Desktop photos

Today's photo was one of A. back in August of 2006. She had just turned 7 the month before. :) She's holding Wild Triangle, who was sick and dying in this picture. He died later in the evening.  Sad day for the kiddos.

Free Reading

I've been lax about blogging and lax about my kids free reads.  Our curriculum is already so dense in literature, wonderful great works of literature, that it's easy to let the free reads slide. I'm trying to be better about that. :)

Here's what we're reading for "free reading" time. Free reading are books that don't require any thing other than the kids read them. No narrations and only discuss if they feel led. You'd think they'd jump at their free reading time. LOL

I picked one book from each of the four kids free read selections and have been working our way through them, very slowly. My goal was one chapter a day, every day. That hasn't happened for a variety of reasons. Since I'm reading them out loud to everyone, some days "everyone" is not here. Other days I'm just plum tired of reading out loud! Since I'm typing this out here for the world to see (or the three that read my blog ;) ), I'm thinking I'll be more accountable to actually reading through these books and finishing them before they all graduate from highschool. Since my youngest just turned three, chances are I'll exceed that goal.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain. This is actually a book from E's list last year. *sigh* Work in progress.  Bonus, that means it's a free read from A's list this year! See how easy that worked out. :D

The Winged Watchman by Hilda Van Stockum - Again, a book from A's list last year. I think we only have one chapter left! What's wrong with me. I've been waiting to find out what happens for about six months now! LOL

Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - We're about on chapter 3, maybe 4. A long way to go yet.

We did actually recently finish one of the free reading books for my 8 year old, Alice in Wonderland! Yay! :)  Now we are on to, The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major - I read this to my girls 5 years ago. I remember thinking at the time what a great book this is and how every boy should have a chance to hear it. I'm having so much fun reading this to my 8 year old, he loves every word and is disappointed when we come to the end of a chapter. My girls are enjoying hearing it read to them again.

The free reads my kids are enjoying on their own:
E. , 14 - The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton
A., 12 - Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight (Burton Raffel's version is what we have. Although, I did see a J.R.R. Tolkein version that I bet is really good as well)
R., 10 - Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge
S. 8 - Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

My girls are also involved in a couple of bookclubs. The two oldest are reading Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan and all three are reading Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop
There you have it! I've written it out so you all can keep me accountable!  I think I'll go finish The Winged Watchman now. :)

What's on your free reading list?

Desktop photos

My daughter likes to change my desktop photo on a fairly regular basis. I never know when she's going to do it, I'm just pleasantly surprised when a new photo pops up.  They are usually older photos that I've forgotten about.  This is what greeted me this evening when I got on my computer. :)

My sweet J. was three in this photo. He'll be turning six one week from today. Life is moving oh so fast.