Week 8- Ben Franklin

     This week has been a lot of work but I feel like we got a lot accomplished. We took Monday for a library day and then hit to our local BMX track for the first time. The kids had fun, even if they were not strong enough to get up the bigger hills. Burned a lot of energy leading to a good quite time..lol. Thursday morning the girls also went to a homeschool meet up at our local indoor trampoline gym. Unfortunately  we had very low attendance but the few that were there has fun. Its early in most folks year, so we'll hope for more as the fall progresses.
On to the Academics:
 Bible this week focused on Matthew 7:24, and Jesus being our bedrock. The Bible lesson have felt a bit light lately at times not very relational to my girls. So we have added a new devotional workbook called God & Me 3 for ages 6-9. They enjoy the discussions about kids their own age. For History this week we expanded on the assigned reading by including Who was Ben Franklin? By Dennis Fradin. We read this as a group, alternating pages between each girl and me. At the end of the week, the girls notebooked on specific areas of Franklin's life that caught their interest.  Ying focused on his inventions, and Yang the people in his life. They used a graphic organizer to gather their facts and then I helped them edit their sentences and correct spelling. After tweeking, the girls typed their final paragraphs and added pictures. This was a 2 day project after finishing our readings, but by end of the school morning friday they were really proud of what they had accomplished. Math we trucked a long. Independent reading this week took many forms. Monday, at the library Yang read 20 or so books to Hulk from the picture book section that he picked out. Ying finished Frindle, and moved on to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Yang got jealous by the end of the weekend changed her next pick from Lemony Snicket's The Reptile Room to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. We failed alot this week on getting our read aloud done. The Birchbark House is dragging a bit and while we are enjoying it, its not been our favorite. We are still struggling with spelling and are going to have to devote more time to drilling this down. I am thinking we may also need to step back and add in some more phonics lessons focusing on spelling. We shall see how that goes. We continued to follow our ship through the eastern Caribbean this week ending in Phillipsburg, St Martin on Saturday. 

     We also need to offer up praise this week for the Lord's protection. Saturday night, lightening struck not 30 feet from the girls. They were getting the mail when the lightening struck a utility pole. Only a few grey clouds in the sky. No rain. No previous rumbles. Nada. Then CRACK! BOOM! and my girls screaming. I don't think Yang has ever run so fast. But the Lord is good and they were safe. While the same can't be said for our cable modem and hubby's work computer, we give PRAISE to the almighty for His mercies. My girls are priceless, stuff replaceable and nothing.
       Next week will be a bit crazy due to Labor day. While for most it means an extra day off from work, for me it means covering an extra night recovering the world from their vacations and over indulgences. Pray for me that I may be humble and extend His mercy and grace.  Enjoy the holiday and be safe!