Discovery Museum at Gateway

We've been having a fun time at the Discovery Museum.  So many fun things to do.  We go during the day when everyone else is at school.  (That's the best part for me.)  We hit the Planetarium while we are at Gateway.  

Another fun trip to visit Nana and Poppi in Wyoming.  I was supposed to go to Women's Conference but instead we spontaneously packed up and headed for WY.  We got there around 4am!  Matt and I played 20 questions to keep ourselves awake.  It was fun.  The girls got to have another Tea Party with Nana.  Matt golfed with Dad.  We ate out at fun restaurants.  Matt and I went on a little date.  Mom and Dad took the kids to a movie.  We had fun.  We love going to my parents' house.

Shooting

So, Conrad received a BB Gun from Nana and Poppi for Christmas this past year.  It took us 4-5 months to finally take Conrad shooting....sad.  We found a place about 15 minutes from our house.  It was a lot of fun.  The gun is pretty big.  Wavy and Conrad need help holding it up.  We also found the bones of a cow.  We took a couple minutes investigating it.  It was cool.  Matt and Conrad took a big tooth out of its jawbone.

Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point

What a fun day at the Dinosaur Museum!  We went with our friends, the Heatons.  We had so much fun.  They kids' favorite is the sand and water area.  They could stay there forever.  Jaylee bought a Best Friend mood necklace and gave one of the halves to her friend, Maggie.  It was cute.  Afterwards, we went to the ice cream shop next door.  Cute Harrison had the time of his life! His very own mini-cone.  We have such great friends out here in Eagle Mountain....homeschool friends and neighborhood friends.

Hogle Zoo

Hogle Zoo with Josh's family.  So much fun!

Book of Mormon

Just a thought about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon....

In his account of The First Vision, Joseph went into the woods to pray to find out which church he should join.  He was confused because there were many different churches, all proclaiming to be the true church.  He had read in James 1:5 'that any who lack wisdom, let him ask of God...'.  While praying in the woods, an evil darkness overcame him so that he could not speak.  He thought he was going to die.  Then, a pillar of light descended and the darkness left him.  Heavenly Father and Jesus appeared to him and told him not to join any of the churches because all of the churches were incorrect.  

*I know my summary of the First Vision does not do it justice. Read here for the full, beautiful account.http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng


So, Joseph told people about his experience.  He was ridiculed, mocked, persecuted and eventually murdered because he shared his testimony.

Today I thought about what that must have been like.  I had a hard time telling people that we had decided to homeschool our kids.  I was concerned about their reactions and judgements. That is nothing compared to what Joseph did.  Would I have been able to do what he did?  I'd hope so, but probably not.  I think I would have felt overcome with joy and excitement at receiving the Vision, but I think I'd think that no one would believe me.  I'd be afraid that they would think that I was crazy or a liar.  (Which a lot of people think/thought about Joseph.)  But he did not care.  He stood at a witness in spite of what other people said or thought about him.

I love the Book of Mormon.  We are about halfway through are Book of Mormon Challenge of reading it in 60 days.  I'm so grateful for this challenge.  It has not been easy, but it's been amazing for Matt and I.  So many blessings already.  We are so grateful.

The Book of Mormon is the true word of God.  Reading this book brings so much joy and peace into your life.  For a free copy of the Book of Mormon click here:

http://mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon/.

Curriculum 2010-2011

I thought I'd post the curriculum we've been using this past year. We are almost through with our first year of homeschooling!  In some ways, I feel like it's been a lot longer.  We're still finding out what works for us.  It's always a challenge to find balance.

Waverly~Kindergarten
 Reading


Mormon Little Books
Bob books
McOmber Readers





Writing




Math

Dora Math
Misc Kindergarten Math workbooks

Arts

Art workbooks: cutting, pasting, etc
Bastien Primer A Piano

Science



 

History/Geography

Religion
Articles of Faith
Book of Mormon Workbook from:





Conrad and Jaylee~3rd grade

Religion
Article of Faith
Book of Mormon Workbook from:



ELF for spelling, vocab, handwriting



Reading 


Star Tutoring Program from Alpine District



Math

Saxon Math



Aleks Math (For a couple of months)
IXL

History/Geography



Science





Handwriting


 
Language Program~Journaling, Spelling, Handwriting, Language Lessons from:


Music
Bastien Piano Books level 1



The kids also participated in :
Dance~breakdancing, jazz and ballet.
Activity Days
Scouts
Liberty Girls
Weekly Homeschool Co-op

We have done a Humanitarian Project for a Juvenile Detention Center.  (Hygiene kits)
We are currently organizing a Fundraiser for the Festival of Trees.  Donations going to Primary Children's Hospital.

"Fieldtrips"
We have gone to Thanksgiving Point more times that I can count.
The Hogle Zoo several times.
Hutching Museum
Carl Bloch Art Exhibit at BYU
Yellowstone
Ice Caves
Shoshone Falls
Swimming at Matt's hotel regularly
Children's Discovery Museum
Lagoon
American Heritage Center
Wyoming several times
The Gale Center of History and Culture
Parks
Rodeo

I'm sure I'm forgetting things.  This was good for me to put together.  As a homeschool mom I feel like I'm not doing enough.  This helped remind me of all that we've done this year.

I'm excited to go to the Homeschool Convention this Saturday.  John Bytheway is one of the speakers.  They also have a Curriculum Fair set up so I'll be able to check out new curriculum options for next year.