Saturday, September 4, 2010

Today we joined Costco, we had been members years ago but when we moved to rural Canada no where near a Costco we let our membership run out. Now we are back in suburbia so we thought we'd join again.

It sure was crowded today, I heard somebody say that it was because it was the last weekend of summer. Hubby had his blackberry out making notes of the prices of all the products that we use frequently so that we could compare them to the grocery store to make sure we knew which things to buy there and which not to. We already know that our photocopier toner cartridge was about 1/2 price. Hubby was also looking at t.v.'s since our 17 year old one seems to be going, the picture isn't consistent.

Then we went to a bulk store so that I could pick up some citric acid so that I could attempt to make automatic dish washing detergent. This is the recipe that I am going to use:

1 cup Borax

1 cup baking soda

1/4 cup salt

1/4 cup citric acid

I'll let you know how it goes.

We had homemade soup for supper, a hamburger vegetable soup with southwest flavours, with homemade biscuits. Very yummy. Now the boys are watching a movie and I'm going to knit the sweater I am working on for Wallace. I think it will be warm for this coming winter.


Friday, September 3, 2010

John's Curriculum for Grade 1

Math-Horizons Math 1 Book 2/ Math 2 Book 1
Language Arts- Explode the Code Books 4,5&6, Climbing to Good English 1, Alpha phonics, Days Go By and More Days Go By
Hand Writing- Getty-Dubay Italic Printing Book 6
Reading- a variety of books
History- Story of the World Volume 1
Science- 5-10 days of a subject of choice, like frogs, with books form the library. Then fill in with the Burgess Bird Book for Children on days when we are waiting for library books.
Wallace's Curriculum for Grade 7

Math- Saxon 8/7
Spelling- Natural Speller
Grammar-Climbing to Good English 5
Handwriting- Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Book D & E
Critical Thinking- Building Thinking Skills Level 2
Composition-Jump In
Literature- Step by Step
Vocabulary- Working with Words 6
History- Story of the World Volume 3
Science-Exploring Creation with General Science
Canadian Studies- Story of Canada and Our Home and Native Land
John's Grade 1 Schedule

8:00-8:30 Math
8:30-8:45 Piano
8:45-8:55 Handwriting
8:55-9:15 Explode the Code
9:15-9:30 Break
9:30-9:45 Grammar/Days Go By
9:45-10:00 Reading/Note booking
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-11:15 Science or History
11:15-11:45 Arts and Crafts

Science: Monday, Tuesday and every other Friday
History: Wednesday, Thursday and every other Friday
Arts and Crafts : beads, play dough, craft books, mazes and puzzles
Wallace's Grade 7 Schedule
8:00-9:00 Math
9:00-10:00 Spelling, Grammar, Handwriting and Critical Thinking
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-10:45 Composition
10:45-11:15 French
11:15-11:45 Literature
11:45-noon Vocabulary
noon-12:45 Lunch
12:45-1:00 Subject of the Day- Instruction
1:00-2:30 Subject of the Day

Subject of the Day
History weeks 1-4, 17-20, 33-36
Science weeks 5-8, 13-16, 21-24, 29-32
Canadian Studies weeks 9-12, 25-28

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Can't blog much tonight, feeling rather tired because I stayed up way to late last night. It seems like it is only after 10 o'clock that I get to sit down and if I turn on the t.v. it over, I will pass the hours endlessly before I get up and go to bed. Tonight I am going to bed early, with hubby, he has to get up very early for his commute into the big city.

Random Thoughts
I didn't seem to get much done, but at least Wallace is already (on my part, anyway) for school on Tuesday.

Had a light supper of homemade tomato soup with dumplings. Wallace informed us that dumplings were not his favourite food. We also had broccoli salad, Hubby's favourite.

John and I are reading Little House on the Prairie, looks like I'll be as teary eyed as often as I was when I was a kid and watching the t.v. show. John seems to be enjoying it, I can't see yet why it is supposed to be a girls book.

Mom and Dad left today on an 2 week train trip to the West Coast. It will be a trip of a life time, I pray that they have a great time. Life is to short to waste.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Today was a quite day at home. Wallace and John played quietly, sometimes alone and sometimes with each other. Wallace is going thought a pre-teen phase where his little brother is sometimes a real bother to him. He is working on it but it is definitely a journey of more than a few steps.

I didn't seem to get as much done as I would like and am totally out of energy tonight. I have the boys started on their evening (and morning) routines to help get us ready for school next week. John is loving it, I made him little cue cards with short phrases on them so he know what to do next. Right now he is upstairs read in bed, I'll go up and tuck him in a few minutes. Wallace isn't as keen on the routine, or at least not that keen that mom is checking up on him. One part of the routine that he does like is the reading aloud part. I take 15 minutes and read to him each night. He doesn't need it, he can read just about anything but he enjoys the one on one time. Even if he doesn't directly say so he won't let me skip that part of the routine. Guess if he has to do it, so do I. Right now Wallace and I are reading a biography of William Booth, we are both enjoying it very much. I love christian biographies because it shows us how ordinary flawed people can make such an impact for God.

Hubby came home from work tonight and told us that his work schedule was going to be changing at the end of the month. There seems to be both good and bad about it. He would be working 10 hours a day but only 4 days a week. The schedule hasn't been fleshed out and if there is one thing I have learned about the organization that hubby works for is that nothing happens until it does so there is no reason to get stressed or worry about it until then. It won't change the schedule that I have for the boys and I, at least not at this point, so we will just keep on trucking.

Another day to say, Thank you Lord for all you've given me.