Aha, now I get it!

Now I understand why all of those "experts" say that teaching our kids the alphabet song does more harm than good! Because when you are pointing to the letters in the phonics book and you get to "L" they say, "ELEMENNO".....in fact, I distinctly remember all of us parents being chastised by Emma's kindergarten teacher about that very thing! "If you are going to sing the song, make sure you ENUNCIATE each letter!!" (At the time, I think she was being a little crazy! :-)) Also, when you get to the end of the alphabet and you point to "Z", they say, "and". You know, "x, y, and z".....

So here is my helpful hint of the day: enunciate and leave out "and"

Also, I think this Alpha-Phonics book is brilliant (thanks Kourtni!!)! And you can't beat the price! We're talking under $20 and less than 168 pages (which includes several pages of teacher instruction and a lesson plan to go with each of the 128 lessons). Beats a 50 pound box of Hooked on Phonics that costs $200! It is very basic.....letters and words on a page.....I love simplicity (and I hate big cumbersome books full of pictures of apples and bees!) Most importantly, Lauren loves it (at least so far!).....she didn't want to stop today, but I could tell her brain was getting tired and she needed a break, but she's waiting for dad to get home so she can show him how she can "read" (that is, correctly identify the upper and lower-case A, B and C). lol!

Our first days of "school"....

Well, we finished our second official day of home education (like how after 2 days I'm already one of those annoying people who has omitted "school" from my vocabulary? I kid....kind of) and we're all still alive to tell about it! Actually, it has gone amazingly well and I am at total peace with our decision! Emma seems to be really enjoying herself and is commenting on all of the perks. It didn't hurt that she went to CBS with me this morning and made a few new friends and then when we picked up sister from pre-k she was able to spend some time with her old friends. Her former teacher (I love saying that!) kept telling the other kids, "You still have 3 more hours of school, but Emma is already done for the day!" Then all the kids moan and groan and say that they're going to ask their parents to home school them! ha! I already had one mother give me a bad time (jokingly) because her son came home pleading with her to let him be homeschooled because Emma "gets to!!!" I love it!
And I got a really cool book from the library today called "Backyard Science" that we're going to experiment with tomorrow and I think I'll start phonics with Lauren who has been begging to read for the last several months! A dear friend suggested "Alpha Phonics" which I also got from the library today....it looks pretty simple & that's coming from someone who is an avid reader and pretty good speller but cannot begin to comprehend the phonics that I'm supposed to be teaching Emma. What in the heck is a "special sound"!?! Looks like mom will be getting a crash course in the phonics department as well! :-)

I can't believe it....

....I think I am a video-game widow! My parents bought us a Wii this year for Christmas and my husband hasn't been heard of since! Knowing how opposed to all things technological Jake is, my mom and brother thought that if they gave him "Cabella's Big Game Hunter" to go with the system, he would be ok with us having one.....well, it worked. As I type this he is in Zambia hunting water buck (huh?) and is slated to take out a trophy lion next. I know there are many of you out there whose husbands regularly play video games. I have heard you complain.....I have also secretly laughed inside, thinking, "Oh, that will never be me! Jake hates video games. Heck, he hates being inside, claims to not believe in the Internet and would gladly ditch our TV entirely except to watch the occasional PBS documentary!" Oh how God loves to make a liar out of me! :-) Leave it to a hunting video game to finally bring my husband into the 21st century! The girls and I did manage to play some of the sports yesterday.....Lauren is quite the bowler.....seriously!

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....our bathroom is FINALLY done!! Woo hoo!! I have many before and after pictures to post soon (I know you are on the edge of your seats!)! It will have to wait a bit longer though because I'm busy taking showers in my new shower.....Jake has had to limit me to twice a day....seriously!