Working for me - Spelling Bees...

Ok, Mike has been teasing me about how easy it is to read my blog - with only a post or two a month.  It just seems like life is so busy now!

Anyway, I wanted to share another "Working for Me Thursday" (even though it is Friday) with everyone.

What is working is - Friday Spelling Bees.

We are using All About Spelling for our spelling program, which has been working well.  Most steps in the program have a list of words for extra practice.  I use these words each week to have a fun spelling practice by having an informal spelling bee.  I use ANKI (with the extra words in their own deck) set to bring the cards up randomly.  Each student gets cards from their own lists, so it is fair.

It gives a chance to see if they are internalizing the rules, and not just memorizing the main words.


Still Working For Us

- SkedTracker - working great - more work is getting done each day since we started!
- Cubs/Beavers
- All About Spelling - still works well!

Not Working For Us Anymore

- Children's Miracle Music - well, I just use this now and then anyway.... it works as a once-in-a-while item.
- Sassmannshaus Violin - I'm frustrated.  I just am tired of the fight to get kids to practice.

January 2014 Review - Mom's a Proud Mom!

Ok - I admit it - Today's post is about things I'm proud of my children about - plain and simple...

Back Row -  Delta, Foxtrot, Echo.  Front Row - Golf  - See our new eReader!

As you know if you read my blog, our family is very active in Scouting.  A part of that involves doing fundraising.  This Fall we participated in selling Scout Popcorn - which we did as a family.  We were fortunate to have sold enough popcorn, not only to help fund our scouting program, but to be entered into some draws for awards.  Christmas Eve I received a phone call that Foxtrot had won a Kobo eReader - which is working out nicely for our little homeschool.  I was proud of all the hard work they had done, and happy that they got a little 'extra' out of it.

Then in January Echo was baptized.  It is so hard to think that another child is already 8!  I was quite proud that she had decided she wanted to be baptized.

Echo's Baptism Day

I had another proud moment one day when we were doing math.  Echo is working on Fractions, and as such is using the Fraction chart/puzzle.  Well, Golf was right there like white on rice....  and boy, she is good at puzzles... she was finding the right fractions and putting them in the right spots for Echo.  I suspect Golf will enjoy math... every school day she asks to do a "practice sheet" (for her, just drawing on the white board) - and to sing "Yellow is the sun"....    I was also proud with the patience Echo was showing on letting Golf do the puzzle with her.

Echo and Golf

And then this month with just a little 'poking' Delta finished up the requirements for a few more Awards in Cubs.  There are 10 Awards (when you include the World Conservation Award and Religion in Life Award) - and now Delta has earned all 10.  He earned his 6 star award last year (which has a plaque to recognize this accomplishment) - but each of the Cub Awards require a star, generally a few badges from that activity area, and a few more requirements.   There are a few more badges that Delta will probably earn (there are a couple he doesn't have planned for the pack to earn together yet) - but he is now eyeing the scout program.  He will officially move up to scouts in a couple of months - probably April - and can attend some of their meetings now as well.  

Delta in his Cub Uniform - all Awards

 This last month has been very busy - and a few things have been difficult - but it has been a month with my kids doing things that would make any mother proud!