Math, Writing Letters and School w/ Big Daddy!

Math, Math, Math, Math, Math!!!! 

This used to be the favorite subject in our house and reading was the subject that Biggun did not like. Well once you mix letters with numbers the math anxiety sets in and Biggun feels like he can't do it.

Yes, I am talking about algebra. With algebra you have letters mixed with numbers. To my son it seems like there is now reading his hated subject mixed in with his favorite subject. 

Biggun started to algebra on time4learning.com today and the above picture is what it started out like. 

Then it was praying that he would understand it. 

Then there was get 100% on the quiz!!!!!! Yep the boy got 100% on his first quiz. What a great way to help him get past the math anxiety.

Honey worked on writing her letters today. She was not doing such a good job with a regular pencil, I gave her a colored pencil and it was like she came to life and was able to get all her tracing perfect after that.

She worked so hard.

I wish I had a picture of Moose doing his time4preschool.com with Big Daddy. The two of them have had done school work two days in row and they both seem to be having lots of fun "playing the preschool games" with the program.

Lil Momma Strouse

Strouse House continues....

Sorry took a break after my last blog post. It has been hard to catch my breath around here much less write a blog.

What are is going on in your world?  Please leave a comment and share. I would love to hear all about it.

Here at the Strouse House we are continuing to deal with the issues that where posted in the previous blog.

The littles are doing good with their routine changes. :^)

We decided to start our new school year officially after Labor day! That gives me some more time to get Honey's curriculum figured out. Other then the time4learning.come preschool lessons and educational video's

Biggun we have almost set, but I still need to buy his math PACE's and his Language Arts Paces and books that go w/ them.  Other then that I am set with him too.

Oh then there is that nasty thing called a schedule. Yes something I am not very good at. I can make a schedule with the best of them but to follow on is not always easy for me.  (blushing)

I will end this blog on a great note. My son earned LOTS of merit badges and moved up a rank. Oh if I say the wrong rank he would be mad at me. I will ask and come back and let ya'll know.

Here is a pic of all his merit badges so far. I am so proud.

OH and I can't forget to through in an update on our chickens. We have lots of eggs!

Lil Momma Strouse

What to blog about....

Do I blog about the 3 year old who will not have anything to do w/ potty training?
Do I blog about 5 year old that wants to change clothes every 10 minutes?
Do I blog about a boy who is turning 13 and does not like the world, right now or his parents?
Do I blog about my anxiety and depression that seems to be ruling my life?

Do I blog about the new puppy we have to get rid of because she keeps biting my littles? Everyone is sad about that but when my littles are getting bit DAILY something has to be done.

Keeping my blog real there is so much going on in my world I dont' know where to start. I am able to have the kids play games on the computer like hang man and time4preschoollearning.com to help get through  the days.


So please bear with me as I am just a mom going through life daily and some days it is harder then others.


Lil Momma Strouse

Life in the Strouse House!

Life in pictures at the Strouse House ----

Dirt bath chickens

Lazy Elly Faith

Fuzzy due to phone pic, but new hair style.

Using words in grammar worksheets.

Preschool games for everyone.

My family that makes it all worth wile when I am ready to just give up!

I am sure I could post LOTS more but that is it for now. 

Lil Momma Strouse

Valentine's Day Fun

We don't do much for Valentine's Day. But today we did talk about the letter H and that heart started with the letter H. So we took an idea from pintrest to use a toilet paper tube to paint hearts all over an H. Love the idea and it was super easy to do.

Lil Momma Strouse

Preschool Curriculum for Honey

Well Honey is 4 now and I need to really crack down on a PreK type program w/ her. 

I know I have 10 years experience in teaching preschool and I even did home daycare preschool with Biggun and Lil' D. (Bigguns best friend) for 3 years. So that is a total of 13 years under my belt but I am very, what do I say scared.  I guess that Honey will have a reading problem like Biggun.  I have not pushed anything that I had pushed with Biggun.  We have been very relaxed.  But I want to start a PreK program.  

On top of being scared, I am tired. With everything that we went through in 2010 w/ Big Daddy's motorcycle accident and now Big Daddy's Mom has been in the hospital since Jan 15, and dealing with that. I am sooo tired.  Unless I get a break soon I don't think I could be creative with schooling on a regular basis no matter how hard my heart wants to.  

The only thing that I know for sure is I will have Honey start Time4Learning.com soon.  I might hold off on that until I have a second computer for her to work on.  In the mean time I am on the hunt for a complete PreK program.  

I found a great program from Confessions of a Homeschooler

Letter of the Week

There is one big BUT w/ that program.  I have to print the whole thing out.  I don't have a very good printer and this could turn into a major problem down the road and I really do not want to print it out anyway.

I want something that is already printed and full of great ideas like this program.

Anyone have any programs they want to recommend? 

 I am looking for a full program and reasonably priced.  

Playdough Fun

Lately my Honey Bear (3yrs) is totally into playdough.  She has been playing w/ a  few small packages of playdough the kind you put into party favors.  So this morning she woke up and found her playdough had dried up.  She had not sealed the container the night before. So we made homemade playdough today.  Here are the pictures of our fun adventure.

Measure to here.  

Pour all the ingredients in.

Mix it all in.

 Cook over medium heat.

We made blue too.

Store in an airtight container.

BUT not until after you play with it for HOURS!!!

If you are looking for a recipe for homemade playdough there at TONS on the internet. But we chose the first recipe out of the ten on Tipnut.

Lil' Momma

"Real" Preschool ?

Honey Bear turned 3years old and I have not done any "real" preschool stuff w/ her. Looking back on Biggun, I think I might have pushed him to fast in some things, thus he has some learning challanges.  My goal is not to do that w/ Honey Bear or Moose.

Lets see, Honey Bear plays which is the best schooling for her.  But what other the basics does she know so far....

Colors - she knows some already - (Thanks Sesame Street)
Shapes - she knows some of those, too (good old doodling worked here)
Farm Animals - yep she knows those (puzzles and books have done their trick)
Pets and Water Animals - she knows most of those (books have worked well)
Transportation - she knows about those too (thanks to Bob the Builder)
Family - (Baby dolls, kitchen set and oh our real family have helped here)


I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. That even though I am not sitting down daily and doing "preschool" activities with Honey Bear, like she would do if she went to a "formal preschool", she is still learning daily!  God is good that way.  Every day is a day of learning.

I will share that we did just start working on some fun activities using the Brown Bear Brown Bear book.  I got the print outs from 1+1+1=1 Tot School Packet. Not that we are doing them every day, only about 2 or 3 times a week. Even Moose got in on working on the art part of our day today....

Lil' Momma