Day 1

Today was our first day. A new year of learning has begun. I hope I will be able to keep this blog updated much more regularely than I did last year.

We started the day with our China unit. I read them this book:



Catherine started reading this one on her own. Her English reading skills are getting so good. I guesstimate she is reading at a grade 5-6 level now. Remember that she is French Canadian and English is not her first toungue.



I then gave each of the kids a coloring page on the Chinese zodiac. Then, we took a small break to get the school room cleaned up (renovations still going on). Well, I got the room cleaned up while the kids went outside and put together a new *house* for the kittens. They spent HOURS on it. They even cleaned up the front porch. They played with the kittens, they drew sweet messages on the wall, the gave a bowl of water to the kittens, they simply had fun. I knew we had more homeschooling planned but I thought the first day should be more fun than formal. So, I let them have fun.

We will get more done tomorrow.

The First Day

Today is the big day! We start homeshcooling again. Kids were so excited, they were up at 6am! They got dressed, made their bed then had breakfast too. I have a lot planned today and they know it. They have seen me working on all the planning, they hvae seen me putting together games, buying books, receiving books, printing activity sheets, getting actitivy books put together, and everything else. They were already quite anxious to start and got a lot more excited when they saw that I had gifts for them for the end of the day :) Just two gifts, one for the girls and one for the boys. They know that and they would have fun playing together. I know they will, they are such caring and loving children.

The school room is not ready but that is ok, we can work on the kitchen table and sofa. Patrick worked really hard on the renovations all weekend long. He even made me a bookcase in my study so I can have room for all my Archie Comics books. Of course, I think this one was more for him as he loves to read them and did not like having to open boxes to read *new* ones, lol.

Better get started. I obviously also have to prepare lunch and dinner, bake some muffins or cookies, a cake, do the laundry and normal daily cleaning and picking up, place another Usborne book order and keep on working on my homeschool planning. I want October done asap.

Have a great day! I will be back later tonight or tomorrow morning to share all about our first day.

A few changes

Turns out there are no more gymnastics classes for boys starting this year :( And the group for little children was already filled so there was no room for Alexandra either. After looking around, I suggested that the kids start soccer right now instead of next summer. They agreed and are quite excited about it. Patrick is even more so. He has been playing soccer year long for a few years now so having his three older children play in the soccer league makes him quite happy. Soccer will be Saturday mornings, from 9-11am.

I got the older two boys into karate again. Well, again for William. It will be Zachary's first year. He had to be 6yo to start. Karate will be on Wednesday nights, as usual, which is SO perfect since Patrick will either be playing soccer right after or taking karate classes himself after the boys' class.

Catherine's painting lessons are still on Tuesday nights, from 18h00-19h45. Great timing since we are usually done with dinner before 18h00. She does want to walk to her classes but I am not sure. It will be at night and, even though it is only one block away, we cannot see her the whole way. We will probably walk her there and pick her up, as we did last year. Call us over protective, I do not mind :)

Her ballet classes have moved to Monday, late afternoon. It was more convinient having them on Thursdays since I could run errands while she was taking her classes and not have to make a special trip into town. We will adapt. I am still waiting on the schedule to see if Alexandra will be taking some also. Patrick really wants her to have some kind of activities for herself but, like I reminded him, she will be 4yo next October. Catherine started ballet at 6yo.

I have been debating weither the kids should do science day camp again this year. I am thiking that maybe just the boys should go. Catherine has been going for several years and is not learning much anymore. Besides, since she has her painting lessons, it would be more fair to only send the boys, right? I am thinking about it.

That is it for now. Since the foyer is not done, we have not gotten a piano. No piano, no lessons. I should really try to find someone to teach us how to knit and crochet though. I need to place an add in the village's paper this week.

I have already planned for next summer. Since the kids are taking soccer this Fall, they will take baseball next summer. They are extremely excited about it. We will also take horseback riding lessons as we do our horse unit next Spring. Then, C & W will do circus school while Z goes to science day camp. Those are only for one week each.

No, no, no, I do not over plan, I simply plan really early, lol.

Story of the World 1

Here it is, our list of updated books and more. The activities are not all written down as I have chosen to skip some of them. And, I will add more that I will find online as we work though chapters. I will also nee dto add cd's and dvds to certain chapters. What I wil do is completely prepare four chapters at a time and post everything again with all the details one month in advance, in case anyone wants to use my planning. I will work on the intro, dinosaurs and chapters 1 & 2 tonight and post it all again soon.

Story of the World 1 Ancient Times

Book
Activity book
CD from Jim Weiss
Encyclopedia of Ancient World (Usborne)


INTRODUCTION How Do We Know What Happened?

Books:

Me and My Family Tree
Archaeologists Dig for Clues
Magic School Bus Shows and Tells: A Book About Archaeology
Writing Down the Days

Activities:

Make family tree.
Visit an archaeology site.
Bake some coconut rocks.
Paint different sized rocks.

The Dinosaurs

Books:

Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs
Prehistoric World (Usborne)
First Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life (Usborne)

Fun Books:

Construis tes Dinosaures (Usborne)
Imaginext Dinosaurs Jumbo Coloring Poster Pad
Les Rois de la Préhistoire
Il y a des Dinosaures
School Days Parties
La Danse des Dinos
Stories of Dinosaurs
Dinosnores
Dinosaur Two of a Kind
The Dinosaurs Next Door
The Dinosaur Who Lost His Roar
Les Dinosaures (Usborne)
How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?
How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends?
Great Dinosaur Search (Usborne)

CD:

Wee Sing Dinosaurs

DVDS:

Sur la Terre des Dinosaures
The Land Before Time Series
Diego and the Dinosaur Rescue
Dinosaur (Disney)
L'Île aux Dinosaures
T-Rex Back to the Cretaceous (Imax)

Activities:

Go digging for fossils.
Create a dinosaur land using the Usborne book *Construis tes dinosaures*.
Draw and paint dinosaurs.
Bake and decorate dinosaur shaped cookies.
Have a dinosaur theme meal: frothy lime punch, guess-the-dinosaur toast, ancient animal bones, prehistoric fish scales, dinosaur cake.


Chapter 1 The Earliest People

Books:

Who Were the First People? (Usborne)
Ancient Agriculture

Fun Books:

It's Disgusting and We Ate It!
One Small Blue Bead
The First Dog
Little Grunt and the Big Egg
Great Prehistoric Search (Usborne)
Adventures in the Ice Age
Stone Age Sentinel (Usborne)
Living Long Ago
1001 Things to Spot Long Ago (Usborne)
J'Apprend à Dessiner la Préhistoire

DVDS:

Il Était une Fois...l'Homme (Imavision)

Activities:

Read books.
Make a drawing of a cavern.
Draw cavemen, mammouth, hunters, ...
Put together a prehistoric scenery (Rois de la Préhistoire p. 10-13).
Sow a hunter's bag.
Build a hide out in the forest.
Read p. 2-3 of Living Long Ago.
Do p. 4-5 of 1001 Things to Spot Long Ago.
Do project: Ancient Art History Project (www.teachartathome.com/fishmosaic.htm)

Chapter 2 Egyptians Lived on the Nile River

Books:

Ancient Egyptian Jobs
Tales of the Dead: Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Les Egyptiens (Comment Vivaient-ils?) (Usborne)

Fun Books:

Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile
Croco'nile
Gift of the Nile: An Egyptian Legend
Life in Ancient Egypt Coloring Book

CD:

Egyptian Treasures: Mummies and Myths (Jim Weiss)

DVDS:

Activities:

Build your own Nile River.
Make the White Crown of Upper Egypt.
Read books.
Listen to the cd of Jim Weiss.
Color pages of Ancient Egypt.

Chapter 3 The First Writing

Books:

Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Casting the Gods Adrift
Pharaohs & Pyramids (Usborne)
See Inside Ancient Egypt (Usborne)

Activities:

Read books.
Make a cuneiform tablet.
Make a hieroglyphic roll.
Draw hieroglyphics (Pharaohs & Pyramids p.15)

Chapter 4 The Old King of Egypt

Books:

Who Built the Pyramids? (Usborne)
I am the Mummy Heb Nefert
The Great Pyramid: The Story of the Farmers, ...

Fun Books:

Magic Tree House: Mummies in the Morning
J'apprend à Dessiner l'Égypte

Activities:

Make perfumed oil.
Make a canopy jar.
Build a pyramid with sand.
Draw: pyramids, an Egyptian male, a Sprinx, a boat on the Nile, an Egyptian woman, Toutankhamon, a pharoah, Raw & Anubis.

Chapter 5 The First Sumerian Dictator

Books:

Ancient Egyptians and Their Neighbors

Fun Books:

The Three Princes: A Tale From the Middle East
The Golden Sandal

Activities:

Make a Sumerian seal.

Chapter 6 The Jewish People

Books:

Dance, Sing, Remember: A Celebration of Jewish Holidays

Activities:

Make a coat like Joseph.

Chapter 7 Hammurabi and the Babylonians

Books:

Ten Kings: And the Worlds They Ruled
The Rules (Marty Kelley)

Fun Books:

Abu Ali: Three Tales of the Middle East
The Winged Cat: And Other Tales form Ancient Civilizations

Activities:

Make a code of law.
Build a ziggurat.

Chapter 8 The Assyrians

Books:

Fun Books:

Gilgamesh the King
The Revenge of Ishtar
The Last Quest of Gilgamesh

Activities:

Draw a picture of Enkidu.
Write a tale.

Chapter 9 The First Cities of India

Books:

Fun Books:

One Grain of Rice
The Little Brown Jay: A Tale from India
Once A Mouse
Ancient India Coloring Book

Activities:

Make a brick.
Make a Mohenjo-Daro Dwelling.
Write down what happened to Mohenjo-Daro.

Chapter 10 The Far East: Ancient China

Books:

D is For Doufu: An Alphabet of Chinese Culture
First Thousand Words in Chinese (Usborne)

Fun Books:

The Master Swordsman - The Magic Doorway
The Story About Ping
Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends
Ancient China Coloring Book

Activities:

Make a Ming bowl.
Draw some pictograms.

Chapter 11 Ancient Africa

Books:

Ancient West African Kingdoms

Fun Books:

Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti
Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale From West Africa
Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper!
The Pot of Wisdom: Anase Stories
Anansi and the Magic Stick
Monkey Business: Stories from Around the World
Ancient Africa Coloring Book
Ancient Africa Coloring Book Vol. 2

CD:

Tales From Cultures Far and Near (Jim Weiss)

Activities:

Make a paper necklace.
Make Anasi the Spider.
Draw hands and feet.
Cook an African feast.

Chapter 12 The Middle Kingdom of Egypt

Books:

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Fun Books:

Life in Ancient Egypt: A Coloring Book
Rimonah of the Flashing Sword: A North African Tale
Temple Cat

Activities:

Make a *gold* bracelet.
Burn ensens.

Chapter 13 The New Kingdom of Egypt

Books:

Tut's Mummy's Lost ... And Found
Look What Came From Egypt
His Majecty, Queen Hatshesut

Fun Books:

Tutankhamen's Gift
Tales of Ancient Egypt
Golden Goblet
Mara Daughter of the Nile
The Egyptian Echo

CD:

The Cat of Bubastes

Activities:

Build a monument.
Make an Egyptien mask.
Be an archaeologist.
Read books.

Chapter 14 The Israelites Leave Egypt

Books:

Exodus from Egypt
Exodus

Activities:

Experience famine.

Chapter 15 The Phoenicians

Book:

Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide

Fun Books:

In Search of a Homeland: The Story of the Aeneid
Roman Myths and Legends
Roman Myths

Activities:

Make false stained glass.
Make violet coloring.
Make a pasta necklace.

Chapter 16 The Return of Assyria

Books:

Ancient Egyptians and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide

Fun books:
The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor

Activities:

Make a book for Ashurbanipas's librairy.

Chapter 17 Babylon Takes Over Again!

Books:

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Wonders of the World

Fun Books:

Legend of the Persian Carpet
Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran
King Nimrod's Tower
The King in the Garden

Activities:

Draw the gardens of Babylon.
Build a Babylonian mountain garden.

Chapter 18 Life in Early Crete

Books:

Fun Books:

Atlantis: The Lost City
Monster in the Maze
Atlantis: The Legend of a Lost City
The Hero and thre Minotaur

CD:

Heroes in Mythology

Activities:

Build a volcano

Chapter 19 The Early Greeks

Books:

Famous Men of Greece

Fun Books:

Greek Myths for Young Children (Usborne)
D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths
The Trojan Horse

Activities:

Make a Mycenaean helmet.
Make a Mycenaean shield.
Make a greek vase.

Chapter 20 Greece Gets Civilized Again

Books:

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth
Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad
The Wondering of Odysseus: The Story of the Odyssey
Run With Me, Nike!: The Olympics in 420BC

Fun Books:

Hour of the Olympics (Magic Tree House #16)
Archimedes Takes a Bath

CDS:

She and He: Adventures in Mythology
Galiloa and the Stargazers
Greek Myths

Activities:

Write down your name in Greek letters.
Make Greek musical instruments
Make an olympic crown.
Make your own Olympic games followed by a feast.

Chapter 21 The Medes and the Persians

Books:

Fun Books:

King Midas and the Golden Touch
Esther's Story
Legend of the Persian Carpet
The Persian Cinderella
Ali and thr Magic Stew

Activities:

Make a sliver plate.
Make persian puppets.

Chapter 22 Sparta and Athens

Books:

How Would You Survive as an Ancient Greek?
Inside Ancient Athens
Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes Ciphers and Secret Writing

Fun Books:

Life in Ancient Greece Coloring Book
Spend the Day in Ancient Greece!

Activities:

Make a greek bowl.
Make greek clothes.
Make greek stickers.
Make greek paper dolls.

Chapter 23 The Greek Gods

Books:

The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus
Illustrated Book of Myths

Fun Books:

A Coloring Book of Greek Goddesses

Activities:

Make the family tree of the greek gods of Olympus.
Draw a house for the Greek Gods.
Make a golden apple.

Chapter 24 The Wars of the Greeks

Books:

Fun Books:

The Aesop for Children
Cupid and Psyche
The Flying Horse: The Story of Pegasus
Apollo and Daphne: Masterpieces of Greek Mythology

Activities:

Make an ice cream Greek boat.
Make a gingerbread Parthenon.
Make a *stone* sculpture.
Make Athenian coins.

Chapter 25 Alexander the Great

Books:

Fun Books:

The Greek News

CD:

A Treasury of Wisdom

Activities:

Tie a Gordian knot.

Chapter 26 The People of the Americas

Books:

Machu Picchu: The Story of the Amazing Incas
Who Were the First North Americans?
The Lost World of the Anasazi: Exploring the Mysteries of Chaco Canyon

Fun Books:

Life in Ancient Mexico Coloring Book
Incas, Aztecs and Mayas Coloring Book
Traditional Stories from the Amazon
The Two Mountains
Jabiti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon
Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back
Is My Friend at Home? Peublo Fireside Tales
Keepers of the Easrth: Native American Stories and Env

CD:

DVDS:

Activities:

Make a seed mosaic map.
Make a native American headband.
Make a native American sand painting.
Make a Nazca line drawing.
Make tapioca pudding.
Make Navajo fry bread.

Chapter 27 The Rise of Rome

Books:

Who Were the Romans? (Usborne)
Tools of the Ancient Romans

Fun Books:

The Roman News: The Greatest Newspaper in Civilization
Roman Myths and Legends
Romulus and Remus

CD:

DVDS:

Activities:

Make a Saturnalia gift.
Run a Popinas.
Prepare a cecina.

Chapter 28 The Roman Empire

Books:

Gladiator (ISBN: 039582656x)
The Roman Colosseum (ISBN: 0965049337)

Fun Books:

Rome Antics (ISBN: 0395822793)
Astérix Gladiateur

CD:

DVDS:

Activities:

Make a Roman Archway and Aqueduct.
Make a Roman road model.

Chapter 29 Rome's War With Carthage

Books:

The Roman Army (ISBN: 0521072433)

Fun Books:

Hannibal (ISBN: 0531202402)
The Young Carthaginian (ISBN: 1406562599)
Hannibal and His 37 Elephants (ISBN: 0823403009)

CD:

The Young Carthaginian

DVDS:

Activities:

Make a cuff bracelet.
Bake Hannibal's elephant ears.

Chapter 30 The Aryans of India

Books:

The Ganges (ISBN: 0836854438)
The Sacred River (ISBN: 0618378391)
Buddha (ISBN: 0805042032)

Fun Books:

Stories from India (ISBN: 0739813358)
Savitri (ISBN: 185269361)
Buddha Stories (ISBN: 080548863)
The Wisdom of the Crows and Other Buddhist Tales (ISBN: 0613707362)
I Once Was a Monkey: Stories Buddha Told (ISBN: 0374335486)
Cooking Along the Ganges (ISBN: 059524422x)

CD:

DVDS:

Activities:

Make a rakhi.
Color fingernails and lips.

Chapter 31 The Mauryan Empire of India

Books:

Festivals of the World (ISBN: 0836816838)

Fun Books:

The Monkey and the Crocodile: A Jataka Tale (ISBN: 0899195245)
Nine Animals and the Well (ISBN: 0618309152

Activities:

Learn how to cook rice; white rice; indian curried rice.
Play snakes and ladders.

Chapter 32 Writing and the Qin

Books:

The Great Wall: The Story of Thousands of Miles (ISBN: 19314141280
Long is a Dragon: Chinese Writing for Children (ISBN: 1881896013)
The Terra-Cotta Army of the First Emperor of China (ISBN: 962276003)

Ancient China Treasure Chest (ISBN: 0823413179)

Fun Books:

Ten Suns: A Chinese Legend (ISBN:
The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale (ISBN: 0613114930)
The Chi'I-Lin Purse: A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories (ISBN: 0374411891)
Lord of the Cranes: A Chinese Tale (ISBN: 0735816999)
Da Wei's Treasure: A Chinese Tale (ISBN: 0689818351)
The Lost Horse: A Chinese Folktale (ISBN: 015205023x)

Activities:

Practice Chinese calligraphy.
Make the Great Wall of China.

Chapter 33 Confusius

Books:

Usborne Encyclopedia of World Religions (Usborne)
Confusius: The Golden Rule (ISBN: 0439139570)
The Life and Times of Confusius (ISBN: 158415246x)
Made in China: Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China (ISBN: 1881896145)

Fun Books:

The Empty Pot (ISBN: 0805049002)

Activities:

Make tangrams.
Prepare a Chinese tea.

Chapter 34 The Rise of Julius Caesar

Books:

Julius Caesar, Great Dictator of Rome (ISBN: 0751339660)
Famous Men of Rome (ISBN: 1599150468)

Fun Books:

The Wadjet Eye (ISBN: 0618689273)

Activities:

Make a Roman mosaic.
Make a crown of leaves.

Chapter 35 Caesar the Hero

Books:

Roman Numerals I to MM: Numerabilia (ISBN: 0395745195)
Cleopatra, the Queen of Kings (ISBN: 1435273729)
Cleopatra (ISBN: 0688104134)
Life of the Ancient Celts (ISBN: 0778720756)

Fun Books:

Tales From Shakespeare (ISBN: 076362337)
Cleopatra, the Queen of Dreams (ISBN: 0199101930)
Shakespeare Stories II (ISBN: 0395891094)

Activities:

Measure your height.
Make Caesar's flag.
Mint your own coins.
Learn the Roman numerals.

Chapter 36 The First Roman Prince

Books:

The Story of Clocks and Calendars (ISBN: 0060589450)
Ancient Romans (ISBN: 1417649186)

Fun Books:

Cleopatra (ISBN: 0613457277)
Sun-day, Moon-day (ISBN: 1901223000)

Activities:

Make a mosaic calendar.
Make a Roman toga.

Chapter 37 The Beginning of Christianity

Books:

Fun Books:

The Very First Christmas (ISBN: 0570050642)
The Very First Easter (ISBN: 0570070538)
The Jesus Story

Activities:

Draw *The Night with a brillant star*.

Chapter 38 The End of the Ancient Jewish Nation

Books:

Festival of Lights: The Story of Hannukkah (ISBN: 0689830831)
Shabbat (ISBN: 0613316800)

Fun Books:

First I Say the Shema (ISBN: 080740232x)
Masada (ISBN: 1590780639)
Celebrate! Stories of the Jewish Holiday (ISBN: 0439430526)
Journeys With Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet (ISBN: 0152004459)
Miriam's Cup: A Passover Story (ISBN: 0590677209)

Activities:

Make a Shabbat sand art candle holder.
Prepare Shabbat meal and day.
Make Hannukkah latkes.

Chapter 39 Rome and the Christians

Books:

I Wonder Why Romans Wore Togas? (ISBN: 0753407620)

Fun Books:

The Roman Record: Hot News From The Swieling Mist of Time (ISBN: 0746027532)
Rome Coloring Book (ISBN: 0883880616)
Pompeii... Lost and Found (ISBN: 0375828898)
Pompeii... Burried Alive (ISBN: 0394888669)
Mystery of the Roman Ranson (ISBN: 061356538x)
Magic School Bus Blows Its Top (ISBN: 0590508350)

CD:

Beric the Briton (Jim Weiss)

Activities:

*Blow* a volcano.
Make Nero's new crown.
Make a salt dough map of Italy.

Chapter 40 Rome Begins to Weaken

Books:

The Celts (ISBN: 0237525765)
Raiders of the North (ISBN: 184215401x)
The Ancient Celts (ISBN: 053116845x)

Fun Books:

Celtic Fairy Tales (ISBN: 140651814x)
Celtic Fairy Tales (ISBN: 0670883875)
Celtic Memories (ISBN: 1841480975)

Activities:

North, South, East, West.
Have a Celtic feast.

Chapter 41 The Attacking Barbarians

Books:

Ten Kings: And the Worlds They Ruled

Fun Books:

Why Are You Calling Me a Barbarian? (ISBN:

Activities:

Make barbarian bracelets.
Reassemble a Roman pot.
Draw a picture of Attila the Hun.

Chapter 42 The End of Rome

Books:

Ancient Rome (ISBN: 075663766x)
Science in Rome (ISBN: 0531159167)

Fun Books:

Caltus Petasatus! (ISBN: 086516472x)
Quomodo Indiviosulus Nomino Grinchus (ISBN: 0865164207)
Vivent Ova! Viret Perra! (ISBN: 0865165556)

Activities:

Make the Emperor's scepter.
Make a *Gifts of Rome* collage.
Have a Roman party.

Planning for September

So far , so good. I have been busy planinng for our first month of homeschooling and it looks really good.

In French, Catherine will keep on working with Bled. I still have a few lessons to type up and print. All the books for William and Zachary are ready.

In Math, Catherine & William are starting with Défi-Math 1. I already have one workbook, I only need to get a second one for William. I have all the books ready for Zachary but do need to print some pages for Alexandra. And get a few manipilatives.

Geography, kids are starting the Galopping the Globe book. I have alrady printed all the activity pages and planned book lists and such for all the countries for September and October. In September, they will do the intro, which will last two weeks then China and South Korea. I do have some things I want to get together from Sonlight too.

History, kids will redo the intro for SOTW1. We were not consistant enough last year and I think it will be better to just start over again. Adding a few things from Sonlight too.

English, Sonlight all the way. I need to get the activity sheets together for the oldest three. I have those for Alexandra all ready, just need to bring them to the ?? and have them binded. Actually, I have several books we are putting together that I need to have binded.

Science... My favorite this year. I have put together for September a Animal Classifying Unit. And I will make my own classifying cards as I cannot seem to find any in French. I think this works better since we can make cards for each and every animal there is on Earth. I will just get some old magazines of animals, cut the pictures then glue them on a sheet, adding the necessary info then laminate them all. For October, we will study all about bears... panda bears, grizzly bears, polar bears, black bears, brown bears, ... An entire month for bears. I will, of course, add the Sonlight Science program for each child too.

Spanish, this is great. My kids have been wanting to learn Spanish for some time now. So, I finally got the Rosetta Stone Spanish 1 program, homeschool version. So, not only will they learn to understand and speak Spanish but they will also learn to read and write it. I already have many games and manipulatives. I just need good children's books now. Any suggestions? This is proving to be a very difficult area for me. I looked on E-Bay but most books offered are really cheap ones, the kind you find at a dollar store. I want really good Spanish books, like Spanish kids get to read in Spain.

Arts, we are continuing with ARTistic Pursuits and maybe Lézards Plastiques. Catherine will start her painting lessons again sometime in September. She is quite excited about it.

PE, boys are taking karate, girls (hopefully, still got no answer for Ali) will take ballet. We are really thinking about having the oldest four take gymnastics, as they have been asking for sometime now. I am also hoping to find someone here in the village to teach my kids to ice skate. It has to do during the day, when it is warmer. I cannot teach them as I can barely skate myself. Besides, I also want someone that can play hockey with them and maybe teach them a little figure skating too.

Music, I was hoping to have the foyer all done and ready to get a piano but it does not look like that will happen for September. My neighbor has already agreed to give them lessons, once I get a piano. Maybe for in a few months. Patrick will keep on giving them violin and guitar lessons and I will give them flute lessons. I am getting a cd for a program of vocals, which I think they will enjoy immensely. They love to sing.

As for the rest, I want to find another neighbor that will be able to teach them to knit, crochet and do all those wonderful things. Hoping that neighbor can teach me also, lol. We have all been wanting to learn. I can already see all the wonderful gifts we could make for each other.

I think this covers pretty much everything. I am writing it all down as I get it all planned, just to make sure I do not forget anything. I want everything ready for September soon, meaning all the books, activity books, lap books, dvds, cds, fun books, everything... All in place, just ready to be used. Sure hope I get enough time to finish the school room first though. Working hard on that one.