Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up May 18

In my life/homeschool this week: Mother's Day was wonderful.  What a beautiful day to spend with my family.  I shared about it here.

On Monday, we began the Chimpanzee study that I downloaded after seeing the film on Mother's Day.  I highly recommend both the film and the educational materials.  We are learning quite a bit!  You can download them here.  There was also music lessons for the kiddos (piano for Kiddos 2, 3 and 4 and guitar for Kiddo 1)

Another rainy Tuesday meant no baseball.  After more work on our Chimpanzee projects, the kiddos asked if they could substitute bowling this week with watching the Phillies game together.  It was an afternoon game and fell right during the time we'd be bowling.  We had fun watching and cheering our team to victory.  :-)

I also posted by weekly recipe link-up.  There were a lot of good recipes shared this week.  I shared our new coffee cake recipe that went over really well. (like completely consumed in minutes well, lol)

Wednesday brought more Chimpanzee lessons.  It is wonderful that the educator's guide contains lessons for all different age groups.  For example, while they all were figuring out how to get a chimp from point a to point b with a 1.5 meter arm span, the olders were also asked to determine if each angle the chimp made was obtuse, acute or right and to measure each. 

On Ascension Thursday, we had a light schedule.  We talked about the Lord's Ascension and everyone worked on their power point presentations.  We went to church in the afternoon with our classes and Kiddo #1 had his Civil Air Patrol meeting in the evening.  He is really loving it, even though he is hurting this week from running a mile, playing frisbee football and doing pt.  :-)

I also posted my Thankful Thursday post.  It is amazing how the smallest little things become the most precious when we learn to appreciate them.

On Friday, we are planning on helping setup for our church's flea market which is being held this weekend.  It is always fun working together with the other families that we have gotten to know really well through our parish retreat to get it all ready.  The flea market benefits our parish retreat, so every family tries to do their part, whether it is setting up, working it, cleaning up, etc.  This year we are also doing a bake sale.  So, I guess baking will also be on the agenda for Friday, lol.  :-)

What I'm reading: 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way, A Mother's Rule of Life.  I'm also participating in an online Bible study that I am enjoying very much.

What I'm praying for: our nation, our servicemen and women, people who are ill or suffering....

A photo or quote to share:

Kiddo #3 left this on my pillow Wednesday night.  :-)

"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. "--unknown

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom."--Henry Ward Beecher

"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother."--Lin Yutang

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

Thankful Thursday- May 17

Another week of many things to be thankful for....

Among them are....

my kids playing with each other and enjoying doing so

finding a great (and free) resource, the Chimpanzee study, that has activities for both the younger and older student (my olders were determining the measurement of the angles of the chimp's brachiation today.  Too cool!  You can go to this post to download the materials for yourself.

Nightly power-point presentations that make us smile, laugh or tell daddy all about what they learned that day

Having the freedom to let my children sleep in if they are tired and cater to their individual needs

Enjoying family time together in watching baseball games each night (thus the necessity of the above, lol)

and going to climb into bed and finding these on my pillow make me especially grateful:

Thank you, Lord, for all of these gifts, and for the countless ones that you bestow each and everyday!
Linking up with Theresa at Red Oak Lane for Thankful Thursday and Judy at Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings.



Look! What We Did Wednesday May 16

On Sunday, our family went to see the movie "Chimpanzee."  I wrote all about it here.  It was an awesome film, and we learned so much.  So, of course, as a homeschooling mom, I am thinking of how I can make lessons out of it!  I searched and found quite a bit of educational resources online from Disney regarding the film.  So, we made our own chimpanzee masks, compared the size of our feet to chimpanzee feet, as well as our arms.  We learned the difference between monkeys and apes (many of which I didn't know!) and about all of the different creatures who call the African rainforest home.  And this is only the beginning, there are 2 dozen lessons left!  :-)

These resources can be found by clicking on the links below:

There is a 19 page activity guide for kids, a 135 page educator guide with over 2 weeks of detailed lesson plans with actvities, worksheets, project ideas, etc., lots of "fun facts" sheets and other goodies.  There is also a "making of" facts sheet we found fascinating.

What an awesome find!  :-)

I am linking up with Look! What we Did! and Favorite Resources

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- May 15

On Saturday, the kiddos and I made a coffee cake.  It was a new recipe, one we hadn't tried before.  Everyone helped, especially with the sprinkling of the cinnamon sugar topping!  It was SO delicious!  It was completely gone within minutes.  :-)

Coffee Cake

Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar
                1/4 cup all-purpose flour
                1/4 cup butter, room temperature
                1 tsp. cinnamon

Cake:       1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
                2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
                1 egg beaten
                 3/4 cup sugar
                1/3 cup melted butter
                1/2 cup milk
                1 tsp. vanilla (I increased it to 2)  :-)

For cake:
Mix dry ingredients.  In separate bowl, beat egg, sugar and butter.  Add milk and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into greased and floured 8 or 9 inch pan. 

Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly on top.

Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. Partially cool in pan on wire rack.

I am looking forward to what delicious recipes are going to be linked up this week!


Linking up with Kids in the Kitchen, Addicted to Recipes, Raising Mighty Arrows and Judy H-J's Thoughts.

Make Life Meaningful Monday- May 14

Yesterday was Mother's Day and it was a wonderful day!  :-)

It started with the kiddos coming in and waking me up to choruses of "Happy Mother's Day Mom!"  We all went to Church together and came home and enjoyed lunch while watching a baseball game. (Yay, our Phillies won!)  :-)

We all went to see a movie called "Chimpanzee."  Have you seen it?  What a wonderful film!  I checked it out earlier in the day on "Plugged in Online.com" and was reassured that there was nothing in it that we would find offensive or inappropriate for children and they were right!  What an incredible production.  The film crew follows a newborn chimp with his mom, his clan, and ultimately, his adoption by a very unlikely hero.  I won't go into any more details, in case you haven't seen it and want to, but it was a heartwarming, funny, encouraging and educational documentary.  I have already downloaded some educational materials from the film's website and guess what we're going to be doing on Monday?  lol. 

I wanted to get a photo of the kiddos and I when everyone was all dressed up for church, but failed to mention it to the kiddos and no sooner we walked in the house, the play clothes were on anyway.  :-)  So, instead, I have a right before bed, we are all tired, half in our pajamas photo.  But, it is just as precious and probably a whole lot more natural anyway.

I also got one with my mom.  :-)

The day ended with Kiddo #4 giving me a Mother's Day present of a special power point presentation.  It was a gift I will cherish forever!  :-)

I am linking up with Michelle at her link-up Make Life Meaningful Monday.

Homeschool Mother's Journey/Weekly wrap-up May 11

I truly can't believe it's time to write another weekly wrap-up post!  This week truly flew by. 

In my life/homeschool this week:  Monday was music lessons for all 4 kiddos.  It is getting a bit more challenging with Spring Fever hitting to make sure everyone gets their practice time in.  We definitely are going to be working on it!  :-)  I posted Kiddo #4's First Holy Communion photos on Monday.  You can see them here.

Tuesday brought more rainy weather, so it was bowling instead of baseball.  Kiddo #4 scored a 104 and a 119!  She does this with one of her stuffed animal pigs under her arm to boot!  This week it was Sam. (all of her pigs have a name that starts with p, i, g or s.  Go figure! lol)  Kiddo #2 didn't feel like bowling this week.  I was surely proud of him that he brought along some schoolwork to finish!  Gotta love that!

I also hosted my weekly recipe linkup.  I shared my Crockpot Omelette recipe.  There are lots of other good recipes there, as well.  You can see them all here.

Wednesday was an "ordinary" day.  I wrote about how the ordinary, when really appreciated and cherished can become "extraordinary" in the post entitled "Look What we Did."

Our "ordinary" day consisted, among other things, of some Khan Academy videos followed by Power Points, research for projects and reading.

On Thursday, the kiddos worked on their math, handwriting and research projects.  Kiddo #1 and I were asked to help out with a funeral at church.  I wrote about how this not only has been a good lesson in service, but in being thankful for the lives of others.  Read about it here in my Thankful Thursday post. 

Thursday afternoon and evening also had Kiddo #4's sewing lesson (wait till you see the beautiful pajamas she is making for her My Twinn doll!), classes at Church and Kiddo #1's Civil Air Patrol meeting.  Thursdays are getting to be pretty busy days.  :-)

What will Friday hold?  I will do my best to come up with something spontaneous and fun to end the kiddos' week.

What I'm reading: 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way, A Mother's Rule of Life

A favorite photo or quote to share:  "Prayer increases the strength and spiritual unity of the family, helping families to partake of God's own strength. Prayer needs to become a regular habit in the daily lives of each family."--Pope John Paul II

"Kept aloof from God? Why should you avoid so tender a parent-a Savior, who has poured out the last drop of his blood for you? Nay, rather turn and meet Him who has been running after you so long." - Saint Francis of Girolamo

 "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."-- Ronald Reagan

 Kiddo #1 caught this photo one afternoon.  A sign that despite this rainy, cool and fall like weather, spring is here.  :-)

Something else special to share: Last week, I was privileged to take part in a wonderful blog series on Motherhood.  Theresa at Red Oak Lane, as a Mother's Day gift to all of our readers, compiled all of the series in a free e-book.  Click on the button below to download your free e-book, which includes all of the posts.  Taking part in the series and reading all of the posts has been a great blessing to me.  I hope it will be for you, as well!  Happy Mother's Day!

I am linking up today with Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up

Thankful Thursday- May 10

Kiddo #1 and I are asked to help out with wedding and funerals at our church quite a bit.  I am thankful that I am given the chance to be of service and to teach my son the importance of that, as well.  We helped with a funeral yesterday and today.  It could become routine, but I try to make sure that it is not.  I listen to the eulogy, try to learn something about the person and what they did in life from those who loved them most.  And I try to remember to thank God for their life.

Yesterday, the man's casket was flag-draped in honor of his service in WWII.  This soldier's wife gets the goosebumps whenever I see a flag over a coffin.  I had a nice talk with Kiddo #1 about it and how we need to be grateful for the man's service and his life.  His little 9 year old great-granddaughter gave a little eulogy in his honor.  Very sweet and very touching.  Today, the woman's grandchildren read the Scriptures.  They did a very nice job.  I know she is proud of them.  They obviously loved her very much.  I am thankful for her example to them.

Everyone is important and was put on the Earth for a reason and we all are precious gifts from God.  So, as I think about life and death today, I am thankful for all of those, not only in that special generation, but for all of those who God calls home today.  They were all loved and were all important in the eyes of their families and in the eyes of their Creator.

Linking up today with