Day of More Cleaning Up

The house was a mess when we left for camping. We had a lot to do. We picked up the mess and daddy started vacuuming, mopping the floor, do dishes, steam vac all the carpet downstairs. Prime and J were practicing their enactment of Jesus healing the lame man in the Gospel of John. J read several chapters of the Gospel of John aloud for us. Daddy read and explained Psalms 50.

After lunch we went to do a little shopping and misc errands. We also went to Borders. J read two Junie books while we were there. We lost time at Borders and forgot about church. We're heading there about now so... see ya!

Day of Play and Clean Up

We were awoken by Prime again because he needed to use the bathroom. It was cold and windy in the morning so we snuggled for 1/2 hour. J and Prime wanted to go back to the beach so we got up and headed to the beach. It was really cold and windy at the beach. They wanted to stay and play anyways.









I asked when they want to pack up, J responded with 11am--the checkout time. I told them we need to leave earlier, so we all agreed. I packed up immediately not giving them a chance to change their minds.

Prime and J had their small breakfast while daddy packed up. On our way back home, we stopped by Mickey D's for a bigger breakfast. It had a very big "play place" so we stayed for a while.











When we arrived home, J and Prime wanted to wash mommy's car so they did. Daddy also vacuumed mommy's car at a local gas station. Daddy had so much laundry to do--finished 6th load and many more to go. We brought many blankets and comforters to the trip. J and Prime were worn out so they took a bath and went to bed.

Camping Trip

The kids woke got up about 6am and couldn't stop talking about going camping. They overpacked 3 days worth of clothes on Wednesday afternoon. Daddy prepared them breakfast and lunch. Daddy called the reservation hotline to get a campsite. The LHC required a min of 3 nights stay. That's too much camping for daddy but the kids were like... YEAH! Daddy decided on another place but would required two nights stay for reservations unless we walked in. We left at 1pm after making a few stops. We arrived at the LP state park around 4pm. We didn't know Memorial day weekend started on Thursday. We didn't have a campsite reserved but the Lord had reserved the last spot for us. Praise the Lord.










J and Prime wanted to go swimming but the water was freezing so they just played along the beach for a long time. The weather was nice, the sky was cleared, the sun was hot, and the water was calm. It was beautiful.

We grilled sausages, hot dogs, and ham for dinner. J and Prime roasted marshmallows and made their perfect S'mores.










Afterward, we went back to the beach and the kids played some more. We had to take the trail through the forest to get to the beach. The trail was at least 5 minutes walk. We decided to stay for stargazing because sky was clear. We had a surprise coming. At about 9:30, it was starting to get really dark. The kids had been playing with the flashlights for a while. The forest looked black; the trail was pitch black. Good thing we had two flashlights. J looked at the trail with her flashlight and was getting concerned. At 10pm the stars were really popping out. All of a sudden, we heard this gush for wind coming out of the forest. It caught us by surprise. Then we felt the wind and sand. It was a little sandstorm. We had to pick up and run toward the forest, and headed back to the tent.










Prime and J didn't fall asleep until at least midnight because the excitement--again!

Sending Mommy to Florida

On Wednesday we sent mommy off to Florida for the national's largest homeschooling convention for 5 days. This opportunity gives mommy a chance to investigate many different curriculum, listen to different speakers, and a break from the kids.

Immediately after dropping mommy off at the airport, daddy took J and Prime to the Zoo. We got there at 9:30am but the zoo didn't open until 10 so we had to wait patiently. J got a chance to learn the rules of the zoo such as dress codes and restrictions.

J wanted to take a picture with daddy.










Prime followed suit showing his abundant love.



















J likes to take pictures. She asked to have her pictures taken.


Prime wanted to ride the African carousel but he looked scared during most of the ride. He was happy when it stopped.

During the trip at the zoo they consistently asked me about if they could go camping later that day since I promised them we would go camping. I told them first we would camp at our backyard then we'd take a camping trip. They weren't total satisfied about camping at our backyard but they were happy still.

hey were nagging me about leaving the zoo because they kept thinking about camping so we left about noon. They ate and played at Mikey D.

Daddy set the tent up. The kids had so much energy and excitement they didn't fall asleep until about 1am. They woke up at 4:30am because Prime had to go to the bathroom. They really didn't fall back to sleep after that. Daddy didn't get much sleep.

After play...

The kids' favorite thing is to "play", then next favorite I think is going to the park/playground. When the homework is done and the day is winding down, this is what my"night owls" likes to do. :)

Daddy also gave them nicknames. J is "sticky rice" and Prime is "rice bowl". Ha-ha! Then the kids saying they are not, and that daddy is the s.r. or the r.b.

Prime says he want to read "newspaper".

J practices piano. I'm surprised that she remembers, even though her piano class is over until fall.

Doing a little nature drawing.

math realizations

I have a few realization about math and the first one is back to basics. There is really no need for all the extra puffs in the early grades, but a solid foundation in arithmetic. The second, related to the first, is to teach/allow the kids to have a real math sense. Maybe that comes through practice? I am not sure.

Ex. Prime knows subtraction is giving away, or take away, but he didn't know it was also difference or # spaces. For a problem like 5-4, he would count backward, 4, 3,2, 1 and get the correct answer. If I give him a problem like 20-19, he uses the same method and it would take him a while. So I can see the math practice/drill sheets did not help him to have what I call "math sense".

Or J knows the "difference between 5 and 2 but if I give her 20-17, she would pause.

Or in using the cuisinaire rods, I told her in subtraction like 20-17, she would need to get 2 rods of ten side by side and the next line, line up 17 and find the missing spaces.
But in addition, like 12+8 she should do 10 rod on 1 line and 2 rod the next line and then 8 would be filling up. Basically, trying to finish the 10's. She did subtraction first, and when she got to the addition, she tried to use the same method I told and did 10 rod and 2 rod the same row and then 8 the next row. This formation didn't help her too much to come up with the answer.

Anyway, there are lots of examples like that which makes me think in the early grades, the most important thing is arithmetic, and not worry about the extra stuff, like direction(vector), temperatures, measurement, etc. Those can wait until they master the basic stuff.

Trip to the farm

Today, the kids and I joined other homeschoolers for a tour around the farm. We saw many typical farm animals. J says she remembers cows, pigs, and horses the most and that she got to pet small animals. Prime remember going inside the pen to see little goats eating hays and the lamas.

I remember the pig was really smelly and the turkey was showing off his feathers, even though that was not the turkey served at your normal Thanksgiving dinner. I learned that the roosters have an extra horn on its legs and that is how you know it is a rooster and not a hen. Different kinds of chicken produce different kind of eggs; the color of the eggs are different. The chicken sleeps standing on ladders. The eggs will not be able to incubate below 89F.


If the ducks stays in the pond, they will likely be snatch by predators, like coyote, etc.
A cute bunny. J touched all the small animals while Prime just watched.
That is a rooster. He got an extra horn on his leg.


That is a typical turkey, but it is the white one that is on the side that is served on Thanksgiving dinner tables.
The pig is coming! All the kids back off when he came trotting in the mud. His eyes is an orange color.


The horses was not shy and eager to eat.
Petting the goats while they eat hay. J was really brave today while Prime just watched.
At last, Prime was willing to TRY to feed the lama, but was scared.

It was fun learning about the farm animals.