Weeks 17 & 18 and some curriculum changes

For our spring semester we were ready to make some changes to our school year.  

We started our Monet unit study, finished our A beka language arts and started BJU English Video lessons, and also started Veritas Press Online Bible/History videos.  Everything else is basically the same.

Rose LOVES the Veritas Press videos each day.  It is currently her favorite part of school!  We use the self-paced videos, history cards, and song cd.

Rose's favorite book these weeks was David Livingstone.

Her favorite Monet painting is 'Irises in the Artist's Garden'.

Daddy and Rose went to an UNR Womens Basketball game.

Thanks to Pinterest, I was motivated to organize the pantry and some of the kitchen cabinets.  It ended up a family project.  Here is the pantry 'before and after'.

And here is some of the in between work....

Thank you Chad and Rose for putting in a slanted shelf for canned food and another one on top for storage.

Book List for Girls (repost)

I first posted this in 2010.  I had a request for the info, so I am posting it again.  It is from the Raising Homekers blog. A good book list for girls is always helpful.

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Book Lists for Daughters

Posted on 17 July 2010 by Mrs. June Fuentes |

Daughters should be using their time well and reading books is a wonderful way to learn more about godliness, character, life, homemaking, and so forth, but please, don’t just give your daughter just any kind of books. Be prayerful and selective about what kinds of books to give them. As a young girl I came across many books that were inappropriate, a waste of time, or just fed the flesh. Books have the power to influence and teach our children for good or evil so be sure of what you are placing in front of them. I make it a habit to always look/read through the books my children read so I know exactly what is being put in front of them.
Here are some recommended books for daughters that I have either had my daughters already read that I highly recommend or will have them read in the near future. They are not in any specific order:
The Bible
So Much More by Elizabeth and Anna Sofia Botkin
Raising Maidens of Virtue- Stacy McDonald
Polished Cornerstones-Doorposts
Lamplighter Books-various authors 19th century fiction includes a godly theme/character
Beautiful Girlhood-Mabel Hale
The Golden Gems of Life-SC Ferguson
Life of Faith Series
Elsie Dinsmore Series
The Lamplighter Series
Above Rubies Magazines by Nancy Campbell
Bible Doctrine/Theology
Stepping Heavenward-Elizabeth Prentiss
For Instruction in Righteousness-Doorposts
Christian Character-Gary Maldaner
Books on Christian Missionaries-various authors
The Hopechest-Rebekah Wilson
Homemaking and anything by JR Miller
Keepers at Home – Keepers of Faith
Foxes Book of Martyrs
Voice of the Martyrs Magazine
World Magazine
Creation Magazine
Passionate Housewives Desperate for God-Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald
The Courtship of Sarah McLean-Castleberry Farms Press
Jeff McLean: His Courtship-Castleberry Farms Press
Do Hard Things-Alex and Brett Harris
Start Here-Alex and Brett Harris
Before You Meet Prince Charming-Sarah Malley
I Kissed Dating Good-Bye-Joshua Harris
Noble Womanhood–Pearables 19th century writing
Little House on the Prairie Series
Daughters of Destiny-Noelle Goforth
The Kings Daughter and other choice stories
Mother-Kathleen Norris
Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends-Sarah Malley
Ten P’s in a Pod-A. Pent
What He Must Be-If He Wants to Marry My Daughter-Voddie Baucham
The Excellent Wife-Martha Peace
Training Our Daughters to Be Keepers At Home-Ann Ward
Social Graces- Anne Platz
Rod and Staff Readers–Amish readers
The Moody Series- Sarah Maxwell
Choice Stories for Children-Ernest Lloyd
The Little Boy Down the Road- Doug Phillips
The Kathleen McKenzie Series
G.A. Henty Books–historical books for boys but also good for girls
My Mommy, My Teacher-Johannah Bluedorn
Christian Charm Course-Emily Hunter
When reading literature, occasionally you might run across undesirable topics. I always advise parents to use it as a tool to teach a biblical worldview. Some parents even make it a “game” or “challenge” to find areas in a book or piece of writing to note feminism, sin, agendas, fallacies in logic and so forth as they can make for excellent points of discussion.
Our daughters and sons are too precious to put just anything before their eyes. We must guide them to use their time wisely and reading good books is a wonderful way to do this while challenging the spirit. Let us all set an appreciation for high standards and quality literature for reading in our homes!
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For more great post be sure to visit RaisingHomekers.com

Christmas Break

Our Christmas break sure was a good one.  We had a week at home doing Christmas crafts and activities, a week in Kentucky, a week in North Dakota, then a few more days at home.

Our friends had us over for a fabulous Christmas Craft Day!

The girls made snow globes, a giant 'gingerbread' chocolate chip cookie girl, and gingerbread houses.

Their older sister made personal miniature clay figurines for the snow globes.  She used each girls favorite colors and items.  It was super cute! 

  Chad was in Florida most of this week for a conference.  Rose and I enjoyed doing Christmas activities, arts and crafts, and baking for a relaxing start to our Christmas break.  

Here are some candies we made on pretzels and candy canes.

By Saturday daddy was back in town in time for Rose's first piano recital.  This was her first semester taking piano.  She really enjoys it and practices every day.

Carissa, Rose, and Shaina at their recital.... 

...A little snow on December 23rd

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On Christmas Eve we flew to Kentucky.  It was great spending time with Gma and Gpa Irvin, Aunt Jennifer, Aunt Kiki, the cousins and uncles. We enjoyed visiting, playing, laughing, and just being together.  We had a good time at the gift exchange. Grandpa made a fun cash gift for everyone.  Did I mention, we spent time laughing?  We always have so much fun and enjoy each other.

Rose and Tori working on the last bit of baby Isaac's baby blocks and playing cards.

Stocking time....

We received this beautiful snow on the farm.  It was gorgeous to look at it, but prevented us from traveling and seeing Uncle Josh, Auntie Samantha, Lilly Kate, and baby Isaac.

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On New Year's Eve we flew to North Dakota.  We spent a couple of days in Fargo visiting the Sunderlins.

We are trying to stay up to ring in the new year...

We watched the NYC ball drop live at 11 PM CST and called it good.  I don't know about everyone else but after only a couple hours of sleep the night before and a full day of travels, I was tired.

Rose enjoyed sledding, playing pool, video games, and doing duct tape crafts with Isabelle and Max.

Then in Walhalla we spent time with Gma and Gpa Anderson, Aunti Cami, Uncle Tim, and cousins.

Rose and daddy helped make Christmas goodies.  Grandpa always reads the birth of Jesus story to us.  Grandma always plays the piano and we all sing carols.  This year Rose played Deck the Halls when we sang that song.  We had a fun gift exchange.  During the visit Rose really enjoyed playing on grandma's piano!

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Back at home Rose enjoyed a day of shopping and going to the movies with the Beck's.

Week 16 with the Peanutcracker Ballet, Rose completes 4th grade Math, and Christmas celebration day

This was our last week of school for this semester.  On Tuesday, we took a break from studies to go see the Peanutcracker Ballet.  It is a shorter and narrated version of the Nutcracker.  We went to it see last year and we really enjoyed it both years!

The big news this week was Rose finishing her 4th grade Math (she is in 3rd grade).  Yay, Rose!  To celebrate, we went to Build-A-Bear.  Congratulations Rose.  She is going to try do all of 5th grade Math in the spring semester.  She is a diligent worker.

We had our Christmas Celebrations this week as well.  Chad was going to be at a conference next week, then the following couple of weeks we would be in Kentucky an North Dakota visiting family.

So on Thursday evening we went  to view the house with huge lights display.  You know the kind, where they use a radio station to dial in to for the music and the lights are crazy over board....but oh so fun to watch.  Lights of Tanea.  

After the lights, we came home and Rose got to open a couple of presents.

 

Then Rose and daddy watched the meteors before we all headed to bed.  (They turned the lights off and had a great view of the sky from this 2nd story window)

The next day was THE Christmas Celebration Day.  We started with the stockings...

...then presents

...a thankful heart...she said 'thank you' and gave big hugs after each gift.

 

We spent the whole day together.  We sang carols, shared the Nativity story, and played lots and lots of games.  We just received our grass fed cow half.  So with a freezer full of beef we decided to have steak instead of turkey for our Christmas meal. yum.

We were missing some of our Christmas traditions that we had in Atlanta (especially going to Stone Mountain Christmas with the Davis family)  but we think we may have started some pleasant traditions here, as well.   Rose asked if we could go see Lights of Tanea the night before Christmas celebration day every year.  I think the Peanutcraker Ballet and a steak dinner may also be new traditions.

It was a great day to remember God's gift of His Son, being thankful for our family, and spending time together.

Week 15 and a mid week vacation

This week we went to another Christmas show "Miracle on 34th Street".  Here are some clowns that are in the Macy's Day parade part.  It was fun to have Carissa go to the show and lunch with us.

This week in our studies we continue to learn about Europe and different people groups there.  Rose is working hard in her language arts and math as well.  

This week we spent a few days at the Grand Sierra Resort here in town.  We were very thankful for our complimentary room.  

I was planning on just taking our school work with us to do there, but Rose doubled up at the beginning of the week so she could be school-free while staying at the hotel. Rose and daddy played Laser Tag and went to dinner together the first night.  The next two days Rose and I enjoy the hotel while daddy was at work during the day.  

On Saturday we went to a Christmas Craft and Meet Santa fundraiser.  Rose loves crafts and it was nice having teenagers help her while mommy chatted with other mommies on the sidelines.

Afterwards, Rose used one of her Book-IT certificates for a free personal pan pizza.  (She earns a free pizza each month for reading, compliments of Pizza Hut.)