Strawberry shortcake JINGO

I have finally finished the JINGO game for Strawberry Shortcake. This one has been an on again off again project. I have to say it turned out beautifully and Lady Jey can not wait to play it!

JINGO!!!

 Again I offer it to you guys for a small donation, but ask that you do not share the link with anyone.
If you have a blog, please post about the game and link back to us here
When you submit the donation be sure to include in the email which game you are wanting, if you donate for one I will include two, so include the free one in your request. You will have 7 days to download from the provided link, check your spam folders if not received within the 2 days. After the link is expired I will not send another link, except for reasons of my own fault. You can also leave a comment here on the blog as to what game you are wanting, after donating.
As always thanks for letting us be a part of your days here at Our Days at CA.

Book Basket Fridays

We are finishing up the introduction weeks and headed into North America. I was happy that I found a lot of the books on The U.S that the Hazell's recommended, but I added to our list because the kids would have them read in a days time. Remember my list is what we found to add to the recommended  ones, you may want to preview some of them before adding them to your stack. Good luck searching, and thanks for reading with us here at Our Days  At CA!

Book-basket for United States weeks

(3-4)

ABC USA- Martin Jarrie
America is
WOW! America
Happy birthday America
America the Beautiful
The United States, state by state guide
Scrambled states of America
Smart about the 50 States
7 natural wonders of North America
Lands and Peoples of North America #5
Kids around the world cookbook
The Kingfisher Student Atlas of North America
The Atlas of World Cultures: Brunetto Chiarelli 
How to make a Cherry pie and See the U.S.A *
Greetings from 50 states *
Lentil  *
When I was young in the mountains *
Betsy and Tacy go over the big hill *
The Rag Coat *
The Hundred dresses *
stone fox *
across America on a emigrant train
meet the American girl books
Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective
wild, wild southwest: junior explorer series
Geronimo  Stiliton #37 race across America
Charlotte's web
Stella: fairy of the forest
Lost in the woods
Who lives here? Forest animals
Life in a Deciduous forest
Nature hide and seek: Woods & ForestsTrees: Illa Podendorf
The Navajo: Alice Osinski 

* recommended by the Hazells

Book basket Friday

Ok, so I realize it is not Friday, nor is it the beginning of our study with the introduction weeks in MFW ECC, but I decided to go ahead and post this late just in case some of you may be starting late.

Book basket for introduction weeks

(1-2)

Dora's World Adventure

Two-can first Encyclopedia: A First Atlas

Lands and peoples #5: North America

What a Wonderful World *

The Whole Wide World question and answer book: Ashley Bryan

My Granny Went to Market

The Kids Around the World Cookbook

Gifts
Everybody Cooks Rice
DK's The Most Fantastic Atlas of the whole wide world
Let's Eat! What Children eat around the world
The Atlas of World Cultures:  Brunetto Chiarelli
Say Hello
Homes Around the World ABC alphabet book
Around the World in 80 days
DK's book of baby animals
Thank you, World
DK's My Sticker book Atlas
The great animal search *
Know it all animals: Hugh Westrup
Celebrations! *
Me on the Map *
Children from Australia to Zimbabwe
Usborne's Stories from Around the World
How to make an apple pie and see the world *
Usborne's people around the world *

                                OUR FAVORITES

* books reccommended by the Hazells

book basket

     I don't know about you guys, but when I first got the TM for MFW ECC, I was excited. Here was a complete book of lesson plans I did not have to sit and write out, even though I tweaked it a little to fit us, and added some things in, like the highlights top secret. Although when it came to getting things ready for the book basket, our public library was scarce on the books referred by the Hazells. So I spent most of the summer trying to find books at our library to fit in with each week. My kids LOVE to read, sometimes I think it is all they do, so I had a job ahead of me.
     When I finally finished I was happy with the results, so happy that I thought I would share my hard work with you guys. So each lesson I am planning on posting a what's in the book-basket the Friday before we start a country, in hopes that it might help someone else out there. Good luck and thanks for reading with us here at our days at CA.

MFW Power Points

As promised, I have made a separate page to find the MFW power points more easily. Here are the links to the ones I have already completed along with the ones yet to come. I hope you can use these in some way in your studies of MFW_ECC.


America
Mexico
Canada

Brazil
(panama, Venezuela)

Norway
France
Germany

Kenya

Saudi Arabia
India
China
Japan
Russia

Australia

Antarctica

Scotland

From main room to bedroom

We decided to move the "classroom" from the main room to a bedroom at the last possible minute, but that is me, constantly changing my mind and doing things last minute (been praying about that one!). Doing this has caused us to push back our starting date, but hey I am not on anyone's schedule, don't you love homeshool!? Anyway I have decided to post some before and after pictures to give you guys a peek into our first official classroom.

                                                                        BEFORE!

Yikes!

In this mess, if you can find them, is our school table, bought at a garage sale for 5 dollars! and color coded (we color code EVERYTHING) chairs from Target on clearance last year for three dollars, I LOVE clearance!

After some organizing

This corner is my desk and the tot and pre-schooler's shelves. I tried to do this in one night, always the procrastinator, in the mourning it still looked like this! Well at least everything got labeled!? And look I found my all important thumb drive with my LOTW files I had been missing "miraculously" on the floor the next mourning, oh, how things grow legs around here!

Same corner

                            

                                                                  FINALLY ORGANIZED

Here is our classroom finally clean and organized! Here you see our wonderful table big enough for 4 and me at the head to teach. the closet outside the door is used for our art supplies. The cubes on the left are again color coded and contain the kids fun box things, free read books, and library books. along with our math, science and Bible cubes. SO MANY cubes, and a place for EVERYTHING!
The pink workboxes on the side belong to Lady Jey, I have not set those up completely, hope to be done before the school year is out!

Here is the right side of the classroom and the one which gave me more trouble. Our table finally cleared off and repositioned so all 4 children have room to sit. In the back corner you see Princessa's workboxes and in the opposite corner is Prince's which are blue. My desk is in the front and ready to start my school on Monday (please pray for me to have enough time and energy to do ALL there is to do!) Then beside my desk are two shelves, again yard sale finds!, which house our text books for the year and all the goodies for tot and pre-school.

Here is our calendar activities, which I will go into more detail later. And our calendar is just above this.

Our book-basket for MFW sets on the floor below

See our what's in the basket post weekly

And last but not least, our Chicka chicka Boom Boom tree. To see how we use it check out COAH.

cheapest place found amazon

Well That's our classroom here at our days at CA hope you enjoyed the visit.

MFW

We have joined the Family! It took me a while to get us in, because silly me thought we had to have everything new, until I came upon the MFW curriculum swap group (should have researched more). Anyway we are in! We chose the traditional route and am going to start in Exploring Countries and Cultures. And like the TM says we are going to make it as fun as possible!
The days that we "stamp" our passports We are going to view a power point with landmarks and quick facts of that country, sort of as a touring video. Which will be followed by stamping the passport and "entering" the country.
So I will be posting the power points here, so I can find them, as they are completed. Fell free to use them in any way you see fit. If you do, please leave us a comment as to how you used them. Thanks for following us here at our days at CA.

Beach Theme

Alright so I know the end of summer is fast approaching, but here at CA we would like to hold on to it as long as we can. Although I was born literally on the ocean most of the children have never seen it, but they still LOVE the water and playing in the made man beaches around home.
Lady Jey asked last week if we could go to the beach so without spending the gas money to get there I made her a unit of "At the beach" MORE TO COME.....

AT THE BEACH!

Coming Soon... Mexican Desert, Fall, Veggies

A New Year: Restoring Faith Through Trails

Ok, so the school year is fast approaching, September for us. And I am everyday reminded of the unpleasant, heartbreaking year we had last year. So I am constantly praying that I can somehow make it through this year. While this stress and anxiety rule my life, right now, I am reminded of a song I have grown to love!!, in it says,” I should be strong but again I am depending on you... just hold me while I cry! “

With God's help everything seems to be getting easier, and I am always reminded of the good things, and blessings in my (our) life. But every now and then the pain comes back along with the struggles I am praying to get over. I know we should and need to put everything in HIS hands, but it is human nature to want to be in control. But what of these things can I truly control, and that is what I tell myself every day.

And so I question the things I do not understand,
   Why did he try to kill himself?  And I get the answer, you found your faith and I answered your humble prayer to get one last chance to witness to him, and I went a step further and brought him back from the brink of death, while the doctors gave him a 2% chance, I said get up and walk!

  Why did immigration take him when we needed him?  And I am answered, you again found your faith in ME, I took care of you and the children through the loving family of your church! I brought him back when everything was against your family and here he remains!

   Why did you bless me with twins and then take them from me? HE gives me the answer that although your pain here is great, I know what you can handle. I give you 4 healthy children to care for and love and raise in my will with the hope of more. I also give you the promise that your arms will not ache for long for your babies will fill them here in heaven with ME. And the reminder not to lose faith.

   Why do we struggle financially when we give what is yours?  I am answered with; do I not provide you a roof, clothes, and food to eat? I make a way for you every day and that is all I promised!

   So as a Christian I know the road may be long, filled with struggles and suffering, but my comfort is, HE already knows! In every heartbreak, in every sorrow, in every tear shed HE knows what is best! Though he does not promise the road will be easy,  HIS AMAZING grace helps me make it through every day. HE promises that my trials will only make me stronger, and through it all my faith has grown and I have learned to trust HIM more!

And so I pray that HE gives me strength, for I am weak. A weakness, I pray, that will not overwhelm. I pray that my faith will remain strong no matter the trials. I pray that HIS light shine through my weakness so that all who are watching, especially my children, see HIM instead of me, for I am nothing and HE is EVERYTHING!
And it is through the knowledge of answered prayers that I can even consider starting our new year!

S for StrawBerry

Lady Jey and Lady Bells LOVE StarwBerry ShortCake so I thought what better way to learn S and about fruits at the same time! I hope someone out there can enjoy this as much as us. It is filled with 75 pages of fun learning activities! Can't wait to use it with Lady Jey. So without further ramblings here it is...

ENJOY!!!

                                                                            
                                                                                                            Coming soon Beach Theme!!

StrawBerry Shortcake- Guess Who?!

Here is our first game...

It is played just as the family favorite, Guess Who. We Laminated our and used either Bingo Chips or dry erase markers to mark off the characters. Lady Jey enjoys this game and has learned properly the process of elimination and has brought this skill over to other areas in her schooling. I hope one of you out there enjoys this game as much as we have!

Please remember that if you do donate for the link that you NOT share the link with anyone else, the materials are for your personal use only! Do not post them as your own if you do blog about them please link back to our site here. Thanks!

Games Anyone?

     I have been working diligently on pre-school pacs for my daughter, yes I am aware that there are many already created out there for the taking, but she learns better and I can keep her attention longer when the themes are something she likes. So where I could not find something to her liking I have been creating. She also LOVES to play games so I have created a few learning games to go along with "our pacs". She is loving these so I thought I would share with others.
   These games have taken me longer to get together so I am asking for a little donation to get these. Once you place the donation I will send you a link to download the games. You will have 7 days to do so, so please make sure you download within the 7 days. (check your spam box if you have not received the link within 2 days). I ask for only a little donation, but I also ask that you not share this link with anyone,  And that the materials only be used for your personal use, if by chance you (personally) need more boards then what is provided then you may copy off more for yourself.
Please include in the donation email, which game you would like or if you forget please email me with the game of choice. THANKS
I will not provide a second link, so please save the file to your computer and laminate for durability.
Thanks again for allowing us to be a part of your day here at Our Days at CA!

Following My Path with Route 66

     Well I have recently (about a month ago) volunteered to teach one of our Sunday night youth classes (grade 2-3). Although I already teach Sunday Mourning 4-6^th class, I knew this was going to be a big undertaking, because unlike Sunday morning I had/have to come up with my own lessons. After much prayer and indecision, I found what I would consider a goal mind, Thanks to GOD of course! 

     The curriculum I found was just what I wanted; it combines the books of the Bible with stories from each book. I myself growing up in church was introduced to the fundamental “Bible Stories” which seems many have gotten away from. And from experience, with my husband who learned NONE of those stories, I have come to realize these stories are important! Without these stories I would have learned nothing of the Bible, but thanks to them I know the background of the scripture. I thought this important to teach “my kids” as well as learning where each book of the Bible is. So the GREAT curriculum I found was Route 66.

                                               

This book goes through all 66 books of the Bible, teaching along the way the stories from each book.

       With the curriculum the kids make a “scrap-book”  and keep a map for each stop. The activities within the book are not just written assignments but hands on things, such as a Passover supper you share with the children that represents the feast within the Bible.

      We have gotten to Genesis and have learned about the creation, the flood, the covenant with Abraham, and the story of Isaac and Abraham. The kids, (right now all I have are girls) have even asked on off nights if they could do their folders “scrap-books” So I guess if they are asking for it they are enjoying it!

      I know I am enjoying it, not just the book, but the chance to be a part of their lives. It is truly a blessing to know once they accept Christ that you had a small part of that! Or even if they have already taken that step, you as a teacher have a hand in getting them ready to be self confident enough to share their beliefs with others!

     So it was my prayer, through following My path God has set out in front of me, that I found this curriculum, that through its teaching the children will establish the foundation they need to do just as God has commanded us to do in, Matthew 28:19, and TELL!

      I hope also to use this curriculum when finished, with mine own children as I teach them the stories here at home at our days at CA.

Our recipes

     I decided to post these here not necessarily to share but so that I can find them!

     Some are borrowed, some are handed down, and some are tweaked to satisfy our likings. Some are my favorite restaurant recipes from the web, because we can’t afford to eat at them every weekend ;)

     I have some that will not eat without having meat, and some that don’t like anything green!

I have some who would rather not have meat (ME) and all do not eat meat on the bone! 

I have some who eat only one meal a day and some who eat ALL day. 

Some are Cajun recipes that I grew up on, some are Mexican recipes (tweaked) that my husband grew up on, some are “country cooking” because we live in Tennessee, and some or Italian because it is my favorite!

     So by now you may have guessed that our menus have a variety of meals!  I hope someone out there can enjoy them. If any question about a recipe leave a commit! I will try to post all the recipes I use monthly, here at Our Days at CA!

                                  

                                

B for Bird

     I was not anticipating this collection, it just came to me. As you might know we will be starting Apologia Science for our summer quarter (I gave the kids another week off, to get things ready). I decided to start with Zoo 1, which for those who know is centered around flying creatures. I decided to break it in half, doing the first half, birds and bats, during this summer, and the second half, bugs, during next summer. This will give us a break with the Apologia text, in which we will fill in with MFW science.
     So I decided what better way to include Lady Jey in the studies but with her own bird unit! So here it is...                                 

Remember if you use this collection and have a blog please blog about it and link it up here. As we use it I will blog about it.  Thanks for reading and joining us here at our days at CA




               Coming soon: S for Strawberry "shortcake" Fruits

15 reasons!

      As some of you may know, this week is our VBS! I have to admit that for many reasons I was not ready for this year, and thought many times to give up my teaching position, but every time I was about to do it I backed out feeling guilty. I knew that not teaching would bother me all SUMMER.

 I have finally accepted that this IS my calling and I need to stop trying to run from it. 

       Anyway when Monday morning came around I was ready as usual and things went smoothly until Tuesday Afternoon when I was getting my things together for the next day, our BIG day, the ABC day. I begin doubting myself, wondering if I am really doing what I should be, wondering if I would say the things that needed to be said, to lead these kids to CHRIST. Well Wednesday came, and after a night full of prayers, it went smoothly. I knew the exact things to say, as I always do. I knew and felt God working through me, like I KNEW he would.

     NOTHING happened!

     I began wondering this morning (Thursday)on my way if maybe this year would be like our last year, I know we are just suppose to be happy to “plant the seed” but these are kids (most of) who you see every year, they grow on you, and you want so much to share your happiness with them, you just want to grab them and say listen it is so easy! JUST DO IT!!! But I know that is not the way it is done, you wait until they are ready to accept, when GOD is working in their life. Anyway with all this on my shoulders I pushed my way forward and arrived on time for another day of VBS. 

       Upon arriving one of the other teachers whose daughter is in my class whispered to me  that her daughter, said she thinks she is ready! So I made mention in class  that even though we have the ABC day behind us, that it does not mean that it is too late, today is better than any other day to accept CHRIST if he is knocking on your hearts door. Later in the day our pastor came in the room to speak to the kids about salvation and accepting CHRIST.

     AND WHAT A BLESSING I WOULD HAVE MISSED! After all the doubts, which I knew were redundant, 7, YES you see right, SEVEN!! in my class alone accepted CHRIST as their SAVIOR!!!!! What joy, and this is not even the icing on the cake, we had 15, yes FIFTEEN, in all, of various ages  TODAY to turn their lives over to CHRIST!!! 

some of the 15!

     WHAT MORE COULD ONE ASK FOR, I prayed: God just give us one, and GOD answered with 15. GOD is SO!!! GOOD! And that is why I am THANKFUL for this Thursday!

                            Some other pictures from the week!

Are we starting yet?

      So, my days have been spent planning out our year, I don't want it to be a repeat of the unorganized year we had this year. We had several family emergencies that threw us off course, but we managed to get our 180 days in to make it official.
       So the course of action this summer is plan, plan, PLAN, and laminate and bind an so on and so forth. In the mist of all this action, I had Prince ask very enthusiastic, "Are we starting yet?" Which threw me for a loop, Hey weren't you the kid who was happy to be finished at the beginning of the month? I had to give a very apologetic NO, which was answered with We are bored can't we start back? SOON, I say (too soon for me, I'm not done yet!!) I planned on giving them the whole month of June off, then start back on the 4th of July (we celebrate over the weekend). I am crossing my fingers that they hold off that long. Maybe with VBS next week, they will forget about being bored!
       I know the main reason they want to start back is because of this...


 I am just praying that I get everything done for at least our fist quarter to have a smooth, or as smooth as can hope for , year here at Our Day at CA