Time4Learning Review

As promised, here is my Time4Learning review after using it for 1 month. The kids LOVE using this site and often beg for more time. The site has plenty of activities that make learning fun and progress at a consistent pace. Kaitlin feels comfortable in the 1st grade level and has made quite a lot of progress in reading, using the website and individual time with me. The first few levels are quite simple if you know your ABCs and their sounds, so I've actually started Kiersten in 1st grade for reading. It's a lot more challenging for her, but the pre-k & k levels were just too easy for her. We just have to repeat some lessons or make sure we emphasize those things in class. I like how she can move up or down a level, depending on the subject. The extra topics included in each level are fascinating for all of the kids. Even Dallin likes to watch the girls "play" on the computer. Because I have 4 kids and this is my first time homeschooling, I really appreciate having a fun, educational website for my kids to use while I learn how to structure school time and individually teach the others. While I wouldn't use it as the sole source for our curriculum, it is a great supplement. Overall, I've been very impressed with the site and how easy it is for the kids to use.

Sandringham Museum

In the old stable block and coach house, the Sandringham estate has designed a museum that chronicles the coaches and cars used by the royal family throughout the years. It also has a room full of big and small trophy game. At first, I took the girls through, thinking that Dallin would just get bored, but I was wrong! We ended up going through twice, and all of the kids enjoyed it.

This is one of the fire trucks that protected the estate grounds.

The cars had very plush interiors - I wouldn't mind riding around in one of these(:

These cars are housed in a room whose walls are covered with a continuous mural of the Royal hunting party. Even the back of the open door was painted, so that it wouldn't disrupt the scene.

This is the trophy room that the kids enjoyed so much. It was a little strange to have all of these heads mounted on walls, but the kids didn't seem to care. They quickly found their favorites. They did ask if the animals were watching them, because all of the fake eyes seem to look right at you /:

He looks like he's staring right at you, right?

These ivory tusks were intricately carved with great skill. I could not believe how much detail and depth they displayed.

Kiersten wanted to pose in front of the lions, but seems just a bit nervous about them staying put(:

The guide asked Kaitlin if she had any questions and she promptly asked if there were any leopards. Her school mascot last year was a leopard, so she was overjoyed that they had one in the museum.

Sandringham - The Queen's Country Estate

Last weekend, we drove about an hour north to Sandringham, the country home of Queen Elizabeth II. While the entire estate consists of 20,000 acres, Sandringham House is set on 60 beautifully landscaped acres. It is the personal property of the Royal Family, as opposed to the many other palaces and castles that are owned by the state. It has been in the family for 4 generations (since ~1862) and it is where the Royal Family spends Christmas each year. After walking the grounds, I can understand their love for the beautiful home and gardens.

The kids loved trying to use their maps to find the way. Dallin was quite adamant that we were going the wrong way, and pointed to his map to prove it(:

Isn't it just amazing! We walked several miles around the grounds and just couldn't get enough of it. The home, itself, was very pretty, but we weren't allowed to take pictures inside. The kids were mostly interested in the large collections of antique weaponry and armor, while Brandon asked the guides questions about politics and history.

Happy Baby Boy - 7.5 Months

Devin is an amazing baby. He is always calm and cheerful. He adores his brother and sisters, and they adore him in return. His pleasant demeanor has made this transition to England SO much easier. (These photos were taken in the beautiful Sandringham Forest, across the road from the Queen's country home.) We love you, buddy!

Time4Learning

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for a month in exchange for a candid review. Their online program can be used for homeschool, as an after school tutorial and forsummer learning. My opinion will be my own, so come back and read about my experience. You can write your own curriculum review, too!

Fish and Chips

I've heard about fish and chips, but never had this traditional English dish. I have to say that although I probably won't order it again, it was the largest serving of fish(cod) I've ever seen. It was bit greasy for my taste, but I'm glad that I tried it. (Chips=french fries, crisps=potato chips). We ate at the Bird in Hand Pub near one of the bases. It is quite family friendly with separate rooms for the bar and dining room. They also have outdoor dining. You order and pay at the bar, then they bring the food to you. No tip expected.

Some Scenic Views

Here are a few pics from our drives in the country. I haven't had my camera handy during a lot of drives, but I absolutely love the forest drives that open up to beautiful vistas. Most of the drive from our new home to base or church is through the forest or country.

Driving in the UK

So, I know that I've told many of you how nervous I was about driving here. I thought it would be because we drive on the left side of the road here, but really it is scary because the steering wheel in on the right side of the car and the roads are VERY narrow.

Now that we've been here a few weeks, I feel much more comfortable, but I still haven't ventured out driving without Brandon in the car with me. The roads don't seem quite as narrow, but I still don't really have a clue where things are. It's comforting having Brandon there to tell me which exit to take on the round-about and basically encourage me by telling me that I'm doing a good job(: Here is proof that I can drive our amazing rental car, a Toyota Picnic. It fits the whole family and can never get lost in parking lot (it's brighter than it looks in the picture).

Sherwood Forest - Robin Hood Festival

We went to the Robin Hood Festival in Sherwood Forest this last weekend. The kids were so excited to meet their hero, but I don't think it was quite what they expected. After we left, Kiersten asked us, "why wasn't Robin Hood dressed like a fox?" The only Robin Hood they've ever seen is the animated version(: We'll have to read the story of Robin Hood before next year's festival, so the kids know the other characters. The kids were a little nervous to pose next to Robin Hood, Maid Marian, and Friar Tuck, but eventually everyone except Dallin joined in.

There were jesters and jousting, music and target shooting. These jesters did a trick that wasn't all that different than what I've seen the guys do in the lab - Yes, that is a plastic glove on his head (:

The kids and I really had fun trying out bows and arrows. We all met with varying degrees of success, but I don't think the kids really understood that they were trying to hit something, so they were just happy when the arrow went somewhere/anywhere.
This is a statue of Robin Hood and Little John's first meeting and fight on the bridge.
Part of the festival centered around an amazing oak tree called "The Major Oak." It is so old and hollowed out that it has about a dozen supports holding it up. Per wikipedia: "According to local folklore, it was Robin Hood's shelter where he and his merry men slept. It weighs an estimated 23 tons, has a girth of 33 feet (10 metres), and is about 800–1000 years old."

There was a fun park, plenty of trails and trees for the kids to enjoy. The area is absolutely beautiful! We were also amazed at how many dogs people brought with them. We'd heard that the English love their dogs, but I had NO idea how much. I wish I'd taken a pic, but I will in the future. Our dogs are going to LOVE it here.

Cambridge

One of the best things about living in England is all of the amazing places to visit. One of our 1st weekends here, we decided to visit Cambridge. We drove down to the park and ride, then rode a double decker bus to the city center. I wish that I had a pic of the kids on the bus. They loved it so much that they cried when they had to get off, both times. They were lucky, though, because we missed our stop the first time and had to ride the bus back(:

I wish that we had taken time to do a little more research on Cambridge before we visited, because there were so many colleges and historical sites that we would have appreciated more had we known their history. However, we did get to do everything that we'd planned. We walked past several different colleges, but King's College, founded in 1441 by Henry VI, was one of the most impressive. It will be fascinating to go inside these buildings sometime.

Across the street from King's College is the Corpus Clock or Chronophage by John C. Taylor. Worth over 1 million pounds, it has a very unique design and meaning. Per Wikipedia: "The clock is entirely accurate only once every five minutes. The rest of the time, the pendulum may seem to catch or stop, and the lights may lag or, then, race to get ahead. According to Taylor, this erratic motion reflects life's "irregularity".

Conceived as a work of public art, the Chronophage reminds viewers in a dramatic way of the inevitable passing of time. Taylor deliberately designed it to be "terrifying": "Basically I view time as not on your side. He'll eat up every minute of your life, and as soon as one has gone he's salivating for the next." Others have described it as "hypnotically beautiful and deeply disturbing"."

Like I said....unique(:

We also had the chance to go to the Fitzwilliam Museum. It has the largest collection of relics from around the world in England, outside of London. We did a little treasure hunt provided by the museum that the girls really enjoyed. They would use a little fishing pole to catch a fish that held a clue to the next artifact for us to find. It took us all over the museum and through thousands of years of history. We can't wait to go back, especially after we learn about the different time periods in homeschool. Cambridge is only about 35 minutes from us, so it will be an easy weekend trip.

Last, but definitely not least, we went punting on the Cam. Brandon used a pole to push or punt a flat-bottomed boat on the river. The kids were a little nervous at first, but they soon overcame their fears and waved to passing punters, called to passing duck, and enjoyed seeing the backs of the colleges with their lawns and flowers. Brandon was a real trooper, since punting is not a easy as you may think and the kids moved around enough to make it difficult to keep his balance in the back of the punt. There were a ton of tourists from around the world on the Cam and we had plenty of pics taken of us. I think, that as a family with 4 small children, we were quite unique in their eyes.

Our New Home

So, we can't move into this beauty until around the 1st of September, but we are so excited. Although it is smaller than our last house, it has more rooms and has WAY more space than any other place we saw around here. It has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a study and a great backyard. We went back and looked at it again yesterday, and it made me so HAPPY. Maybe, it's because we're living in TLF right now and have been living out of suitcases for 2 months, but I really feel so blessed to have found this home. It's in a small hamlet, called Ickburgh. It's basically a one street + a few homes town. It's a beautiful drive to base and church and our house backs to fields and trees. It also has all of the amenities of a typical american home: dishwasher, washer, dryer, and an american-size fridge. Most homes don't have some or all of these things. It also has plenty of english character: no window or door screens, no a/c, and no mixer taps (except in the showers and kitchen). It does have a great fireplace and the kids love the mail slot in the front door.