The Science of NHL Hockey

So, if you are a hockey fan you may know that the NHL All-Star game and skills competition was this past weekend.  In our house it is bigger than the superbowl.  While watching this weekend, there was a commercial for the "Science of NHL Hockey".  They are free videos online and soon to be released lesson plans!  Imagine my excitement!!!  :-)  I immediately looked them up online and watched the first video.  They are definitely above my 5th graders head (they talk about vectors, statistics and averages, kinematics) but I figure that if he is interested in watching them .... we can make some use of them.  The lesson plans are not available yet and are supposed to be available soon.  If you are interested, check out the website  http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn/science-of-nhl-hockey

If you are not hockey fans like us, they also offer Science of NFL football, Olympic Games, Changing Planet ... just to mention a few. 

Brother congratulating brother after a goal.  Love this picture.

Homeschool Mother's Journal

I'm linking up with the Homeschool Mother's Journal after a long hiatus.  Stop by and check out what other homeschool moms are up to.

In my life this week…  Almost the entire house has been afflicted by sickness.  My boys have been suffering from a horrible cough.  The hubby came back from Canada with bacterial bronchitis and a double ear infection.  I have an annoying cold which has pushed off a fun field trip that I had planned until next week.  Such is the misery of winter.   
In our homeschool this week…  Things are getting back to normal after the Christmas break and then another break for a trip to Canada.  I just ordered a new grammar workbook to supplement what we are currently doing.  I keep wondering if we are doing enough grammar.  And I have come to realize that B is a horrible speller.  I must work on this... If he spells there, their, they're wrong one more time, I may explode.  I also just scheduled his standardized test for this year.  In PA he has to take one in 5th grade.  I need to stop worrying about it but I know there is spelling on the test ... they might even ask him to spell there, their or they're.  But I keep reminding myself that they won't make him go back to public school for atrocious spelling.  After all, that is where he was taught for the first five years, right?
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…  I've got nothing ... I am a newbie remember?  Although, I think I would advise everyone to not stress over standardized tests ...
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…  The boys all went to Canada for a hockey tournament last weekend.  They had so much fun!  You know you are a hockey family when the kids always wanted to go to Canada.  They won the regional hockey tournament and the trip to Canada was for the finals.  They did well and ended up with 1-1-1 record.  I think they ended up 6th out of 16 teams.  I am so proud of them! :-)  And E and I got to spend some quality girl time.  We went shopping, saw a movie, went to dinner.  And my bed was overtaken by E and 40 of her favorite stuffed animals while the boys where away.  Add the two dogs and I am surprised that I slept at all! 
My favorite thing this week was… B is making an anatomy board game today and he has been really creative with it.  I love to see what he comes up with. 
Questions/thoughts I have…  Am I doing enough grammar?  How do I know that he's learning proper grammar and writing skills? 

I’m reading…  Way too many things at once.  I am trying to get done two books that I started so that I can start a book called The Resolution for Women.  The hubby is going to read The Resolution for Men.  They are both by the people who created the movie Courageous.  We are going to watch this movie this weekend and I am looking forward to it.

I’m cooking…  Nothing recently.  I did make chicken soup at the beginning of the week since everyone was under the weather but that has been the extent of it.  I need to get back to cooking!

I’m grateful for…  The opportunity to homeschool my kids!!
I’m praying for…  A dear friend who will be giving birth to a baby girl any day now.  Can't wait to meet her!  :-)

Happy New Year!

So, I have been away from the computer celebrating the holidays with my family for the past two weeks.  It was wonderful but way too short.  My youngest two are still in public school and they barely had a break.  They had a half day on the 23rd and then they where supposed to be back in school today!!  Way too short!!  We decided to keep them home today so we could enjoy one last day together.  I can't wait until next year when we will determine our own schedule! 

I am really excited to get back to school!  B will be starting Singapore 5B this week and we only have about three weeks left of Teaching Textbooks 5.  We are ahead of schedule! :-)  Even after having an extremely light end of the year ... I counted baking cookies as our math class one day ... there are fractions ya know!  And I didn't want to start the new Singapore book before the break. 

I can't believe that it is already January!

Happy New Year from my family to yours!

Merry Christmas!

I have way too much fun with this every year ...

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/GQtwKEnhyYbACoGl?cmpid=ey_url

Merry Christmas!!  :-)

Book Review - Killing Lincoln

I just got finished reading Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard last night.  It took me about 3 days to finish.  The entire book is broken down chronologically and covers primarily March 4, 1865 - April 26, 1865 in 276 pages.  It is an in depth look into the assassination of President Lincoln.  I have to admit that my knowledge of Lincoln's assassination was very textbook .... He was shot in ford Theater by John Wilkes Booth.  I am ashamed to say that was about the extent of it.  I wouldn't call myself a lover of history; I don't read historical books with fervor.  I wanted to read this book because of a recommendation of a family member and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about this important time in our history.  That being said, I couldn't put the book down.  It really is a thriller.  The battle scenes are so vivid that you find yourself wanting to look away.  Yes I know it is a book.  I kept having to to remind myself that it is a true story.  It is written with details about not only how Booth's plan was hatched but also describes the others that are (or may have been) involved in the plot.  The questions about conspiracy are raised but ultimately not answered.  The truth died with those involved.  Who knew that there was so much to this dramatic, history changing story?  Not me! 

It is very interesting to see the reviews on Amazon.com for this book.  It either gets one star or five.  And it is about 50/50.  If you read the reviews, you quickly realize that people either love or hate Bill O'Reilly and the reviews are more about that, than the book.  That being said, I am sure that there are some inaccuracies in this book.  But, I doubt there are more than any textbook in the public school system.  As with any book, if it being used for school purposes, it is always good to use more than one resource.  Only the Bible is infallible.
Overall:  Great book if you are interested in reading more about this changing time in history.  I'm kinda hoping that he comes out with a kids version because my son would love to read this. 

Christmas is Not Your Birthday

I read this on a blog this week and it really stuck with me.  How many people look at Christmas as their birthday?  We all know that it is the birth of Jesus yet we receive gifts like it was our own birthday. 

Shouldn't Jesus be the one that receives gifts on His birthday?  How do we give gifts to Jesus? 

We decided to have a family meeting last night to talk about what we could do to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  The kids were excited and impressive with their thoughtful ideas.  We ultimately decided to sponsor a child through World Vision. What's a better way to give a gift to Jesus than to help a child in need?

⁴⁴ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’  ⁴⁵ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
Matthew 25:44-45

 ⁵ “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
Matthew 18:5

Does your family have a special way to give a gift to Jesus?

Wednesday hodgepodge

I'm linking up with:                    

1. Do you send Christmas cards? If so about how many will you send this year? How do you display the cards you receive? Or don't you? (gasp!)   We do send Christmas cards.  I have about 75 ... it should be about that amount.  I haven't written them yet.  I always display the cards we receive on a tree that hangs on our basement door.  Then at the end of the year I put the picture cards in a Ziploc and label it to keep.  I just can't throw the picture cards out!

2. When do kids become adults?  Definitely depends on the kid.  Some earlier than others but I don't think that there is a set age.  It depends on their maturity.

3. Does your 'beauty regimen' change with the seasons?  The only thing that really changes is the moisturizer.  Much more moisturizer in the winter!

4. What's something you like to eat that might cause another person to turn up their nose?  Clams?  Ketchup on eggs - only if they are scrambled?  Other than that, I am not that odd with my food.

5. Gloves or mittens?  Gloves or fingerless mittens. 

6. What's the longest queue you've ever been in? Was it worth it? Queue=line but doesn't queue sound nicer?  I would have to say for a roller coaster.  No, not really worth it.  I never understood waiting for 2 hours for a 30 second ride.  I guess I am getting old!

7. Besides Christmas, what is one thing you are looking forward to in the month of December?  I always look forward to going to see the Nutcracker with  my daughter.  It is our annual tradition for the past 4 years.  We go out to lunch and then go to the theater to watch the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet perform the Nutcracker.  We both love it!

8. Insert your own random thought here.  We had such an exciting weekend!  The boys hockey team was in the International Silverstick Hockey Tournament and won the gold!  Now they go to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada at the end of January to compete in the finals against 16 other regional finalist!! They are thrilled and it was such an awesome time!!  Here is the team immediately after the win in the championship game.

My champions!  :-)  I am so proud of them!!  Pure happiness (and exhaustion after 6 games in 3 days) on their faces!