Back Yard Academy
Nov. 18, 2007
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November 18 2007
May. 23, 2007
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http://backyardacademy.blogspot.com/
Feb. 4, 2007
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http://backyardacademy.blogspot.com/
Jan. 17, 2007
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http://backyardacademy.blogspot.com/
Jan. 2, 2007
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Back at it.
I'm begrudgingly back to teaching the kids and even more begrudged of using this new homeschoolblogger system. It's SO lonely now! I still miss my digest. Yes, I know, it's been almost a month and I'm still crying about it but it stinks. If HSB wasn't slow as sin then it wouldn't be a megahuge deal but for some reason it's the only site I visit that just drags and drags and drags. So all those extra clicks just tick me off.
Our vaction went long. 2 weeks turned into 3 and frankly if I could have gotten away with it, it might have turned into 4. We just did the basics today. Thomas was very cooperative and was actually motivated to work. Tristen on the other hand fought me every single moment. EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. Class took every bit of 6 hours today because I was fighting with him.
We started our day with a mile at the park. These kids are so out of shape! They couldn't keep up with me by the 1/2 mile! I was just walking and I wasn't even winded! I'm a big 'ol woman too! This MUST become an every pretty day thing for us or I'm going to have 2 chuncky monkeys on my hands. By the end of the mile Tristen was crying and saying he was going to throw up and he was dying and so on and so forth. Whatever. He was fine as soon as he got in the car.
Then we came home and started math. Tristen did a midyear assessment for the portfolio and I did a review with Thomas.
Language, uneventful. ABeka is quite uneventful.
Science. I still don't have a science! I think I'm going to download one or two of Jeannie Fulbrights Apologia samples to use for the next few weeks. I'd like to just buy it but I'm broke.
History. Tom started a study of ancient middle east and Tristen and I are going to take another go at learning the states and capitols.
Spelling. Uneventful, again Abeka,, uneventful. OH,,, Thomas's find a word in his spelling book? Completely fouled up with errors. He worked forever on that stinkin' puzzle and I went to help him find the answers and they were NOT THERE! I've gotta send out an email to Abeka I think!
Reading. We started reading The Swiss Family Robinson
Music. I composed a duet for Trombone and guitar ( yeah,, it's not good) It's just London Bridge. Easy enough for Tristen to play. That way they could play the same song at the same time. Ahhhh, a duet!
So that's all that's fit to print. Happy 2007! |
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Dec. 21, 2006
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Monthly book club
Dec. 17, 2006
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The upgrade STINKS!
Yes, I'm finally logged in. I've tried logging into the forums but it won't let me. I hate this "upgrade". I liked HSB just fine before. I miss the "friends" daily digest! Clicking around on everone's blog is time consuming and tedious! Where are the comment notifications? I know that the slowness will work itself out but MAN is it slow. I don't like this new format AT ALL. I'll give it till after the new year but I'm considering leaving HSB and going to one of the other blog hosts. I dread trying to navigate this site now. yuck Yuck YUCK YUCK! YUCK YUCK YUCK! I think that pretty much sums it up. |
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Dec. 4, 2006
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Band Concert
Thom performed in the Christmas concert for Tri-State Home Educators
Musical Ensemble tonight (T.H.E.M.E.). The entire band did a
wonderful job and soon I'll have some video up. I'm so greatful
for BAND! It means Thomas didn't have to give up the Trombone
when we left organized school. I'm very proud of him!
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Dec. 3, 2006
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book club
Dec. 3, 2006
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The Flu
I was trying to decide what kind of thing to teach this December. The obvious thing would be Christmas and Jamin
has a really good 12 days of Christmas thing up. But now I'm
thinking Bacteria and Virus. There is all kinds of
history/health/science I can cram into that! And every living soul in
my area seems to be throwing up. YUCK! But alas... that is not
the FLU,, that is a virus contrary to popular belief.
Here's a really good web site to learn what the FLU is. Learn the (F)ever (A)ches (C)hills (T)iredness (S)udden symptoms of the flu.
Here's a great place to start your research on Bacteriaand Viruses
Here's the Wikipedia page for Jonas Salk
Here's a great site for kids health
And finally last (for now) but certainly not least, here is a HILARIOUS
(or at least I thought so! ) video all about teaching you the correct
way to sneeze and cough.
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Nov. 29, 2006
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Modern Day Nativity
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It occured to me as I was looking back over this that it was not obvious that the KIDS placed the rifle in the hands of the Magi. I wasn't making a staement! Also, they like to do things to MY nativity every year 'cuz they know I get touchy about it. Last year I kept finding an Arby's Oven Mitt guy with Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Here's my screensaver from last year.
It is kinda funny the way Oven Mitt is looking down at Jesus!
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? A little of both, but we don't do the "Santa thing".
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? TREE: white HOUSE: blue
4. Do you hang mistletoe? yup, the fake kind!
5. When do you put your decorations up? Anytime after Thanksgiving.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? probably pumkin pie but I like this green pistachio stuff my MIL makes too.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Having my great Nanny over and seeing her wear a santa hat!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I was probably 5ish
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We usually do. I like to preside over which one it is but the kids are wise to that. They know that mommy is going to pick out the boxes with the matching pajamas in it so the Christmas pictures will be cute. Now they don't care if they get to open one or not! ha ha.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? It's different almost every year. The last few years it's had a scandanavian/german feel to it with traditional woven goats and stars, bubble lights and nutcrackers.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Yes. really, I have a love hate relationship with it! I hate it that my husband has to drive in it (Fed Ex) but I love to look at it!
12. Can you ice skate? No, I can barely roller skate!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? When I was just 3 or 4 I got a big box of hand made Barbie clothes from a friend of the family named Faye. It's been my long standing favorite gift.
14. Whats the most important thing about the Holidays for you? understanding the true meaning of Christmas.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? New PJs for Christmas and setting up the nativity!
17. What tops your tree? A woven wooden star
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I Wonder As I Wander.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?? Yummy!
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Nov. 29, 2006
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Wednesday
We did all the normal stuff today but I've been on a "I can't stand all
this stuff!" kick. So today I organized my portfolio box and our
"Learning closet". Holy Macaroni have we aquired a lot of
stuff! I threw out loads of stuff and our junk still took over an
additional closet AND a cabinet in the kitchen! We've only been
at this since JULY! And we started out with nothing! So, I
got rid of all kinds of stuff.
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Nov. 26, 2006
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Ahhh, they grow up so fast!
I just had to blog about this because I knew you all would
understand! My best friend who also is homelearner (my favorite
variation of the word!) went to pick up a friend of her oldest son's to
play for the evening. On the car ride to her house the boy (a
third grade public schooler) said
"Hey, guess what!?"
She said "what?"
"I'm dating a FIFTH grader and I'm only in THIRD grade!"
She was aghast.
She tried not to show her displeasure with this as she felt it
wasn't her place. She told me that she just said with a shakey
voice "oh".
Now I'm sure it's innocent and he's picked up the
term from somewhere along the way but it still sounds creepy.
During our conversation we both determined that our children (jointly
6,7, 9 and 10) didn't even know what "dating" meant let alone have any
interst in it. Thank the Lord. Wow, is this what my kids
are missing out on? Thank God we still have the right to learn at
home.
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Nov. 25, 2006
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5th grade geometry
Nov. 25, 2006
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Homeschoolers and military service
My husband, an ex-marine and current retiree from the army would like
me to post this little tid-bit that I learned this evening. He
was impressed, if anyone else is remains to be seen.
Homeschool myth #22
Homeschoolers cannot get into military service.
All branches of the U.S. military now accept homeschoolers on the same
level with high school graduates. Homeschool graduates rank above GED
recipients in the military.
You can find a complete list of common homeschool myths at Guilt free Homeschooling
I think he might have been secretly a little worried about that! 
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Nov. 24, 2006
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Thanksgiving 2006
My children were a joy this Thanksgiving. As you can see by the picture, I don't mean joy as in "I'm so blessed to have these children!", I mean "joy" heavily laden with sarcasm.
Mom- "Put on some nice clothes for dinner!"
Children- see above
Mom- "Here, I bought you these great hats to wear at mawmaws, it'll be cute!"
Children- see above
Mom- "Will you at lease eat a LITTLE turkey?"
Chilren- again. see above |
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Nov. 21, 2006
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Festival of Trees
  Isn't this theater
lovely? I really enjoy getting to see plays and concerts
here. I could look at the art deco architecture over and over
again! We're going to see the Nutcracker here on December 1. |
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Nov. 20, 2006
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First Day of Break
So today was our first day of Thanksgiving Break. We still went
to band practice and guitar practice because it's Monday,, you
know. Tristen learned how to play "Smoke on the Water" today at
guitar lessons. He thinks he's "the stuff" for sure. His
teacher is very patient and Tristen loves him. He comes out to
get him every Monday and says "are you psyched?!" Tristen is
indeed "psyched". Not my child in the above picture btw.
Just a cute picture.
During practices I knitted. Anyone who knows me, knows I
knit. I knit because I like it but I also knit because I can't
hear. If I ignore people while I'm knitting they just think I'm
engrossed. If I'm not knitting, I'm trying to listen to
conversation and I always fail miserably and have to say "what",
"excuse me", "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you" about a gagillion
times. It's annoying for others, and annoying for me. So I
knit. I have moderate hearing loss in my left ear and severe loss
in my right. I have a genetic disorder which causes the cilia
inside my ear canal to die. It's some kind of autoimmune inner
ear disease. "Non- specified" my Audiologist says.Yeah, I don't
know what that means, I just know I need one of those cones that old
people used to put in their ear to hear. "EHHH?" "WHAT'S
THAT SONNY?"
So
I made some turkey discloths to give away on Thanksgiving. It's
hard to see the turkey in the picture. It's better in real
life. It also looks kinda velvety, it's not,, it's kitchen cotten.
So that's Monday. Nothing much going on here. Just Monday stuff.
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Nov. 19, 2006
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Happy Feet
We went and saw Happy Feet this evening. First let me say that
the animation in this movie was SPECTACULAR. It was
breathtakingly beautiful. *I* did not care for this movie and *I*
love a good animated movie.
Point 1-
It was scary. Beware of taking very young children especially
those who love penguins like mine. My kids did NOT think it was
scary btw. It might be a perspective issue. There was hold
your breath, penguin danger action about every 5-10 minutes.
Point 2-
It was depressing. Poor POOR MUMBLE! He just couldn't catch
a break. It was also sad that the penguins were starving.
Point 3-
It was uneccisarily sexually suggestive. The music was not
appropriate and there was many comments made that I thought were
unneeded. Lovelace (the guru Macaroni penguin) said upon telling
all the other penguins to go forth and multiply that he was going to
his "couch of perpetual indulgence" and took 6 females with him.
At another place in the movie the Adelie penguins said that they gave
the lady penguins the "boom boom" while thrusting their hips.
Point 4-
It was very very VERY liberally slanted. I LOVE the environment,
I love penguins, and I am not a fan of big business but this film was
one of those films that carved humans out to be the scum of the earth
and were commonly refered to as "aliens". If the humans would
stop eating all the stupid fish, the penguins wouldn't be starving.
DUH! wow,, why didn't I think of that?
Point 5-
This one is petty but IMO,, valid. The adult penguins were
UGLY. I've seen penguins, they are cute, these penguins were NOT
cute. Especially the leader of the colony. I know he's the
antagonist but WOW,,, was he scary. He looked more like a vulture
than a penguin.
Now, I DID like the Argentinan Adelie
penguins. They were too cute and funny. I also liked
Mumble. He reminds me of Tristen. Always going to the beat of a different drummer and having a hard time fitting in
There is a Focus on the family review located HERE.
that you might find helpful before you go see this movie. It
brings up some very important elements that I left out and also
verbalizes my concerns in a much more eloquent manner.
The kids'
review? They liked it a lot but they did not spend the entire
evening "quoteing" it like they do when they LOVE the movie.
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Nov. 19, 2006
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I love this town.
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