Hi-Lights

Ellen at ellenfunlearning asked if I'd like to join in her Homeschool Hi-Lights.  If you've never seen Ellen's blog, you have to check it out.  She has the most ideas, at least in one spot.  Fun ideas.  If you are a relaxed homeschooler, or if you need a fun activity to go along with a study, just a break from the regular routine, or something good to fill some summer hours, be sure to go by Ellen's for inspiration.
I'm not sure I'm together enough to keep up with this weekly, but I'm excited to share with you today!  We happened to have had a great week last week, filled with quite a few hi-lights.  Here are a few.
~We're working on the American Revolution study (History Through the Ages).  Marissa enjoys history anyway, but this week was just fun.  One of the projects we made this week was a board game driving home the impact of the taxes the British govt. was imposing on the colonies.  She loved it~we played it 4 times, and it had it's desired effect.  She commented several times about how hard the taxes were on the colonists and how she could understand how they felt.
~About 2 weeks ago, the little girls found a caterpillar dangling from their fort.  They watched and photographed him over the next few days as he formed his chrysilis.  They've babied that little thing.   Saturday they went out to check, and the Red Spotted Purple butterfly had just emerged and was drying his wings.  They were proud mamas! 
~The taxes game I talked about required 2's and 3's multiplication.  My math hating daughter(!), who was doing well with it, had a reluctant "ah-ha" moment. LOL.  She said, "You know.  You're right.  Having your mulitiplication memorized does make things a lot easier.  I have to admit it."  (Said while hanging her head, saying it reluctantly, but yet with a smirk on her face.)
~My history & art loving, math hating, 10 year old daughter : )  has also never enjoyed writing.  Umm.. that's mild.  I stopped trying to make her write anything creative a long time ago.  All of our writing is done in lapbooks, AWANA book, and her own list making.  You cannot imagine my excitement this week as she has sat at the computer typing out a creative writing story all on her on; no prodding from me.  AND, it's quite good.  She's only shared excerpts with me so far, but they are really good~mature phrases that you can tell she has picked up from her reading. 
And, not necessarily a homeschooling highlight, but a highlight none the less, espcecially for Briana~

It's a 2005 Saturn Ion with only 30,000 miles.  She has been sharing Ashley's car, but since she will be going to college this fall, we wanted her to have a dependable, low mileage car.  She will be coming home many weekends.  I prayed the Lord would help us find just that, but much lower priced than everything we'd found so far, and if "possible" that he'd also give her one she really liked.  Not only did he meet the parents' needs and give her one she liked, it's the exact color she has been wishing for the last year. 

Letitia