Jose Feliciano & Daryl Hall - The Little Drummer Boy

Merry Christmas Every One! From our school to yours!

Games Games Games

I just wanted to share a couple of new games that we are really enjoying.

1. Numbers League

Rainbow Resources had a free shipping special last week so I looked into a couple of math games. I bought Equate... which I don't think will be "please please can we play it!" type game but I hope it makes math practice a bit less torturous. The other game was Numbers League: an Adventure in Addiplication. Your goal is to create a team of super heroes to capture villains. G loves it! It's not even like doing math! he said. LOL I was really impressed with how his mental math improved after a few rounds.

2. Lego Harry Potter
We are a fan of the new build it yourself Lego Game boards. First we got Minotaurus this summer, which we play often. Then for Christmas, we've been having family parties for 2 weeks now, G got the Harry Potter version. It is a bit more difficult to build initially but it all stays together when you are finished. I always imagine those stair cases moving on me when I read the books and daydream... well here they do.

What are you playing in school this winter?

Fieldtrip: Cats

After watching Cats on TV, we were excited when their upcoming tour was announced to stop close by. Now I have seen Cats a bazillion times so I knew just where I wanted us to sit... down front. We were lucky enough to sit on the second row just a couple seats from the aisle. G got lots of up close views of the felines. He's still amazed how one batted her paw at him.

In front of the stage before the show.

Looking for Cats after the show... not really.

If you have seen Cats in the past, I would like to know when they cut "The Aweful Battle of The Pekes and the Pollicles" from the show?



I have to say our Grizabella looked like Helena Bonheim Carter as Bellatrix Lastrange but her voice was one of the best I have ever heard.

Fieldtrip: Conner Prairie

This beautiful 10/10/10 Sunday, the family spent the day at Conner Prairie. Conner Prairie is an Interactive History Park. This was the first time G has ever attended a museum where the docents play the part of the time period... he didn't quite know what to think.

First we rode the 1859 Balloon Voyage. G did not want to go but to be honest... I made him. There are certain things, like this balloon ride, like his first kiddie roller coaster, that I make him do. I don't want him to miss an opportunity. And I don't make him go if I am not willing to do it too. I only do this maybe once a year. He still was scared but talks about the view as being really neat.

350 feet in the air.

Indiana in October from 350 feet in the air

Once back on the ground we entered the Lenape Camp, the Conner's Farm, and Prairietowne.

Silver pieces like the English & the Indians Traded

G Creating a paper replica of the silver

Discussing trade with the Delaware

Learning how wool was dyed

Collecting kindling to pay for his half of the bed for the night. 12 1/2 cents

The Inn keeper telling us about how the Spanish Reales was used.

Trying to hold a rifle made by the Carpenter.

Crushing Sage

Playing a real piano forte!

Forging a nail, which G got to keep

Watching the Potter throw

Pretending to throw

Playing Farmer in the Dell

Fieldtrip: Metamora

Metamora is a small village in Indiana platted in 1889. We attended their homeschool day last month. Activities included rug hooking, cooking, rope making, visiting the gristmill, and riding the canal boat.Learning about the Grist Mill

Boarding the Canal Boat

Making a rope

Tuning the boat around.... the horses pull the boat and have to be reattached to the other end of the boat so we can go back.

Fieldtrip: Stone Mountain, GA

We had never heard of Stone Mountain but the day before we left for Florida, I received my prize book from Live the Adventure. As I perused the 500 locations I came across this location near Atlanta… hmm we have to go through Atlanta. So we decided we would stop on the way back home. We are so glad we did. We only looked at the carving and took the train around the base but we plan to go back and partake in all of the activities and watch the laser show.

Fieldtrip: Disney

This trip to Disney was short & sweet. We only went for three days and only went to two parks. We spent our time at Magic Kingdom seeing sites we had skipped in our other two visits and our day at Epcot helping Kim Possible capture villains. So much fun! We only waited for photographs and autographs we had never received… what a time saver!

Learning to spin plates in China

Dreaming to see the real deal

"The Bakery is Open!"

Goofing in MexicoDancing in Germany

Vikings in Norway

Playing Guess the Character M&Ms

Princess Tiana & Prince Naaven
Jesse & Woody

Jasmine & Aladdin

Beauty & Beast

Mary Poppins & Burt

Trying to Get Off the Hamster Wheel

When we started on this homeschool journey, one of my main motivations was the fun stuff. The things that there is not enough time for in public school. After 3 years, I am searching for the fun stuff… There has definitely been a lack of it. Not that we don’t have any fun but there is a definite lack in the hands-on exploration and fieldtrip department. So I am trying to get off the hamster wheel of simply school at home. I want to find hands-on science experiments for G (he’s really into science right now) and I want to take at least one fieldtrip a month. Wish me luck!

Fieldtrip: Florida’s Space Coast

We went to the Kennedy Space Center the day after Labor Day and it was Empty! We took advantage of this and took tons of pictures.

Actual International Space Station Supplies, some going up in November!

Hint: I was tempted to purchase KSC tickets online but we waited and stopped at the Florida visitor center where they had $2.50 off coupons. Bonus. KSC tickets are good for two days within a seven-day period.

We also took advantage of free admission, part of our KSC admission, to the Astronaut Hall of Fame. It is a wonderful, small museum. The exhibits are interesting and there are many hands on opportunities

Virtual Ball Game

A fun afternoon!

Landing a virtual Space Shuttle

Watching videos at a real mission control table