The Past 3 Months

It's been such a long time since I last sat down and worked on my blog. I've thought so many times that: I should write about this and that but.. never actually got to type it up. What we've been doing? Night Fury (4) is very eager to learn on a daily basis. He picks things up very quickly and gets bored easily so he's challenging but that's ok, I'll get there, I am trying to have lessons prepared that keep him challenged and hands on, so he gets to enjoy our learing time together... He is doing excellent with reading (we're on lesson 86 in how to teaching your child how to read in 100 easy lessons) and he simultaneously reads #1 library books. His handwriting is also going great, we will be finishing the Zaner Bloser Working book this week. Oh and yes handwriting is one of his favorite subjects !!

Patriotism vs. Loyality

Yesterday while taking my boys on a field trip to the Museum of Art, a woman passed me saying: You're in the wrong country, go back to where you came from.. Immediately I turned around saying: And my husband is in the Military I have EVERY right to be here just as much as you do !!
She was the kind of person that would mumble stuff and just keep walking, so I leave it up to you to decide on what kind of person she was. 

I did not see this coming and was so angry, hurt and couldn't really get rid of my frustration right then and there, since I didn't want to cause a scene, especially with my boys there.. WOMAN, WE'RE ON A FIELD TRIP HERE !!!

I am the kind of person that can't just "forget" so I think it over and over (very unhealthy I know)... and tried to analyze why, what the woman said hurt me so much. Yes I'm fully covered and I know some don't like us muslims so much.. being in the states I kind of expect this (even though it happens very seldom) and am okay with it, honestly I can relate to a certain extend. One of the reasons I like living here though is because the people are so easy going, at least the ones I come in contact with. Anyway what made me furious is that I am in this country because my husband is serving HER country and I get the feeling that she LOVES her military.. well guess what we're part of it !! and just because I cover my face and don't walk around half naked doesn't make me feel less lonely and stressed out when my husband is deployed for 7 month in a row. It is a HUGE sacrifice and I'm sure every military wife/kids can relate to that and having someone tell me that I don't belong here or that I should go back .. dang..

A man passed by when I swung back around and said, don't worry about it there are some people they are ignorant. I met him later in the same museum and approached him, to thank him for his uplifting words and he continued saying that some people that haven't travelled about just don't know better. That I was a strong woman and have to stand up for myself.. may Allah bless him and YES I AM !!

Myriam

Some Thoughts about Homeschooling

ISTUDYING

Yesterday I read this blogpost from Renee over at Fimby.tougas.net and it struck me. One reason why I'm having a hard time figuring out which way I'd like to go with the boy's homeschool is because I never thought about what I want them to gain from it. Yes I want them to learn "stuff" favorably "LOTS of stuff, no EVERYTHING !! Also being Muslims we strive to do everyday things in life the islamic way, but which direction would I like to pull all of us through the process? After reflecting for quiet some time I came up with

• right now at this point I want them to love studying/ learning
• to learn how to study/ research etc. on their own and loving it !
• of course I want them to use their knowledge in life to become open minded, positive God fearing people that use their knowledge in a way that pleases Allah/ God (which is not really "simply" a 3rd point since pleasing Allah/ God is our ultimate goal in life.)
• I could probably add that I want them to be aware and care for the world we're living in and so I came up with our next science theme, which will be another post.

Weird actually that after finally finding out what might have stopped me from feeling more comfortable in my skin as a homeschooling mom and mentor all I come up with are three things.. ( my boys are only 7, 5 and 3 years old)

But somehow I feel better just having found a missing puzzle piece for myself. Maybe later the 3 pointers will become 4 or 5.. and still I think, the most important that will make them thrive the most might still just be because they love to learn !!! I'm in my early 30ties and I love the fact that I still love to study.

Myriam

The Whale Lapbook

For our Whale Lapbook I got everyone involved this time, L-Drago 7, Night Fury 4 and Dyno 3. Everyone did a fantastic job and as always we all, including me learnt a bunch *smile*


Our Resources were:

• our local Library 
• homeschoolshare.com for all the Lapbook pockets
• education.com for the pre K. Twin Whale activity and coloring pages.

also from education.com is the Whale Coin Toss Game


Books we read:
The Life Cycle of a Whale
Gray Whales
Blue Whales 
Whales (I believe the green Whale Quiz is from that book as well)
Winter Whale
The Whale Scientists
Baby Whales Drink Milk
Humphrey The Lost Whale

Our Weekly Wrap Up June #3, one day at a time..

My first week of summer holidays was all about "what if Leap Creature forgets what he learned" and I was hardly able to calm down and enjoy the holidays.. the second week was much better and well, I've been doing a bit more of what I want to or was looking forward to doing. I've had some orders for islamic men's shirts which I was able to finish. I got a thobe (traditional Arab clothing for men) done for Leap Creature. I made new pillow cases, Pajama Outfits, all with left over material which I'm so desperately trying to finish up and even found an old scarf to make little sleeping bags for beanie babies "little howler, lizzy and tiger". I have so much material and so many plans on what to do with all of it, all that was missing was the time to just sit and do it.

The boys started swimming classes this week and other than that we try to take them out several times of the week. There isn't much structure in our days these days but honestly I'm taking one day at a time and no structure and no planning is exactly what I need right now. 

Myriam

Slowly but surely back to School

We "unofficialy" started our slow first days around Thursday last week. Officially the Charter School that we're connected with starts at the end of the month but I didn't want to wait that long. It was less of when they would be ready but more when I would be ready. So I bravely ordered books from our local library for our first chosen science theme, the whales, and thought whenever these are ready for pick up, I will start. The books came and with a deep breath I heard myself say: Boys lets start our first lap book about whales (wondering about what the response might be), as I heard three YAAYYYY's and 6 stomping little feet storming into the study room.

Mentor vs.Teacher

I just had quiet a productive evening, sewing pajamas for my three boys while listening to a lecture on Homeschool.com about the Thomas Jefferson Education. In general I don't like following anything in life just one particular way, except Islam, for God is whom I live to obey and worship as a muslim, but other than that Im very careful in just trusting what people "think" is the "best way" to do just anything. Listening to this talk though, felt like this is what I've been trying to achieve all along, I just didn't have a name for it.. or didn't quiet know how to get there..

Homesteading Arts Festival

Today we went to the Homesteading Arts Festival at the City Farmers Nursery. It was so refreshing, inspiring and we all had a wonderful and so peaceful afternoon. Here take a look: 
(I'm absolutely aware that some of the pictures are totally blur but I had no idea what to expect and of course didn't bring my camera.. so all the pictures were taken from my cell phone..)

Our Weekly Wrap Up May #5

How was our week or more like my past two weeks? ahh lets see.. 
Thursday the week before, considering it was our last week of school we were all so lazy and not really in the studying mood, we did study some though. Most of it was repetition through the learning Odyssey. I gathered all of Leap Creatures School books, tools, games etc. to return to our Resource Center to be able to check out new ones for the upcoming 2nd Grade and my officially signed up Kindergardener Cheetah Racer *big grin* !! The day after on friday we drove up to Long Beach to the "California Great Homeschool Convention" here my blogpost. It was so fantastic that I was all fired up for the whole past week and still am. And since 
about Monday (first official Summer holiday) my boys are wining most of the day that THEY'RE BOOORED and it's only been like a weekend of no schooling and they're already getting on my nerves HAH.. who would've thought. So more or less what have "I" been doing? Figuring out what to do with them for the rest of our summer !! I will make this post very short from here on because I haven't quiet figured it out *grin again*.. I think after I've had my share of "I'm bored's" we'll start studying again summer or no summer !! 


This is "the weekly wrap up" link-up from Kris over at the weird unsocialized homeschoolers, would you like to share your week?

Myriam

our Curriculum Choices

The Summer surely is approaching fast and I'm so excited to proudly announce that my little cheetah racer is officially signed up for kindergarten for the following Semester !! He is learning how to read for quiet some time now and anyway with our home schooled Leap Creature in 1st grade it's almost silly saying that my Kindergardener  "starts" classes this fall. But anyway it's official and I'm SO excited. We picked up school material for both of the boys and then the big scrambling will start about putting lesson plans together etc. Can't wait !!


Also do I have no idea about how to teach two boys since one alone is already very time consuming but.. all I know is.. that I'm excited. We always pick our school materials before the summer holidays so the funny thing is, right when it's time to actually wind down and go into relaxing mode, I see all the new school material for the next school year and feel like: How can we just not study now having all the new exciting books etc. !! haha.. well we all do need a break but I doubt that it'll really last more than about a month.

Great Homeschool Convention California

I received an email from one of Leap Creature's school friends kind mom about the California Homeschool Convention and I thought to myself that I'd really like to go but my husband would never agree to drive all the way to Long Beach for a day, with the kids and the traffic etc. and his first answer sure enough was: LONG BEACH? on MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND?! and I went on saying yes, yes I know I know.. just thought I'd share that there is a great convention up there this weekend.. 

Still on Planet Earth

I feel like I've been on some other planet for the last month or longer.. Definitely not on blogger.com !! What have I been doing? I love to sew, so I caught up with some orders I had. I decided to finally, after years pick up on drawing again. It's been over 8 or so years !!! Yes, we,ve been homeschooling too haha.. But more a bit finishing, rounding up what we've started. Doing small day by day lessons and last but not least we're currently enjoying my stepdad's visit. Last time I saw him my Leapcreature was almost one and now he's 7.. You do the math.. To make a long story short I believe I did a couple of things that make me happy to be able to keep doing what I have to on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong I'm very happy, just trying to have "me" not going under amongst the homeschooling, housework, teaching, disciplining etc etc mom!! Get the picture? Knew you would. Some people ask me how do you find time to do all these things next to everything you have to do?! Well I am absolutely selfish enough to make time for me being ME!!

Myriam

 ps: the absolutely stunning picture was taken by my uncle, you can find more of his work over at http://www.africawild.com/

Our Weekly Wrap Up April #1 "Back to School"

Our week of Spring Break was fabulous, loved it. And so was our first week of school. As I am writing Our Weekly WrapUps I realize that most of the time I'm leaving a positive feedback.. *smile* which is great because about 6 months ago I soo wanted to throw in the towel !! Our Highlight this Week was Monday, yep that's right Monday! Early morning I decided we'd start with a Field Trip to La Jolla in search of Tide Pools, our new Theme. It was a great first day and Leap Creature was asking me if we could always start our first monday after holidays with a Field Trip. I hope I can fulfill my promise but I said that: why not. I think the first monday is always a bit slow, might as well enjoy it to the fullest. Other than that we reviewed numbers up to 9000 (left) and even added some of these very big numbers. (right)

For Language Arts Leap Creature read Magic Treehouse books, took Quizzes at the Book adventure webpage. We started spelling Checks and continued his Cursive Practice which he's doing a real fantastic job with. On friday he was again looking forward for his school day for he saw his friends again, so I'll say it again, GREAT WEEK !!

Wishing all a great Weekend,

Myriam 

Tide Pool Field Trip

It is Monday morning and we started off with a Field Trip to La Jolla Beach in search of some Tide Pools for our new Science Theme. I couldn't have thought of a better way to start school after our fantastic week of Spring Break. Of course the attention span was minimal. (can you blame them?) We did get to a look at quiet a few Tide Pools though and they're magic with all their little creatures.

Science Festival & Spring Break

The science Festival last Saturday was great, we all saw a lot, held, felt and walked a lot. The weather was perfect we couldn't have asked for anything more. Of course we went to see the Art Project "Volcano a-Go-Go" Leap Creature was working on together with all of their Art Teacher's Students. The boys collected solar beads, held snakes, lizards, raced cars and took pictures with a humongous Sid the Science Kid *smile*. At the end of the day after dinner Leap Creature realized we didn't do any school today and states: Mommy we didn't even learn nothing today! I reassured him that even though it might didn't feel like it that he learned TONS today!!

Which Curriculum did NOT work for us

This Weeks' Link Up Topic on hsclassroom is "What curriculum or resource just didn't work for your family? When reading the topic I almost started laughing out hysterically. Why? Because I'm still trying to figure out what actually works for us !! Kindergarten came and went and was really neat to teach. Most of the Subjects came with unit studies where there was a booklet with worksheets, suggested activities related to the topic where it was so simple to just add whatever we felt like learning and however long we wanted to stick to that topic. We all enjoyed the time together, I loved getting to know my boys from another perspective, I started to really LOVE teaching, specially preparing fun lessons (which I had no idea I'd have within me) and it helped me big time to have more patience, tolerance with all my boys on a daily basis.

Our Weekly Wrap Up March #4

Another great week for us. Even though I wish I would've worked a bit more with Cheetah Racer and his "Hooked on Phonics" but other then that it was a good week. On Monday we finished our Rainforest Notebook.


For Social Studies this week we worked on Story of the World and learned about the Sumerians, Sumer and Sargon. We also started a timeline where Leap Creature chooses a picture that helps him remember each Section in the historic timeline and writes one sentence about it, this way I have a little proof that he did learn something.

I don't know where I was during my History class but everything I'm reading with Leap Creature in his History Lessons is new to me!

Rainforest Notebook

Leap Creature chose the Rainforest as our next theme. We read quiet a few books such as

• The Cat in the Hat: If I ran the Rainforest
• The Amazon River in a Rain Forest 
• The Rainforest Grew All Around
• The Great Kapok Tree
• One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
• Rain Forests

We borrowed all of the books from the Library, the theme is great since there are tons of resources, books etc. I chose some for classes, some for language arts for Leap Creature to read, some for good night Stories and "the book Crafts for Kids who Are Wild About ... THE WILD" for Crafts. 

Where do you fit in?

At times I'm asking myself where I'd fit in if I'd categorize myself. Having a father from Algeria and a mother from Switzerland I already didn't really fit in. As I got older I learned about the oppression of the blacks and didn't like the whites, but wait a minute my one and only most precious mom in the world is exactly that.. hmm.. then I started practicing the religion I was given, Islam. Now I was a muslim. Then I married my husband who's job was the US Navy. So now I'm a muslim Navy Wife. I'd actually like to have a bit more contact with Women in the Navy just curious about how they do things when their husbands are gone, but I wonder would they like to have anything to do with me? ... I am not looking like the typical Navy Spouse. Oh did I mention that I'm homeschooling? That would make me a ... lets not even go there haha..


Seriously now do we really have to fit in? I never liked having to be a certain way so I "fit" in. I will always be different and special like everyone else is, in their own way. 

Myriam

Our Weekly Wrap Up

It's already Sunday afternoon and I'm mentally getting ready for another monday. It's safe to say that last week was very successful. Leap Creature (1st grade) was enjoying our 2nd week of the Rightstart Math and we pretty much caught up to the point where we were at with the old Curriculum, which was one of my goals. We wrapped up our Science Theme "Rainforest" and did some last glueing in his Notebook (which will be a separate post).

On thursday we had our monthly Teacher's Meeting which went so great that I gave all of us the rest of the day off and friday Leap Creature goes to School from 9- 2.30 which he's always looking forward to, because he gets to see his friends. During Arts classes they finished up their Project that's called Volcano-A-Go-Go which will be proudly presented at 

EXPO Day at the San Diego Science Festival on 3/24

It looks great and I'm so excited that all the kids from grade K up to 8th were able to participate and can you imagine how their faces will LIGHT UP when they'll see their project at the Science Festival? I SOO can't wait !!! 

How was your week? Come, share and link up with the Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers and see what everyone else has to say. 

With that said, have a great week everyone

Myriam

Homeschool Online Resource List

This is something that is long due for I felt I'd like to give back something that I've been benefitted from for at least 1 1/2 years now. I was thankful and still am for every Worksheet, Lap Book Template, Scrap Book idea etc that I've used for our Homeschool Studies. So the credit should go to all the people who took their time to create or had anything to do with the links I'll post, just for anyone who stumbles upon the List I hope you can benefit from it. ( I will probably use it myself hehe ) My notes below every page is what I'm mostly using it for, they offer more than just that.. some links are mentioned double since I made a list of all the links and below I wrote some under a certain them that we've studied about.

A "Real Life Experience" about my favorite Curriculum Resource

I am a fairly new homeschooling Mom, this is my second year with my "official" Student in 1st grade followed by an almost kindergartener & a toddler. It doesn't feel that way at all though, I feel like I've learned SO much the last 1 1/2 years. Yesterday I stood in front of my bookshelf looking at our Study Books wanting to find my favorite one and that's when I realized.. there isn't any!! Okay we've recently changed our Math Curriculum from Houghton Mifflin to Rightstart Math which I wrote about in a previous post "re- thinking our Learning Styles". We haven't really worked with it long enough though for me to be able to say that's THE ONE .. I hope it is and so far it goes really great since Leap Creature is super excited every time I'd tell him to get out the "clever Math Box". My resources for Science and Social Studies are as mix matched as can be, we pick and choose whatever theme we like next, I'll do my research online, prepare the lessons and we're good to go. I'd have to say maybe right now my favorite Curriculum Source is online. Pages such as:

• http://www.homeschoolshare.com/
• http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/ 

(The list is way longer but I usually go to these two before going on and this will be further elaborated in another post. )
What I do know is that being a Homeschooling Parent is a way of life, it's a process and takes time to know how to do it, what to use, and how to find what works etc. I know I'll get there and I won't settle for anything less then what I think is best for my little men.


Do you have any favorite Curriculum Resources? Why not link up with "The homeschool Classroom", lets share our Ideas, our experiences and learn from one another. One good thing that is certain by now is that I'm not alone in this *grin*

Myriam

Part #2 of my initial Post "My first real Meltdown"

My first post on my blog was "My first real Meltdown" where I wrote about my first time wanting to give up homeschooling and why. I am not sure why I thought about this today but I realized that I forgot a part of what I did my research on, which was very tough on me, it took for ever to figure this one out but I'm still happy with my decision and I will try my best to explain it. If it happens to help someone else's decision it was well worth the time. 


As I said I've already filled out the boys application for two different charter schools and as I came to the conclusion that I didn't want to send them anywhere but to keep homeschooling them my next step was: Am I with the right program? I thought maybe to switch school would be the solution. Caracal Leaper is signed up for a homeschool program through a Charter School. Right away I thought ok K12 might be better and I was so close to switch until 2 sisters gave him some insight about how K12 works. There is lots of good pointers if that's what one likes. The pro's for me were:

Some daily Activities..

My little Monkey is almost 3 and his two older brothers were out the house with Daddy, so I kept him busy with sorting Counters. He did sort for about the first 7 min. and after that he filled and emptied the bowls as he pleased but hey.. it did keep him busy and I had a great break *smile*

What's for Dinner ?

Recently I called my friend asking how she was doing and she told me she was in the kitchen cooking up a storm.. and she usually cooks for about two days. Marinating, pre-cooking etc. to make the next few weeks easier on herself. She goes: You should try that you know !! Hmm .. Alright so last weekend we went to get meat. We usually make a trip every .. 2-3 Months and get a LOT of meat since the place where we get our meat from is a bit further away.                  

                                                        Picture from (http://www.featurepics.com/online/Vegetables-1070851.aspx)

Cooking up a storm is right:

Another day in Paradise

I am originally from Switzerland and yes I miss my family and friends but could it have been replaced with any better place then South California? I don't think so.. Even though the nights are still very cold, the temperatures are already up in the 70 and the sunny mornings definitely are a plus when it comes to motivation in getting up early and getting things done. Our trees around the house seem to enjoy the warmth as well, they're growing so fast, and a few already have lots of beautiful flowers and plenty of fruits. Of course they're all still in the beginning stages but the trees look lovely with all their new growth. Over the last couple of years we took a few trips up to our favorite nursery, the Bonita Creek Nursery, and here is what we have purchased:

Re- thinking our learning styles

Is it just me or is that a regular process for Homeschool Teachers to once in a while look back and feel that it's time for some changes. I've been going through some major adjustments which I wrote about in "my first real Melt Down" and I'm absolutely happy with the outcome.


Recently I've been feeling that we could make Mathematics more interesting then just me handing him 2 pages of Math a day and say, more or less anyway: There you go, let me know if you have any Questions..

What I like about Islam 1#

Sometimes People ask me what made me practice Islam, or what made me decide to cover or why Islam .. and at times I just go blank even though I know exactly why, I just can't always put it in Words. 

I am a born Muslim just didn't know anything about Islam because I wasn't taught nothing. This alone is a hard one to digest but anyway (that's another story). I would say that I re-chose Islam when I took the decision to actually practice it. Like so many people I was searching for some way to relax myself, or have some "Me- Time". Some do Yoga, meditate etc. I decided I want to start praying.

being a little creative with a happy ending

Month back we bought a growth Chart for the boys. We decided to go with a plain wooden one with the idea that I'd decorate it myself. Of course it took me forever, in this case forever is 4 months. I did finish it the other day though, voila !!

Now I hope it won't take another 4 months to hang it up.

One of the pens were leaking and I ended up bringing it back to Michaels. I'm always quickly walking through their sales section just because "you never know" where I saw this bargain of 15 luminescent bracelets for $1 ! I don't know how much they usually cost but I knew my Boys would be ecstatic and I was right.

Of course the surprise was only given after they all ate up nice, put on their pajamas and got ready for bed. Their bracelet did the rest of the job and now I'm calling it a very nice day with a happy ending ..

Daddy, what is this?

Earlier this week my husband and I took the boys on a Field Trip to the Museum of Man. There was an expedition about ancient Egypt and we just recently finished our studies about Mummies so this was perfect. We all enjoyed our stay, my heart did get very heavy when we passed this child mummy though..  the Child must've been about 5 years old.. Other than that it was fantastic, it even included a little section for the Kids to play. The expedition also had the perfect size, very informative, so that I could read the boys a lot about the mummies, the sarcophagus etc. but it was not too big so that I wasn't exhausted with all the don't do this and don't do that..


As we entered the play area the boys right away took off, exploring all the different toys. (I'm Muslim and fully covered, including my face) so there was this little girl and as soon as she saw me she turns to her father and aks: Daddy what is this? and she'd point her finger towards me. For me a normal question from a child, which is perfectly okay. I'm always quiet curious how the parents would react though and so to my astonishment her Father quickly glances over to me and goes: I don't know..  .. 

one of "these days"

This morning just when I woke up, I so did NOT feel like teaching. 

Our day started out with late breakfast (which my dear husband prepared for the boys since I was still in bed). After I got into the kitchen I told Caracal Leaper: We'll be studying later. He looks at me asking: What means later? Honestly, I didn't know myself haha.. 

Elephant and Piggie

Leapcreature is reading 2-3 grade Books and we keep a reading Log where he has to read 20 books and gets a reward for it. Usually I'm not so much for rewarding good studies but I want to encourage all of my Boys to read and read a lot, for it's a great way to become open minded, to search for knowledge etc. 

Once in a while though I let an easier book count just to give Leapcreature a break and we'd get some funny books and enjoy them all together. One of our favorites is Elephant and Piggie, our favorite book so far is: Should I share my Ice Cream. I read it to the Boys the other day and even my 2 year little Monkey was cracking up .. for me the most enjoyable part was to watch them laugh so hard !!

Here goes the official Book Review:

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In Should I Share My Ice Cream? Gerald has a big decision to make. But will he make it in time?

  

Using vocabulary that is perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a funny story about the challenges of doing the right thing. Fans of the Geisel Award-winning duo will eagerly eat it up!

People come and go..

I'm born and grown up in Switzerland where I lived for 24 years of my life. Our family members are scattered all over the world (more or less), since we're all travelers, so I was always very tempted to move away and always thought of it as very exciting to have a fresh start in another city, town, country or even continent. I, to start it off, very often had very close friends that "so happened" to live overseas. So when I met my husband and new for certain that I'll move to Singapore I was ecstatic, I mean, I was moving to Asia !!! It was great, we spent 2 years there, I met beautiful friends, it was exciting and all until we moved to the States and that was exciting as well.. It does come with a downside though (what in life doesn't alright..) We meet these beautiful, precious people that become real in our lives, they become friends that we really care for and that's when they're being snatched away from our lives.. (not particularly die, thank God but simply move away) I thought about this for the past few years since it has happened on and off. I believe that it is just meant to be, that certain people appear in our lives, they serve to be with us for a purpose for a certain amount of time, and when that purpose is fulfilled they go their ways, for whatever is meant to happen for them in their own paths.

Ancient Egypt Lapbook

K. wanted to study about ancient Egypt and the mummies, so I did my research and this is what we did:




This is the Lap Book Cover (left)           






The "Land of the Pharaohs" Egypt Map can be printed out from here. (right)

most of our printables are from the homeschoolshare.com









<-- Here K. transformed his name into Hieroglyphs.
I also colored and cut out a paper pyramid and I googled some cliparts.
(You might also like this webpage about ancient egypt)

Enjoying to Blog

This morning, while drinking my coffee I read a few posts on different blogs and reflected on: What is it, that makes me like a particular blog? It totally depends on my mood really. But all in all sharing blog posts, writing or reading the posts, including their comments (which I enjoy just as much).. it appears to me a bit like a virtual get together amongst people/ friends who share their opinions. Or maybe strangers who in person would be so different who find common ground, connections through the same interests and for that reason they become friends, whereas in real life, they might not even look at each other, let alone like each other. Blogs enable us to share our thoughts, comment on them or learn. Allah knows I've laughed and learned so much through the many blogs I've read so far. It also broadens our minds by sharing, accepting and respecting other peoples opinions.


I consider myself a very social, open minded fun person, but besides this I'm also VERY busy. My "job" is being a wife and a mother, and my "hobby" is homeschooling, if you know what I mean *grin* I used to love going out, talk to my friends etc. but the past few months I've just been to busy to even pick up a phone and dial a friends number to chit chat.. Dont' get me wrong I love my life and all that's comes with it, including my family and friends of course. But my priorities have shifted and by the time I would have time to chit chat with a friend, the desire's simply disappeared because it's been a day and I've certainly done enough talking for the last 12 hours !! 


I absolutely enjoy blogging for it allows me to do so at my own pace. Please feel free to drop a line and leave your thoughts about blogging.. have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by..