Collage/Journal Friday: Ocean Boxes and Spanish@Home
A Difficult Couple of Weeks:
I’ve had a very exhausting last few weeks. My mom went into the hospital because of an infection and was there for nine days. She lives near my sister, and I spent many hours talking to both of them throughout the week. She is doing much better now.
The day she got out of the hospital my husband left for a business trip to Europe. It will still be another week before he gets home. I don’t sleep well when he isn’t here! And that’s on top of the regular times I wake up each night to nurse my baby and to help one of my kids who’s using a Bedwetting Night Trainer -alarm. (By the way, the bedwetting alarm worked for another child, so I’m expecting success with this one soon!)
I am very grateful to my husband’s parents who are staying with me this week to help out. I don’t think I’d be able to do it without them!
Hands-On Project:
We added to our Ocean Boxes last week. Our science study was about cartilaginous fish: rays and sharks. So, I found a couple of cute crafts on Pinterest. (Be sure to check our my Swimming Creatures Pinterest board.) The ray is made with a coffee filter cut into fourths. They colored them with washable markers, sprayed with water, and added a tail with a pipe cleaner. The shark was made by cutting the paper shark down the middle and gluing half to the top and half to the bottom of a clothespin. Then they added a little fish that it caught!
New Spanish Curriculum:
I wrote earlier last week about using Spanish@Home. My preschoolers think it’s great fun! She is running a special right now (expires Jan. 31, 2013): buy 2 months of Spanish@Home for $20 and get two months free! Just put in the comments section when paying that you heard about the sale from I Choose Joy! and she’ll add on the two extra months!
Also, if you buy the Parent Resource Guide, you’ll get one month of Spanish@Home free! Check out my Spanish@Home curriculum review.
Giveaway right now of Heaven is for Real for Kids :
See the Review and Giveaway of Heaven is for Real for Kids 4 DVD-Based Sunday School Lessons (for ages 9-12). It ends Friday, February 1!
Exercise Update:
Last Sunday I joined the T-Tapp 60-Day Challenge. The rules are pretty simple. I’m just going to do T-Tapp workouts (and walking) until the challenge is over. I have done the Basic Workout Tempo (17 minutes long) every day this week! I’ve lost 2 pounds and three inches this week! And the most exciting thing is that I am able to wear my engagement ring again. It’s been over a year since it has fit! (My wedding ring is even smaller, so hopefully, it will fit by the end of the challenge.)
Post to Check out:
If you’ve ever thought about starting a blog, or using your blog to do book reviews, check out this post.
What God is Teaching Me:
The Lord has let me know this week that “He is Faithful.” It was in my Scripture meditation of the week (1 Cor. 1:9-17 ) as well as in last Sunday’s sermon. The last thing our pastor said was to remember that when God is convicting us of sin and disciplining us, He is faithful in that, too. I am so glad that I worship a faithful God!
“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. ”
(Post contains affiliate links.)
Way to go! I remember the day I sized my finger, and it had dropped from an 8 to a 6, which was a size smaller than high school. It’s the little things!
Hi – found you over at Missional Women – you linked up right before me. 🙂 I am inspired by your ability to care for and homeschool so many kids! I have 3 right now – ages 3, 2, and 5 months (all girls!), and plan to homeschool as well. I’m a book review blogger (also blogging about other topics) and pretty new at this so thanks for the link above! May the Lord bless your family in the week ahead.
I’m so sorry you’ve had a rough patch… thank goodness for your in-laws coming to stay with you. That’s so helpful!
Thanks for always linking – I’m always impressed with your weeks and all you accomplish!
So wonderful to meet you. I love seeing kids working on art and crafts. So much learning comes from hands-on. If you are interested in more crafts I have a free curriculum to go with my illustrated picture book Tadeo Turtle. Check it out on my website. I will send a 24 page curriculum that is filled with math, science, Scripture, art, dance etc. if you buy the book. There are also crafts in the back of the book.
Your house looks like so much fun. I would love to join you. 🙂
Blessings,
Janis
My Twitter handle didn’t go in. But it is @authorjaniscox
Blessings
Janis
What a cute Ocean Box!! I love it, and the crafts seem so easy to do! Thank you for sharing. :_
Loved your ocean craft. So creative. And I don’t sleep well either when my husband is out of town. Thank you for sharing at WJIM. Blessings.
My boys love sharks and rays. I’ll have to check out your pinterest board for more ideas.
Thanks for linking to Science Sunday!
Your ocean box has turned out great!
What a full post! I love the ocean box too! It’s really hard when parents are ill, isn’t it? Sometimes like just has to stand still for a little while, and then when husbands go away it just gets a little crazies =) Thanks for linking up to Trivium Tuesdays!