Chicago

All Belle wanted for her birthday was an American Girl doll. I had thought a trip to Chicago's American Girl store would be fun some day and Nic thought we should go ahead and do it.

We headed up to Chicago on Sunday morning after church. The trip went surprisingly quick and we found our hotel pretty easily. We settled in and then head to the AG store because we had 5:30 reservations at the AG cafe. Our hotel was pretty centrally located and we didn't have to walk to far. The kids loved looking at everything, but I do NOT understand why they kept insisting on picking up trash out of the street. They were finding all sorts of things and picking them up. Super gross.

The second day we walked down to Navy Pier and rode on the ferris wheel. Ethan is quite the daredevil but he was not crazy for heights. He just said "I don't like this" and sat on Nic's lap. Afterwards we took a water taxi to the museum campus. We decided to wait an hour to get into Shedd Aquarium. And luckily we only paid for the cheap admission because both kids were getting cranky.

We walked SO much that day. We then walked from the museum to Millennium Park and then back to the hotel. The kids had fun playing in the fountain at Millennium Park, but it was swarming with people. Belle got in trouble because she kept running out of my view. Belle was upset because she had made friends and didn't understand why the other parents just let their kids run all around and she couldn't. Me and my sarcastic self responded by telling her that "their parents didn't love them as much". She then kept asking me the next week why some parents don't love their kids. ha ha.

We were all pretty wiped out after that second day. There is just so much to see and do in Chicago, we barely scratched the surface. Belle keeps saying that she'd love to go back although I'm pretty sure once was enough for Nic.

The kids first hotel experience. They were so excited!

Belle with Rosey

Belle making friends wherever she goes.

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American Girl Cafe. It was a fun experience but it was pretty expensive.

Ethan enjoyed just being there for the ride. Never complained that he wasn't getting anything since Belle was.

Navy Pier

Navy Pier Ferris Wheel

Water Taxi - This may have been their favorite part of the whole trip.

the bean

2012-2013 Curriculum

I need to blog our trip to Chicago as well as Belle's birthday, but in the meantime I am going to update our curriculum choices for next year. This post is mostly for me. I'd like to look back at the end of our school year and see what we actually ended up using versus what I had planned.

Ethan - Preschool !!!!
Heart of Dakota - Little Hands to Heaven (this includes Bible, Letters, Math, Art, and Science)

The Reading Lesson - Ethan has known his letters and their sounds since before he turned 3. We may (big emphasis on may) try to teach Ethan to read.

All About Reading Pre-level 1 - This is a pre reading curriculum. Mostly Letters, sounds, rhyming, and crafts. Got this because I love their All About Spelling and was curious to try their reading curriculum.

Handwriting - Need to find something or atleast buy a workbook

Belle - 1st Grade
Heart of Dakota - Beyond Little Hands to Heaven - a complete curriculum but we'll only use history, bible, science, and language.We'll slowly work our way through their suggested readers as well.


Progressive Phonics - free online phonic curriculum

Math-U-See Alpha - maybe supplement with Horizons only because I have it

All About Spelling - We'll finish up level 1 and start level 2

Zaner Bloser - Handwriting that she'll do along with her copywork that goes along with HOD.