homeschool funnies - language arts

I know I haven't posted anything lately, but I have a little "funny" to share from our homeschool lessons this past Friday. I was teaching the girls about the three basic types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory.

First, I told them that declarative sentences just make a statement, or tell something that happened.

Next, I asked them what they thought an exclamatory sentence would be. Hayden immediately exclaimed, "A SHOCKER!!" Yeah, I think she gets it.

Then I pointed to the word interrogative on their worksheet, and asked what kind of sentence they thought it might be. Hayden tilted her head with an inquisitive (or confused) expression and responded, "Huh?" So, I told her that she was exactly right!

the theology of Santa

While the girls were emptying the dishwasher this morning, 

they were having a discussion about Santa:

Me: What good little girls I have today.

K: Santa is coming tonight!

Me: Is that why you're doing your chores?

K: No. We just wanted to obey.

Me: (thinking) Yeah, right!

K: Santa knows everything.

H: No... GOD knows everything, not Santa. 

And then He tells Santa what people are thinking.

Interesting chain of command...

the culinary standards in our home, they are high

Just now, my youngest daughter made her very own lunch, 

took one "test" bite, and then declared it delicious by coining a new word: 

"YUM-DERFUL!"

Yeah...Too bad she was eating Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

forgive us our debts

Today, Hayden was copying the final two phrases of the Lord's Prayer for a penmanship assignment, when she decided to read it out loud. She said, "...and forgive us our debits as we forgive our debitors..."

She hasn't learned about the silent "b" in the word "debt," but I guess I've taught her plenty about debits. Forgive us, indeed.

a momentous occasion

I took the girls out for a special time this morning. We arrived a few minutes before our destination store opened, so we went nextdoor to Barnes & Noble to have some Starbucks drinks together first. And then we snapped a couple of photos before moving on to the main event...

I surprised Hayden by letting her get her ears pierced for her 6th birthday. She was so excited that she wasn't even nervous. She chose little pink flower studs with a white center. She said that she didn't feel anything, and I believe her because she didn't make a peep. They're adorable, and they look so cute on her! I was so proud of how brave she was. Then she told me that the girl at Claire's was "so nice and kind and sweet."

Sidenote: We tried and tried to talk "big sister" Kirstyn into getting her ears pierced too, but we couldn't do it. (She said she didn't even want to come with us at first, but changed her mind just as we were leaving.) She even watched Hayden get hers done, and not even flinch. Still no luck. I know she really wants earrings, but I guess she's just not ready yet. I said, "Hayden said that she didn't feel anything." She told me that she's afraid that "it will still hurt for me." I don't know what else to do to reassure her, but I guess all I can do is wait her out.

Anyway, I knew Hayden was so ready to do this. She's been asking about it for months. And I knew it was the right thing to do to show her that I understand that she's a big girl now, and can make her own choices (on some matters, anyway).

But the clincher (for me) was when we were walking out of Claire's and on to the next store. I told her I was so proud of her, and how amazed I was that she wasn't even scared. Then I told her that her new earrings looked really cute on her, and she said, "I just feel pretty." That put a smile on my face, 'cause there's no bigger thrill to a mother's heart than making a sweet little girl feel pretty and special, especially on her birthday.

(PS - she's not making a funny face - she's sucking on a lollipop they gave her.)

sisters & friends

My little girls are growing up.

I've been noticing lately that they've become such good friends. I'm so glad to see that they don't just tolerate each other - they truly adore and depend on each other. They hug all the time, and they play so well together. They are sisters to the core - and they remind me of my own two sisters, who are also very close.

The other day I dropped Hayden off at her gymnastics class and took Kirstyn with me to pick up a few things at the grocery store. In the car on the way there, Kirstyn said, "It's going to be boring without Hayden."

the kids in me

Well, the best example of the kid in me, are the three kids who came out of me. They are all part of me, and they each hold a special piece of my heart. So, I'll enter a few photos of each of them into this photo carnival/contest from 5 Minutes for Mom....

For some reason, the best shots of Kirstyn involve water.


Nathon is my biggest little kid. He's as tall as me, but he still secretly wears Scooby-Doo pajamas and plays with Transformers. And I have photo proof:

Kneeboarding, tubing, or wakeboarding... Nathon is in his element when he's being pulled by a boat.

Last, but not least, can you tell who the family entertainer might be? This little firecracker is always camera-ready!

Gotta love orange kool-aid moustaches in the summer... and gooey roasted marshmallows in the fall

...hanging out with her cousin in AZ.

Hayden Beth is a happy girl, whether she is right-side-up or upside-down!

I'm hoping some of these will catch someone's eye at 5 Minutes for Mom. If you want to play along too, post a photo or two on your blog that represents the Kid in You. Link back to your post on the 5 Minutes for Mom Mr. Linky by June 2nd, and you could win a Nintendo Wii, or a pinata full of Nestle chocolate!

don't forget to VOTE!!

Just a reminder to all of you living in SUPER TUESDAY states... get out there and VOTE today! I already cast my vote in advance (so I wouldn't have to stand in line with 3 kids today). And I've got my Huckabee sign out in my yard.

As we were leaving the polling place on Friday, an elderly lady jokingly asked my 5-year-old daughter who she was going to vote for. To which Hayden enthusiastically replied, "Mike Huckabee!" and gave a big thumbs-up! However, Kirstyn was still undecided. That's OK, though, because she can't actually vote in a presidential election for another 12 years. Looks like she has plenty of time to make up her mind.

Have YOU made up your mind yet?

elf yourself

Well, I thought it was high time I posted something humorous and fun, so here goes.... The kids have been begging me to do this with their photos ever since we got our first one of these e-mails from some friends a while back. So, I stayed up late last night and did it to surprise them. Oh, the squeals of delight! You would've thought I told them we were moving into Toys R Us.

Click on this link (or the picture of Ocho) for some Christmas fun from our family...even the dog!

one yellow balloon

Yesterday, Hayden got a yellow balloon from a birthday party we attended. We went to Wal-Mart on the way home, and as we walked through the parking lot, Hayden decided that she was going to let the balloon go. Usually when my kids do this, they "make a wish." But this time, she said she was sending the balloon to Nana up in heaven.

As we paused and watched it float higher and higher into the air, I asked Hayden if she thought Nana would catch the balloon. She seemed pretty certain that Nana would know that the yellow balloon was for her, and that Hayden had sent it. I could clearly see her childlike faith - there was not shred of doubt in her mind. She knows that even though we can't see Nana anymore, they still have a special connection. She still loves Nana, and prays for Nana, and even talks to Nana occasionally. (I'm not sure if she ever hears anything back.)

Hayden's confidence in her ongoing relationship with Nana inspires a vivid image of how I am to live in Christ. I know he is a real person, and I've fallen in love with him. And just because I can't physically see him, doesn't mean that he is any less real. I can love him, walk with him, talk to him, and even expect to hear some kind of a response from him.

When we have faith like a child, we can see so much more than what's right in front of our eyes. The sky's the limit!

VOTE

***UPDATED to add: Looks like most of you voters are like me, and can't choose just one! Most of the votes for the favorite photo are going to #8 (the upside-down one) or #10 (the last one). Now that I have it narrowed down, I need to make a final decision. Here's my dilemma -- the upside-down one is a little risky because you can't really see her actual hairstyle (and that is part of the judging criteria), but it will definitely get noticed among thousands of entries because it's a fun pose. The other photo is safer, more traditional, but a little plain (but her hair looks nice). She's adorable either way, but I'm still torn, so I let Hayden have the deciding vote, and she picked #10. Results will be announced after October 31st, according to the website. In the meantime, Hayden keeps telling people, "I might be in a magazine!" Keep your fingers crossed! ***

I got an e-mail message from Kodak this week saying that Johnson's Baby Shampoo is having a "Beautiful Hair Photo Contest", ending July 31st. The child in the picture has to be 2-5 years old, so my youngest is the only one in our family who is eligible to participate. Here are a few of the pictures I've taken of her recently. Please vote for your favorite, so I can submit her entry in time!

The judging criteria are:

• 40% - appropriateness of photograph to the theme of beautiful, healthy hair
• 25% - attractiveness of hairstyle
• 20% - expressiveness of child in the photograph
• 15% - photograph’s illustration of child in a wholesome way in a safe environment

So, cast your vote in the comments section and help me decide which photo to send in!

8.

10.

5 years ago today

These photos of Hayden were taken exactly five years apart. It's so amazing to see how much she's grown and learned in such a short time. Although, technically, she was never very "little" -- she was 9lbs. 9oz. at birth -- she is the littlest Burwick.

Hayden is so beautiful, and happy, and smart and funny. People constantly comment to me about how she just oozes cuteness all over the place; her laugh and sense of humor are extremely contagious; before her 5th birthday, she is a very good reader, and is even doing simple addition & subtraction; part of her sense of humor is mixed in with her amazing brightness, and that makes Hayden a very "clever" girl. (Not too long ago, she asked me what "clever" means, and I told her that it means you're smart and funny at the same time, or your brain can think of new and different ways to do things.)

Hayden loves her family, she loves her friends, and she loves Jesus. What more could an adoring Mommy ask for?

the birth of summer

Today we all worked together. We got our swimsuits on (and sunblock!), brought up the lifejackets from the basement, and rearranged the garage , moved the cars, and swept out the leaves.

I watched my husband and father-in-law pull the boat out of its winter home in the garage, and as it emerged from the shadow of our house into the morning sunlight, I was struck with the thought that this is really the "birth" of summer.

Other recent images I've captured that remind me that it's my favorite time of year:

...blowing bubbles

... the Big Green Egg

... my circle of friends

... kool-aid moustaches

... barefoot little girls in sundresses & pigtails

Happy Summer, y'all!

stewart's favorite

Last spring break when we took a vacation with our friends, Stewart nicknamed our kids "Red One," "Red Two," and - you guessed it - "Red Three." Every time we would do a head count at a restaurant or Universal Studios, he would call them by their new nicknames. They adore him, and they loved the nicknames so much that they have stuck for all this time.

Fast forward nearly a year, and we were traveling back to Georgia from Arizona this weekend. The kids knew that Stewart was coming to pick us up at the airport. So, as we're walking to Baggage Claim, Hayden asks, "Mom, do you know what kind of red is Stewart's favorite?" Caught off-guard by her question, and having no clue as to which direction this conversation was headed, I replied, "No. What?"

She looked me straight in the eye and said, "Three." It's really true - that little girl has "Big Stew" wrapped around her little finger. It's just cute that she knows it, I think.

lucky cheek

You guessed it ... Hayden has cracked me up again. (It's her job, and she does it very well.)

This past weekend, she was horsing around on the big area rug in our family room, and she did a total faceplant. She was a little shaken up by it, and came running over to me as she started to cry. I asked, "What happened, Hayden?" Through tears, she replied, "I hurt my lucky cheek!" Poor baby. Those cheeks are her trademark, you know. We should probably have an insurance policy covering her cheeks.

my little thinker

My 4-year-old daughter Hayden is starting to sound out words and read. She's been doing the first level of Hooked on Phonics (just for fun), and now knows all of her letter sounds as well as a few sight words. This morning at breakfast, her brother and sister were quizzing her about the beginning sounds of different words.

"What does plate start with?" "P!"
"What does breakfast start with?" "B!"
"What does apple start with?" "A!"
"What does spoon start with?" "S!"

After the quizzing subsided and Hayden started eating her pop tart again, she blurted out, "Hey Mom, 'W' starts with 'D'!" (Why yes, honey, it sure sounds like it does!) She also pointed out that the letter "Y" begins with "W." (Hmmm...)

Intrigued by her phonetic line of thinking, I asked her what the letter "C" started with. Of course, she said "S." Then she started trying to sound out other letters, and she told me that "F" and "S" both start with the letter "E." (So do "L" and "M" and "N," I guess...)

And apparently "G" starts with "J". And "H" starts with "A". And "Q" starts with "K".

Don't you just love the English language through the eyes of a 4-year-old?! I do!

the difference between boys and girls

All of my kids have heard me tell the story of how I thought I was having a girl when I was pregnant with my son Nathon. For some reason, Hayden (who is 4) brought this up on Saturday as we were driving somewhere. She said, "Mom, remember how you thought Nathon was a girl and then he came out of your tummy and you looked down and saw the blue clothes?" OK...

And then she went on to talk about her sister Kirstyn coming out of my tummy wearing pink clothes. Chuckling, I asked her what color her clothes were when she was born, and she answered in her silly voice, "Um, I think mine were purple." Not sure what that means...but I just thought it was funny that she picked pink for Kirstyn and purple for herself, because Hayden's favorite color is pink, and Kirstyn's is purple.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt - Youth

This picture of my daughter, in all her glorious silliness, is the epitome of youth. She's all about having fun - and entertaining the rest of us. I can't even imagine what we would do without her?! And to think, there was a brief time when we weren't sure we wanted a third child...

Thirteen Things about KELLEY'S KIDS 1. (Let's just get the obvious one out of the way.) All three of them have bright orange hair and brown eyes. If you need proof, click on my photo page. We can't go anywhere without some stranger commenting on their beautiful hair. 2. Nathon is my #1 son; he's 10-1/2. I can't believe he's going to turn 11 in August. Yikes! 3. I can fit my (women's size 10) feet into Nathon's new running shoes. He's going to be tall and skinny with big feet! 4. Nathon is a great swimmer. He amazes me by learning all of the strokes and racing with other kids his age. It makes me so proud to see him do well in competition. 5. Nathon likes just about everything he tries - making friends, video games & movies, reading, kneeboarding, drama, music, sports, science, math, etc. He puts his whole self into his endeavors (as long as it's his idea). 6. Kirstyn Alise is my middle child. She is 5-1/2. She's the delicate one. If she gets hurt, it's a big deal, and usually requires an ice-pack and/or a girly band-aid. 7. Kirstyn is very sensitive about family and friends. Relationships are everything to her. If someone isn't here, she misses them. If someone shows Kirstyn love or approval, she lights up. If plans change, it's usually hard for her to accept. 8. Kirstyn has a cheetah room in our new house. Wallpaper border, curtains, beanbag, throw pillows, picture frames... 9. Kirstyn has picked up reading and writing so quickly this year. She has a notebook that she writes in constantly - when she's watching tv, or in the car, or just for fun. She breezed through a stack of 110 sight word flash cards the other day. 10. Hayden Beth is my baby. She's 3-1/2. She's our entertainer. 11. Hayden has always been super-smart for her age. Knew all her colors before age 2 - even the obscure ones like pink and brown. Even now, she already knows all the letter sounds and recognizes numbers beyond 1-10. Hayden has always tried so hard to keep up with her brother and sister. She can do anything the big kids do. 12. Hayden is hilarious! She says the funniest things. Like the time she was singing a song she must have learned in Sunday school - "Who built the Ark? No one, no one..." - or see any number of my previous posts for more Hayden quips and stories. 13. Hayden has a Strawberry Shortcake room in our new house, but she refuses to try to eat a real strawberry. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Julie (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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"baby" + "sheep" = ???

Just for fun, I was doing those preschool & kindergarten Brain Quest flash cards with the girls this morning during our school time. They're so smart. They were kind of competing to be the first to answer each question. And if they don't know an answer, they're pretty quick to make one up.

I asked Hayden, "What do you call a baby sheep?" Without hesitation, she exclaimed, "a BEEP!" Oh, my goodness...I haven't laughed that hard in months!

(Makes sense, though, if you think about it -- or maybe it just speaks to the technologically advanced world she's growing up in...)