:bigear: My kids would LOVE this.

my blog and ask for your vote? Everyday Snapshots I am honored to be nominated and chosen as a finalist for the About.com Reader's Choice award for best homeschool blog. I know there are tons of other very worthy blogs out there, so this was a pleasant surprise (stunned, actually) for me. I have no aspirations of winning, but right now my competitive spirit would really rather not finish last if possible. :D So if you would be inclined to take a look and vote, you can vote for me here. And while you are out there don't forget that SOTW is in the running for favorite history curriculum. A sampling of homeschooling posts: Letting Go of Homeschool Perfection: Nature Study Drop Out Beat the Yellow Bus Blues: Combat Homeschooling Burnout BUILD a Better Math Program Thanks for your consideration. Pam

I didn't answer because I don't have a 9yo -- yet. :D If I were in your position I would try Khan Academy first because it is free and comprehensive. I suppose Beast Academy is not quite up to his level yet with only grade three being released? What about LOF? If he likes to read also try readers from Livingmath.net. Cyberchase is available on Netflix streaming and there are companion lessons and games on their website. There's more than one way to spice up math.

I have to run to the home store to buy some flowers :D so will be back to check everyone's out. In the meantime ours is up: For the birds. And if you don't mind my asking, will you please vote for me for the About.com Reader's Choice award for Best Homeschool Blog. I think there are many other more worthy blogs out there, but I was very honored to be nominated and chosen as a finalist. Right now I just don't want to finish last. ;) You can vote here. Thank you! Pam

I voted!! (I'm a fan.) :D

:bigear:

Looks like your kiddo is about the same age as mine. :001_smile: I just did a blog post about two favorites this week for language arts. Toontastic they absolutely love and use over and over. We also recently downloaded Playful Math and both the 6 and 4yo love it. More school-y favorites they choose on their own: Stack the States Letter School Teach Me Toddler, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade (We do not have the second grade yet. All others are huge hits.) Not so educational, but fun: Toca Boca Hair Salon Toca Boca House Where's My Water? Cut the Rope Angry Birds Some we enjoy using at Mom's suggestion: Dial Safe Pro iBird Yard Hungry Fish

I have it, but have not yet used it. I will try to give you a break down of what it includes and then you can ask questions. First is a one page argument for using fairy tales. Then are the two projects. One is for the 4-8yo set and the other is for the 8-12yo set. Younger set project is "visual narrations." Gives a description of how the process works and then gives detailed ideas of how it can be done with various tales -- seven popular ones in all, though you can do your own ideas, let your kids be creative, and choose different tales. It is more of an artsy style of narration so if your 4-8yo is not into art, cutting, and pasting you might avoid this one. Project for older set is more writing based. She gives three different creative writing project variations for the older set based on fairy tales in general. She gives you some resources to use and suggestions on directions that the projects might take. I would say that if your child is not in to creative writing, then avoid it. If they like spinning a yarn, then this shows how they can use fairy tales as a jumping off point to do so creatively. As far as your money's worth, if your kids like projects like these, then there are some good ideas here that you can use for months of projects and it will be well-worth what you pay. If not, then not so much. I got the PDF free when I responded to Julie's call for tea time pictures, so I did not purchase it. I plan on trying the younger set project with my 7yo next year as we read fairy tales from around the world. If it goes well and my daughter is into it, then I would not hesitate to spend the money on the myth and legend or poetry ones later on. HTH, Pam

We're pretty relaxed around here lately - as you can see. :001_smile:

Formal Wii Party Everyone wears satin and tails to play the Wii, right?

Maybe Homeschool Launch is what you are looking after.

I hear you. I am up late now to get my time. My DH is an introvert. In fact, his introversion is costing us an extra $220 this month, because he didn't want to stay in the free barracks for a class, but wanted temporary housing instead. I understand and think it is worth it -- small price to pay. Of course he will be gone for fourteen days straight and then come back and work for five more. He is pressuring me to drive 100 miles with him and the kids to visit his family the following weekend. I am pushing to stay home alone. Did I mention he is deploying later this year, along with any chance I have of regular, free break? Somehow between now and then I have to make him see how important this is to me. So I am right there with you. You have a laptop? Can you set it up somewhere else in the house and make a little computer station? Mine is on the kitchen counter. That way it would be easy to pop over every now and again and get online without having to go into the office. Also, if DH ever has a day where he is going to be gone an extended period I would declare a snow day and let Ds play all the video games he wants. I know it would not be regular or scheduled, but it might help. :grouphug: Pam

This might help: http://www.livingmath.net/LessonPlans/C1PrintableBooklists/tabid/1046/language/en-US/Default.aspx

I can't really answer your question (which totally makes you wonder why I am posting on your thread, right :glare:), but when we were shopping I was dead set against a mini-van. Looked at some crossovers which would seat six, but they seemed no bigger than my car on the inside -- just with an extra row. Caved on the mini-van and love, love, love it. Will keep it until the kids are big and then trade it for a convertible.

Resurrecting this one to say that I am Catholic (and Christian ;)) and will be attending GHC in Greenville. BUT I have noticed that they are promoting a specific flavor of Christianity strongly this year and there seems to be less nonsectarian, education-based workshops than there were last year. I was psyched last year, because I was able to create my own convention experience by picking and choosing the speakers who focused on education and not religion. Looks like I am going to have far less to choose from this year. And then I read on the Bravewriter Facebook page last week that she had not been invited back to attend any GHC conventions this year. She wasn't quite sure why. I wonder if it is due to her more mainstream approach. She was fantastic last year, and her workshops I attended were packed -- standing room only. So, unless they open back up to being more inclusive, I don't think I'll be going back after this year. I like to get my religion at church and my homeschooling techniques at the convention. That said, I would love to meet up with any WTMers who will be there -- dinner, drinks, whatever. And if you are Catholic (or just interested) and attending, PM me if you would like to attend Mass Thursday morning before the convention starts. We are going to try to attend daily Mass at one of the local churches since we will be arriving on Wednesday and have the morning free.

iPad. No doubt. We love ours.

I'm late! I'm late! But it is pretty wordless. Find it here. Oh, and if I might impose, I have been nominated for an award and am requesting your vote if you aren't partial to the other nominees. Thanks! :001_smile: Will have to wait till tomorrow to see what everyone is up to. Now, I must sleep. :tongue_smilie:

The beauty of notebooks is that they can be as simple as you want them to be and still be effective. Look at the examples here under #2. Didn't cost her a thing for the kids to do these pages. They probably learned just as much if not more using this method. Of course if there is money to be made off something, then someone is going to try and do it. I have no problem with that at all :D but it isn't necessary.

It is all three -- episode 7, the Christmas Special, and the season finale. :D Totally worth staying up for. Oh how we will make it until next season?????

Be sure to get your trading cards before the big show tonight. I also have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to Downton fun!

It is ABC Spy HD. The iPhone version was free the other day. The iPad version was $1.99. They loved it and have already made a movie.

You want it for so many reasons! :D We LOVE ours. Just got it for Christmas and use it all the time. I talk about how some in this blog post. On any given day: DD uses it to do her spelling (Simplex Spelling and Word Wizard - which allows me to enter my own spelling list). We use Sound Literacy as a replacement for phonics letter tiles with our reading program. One uses it for math practice apps while I work with the other in math and then they trade off. They both use it to practice letter formation with Letter School. It is perfect for the almost 5yo and sometimes the 6yo needs help remembering to start at the top and such. DS 5 can work in his phonics workbook without me having to print out all those pages. We just use Notability to mark up the PDF with his finger. They play a few rousing rounds of Stack the States. They can now name them all and are almost there on identifying them on the map and getting the capitals down. We do picture study. I made a favorites list of our current artist in Art Authority so we can study the pictures each week. Our current picture is also the wallpaper on the iPad. The artist is Vincent Van Gogh, so I downloaded two different Van Gogh picture book apps for us to enjoy. We watch an episode of Salsa and then play on our Babble Spanish app. DD will use the free Mini Adventures Music app to watch videos of instruments from around the world. One night she was fascinated by the gu zheng from China, and recently she told someone that the piccolo was her favorite instrument. We use the iBird Backyard app to look up the birds we read in Burgess Bird Book. We can see photos, read info, and listen to their songs. They practice learning our cell phone numbers and calling 911 in DialSafe Pro. When they get it right, Dad answers in his own voice (we recorded it). The 911 operator asks them for their address and tells them he will stay on the line until help arrives -- just like for real. They make the parrot in the free ZooWho app say potty words like "poopy." It's not educational, but it sure does make the 2yo laugh his head off. And I could go on and on and on. I also just downloaded an app that will walk them through using the iPad camera to make their own personalized ABC book/movie. Can't wait to try it out with them tomorrow. DH is being deployed this year so will have to surrender his work iPad before he goes. We have been talking about picking up another for him to use while he is gone. It will be interesting to see what features the iPad 3 has. HTH, Pam

Here is ours. And I managed to do no words, but it was REALLY hard. :D Chelli - When you write your post highlight the word you want to appear as the link. When it is highlighted click on the picture (in the toolbar) of the earth with the little chain. A box will pop up. Copy the link from your webpage and paste it in that box. HTH

Sigh. I miss Sawyer. :iagree: I sent the Gosling meme link to DH and asked why he never said things like that to me. His response: "Hey girl. I like it when you send me photos of good looking guys saying things you want to hear. Tells me the kids are enjoying some educational TV programming." I had a good laugh and then promptly closed the laptop, took my shower, and turned off Team Umizoomi for the morning. :D He's a keeper.

A friend and I alternate hosting Pinning It Down every week, where we blog and share about the things we have done on Pinterest and how it turned out. It is tons of fun, and we would love for anyone to join us. You can read more about it here. You can also read about what I've actually done there. :001_smile: