Last Day of Sale! I Can Teach My Child To Read

 

 

Today is the last day to get your copy of I Can Teach My Child To Read:  A 10-Step Guide For Parents for just $1.99.  Read my review here.  It's important to keep kids reading, even during Summer break.  Don't miss out on this valuable resource!

 

Mary Ellen

 

Disclosure

 



{Book Review} - I Can Teach My Child To Read!

Our children love to read!  But, just as their personalities are unique, so to has been their journeys towards reading.  For Ashleigh, she took to reading in kindergarten and quickly excelled.  Clayton really hit his stride towards the end of first grade.  Now, Reed is making those beginning steps towards literacy.  To find ideas for strengthening Reed's abilities, I eagerly turned to I Can Teach My Child To Read!  A 10-Step Guide For Parents by Jenae Jacobson (of I Can Teach My Child).

I Can Teach My Child To Read is not a program or curriculum.  It is a guide which explains the components of reading and how to implement them into the daily lives of your children.  Jenae lays out ten strategies which can be put into practice right away.  She also presents activities which go beyond rote memorization to build reading skills.  In reading I Can Teach My Child To Read, I came away with ideas and strategies to not only help Reed, but to also support Ashleigh and Clayton in their stages of reading.  Like continuing to read aloud (even with my independent readers) and the questions to ask to aid in reading comprehension (which is the most important component of learning to read).

I Can Teach My Child To Read is a great resource for parents. Regardless of where your child is in the process of learning to read (even infancy), you will come away with beneficial strategies and resources to start them on the path of a life long love of reading!

Buy I Can Teach My Child To Read for $3.99  $1.99 through June 7th!

Mary Ellen

Disclosure

Early Start to Spring Garden

Ashleigh's Cabbage Plant

My Spring gardening got a much earlier than anticipated start last week.  Ashleigh came home with her latest school project in hand - a cabbage plant.  For the next two months, she has to care for and document the growth of her cabbage plant.  Since my arugula plants had started to bolt, we replaced them with the cabbage plant in our little garden square.  Previously, I tried growing red cabbage one Fall gardening season.  But ended up in a losing battle against cabbage worms.  Hopefully, we'll have better luck this time!

Mary Ellen 

Colonial Christmas Open House - Joel Lane Museum House, Raleigh

Over the weekend, we attended a Colonial Christmas Open House at the Joel Lane Museum House in Downtown Raleigh.  Free events like these not only provide frugal family entertainment but also a learning experience for the children.  The 18th century manor home was built by Colonel Joel Lane circa 1770.  Lane was instrumental in the formation of our county and capital and is known as the "Father of Wake County".   

The house was decorated for the Christmas season

A desk filled with letters

Garland strung over the fireplace

Upstairs, we toured the childrens room and tried on some period clothing.

Back downstairs, there was live music and story telling in the front room.

The fireplace in the kitchen. 

The building which serves as the kitchen was not originally on the Joel Lane plantation.  It was built in 1790 on a farm in northern Wake County and moved to the site in 1979.  The small kitchen building was actually a middle class dwelling that housed an entire family. 

Outside, there were activities for the kids.

Ashleigh working on an ornament.

Reed playing with a wooden dancing figure.

Ashleigh playing with a game.

Reed playing a ring toss game with one of the volunteers.

Mary Ellen

Beyond the Frame - Alamance County Arts Council, Graham, NC {Pic Overload}

"Oriental Fan" by J. Seward Johnson

Last month on my birthday, we took a nice Sunday drive over to Graham, NC to visit the "Beyond the Frame" exhibit hosted by the Alamance County Arts Council.  The free exhibit featured the work of J. Seward Johnson (of the Johnson & Johnson family).  Johnson created life-sized sculptures inspired by well-known nineteenth-century Impressionist masterpieces.  At this exhibit, getting close to the art was not only allowed, but encouraged!  Perfect for small children!   

Johnson entitled this 19 figure piece, "Were You Invited?"  It is inspired by Renoit's Luncheon of the Boating Party.  Our guide mentioned the lady above with the dog was Renoit's wife.

The sculptures allow Johnson to take the viewer "beyond the frame".  Note the lady in blue.

Below the table, Johnson shows her with one shoe off!

More members of the boating party

There was a very small space amongst the sculptures where one could sit with the party.  Ashleigh joining in.

The boating party continued

In the actual painting, the man with cane raised is in the background of the work.  Here Johnson makes him a more prominent figure by having him engage some uninvited guests.  The uninvited guests are not apart of Renoit's work.  They are actually J. Seward Johnson himself (leaning back) and three of his real life artist friends.

Entering the garden, we find Johnson's "On Poppied Hill" inspired by Monet's Poppies and Woman With A Parasol.  The woman and child are Monet's wife and son.

Johnson's sculpture of Monet painting the scene

Outside the garden, Johnson's work entitled "A Thought to Consider" (inspired by Manet's In the Conservatory) 

The beautiful house where the Alamance Arts Council is located in Graham.  The Queen Anne Revival style house was constructed in 1871 and was the home of Captain James White and Emma Holt White.    

I loved the light blue color of the porch's ceiling!

On the porch, "A Turn of the Century" inspired by  Renoir's Dance at Bougival.

As you enter the house, you are greeted by Johnson's "Landlady" (Van Gogh's L'Arlesienne)

To the right, a work entitled "Pondering the Benefits of Exercise" (Renoir's Lunch at the Restaurant Fournaise)

Ashleigh getting close

Johnson's "Oriental Fan" inspired by Monet's La Japonaise.

She has a little surprise underneath her kimono :)

And outside of the house, a 20-foot version of the "Turn of the Century" sculpture.

Mary Ellen

Clayton's Habitat Project

Clayton with his frog habitat project

(Reed stuck his hand and froggy into the picture LOL!)

We've got our first project of the new school year out of the way!  Clayton had to prepare a habitat project and present it to his class.  He chose frogs after observing a small toad swimming in the backyard sandbox after a heavy rain.  And ever the thrifty spender, Clayton found the frogs we used in the project while out with Daddy at yard sales!

Have a good weekend!

Mary Ellen  

The North Carolina Life & Science Museum - Durham

Ashleigh & Clayton making goo

The kids were invited to a science party at the North Carolina Life & Science Museum in Durham.  The party took place in an actual laboratory where the kids learned all about acids, bases and chemical reactions.  Reed even participated in one of the demonstrations.   

Reed assisting in a demonstration

After the party, we got a chance to explore the rest of the museum.  There is so much to do and see at the Life & Science Museum!   

Ashleigh watching a tornado form in the weather exhibit

The kids (and Daddy's!) favorite part of the museum was the space exhibit.  Here Dave and the kids attempt to launch a craft to Mars.

One of the motion exhibits

Time for a ride on the train!

After a train ride around the museum grounds, the kids headed over towards the playground to explore a real train car.

A little water play at Loblolly Park

The boys making music

Time to play!

Clayton standing next to the rocket outside the museum

We had a fun filled afternoon at the museum!  Even though we saw alot, we didn't even get around to the Butterfly house, farmyard animals or nature trail.  Maybe next visit!

Mary Ellen   

Cheap Summer Thrill - Observing Backyard Wildlife

It's always fun for the kids when one of God's wild creatures wanders into the backyard.  This Eastern box turtle which slowly strolled across our backyard probably on its way to the wooded area, made a good subject for the kids to observe and journal about.  We're taking a suggestion from Ashleigh's teacher and having the kids keep a journal of their summer experiences to help maintain writing skills over the break.  

The kids weren't the only ones interested in Mr. Turtle.  So was the newest member of our family.  Can you see her peeking out from behind the tree?  That's our new kitten Oreo.  She was a "surprise" from Dave.  I can't say that initially I was enthusiastic about being surprised with a cat.  As opposed to a bigger diamond ring, which takes less care and maintenance LOL!  But Oreo is a furry ball of cuteness and quickly won over my heart, like instantly.  What can I say, deep down I'm just a cat lady!   

Moving in closer...

And closer...

Oreo seems puzzled why Mr. Turtle doesn't want to come out and play!

No turtles were harmed during this observation. 

Mr. Turtle slowly but surely made his way to the wooded area :)

***

The turtle watches undisturbed as countless generations of faster "hares" run by to quick oblivion, and is thus a model of patience for mankind, and a symbol of our State’s unrelenting pursuit of great and lofty goals.

- NC Secretary of State

***

Mary Ellen