Friday, July 30, 2010

To Kill a Mockingbird

This literary classic is fifty years old and it happens to be one of David's assigned literature books this year so I have had my nose in it for the past week or so. Can you believe that I never read this in school? It was one option on a list of possibilities in Sophomore English. At the time, I picked "The Chosen", which is also excellent by the way. I really can't believe how much utter crud we read in those honors English classes when we should have been assigned things like this. That is another post though.

David will read it toward the end of our school year and then we will watch the movie together. I am really excited about the movie, but holding off until I can see it with him.

If you have never read To Kill a Mockingbird, or if it is a distant memory from High School, take this time to reacquaint yourself with a classic as it turns fifty.

~Christina

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Getting Ready for School

This year we are delving into the realm of computer based lesson planning and grade tracking. With David in eighth grade this year I figure it is a trial run for Fall 2011 when grades and transcripts really count. A few years ago I actually purchased a computer based planning software but it was tedious to enter everything and frustrating to use. The user interface was terrible, and that is something not taken lightly here.

Now I have found Homeschool Skedtrack. With only a couple of afternoons of work I have most of David's work for the year entered and so far I didn't want to throw the computer out the window even once! It was really simple to use and you can't beat the price - Free. An added bonus for us is that it is online so David can access his school assignments no matter where he is. I'm not sure he sees this as a beneficial thing, but his parents sure do.

So far I have entered:

Apologia Physical Science
Mapping the World by Heart
Lively Latin 2
History Odyssey
Memory Work
Writing Strands


This week I ordered Rod and Staff Grammar 7 and Argument Builder as well as our Bible study for this year so those will be entered when they get here. I also have some photocopies to make and two more literature books to read, but otherwise we are ready to go.

School Starts August 18th!


~Christina

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Produce Aisle

The garden was a little more than frustrating early in the season, and everything is running late, but it is now starting to grow produce. I took this journal video last week:















Saturday, July 17, 2010

Sailing Fern Ridge

Last Sunday I enjoyed an afternoon of sailing on Fern Ridge with mom. It was a beautiful day with just the two of us along with my dogs, Morpheus and Switch.





The water was warm and the sun hot so we did a bit of swimming as well. Morpheus (first picture below) doesn't much care for the water, but Switch turns out to be a great swimmer.







Happy Birthday David!

David has officially become a teenager! And for the big 13 birthday David received a hunting bow and a trip out to the 3D course at Kutch archery. Here are a few pics: