Wordless Wednesday - The Homeschool Science Edition

Rest Stop

We recently took a trip down to Virginia so the Claudio and I could attend the IHM national Catholic Homeschool Conference and we could all visit with my dad and stepmom.

It is a long trip down with a car full of little people. So, we made two great and very different stops.

Our first stop was Cabela's.  This place is awesome!!!  It is basically just a large sporting goods store.  But it is also like a natural history museum...or a taxidermy museum...or something.  I lack the words to describe it. But the kids can't wait to go back.  AND IT IS FREE FREE FREEEEEE!

each side of this mountain showed wildlife from a different region of the US.  Complete with waterfalls and ponds

they wanted me to take their picture with these game feeders...I obliged.

After Cabela's we stopped at the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.  It was just a quick stop in for a look around and a visit to the Church.

the shrine

School Room Redux

Thanks to some advice from friends in a homeschool group I am in I was finally inspired to really get my schoolroom organized.

 I had gotten it functional before last year's school year started, but before Christmas I just got too pregnant to deal with sitting in there for school and we started doing school on the couch and the schoolroom became a dumping ground disaster!!!

I had been putting off dealing with it because I couldn't even figure out where to start or what to do to make it work better.

With just a few dollar store purchases things quickly came together and we are now up and running!!

 Still need some more shelf space in that closet, but for now things all have a place.

From the top down: paints and other craft supplies that require supervision are at the top, next down is paper and school supplies, next down are saint story picture books/children's bibles/church related book and some read aloud books, next shelf is baskets with beginner readers for Anna, early chapter books for Ben, and Lovasik books, bottom is non-fiction/age appropriate books and coloring books in the blue basket.

Our school table (which is already too small...and Buggy me asked me to point out that that is her milk on the table there), our "daily planner".  The white table has their personal school baskets to hold the stuff they are working on.  The shelves above take up that whole wall.  The top shelf has textbooks, workbooks, reading books, etc etc that we are not currently using.  The other end has Christmas and Easter books, and some craft boxes that require supervision.

The bottom shelf has reference/anthology books, a basket of Magic School Bus books, a blue basket for books we will need during the school year but not daily, my teacher manuals and a basket of Treasure Box Books...then printer and computer tower above my desk.

and there is the whole room.

Lucy Takes The Wheel

Ice Cream You Scream....

My dear little Buggy has suffered with food allergies essentially since birth.  She was switched from regular formula to hypoallergenic formula within her first month of life.  By 6M she was reacting to even that and had to be switched to Elecare, an amino acid based formula.

At this time she also had her first round of allergy tests which showed she was allergic to dairy, eggs, and peanuts.  Because they were diagnosed so early Buggy has actually never eaten eggs or peanuts (and only dairy in the form of baby formula).

A year after that tree nuts and coconut was added to Buggy's list of food allergies.  Severely limiting her diet.

It was time for Buggy's annual allergy appointment a few weeks ago.  She was put through a battery of skin tests (32 in all).  Amazingly the only foods that came back positive was peanut!!  Dairy, which she used to react to on contact was negative and so was everything else!  I was dumbfounded!!  Totally shocked!!  Food allergies have been our reality for so long!

The doctor ran some bloodwork to be sure and lo and behold they also came back negative. So, he gave us the go ahead to let Buggy try dairy at home...

first drink of milk ever!

check out that boo boo on her elbow!  She fell on her way out of the allergist.  She had no idea she busted up her elbow.

  When I asked her how it tasted she said, "Like apples.." She is the family comedian for sure.

To really celebrate we went out to get her first taste of real ice cream!!  She chose vanilla with chocolate sprinkles!!

Ben begging for some of my cone....

Ohhh and her first scrambled eggs too!!!

First Penance

One last review before going to Confession

 Benjamin has been working so hard this year to prepare to receive two Sacraments.  The Sacrament of Penance/First Confession and the Sacrament of First Holy Communion.  He attended a CCD class with 4 other young boys from our parish and they all worked all year to have their catechism memorized. 

 Two weeks ago Benjamin had to sit down with our priest for an interview so that Father could be sure that Ben was ready intellectually and spiritually.  Father asked Ben many questions from the catechism.  Benjamin did a fantastic job and didn't seem at all scared.  Father was happy to let Ben know that he was indeed ready for these two big Sacraments..

Ben is quite small for his age so Claudio was making sure that Ben could kneel and still reach the screen in the Confessional.  It all turned out fine.

waiting for his turn with the other boys....all a bit nervous...all sweet and precious.

 Last Saturday Ben received his First Penance and had a quick rehearsal for First Holy Communion Day.

Ben is next!!  A quick pep talk from his CCD teacher..

Pentecost Sunday will be the big day!!  Ben has been very excited and counting down the days on his calendar!!  I feel nervous and just amazed at how quickly he is growing up!!  Prayers please for a holy reception of his First Communion.

The Dress Rehearsal That Was a Recital

Ohhh my little Annabella...She just finished up her first year of ballet/tap. She had a wonderful year and I think dance is great for her somewhat lacking coordination and grace.  Not to mention a lesson in listening and patience.  I was proud of her even before the recital...

Well, it wasn't really totally a recital.  It just happens that the recital was scheduled for the same day as Ben's First Holy Communion.  As important as we think dance is, and following through with commitments, of course the sacraments take priority.

We had already purchased the costume and Anna was so excited to perform. So after a chat with her dance teacher we decided she would take part in the dress rehearsal.  This being her first year of dance she had no clue what a recital was.  So we let her think the dress rehearsal was the recital and it all basically worked out.

The one snaffoo was that some of the choreography had to be changed to EXCLUDE Anna.  And of course that is how it had to be practiced at the dress rehearsal!  And since we didn't really want her to know that this wasn't the big show....she didn't really know what was going on.

If you watch the video (which is a bit long) you will see where she is sort of left there with no one to dance with  :(  It was so heartbreaking to watch.  But she has such character, as you will see.  She just dances all by herself.  So adorable and made me all the more proud of her.  She has guts and character and can truly perform.




And afterwards, the obligatory meal at McDonalds....or as Anna says:  Dunkin Donalds.

Family Tradition: Take 4!

Well, just like with the other Salvucci babies....when we reach the 4M mark, the start of the second quarter of their first year, we take the obligatory mixing bowl on the head pictures. It all started with Ben of course and I still think his expression is the best. So, here we have Lucy's pictures to add to the tradition.

Oh my, who turned the lights out??!

Thinking it is all pretty funny!

And here is the original that started it all.  Little Ben at 4M

 

And little Annabella..

And the Bug!!

First Fruits of the Garden

Benjamin Performs

Benjamin has been taking piano lessons for several months and seems to be really enjoying it.  He picks up the pieces quickly and the even the music theory end of it seems to make sense to him.  He practices daily with no prompting.  Many times a day you will find him sitting at the piano going over his pieces or just playing around.

This Sunday our church held a parish talent show and Ben decided he would like to participate.



I was so proud of Benjamin.  He has grown and matured by leaps and bounds this year.  He has always been painfully shy.  Often unable to even look a person in the eye let alone make polite responses to people.  Slowly but surely and with a year of lots of confidence building experiences he has really come out of his shell.  No longer does he cling to me when we are at social functions.  He is off forging his own friendships, having fun, taking chances.  I can't wait to see what another year will bring for Benjamin!