Dawn K Homeschool

Okay -- I really don't like the slang word "rocks," but it was honestly the first word that popped in my head. I carried 5 boxes of books into this store the other day, and he bought 4 boxes of them from me in return for store credit. No, I don't really need MORE books, but it was so much easier than trying to sell them myself. The owner is super friendly too! http://www.bookexchangenorfolk.com/

I have added a list of my favorite graphic organizer websites. Remember, my favorite links can be found on the left-hand column of my blog. I will be adding more.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I've added a new category of links on the left-hand side of my blog. If you've noticed, I have other favorite sites grouped by type. You'll also now find "Free Literature Guides" with all of my favorite links.

States & Capitals Sequence I bought it at Target.

The other day, I was organizing my paper (which I keep in resealable bags from http://www.clearbags.com/ ), and I found some pictures and papers I had chosen for the pictures in one of these bags. I had forgotten to scrapbook these with the last batch of scrapping I did months ago. So, tonight I decided to just do it! It's very simple, but I'm all about simple scrapbooking these days.

Okay, so I bought my first Stampin Up! wheel (last weekend -- used), and I really didn't want to buy ink cartridges in so many different colors. I remembered reading somwhere that you can unmount them from the wheel. Here's a tutorial on it: http://inkydinkydoo.blogspot.com/2006/11/unmounting-your-wheels-tutorial.html It was so easy! It takes up so much less room now as well. Now, I can just temporarily mount to my acrylic block and go. I'm also considering unmounting my Stampin Up! stamps because I have very little storage space but too many stamps. Here is a great video tutorial to help with this: http://www.truveo.com/Ep190-Unmounting-Stampin-Up-Stamps/id/708508043

So, today when I got out of the shower, I asked my husband, "You wouldn't want to do a little project for me, would you?" He answered, "Sure, what?" I asked him if he would make me some rain gutter bookshelves, and he replied, "I love doing things like that." So, off to Home Depot he went. A little while later, voila! I had the pleasure of loading the shelves. I love doing things like that. Oh -- I'm also going to throw in pictures of the Ikea-inspired bed my husband also made for the boys. He deserves some bragging on. :) More credit due: my mom made the curtains. [Obviously the other pictures were taken prior to the gutter shelves.] Directions can be found here: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10756

Tonight, we witnessed Aaron advancing to Yellow Belt. These are some of the pictures I took. Of course, photos cannot capture the real action! We brought a video camera for that.

I bought this fun organizer at OfficeMax! It was on sale -- $14.99 instead of $19.99. It holds all of our regularly used school items: scissors, Tombow adhesive runners, gluesticks, bookmarks, Post-it-Notes, pencils, erasers, hi-liters, etc. They come in hot pink and bright blue.

This was, according to a You Tube comment, written in memory of David Gates' (of the band Bread) father.

She is six weeks pregnant and just found out she is having: That's right -- fraternal TWINS So please pray for Marc and Kathy that their little ones grow healthy inside of her!

My husband took the three boys to his parent's home for the weekend leaving me home alone to recharge. They went hiking, canoeing, played in the creek, and so forth. I think this is the third year now that I was given a weekend alone in this manner. It is fabulous to have this time before school starts to just relax and have fun. So, what did I do? Friday I rode my bike while finishing up the movie Nancy Drew and starting Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. That evening, I made 10 cards. I have been trying to use up leftover card kit scraps and embellishments I've had around forever! Note: I used my inspiration binder for many of these cards. The "Twinkle Twinkle" and the card with green leaves on a striped background are direct lifts. Many of the other basic sketch designs came from others' card as well. Saturday morning I met a dear friend, Kathy whom I've been friends with since I was 14), and we attended a Stampin' Up! Open House where I bought 7 retir...

Have you ever wondered what the OTHER books in a series are? Have you wondered what order they are in? Well, I use this site all the time. Whenever my son (one of them) finds a book he really likes, I go here to see what others are in the same series. This also helps me know what books my library is missing in a series. My library has been fabulous about ordering most of what I request, especially books in series. I know you will love this site. http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/readers/series/juv/ While I'm at it, this site lists books that have been made into movies: http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/readers/movies/ To see other book lists I've compiled, just scroll down the left-hand column. This is where I compile my "goodie" lists.

I have downloaded a MS Word document from this website to make my high schooler's transcript. I admit I tweaked it a little -- you know how I just cannot seem to use something exactly as is. Check this out! http://www.covenant.edu/admissions/undergrad/home-schooled

Having homeschooled one through high school, I really feel I should have been more organized and purposed in our science plans. Though Aaron did very well in his high school sciences, I wish I would have had a better overall plan through the elementary and middle school years. With this in mind, I created a plan for Nathan and Ben. Sure, I "may" change my mind somewhere, but if I do, I will at least know the effects of that change on my overall goals. I'll know where the tweaking must take place. I would like to expose my boys to the major topics in life, earth and physical sciences prior to high school. Even at the elementary level, I try to introduce them to some high school level vocabulary as if the words are just ordinary words. I don't "test" them on these words, of course, but I never want them to fear "big" words. This plan can also be downloaded in .pdf format here: http://www.savefile.com/files/1519663

These are some cards I made recently. The circle scraps one is a lift from Jennifer McGuire. I was trying to use up some embellishments and such that I have had in my stash forver. The mushroom card was made with an ad insert from a scrapbooking magazine. I try to save anything I think might work on a card or layout.