What sounds like?

A recent vet visit for the dogs, was an interesting one to say the least! We are rushing around trying to make sure that they all have their shots so that they can be boarded while we are away. I took this pic while waiting for the vet to come in to check them out! It was so funny that they both jumped on the bench and tried to sit as close to me as possible. Since the boys were at home, of course, doing their lessons! When I went back home I told the boys about the visit and turned it into a fun play on words.  We are trying to do Scrabble with the boys as a way to get their spelling skills up and lately I have been doing homophones or words that sound-alike as a easy way for them to think of different words.  We have used the words like, to-too- two , read - red, sent- cent- scent, stationary-stationery, etc. But after this visit, I came home and when it was time to think of as many words as possible to spell, I started with vet and tried to think of words that had the same ending sound (we came up with pet, net,set, etc).  I started naming everything else I could think of that I saw at the vet's office. You know, like floor, table, pill, shot, etc: it made for a interesting play on words!

For your information, the doggies were all good with their health even though we found out that Tuffy (Scotty) is a little over weight. I can't use the word "fatty" cuz it makes Alex mad, even though he does have little pork chop legs, LOL. So on a diet and exercise he goes, right now Alex is taking both dogs for a walk to work off the breakfast;) All and all everything is good to go for the trip, I am sure that Tuffy will be very vocal when we drop him off because he doesn't like going to be boarded but our little Dino isn't nice to people coming in the house so having someone watch them here isn't an option!

PHEW:) Another year bites the dust!

   OK, why is it that every year I am a mess before and after our yearly testing??? Let me get something straight here and now, I DO NOT TEACH TO THE TEST!! One of my pet peeves with the school system, when oldest son was in there that is what they did right after X-mas. I mean for my right-brained visual learner it was a night mare, cram as much as they could in him and just hope that he finished ALMOST at grade level. So my take on tests, are well.... a little twisted to say the least. I feel like it is not a test of what the boys have done all year BUT more of a test of my teaching skills. The things that I managed to teach them in a way that they actually retain the information forever not just for the test! Wondering if I am the only homeschooling mama that feels this way??

    Somewhat deceiving to the boys, but after we took our end of the year tests on last Wednesday, I told them that they would have a four week break. OF COURSE, they still have writing, Spanish and music classes once a week along with daily practice for all three subjects, so they were kinda of like, it's not really break;) My evil plan has been discovered, but they now are free to discover whatever their new interests are and maybe we can add whatever they are into lessons for next year (which will be the second week in July). Oldest has been on the animal planet site non-stop and the youngest is writing another comic book! My head might explode like in youngest's comic book if I hear another fact from the River Monster' show, I mean do I really need to know that monsters are swimming in rivers?? I think NOT! My sweet little boy, who is drawing a comic book, has shown me all kinds of BOY things that make him giggle and me say "that's not very nice", and "why is that guy punching that other one?". "He's not" DS says, " he wearing that guy's head on his fist!!" (disclosure here.. they are stick figures BUT still, YUCK!! wondering if Daffy Duck has something to do with this??) What's a mother to do??

What? What did you ask? OH, what am I doing right now? Playing in the garden, eating bon-bons while watching Johnny Depp movies, sleeping in, or just relaxing?? UMMM no! I am getting all the assignments that they did for last year together to save in with the last years work, down in the storage space. And out of site, going through to make sure I have all my paperwork together for our state laws, basically just attendance,testing and immunization records and putting it in their folders. Basically doing SPRING CLEANING in June! Once that is done, I am going to be using Google spreadsheet to make up our weekly lesson plans (hoping to get a couple weeks ahead on that one) Then doing research, why?? Well as I told you before we did our testing last week, AND while I always try to focus on the positive things that the test results tell me. Like oldest comprehension skills in English and math are at 9th grade, 6th month and youngest is my math boy getting 7th grade level for his math word problems, and 5th grade,7th month on the rest of his math! Something I found out yet again this year was our spelling and writing are below grade level and I mean BELOW grade level. I have been looking into new ways to teaching them both spelling like using, sound-a-like words,sequential spelling and phonics. It is a hard subject for me to teach, it would seem but I am not going to stop until they are done with school. Will they ever be that spelling bee winner?? Mostly likely not, but why not teach them like they are?

I think I need to stop and get ready now.. even though it is summer, we are busy as usual! Today is another crazy one that will end sometime after 9ish tonight, then I can come home and maybe eat those bon-bons;)