2, & 3 on two sides each. Each card has 6 questions - 3 easy and 3 hard - which makes it fantastic to play with the whole family regardless of the amount of knowledge individuals may have in each area. Questions come in the form of true or false, multiple choice or trivia. I truly can not say enough about these fantastic product!

Here are the titles we have on our bookshelf -

Weekly Update - Turned out quite pleasant

2012-01-20T14:40:00.000-05:00

This week did not start out well at all as CJ, KM and I had a stomach bug that had us down for the count, but fortunately it passed quickly and we were able to get back on track.

I had a talk with DN about trying to find something that interests him and he is willing to put some effort into learning about, as he has a tendency to say he wants to learn something - i.e. keyboarding, video game design, geology, and about 20 other things that he has mentioned - but then when it comes to doing the research or putting the time into practicing he is not willing to put the time in on it. After this discussion he has decided to learn about the branches of the military, as this is something that he has said several times he thinks he might like to do. While I am not a proponent of anyone going into the armed forces, I do feel it is really necessary for him to get as much information on something that interests him as possible and if this is the only area in which he wants to learn this is where we are going to have to start. I had a really hard time locating something at the library that included all the branches in one book even after help from the librarian so when ended up picking up The U.S. Air Force by Sandy Donovan and The U.S. Navy by Tom Streissguth. When I got home I did manage to locate a book that I think will work on Amazon - A Civilian's Guide to the U.S. Military - and then reserved it through my library network. Hopefully this will

We also had a fabulous day with some friends at the Franklin Park Zoo -

and we FINALLY had some REAL snow!!!

Journey North - Getting Prepped and Ready - Latitude Practice

2012-01-18T11:51:00.000-05:00

Since this will be the first time that DN will be participating in the Journey North Mystery Class, we spent some time working on the latitude practice packet today. He seemed to pick up on it rather quickly, so I am hoping that the longitude packet goes just as smoothly.

If you haven't registered be sure to do so HERE!

You Tube Monday - Ted Talk by Dale Stephens: Learning Approach Uncollege

2012-01-16T05:42:00.000-05:00

Weekly update - A different week

2012-01-12T20:45:00.000-05:00

Things felt a bit different this week. Nothing really changed, it is just that things felt different. I had a long conversation with DN about honesty and taking responsibility for his own education. He is very much a pleaser and will happily click through a site for hours never actually attaining any knowledge or information if he thinks that the person watching will be happy. He also is all about the "GET IT DONE" mentality - just wanted to get to the end without enjoying the process. I tried to explain to him that really this is doing NOTHING but wasting MY time - in the planning and previewing aspects - and HIS time in the learning and boredom factor. We discussed what he thought was working - Khan Academy, Mango, Usborne Science Encyclopedia along with the Van Cleave's experiments, You Wouldn't Want to Series, My America Series - and what he felt was not working - the websites from the Usborn Science, the history sites and Manga High. Then we spoke of what I was not willing to budge on - literature, Fallacy Detectives, and the general life skills - and what we can do to compromise and make it work.

This happened with KM in the beginning as well, but I am in a completely different place than I was then, as is he from where she was. I knew the base of information that she had as I had provided the majority of it with "after and summer schooling". It is very difficult at times for me to gauge what DN knows and what he doesn't. I often just assume that he was exposed to things or has an understand of things that he just doesn't. This can be very challenging and I try to be understanding and compassionate when we stumble across something that shocks me, but I know that I slip and need to be much more aware NOT to make a big deal about it. I can see that he is proud of himself when he has learned something or remembers something that he didn't think he would and that makes me smile. It is also difficult since his time is split between two homes, but this seems to be getting a bit easier.

After our lengthy talk we decided that we would scrap the science and history websites along with Manga High and focus more on hands on projects in his core subjects and life skills. I decided that he needs to take initiative in the area in which he showed his own interest so I let him take Spanish Conversation Demystified with him to work on when he is not at our house. We will see how this works.

KM has had a really good week. She took initiative to work on her poetry for her class she is taking utilizing Skype and seemed to really enjoy it. She is hoping that she will get a bit more comfortable with the kids, but as another mom in the group pointed out, the kids are scattered all over the country and beyond - there is a girl from England and one from Canada - so even if they embarrass themselves, they have no worries about running into each other. She also took it upon herself to begin reading her assigned historical fiction without prompting, so I think her overhearing the conversation I had with DN was a very good thing - if she keeps it up!

We started the DuneCraft Science Fair Kit this week to go along with their biology units Although I was a bit frustrated with the directions for the peat brick stating that it would rapidly expand when in fact I had to scratch and tear at it to get it to absorb the water and break apart; all and all the directions seem to be fairly straight forward and we are now just waiting for something to sprout so that we can move on to the more advanced experiments.

CJ took the kids to see Sherlock Holmes and had rave reviews of it! They all thought it was better than the first. When they got home we attempted to make "churned" butter, using a mason jar and marbles which was an activity from Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes (American Kids in History Series), but I think that I didn't let the cream get fully to room temperature so it came out more like thick cool whip, than butter. We will try this one again next week.

As for me I finished a Randy Hat for KM and she was quite ecstatic - finding every excuse she could to wear it - including matching her outfit to it for her Skype class. I have been forcing myself to workout everyday - even when I don't feel like it because I stacked far more wood than I should have by myself. I know that I feel better when I exercise my body and my mind so it is also to be noted that I managed to get a good way into Don Quixote and am enjoying it.

We had a visit from the Littles and the Itty Bitties, who we hadn't seen since Christmas and will be heading to visit my great aunt tomorrow and heading to a teen get together in the evening. So family and friends were abound as well.

OH I NEARLY FORGOT today is CJ's 37th birthday!!!! Since he is on the road, as is the life of a truck driver, we celebrated on Monday when we were altogether. He has been very happily using his birthday present I got him; a RoadPro Smart Car Pot. This makes me feel comfortable knowing even if he gets stuck in a snow storm or can't make it to a full truck stop he can make a warm bowl of oatmeal or cup of noodles, rather than being stuck just eating the crackers or chips he has with him.

And before I get questions about the picture within the picture -

Janice VanCleave’s Presents Science Projects that Really WORK!!! – Official UM Review

2012-01-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

Janice VanCleave’s Presents Science Projects that Really WORK!!! – Official UM Review

Science was always my worry area. I didn't enjoy it in school and feared havingto take the responsibility of ensuring that my VERY science minded daughter was going to get all that she wanted out of our science education at home. I bought all sorts of kits and checked out every project book I could find at the library until I came across Janice VanCleave. If you have never heard of her, then you have never read some of the most concisely written science experiment books I have ever encountered and you and your kids are truly missing out!

Although I have enjoyed each of her books that I have read The Science For Every Kid series is a favorite in our household. In this series she covers everything fromChemistry to Food and Nutrition to Geometry, cohesively covering topics so that the kids can clearly grasp the material. This series could easily be used as a spine to jump off from, as a full science curriculum or a supplement for labs and projects. For example in Food and Nutrition for Every Kid VanCleave has each chapter set up as follows:

What You Need to Know - here terms are explained and background information is given
Exercises - the learner is presented with questions to be answered or situations that need to be resolved utilizing the information they read in the previous section.
Activity - a project to allow the application of the skills in a real world situation.
Solutions to Exercises - she not only gives the answers but lays out step-by-step instructions for solving each exercise.

With over 50 best-selling science experiment books that span an audience from toddler to mature adolescents, this is one author you will want to remember. Not only have I never had a single failed experiment from her books, she gives explanations that make sense. Though we have come across a few materials that we had to do a bit of digging around for the majority of materials you will need can be found in your home or in a quick trip to the local grocery or hardware store, making it convenient on a rainy day or spur of the moment. I can't say enough about these fabulous resources.

To see some more of our successful science experiments from Biology for Every Kid check out my blogposts - HERE and HERE.

You can learn more about Janice VanCleave as well as take a look through the plethora of tips, ideas and projects at her site - JVC's Science Fair Projects.

You Tube Monday - The Magic of Pronouns: Tips For Aspiring Politicians/Criminals (...and R...

2012-01-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

I just discovered that the School Sucks Project has been posting videos as well as podcasts.
The excerpt in this one is from one of my favorite podcasts, really the one that got me hooked -

If you haven't heard of, listened to or viewed anything from Brett Veinotte he has co-hosted with Laurette a few times on Unplugged Mom Radio - HERE - can be found on Podomatic - HERE - and many other locations which all can be found through his site - The School Sucks Project Education Evolution,

~~~ This is not a political advertisement by me in anyway! I am a proponent of the full message that is being said.

Back to lessons - Winter Session has begun and LOTS OF COLORS!!!

2012-01-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

This week has felt really good, as we have gotten back into a flow and routine after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I think we are past the deschooling with DN and are in more of a see how it keeps going point. He is no where near independent, but is open to try anything I put in front of him and eager to learn. I think he has come to the realization that this could actually work.

DN was here at the beginning of the week and managed to get nearly all of his weekly work completed in just a day, which was rather impressive especially considering CJ was here. When we reviewed the History flash cards that they are both memorizing there was such pride in his eyes when he realized that although he hadn't touched them in a week, he remembered 10 out of the 11 cards almost verbatim!
KM has been wanting to spread out her lessons a bit more, so has been doing some in the evening and working on her drawings in the afternoon. KM is excited to be doing a poetry class utilizing Skype this session, she has taken online classes before, but this will be the first fully interactive one that she will be doing. We received the syllabus and I was impressed to see that she jumped right into it.

I have been doing a lot of reading the last few weeks and after finishing The Well Educated Mind decided to try out Susan Wise Bauer's process. I picked up Don Quixote from the library and was surprised to see KM flipping through it this morning. After some discussion about it and the intensity of it she said she thought it sounded interesting and would like to read it with me - I was SHOCKED, but very happy at the same time. I think we will enjoy reading this together and I think she appreciates that I am always continuing my education. I KNOW that we can learn a lot from each other.

As for the colors that were mentioned in the title...KM dyed her hair -

We also tried out the first tube from Test Tube Wonders and it was rather interesting. Here is the video that we made -

Oh and my cat thought she would try to take over the world -

Is the trivium schooled out of us? - My Own Education Story

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here is my latest article posted to Unplugged Mom - HERE

As I learn more about the trivium by listening to various podcasts, reading articles and suggestions of how to implement the practices, I have come to the realization that this is how I have always learned. It is was never taught to me though, so I have to wonder if this "process" is innately coded within us and schooling has replaced it with the various drills, routines and other artificial crowd controlling methods used within the systems.

While I was reading The Well-Educated Mind - which you can find my review of HERE - I began to really understand that this SIMPLY MAKES SENSE. You have to have a base of information, which is gathered during the grammar stage, that you begin to process and review determining whether the information is valid, true, logical, incorrect, misleading or otherwise false, during the logic stage and then as your mind and opinions truly begin to develop you are able to challenge, question or carry on a discourse with someone.

I only fully attended school through 7th grade. Starting in 8th I went when I felt like it, but the school kept passing me on to the next grade. I could miss school for two or three weeks at a time go back for a day or two and then be gone again, with no repercussions other than some finger waving from my mother. I dropped out 3 weeks into the 11th grade when I turned 16 and completed my GED two months later with a near perfect score.

I always read ferociously and retained ridiculous amounts of information from documentaries, books, and conversations. While I was waiting to start college - at that time I couldn't get financial aid, scholarships or grants unless "my class" had already graduated - I tutored at a local GED program and area high schools in Math - yup the guidance counselors recommended the dropout for tutoring - how is that for irony! When I finally started college I tested out of nearly all my prerequisite classes and finished my associates degree in three semesters (would have been two if I hadn't taken medical leave partway through the second to have my daughter, but the morning sickness was killing me).

Over the years I accumulated stacks and stacks of journals and binders that I kept while taking notes as I read or watched documentaries. My friends used to say "Why on earth do you do that? You are just going to remember it anyway!" never realizing that that was why I remembered it... the writing was a sort of rhetoric. When the notebooks got out of control, I began to use index cards as I read and then would rewrite the key notes and important info on loose leaf paper that I could put in binders and swap around when needed, this has proven to be a much more efficient system. I also have my blog which has become the place that I most often turn to when I need to express my points on a topic or look back to refresh my memory. Although I am not as eloquent as many that I read, I feel I have a pretty decent ability to get my thoughts across and I am improving with practice.

One of the things that always pleasantly surprises me when I speak with teens who don't go to school - whether they are unschooled, homeschooled or whatever other term they feel comfortable using - is that they are at ease and feel comfortable speaking with anyone on a topic that they are interested in. They don't hesitate in calling someone out that they disagree with and will steadfast in their opinion while taking into consideration others feelings on the matter as well.

This need to discuss, question and learn from one another just seems to be so alive and present in those who don't go to school. It is also exactly these things that are not allowed in school as the student must not question the teacher, must only learn what is presented to him/her in the order in which it is given and can't possibly learn from peers! It is my assertion that spending 13+ years in a situation where you are oppressed and treated as an inferior has caused those who succumb to its hold to lose their love of learning, ability to gain more obscure concepts and quest for intelligent dialect.

Pre-registration is open for The World Education Games

2012-01-05T14:11:00.000-05:00

Pre-registration is now open!!! Get ready to challenge yourself and others around the world!

Here are the dates -
World Spelling Day - 6 March 2012
World Maths Day - 7 March 2012
World Science Day - 8 March 2012

Practice begins Feb 1 so be sure to register to get as much warm up time in as possible!

The Well-Educated Mind ~ A Road Map to Learning Enlightenment – Offical UM Review

2012-01-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

The Well-Educated Mind ~ A Road Map to Learning Enlightenment – Offical UM Review
Here is my official review of The Well-Educated Mind as posted on the Unplugged Mom site - ENJOY!

For years we have used and loved The Story of the World series andThe Well-Trained Mind was one of the first books on classical education that I read, but it was Laurette's interview with Susan Wise Bauer that led me to my library to reserve a copy of The Well-Educated Mind and I am so very glad that I did.

I have always felt that reading is the key to being educated and loving to learn. I have found that often those who feel they "can't read" or "don't like to read" see themselves as stupid and inferior to others. This is not a new phenomenon and in the first chapter Wise Bauer shares historical points of view that agree with this assumption as well as some interesting points as to how self-educated people through history built their educations by reading.

"Reading alone allows us to reach out beyond the restrictions of time and space, to take part in what Mortimer Adler has called "The Great Conversation" of ideas that began in ancient times and has continued unbroken to the present." p. 16

Within the initial chapter Wise Bauer also goes over a brief outline of the trivium using a fabulous quote from Francis Bacon; "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." to give a great outline to the levels of the classical three part process - "First, taste: Gain basic knowledge of your subject. Second, swallow: Take the knowledge into your own understanding by evaluating it. Is it valid? Is it true? Why? Third, digest: Fold the subject into your own understanding. Let it change the way you think --- or reject it as unworthy. Taste, swallow, digest: find out the facts, evaluate them, form your own opinion." I have been reading, watching and listening to a great deal about the trivium lately and I have to say that this description is the one that has sealed the deal for me, as it has solidified the ideas of the stages for me and the importance of each step in the process of learning. Wise Bauer also shares some great insight into how our modern society reflects historical periods in a manner that reminds me of ebbs and flows of educational interests.

In Chapter 2 the theme moves on to the skill of reading, as Wise Bauer distinguishes between the gathering of data and the act of reading - "When you gather data, you become informed. When youread, you develop wisdom - or, in Mortimer Adler's words, "become enlightened."p. 24 She then continues on to explain how different outlets of media allow us to gather data in different ways for different purposes and though this is ideal in some situations, it is detrimental to others. Wise Bauer also presents some great tools to determine if the reader should work on some remedial skills - reading fluency, speed and vocabulary - before moving on to the great works she has outlined in the book. These are the skills that make people feel inferior and intimidated by reading. Her examples and methods for this are clearly laid out and she suggestes resources that could help as well.

After reading this chapter, the multitude of aha moments rang through my head for the remainder of the day. This is what I have been trying to get across to my daughter for years. This is what they are forgetting in many schools. The mass information being pumped in by edutainment resources are not allowing children to make connections on their own or form their own opinions due to the overwhelming amount of details that are shoveled in through multiple senses. When you read a story you put the pieces together using prior information in your brain, you create the visuals in your mind and it is developed slowly with your own understanding as the base. When you watch a newscast, sit through a multimedia presentation or watch a documentary, you are passively fed the information with the bias of the presenter rather than your own mindset. Even when given both sides or an unbiased opinion, it is still not your own visions created within your head, it is those that are chosen by someone else. This makes it harder for your brain to categorize the new input and therefore it will often be lost as quickly as it came in.

As I read through Chapter 3 I had a very difficult time following because Wise Bauer was describing the very actions I was doing - note taking, summarizing and quoting as I went along. It is a rather bizarre thing to be reading directions for something that I have always just naturally done - imagine picking up a book that describes how to walk, explaining each muscle movement in detail. I realize that not everyone does this sort of journaling, but was glad to see that she pointed out the transition of society through the years to have taken something that was traditionally an external note taking to the current intrinsic usage - "Present-day use of the word journal tends to imply that you're creating a subjective, intensively inward-focused collection of thoughts and musings...But the journal of self-education has a more outward focus."p. 35 This should be the self-educated persons production of rhetoric, she states - "the journal is the place where the reader takes external information and records it (through the use of quotes, as in the commonplace book); appropriates it through a summary, written in the reader's own words; and then evaluates it through reflection and personal thought." p. 36 Wise Bauer then goes on to give a description of how to effectively take notes and suggests using the next chapter to try it out.

Chapter 4 is more than adequately titled - "Starting to Read: Final Preparations" as this is where Wise Bauer covers the general principles for reading, analyzing and evaluating literature - both fiction and non-fiction. She covers this with great tips and suggestions such as not to choose "scholarly editions, packed with critical footnotes that stop you dead every time you hit a little super script number."p.42, while giving explicit instruction on how to tackle each stage. The grammar steps she describes hold true for all genre and level, but she gives a brief description of the general steps for logic in this area as she covers them indepth for the specific categories in Part 2 of the book. For the rhetoric stage she recommends that you find a partner to tackle the great works with as this will help with accountability as well as fully engaging in the art of rhetoric which she aptly describes as "clear, persuasive communication, and persuasion always involves two people." p.46

In Part II of the book each chapter covers a genre giving history or insight about the area and then a path to understanding each including pointers, tips and questions specific to that area. Lists of titles include suggested versions and brief description, along with explanations as to why Wise Bauer choose the titles. She expresses clearly "The purpose of answering questions isn't to provide the "right answer" as you would in a fill-in-the-blank test. You answer them as part of your effort to think about books." p. 48 She also clearly states the emphasis on chronological is an important key to understanding the great works - "Writers build on the work of those who have gone before them, and chronological reading provides you with a continous story." p.50

Susan Wise Bauer has managed to create a relaxed conversation between writer and reader that is informative in a way that I have not found in other self-education books. She reiterates time and time again that if you have confidence in yourself and are steadfast in your ambitions you can become classical educated regardless of your previous schooling, education, or interest in learning. Throughout each chapter she slips in more explanations of the trivium stages in a way that is seamless and easily comprehended, even for those who have no experience with the concepts. This book would be a great addition to anyone's library and would be my top pick for teens, young adults and really anyone who feels they need to take charge of their education.

Count it down....

2011-12-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

Hope you have a safe and happy holiday!

You Tube Monday - Holiday Edition - Rudolph's Shiny New Year (((HD)))- Posted a day early!

2011-12-31T11:09:00.000-05:00

Thought I would post this one a few days early so you could enjoy it!!!

What I am Reading - December - Music Kid

2011-12-30T13:59:00.001-05:00

I have been really enjoying drawing Manga characters the last few weeks. I picked this book up at the library to help me work on the eyes. I will post some of my work here soon.

What I am Reading - Fairie Mom - December

2011-12-30T13:59:00.000-05:00

I had read the Well Trained Mind, but after hearing the interview with Susan Wise Bauer on Unplugged Mom I decided to pick up The Well Educated Mind at my library and take a gander through it. I will post a full review when I am done with it!

Journey North - Mystery Class - Time to Register and Prepare!!!

2011-12-29T10:11:00.000-05:00

The Mystery Class investigation is an eleven week hunt in which students try to find ten secret "Mystery Classes" hiding around the globe. The changing amount of sunlight at each site is the central clue.

Students take an inspiring journey from knowing only sunrise and sunset times to discovering exact locations of the ten sites. This investigation demonstrates that, as spring sweeps across the Northern Hemisphere, daylength changes everywhere on Earth. Students see that these dramatic seasonal changes in sunlight affect the entire web of life.

Join Us!January 30 - May 11, 2012

Where oh where will the mystery classes be?
We have had so much fun with this project in the past and now is time to register and prepare again!
Follow this link - HERE - to see how to participate and register.
This year they will be adding a great new feature - Mystery Class Photoperiod Map
Here is the link to all the fabulous geography resources they have available to help the kids get ready - HERE

Oh yeah and did I mention that it is all TOTALLY FREE!!!

Unplug from “Holiday Stress” - That is JUST what we did!

2011-12-28T15:51:00.000-05:00

Unplug from “Holiday Stress” and… memorize your children…

Really REALLY liked this post from Laurette. We had a really great holiday long weekend and enjoyed it just the way we wanted to!
Here are some of my favorite pics from the weekend -

You Tube Monday - Holiday Edition - Barbie In The Nutcracker (Full Video)

2011-12-26T06:08:00.000-05:00

This is KM's favorite version of The Nutcracker!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T10:31:00.000-05:00

Hope you and yours have a very merry and safe holiday!!!

Merry Yule to One and All!!!

2011-12-22T20:51:00.000-05:00

Our yule was a bit different this year because CJ had to make a deliver and we decided to each open one present on Wednesday before he left. KM was rather estatic when she found out that she would be getting her room made over. We will be heading to our local hardware store to pick out paint next week. This is going to be a bit of an ongoing project since she has a lot of stuff that will need to be jostled and gone through and CJ will have to find a stretch when he is home to do the painting. She has been waiting for this for quite some time as she felt she had outgrown the shades of pink that adorn her walls a few years ago.

This morning I slept much later than usual - CJ calling to check in at 9:20 is actually what finally got me out of bed - but I felt SOOOO good when I woke up. I don't remember the last time I slept that well without CJ here so I must finally be adjusting. After a late breakfast I began the delightful task of baking, baking and more baking. I really enjoy baking especially when I know we will be bring things to our family friends that will put a smile on their faces! KM jumped right in to help out and got very creative with the cookie frosting. We made two different types of chocolate chunk cookies, prepared the Brioche dough from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, cranberry bread from scratch and gingerbread cookies. The house smelled so good!!!

Also when I was preparing the Brioche dough I needed to double check the recipe and came across this fabulous recipe for sufganiyot - HERE - a fried doughnut that you make with the brioche dough that was INCREDIBLE and is going to be our new fried dough!! We didn't do the jelly filling, but just dusted them with powdered sugar --- mmmmm...so good!

Hope that you had a very Merry Yule today and celebrated the solstice in a way that befits your family!

Get ready to track santa!!!

2011-12-22T06:45:00.000-05:00

We used to have so much fun with this when KM was little and now they have a very neat Santa's Countdown Village to keep the kids entertained.

Winter Session Outlined and Ready to Go

2011-12-20T20:10:00.003-05:00

I have the majority of our lesson plans ready and outlined for the winter session - PPPHHEEWWWW!!!! As always there is room for change, but I need the guidelines so that I can feel comfortable and ready to go. With DN being here and learning with us now, it really is essential as he wants to know what is going on and when it is going to happen. As I have seen with many deschooling teens, he needs room to find his interests, but if left completely to his own devices I truly believe - and have seen - he would flounder. He has been so set in the path of following orders and completing tasks that are given, that he truly has no idea what to do when he is told he can do whatever he wants. I have heard it said time and time again that they will eventually snap out of it, but I don't always think that is true. I feel it is very dependent on the child and would rather ease him into it, allowing more and more choices as we go rather than to just pitch him into the pool and hope he figures out how to swim.

So anyway....they are covering almost all the same subjects, just at different levels. I have an outline of all our curriculum choices on this page along with our weekly schedule. These are just guidelines and we often swap things around, but again having a plan helps. We will continue to tweak and monitor, especially with DN as he progresses to ensure the proper fit in all areas. In addition to the outlines and basic curriculum choices, I picked up a few extras to make things fun and fresh!

You Tube Monday - Holiday Edition - Snow Miser Song

2011-12-19T07:15:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite Christmas movie songs. I can't stop myself from bopping whenever I hear it! babum bum bum badum, babum bum bum badum....

Week 4 - Deschooling and Book Break Update

2011-12-15T17:47:00.000-05:00

So our week is running a bit differently this week, as we are not doing "lessons" again until after the new year, instead we are working on some projects, getting ready for the holidays and trying to help DN understand that learning is a part of life and not just something you do on certain days, at certain times, and on specific predetermined topics set out by someone else. So he spent the weekend at home and we met up with him on Sunday evening so that he could join KM at the Smash Brothers Tournament at the Library on Monday. Since we didn't need to be there until later in the afternoon the kids had the day to do what they wanted.

KM choose to be on the computer, work on some Snap Circuits Projects, play on the computer and used some of the turkey bones that were leftover from soup making this weekend to try out a bendy bone experiment that she has been meaning to do for a while, but always seemed to think of AFTER I had disposed of the carcass. DN choose to read, read, watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at lunch, read and read some more. KM tried to get him into some of the things that she was working on, but he was really into Battle of the Labyrinth - book 4 in the Percy Jackson Series, he read the first 3 in record time and was really glad I was able to get the 4th through our library network and even happier that I grabbed the final volume while they were in the tournament - luckily thing too since he finished the 4th within minutes of us returning home.

KM has been feeling a bit under the weather, sniffly and coughing at night, so we decided to put skating off until later in the week to not subject her to the cold and hit the movies instead to see Arthur Christmas. I had heard mixed reviews, but was really happy that we decided to go. It was super funny and both the kids really liked it. I was glad to see that it was rated PG as there were a few parts that I would think could be a bit disturbing to little ones. After the movies we dropped KM off at home to rest while DN and I went to run some errands. The beans we had setup last week to determine if direction of helium mattered needed to be transplanted and DN got to see how the bean transforms into the leaves. We spent the evening making ornaments with Sculpey and then at 9ish I had a surge of energy and decided we NEEDED to clean the fridge. Glad I did though because it took just less than an hour to scrub down everything, with the kids helping and they got to sleep in the next morning while I went grocery shopping. Teamwork and cooperation went a long way on this one!

Wednesday was shopping and chore day - I went grocery shopping and the kids needed to get their rooms organized and tidied up before the holiday. They also spent some time painting the ornaments they had made the night before. We were hoping to get to the BSU observatory for their last public viewing before winter break, but the clouds just didn't cooperate. We did get to the discount store so that KM could pick up the fabulous dress for the formal New Years Eve party she will be attending with some of her youth group friends. She is VERY excited as this is her first formal. She picked a gorgeous flowing gown. We got the dress, shoes, and shawl all for under $35! WOOHOOO for bargain shopping! The kids finished up their christmas shopping online, since CJ got stuck out on the road longer than expected this week. DN learned how to play Wii Music, set up his profile on Wii Fit Plusand played the new Zelda game he got from the library.

We made it to skating Thursday and they had a great time. We met up with DN's Uncle so he could spend the rest of the week home with them. Then KM went to a jewelry making class at the library - I just love how many activities she is getting involved with over there! I managed to find some time to get the last of the footage edited from KMs theater group and to finalize the majority of their winter session lesson plans. I always feel so much more at ease when I know they are all set. I am open to tweaking and twisting them around and I have a few more things to iron out, but just knowing they are there and ready makes me feel organized and ready to go. I will post about our upcoming plans next week!

All and all it was a really great week. We got a lot completed and had a really good time. DN seemed to really catch on with what we do around here, he was interested in most of the things, but passed on a few, which is to be expected - don't we all want to pass on some things. It is weeks like this that remind me of why I started this blog in the first place - it is just a great way to see what it is that we have done. Even when it seems like it wasn't very much. Hope you all had as much fun this week as we did!

Empty Promises and Hope - A Poem

2011-12-14T11:39:00.000-05:00

EmptyPromises and Hope

By Gckstudent

Ilive in a World.

AWorld full of Empty Promises.

Iget Promised so many Things...

But...

Theynever come true.

Ifear that Nothing

Thatis Promised to me

Willcome True.

ButI have a dear Friend...

Hope.

Hopeshows me that some

Thingscan come true.

Thatnot all Things are Terrible.

So...eventhough the Promises

Madeto me may not come True

IHope that the Promises I make

Will...

Come...

TRUE.

You Tube Monday - Holiday Edition - The Smurfs Christmas Special part 1

2011-12-12T09:17:00.000-05:00

This is one of my all time favorites!!! I love that I find them all on You Tube to share with the kids!

See Part 2 - HERE
See Part 3 - HERE

Deschooling Update - Week 3

2011-12-06T18:44:00.001-05:00

As I sit here typing DN is sitting across from me on the laptop excitedly blasting his way through spaceships with prime numbers playing Sigma Prime on Manga High. This is a kid who has said he hated math over and over and over again, yet he has become obsessed with beating these levels and getting a gold medal. I think I have found a key.

We had a really great week. We finished up a ton of lessons and are taking the next three weeks off from regular book work in order to enjoy the season. Saturday we finished up the bio experiments from last week and set up some interesting bean ones for this week -

We also had a lot of fun and enjoyed the beautiful weather before it is gone - of course I keep saying that and we keep having it, so I will just KEEP SAYING IT!!! On Monday we headed over to the courts and played some tennis, before we went to the local herring run to have a picnic, do some nature sketching and play some pooh sticks!

Today (Tuesday) we went to a local DCR ice rink for FREE public skate. DN is building his confidence and doing great. KM has begun skating backward, but thinks we need to go to a rink that skates clockwise so that she can turn to the left better. We also check in on one of the bean experiments and it seems to be coming along nicely.

All and all I would say it was quite the educational, entertaining and enjoyable week! If you want to check out some funny highlights from our day out see KM's you tube channel for - Rock Sliding and Other Silly Stuff and Playing Tennis

You Tube Monday - HOLIDAY EDITIONS - Charlie The Christmas Present

2011-12-05T06:12:00.000-05:00

Yummy Math - website recommendation

2011-12-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yummy Math | We provide teachers and students with mathematics relevant to our world today …

Some really interesting topics to help keep math relevant!

Ko’s Journey – Revisited, Updated and a Chance for a Free One-Year Subscription

2011-12-01T11:47:00.000-05:00

Ko’s Journey – Revisited, Updated and a Chance for a Free One-Year Subscription - pop on over to enter this great giveaway!

Day full of Muppets!!! - Movie review

2011-11-30T15:42:00.001-05:00

Ok we love all things muppets, but when I started seeing the trailers for The Muppets, I was a bit hesitant and unsure that it could live up to my high expectations! Well I have to say - MY CHEEKS HURT from smiling and my eyes were stinging from having wiped them so often. This movie was HYSTERICAL. From the 80's robot to the random outbreaking of song to the map travel button - this movie was exactly what it should have been. Jason Segel did an incredible job and I have to say that this was the first TRULY kid family friendly movie I have seen in a long time. There were no inappropriate and unnecessary jokes that you had to hope would fly over the kids heads, just pure Muppet humor, slapstick and fun!

And to top off our Muppet day the CW is airing the Christmas special - A Muppets Christmas - Letters to Santa - is airing tonight and we will be snuggling up on the sofa to watch!

Deschooling Update - Week 2

2011-11-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

First week went superbly - as you might remember if you read either this post or this one - however we had a few bumps in the road this weekend that were far more dramatic because CJ was here. We did manage to get through them and after much discussion - and some near meltdowns - it was decided that the freedom all at once was far too much for DN to handle and he needs some help to learn how to take responsibility and make smart decisions. So although our weeks may seem a bit strange to some, due to the living arrangements here for DN his week with us is going to be running from mid-day Saturday through late afternoon/evening on Tuesdays. I will have his lessons spread out and scheduled for him - of course they are still tailored to him and I am doing a lot of mixing & matching to try to find those keys, but after the horrific weekend we do seem to be back in a good place.

Monday was lovely - weather and energy wise - we started the morning out with a trip to the library and some time on the tennis courts and then the kids got their lessons and chores done after lunch.

Today - Tuesday - went by very quickly, as they did a few lessons in the morning before we went to public skating. KM was so excited to get back on the ice. Last year I sat out because I was having issues with my sciatic nerve, however I have been feeling pretty good lately so I got myself some skates at our local thrift shop and after having them sharpened they only cost me $14!!! This was the first time that DN had ever gone ice skating and I have to say he did far better than I expected. He definitely needs to build up some stamina, muscle control and strength, but I think he will get there.

I will say it was seriously bizarre to be peeling off the layers when we came out of the rink and it was 68 degrees outside! Is it really only a day until December.

You Tube Monday - Fun Science: Sound

2011-11-28T15:07:00.000-05:00

Trimming the Tree and Jamming out -

2011-11-26T11:08:00.001-05:00

In addition to tree trimming the day after Thanksgiving it has become a tradition in our home to have guitar hero jam sessions -

It is rather hysterical and everyone gets in the mix - luckily, I am the only one who thinks of grabbing the camera!!!!

For more hysterical guitar hero moments be sure to check GCKstudents You Tube Channel - Bunniestar97

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2011-11-24T08:35:00.001-05:00

Hope you and yours have a safe and happy thanksgiving!

Teenagers: Enter YouTube Space Lab competition by 12/14

2011-11-23T08:32:00.000-05:00

Teenagers: Enter YouTube Space Lab competition by December 14 - Boing Boing

Adventures in Science!!!!

2011-11-22T20:50:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned we are in deschool mode for DN and KM is on break this week since it is Thanksgiving, so we spent a lot of time doing Science.

We start off the week by using the downloaded copy of Janice VanCleave's Biology For Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work that I had on my kindle and let me tell you this is the first FULLY successful set of experiments that we have EVER done!!! Every single one was successful, easy to understand, follow and explain! LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!

Scientists at work -

Growth Rate - this one will take a while, but we are going to measure the difference in rate from sunny to dark spot!

Freezing Tissue - Which do you think froze first? Leave your guess in the comments section!

Hard to Freeze -

Fluffy Raisins -

Before

After

Stand Up -

wilted leaves

12 hours later - crisp, firm

and blue leaves!

Sugary Leaves - what do you think the outcome of this one was? Leave your guess in the comments section!

We also took a trip into the Boston Museum of Science and here is a video KM pasted together of some highlights - The best part is at 4:40!!!

Finding the Key to Fit the Lock

2011-11-21T17:05:00.001-05:00

It has been a bit quiet around here lately as I have been busy preparing to enter deschool mode for the second time, but this time it is with DN, as last week was his last attending public school. He is 15 and in the 10th grade so this situation will be quite different from KM's as he is older and not here full time, but we are hopeful that this will be the direction that leads him to where he needs to be.

When I received the call a few weeks ago requesting that I help file the paperwork for his ed plan, I jumped on it and had it written and ready to be delivered within an hour - I was not letting anyone change their mind! Since then we have been discussing what he wants to learn and where he would like to see himself in the future. We have devised a plan and are finding ways to implement it that will work for him and our unique situation.

When I was deschooling with KM I realized that her retention of facts and information from school was similar to Swiss cheese, with lots and lots of holes, however DN's seems to be just the opposite random bits with little connection between them, so my hope is to string those bits together with meaningful connections. I am looking at like there are all these keys and I just need to find the one that will unlock his mind and engage him. I know I may have to try every last one before I find the one that works, but there has to be one!

As they are only a year apart I had hoped to combine some of KM's and DN's subjects - at the very least science and history, however he has a hard time retaining nearly anything - even simple story lines from his favorite book series - so I am going to have to go down an alternative route for subjects like History, which he claims to detest and with very little knowledge base there is no way that he can keep up with KM in science, but they can do their labs together which was one of our beginning areas this week. They will also be doing Logic & Geography together and will be following similar time lines in history in order to watch movies together.

I helped him set up an account for Khan Academy and he has been blowing through that the past few days, I hope that his enthusiasm holds once he gets to the more challenging areas. He was taking Spanish last year in school and really liked it so he is going to try the Spanish Conversation Demystified that I had gotten for KM before she decided on French and will supplement using the Mango online through our library network. So far that is our plan - go with what he is interested in and work from there! I really hope that he is able to embrace this lifestyle and truly learn.

So as I take this journey on again, I realize that I am in a COMPLETELY different place than I was when I did this the first time through with KM. I am going to use all the wisdom and experience that I have accrued over these last four years to help this young man discover how incredible learning really can be! I apologize if it seems as though I am neglecting my blog, but I must focus on other areas at the moment, but will be sure to check back in often with updates on how things are going. WISH US LUCK!!!!

What I am Reading - November - GCKMom

2011-11-21T17:01:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out - The Core – The Perfect Name For This Incredible Book – Official Review

A new MUST read for EVERYONE!!!

You Tube Monday - Classic Sesame Street - The Amazing Mumford and a rabbit

2011-11-21T04:13:00.000-05:00

ALA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES

What I am Reading - November - GCK Student

2011-11-17T09:46:00.000-05:00

Itty Bitty Visitors

2011-11-15T19:12:00.001-05:00

The Itty Bitties and the Littles came for a visit today -

You Tube Monday - Fun Science: Stars

2011-11-14T23:07:00.001-05:00

The Four Nations Maths Challenge - Register Today!!!

2011-11-09T10:13:00.001-05:00

The Four Nations Maths Challenge

Another chance to get in some practice before World Education Games in March!!!!

Field trip to the South Shore Natural Science Center

2011-11-08T16:36:00.000-05:00

KM is far beyond the age that our local science center - South Shore Natural Science Center - is geared to, but she still loves to go and share the space with the Littles.

I am so impressed with the time that she takes with each of them to help them find just what they want to see.

It also fills my heart to see the Littles' expressions as they make new discoveries -

You Tube Monday - Randomness (Part 2)

2011-11-07T04:42:00.000-05:00

KM and her friends - including CJ in this one - have been busily making videos this week and since I nearly forgot about You Tube Monday I thought I would share some of her latest posts -

You can also check out her channel to see all her videos - HERE!

Random Pics from the week

2011-11-05T17:19:00.000-04:00

You Tube Monday - Halloween Picks

2011-10-31T07:05:00.000-04:00

These are some new and old Halloween Favorites!!!

Science Jim Show: Bats! from Science Jim on Vimeo.

For the other two parts of Garfield's Halloween special visit You Tube - Part 2 & Part 3

Coming Soon - Review of Vocabulary Spelling City

2011-10-31T06:41:00.000-04:00

Disclosure:

I've been given a premium membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com for a candid, personal, online review.

VocabularySpellingCity.com helps students study word lists using 25 different learning activities such as MatchIt Sentences, HangMan, and Word-O-Rama. Parents can create their own spelling lists, find published lists already available on the site, or use any of dozens of free teaching resources on topics such as analogies and compound words. Be sure to come back in three weeks to read about my experience.

There might be more free memberships available for bloggers. If you're interested, find out how you can review VocabularySpellingCity.com.

Snowtober - How crazy is this?

2011-10-30T09:17:00.000-04:00

We got just a mushy coating and I am glad we are "somewhat" along the coast!

We will have to shove this slush off the drive though or we are going to bust out the ice skates!

What I am Reading - October - GCK Mom

2011-10-30T09:08:00.000-04:00

This has some great insight and TONS of links! Totally worth a read at the fabulous kindle price of $0.99!!!

Some Pre-Halloween Fun

2011-10-29T13:38:00.001-04:00

Since CJ will be on the road for Halloween we were really glad we got to carve pumpkins with him last night -

He also came with us to bowling league this morning where K won 1st place for most creative girl's costume -

Woods Hole Aquarium Report

2011-10-27T19:45:00.000-04:00

First fire of the season ---

2011-10-26T08:47:00.000-04:00

and it is dreary and cold outside...so I don't want to go anywhere....and we are going to work on a fabulous project....so check back later!!!!

Changing things up ---

2011-10-25T17:41:00.000-04:00

We are a few weeks into our fall session, so it is that time to change things up.

KM is having some issues with Biology Demystified - she likes the program but feels she doesn't have a strong enough base to follow the higher level text, so we are stepping back and regrouping. She really likes the Virtual Web Labs and The Biology Coloring Book so I think we will stick with just those for now and see what happens. The Life Science (100+ Series) was also a flop, she didn't like the lack of instruction and the repetitive nature of the diagrams.

We also decided to stop using English Grammar 101 online. She found that she was not retaining the information. When it came to each individual lesson she was doing really well - mostly 20/20 and at the least 16/20 - but when she got to the review she couldn't get better than 28/40. This was more than a bit concerning to me.

All of these issues are leading me to question my negative feelings toward rote memorization. I have always been so against it, but it seems her retention of the information in the manner we have been going is far from adequate - in the more complex areas. I am wondering if I have been expecting too little of her. I have also been reading The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education - and will be reviewing soon - which really focuses on rote memorization skills to give a base of knowledge to draw from. If this book continues to make as much sense throughout as it has in the first few chapters, I will be changing things up even more. Be sure to check back for that full review in a few weeks!

You Tube Monday - Apple Steve Jobs The Crazy Ones - NEVER BEFORE AIRED 1997

2011-10-24T06:52:00.000-04:00

Cheers to all you home educators who dare to think differently and allow your children to do so as well!!!

Busy week - catch up with some photos

2011-10-23T09:49:00.000-04:00

We wee quite busy this week and our calendar does not seem to be letting up much this week either, so I thought I would take a second to post a few pics that I found on my camera this morning -

K enjoying a warm afternoon and her books

K figuring out how many shingles we will need.

I finally got K's bowling badges from LAST year on her bowling bag and her punk costume for the library Halloween party really wasn't that far off from her everyday outfits.

Took the Littles to the library and playground while K was at theater.

The Itty Bitties are getting so big!!! I don't know where the time has gone! They are almost 6

months old already!

Oh the life of a dog ---

2011-10-19T12:01:00.001-04:00

Now that Rex is the only hound in the house he gets all the perks!

You Tube Monday - Ruby Gloom

2011-10-17T05:29:00.000-04:00

Don't know how we JUST found this, but it is now one of our favorites!!!
SOOOO Cute we had to share!!!

You can find many of them on You Tube, but if you have Netflix streaming you are in LUCK!!!

What I am Reading - October - Music Kid

2011-10-16T19:03:00.000-04:00

One of my all time favorites!!! Great for a Sunday morning!

My Memories Suite 2.0 Scrapbook Software - Review and Giveaway!!! Enter by 10/28

2011-10-14T20:35:00.000-04:00

I would like to preface this review by disclosing that I am NOT a scrapbooker!!! I have tried it in the past, I made them for friends and family members, but no matter how I tried I just could not get into it. I am however a photographer - in case you haven't seen the immense number of photos I have on my blog, I can tell you that I easily take hundreds if not thousands of pics a month. I don't know what I would do if I ever had to settle for film cameras....but back to my point...this scrapbooking software is not something that I would have ever blinked twice at, but I am glad that I was approached to try it out and host this giveaway for My Memories Suite.

So the program was super easy to install and like many other programs you have the option from the get go to design your own or use designer templates.
For the first run through I decided to do with the designer set. You then are given a screen where you can choose how many pages and which pages you would like to use.

Next you are given the template. There are also many options on the sidebars to customize the pages utilizing the included pages, buttons, artwork etc. or you can purchase additional options in the gallery sidebar. For anyone who has been checking out my blog lately you will have noticed we had been enjoyed our unusually warm weather by going to the beach and of course I took tons of pics so I figured I would use these to make a few pages.

When I was ready to start uploading pictures you can either upload one at a time or use the fast fill option - which took me quite some time to find when I was browsing through the toolbar. I was a bit disappointed with the small size of the picture icons - even in the preview screen there is no way to make them larger. This is an issue for me since I tend to take a lot of quickshots that have minute details so I could have between four and ten shots that are difficult to tell which is the one I want.

Once you have your pics on the page you can twist, turn, crop, make notes, journal, or add embellishments at the touch of a button. For the first 6 pages I picked each pic individually, but for the last 4 used the fast fill. It was really easy and quick. I do recommend knowing which pics you want to use ahead of time in order to avoid the small tile problem.

In just over an hour and a half, here is what I had produced -

I have not had a chance to experiment more with this software, but am interested to do so as it has some great sharing and interactive enhancement features - You can make a beautiful scrapbook an interactive memory experience for anyone who sees it. Use simple one-click options to enhance your scrapbooks, with music, narration, video, and even the Internet. Go beyond pictures by showing off video of the birthday party, or record a narration to capture the memories that pictures alone cannot. With My Memories Suite you simply don't look at a scrapbook-you experience it! Take advantage of a full suite of sharing options and turn your scrapbook into a movie to watch on a DVD-or view on an iPod. My Memories Suite allows you to share an interactive album on a disc (DVD or CD) that will automatically play on a computer (PC or Mac). Viewers can interact with your scrapbook by clicking on video, playing narration or navigating through your scrapbook like a website. You can even place in web links for them to visit or embed hidden files like Grandma's secret cookie recipe.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!!!

First we have special bonus just for reading -

A code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value! The code is - STMMMS47520

Before you run off and purchase this great scrapbooking software you can enter here for a chance to win. We have a number of ways for you to enter, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each one and to leave contact info! - feel free to break it up in a { name at host dot com} format -

Mandatory entry - Pop on over to MyMemories.com and take a look around, then come back here and let everyone know which Digital Scrapbook Kit is your favorite
Become a follower of this blog - link on the right hand tool bar or click here if you already are a follower - let me know
Follow me on twitter - @gckhomeschool - if you already do just let me know
Follow My Memories on twitter - @MyMemoriesSuite
Tweet about this giveaway with both @gckhomeschool and @mymemoriessuite in the message
Post an entry about this giveaway on your blog or website and come back here to link it!

Do any - at least #1 - or all of these by Friday Oct. 28th at 11:59p EST to be entered to win a FREE Full version of My Memories Suite 2.0 -

My Memories Suite Version 2.0 digital scrapbooking software is a fun and creative way to keep and share memories, whether you have a Mac or PC. The software's design tools will help you to build entire albums effortlessly using one of the many installed templates, or designing your very own pages from scratch.

Available worldwide. Intended for English-language computers. Technical support is English-only. This product is retail valued at $39.97.

Disclaimer: I was contacted to review this product and was given the software for free, but this did not bias this review in anyway. All opinions are mine alone and represent my personal experience with the product. The winner will be contacted through link they provide no later than Tuesday 11/1/11 and will be given a code to download software directly from the site.

Congrats to @blakepro the winner of our giveaway!!!!

Carl Azuz tweeted with us!!!

2011-10-13T19:12:00.001-04:00

You can't imagine KM's excitement when she saw that he responded DIRECTLY to us!!!

I can't imagine what would have happened if it had been Justin Beiber or Jordan Witzigreuter!!!
In case you don't know who Carl Azuz is ... you should check out CNN Student News!!!

American Math Challenge - Day 2 - Morning Results

2011-10-13T14:35:00.002-04:00

Last Day of American Math Challenge --- Live Mathletics

2011-10-13T07:13:00.001-04:00

Stretch those fingers and get those minds ready for some fast paced math fun!!!
Be sure to let us know how your kids have done in this fun and exciting competition!!!

American Math Challenge - Update 8pm - 1st Day

2011-10-12T20:00:00.000-04:00

I think unless she has a huge surge of energy after x-factor she is done for the day! Here are her results ---

She did a great job, given this is her first try!!! Congrats to all who made it through the first day and best of luck in the speed rounds tomorrow!!!

American Math Challenge Update - 5p - 1st day

2011-10-12T16:57:00.001-04:00

I have a feeling she will be doing a bit more, but as of right now here are her 1st day stats ----

Today's the DAY!!! American Math Challenge --- Tomorrow Too!!!

2011-10-12T06:37:00.000-04:00

Great fun way to test those math minds!!! Have fun and let us know how your kids did!!!
These are the first American official lead up events for World Education Games 2012!!! For more information click the pic to sign up for the official newsletter!

Funny direction things can take

2011-10-10T16:09:00.000-04:00

We started out with Biology and talking about fungus and KM mentioned how many different types of mushrooms she has seen out in the yard lately. I had an idea - we should gather some samples and examine the differences. Then how would each react to heat - oh hey what a great excuse to start a fire in the pit.....

Once we we had the fire going and mushrooms were "cooking" I suddenly remembered a post that I had stumbled upon last week at the hmmm...schooling mom's blog where they microwaved various types of soap...well I wondered what would happen if we put them over the fire....

I was shocked at the various reactions melting points!

KM was inspired to carve some shapes out as she was prepping the samples.

So from biology to mycology to scenting the neighborhood to soap sculpting.....where will the rest of our day take us?

YouTube Monday - Annoying Orange vs Angry Birds

2011-10-10T07:10:00.000-04:00

Two of our favorite computer things - Annoying Orange and Angry Birds - together in one choose your own adventure video! TOOO FUNNY!!!

It's NOT too late to register...

2011-10-08T13:35:00.003-04:00

The sooner the better, so your kids can try out the warm ups, but you still have some time!!!

Our deer friends...

2011-10-05T08:34:00.000-04:00

came for another visit this morning to munch on our fallen crab apples. Can you find the mama and her two babes?

Winner of itty bitty HeartBeats prize pack is....

2011-10-05T04:14:00.000-04:00

Kathryn at Cummins Life the winner of this great prize pack! Congrats and hope your kids enjoy!!!

Jumped the gun a bit

2011-10-04T07:51:00.000-04:00

Last week when I said it was the last beach day of the season - I guess I jumped ahead a bit because we were back at the beach yesterday and this time we had CJ along with us! The waves were incredible and the sun felt so nice! It was a really great time.

AHHHH...sometimes she surprises me!

2011-10-03T10:18:00.001-04:00

It was a really good weekend! Saturday morning early call for bowling league is getting a bit easier, KM had a friend over who she doesn't get to see as often as she would like and Sunday CJ got home after being gone since Tuesday. After her friend was picked up, I thought she was going to be quite tired and need to just veg, so when CJ and I ran to the store to pick up a few things I thought she would be out cold on the couch when we came back. However, this is what we saw when we returned she was ---

DOING HER BIOLOGY!!! I nearly fell over!

My anxieties over this new routine have been lifted for the moment! Ahhhh...I love when I am proved wrong!

You Tube Monday - Project Based Learning: Explained.

2011-10-03T05:42:00.000-04:00

Last beach day of the year!

2011-09-30T14:57:00.001-04:00

Since today appeared to be the last 80 degree day for a while we decided to ditch our plans and head to the beach this morning! It was so beautiful, peaceful and fun! We had a great time!

We usually don't bring much home with us, but this time K really wanted to bring some periwinkles home. She has been enamored by them since we went to a night tidal pool class two years ago. I figured just a few periwinkles wouldn't hurt!

Fall Session Began

2011-09-29T22:33:00.002-04:00

We started our fall session this week and things have been smoothly sailing along. KM really seems to like the choices that we made this time around and she is feeling confident that she is doing just the right amount. In another attempt to build some time management responsibilities, I have tweaked her assignments a bit for Biology and U.S. History so that she is given the assignment a week before it is due. She can either complete parts of it over the course of the week or she can do it all on the day it is due, that is up to her. I have struggled with feeling like a nag in the past when she has assignments are that are due and she doesn't touch them, but I am trying really hard to let this go and not mention it to her. So far I have only had one slip up, this afternoon, when she asked if she was done with everything and I simply said "if you aren't going to work on your other assignments, then yup that is all." This wasn't so bad, but I really want to just let it go. There is no need for me to say anything, it won't effect me if she doesn't get it done on time. She will have the natural consequences of having to do it all that day - simple as that.

Wish us luck on my control issues and her procrastination issues!!!

more Bizzarro Black Birds!!!

2011-09-29T08:54:00.000-04:00

Wednesdays must be good for traveling blackbirds as they were all over my yard again!!!

They don’t need socialization! They need FRIENDSHIP!

2011-09-29T08:37:00.000-04:00

Check out my latest article on Unplugged Mom -

They don’t need socialization! They need FRIENDSHIP!

Dolphin Tale - Cheers, Tears, and MORE CHEERS for this incredible movie!!!

2011-09-28T06:19:00.000-04:00

This was such an inspiring movie on so many levels. If you have not been to see it go tonight!!! I am telling you everyone can learn so much from this film!

The kids I brought were cheering when they saw this scene!!!

Beyond the incredible plug for independent learning, homeschooling and educational intentions in general this movie had more twists and turns, tear jerking moments and laugh out loud scenes than any I have seen in quite some time!

Scholastic has a huge amount of resources, links and videos to expand this movie into a unit study - Meet Winter the Dolphin. Homeschool Movie Club also has a unit study guide - HERE.

itty bitty HeartBeats™ - Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

My nieces came in handy for this incredibly cute review!!! itty bitty HeartBeats™ is a super cute animated musical series for girls and boys ages 2-6 - just so happens SC is 4 and GC is 2!

Through humor, friendship and original songs, the itty bitty HeartBeats help children on Earth solve problems and "do things from the heart."

With engaging animation and upbeat melodies this series touches on a variety of subjects such as long distance friendships, sharing troubles, and being afraid of the dark. The itty bitty HeartBeats™ emphasizes three core values:

Living a healthy, nutritious lifestyle
Having a healthy heart, both physically and emotionally
Teaching positive life lessons

SC was engaged from the get go, but when I took out the SweetHeart doll, she was even more on board. GC stayed engaged for a short time while watching the video, but really liked the coloring book and the music. They both declared that BabyHeart was their favorite! I think that SC really understood most of the concepts, while they definitely went flying over the head of GC, but exposure is sure to bring results and help to set expecations! The emphasis on being kind and caring for others is what really resonated with us. This is truly a wholesome kids show, with great values, morals and viewpoints! CJ said it reminded him of a very well done cross between the smurfs and the care bears! I am very hopeful that this series will be expanded.

BabyHeart - The Girls Favorite!

Now for the giveaway!!!
One lucky reader will receive -
1 itty bitty HeartBeats DVD
1 plush doll - CoolHeart or SweetHeart
5 sheets of stickers

I have a few ways you can enter, please submit separate comments for each method so that I will have a number for each one and make sure that I have a way to contact you!

Head on over to itty bitty HeartBeats™, watch an episode and come back here to let us know what you think, who your favorite character is or what your favorite song was!
Tweet about this giveaway making sure to mention both @theittybittys & @gckhomeschool
Follow @theittybittys & @gckhomeschool on twitter - or let me know if you already do!
Share this giveaway by linking it through a blog or website.
Share this giveaway on Facebook.
Share this giveaway with Google+1.

Entries will be accepted from Tuesday 9/27/11 through Tuesday ~~10/11/11~~ 10/4/11 10pm EST. Winner will be chosen on Wednesday ~~10/12/11~~ 10/5/11 and announced no later than Friday ~~10/14/11~~ 10/7/11.

CONGRATS TO Kathryn at Cummins Life the winner of this great prize pack! Hope your kids enjoy!!!

~~~Disclaimer: I was contacted to do this review and giveaway, but this review is completely unbiased. I was given materials to review, but was not compensated in any other way for this review. Itty Bitty HeartBeats will be filling the giveaway and is solely responsible once the winner's information is sent to them.

You Tube Monday - Sesame Street: G

2011-09-26T08:07:00.001-04:00

Two of our favorite things - Sesame Street and GLEE!!!

What I am Reading - September - Music Kid

2011-09-25T07:51:00.000-04:00

Battleship Cove - Field Trip

2011-09-24T17:50:00.002-04:00

One of our favorite parts of home educating, is FIELD TRIPS! Today we went to visit Battleship Cove and we were commenting on how INSANE it would have been trying to fit through all those tight spaces if you were there with an entire class of kids! There was so much to see, I had a very hard time selecting which shots to post!

Black birds galore ----

2011-09-22T17:54:00.002-04:00

I looked out yesterday and there were blackbirds EVERYWHERE in my backyard! Then we were driving through town and they were ALL OVER!!! It had to have been some sort of freak migration or something!

You tube Monday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAKES FROM HOOPS AND YOYO

2011-09-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

It's my birthday!!!! YAY!!!

14 ---- TODAY!!!

2011-09-19T10:14:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday KM!!!

Every year I am more and more grateful for the incredible relationship that we have and I truly believe that if we didn't home educate, it would be a completely different dynamic!

We had her birthday party on Saturday. It was small, but they had a great time!

The Many Faces of A Crazy Teenager

2011-09-17T07:18:00.004-04:00

Need I say more?

$10 in Free eBooks from Scholastic Teacher Express - Freely Educate

2011-09-16T09:44:00.000-04:00

$10 in Free eBooks from Scholastic Teacher Express - Freely Educate

Here is what I picked for my FREE ebooks -

Jamie's Live video message on the UN Summit on NCDs

2011-09-15T10:19:00.000-04:00

Where in the states is CJ? - U.S. Geography with a Twist!

2011-09-14T19:50:00.000-04:00

With CJ going over the road now, we are going to utilize his travels to reinforce our U.S. Geography! We are using a topographical map, that though it has cities, capitals, and a very light outline of the states, their aren't named on it. So KM uses our atlas to locate the town CJ is in and then locates surrounding towns to coordinate his location! Even when he is not here he can still be part of her education!

You Tube Monday - Author Jan Irvin: Mind Control and The Dumbing Down of Society 1/2

2011-09-12T20:54:00.001-04:00

Almost forgot to post today!!! But then I remembered and thought of the Trivium presentation on Unplugged Mom I re-listened to this weekend and wanted to share a clip from Jan Irvin that really resonates with me. Irvin really explains the trivium and quadrivium in a way that makes more sense to me than anything I have heard in YEARS! If you haven't had a chance to hear, watch or read his materials - TAKE THE TIME TO!!!

Itty Bitties are getting BIGGER!

2011-09-12T20:28:00.000-04:00

Went to visit the Littles and the Itty Bitties today and since the Littles were quite occupied with the neighbor's I was free to play with the Itty Bitties and they are getting soooo BIG!!!

At four months they are getting so vocal, expressive and oh so slobbery!

Immense Praise for Joy Hakim’s A History of US

2011-09-09T22:02:00.000-04:00

Immense Praise for Joy Hakim’s A History of US - OFFICIAL REVIEW on Unplugged Mom!

I have previously reviewed Joy Hakim's Story of Science series and since I was so enamored by her writing, I bit the bullet and bought the 11 volume set A History of US for Kali to use for her U.S. History studies. AM I EVER GLAD I DID!!! I had planned on glossing over the content so that I could figure out when I would need to order additional reading material and movies from our local library to supplement and ended up not being able to put the book down! I am no history buff, but this book captured my attention and I literally couldn't put it down.

I love that she points out what our family calls "duh" moments, things that when you are reading you think why doesn't every textbook take this approach. "When Leaders say something is all right, most people agree, without thinking for themselves." p.113

Hakim has a way of writing that just captivates and inspires you to want to keep reading. The story unfolds as if you are in a time machine looking down on what is going on. Her writing flows in an engaging and thought provoking way as she is constantly asking you to analyze and question what is being said in a conversational manner. She manages to cover even some of the more gruesome facts without getting graphic, which makes this a perfect multi-age resource.

Hakim challenges the reader to question history and emphasizes that "No one knows what happened in the past - at least not we don't know the whole story"..."You gather pieces of information and try to discover how they fit." p. 9

When I was in school I was never taught about anything before the James Town Settlement, sure we were taught about Christopher Columbus sailing across the ocean blue in 1492, but they never mentioned all that went on from one point to the next, it was basically as if they left out the 16th century all together! And I took U.S. History in college. In Hakim's text she is truly telling the story of US, beyond the United States, but in depth to how the Americas were formed. Begining back with Beringia she has the audacity to discuss how there are actually no "NATIVE" Americans as we all came from somewhere else. She delves into the formation of settlements in the Central American islands, the Spanish onquests of Mexico and also defends the Indians, repeatedly making note of the "arrogant European" behaviors.

My favorite quote has to be - Looking back, today, it seems as if people and nations were acting just like silly little kids. Each one saying "My religion is better than yours." p. 139

I have only read the first volume, but I have already absorbed more information from this book than I did in my entire college semester of U.S. History. I highly recommend this series as a first rate, informative, intelligent text that will surely make a history lover out of the most resistant person.
I will be getting Volume 2 off the shelf as soon as I finish typing this!

What I am Reading - September - GCKMom

2011-09-07T10:38:00.000-04:00

The First Americans: Prehistory-1600 A History of US Book 1

I was just going to glance through this to prep movies, additional reading and projects for our U.S. history lessons, but I couldn't put it down!!! Full review will be posted soon, but for now I will just say I LOVE Hakim's storytelling skills!

4th Annual NOT Back to school Day

2011-09-06T14:56:00.003-04:00

I tried and tried again to plan a Not Back to School Celebration for our local home ed community, but the weather would just not cooperate! So KM and I decided to go back to our roots and do what we usually do for NOT back to school - breakfast, library and whatever we please!

After the third round of buses rolled by the house this morning, I decided to wake up K, so we could head out to breakfast with CJ. While we waited for our food we played hockey with the twisted straw wrappers and the plastic ad holder.

Then we headed to the library and and came out with a bagful of books!

KM spent some time chatting and playing on line with some friends and then

we decided to bust out the hair dye!!!

While it processed we watched Cyberbully - a MUST see for all teens and parents - on the new monitor!

It is rather difficult to get the colors to show while it is still damp, I will have to try for a better shot. There are two shades of green - a torquois and a GREEN and purple which is more easily seen!

What did you do on your NOT back to school day?

Teachers – throw out everything you ever thought learning should be!

2011-09-05T15:15:00.000-04:00

Check out my latest article on Unplugged Mom!

Teachers – throw out everything you ever thought learning should be!