A Visual Lesson on Transpiration

It's not original, I know, but I loved doing this as a kid!

~H2

Chugging Along!

We have been chugging along pleasantly over these last two weeks, keeping a steady routine of the subjects I'd been planning to work on with H3. The timing for our school days has been a bit crazy though. I'd had plans to keep a particular schedule and have pretty much given up on that for the time being.  H4 is resisting a schedule with every ounce of her being, so right now we're working around her naps and feeding times.  

One of our little experiments last week was with "Dancing Popcorn", using water, baking soda, vinegar, and popcorn kernels.  H3 really got a kick out of watching all the little bubbles and the kernels moving up and down in the solution.  

As the weather has been cooler, we've spent some time outside for little H4 to explore the grass.  

H3 has never been keen on coloring, so the fact that she has any interest in picking up a crayon at all is a really big deal right now! 

I made a mold-able dough out of flour and oil, and H3 spent part of an afternoon playing in it.  She is so funny.  She hates getting dirty, so every few minutes she wanted to clean her hands.

Last Wednesday, we met a college friend of mine at the zoo in Norfolk. It was a nice, breezy day and H3 seemed to have a wonderful time! (H4 was cranky for most of the day, except for the first few minutes)

One big smile!

The ever-attentive big sister

She loved the tiger!

The giraffe came over to say hello

All I can think of is the story my dad told me about a dinner they had at his workplace one time and the centerpiece meat was an ostrich leg....

We've been taking it a bit easier this week since H1 and H3 both have colds.  Though I've still been introducing some new things, we've been taking time to review things she already knows, like the states, various signs, shapes, etc.  I'm excited by how much she's already learned and how much she's enjoying everything.  She asks me every morning if we can have more school!

~H2

H3 Turns 4!

Yesterday my sweet little H3 turned 4 years old!  After a special breakfast time with H1 and I, she worked on some school work for a bit before coming with me to a Beth Moore Bible study that I'm attending. We followed that up with lunch at McDonalds and a trip to a park.

In the evening we had pizza for dinner and cake.  Now, I have yet in invest in a good cake decorator kit. Mine is an old cheap one from I don't remember where, and it decided to break on me in the middle of this project, so the white icing had to be done via ziploc baggie.  And at that point it was getting so late, I decided not to finish the whole thing with the white icing because it's just getting eaten anyways! So please excuse my slightly failed attempt at my daughter's requested castle cake. This was my first try at anything like this, so I'm just happy that it was edible.

Fortunately, H3 was delighted and didn't notice anything amiss!

It was just H1, H3, H4, and I, and my parents via Skype.  Pop-pop Skyped with us before cake and presents because he had a school board meeting.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful daughter! Four years ago I had no idea what kind of ride we would be in for.  You bring so much laughter and joy to our home and I'm so thankful that God has given me the privilege of raising you.  I look forward to our new adventures this next year.  I'm so proud of you sweetie and couldn't be happier to be your mom!

~H2

Wrap Up of Week 1 School and Life

Given the amount of pictures in this post, you aren't going to believe me, but all this really did take place in the last week, I promise! And I'll probably not be able to get all of it in either. It's been so busy and so much fun!

I have to start off with a picture of H4 sleeping in her car seat. I love those baby cheeks!

Riding on the ferry at sunset

I made a peach pie

My friend Robyn came over with her girls and spent the night on Saturday. We ate half of the peach pie and this amazing salted caramel chocolate bar dessert that she made.  MY WORD. That has to be one of the best desserts ever!  Yummm!

Sunday after church, we took the girls to the park

And had a picnic

On Sunday afternoon, my friend Nicole came over and spent the night along with one of her sons. Her other kids joined us for lunch on Monday. Also on Sunday afternoon, my father-in-law arrived to spend the week with us. I love having him here!  He entertained H4 quite a bit while I got my bearings to start up home schooling with H3.  In future posts, I will try to be a bit better about detailing our activities, but suffice it to say I've packed quite a bit in on each day and H3 is really enjoying it.  There are some pictures throughout the rest of this post to show a bit of what we did.

Lacing shapes

Practicing handwriting. I didn't take any further pictures, but she is easily able to write "L", "T", and "H" now. Yes, I know her pencil grip is atrocious. We'll be working on that.

We made mini-chocolate chip muffins with H3 measuring out the ingredients and counting (and eating) the muffins--not all in one sitting.

I found a Winnie the Pooh book entitled "Why Is The Day Gray?", which we read and then performed the experiment at the end.  You are supposed to take a glass or glass jar and fill it with really hot water, then dump all out except for an inch.  Put ice in a strainer and set it on top of the glass and watch fog form. I didn't have a strainer to fit on top of a glass, so I poked holes in a piece of cling wrap. It still worked pretty well, though it's not clear from this picture.

H3 now has swimming lessons on Wednesdays

Pop-pop with his granddaughters

Sorting blocks by color and then building certain shapes

H1 and I took H3 to get her first haircut at a salon yesterday. I've trimmed it up a couple times previously, but this time I decided to let Whitley work her magic on H3's hair.  H3 wasn't so keen on the hair washing part, as you can see from her expression, but she loved having her hair curled.  She kept staring in the mirror and swishing her hair around.

I know, I took a bazillion pictures at the salon, but how many times does your oldest baby get her first haircut???  I got mine cut too, but no pictures of it yet.  Just a trim. It's still long.

Considering this was my first real week homeschooling H3, I think it went pretty well.  We're using All About Reading Pre-1 and Song School Latin, based on my cousin's recommendations in her blog.  I'll also be using Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Signing Time, and a hodgepodge of other things I've collected over the past couple years in preparation for this, so you'll see a bit of everything on future school posts.

Other notes of the week. I turned 27 this past Tuesday and H3 will turn 4 on Monday, the 10th. I'll be doing a separate post then for her birthday.

Coffee break over, so back to the kiddos! May your week be blessed.

~H2