Second Week of Summer School...

Week Two of Summer School focused on Mapping Skills. Here is the week...summed up in pictures...

We did worksheets, played games, and mastered vocabulary words that pertained to cartography...

We made our own treasure boxes, put treasures in them and hid them somewhere in the house. Then we drew maps to our treasures. I took the maps...shuffled them up, and passed them out again so each kid could find someone else's treasure...

We made Sugar Cookies with frosting and drew compass roses on the, had a treasure hunt for all the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies and made those, and assembled a "Pirate Trail Mix"...

 We spent Tuesday at Ft. Lauderdale beach with many, many friends...went to see Ramona and Beezus at the dollar theater on Wednesday...and on Friday, we took part in Mayors Kids Day, and enjoyed driving around town and picking up all the free and discounted activities there were to do, such as free frappuccinos at Starbucks, free tokens at Chuck E. Cheese, and lunch with the Mayor (as well as a rousing trivia game where both Brigham and Savannah were chosen to play).

All that on top of normal scholastic activities, trips to the library, and almost daily trips to the pool!! It was another busy school week in the jungle!!

(to see the lesson plans...visit Summer School Safari)

Next week is a week off from school, as daddy is off for vacation, and Joseph is away at Boy Scout camp. So the kids and I will get to hang out and chill out and get ready for the NEXT week, where we actually start exploring some countries...starting with Ireland!!

See ya then, fellow Summer Travellers!!

First Week of Summer School...

The first week of summer school...in images:

We made giant paper-maiche globes...

We invented our own imaginary countries...

We cooked Rice Krispie globes, pizza, homemade ice cream, and brownies...

And we went to the library, to Ski Rixen, and to the pool each and every day...

And that's on top of actual handwriting, vocabulary, math, science, reading, and history lessons.

What a week!! Can't wait for all new fun NEXT week!!

Josephs 13th Birthday

Since this year is a "Family Outing" year vs. a "Birthday Party" year...we took off on a journey to celebrate Joseph turning THIRTEEN!!! (I still can't wrap my mind around it).

He has really been wanting to try "Ski Rixen"...and cable-pulled ski experience in Deerfield Beach. He's been wanting to do it for a few years, but you have to be at least 12 years old...so now was the PERFECT time try it. Best of all...Joseph got to go with his Dad...while the kids and I watched and picnicked from the dock...

Joseph started on a kneeboard, while Dad rode a wakeboard.

Okay, bud...here you go...HOLD ON!!!

And he's OFF!! Without a hitch!! What a natural!!

Of course, there were a few wipe-outs...Joseph had a hard time negotiating the first turn. It'll take some practice...I think Jason had to ride the cable 4 or 5 times before he mastered that first turn...but once he did, the other turns were conquered much more quickly and now he takes the whole course 3 or 4 times.

It won't be long until Joseph is right up there with him...he had such a good time that I'm sure we'll be back several times this summer as he works on mastering this new-found love!!

After skiing a couple hours, we had a great picnic lunch and then opened presents...

Joseph got several new books (he really needs something new to read...he has been just TEARING through books), and a new cell phone!! Hurray!!!

At the end of the day, we headed over to one of Jasons managers house to have dinner with their family, and the kids got a chance to go swimming again. They have 5 kids, and WE have 5 kids...so it was a rambunctious, busy, and very LOUD evening!! (Just the way we like 'em!!)

With a couple beautiful ice cream cakes and pretty sparkler candles, the day and evening was made complete!!

Here's wishing for a great 13th year for my wonderful, beautiful, fun-loving, and geek-y (in a loving, adorable way) son...

I love you!!! Happy Birthday!!!

Summer School Kick-Off 2011!!

It's time for the annual Johnson Family Summer School!! 

I'm really excited AND trepidacious about Summer School this year...and I'll tell you why...

This year Summer School was a challenge because all my children are getting so much bigger…and the cutie little “Gospel-themed” lessons just won’t cut it anymore.  Nicolette will probably still enjoy counting goldfish and learning about pioneers…but the other kids have gotten older, and have this “been there – done that” mentality. I wanted to be able to challenge everyone…but I’m not qualified to teach higher math and science concepts.  I also wanted it to be fun and engaging…for the older kids AND the littles.

Not only that, but we have the additional challenge of a dwindling budget…meaning that I can’t spend a lot of money on supplies and field trips. I have to meet everyone’s needs AND do it economically. That means walking to the pool and library, and doing more activities at home.

Finally, I wanted to shorten our lesson time. In past summers, we sometimes worked all day…but this year, I wanted to be done by lunch. That means that I couldn’t have all these grand activities planned…everything had to be short and sweet.

I am pretty daunted by the task.

I decided the easiest way to solve my dilemma was to pick a subject we could study all summer long that everyone loved. 

I settled on “Geography”. Our family loves to travel, but we have never been able to take big family vacations. Geography seemed like an easy theme to work with that I could adjust to fit the many different learning levels and attitudes in our home. I would have the first couple weeks be about actual geography, and then focus on a different country every week after that, skipping the week Jason is on vacation.

Each child will have a “travel binder” with dividers in it. We can keep our work and progress in the binders.

I also wanted to have a “mascot”…someone that would “help” our studies all summer long…I really wanted a parrot, and I wanted to name him “Rio”. But then a movie came out about a parrot with the same name, so I decided against it, and instead used a giant stuffed monkey that I already had hiding in my closet. I named him “Columbus”…

It's true that many things will be below Josephs level...but I am hoping he will step in and take a more "leadership role"...helping the little kids complete their tasks. I do have activities that are geared more for the older kids, but what I really want is for Joseph to be a "teachers aide". I will also be working with him on several merit badges this summer...so that will DEFINITELY keep him busy if he needs a little extra boost.

Kaitlyn has her own on-line courses this year, a new part-time job, summer activities to get ready for the new school year (like choir practice), AND has her non-profit to work with...plus she's taking off 3 weeks to visit her Dad in California...so although she'll participate and help with the lessons, she's really going to have her own stuff to do.

So anyway...this is my plan. I post the lessons on the "Summer School Safari" part of my blog. They won't update automatically onto Facebook, or if you're on the e-mail list, they won't automatically e-mail to you...so you'll have to actually go on the blog page, and under the title click the "Summer School Safari" link, and then it will take you to the lessons.

I make sure to list the links where I pulled and adapted ideas, so if someone else is interested in what I do and where I got the inspiration, they can go to the source. It's also because a lot of these ideas are NOT mine...they are created by other people...far more talented people who I am sure want some credit for their very hard work. Therefore...if I have borrowed an idea...or even if I've used an idea as a platform from which to jump and spin my own little lesson...I include the link.

Here's to a successful and fun Summer School in 2011!!!

Savannah Smiles

This cannot be happening.

Wasn't I writing and balling all over the computer about Josephs 5th grade graduation...like, YESTERDAY?

Didn't that JUST happen?

So how is it possible that Savannah is now graduating 5th grade, and preparing to enter middle school? It really CANNOT be right...it just CAN'T!!!

STOP FATHER TIME!!

Stop stealing my children from me!! Stop letting them grow up!!

It's so conflicting...there are times where I WANT them to grow...to become more independent...and then when they actually DO it...all I can do is whine and moan that they are no longer little and curled on my lap.

Savannahs 5th Grade Graduation ceremony was very nice, from the tasteful decorations to the fast-moving program...

Look how excited she is...in a pretty new dress, with new shoes and coordinating clutch...just like a big girl...

(sniff, sniff)...

There are about 120 graduating fifth graders from her elementary school...

...and she accepted her certificate from the Mayor of our city, Mayor Frank Ortiz. She looks so grown-up!!

(where's a tissue?)

She's getting taller, too! Soon she'll be as big as me, and borrowing my heels, and...and...who IS this big girl? With the beautiful green eyes and little bit of lip gloss? What did she do with my chubby little blonde baby? The only thing she still has is that smile...that sweet Savannah Smile that has made my life brighter every day since she was born!!

Okay!!

That's it.

I tried...I really did...

...but I can't help it. It's time for a big 'ol reminisce...queue the sweet and sad music...it's gonna be weep-y...

My sweet Savannah was born in late August. She weighed a lucky 7 pounds, 7 ounces. An easy pregnancy, a quick and easy birth, and she was an easy baby...hardly ever cried...enjoyed her nap time...and was a Daddys girl FROM THE START...

Look how YOUNG Jason is in this picture!! (Sorry for the glare...my scanner doesn't work so I had to take pictures of pictures...and this is the best I could get...)

Savannah was always happy...always sweet...

I still can't get over how young Jason looks...

Savannah was an absolutely beautiful child, with golden ringlets and a chubby little angelic face that just lit up when she smiled...which was all the time. Everyone gravitated towards her...from little children who wanted to be her friend to little old ladies who wanted to pinch her cheeks and stroke her curls...

Oh my...I remember these days...three little's all under my feet all day long...

I remember how mad Jason got at me for putting that temporary tattoo on her belly that read "Sweet"...he accused me of trying to turn her into Britney Spears (at three years old!!)...

Oh my oh my...these were my favorites...taken by my friend Courtney Milius. Darn that glare...she's so cute!!

And here's where it started...Savannah in kindergarten. From this point I haven't been able to stop her...she just grew and grew and grew...sweet and lovely the whole way...always trying to be the peace-maker, the sunshine, momma's little helper.

It's only been recently that she's started to show a little bit of attitude...I guess trying to be "all grown up"...

I can't complain, though...because underneath her little bursts of independence, she's still my darling little Savannah...

...and there's still nothing that beats a Savannah Smile...

Memorial Day Fun!!

This past Memorial Day, we did something we never do...we went to the beach.

As you know, we are BIG TIME beach fans...but we tend to stay clear of days and times that the beaches are crowded...preferring them to empty and all "ours".

But we decided to break tradition and head up to John U. Lloyd State Beach in Ft. Lauderdale. Jason (miraculously) had the day off, and we thought it would be a fun family day. We figured if we went early enough, we could beat the crowds.

John U. Lloyd is typically a very empty and quiet beach...and we arrived shortly after the gates opened, but there were already several families there (and some had even started grilling!!). Still...it wasn't AWFUL...so we decided to stick it out...claim some sand, and have some fun.

The red and purple flags were up, so we had the kids stay in water that was only waist deep...and they really had a blast playing in the waves, which are an extremely rare treat in our neck of the woods.

That is, if you can call 2 foot swells "waves"...

When they got tired of rolling and tumbling and being dragged around by the undertow, they constructed oversized sand forts and in honor of Memorial Day, they had a "war"...

All the while, Dad and I "observed". We were asked a couple times to go out in the water, but frankly, we were very content to lounge in our chairs and watch our kids have a good time.

We stayed a couple hours...leaving when the kids got hungry (because SOMEONE forgot to load the cooler...no names, but he looks really hot in Aviators, so I forgave him), and by time we left, there was a line at the beach gate that stretched on for almost three miles...even up to the freeway off ramp.

WHEW!!

I'd say our timing was just right.

The rest of the day was spent watching patriotic movies, grilling brats and burgers, and playing a couple rousing games of SCUM...

...it was a perfect, wonderful, relaxing day.