Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up May 4th

Spring Fever, along with May, is here.  The weather, is more like February/March, with a frost watch every night, but that has not stopped the "fever."  lol.  :-)

In my life/homeschool this week: Monday was a Homeschool Chemistry program at our local library.  The kids got to make and taste their own soda and grow crystals.  I even got to visit the book sale and everything was half-price!  ;-)  You can see lots more pictures and read more about how much fun the kiddos had here.

On Tuesday, I took Kiddo #4 to the hair salon for a trial run with her veil.  She is making her First Holy Communion this coming Saturday.  We are all very excited.  I also took her to Sears for her portraits.  She looked so beautiful.  Our little girl is growing up too fast.  :-)

I also hosted my weekly recipe linkup.  A lot of great recipes were posted this week.  You can see them all here.

On Wednesday, our local Nature Center hosted a homeschool Pond Study class.  The kids were able to do exploration and learning at both the pond and in the classroom with microscopes.  It was an awesome experience and I was lucky to get some great photos of the different "creatures."  I posted all about it here. 

Also on Wednesday, I was blessed to post my segment in a blog series on Motherhood.  I was honored to be asked to participate and have been very touched by the response to the post.

On Thursday, we learned about Mozart.  We studied Handel and Bach earlier in the week.  I found an awesome resource for free on various composers.  They are from the Gutenberg Press and teachers and homeschoolers are welcome to download and use them for their students/children.  They are make and take books on various composers.  There was a lot of great information on Mozart in addition to 13 photos that the kids were able to cut out and paste into their "books."  While doing this, we listened to various pieces of his work.  I continue to be marveled at the extent of Mozart's genius (he has always been my personal favorite)-- composing his first works at 4 years old.  We looked at those "original" works and they are really challenging!

Kiddo #4 also had her weekly sewing lesson and we had classes at church in the afternoon.

Friday will be filled with last-minute preparations for Saturday.  I look forward to posting pictures of Kiddo #4's special day next week.

What I'm reading: 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way

My favorite resource this week: See above about the free books about musicians.  The kids just loved reading and discussing Mozart.  I look forward to introducing the others in the series.  :-)

A favorite quote or photo to share:  "I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built upon the supposition that every child is a kind of idiot who must taught to think." - Anne Sullivan

"I learned most, not from those who taught me but from those who talked with me." - St. Augustine

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." - Albert Einstein

"Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion has no hold on the mind. Therefore do not use compulsion, but let early education be rather a sort of amusement; this will better enable you to find out the natural bent of the child." - Plato

a closeup of some of the leaves on the pond

Linking up today with Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up