Amazing Story of the World Resource

As many of you know, we are using Winter Promise Hideaways in History for our history curriculum this year. We actually just finished up Volume 1 in Story of the World, which is the spine for this program (well, it used to be, but I have heard they have since changed that!). Little Bean has really enjoyed our readings in SOTW, but I have felt like there was so much information covered in such a short period of time that I wasn't ready to move on to Volume 2 with him just yet.

SO, we are starting over at the beginning of SOTW Volume 1, and to accompany it, we will be lapbooking. I googled Story of the World, Volume 1 and lapbook, and I found an amazing resource. Another homeschooling mom has done a huge, detailed lapbook already of the entire first volume, and she is offering the files (a 43 page download) for FREE! I was so blown away by the hard work she put into the lapbooking pieces, and so grateful because this will be the perfect thing for Little Bean and I to do to really review and solidify the information from SOTW. Also on her blog are activities and resources for every chapter in Story of the World Volume 1.

Take a look at her lapbook and download it here.

Even if you never leave a comment, please speak up on this one!

My dh and I are in the market for a new digital camera. Ours is really, really old, and the zoom is horrible. Many of the blogs I read take great pictures, so I'm wondering--what camera do you recommend? I want something that will serve us well on nature hikes and the like. I don't need anything too fancy, but I want good shots, whether they are close up or not.

Thanks for helping!

Yes, I know I've been gone lately...

I feel like life has been really busy lately.

1) I recently started home preschooling a three year old little boy along with my two. He comes twice a week for a total of 7 hours.

2) Little Bean has been dealing with a lot of medical stuff. He got an ear infection in his right ear, and perforated the ear drum. A few days later, he got an infection in his left ear. He's been on two separate meds (because he is allergic to penicillin, so they are trying different things with him). Now he is dealing with a fever that just won't completely go away, along with sinus headaches. On top of that, Miss O has a stomach bug and has been throwing up.

3) I am almost 29 weeks pregnant (remember, I'm a gestational surrogate?). My energy level is fine--this pregnancy has been really easy, but I failed my 1 hour glucose last week, which meant spending Saturday doing the 3 hour fasting glucose test (which I passed, praise God!).

4) I recently started writing for Examiner.com. You can view my articles here. If you are interested in writing for them, please feel free to contact me. I'll just be honest and say that if my name is used for a reference, I get a significant bonus. :) But I am happy to help you get started if it's something you are interested in.

So we are definitely busy right now. I hope to be able to post more soon though. :)

Summer Reading Club

Little Bean is participating in the summer reading club through Border's Bookstore. He read ten books and then was able to go to the store and choose a free book from their list. This was very motivating for him! He chose a chapter book called Miss Daisy is Crazy, which is NOT one of my favorite books at all, but he deserved it! Barnes and Noble Bookstore is also doing a summer reading club. You can check theirs out here. We will definitely be doing the one with our library as well.

Little Bean's reading has really taken off. He uses Bob Books sets 3 and 4, and can read Dr. Suess books and other beginning readers from the 1st and 2nd grade section at the library. It's strange how he finally just started reading for fun rather than just for phonics lessons. I'm so proud of him, but more importantly, he is proud of himself and his accomplishments!

Miss O Made a Flap Book!

I guess lapbooking is rubbing off on Miss O. She made this flap book all on her own the other day. The two pictures are supposed to be her cousins.