March Gifts

My baby has turned 9, how depressing! I can't believe he has grown so fast! I'm so proud of the little man he has become. He is strong willed which can lead him into a little bit of trouble, but I think it will help him later in life.

I've been complaining to my father for a few months that the boys computer no longer worked for their school work. It was really, REALLY, old and outdated. So it would just cycle and buffer and never let them log into anything. So it was really frustrating when trying to have 2 boys do computer based learning. We have the laptop and the ipad - but the ipad wouldn't do any of their school websites (time4learning, reading eggs, etc) because they are Adobe Flash based. Which was sooooo irritating. So last fall, I had gotten the boys a Kindle Fire - boy was I ticked when I turned it on and it updated....and no longer supported Adobe Flash!! Grrrr. Any Android based tablet no longer supports AF either. So we were stuck with 2 kids using 1 laptop. Which meant having one child doing school work and the other putzing around for a couple of hours, then they'd switch. Which meant distractions for the one trying to do school work, and it meant schooling lasted all day. This lead to many arguments. Anywho, I've been complaining about it to my dad for a while - that we needed a 2nd computer. He shows up on X-man's birthday with a gift, saying ti was a gift for the whole family since it was too expensive to be for only one child.

My kids were stoked when they opened a Galaxy Tab 2. I was bummed. The last thing we needed was another tablet! LOL. But my father said he had asked Best Buy to be sure the kids could do their school websites and he was told they could. So I spent HOURS setting up the tablet. It simply wouldn't recognize our WiFi, I had to use my hotspot (which I have limited data each month). And when I finally got it set-up  I realized it wouldn't work for their websites as it too was an android based OS. So I got the receipt from my dad and we all headed for Best Buy. I was ecstatic to realize they had a huge clearance sale going on notebook computers (as they are making ready for all the Windows 8 systems). I was able to get the boys an Acer ChromeBook. Essentially it's a mini-laptop, that runs on a Google Chrome operating system - so it doesn't have programs, per se. Instead it's like a computer that runs simply as an internet interface. Using Google Chrome. But Chrome has tons of apps (much like the Kindle or Ipad) so we have writing programs, spread sheets, etc. AND we have Adobe Flash! YAY!!

We got through all the kids school work in only 2.5 hours today! Nary an argument in sight!
Man, I love technology!

Making life interesting!

I can never seem to stop complicating my life! Lol. Since I am limited in my physical movements - with my vascular disease, I'm always looking for things I can do while remaining in a reclined position. When I was a little girl, I learned needlepoint from my great-grandmother. I will never forget my first craft - a French knot outline of a kitten. I'm sure it wasn't perfect, but my great-grandmother kept it until she passed away. This past Christmas I was playing around with ideas for gifts. We've always made our gifts. I came upon the idea of making doilies. I had never done such small crochet knot work. In fact, I had always preferred knit because when working crochet I always seemed to twist the string of knots. But I learned that with doilies you're almost always working in the round, which prevents twisting. So I gave it a try. My first doily was a nightmare, it took hours and hours to make the smallest round. But I quickly caught on after a couple of days. Now I'm hooked! (Get it? Crochet, hooked? Lol!)

My doilies were such a hit, that I received several commissions. I guess everyone loved that I would make doilies in whatever color the client wanted. So I'm busy crocheting my little fingers off making doilies. Since Christmas I've made about 6. The one I'm working on now is so cute. It has 13 butterflies around the border. I'm so excited, and exhausted! Lol

The old catch 22

So, I'm the director of our co-op this semester. Generally the kids unschool the rest of the week, but they LOVE co-op. our little co-op has traditionally had around 25 families....of course, this semester we ar at almost 50. So my poor kids have had zero schooling the last 2 weeks as I've organized registration stuff...and I've barely made a plan for the 3 classes I'm teaching....EEK! Well, at least it's shaping up to be an awesome semester!

Aww, I'm so proud!

You know what the main difference is between most homeschooled kids and public school kids? Homeschool kids well, most homeschoolers actually Like learning. Take this weekend my boys fought with each other over who got to do their school work first! Sure it was mostly so they could blog about what they learned (as they now think blogging is just the coolest) but its gotten them learning & writing with enthusiasm!

Today is a busy day for me. I've finished writing the lesson plan for my last Algebra class for co-op this week, but I have to print it all out. I have to figure out the bracelet design for our last Camp Halfblood class. I have to put the finishing touches on our December co-op newsletter and sent it to all our members. I have to work on the slippers I'm making my boys...AND we are setting up our Christmas tree. Eek...tomorrow I won't have a lot of time as I have big shopping (groceries) day planned.

Eek!

My eldest is starting to learn about Yule around the world through the website: christmasaroundtheworld.com but, one of the moms in my Cafemom started a blog for het daughter to chronicle what she's learning, and my eldest saw it....now HE wants one of his own. I had previously let him post through my account, but I guess at nearly 12 he can have his own... *gulp!*

Awesome Science Websites

Ok I know I promise lots and deliver few...lol... But, here's my super secret list of science websites kids will absolutely adore.

• http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities.html
• http://www.brainpop.com/ Brainpop also has some awesome apps! You can view the free video of the day, or pay for full access to the website
• http://www.tryscience.org/home.html
• http://science.howstuffworks.com/ 
• http://www.exploratorium.edu/ 
• http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/ -- this is great for the budding scientist who wants up to the minute info on new developments in science!
• http://kids.usa.gov/science/index.shtml
• http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/LeoHomePage.htm - This page is fantastic! You get to learn all about the scientific mind Leonardo Da Vinci had!!
• http://www.extremescience.com/
• http://www.ftexploring.com/
• http://www.greatachievements.org/ This site is dedicated to the Greatest Engineering Achievments of the 20th century!
• http://www.rudimentsofwisdom.com/themes/themes_science.htm Got a kid who prefers cartoons? This site is packed with mini-cartoons that explain almost everything!
• http://www.free.ed.gov/subjects.cfm?subject_id=41
• http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/ this is a great science podcas
• http://www.kidsknowit.com/ (my kids favorit
• http://sciencespot.net/Pages/kdztech.html
• http://www.apples4theteacher.com/science.html
• http://www.forgefx.com/casestudies/prenticehall/
• http://www.molecularium.com/kidsite.html
• http://www.scienceworld.ca/playstuff
• http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/
• http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/index.html
• http://www.thinkingfountain.org/
• http://www.amnh.org/ology/index.php
• http://www.thunk.com/ (this site is all about cartography - the secret world of codes
• http://www.bu.edu/satellite/
• http://library.temple.edu/collections/scrc/kidsnet/sfkc/

Interesting Sciences

• http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/ - The science of skateboarding
• http://www.exploratorium.edu/hockey/ - The science of Hockey
• http://www.exploratorium.edu/baseball/ - The science of baseball
• http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/physicsof/basketball.html - The Physics of Basketball
• http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/dance-science/about-dance-science - Got a child who loves dance? There is a university in the UK that is dedicated to analyzing the science of dance. This site is better suited to older teens. 
• http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/index.html - This website is based on Amusement Park Physics. Kids learn all about science while designing their very own virtual amusement park! - The science of Amusement parks
• http://www.your-martial-arts-resources.com/martial-arts-science.html - an interesting website resource for older children who might love the martial arts.

TV Shows & Science

• http://www.pbs.org/nerds/ - Triumph of the Nerds is all about computers and the history of the development of computers.
• http://www.billnye.com/ - My boys love Bill Nye the Science Guy
• http://pbskids.org/fetch/  - Fetch with Ruff Ruffman
• http://pbskids.org/sid/ - Sid the Science Kid
• http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/ - Dragonfly TV
• http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/mythbusters/ - Mythbusters!
• http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/front/distilling-the-best-science/ - Naked Science
• http://science.discovery.com/tv/tv-shows.html - Science Channel

 

Give it a little try

Ok so we all know how much I'm willing to spend on HS curricula....anyone? That's right, I aim for a big fat 0! And I mostly make it. I spend, maybe, $50/year on my 2 boys. Mostly for apps that are less than $5 each. You know it's sad when it takes 4 days to make a decision because an app costs a whopping $8.99! Man, I'm anal. Lol

One thing I love about computer programs vs apps? You can usually get a free trial with a computer program. Sure, lots of apps offer a modified 'free' version. But I don't recommend them. It usually will not give you a well rounded idea of what it will be like to use the full app because they cut so much out of it to make it free. But, most computer curricula will give you a few weeks of using the entire program to see how you like it.

Our newest trial? Readingeggs.com I wasn't sure if this was going to be worth it. My 11 y/o is a great reader. But my 8 y/o is a lazy reader! Gasp! Shock! As many of you are very aware I'm a voracious reader - at least 2 books/day. It's how I maintain my sanity. And the kids are old enough that I can make slaves of them for misbehaving...hehehe. But once they are in bed, I sit out side, rain or shine, with a big cup of decaf and read. So having a reluctant reader is stumping me.

X-man doesn't see the need to exert himself when he has an older brother or mom to do it for him. So I have been trying to find something that will interest him and help him learn to love the written word as much as I. One thing the kids fight over? Computer time. So I thought, why not suck it up and try a reading program?

So the next 4 weeks we are trying 2 different or programs. I'm trying to ignore my cheap side and let the kids make the decision based on which program they will use.

Abcthekey.com - cost: $FREE

Gee, con you guess why I like this one? Lol but it is a little confusing for the kids. And no where near as interactive.

Readingeggs.com - cost: $49/6 months, $75/year (you can add up to 3 students on one acct)

Gulp! To me that is a ton of money! But, the kids have been playing with it for a couple of days and are really liking it. Even my 11 y/o! He loves that many of the 'books' are half story-half comic book. And my 8 y/o loves the virtual world (and the silly music videos!)

So I'll let you know which one we end up settling on.