School Times

We've had some good school time this week. We enjoyed the scheduled crafts for our France study, as you can see! Zeke spent an hour and a half (although he claims 2 hours) on his Eiffel tower model. I really enjoy giving the this much time and freedom when they are "in the mood" to accomplish something and work hard at it! Abby and Eli had a good time with the building too...Eli just kept building and building...and eating and eating the marshmallows! It feels like we've been reading about France forever because of a few interrupted weeks. I'm glad to be moving on next week to Germany, which I am going to condense into one week.

Abby's model:

Eli's model:
Eli is reading amazingly well...I am flying through the kindergarten On Track book(SSRW) with him. I like the strong foundation SSRW gives young readers, but once they are getting it, I see no reason to draw it out. He reads a new story every day! He works really hard for a little guy...I'm so proud of him and can't believe he'll be turning 5 soon! I thought this math activity was cute, although a little girlish...And then there is a picture Eli drew of his best friend Gabe, in his bathing suit, no less! This is one I want to remember forever and put in his baby book :)



Abby has moved onto the 2nd grade workbook for SSRW and then I just listen to her read from a Pathway reader every day. It is good to see her challenged a little more in language arts. She was very excited about starting subtraction this week. This gal is FULL OF ENERGY and she is CONSTANTLY jumping up (not exaggerating here) from her desk every 2 minutes and LEAPING over to her brothers' desks to see what they are up to. I moved her desk to the living room to see if that would help her distraction, but no, it just provides room for the leaping moves....sigh...her daddy claims she's just like him...her brain just moves so fast and is always thinking, onto the next thing...I am SO OPPOSITE! I sway between getting frustrated with her and trying to figure out how I can get her to sit still--to embracing who God made her and loving the freedom that she has being schooled at home. I think watching her sugar intake would be helpful. If any one has any suggestions, I'm all ears! Here is her with her doggie that she chose from the prize table at piano lesson, a portrait of the doggie and her and her cousin Anna.


Zeke is doing great. He still loves geography, has been doing some extra science sheets this week out of the big book of animals (for ECC users), and we are amazed at his math. We did have a little discussion about how he needs to start writing neater for his math! He will sometimes write 1 inch numbers for the problems, very sloppily. Mom is not a pushover when it comes to sloppy work.

Micah received a little "desk" in place of where his sister's used to be in the school room. One day he informed me that he needs do school too. Come to find out, he is really good at using scissors just like Eli was! And he loves to glue beads and noodles onto paper, although I usually just find them all over the floor. Maybe he will start having a little 10 minute school time!


If any ECC users have any advice about bible times, I'd love to hear it. How do you do your bible times? I try to have us all read together, but it is too long and too deep for the younger kids, and I wind up very frustrated, angry, and discouraged by the end of our "bible time". But I love having discussions about it with Zeke. I already do the read aloud for Zeke at bed time, so can't move it there...I need something shorter and more interactive for my younger kids...but don't want Zeke to miss out on the content. And we've been wanting to focus more on character with the kids...start learning some Proverbs, for example. But I'm not sure I want to miss what the curriculum has for Zeke. Help?!

Well, I'm off to make Quiche and Crepes for dinner ( I grew up eating my mom's awesome crepes!!!), although Zeke can't partake since he's the one that came down with that awful virus. :(