In-N-Out and Sun

Ohmigoodness! 80 degree high today! Beautiful, sunny and warm in the mornings, starting off at a strict 65 degrees and then slowly warming up in the afternoon. Honestly, this is as good as it gets. I love, LOVE this weather and the kids have been riding their bikes and eating lunch outside all week! Happy New Year!

We worked on math and language arts all morning. One of the really nice things about where Jayden is at in language arts is that he can really do most of the work himself, which completely frees me up to focus 95% on Austen.  We are using Learning Language Arts Through Literature and enjoy the simplicity, yet thoroughness of this program. English is my speciality and I am quite a descent editor ( although I should spend more time editing my blog, who has time for that? :)). But when I need to, like really need to, I could edit up a storm. I prefer this program due to its focus on spelling, grammar, great literature, and method. I plan to use this program throughout their school years plus each grade is color coordinated :)

Austen finished his train track book through , Sing, Spell, Read and Write!!!!! Yeah Austen! He has been working VERY hard for the past 1.5 year. I've mentioned before, reading is not coming as naturally to him so we are moving slow, yet purposefully and I'm totally OK with that. What I enjoy about SSRW is how it incorporates hands on learning with songs and games. The stories are challenging yet fun so you don't really realize that you are working hard at the process.

My goal for Austen is to be able to read well by the end of this year. I just ordered his raceway book which is the 2nd part of this program. There are 36 steps that he will need to complete and that will easily take us until August or September. However, by the end he will be reading, writing and spelling quite well!!! Jayden has learned so much during his quiet time and before bed time by reading, I know that Austen will enjoy so much of the same once he is able to do this on his own as well.

During quiet time, we started reading a book " Bears on Hemlock Mountain" by Alice Dagliesh. This is the same author who wrote The Courage of Sarah Noble. We enjoyed the latter book so much that we wanted to check this one out, we are not disappointed! I highly recommend this book. We are half way through, it is an easy read and the kids love it! The whole premis is to answer the question, are there really bears on the mountain? We also read some great books on the Revolutionary War and will hopefully be starting our activities this week, sometime.

Funny side note, today, Jayden and I were working on TIMZIT, a multiplication game and he looks at my diamond ring and asks if it was real, " Yes it is Jay."
" Did Daddy buy that for you?"
" Yes, and someday when you find a special girl that you want to spend your life with, you will buy one for her."
" Is it expensive to buy a diamond ring?"
" Very!"
< Huffing and Grunting>, " Oh man, that means I will need to work at seven zoos and never be able to buy tacos"
We both just started laughing, he is so funny!

You will be working hard your whole life baby to provide for your baby- get used to it :) Raising real men over here, let me tell you!

The kids played with the neighbor boy, we ate In-N-Out for lunch- love that place and played outside. This has been a day in our homeschooling world. Love homeschooling!