Week 14 of MFW 2nd grade (with bread making)

note - We went from week 12 to week 14 because in MFW (My Father's World curriculum), which I am using, it has week 13 for Thanksgiving activities.  It is an optional week and you just come back and do week 13 on the real week of Thanksgiving.

This week we are learning Jesus is the Way, ...Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, ...and Birds.  Rose is coming along in her Reading, Writing, and Language Arts.  She continues to excel in Math.  Enjoys Art, Music, and Literature tremendously.

It was our turn to bring a snack to Keepers Club so we made "acorns" with Hershey kisses and Ritz peanut butter mini sandwiches.

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We did bread Making in keepers Club.

Rose thought her Keepers club bread was delicious!

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Our church had a Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night.

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A photo of Rose playing with Rebecca.  She felt she had been giving her new Build A Bear too much attention, and Rebecca not enough attention....so she declared it 'Rebecca Day'  and played with Rebecca all day...even having her join in on school work.  She also made sure they wore one of their matching outfits.

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In our study about birds, we made a Robin's Nest snack using chocolate chips melted with peanut butter for the mud, rice noodles for the twigs, and shredded wheat for the grass.

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Rose doing some of her school work in her 'tent'

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We love to play board games around here.  Our current favorite is 'Made For Trade'.  It is fun and educational.  It goes along with the time period we are currently studying, which makes it even more interesting.  You can play at different levels, so it should be a regular for years to come.

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Rose's favorite book this week was 'Farmer Boy' by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Week 12 of 2nd Grade (with Pilgrim Plantation Day)

11/6/11 - 11/12/11

Here is her George Washington page....

We are starting our gentle hands-on overview of the 50 states.  We will learn about each state chronologically with our history lessons, at the times they joined the USA.

This week we learned about Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Georgia.

At the end of the week we went to a homeschool group Pilgrim Plantation Day.   We dressed up, did period games, crafts, and had a Thanks-Giving feast.

Week 11 of 2nd Grade (with Soap Making)

10/29/11 to 11/5/11

Over the weekend a local church had a dress up harvest party with games, apple bobbing, pie eating contest, shows, etc.

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On Monday night our church had a Harvest Party.  We ate pizza, played games, painted a pumpkin, etc.

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 In history we learned about the Constitution and the Liberty Bell.  We made this craft, with instructions HERE.  Instead of writing "Liberty", we wrote the scripture that is actually inscribed on the bell.
"Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof"

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On Tuesday night at Keepers Club the girls did scented soap making....

here is Rose's finished soap in her bathroom and already used a few times....

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Rose playing horse with daddy.....he was moving along a little too slow for her, so she hops off and brings back a carrot to encourage him to go faster...

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Rose is doing some cross stitching while daddy is reading to her.  I think this is a book about George Washington.   I think we read about 10 or 11 George Washington books this week.

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In Science we are currently using the book Birds, Nest, and Eggs.  It is a very enjoyable book.

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On Saturday we went to one of Rose's friends birthday party at Build -A- Bear.

I need Jesus...

Those are the words Pastor Mark ended his sermon with tonight.  They rang true to me.  He talked about storms in our lives and how Jesus is our way through.

I feel extremely blessed.  I am overwhelmed with what God has given me.  Especially when I think of my wonderful husband.  My daughter.  Homeschooling.  and so much more.

But I am also struggling.  I MISS my extended family (and some super close friends) so much.  I ache thinking about the distance between us.  I want to be in Kentucky and see my dad's smile and feel his embrace.  I want to give my mom a hug and enjoy her presence.  I just want to be with them so bad.
If I could just hop in my van and drive over and visit them....

It's not that it has been a super long time since I've spent time with them (4 months ago) and Rose and I are going back in 9 days and spending two weeks there. 

But I can Feel the distance.  A couple thousand miles is long way.

I cry at the drop of a hat. 
Rose misses her family and friends so deeply as well.
I don't mean to be mopey.  I do realize my many many blessings.

But it is still a true hurt that I feel.

I realized that me just 'deciding' to think of the positives isn't going to make it go away....or relying on my fabulous husband to take the sad feelings away.  ...It is setting my eyes on Jesus that will get me through.

I need Jesus.

Week Ten (Pumpkin Patch)

Rose is continuing to love history.  Here we made some Hasty Pudding.  (It is mentioned in the song 'Yankee Doodle' and in some of the books we had been reading.)

 We weren't expecting to like it, but it was quite good.  Our studies said it was traditional to serve it with butter and maple syrup, so that is how we tried it.

Rose's 13 Colonies and Declaration of the United States.

Rose made ink from berries

and used a feather to write with her ink

She thought it was super cool!

Rose helping out in the kitchen at Keepers Club.

We learned decoupage this week.  It was my turn to teach and Rose was the only student that had decoupaged before.

Daddy did the science experiments with Rose this week :0)

Our Field Trip this week was to the local Pumpkin Patch with some homeschool friends.

I got lost in the maze, but did catch back up with Rose and the group she was with.  We let the girls lead and they got us out.

At the Exit!

We got to pick a pumpkin, go on a hayride and see a few animals.

When we dropped off our pumpkins in the car, Rose decided to put on her Camel-back (it is a backpack that holds a big pouch of water with a hose going around to her mouth)  It is handy when we are biking, but apparently, just as handy when you are walking around on a farm.

Daddy and Rose carving a happy face pumpkin.