Smile!

The kids were helpful, willing models for Dave while he was working out some new
lighting techniques with new equipment. We finally have updated portraits!

Dave's Latest Project

As is the case with most homeschooling families, we've accumulated a lot of books and various supplies (math manipulatives, flashcards, art supplies, etc). We were in desperate need of more storage. Our family room has a little nook where I always thought built in cabinets and desks would fit nicely. I told Dave my thoughts and he bought a book on cabinet making and went to it! It took him the whole summer to go from the planning stages to the finished product and I am so proud of his efforts. One of my favorite of the many admirable qualities in my husband is that he is self-motivated and self-taught in a wide variety of subjects and endeavors. This quality is one
that I really hope rubs off on the kids!

There isn't a good "before" picture -- just this mid-project view when the cabinets had no doors.




Woodworking in the garage




Our new and MUCH improved family room.
Thanks, Dave!

Weeks 2 & 3 Summary

The weeks are flying by and our studies are moving right along!

Kindergarten week 2 was all about the letter "M" and the moon.
We read many nice books, made moon phase cards, and learned about the calendar.

We just finished up week 3 with the letter "L" for leaf. Our motto was, "I live and grow in Jesus." We were able to involve the older two kids in a few of the activities and science projects.

Here is our 4 seasons of a tree craft




The kids had fun decorating leaf-shaped cookies



We did an experiment with leaf color (from last year's curriculum, Creation to the Greeks).
It involved crushing up a green leaf and adding nail polish remover to it. We then put a piece of a coffee filter into the liquid and let it sit for a few hours. The filter soaked up more colors than just green, showing us that the fall colors of the leaves were already present in the leaf -- just masked by the chlorophyll.



And here is a leaf mosaic which tied in nicely with our Roman craft project.



Our study of Roman history has been fascinating for the kids and me. So far we have learned about the Punic Wars and Hannibal, Julius Ceasar, Octavian, Cicero, Mark Antony, Brutus, Cassius, the battle of Philippi, and Cleopatra. The violence, warfare, and disregard for human life in the Roman world is troubling, but would not be wise to leave out. What a world into which our Lord Jesus was born!






















In all of my years in school, this time period was never even touched upon and finding reliable and trustworthy resources for self-study isn't easy. We are fortunate to have found these excellent history resources at Vision Forum:




And here are our Roman mosaics, updated for lovely fall home decor:

The Bike Path

Fall is here! The days are getting shorter -- and cooler! Our family isn't particularly fond of hot, humid weather (or mosquitoes), so our summer walks and bike rides were scarce. We've been taking advantage of this great weather to get on the bike path as much as we can. It is the perfect spot for taking nature walks, observing the changes of the seasons, and collecting a variety of seeds.

Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them"; and it was so.

Genesis 1:11

Week 1 Summary

We're back to school! Our first week went very well and everyone is excited to learn! The curriculum we use, My Father's World, is so perfect for us. There is just enough material presented each day to keep the kids focused and to maintain a good balance.

Our kindergarten week focused on the letter "S" and the motto was "Jesus is the light of the world."

We baked sun bread together.


Handwriting improved over the week -- even that pesky "S" looks pretty good!


Having fun with Cuisenaire Rods


Working Together on Maps



Mapwork for Notebook



Parts of a Cell

Cell Model

Beginning Cursive

The Roman-style wax writing tablet sure was a hit! The kids enjoyed learning all about Roman numerals using their tablets.