Math and Computer

We are currently using Math-U-See for math. And I love it!
(http://www.mathusee.com/) <<< Find it here

The kids do three pages (both sided) a day. Though, every other day Emily also does a test. It's fun one on one time. I keep getting surprised at how fast my kids are learning new math skills. It's simple, easy, and effective.



While I have one-on-one math time with the each girl the other girl gets to use the computer. We have 4 different computer games. All which are educational. They get to pick what they want to play and everything. This has really helped them learn to use the computer. Soon, I hope to also have typing lessons on it. We're grateful Grandpa restored the computer for us and gave it to us for christmas!!

ABC with Baby!

Abby has really been wanting to be involved in schooling. She loves when she wakes up early enough from her nap that she gets to finish the school day with us. We've also been lacking structure in the morning.
So, the solution was to start schooling her also. We only do it for about a half an hour in the morning.
All three girls get the same sheet. But I have different goals for each of them.
Emily's is to practice writting her letters better. She's really good already, but still it's good practice.
Hannah's is to start learning to color inside lines, and to practice her letter writting. I make the older two each write both upcase and lowercase the letter four times before they are able to color.
Abby's goal is to just learn the alphabet letters and sounds.

It's been really fun so far. Hopefully we can keep it up!!

Homeschooling is just sunshine and cookies...

Yeah right! he he eh.

We sure have our ups and downs. But that's just how life is. We are moving along nice and getting things accomplished.

I've decided that my favorite thing about homeschooling is being able to work with my kids, and when I see weakness help strengthen them.

Lately we've been trying to bake more. Because One, the kids really really enjoy it. But two, it teaches them important skills. Baking can incorporate so many different skills. There is reading, measuring, turn taking, direction following, and even some fine motor skills learned (frosting). So today we made some YUMMY YUMMY sugar cookies and they were fast to make. I got the recipe at this link http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/easy-sugar-cookies/detail.aspx

Here is our evidence of yummy-ness. And us using our mad frosting skills!

YAY! moments.....

Today Bryan was reading the girls their bedtime story. He opened the book, and Emily read the first sentence. And so we decided to let her read as much as she wanted. The book was Cinderella. Just the normal version, not an easy version. And she totally read a ton of the pages.

WHEN DID SHE LEARN TO READ?!?!? yes. We've been working on reading. And she's REALLY good at reading the sentences and such But these words were harder words for lessons we haven't gotten to.
It seems like somewhere along the way she really started reading. Like being able to figure out pretty hard words. No, it didn't start today. It started a while ago. It just amazes me how fast she picked up on it. She's been reading regular books for a while. I just never noticed how hard of words she was able to read.

I think I'm going to back off a little on the reading lessons for Hannah.. Give her a little break and let her start reading when she feels more ready. I think she likes it, but she's been having frustration lately. I don't want to kill her love for reading. So we'll just be having me read with her assisting me with some words for a little while.

Although she LOVES math. We've been doing Math-U-See.. And she's almost finished the first book. She asks to do math each day and always volunteers to go first. So we'll just enjoy that love for a little while. and bring back more intense reading lessons in a few weeks.

To homeschool or not.

This really has been a hard decision for us to make.

I'm having a baby in November, and it would be kind of a break not to have 4 kids at home everyday all day...

But we haven't found as many pros to public school as we were hoping for. In fact there aren't very many pros at all... so..

I think for now we are going to try to continue to home-school. It's still not completely decided. Though, I was suprised how my kids took it when I told them I think that's what we were going to do. I told them we would take other fun classes like cheer and swimming.. And I think that's all they want, just some out of the house fun time. So, I think that's what were going to try.

We'll see if it changes in the next few months.