School Has Begun

On Monday, July 27th we started our school year. I usually like to start in early July, but after my class, I needed time to recoup before I could muster up any excitement to teach my kids. It's now day four and, so far, we're off to a great start!

This year I needed more organization, especially with the new puppy, my new job, and my class that will start mid August. I made a schedule for each of my kids. This way they can see what it is they should be doing and at what time. I made sure to schedule their subjects in a way that while one is at the table, the other could be listening to me read. Having them at the table together is cause for a lot of distractions. There are also times when I will have to be doing something besides teaching, so I made sure to have them doing something they could handle on their own during that time. I might have to make changes as needed, since I may have left too much time for some subjects, while others might need more time.

I found the lined paper on Donna Young's website . I really enjoy all of her free printables.

What are we using for curriculum this year? Check it out here, or you can view some of the books we are currently reading on the Amazon Widget.

New Puppy

On July 19th, at approximately 4:30 pm., we brought home a new maltipoo puppy! This is a rare happening for us as you might have assumed after reading one of my earlier posts, "A Dog Named Sal". This all came about after my friend Stacey and I, with daughters in tow, visited Furry Babies Inc. which is located on the second floor of Cherryvale Mall. In case you are not familiar with this store, let me explain. As you walk past you see pinkish walls and the pink sign, Furry Babies. Who could resist? Look a tad closer and you'll see little cribs set up all over with super cute puppies of all kinds for sale! What a way to lure you in right? Not only that, it appears to be a glamor shop for pups. You can buy posh beds and fashionable clothes for you new furry baby, if you wish.
We decided to go in and take just a peek. Stacey quickly spotted an adorable female maltese. She was so cute and the salesman let us all go into the little room to play with her. Five minutes later, Stacey was in complete love. She was on the phone with her husband in a flash to see about possibly bringing her home. It just wasn't meant to be on that day. So we all walked away from the store thinking of that cute pup, wondering what family might buy her. Her excitement got me into thinking about getting a puppy. She can be dangerous that way. ;-) I thought maybe we could buy her and that way Stacey would still be able to see her. Drake has always wanted a dog, and we were thinking of it off and on but were never sure if we wanted to commit. The next day we went up to the store again, this time just our family. I wanted to show my husband the cute puppy. We talked and hesitated in the mall. It didn't feel right to make a rash decision, and we went home empty handed.
After that, I spent time searching online for a puppy because I figured it's kind of like kids, if you wait forever to have them, you probably never will. Is there ever a right time or perfect time? So I kept on searching. I have always liked the look of matipoos, and if we were to get a dog, it would have to be the non-shedding type. I searched many websites: petfinder.com, puppyfind.com, pups4kids.com, and many others. I knew I didn't want to drive very far to get a puppy or have to have it shipped to us, so I search for maltipoos that were close to our area. It was at puppyfind.com where I finally saw this cute, unique looking puppy from McHenry, IL. My husband spoke with the breeder, and we planned a visit. So on Sunday, the 19th of July, we made the trip and brought home our first puppy. Abbi was her name given by the breeder, but we have since settled on Bella. No, it's not a Twilight influence, really. We took the plunge and, though it hasn't been very easy so far, we are committed to doing our best. Our kids really enjoy her, but we all have a lot to learn. I hope that Bella will grow up with good manners and that is something that takes dedication.

Oh and more good news! Stacey did end up getting her puppy, the one at the mall! She was able to put a deposit down and get her the very same weekend we picked up Bella!


Here are some pics of our new addition!

This is the day we got her at 10 weeks old.

First bath

The Bird Protector

About a month ago, my dad found a small bird on the ground outside his home. It had fallen out of the nest, so he decided to take care of it until it could fend for itself. I find it odd that he loves helping animals because he's an avid hunter. Even so, growing up, I watched him help baby birds, squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons.
After spending $45.00 or so on mail order red worms, my dad thought it was time for this little birdie to move on and fly away. This did not happen as expected. At first, the bird flew up on the roof of my dad's house and looked around with curiosity. Later, we checked and it had flown away. That was great! It was finally on it's way to a normal bird life, or so we thought. My dad called me later to say that the bird was back hungry and crying for food. So now, each time he tries to let the bird go, it comes back when it's hungry. I suppose my dad has spent close to $100.00 in worms now. This bird is eating good!

Bugs

I saw this flying around outside of our home. I'm not quite sure what kind of bug it is, even after an extensive search on Google. I don't think I have ever seen one like this before. Any ideas?

It almost looks like it's made out of cotton.

Here is another cute bug. This was found on our squash plants.

We found this visitor at our front door. A Cicada, which I hear are quite tasty. I don't think I could ever try one though. ;-)

Garden Update

Everything is looking good!

We have our first zucchini!

Here is basil for the pesto sauce I plan to make. I've found a lot of these Japanese Beetles eating away at the leaves already though. I think I might have to bring it inside.

The mystery plant is broccoli!

Tomatoes

Carrots

Balloon Flower

Colorful non-edible berries

Pond Fishing

Not so long ago, we were invited to go on a little fishing voyage with our friends. It was a lot of fun because there were so many fish close to the waters edge. Almost as soon as our poles went in, the fish would bite. That's the kind of fishing I like!

One of the many fish Drake caught.

Friend CeAnna posing with one of her fish.

How To Get Your Kids To Do Housework

"If you make the chore you are doing look grown-up and exciting, your kids will want to have a go." :-)

I saw this video on MSN and thought it was amusing, especially the accent. I Love the accent.

These techniques do work quite well for younger children. I remember trying a few of them out. It doesn't work so well for older kids though. I need to look for the video, "Never Hear a Huff Again: How to Get Your Preteen to Do Housework With a Smile and a Nod".


Behaviour & Communication: How To Get Your Kids To Do Housework