Blog Entries for Dandy

Ethany's Journal page today

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

A few random things

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

It's hard to get a good picture of Imogen, because as soon as she sees the camera she pulls a funny smiling kind of face and runs right towards you. Here are a couple of shots.

Being a little Mummy wiping her drink cup with the tea towel.

There's the face.
These are new boo [...]

Wordless Wednesday

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

A day in the life of Amber

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

7am - Up and dressed, then breakfast and morning chores. Started the morning with circle time at 9am. Xavier didn’t participate, he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, lol.

Went straight into math. Ethany did her review questions, she had a little trouble with sequencing numbers backwards so we will review that tomorrow. Her new topic today was ordinal numbers we made queues and race [...]

Our last Week or so

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

We had Russell home for a little bit and I got this happy snap. The kids all had to be up at the same time ofcourse!

I found this Marbled Gecko on my laundry window sill. This was very interesting because it is the first one we have found that has lost it's tail. They have false tails to fool their predators so when something grabs them they can d [...]

Pre-School Activity Bags

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Reading lots of blogs you find out what seems to be popular and at the moment pre-school activity bags seem to be getting a lot of mentions. After my previous posts about the kids enjoying the Montessori-ish activities that I whiped up for them I too am going down the activity bag path (I just don't have space for all that shelving true Monti requires).

These materials will not be used as a core program, just a time filler for when I am giving some 1 on 1 instru [...]

Happy Birthday!!

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Love Ethany

I can hear the clogs in Xavier's head

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Something is going on with my little man at the moment. A few days ago I shared his new found 1 to 1 correspondence, well today he threw himself into Reading Eggs and completed a lesson that has had him stumped for about 6 weeks now. He was actually reading some cvc words. So hold onto your seat for this ride it could be a rollercoaster! I think I will begin 100 Easy Lessons with him and see what happens.

Achievement

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Ethany passed her level at swimming today!! She now moves into Marlin's which she is very excited about. It sees the end of pre-school swimming and she will now go with the 'big' school kids for swimming. Unfortunately for me that means another trip to the pool each week for after school or weekend swimming. At this stage I think we will go with a weekend class as our schedule during the week is full enough and really I want to be spending a little more time at home ra [...]

Xavier's First Day

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Well today was a big day at our house. Xavier had his first official day of school, lol. He has been participating with Ethany's lessons since we started HSing but now he has things to do of his very own. He has his own school books, own tasks and his own special 1 on 1 time with Mum snuggling on the couch reading a book.

He did really well today. Not that much changed for him except I guess there was a little more structure for him whereas it has be [...]

4yo Curriculum

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Books to read aloud

Big Thoughts for Little People Peter Pan Winnie-the-Pooh The Velveteen Rabbit Madeline Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening The Clown of God Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel Make Way for Ducklings Brer Rabbit Book Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories Paintings and Children’s Verses of Australian Bush Animals The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit Shy the Platypus Dot and the Kangaroo The Magic Faraway Tree Children’ [...]

3yo curriculum

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Books to read aloud

Jesse Bear, What will you Wear? The Little Rabbit The Runaway Bunny Where the Wild things Are Possum Magic Little Mouse’s Book of Colours Richard Scarry’s Best Little Word Book Ever! When I’m feeling Sad When I’m feeling Loved When I’m feeling Angry When I’m feeling Lonely When I’m feeling Scared When I’m feeling Jealous This is my Family The Saggy Baggy Elephant The Pokey Littl [...]

Decisions, decisions ...

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

isn't that what every Homeschooling Mum does figuring out what to do next (grin). Well I have just finalised my 3yo, 4yo and 5yo plans. Gosh, I feel like it has taken me forever! I really didn't have any plans to do anything for 3yo year but Xavier NEEDS the 1 on 1 time with me so why not make it productive, nothing fancy but atleast he will get something out of the year.

Loosely each year is Sonlight based but with my own CM spin, and also some books we a [...]

5yo Curriculum

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

CIRCLE TIME THINGS

Poems & Rhymes – Mother Goose & A Child’s Garden of Verses

AUSLAN

Song - General music apprecia [...]

We have a backyard, yay!!

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Today we got a backyard, lol!

Seriously we have had a yard since moving into this house last August but we have had no fencing so whenever the kids want to go out we have to go with them. Today we got a side fence and wings at the side of the house so now we have a contained, child proof backyard. The kids can now go out whenever they like. So very exciting that they can have some freedom back. I can't believe we have about 600 square m of backyard, [...]

They LOVE the Zoo

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

and the animals LOVE them!

These two bob tails followed Xavier and Imogen all around their enclosure trying to get through the glass to the kids.

We are really really enjoying A to Zoo run by Perth Zoo. This term we have been studying African Animals. [...]

More tasks today

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

The minute the kids feet hit the floor this morning they were asking which task they could work on. Gosh, how things change in only a few days! I did make them wait until they had completed their morning routine before starting.

Ethany set to work on a 'teens' board. She had to put an x in the correct number of boxes to show numbers from 11 - 19. After that she worked on making numbers using dice, popsticks and a notebook. Fi [...]

We had a WOW day!

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Today was not a school day however, as we have been so busy this last week I decided to mix things up a little and worked out a few tasks for the kids to work on throughout the day. They were montessori inspired. The kids had a blast and were asking for more so tonight I will be looking for some new things to incorporate into school tomorrow.

One of Ethany' [...]

A really long day

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

We all had a long day today. We visited our new eye Dr and she was lovely. The appointment took just over 2 hours and unfortunately for Ethany the patching will continue and probably be stepped up in 2 months time. The appointment was VERY thorough, more so than the other Dr we have been seeing.

This Dr has found that not only is she long sighted but she also has an astigmatism which will now be treated too. We are back to the optical dispenser tomor [...]

What does the future hold?

bates.family@optusnet.com.au — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Tomorrow we visit a new ophthalmologist for Ethany. She would love to be told no more glasses ever, but we know that isn't a reality. I just hope we can get a better insight into her condition. She is hopeful that we will no longer have to patch everyday which she HATES!

I really have my fingers crossed that this Dr is a good communicator and is happy to answer all of my questions and gives answers that I can understand. It is sad to say th [...]