Friday, September 18, 2009

Learning about Ancient Rome: Roman Numerals


by Rascal


Roman Numerals
from Ancient Rome (Modern Rhymes About Ancient Times)

Some letters led a double life.
They served as numbers, too.
They used a simple system -
The numerals were few.

For one you used the letter "I."
For five the letter "V."
"L" was fifty; "X" was ten.
One hundred was a "C."

The system had its problems though,
When numbers got too high.
And Romans weren't able
To divide or multiply.

Their numerals were useful
But it's very clear to me,
That we are served much better
By our numbers 1, 2, 3...


A few of the other resources we've used:

However, the boys have had the most fun with this online Roman Numerals Game!

26 Weeks...

... and growing FAST!!



"My senses are developing
as I practice looking and hearing each day.
At roughly nine inches long and almost two pounds,
there is less room for me to play."


~The Miracle of Me

Thursday, September 17, 2009

I is for Insects

CurrClicks Free Product for the week is:
FUNtastic Folders! I is for Insects

"A great supplement to your science, phonics, handwriting, and math curriculum! Just enough to keep little ones attention and easy enough for mom to do in one sitting!"

I just downloaded our copy.  This might be a nice resource to use with the Alphabet Path during "I" week!

Small Successes :: September 17, 2009



"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."


~ 1 ~

I finally hooked up the printer to this new iMac Computer.  I had been stalling (for nearly two months) since I thought I would need to try and find the installation disk that came with the printer.  In the meantime, every time I needed to print something I would put the file on a flash drive and open it on the old PC.  (Very time consuming...)  Well, it turns out that all I had to do was unplug the USB cord from the back of the PC and plug it into the Mac.  I opened a document to see and hit the print button, just to see if it might by chance work, and it printed... Just. Like. That!  lol!


Also, speaking about this wonderful Mac,  I installed MacGourmet Deluxe and I am LOVING it!!  I am still learning how to use all the features, but so far I have learned how to clip recipes from online to add to my library, create meal plans and shopping lists, sync it with iCal, and even build a cookbook!!!  This is going to be so much fun!




~ 2 ~

I was able to go out with four of my friends on Tuesday night to see Julie & Julia.   Afterwards, since Starbucks had just closed we went to Applebees and visited for another couple hours.   It was a very much needed break and I had a great time!   Now I really want to try and make Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon.


~ 3 ~

I think I may have mentioned that I'd been saving for a new white wooden crib for this baby?  Well, yesterday morning, after searching and searching online and not finding exactly what I was wanting (at an affordable price), I decided to take my friends advice and check out Craigslist.   Can you believe that a beautiful white "Serenity" crib made by Baby's Dream had JUST been posted and that it was only FIVE minutes from my house?!  (Especially, considering that I drive 20-30 minutes to get anywhere!)  She had purchased it 2 years ago from a specialty boutique about 45 minutes away for $500.  It does have a few minor scratches, but I still LOVE it and it is going to look so cute with the crib bedding I picked out for this baby. 

I do have it set up already, but I'll wait to take a picture till I have all the bedding... In the meantime, here is a picture from Baby's Dream.  Just try and picture it painted white with pastel sage and rosy pink bedding.  



What are your Small Successes this week?

Stop by Faith and Family Live to read more of this week's Small Successes.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

A Gift for the Baby


Earlier this afternoon, while I was busy trying to catch up on a little paperwork, I told the children to stay out of the hallway so that Captain could mop the floor, his chore for today.  Snuggles was finally napping (after getting into even more mischief today!) and Chiquita was playing in her bedroom.  Rascal and Twinkle Toes decided to play in the boys' room.   A few minutes later, since I was just across the hall in the school room, I could hear Rascal and Twinkle Toes start to pray the rosary.  About 20 minutes later they finished, ALL BY THEMSELVES!!  It was so precious!

When they came out, I asked them what they had been doing and Rascal said, "We prayed a rosary for the new baby!  It was "Twinkle Toes" idea."   Twinkle Toes just smiled. 

No wonder this pregnancy is going so well!

Highlights from "D" Week


~ Letter Formation ~

Big "D" and little "d" out of Modeling Wax

Silly little girls! ;) 

They also worked on Signing "D" and Hidden Letter D


~ Double Daisy Fairy Coloring Pages ~

From this Coloring Book (while listening to this CD!)


~ Picture Book Science :: D is for Dinosaurs ~


I had a basket full of dinosaur books from both the library and our own collection.  However, I wasn't the one to read them. The boys really enjoyed reading them to the girls this week, which was nice!

Other dinosaur fun that we enjoyed:

Reading Rainbow: Buried Treasures (Digging up Dinosaurs)

Dinosaur Fact Files and Worksheets
Color by Number Dinosaur
Discovery Channel Dinosaur Page (My children especially enjoyed the games!)

Wee Sing Dinosaurs
How to Draw Dinosaurs And Prehistoric Life
Leap and the Lost Dinosaur (On Leap Pad)
and Megatoob- Dawn of the Dinos


~ Picture Study :: D is for Dance and Degas ~
Edgar Degas' Ballet Rehearsal on Stage

Practicing drawing dancers with the help of I Can Draw People!



~ D is for St. Dominic ~

An Alphabet of Catholic Saints and our painted Saint Dominic
Flower Fairies Alphabet and daisy out of Modeling Wax

Copy work (generated here)
using the poem found in An Alphabet of Catholic Saints

St. Dominic Coloring Page

We read about David in Letters from Heaven: An Illuminated Alphabet and colored this picture.

D is also for Divine Mercy,  so what a perfect week for our first Little Flowers Meeting of the year!!


~ D is for DePaola ~ 


At bedtime this week we read and/or compared pictures in lots of our Tomie DePaola Books:

The Night of Las Posadas
The Story of the Three Wise Kings
The Clown of God
The Legend of the Poinsettia
The Holy TwinsThe Parables of Jesus
The Miracles of Jesus
The Lady of Guadalupe
Christopher: The Holy Giant
Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi
The Knight and the Dragon
Mary: The Mother of Jesus


~D is for Draw Write Now ~

My children LOVE all the Draw Write Now books.  You can purchase them individually, however the Draw Write Now Boxed Set of all eight books is awesome.  The boys have been using these for a couple years now, but Twinkle Toes really started enjoying them this past week!

Now, if I could just figure out what to do with the hundreds of drawings I have piling up around here! ;)


~ D is for Dolls ~


Twinkle Toes' received The Flower Fairies Activity Book as a gift from her Godparents last year and we thought this was a perfect week to cut out the Flower Fairy Paper Dolls!  (The book also has lots of other fun activities too!) 


~ D is for Decoupage ~


I was so excited when I found a packet of Cecily Barkers Fairies, to Decoupage, at Michaels.  This was our first attempt and we had so much fun!


~ Serendipi-Tea time ~

D is for Decadent Donuts!

"D" week was Delicious!!!