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I have been happily married (32 years) to my husband Ed. We have 8 children and 2 daughter-in-laws and 2 grandsons.
CLEANING YOUR HOUSE WHILE YOUR KIDS ARE STILL GROWING IS LIKE SHOVELING THE WALK BEFORE IT'S STOPPED SNOWING. ~dayspring~

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Academics vs. Imagination

At around 1:45 last night, I was up trying to stop a cramp by my knee.  I ended up putting a heating pad on it for quite a while.  Anyway, while I was lying there, I realized that books, and tests are not the most important thing for my girls.  Why?  I will tell you.
Katie and Tom were in a drama/musical this past winter (well, if winter is what you want to call it.)  Anyway, They finished and life went on.  Katie still had the drama on her mind.  She memorized the whole play and music.  So what she did, was so fun to watch.
She wrote scripts for her sister, her friend M., and herself.  (In our backyard), she then confiscated wooded stakes from her Daddy and proceeded to pound them into the ground for many a days until she decided what she wanted to do.
She hammered in the stakes and then cut paper towel tubes so that they would fit over top of the stakes to make microphones.  She then proceeded to get every outside chair and folding chair and set up an audience area.
Then she pounded more stakes into the ground and added rope which made a pathway for the audience to walk through.  Just like when you stand in line and they have the area roped off.  I hope you know what I mean.
This was brilliant if you ask me.  The girls had the play but had some giggles; well, a lot of giggles. ~LOL~  When Katie said her "lines", she did a marvelous job.  She actually gave out the gospel and didn't even realized it.  Her reading was smooth and perfect.
Her friend M, is now "producing" a play with dancing. ~LOL~
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A few weeks before this, the local church was having an outdoor expo and made up postcards with all the information.  From that postcard, Katie got the idea to make a campsite.  She gathered big rocks, created a circle, and placed sticks inside for a campfire.  She pounded stakes in the ground and made herself a tent with an old sheet.
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This week I found a huge, and I mean huge bag of knex for $13.50.  There must be hundreds of dollars worth of knex in this bag.
Anyway, Katie didn't want them but I bought them anyway.
I found her creating the other night and left her alone.  She came downstairs with a "rolling suitcase" and a tower which she realized later that she made a standing microphone.
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I have to say that this is much better than sitting writing a paper when your mind is just exploding with imagination.

Have a good day!
~Margarete~

P.S. The cramp I had did not increase. Thank God. ~smile~
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Hip Homeschool Moms http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2012/04/pure-play-kids-review-giveaway/ is having a giveaway of a KISS Naturals DIY Soap Making Kit.  I'm entering this for Ana.  :)

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

AALP Giveaway

All Abouth Learning Press is having a giveaway; $100 gift certificate towards their reading or spelling program. If you own this, they will send you a $100 check!
http://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/giveaway-100-gift-certificate-for-our-store-2/
~Margarete~


Monday, April 23, 2012

Thank You to All the Homeschool Companies

I would like to thank all the homeschool companies that have giveaways.  I have won, Map books, Music Audio cd's, free lapbooks, and now a Starbucks giftcard.   These make my homeschooling very affordable; especially the much needed coffee. ~LOL~
Some of the companies are:
Knowledgequestmaps.com
Homeschool Mosaics
ajourneythroughlearning.com
Homeschool Giveaways
and More....
No one told me to write this.  I am just very thankful.

~Margarete~

I'm also thankful for all the websites & blogs that have the free lapbooking booklets, lapbooks, notebooking,  many ideas, etc.


Sunday, April 15, 2012

Our Visit to the Pond








...This bird has a small amount of red on it's wings...
Everytime I tried to get closer it would fly off and then come back again.
...relaxing...



...This is the life...

Friday, April 13, 2012

Easter Pictures, Math Pictures, and Others

Katie looking pretty for Easter. The necklace was made by her sister-in-law. Bethany now has a facebook store for jewelry
Our neighbor loves our children (we love her too). She bought the girls' dresses, Katie's shoes and their sweaters.
Katie and her big brother Jon (the bracelet is also made by Bethany)
Katie's "beautiful" cast was bought on Good Friday. Thursday afternoon, she tried to jump/sit on a pylon at Aldi's and fell on her wrists. We are so thankful she didn't break the right one also. At least it matches her dress. ~LOL~
Ana looking lovely (Her necklace and bracelet are made by Bethany)
Katie and Ana Easter morning
Our eggs

chalk math...10 x's tables

more chalk math
Katie doing her times tables
katie painting a greek theater mask
Ana's theater mask
Ana just looking beautiful

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Living Math Websites

Just wanted to remind everyone to checkout the right bottom sidebar. I have found some neat math websites. I'm adding this one to my list: http://www.adrianbruce.com/ . I found this a long time ago and forgot about it.
Hope it helps. :)

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Need Help with Above Picture

Can anyone tell me how to get the blog header picture smaller and the box around it to disappear?
Thanks!

Please Pray for This Family

http://goofyj.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/and-the-world-crashes/#comment-13927

Their 12 yr. old daughter got tangled in a sheet while playing, she passed away.

This really upsets me because Katie is always playing with ropes. She loves to tie things up, or around her. She's always throwing a rope around something.

When she was little, she wrapped yarn around her neck and was choking. It was so hard to get it off. It was so scary.

I will definitely be watching her more closely after reading this.