Homeschool Pictures and First Day

 Here are the girls for the 2012-2013 Homeschool Year!!!  They were so good and dealt with my impromptu photo shoot on our way to the playground.  They've grown so much since last year!!!  I love these girls, I'm glad to be their mom, and I'm glad that we have this opportunity to learn together:).

 After the photo shoot we joined some friends at the park where I took more pictures.  I'm all over 

documenting cuteness...haha!

The first day of school was a Super Hero Jammie Day!!!  They came up with this all on their own:).  It was great!  We did lots of fun review with Handwriting Without Tears where we sang songs as we got familiar with building our letters with our wood pieces, did some number tracing, had some friends over, and got our reading in with Daddy after dinner:).  

The Olympics!!!

The kids LOVED our Olympic games!!!  Enjoy the pics:)

Olympic symbol painting

Track Field - Hurdles

Gymnastics - Balance Beam (Thanks Granddad!)

 Cute pic of the baby:)

Our gold medalists:)

 Love!!!

Olympics

I'm WAY excited about the Olympics!!!  So tomorrow we have some cool things planned:).

On the list list of things to make are:

1.  Our torches for our opening ceremonies
2.  Our Gold medals
3.  Our Olympic stadium (my living room and yard)
4.  Painting the Olympic symbol

The plan is to hold opening ceremonies and have family Olympics this week!!!  There will be hurdles, gymnastics, table tennis (all kid versions of course), and a lot of late nights for me as I stay up watching way past my bedtime.  I am WAY excited about this plan!

How are you enjoying the Olympics?

Our day without TV

Now I m not a TV hound.  I let my kids watch it and I have no problem with it, but I think it's because I also do so many hands on things with them that I don't feel bad.  Today, though, I really wanted to make our entire day, from 8am-2pm, free of TV.  Partly because I want to train myself for next year with preschool and partly because I have SO MUCH STUFF for little hands to learn with that it doesn't make any sense for them to watch TV between 8am and 2pm.  Slowly, but surely I am including Lil' Diva in on some structured activities also.  Dancin' Diva can do several things independently now so it's easier to get Lil' Diva in on the action now:).

Enjoy!

 In and out in and...

 Moon Dough:

4 cups of flour

1/2 cup of baby oil

Mix and play!

 Blocks

 Sensory Play

 My find of the day that I fell in LOVE with...Foam sheets cut into shapes+water+brushes= Greatness!

Her blog is GREAT!  Check her out!

Finished product

Edible finger paint that satisfies while big sisters are "painting" on the window...YOGURT!!!

Transportation Unit

http://www.4shared.com/file/pyGJyHG-/Transportation_Beginning_Sound.html? - Link for transportation beginning sounds picture

Colored Rice

I love this stuff!  The colors make me happy and I know two little preschoolers who enjoy it too:).  I'm working on filling their general sensory bin so I'm making several batches over the summer.

Things you need:

Rubbing alcohol

Food coloring

Plastic bags

Instructions:

Divide rice into bags

Pour in some alcohol (I just do two pours)

Mix colors as you wish

Seal and shake each bag

SN:  The longer you let the rice sit in the bags the brighter the colors

 Pour onto paper plates or newspaper (something you don't care about) and let dry

When the rice is dry pour into a plastic container for some sensory fun!

Ideas for play:  

Pouring

Seek and find

Rice art (you know...like the sand art kits)

Enjoy!

Seeing the squares

How do you guys plan your lives?  I LOVE seeing the squares on a paper calendar.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not sure what I would do if my smart phone did not "beep" at me reminding me of certain things.  However, when it comes down to it there's nothing like the awesomeness of putting the pencil to the calendar and planning something...anything!  I know I'm a nerd, but I don't care:).  The tricky thing about planning though, is you have to know when to let it go.  For instance, I have our entire preschool plan ready to go for next year but I am completely OK with the school day taking on it's own vision.  As long as we have a blueprint, I'm good.  I feel the same way about meal planning and unfortunately I believed this a little too much when it came to the cleaning schedule this year.  

So, the plan is to execute preschool (officially twice a week), a meal plan, and the cleaning schedule everyday.  The trick is to know that the desire is great just as long as the schedule doesn't become an obsession.  I like a "lived in" home, but that good 'ole fashioned straightened up house that my Grandma believed in and STILL delivers on every time you walk into her home IS my desire.  I.  Can.  Do.  This.  

It really makes a for a calm day and fun times!

How do you guys like to plan?  Is it in your head, on paper, on an excel spreadsheet?  Please share:).