Scheduling changes

I am sure I am not the only one that has to make scheduling changes as life interrupts are smooth running days, weeks and months.  We have had a minor setback due to allergies, sick germs, mrsa and Emily's back surgery.  She does have a school note until March 11th...but I am sure kids at a real school don't have couches, recliners and a bed to sit in and do their homework! :)  We do therefore you can get some schoolwork done.

A few new things were found by reading other people's posts on fb.  One being the Liberty Kids series has their full episodes online at Youtube.  Each episode is divided into two videos each being just under 11 minutes long.  Jesse and Elizabeth are going to watch these for part of their history curriculum.  Easy to do on their kindle fire's with earbuds!

I picked up some Decimals series books by Key Curriculum Press.  We are starting in Book 2.

Jesse is still continuing in the Apologia series for A&P.  He should finish by May.  I really like their easy experiments that may be easy but the experiment gets the concept to the child and that is the point.

He is also still working on Word Building with the 6th and 7th level books...

IEW will be integrated into our schedule now in the mornings as well as Handwriting and Spelling.

I still need to get into Elizabeth, Jacob and Emily's schedules tomorrow but at least Jesse's is complete (until April 1st that is).

How wrinkled is your brain?

Found on the Smithsonian blog today about the differences in brain size and whether the animal has a smooth brain or a wrinkled brain.  Which are similar and which are different?  In the article Nuwer makes observations of how three of the animals have brains that are shaped as a liver.  Very interesting.  Why does she say this?  What shape is a liver?

Great image from the blog mentioned above to learn about shapes, patterns and even math.  I say math because they did give us a scale at the bottom of the image that students can measure each brain to get an idea about the size and area.  Tracing, they could place a thin sheet of paper over each brain and trace the brains.  Make a lapbook and take this even more in depth and study each animal.  Lots that can be made just by this one article.  I am not an evolutionary thinker so I can read this without wondering why the brains are so similar because I know I did not start as a monkey or evolved from the grey squirrel.

2 of my favorite videos

Someone reminded me on facebook of a video that has been a favorite of mine for quite some time.

Its called the Mom Song...in 2 minutes and 55 seconds!  Sounds like a good chunk of my life.  Make sure you follow it up with our favorite diabetic video afterwards!!

This mom has the privilege of taking care of two Type 1 children. Video has the same music as the first one!! (William Tell Overture)

Because he fights hard each day...he pedals!

Our ADA message:

Support Me in Tour de Cure!

I will be cycling in the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure fundraising event. Please support me with a donation by selecting the "Sponsor Me" button. Our efforts will help set the pace in the fight against diabetes. So let's get in gear and ride to Stop Diabetes!

"I am not only riding for myself.  I am riding for my family.  I have 2 sisters and my mom who also have Type 1 diabetes" -Jesse 

Help Make a Difference in the fight against diabetes!

Each mile I ride, and the funds I raise will be used in the fight to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

No matter how small or large, your generous gift will help improve the lives of nearly 24 million Americans who suffer from diabetes, in the hope that future generations can live in a world without this disease. Together, we can all make a difference!

Thank you for making a generous contribution to this cause that is so important to me!

A more personal message:

Jesse is trying to cross the finish line with his diabetes. Jesse wants to spread diabetes awareness that lets everyone know that even though he is 10 he isn't held back from doing anything!! This year his goal is to ride 60 miles in the Middle Tennessee Tour de Cure 2013! Our family is in the ambassador family for our region's tour...with 4 of using insulin pumps we have to make diabetes a part of our lives.
If everyone would consider donating at least $5, he would make his goal really fast!! Of course if you are able to do a larger donation that is appreciated too. But as many of us know, diabetes is expensive and our budgets are already stretched pretty far!
Many ask us why we do more support with the ADA and not with JDRF since we have multiple children that are diagnosed. My answer is always that my children will be growing up and will be an adult and the ADA will always be there connecting families, providing education and research towards diabetes.

Here is his website through the ADA.
http://main.diabetes.org/goto/JesseJones

__________________

It was a good stitching day, in more ways than one!

So for the past month I have wanted to work on my Country Bloomers project!  Can't find the chart ANYWHERE.  I got to thinking...I wonder if it was put in the sell box that I took to the Used Book Store??
After fretting about this for awhile I had the opportunity to get to Nashville and take a look.  Lo and Behold I heard the angels singing....Ahhhhhhhh! I found it.  I know it was mine because I know the markings I had in the chart!  So excited!!! Tomorrow afternoon after all of our Nashville appointments my hope is to be able to sit and stitch on this one!  Can't let others in our group get ahead of me...yes I am competitive too!

On other notes.

I had my first finish of 2013.  I am working on the 12 months of flowers by Maurer-Stroh...find the free patterns.  They are in there.  I am thinking of making them and finding someone to help me learn how to quilt and incorporate these pieces.  I think it will look beauti-mus!  I don't think it should be too hard.  And who knows I may not ask anyone to help me and just do it myself! :)

This is the January Carnations.
Februrary pattern is Violets...really excited about this one as I really like purple and could never tire of using this color.  The color is cornsilk and it is very lovely.  Here are some progessions of how it is working out:



This is as far as I have gotten so far.  Aren't the cornsilk "purples" beautiful.  They are so close in hue but there are actually 3 different colors.

Tomorrow I hope to get some work on the "Country Bloomers"  I am making some changes to the pattern however. The pattern has the Bloomers hanging out on a laundry line.  Instead of the day of the week stitched above each bloomer I am going to place a member of our household's name above each one.  And in the bench on the bottom right I am going to stitch "est. 1995"  Thought this would give it a  more personal touch.  Here is what the chart looks like:



Happy Stitching this week everyone!  Leave me a link to your blog in the comment section so I can peek in on what you are working on!