Basketball starts

Mom School
Pray/Pledge/Motto
Song: We sang 4 primary songs.
Weekly Scripture Memorization: Isaiah 9:6
Family Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 6 & 7
Chess: We read several pages from Usborne's Chess book. Then the kids all played each other several times.
Scripture Chase: We also had an individual scripture chase to help then get more familiar with the scriptures. They really liked it, had fun and learned a lot more too. Here's some sample questions:

• Olivia: How many Joseph Smith Translations are there for Genesis? What year did King Benjamin give his address? How do you pronounce Amilici?
• Jared: Find Bethlehem in the Gazetteer, How many John's were in the Bible?
• Luke: Look up Egypt. Where is Article of Faith #4?
• Caleb:Find 1 Nephi 3:7, Look up Animals in the Bible Dictionary.

Chores and Animal Care
Tonight they are spending the night at their cousins.

Olivia
Religion: Read in the Bible.
Music: Practiced the piano and practiced her vocals.
American History: Worked on memorizing the Declaration of Independence. She now solidly knows the first half.
Free Reading: Read in Work and the Glory #9.
Art/Life Skills: Still working on her loom.
PE: Went on a walk with Jared.

Jared
Religion: Looked up "Jesus Christ, Birth of" from the Topical Guide.
Reading: Played Raz-kids.com for fluency.
Logic/Creative Play: Lots of Lego's.
PE: He went on a walk with Olivia. Went to basketball practice.

Luke
Religion: Read in the Book of Mormon. He's doing very well. He's comprehending a lot of it. He is enjoying it also. He's in Omni right now.
World History: He is still reading about Egypt from Usborne's World History book.
Art: Lots of picture drawing.
Creative Writing: He started another story about a kid that goes to Egypt and has adventures. He really excited.
Logic Reading: He read some more in the chess book later on.
Life Skills: Made lunch.
Logic/Creative Play: Lots of Lego's.
PE: Went to basketball practice.

Caleb
Religion: Read several versus out of the Book of Mormon to me.
Reading: Read two chapters to me from the book "Dragon Tales." He also practiced on Raz-kids.com.
Logic/Creative Play: Lots of Lego's.
PE: Played in the snow for hours. He also ran around in the gym during basketball practice.

To Show Parent Core/Love of Learner/Scholar here are some things we modeled to the children today...
Deanna: Scriptures, journal, conference talk, word of the day, read several chapters in Leadership Education by the DeMille's, and started Winter Garden, which I had won on Goodreads.
Alex: Scriptures, word of the day, went to work, finished the Last Dickens, and had Bishopric stuff.

Thomas Jefferson Education recap

I have to say this full blown Thomas Jefferson Education is hard work. Jumping off the coveyor belt is challenging. It has taken me over 5 years to even get this far! But we came through with our heads held high last week. We had numerous parent executive sessions discussing things. We've made some HUGE changes and have already seen some very positive results.

We have given out stewardship assignments in addition to daily chores. We have made goals and had some interviews with all of them on specific things with their education. (Alex usually meets with them monthly). We have more succinctly identified Core Phase, Love of Learning and Scholar phase for them.

I've been trying to apply some of the ingredients a little more effectively. It's been good for me to reread mornings, 6 month inventory, compass, binder, evenings and winters from Leadership Education by the DeMilles.

This post here is a true Thomas Jefferson day. This is what they choose....

For those who know nothing about the Thomas Jefferson Education please disregard this post.

I guess we did more than I thought

Mom School
Pray/Pledge/Motto
Song: We sang 4 primary songs.
Weekly Scripture Memorization: Isaiah 9:6
Family Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 5
Literature: Read two chapters from Usborne's Treasure Island.
Music: We had our piano recital! Olivia, Jared, Luke and I participated. (Jared is pictured).
Chores/Animal Care

Olivia
Religion:Read a chapter in the Bible.
Music: Practiced the piano. Practiced the violin and practiced vocally for 30 minutes. Watched 30 minutes of a tape about some sing off in America? She really likes it, her grandma taped if for her.
Creating/Life Skills: She is working on some headbands for winter on a loom. She has one finished.
PE:Went on a walk with Jared.
Computers/Art: We finished making our yearbook pages for my parents binder. (painful, but printed and done)
Reading: I'm certain she read. She always reads, but I don't know what today.
Writing: Did some book reviews on Goodreads.

Jared
Music: Practiced the piano. Practiced the saxophone.
Art: He's been doing many things for several days with paints, clay and fabric. He's recreating the characters from Peter and the Starcatchers.
PE: Went on a walk with Olivia. Did the Fun Physical Fitness CD with the other two boys.
Lesson Preparation: He prepared a fantastic lesson on the Nativity story. Complete with scriptures, props, pictures, songs and visual aids. All with no help. He had some wild costumes.
Oral Presentation: Gave a great FHE lesson.
Book on Tape: He listened to a Peter and the Starcatchers for 30 minutes.
Logic: Hours of Lego's.
Creative Play: Lot's of sword fights with his brothers.

Luke
Religion: Read his scriptures.
Music: Practiced the piano.
Creative Writing: He still spending an hour or two at least a day on his current story.
History: He spent over and hour reading about the Egyptians from Usborne's book of World History. He had to tell me everything he read every 5 minutes. He was so excited!
Creative Play: Lot's of sword fights with his brothers.
Logic: Hours of Lego's
PE:Did the Fun Physical Fitness CD with the other two boys.
Art: Lots of drawing and coloring.
Life Skills: We made a new skills lists for cooking.
Goal Planning: We made a list of things he wants to learn and do for the next 6 months. This is called is "Compass." (a Thomas Jefferson Education ingredient)

Caleb
Music: Played around on his aunt's fancy piano after the piano recital.
Creative Play: Lot's of sword fights with his brothers.
Logic: Hours of Lego's
PE:Did the Fun Physical Fitness CD with the other two boys.
Art: Lots of drawing and coloring.Biography:
Science: Read and studied pictures of spiders for a long time.
Life Skills: We made a new skills lists for cooking. Helped with dinner.
Goal Planning: We made a list of things he wants to learn and do for the next 6 months. This is called is "Compass." (a Thomas Jefferson Education ingredient)

To Show Parent Core/Love of Learner/Scholar here are some things we modeled to the children today...
Deanna: Scriptures, journal, conference talk, word of the day, practiced the piano, read several chapters in Leadership Education by the DeMille's, researched the Great Book's book lists, wrapped and worked on Christmas presents, and did the 6 month inventory (an ingredient in the TJED regarding goals for each child for the next 6 months).
Alex: Scriptures, word of the day, went to see a sick friend in the hospital, went to work, ran a lot of errands for me in town (he's such a good hubby, he even bought be mushrooms-he HATES mushrooms), and he is listening to The Last Dickens.

Family Home Evening:
Songs: Away in a Manger, Silent Night and Jingle Bells
Talent: Caleb doing hand stand walking and backward somersaults.
Testimonies: Alex, Deanna, Olivia, Jared, Luke and Caleb
Strength of Youth: Physical Bodies
Uncommon Courtesy: How to apply the rules. We finished it AGAIN. We have read this through 10 times?? Time to go back the Rules of This House.
Proclamation to the World on the Family: Finished the large paragraph.
Weekly Scripture Memorization: Isaiah 9:6
Article of Faith: 11th
Lesson: Given my Jared on the Nativity Story. (Caleb is pictured as a Shepard. The brooms were used as staffs. Jared just had towels draped all over everybody).
Activity: He grandpa/ma haul out their carpet. Played Celestial Pursuit. Treat: Pumpkin bars and cinnamon rolls from a friend. Yummy!

This post is backdated. I realize that I didn't post for today. I don't remember what we did. We did go ice skating with our home school friends again. We had new furniture delivered! I love it.

Olivia continues to work hard on her music and her loom right now. She seems to be enjoying the break from scholar school.

Jared had all his lazy crutches taken away and now he actually has to think of things to do. He has been spending a lot of time with art projects. I never would have thought.

Luke still writes furiously.

Caleb loves looking at "his" library books. I always put every body's books in a big laundry basket. He would never look at them. This time he asked them for a bag for his. He won't stop looking at them now. Because they are his. You just never know.

I've been reading Little Dorrit-almost done. Lots of piano time too. I have food assignments for the ward Christmas party I worked on. Also I have a talk in sacrament meeting that I've been working on for a month.

Alex is working hard. He is enjoying the Last Dickens.

Hither and thither I go, oh my!

Family Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 2
Weekly Family Scripture Memorization: Articles of Faith 13

I was actually gone a lot of the day. I hadn't let any of the kids watch a movie all week and they had their points saved up. I was in and out today with visiting teaching appointments. I ended up having to substitute last minute for Primary Activity Girls so I was gone then too! Tonight we had pack meeting.

When I'm in and out I'm not able to make suggestions and do things with them. I find that equals they don't do a lot! Here's what I know they did....

Olivia: Reading in the Real George Washington, making things on a loom, reading in the Work and the Glory #9, practiced the piano, went to activity days-they are making pillows, helped with dinner, animal chores, read her scriptures, helped set up/take down for pack meeting, and listening to Inkdeath.

Jared: Listening to Peter and the Starcatchers on tape, practiced the piano, spent a lot of time on the world geography puzzle, chores, earned 3 Webelos pins at pack meeting, helped set up/take down for pack meeting, led the flag ceremony, participated in two skits, passed out Christmas treats to his scout leaders, and....

Luke: Listening to Peter and the Starcatchers on tape, chores, practiced the piano, drawing pictures, working on his story (on page 19, all typed!), helped set up/take down for pack meeting, participated in the flag ceremony, participated in to skits, led the pack meeting crowd in a cheer, earned a sliver arrowhead, passed out Christmas treats to his scout leaders, and....

Caleb: Caleb has spent a lot of time on Raz-kids.com. This is a good thing. He is gaining a lot of fluency and I'm excited he has found something with reading that is motivating to him. He has jumped several levels in the last three days. He helped set up/take down for pack meeting. He also helped with the geography puzzle and did his chores.

Deanna: Scriptures, journal, conference talk, went visiting teaching, had my visiting teachers over, oversaw pack meeting (I'm the primary counselor over cub scouts), helped set up and take down pack meeting, helped at primary activity days, worked on the geography puzzle with the boys, and I read for a while in Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens.

Alex: Scriptures, went to work, listening to The Last Dickens, had a district Republican party executive meeting (he's the VP for the district), and helped oversee pack meeting with me (he's the unit commissioner).

Elk Farm

Today we left early and we came home late. We took a field trip with other home schooling families to an elk farm in our area. The kids enjoyed this. We also had a little Christmas party afterwords. We went to the library and the kids went Christmas shopping for their cousins and siblings. Fun day but very long!

Sewing...yeah! (Haha)

Family Scripture Reading: 1 Nephi 1
Weekly Family Scripture Memorization: Articles of Faith 13

Sewing: They all decided they had to sew today. Can a day get any worse? Olivia finished her horse quilt top. I'm so proud of her. I didn't help her either. She started a second one and is making a baby blanket. Jared made a sheath. Luke made a quiver, a sheath and a picture frame. He sewed for a long time. Caleb made a cape and together we made a big bean bag.

Cooking: We made 5 or 6 batches of caramel popcorn. And passed them out later in the day to some friends and family. We made sugar cookies and rolled and cut them out.

Science Experiments: We did a myriad of science experiments including ones involving air pressure, water pressure, fog and crystals. They played for a while after wards with all the stuff and created their "own" science experiments. (Pictured)

Geography: We started putting together our big world puzzle again. We have the edges and all the corners done.

Literature: I read 4 chapters of Treasure Island to Luke and Jared.

Book on Tape: We listened to a Hank the Cowdog book together for about and hour and a half while we drove around on the county roads.

Social/PE: We played at some fellow home schooler's house and went ice skating on their pond. (Pictured)

PE: We went on a walk.

Chores/Animal Care (Pictured)

Olivia: Read her scriptures, sewed for hours, practiced the piano, practiced memorizing the Declaration of Independence (she has over half of it memorized now), listened to Inkdeath for an hour, drew numerous sketches of people, and I don't remember what else.

Jared: Read his scriptures, practiced the piano, listened to Story of the World vol. 1 for an hour, played Wii Sports for 30 min, listened to Daniel and Nephi for 30 min, played a horse game for 30 minutes, read to me for 30 min from Tom Trueheart and the Land of Dark Stories, he finished several requirements for some Webelos badges for scouts, and that's all I remember.

Luke: Read his scriptures, practiced the piano, listened to Story of the World vol. 1, worked on his story for a long time, worked on his sewing for a long time, drew numerous sketches of people, and played with Lego's.

Caleb: Read his scriptures to me, listened to Story of the World vol. 1, read to his public school teacher on the phone (his fluency is getting faster and faster), played raz-kids.com for a long time (that works on fluency), he was very involved in the puzzle and the science experiments.

Deanna: Scriptures, journal, word of the day, read a chapter in Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens, various reading, lots of cooking, and spend quite a while on 4-H business with a friend.

Alex: Scriptures, word of the day, listening to the Last Dickens, participated in a meeting about the health care system with Senator Crapo, and went to work.