Online learning games

In Doodle and Roo's workbox drawers each day- one of their drawers has "Computer time" written on a card for them to do. Pam usually has some fun math game for them to play, and I have a few other websites I rotate between- and I thought I'd share some of our favorite online learning games. (ha! This also puts all my links where I can find them when I forget where that fun game was!)

First off- Ones Roo likes-
Starfall.com is one of my favorites, it's a complete reading program, lots of games, books to read, alphabet games
Fun4theBrain has a bunch of fun games- along the top click addition, Roo especially likes the Monster dentistry (he answers 10 add problems then gets to clean the germs off the monster's teeth) silly- but he likes it. Another favorite is under English at the top- there is a popcorn words game that works on sight words.
BBC has lots of fun and simple games
Sight words with Samson is a simple sight word game, it goes through 4 steps- learning, the spelling of the word, identifying, quizzing, and a fun ocean themed game of recognizing the word
UEN has links to other games that are helpful (a lot of them are pbs games)

Doodle's websites-
Multiplication.com - Melinda over at Homeschooling a Houseful introduced me to this site- and it's perfect for Doodle who is just starting learning multiplication this year in math
Academic Skill builders is another great site with math games for multiplicaiton, as well as addition. They also have a few English games that are fun.
Dance Mat Typing- is SUPER for learning to type correctly. Doodle has just started working on this game- but it goes through all of the keys on the letters on the keyboard. I don't think it does the numbers.
A few others that Pam has assigned Doodle to play games on are mathplayground.com and coolmath4kids

Bug uses many of these sites along with bigiqkids (just the free version works great for us)

Fishing and Leaves

We had a great weekend! Saturday we decided to go fishing at a local Reservoir, It was a beautiful day- and we caught a bunch of fish too.

Doodle playing in the float tube Pam and Roo catching a fish

Ben took Doodle for a ride on the back of the pontoon boat

Roo and Bug playing in the float tube

Skipping rocks

Roo- building rock castles

Doodle had a kite that he got from Cub Scouts- so he and Bug were flying it. (until it crashed into a tree!)

Roo's turn on the pontoon

Sunday after church we went for a drive up the canyon to see the beautiful leaves changing color. The fall colors were just beginning to show. So we're going to have to head up there one more time this fall.We drove to Old Ephraim's grave (the same place we hiked to earlier this summer) and had cake for dessert. Doodle and Roo at the Stone that marks Old Ephraim's grave.

Doodle's Baptism

Doodle has been anxiously counting the days since he turned 8 until it would be his baptism day. The day finally arrived. Doodle was Baptised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints today. It was a wonderful day as Ben was able to baptize Doodle. I am so thankful for a wonderful husband who holds and honors the priesthood, and was able to perform this sacred ordinance. I am so grateful for the Gospel in my life, for the direction it gives me. I'm proud of Doodle and for the decision he made to be baptised, which is the first step in Following in Christ's footsteps. For making the covenant with the Lord to Always Remember him, and to Keep his commandments. I am so thankful for a wonderful and supportive family. We love you sweetie!

We are loving astronomy

Or as Roo calls it "Pastromomy" For a bit of extra sicence fun we are using Apologia Astronomy We finished the first chapter this week- and made our model of the solar system. The distances to the sun are not right- and the sun should be Bigger- but we had a fun time with it.

Boy- some of those planets were tiny! The boys keep asking "When can we pop the balloons?" I told them after we study about each planet, they can pop it. Luckily The Sun is the next chapter.

Doodle tying a string onto Jupiter

Doodle is 8!

We were on vacation at the cabin when Doodle had his birthday- but I'll not skip posting about my boy- even if it is a bit late- so here's a few reminiscing photos of Doodle- (I still can't believe he's 8!) It's SO hard to find good pics of Doodle- Here's one I took to put on his Baptism invitations-
Doodle is....well Doodle is Doodle! He IS who he IS, and there's no changing his mind. He is a leader, and likes to have people follow him. He especially loves playing with his younger cousins- because they do just that- look up to him and follow him. He is a goer, a mover and a shaker, he's not one to let life pass him by. He is always on-the-go and loves to move, go places and do things.

Big brother Bug, and Doodle just after he first came to us.

The Adoption Day! :DDoodle LOVES being outside- camping, hiking, fishing, exploring, This is what pictures of Doodle *usually* look like- The Back of his HEAD! (unless it's blurry because he was running!)
Doodle and I building a sand castle. Doodle- We love you! And are so blessed to have you in our familiy!

We didn't drop off the edge of the earth...

But we did climb to the top of the world! At least that's where we told Roo we were driving to- We went for a Sunday Drive yesterday- and drove to the top of Willard Peak- WOW!! In Roo's words "This is amazing!" It was stormy- so we couldn't see the valley very well- but we could see the clouds-

Here's what the sign said- lol- not sure about that lower case i in POiNT - A view on our way back down the mountain. I LOVE the mountains...(how does that old camp song go? something about mountians and rolling hills, flowers and daffodils)

Lovin the Zoo

On Friday we went to the zoo for a fum family outing. Pam went with us- and we met Amber and Tim and their boys W and L, and also Raellen (Ben's brother Bill's wife) and her 3 girls, K, C and A.

Walking up the hill in the HEAT! It was a hot day!

The ostrich were HUGE!

There is a new baby elephant- it was SO cute!

K, C, Doodle, L and A watching the elephants. Cousin K and Bug- these 2 are like 2 peas in a pod- both obsessed with Harry Potter and both have crazy imaginations. :D
The Iguana was COOL!Making the world sping backwards