Home is where you start from: Usta!!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Usta!!

I am giving myself a headache deciding on a new phonics program for our new K student.

It's official, I am finally free-ing myself of the last remnants of my Abeka curriculum habit.

It's official, because I offered my books to my S-I-L to use with her kids.

It's official, because now I have to pick something else to use to teach Amie to read.

It's an official headache, because days after I decided on using Phonics Pathways...(it's simple, it's all contained in one book..what's not to like?...) I went to parkday today and had the chance to look over a Sing, Spell, Read & Write kit. Once I got over my fear of the million pieces, I kind of liked it. And Amie really liked it. (sorry, no links, I am on my mac tonight!...)

Homeschool bloggy friends, any suggestions? Anyone use this? Should I stick with simple?

On the bathroom remodel front-

we went today and ordered a new bathtub. A new, whirlpool bathtub...woo-hoo!!

We live in an old house, a tub such as this has been un-imagined in this sort of house. I am so glad that Sky kept all the measurements and specifications in hand, because I could not keep track of it all.

And the poor guy at the home improvement store..he was very patient and professional, as we gawked/ um, looked through the catalogs and tried to figure out what we want/need.

He wrote us all up, told us what all we needed to add to it like drains, pump package, etc...itemized all the prices like we asked, wrote it all down for us, figured out the tax
- and then sweetly did it all again.
Because, In 2 seconds, I picked up a catalog-looked at the cover, and said "Honey, I really like this here.." and hubby looked and agreed, and we had to change out how many sides it had, what kind of tile lip it had/did not have..etc. We then switched to a different model, discussed sides/lips...then switched back to our original choice without lips.

utsa!! (isn't that" lips" in Polish??) I know he thought we were alittle crazy when we began singing the veggie tales "I love my lips" song...

We did order the tub, hopefully it will arrive with the correct rights and lefts...

Next we have to pick out tile. The home improvement guy is going to cry when he sees us back.

Labels: home design, homeschool, Jen's world

posted at 1:19 AM
11 comments

11 Comments:

At 5:23 AM, Anonymous said...: I don't use standard curriculum so I wouldn't know. I have friends who use both and others who use Bob Jones. We use Scrabble, Boggle, (use the letters to practice making words and play games with them) and $1 phonics workbooks and that works for us. I do have one Site word book I love from a teacher made resource company (I can't remember the company right now but they are wonderful--and cheap.)In other words, I can't help you. :) The kids and I don't like being stuck with one thing and like a lot of variety in our school day--so we switch around to what they need at the moment.
At 7:02 AM, Mrs. Darling said...: I havent used that precisely so I dont know either. I am moving to abeka while youre moving away! LOl
Hubby wants Tink in school in another couple years and all the private schools around here use Abeka so I figured I better gravitate toward that. Of course, I still use other stuff. I'll probably never use exclusively one curriculum.
At 12:40 PM, Heather said...: I am in the same boat. I was looking at what I had for phonics, and it's just not going to work, so I am trying to find one. I am leaning towards this: http://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl.php?sid=1186515471-116018&id=029476
It's called Astronauts to Zippers, and it looks like fun. The link is for Rainbow Resource's review, but they have their own website as well. HTH!

Heather
At 6:20 PM, Anonymous said...: American Language Series is a great curriculum. The readers match the phonics taught. For instance you learn about one vowel words and the first reader Fun in the Sun is on one vowel words. The readers progress to soft e , blends and so on. There are six readers and four workbooks. Two work books are on vocabulary and writing and the other two are on Phonics. They have a Teachers guide on CD. I believe there are 144 lessons. ALS offers a math program which I believe is Horizons but you can chose whatever math curriculum suits you.
Jill
At 9:24 PM, At A Hen's Pace said...: I vote for simple. I've used Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for 4 kids now and will be starting with my soon-to-be 5 year old this fall.

Someone gave me an old version of SSR&W--it had 45's vs. tapes! but was essentially the same program it has always been. I used a few of the readers out of it with my first two, but didn't touch it with my next two. I had bought the workbooks and everything but it was just--too--busy. 100 Easy Lessons was comprehensive and so much simpler. We just supplemented with Bob Books and Easy Readers once they could read them.

Just my .02--since you asked!

Jeanne
At 9:53 PM, Anonymous said...: We did 100 EZ lessons also. It was, umm, EZ.

So I'm dying to know...with the floors ripped up, did the smell go away?
At 12:45 AM, Amy said...: I can't believe will all the comments you already have on this post and not a-one of them drooling over your new whirlpool tub! I am officially so jealous. I want a big tub. I want jets. Sigh. Maybe some day when we actually own a house.

Good luck on your curriculum decisions. I still have a couple of years before I really need to make any of these decisions. So far, my daughter knows "B" and she learned that without any help from me!
At 5:57 AM, Lisa~ said...: Im cracking up! What is it with vegie tale songs and life moments?! Those songs are ethced into the brain hu? hehehe What a hoot!

How fun, a new tub! A new bath room, even funner! *Ü* will you post pictures when done?

We built our home 1 year ago and I opted to not have a tub.... non of any kind in the master bath.... some days... I wish I had one!

Lisawa
At 9:12 AM, Tricia said...: We did a complete Kitchen remodel as well as new carpet\tile throughout, when we bought this house 5 years ago.

By the time we were done, we had been banned from Home Depot and Lowes. There were photos of us up at the front of the store with the red circle and line thorough it! I'm just kidding of course, but I am pretty I saw the guy tear up the last time we came in. :o)

And I refuse to comment on your new tub because God tells me not to covet. But I do hope you enjoy it.

As for the reading...we used Reading Made Easy.

My advice? If you already have Phonics Pathways, try it. If none of you like it you can always switch to SSRW later.
At 1:22 AM, Hen Jen said...: goodness, where to start with the replies?

Heather- it took me a moment to notice that you are not Heather from Graced by Christ,but another Heather- glad you stopped by and I was over at your blog to visit, I like your homeschool room pics!

Jill- so glad you left a comment! Jill is actually a real-life friend...is it weird that I have so many 'imaginary' internet friends??

Hen,
I'm back to easy with the phonics, I must have been suffering from delusions or something ...

OC mom- (another real friend! I have 2!!!) yes, the stink is gone, the day after I posted, our insurance company sent out a water damage crew and they dried out the floor with dryers and check for mold (none, thank goodness!) and then spayed some magic stuff to kill bacteria..which was the problem with the smell) smell was gone. yeah! I don't like bad smells. Demolition has begun, I will post photos.

Tricia, Amy and Lisa- the tub is not real grand, it has to also work as a shower and so cannot be too deep or big, I'll post more about that later and have pics!
At 12:12 PM, Cyndi said...: Usta!!

Oh, I had forgotten that song, but it all came flooding back when I read the title of your post, LOL!!

Wow, you DO have a lot going on! We loved Phonics Pathways. Simple, easy to grab and take in the car if you're going to be sitting somewhere while older sibling is at a sports practice, or whatever. If memory serves, we painted a popsicle stick with green glitter glue and (once it dried, of course) that was our "light saber" that we used to point and follow the words/sounds across the page. I'm sure for a girl, it could be a pink, glittery magic wand, or whatever.

May the force be with you.

:)

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