MFW Adventures Week One

We really enjoyed this week of school!  Rose was super ready to start back to school, so that helped a lot!

She was so excited Sunday night she could hardly get to sleep.

Here she is on Monday.  The first day of 2nd grade.

Probably my favorite from this past week was writing a letter to Rose explaining why we picked her name.
It was so precious to write this to her.

Rose's favorite thing was starting her time line.

This year we are studying US history.
The time line is up in our hallway and Rose is looking forward to people being able to see it when they come over.

On Monday we had a "red, white, and blue" snack.....Well, they suggested yogurt, but I thought I would make pudding as a special treat since we regularly have yogurt.  But I hadn't made pudding since before Rose was born and forgot that unlike yogurt, vanilla pudding is yellow not white.  Also, our blueberries look purple and I thought I had some strawberries, but didn't, so I used a red grape, which also looked purple.
So our "red, white, and blue" snack ended up a 'yellow and purple' snack.  But we enjoyed it very much and we pretended it was red, white and blue!   Which just added to the fun!

 Here is a picture of an experiment we did with salt water/fresh water.  She loves science and would be very happy if we did an experiment EVERY day.

Here she is doing Art.  She has a book and I have a copy of the same book.....we both do it together in our own books.   super fun!

Making a bracelet with an R (for Rose) to remind her that God loves HER.

Nature Study and nature sketching.....this is another thing we both do together.   She loves doing nature study.  Now that we are in the west and not the Southeast.....it is harder for me.  I don't know the plants here!  I need new field guides that pertain to this area.  

We did lots more, too, of course......maybe I will highlight some other areas next week.

It was a great first week of second grade!!

What we are using for 2nd Grade

 I am really excited about this year.  I think it will be a good one!  Rose is actually excited about it too!

Here are most of the curriculum tools I have selected for our 2011-2012 school year.   Rose will be in second grade this year.

For our Bible, History, Geography, Art and Science we are using My Father's World Adventures Deluxe.

It includes:

• Teacher's Manual, Second Edition
• Student Sheets (purchase one per student)
• Map of the U.S./World - placemat size (purchase one per student)
• NIrV Discoverer's Bible for Young Readers
• The Story of the U.S.
• American Pioneers and Patriots
• North American Indians
• Red, White, and Blue
• The Thanksgiving Story
• The 4th of July Story
• First Encyclopedia of Science
• Science in the Kitchen
• Science With Air
• Birds, Nests, and Eggs
• Celebrate America (CD)
• Read-Alouds for Adventures in My Fathers World
• Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims
• The Courage of Sarah Noble
• On the Banks of Plum Creek
• Sarah Whitcher's Story
• In Grandma's Attic
• Mountain Born
• Farmer Boy
• Introduction to Tchaikovsky & the Nutcracker Suite
• I Can Do All Things
• Paint and Marker Cards
• My First Magnet Kit
• Soda Bottle Bird Feeder 

This curriculum also uses a weekly book basket with additional books we get from the library.

Additional Bible
We will also be learning additional scriptures in larger sections and/or chapter segments.

Chad will continue to read the Bible to us after supper each day and ask us questions from Balancing the Sword.  We will also continue to learn hymns as a family during this time, as well.

Additional Art
We will continue do some more Meet the Masters.
We will add some of the Draw Write Now pages from books 2, 3, and 5 that coordinate with MFW.

Math we are doing A Beka. 

Update: Rose finished 2nd grade math around the holidays.  We started 3rd grade math after Christmas using Teaching Textbooks 3.

Language Arts: we are doing Queen language Lessons as we complete a book, we just move on to the next.
We are also doing the  Spell to Write and Read program. 
We will finish up our Queen Cursive Book A and then use scripture to practice handwriting (cursive and manuscript).

Update:  Mid year we switched to Reading Eggs for Language Arts.  

Reading
The MFW includes reading time, but we will also be reading through the 2nd grade A Beka readers, the Rod and Staff Readers, and the Pathway Readers.

Additional History
We will be doing Hands of A Child Lapbook on George Washington.

Character Development
We will be using Character Sketches Booklets, Character Sketches series one, and the coordinating coloring book, character cards and I Will cards.

 We will also be reading a variety of character enhancing books such as the Millers series, the Little Jewel books, the God is Good series and other books.

Free Time learning
For free time Rose can choose to watch the Bob Jones University Bible, Science, and or Heritage Studies.  This is a full curriculum all on it's own, but we are using it as a TV time option.  She has all the coordinating books and workbooks that go with the videos, but again they are optional for her to use.

Home Ec.
We will continue learning to cook, bake, clean and sew.  We also will be joining a local Keepers at Home Club.  (This will be our 4th year doing KAH)

P. E.
We will be biking, walking, swimming, hiking, etc.

Update:  In the spring semester Rose did Rockclimbing classes, Fencing classes, a month of swim lessons, and also started ballet classes.

I do not think it is possible to list all our resources that will be used, but this should give you a basic idea.

Ahh.....all unpacked

Yippee!  We are all unpacked and organized!!

Here is our kitchen, dining, and living room(s).  Actually it is all one open space.

It feels good.

Moved again

We have been in Reno for eight days .....so why does my home still look like this, you ask?

Well, as stated in my earlier post, on Tuesday evening we unloaded our truck and started unpacking.
We had the kitchen all organized and most of the laundry area set up and was starting on other areas.  Then later on Wednesday, the apartment manager told us they would move us to another unit.  (Remember the carpet.....my burning eyes, burning nostrils)  But the new unit wouldn't be ready until Saturday.  (Well, they told us Friday, but it ended up being Saturday)

So we stopped unpacking boxes and spent the rest of the week living among the boxes.  Meanwhile, the cleaner reactions seemed to be getting worse..... in addition to the burning I had fatigue and my throat was swollen.

So, we tried to spend as much time as possible outside of the apartment. 

We went swimming several times.

Chad and Rose played some pool.

We visited the UNR campus

explored our new city

 

and even went to a drive-in

 

On Saturday and Sunday afternoon we moved to a different building in the same community.  And by Monday morning all my symptoms were gone!   They finally told us that the carpet was suppose to have been replaced in our first unit before we moved in.  I hope they replace it before they move someone else in.

So NOW (Monday) we can finally start unpacking and organizing.

As a result, summer break is going on a little longer for Rose!

And I wanted to throw this picture in for Grandpa and Grandma Anderson.  They send us stuff (books, games, cards, and even some school papers) from Chad's childhood every now and then.....and we LOVE it! 
Here is Chad and Rose playing his old card game "Tail the Donkey"  We have had a lot of fun playing.

It is so neat for Rose to play games from her daddy's childhood.

 Email me for our NEW updated mailing address......

Not quite settled in....

We got here on Sunday and as of Wednesday we still aren't settled in, yet.

Our carpets were covered with cleaning powder.  So on Monday they had the carpet cleaners come out.  Which meant we couldn't unload until Tuesday evening so the carpets could dry.
We have been letting the apartment air out these past few days as well...my eyes and nostrils have been burning from the cleaning powder they used.

So we spent our time cleaning and trying to get acquainted with our new area.  Rose has been enjoying the very cold pool.  And here she is in the media room at the clubhouse.

I did some work on the netbook while she watched  a cute cartoon called Adventures from the Book of Virtues

So Tuesday night our stuff got unload....and this is what our place looks like now.

I was planning on starting school on Monday....but I am having my doubts that our home will be organized, our school stuff organized, prepped and ready by then.  ....we will see!

I will soon post about what we will be using for school this year.

PS- did you know that Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other state?
Someone on facebook posted a link to 'What Is Your State Good At?' that showed a couple of interesting facts about each state.  Nevada's said "Nevada is #1 in teen pregnancies, home foreclosures, and meth use, but it also has more mountain ranges than any other state."
So I will focus on the positive and enjoy the fact that it has so many mountain ranges.  We saw a lot of them on our drive here.
And Mt. Rose which is by Lake Tahoe, but we can see from here, still has some snow on it.  .....quite beautiful.

Drive Across America...Day Nine

Today we were in Nevada.

We drove 479 miles and this is the route we took:

View Larger Map
We listened to 'The Last Battle'.  So we listened to all 7 Chronicles of Narnia books and a couple of Lamplighter books during our trip.


We did get up early today since today was going to be our longest drive.

Rose and I hanging out in the lobby while daddy loads and pulls the van around.

 It was raining when we drove through Vegas...

 Scenes from my window....

Lunch....I think Chad was hoping we could avoid McD....but it sure did please one little girl

This is beautiful Walker Lake.  It was gorgeous, even though you can not see it well in this photo.

These mountains were on one side of us while the huge beautiful lake was on the other.

I even tried reading a little while...

 The I-Trans bands worked wonderfully.  Some days I could go an hour or two before turning it back on.  It is a totally different experience riding without being so sick the whole way!  I did on occasion get a headache.  At those times, I would rub the essential oils behind my ears and turn the band back on and it would go away within 30 minutes, usually sooner.  I am very pleased and think it is worth a try to any one who sufferes from motion sickness.

If you don't get car sick but your child does,  I urge you to please be sensitive to that; it can be very very miserable and it hurts to talk or move even in the slightest. And it can come across as just being grumpy.  Being still, keeping the temperature low, and not being crowded also make a difference.

We came up on this little town that was green!  It was music for my eyes...

a great little traveler!

almost there...

 We made it....

Chad and Rose in front of the clubhouse

waiting for the keys to our apartment

the little kitchen

living room

Rose coloring in her new room

We used one of our recently acquired Reno Groupons for supper at a Thia restaurant close by

Well, we made it!  Our drive across America has come to an end.  We had so much fun seeing the sights and enjoying each others company. 
Your comments were very encouraging to me, thanks!  And I especially appreciate those who have been praying for us.

We visited 12 states. 
Which is a great kick off to our homeschool year coming up, since we will be studying U.S. geography.  What fun!

I hope you enjoyed following along as we moved from Atlanta, Ga to Reno, NV.  It is a big change for us. 

Please feel free to keep following along as I will continue to share....