Jan. 12, 2007 - The Letter F
The 10 Things I like, beginning with the letter F - Family, Friends, Faithfulness, Femininity, Fathers, Frappacinos, Fellowship, Flowers, Forgiveness, Fridays,
The 10 Things I dont like beginning with the letter F - Feet, Fees, Feng Shui, Flatulence, Flying, Folly, Frogs, Fruitcake, Fat, Flab
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jun. 14, 2006 - Just checking in!
Well, it certainly has been a while since I checked in on myself. I just dont know where time goes. Im kind of in a funk today. Perhaps weather related. Its been rainy although the sun did peak through for a brief spell earlier.
Well, the boys tested last week. We do the Woodcock-Johnson III. And every year, they test above grade average. So, now that this can be marked off of the to-do list. Im having a hard time "not doing school". So much time seems to be wasting away. Our church is having a fast this month from television which has been a little hard. We really dont watch much tv, so it hasnt been too painful. Im just missing the structured, quality time. Everyone seems to be doing their own thing. The oldest went to a friend's house yesterday and the other 2 are going to see a friend tomorrow. Im supposed to go to a friend's house this week. We have been friends for about 23 years. She started having children after I was done. She has 2 girls, the last being 10 months old and I have yet to meet her. So, we will be playing catch up during that visit. I love the friends in life that despite the fact that you havent talked in years or even seen each other, you can always seem to pick up right where you left off. With no hard feelings. You both understand that EVERYONE is busy and no one expects the other to make all the effort. Sadly, I have had friends like that, too. Needless to say, those friendships just dont stand the test of time. And apparently, with good reason!
Well, next week, we will be picking our math books back up. At least 2 days/week. I see no reason for sitting idle ALL summer. I have an SWR seminar next weekend and after that, I plan on starting our 5yo on that. I would like to have him up and reading by September. I think that I might perhaps get an elementary level Total Language Plus guide, perhaps, Pippi Longstocking, and do that with all 3 boys during these "slow" months. I dont want to drop the routine completely. It always seems so hard to get back in the groove.
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Apr. 7, 2006 - These are my boys! Dont miss Mr. Fabulous at the end!
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Apr. 2, 2006 - 30lbs in 3 months!
I dont think that I shared this at all, but on January 1st, I committed to start the Adkins diet. Well, I never fully converted to the Adkins way of eating. I insist on a banana every morning, which would be a major no-no. Basically, I stopped eating pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, and cereals. I stopped using sugar and to date, Ive lost 30lbs. This is big for me, because until this point, I only lost weight by using diet pills, whether from GNC or my physician. I made a life choice, started eating healthier and exercising. And despite the fact that it always seemed impossible, now that Ive done it, I can say that it really was easy. Its a choice. One that I will stick with.
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Apr. 2, 2006 - Where we are.....
Okay, having had Jordon back out of the pit of public school now for about a month, it has proven to be a "good" experience. I think that he now realizes that middle school wasnt all that he thought that it would be. He has done impressively well to date, other than a few "bad" days, which we all have. He has done little complaining about how homeschooling him is ruining his life. He still remains a bit lazy as far as helping out around the house, but I will take the responsibility for that. Up until a few years ago, he really didnt have chores. Now, all 3 boys have chores, several daily. Cleaning their bathroom, unloading the dishwasher, the ongoing challenge of keeping their rooms tidy. And when they are tidy, it is short lived.
Spring fever has definately set in. Why is it each spring, next year's curriculum choices start to come to mind? Ive gone through all of my catalogs, patiently trying to wait for new ones to arrive, made lists of stuff to use again next year, stuff to check out at the local homeschool store or the conference at the end of May. I can hardly wait. Right now, Im really considering Spell to Write and Read. Ive not been happy at all with the other choices Ive made to date to teach phonics to our 3b5. The choices were Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and Reading Made Easy. They didnt appeal to me at all, nor did they him. So, hopefully this week I will get my hands on the SWR program and it will be all that we need it to be. I currently use Spelling Power with our 1b12 and 2b8. They are both great spellers, so Ive not struggled in that area. Ive not had to teach a child to read before, as the 2 olders were in public school for that so this is new territory for me. With our 3b5, we are using Getting Ready for the Code and he likes studydog.com and starfall.com. I usually let him make the decision as to which one he wants to do on a daily basis. Im amazed at how he finds things and ways to show me letters. Recently, he brought me a piece of paper folded acordian style and informed me of the w and the m that he could make with them. I was very proud. He also likes to use the cubes that snap together to make letters and numbers. He absolutely amazes me. This evening he wanted to know if there was any kind of food that was good for your soul. Mind you, he is only 5. My response, of course, was God's word. The conversation ended there and he went back to his pizza slice.
Curriculum that we will continue with next year is as follows:
1b12 - Saxon Algebra 1/2, Exploring Creation with General Science (computer version), Easy Grammar, Wordly Wise, possibly LLATL
2b8 - Saxon 54, Easy Grammar, Wordly Wise, possibly LLATL
3b5 - Saxon 1, First Language Lessons
This year we starting using LLATL after Christmas, which I really like, so we may continue that with all 3. I also have The Story of the World Vol 1. We are actually getting ready to start Beautiful Feets History of Science this week, so we will continue that with the 2b8 and 3b5 next year. I used First Language Lessons for 2b8 and will start that next year with 3b5.
Our Bible choice has yet to be determined. Currently we are going through Ruth Beecheck's Genesis: Finding Our Roots which we enjoy. For science, Im also considering God's Design Series for when we are finished with BF History of Science.
There are so many great choices out there that its hard to commit. Im constantly looking for something better than what we are currently using, but rarely change. We attempted Konos and Weaver and I finally gave in to the fact that Im just not a unit study type of person. Definately eclectic.
Well, daylight savings started last night. My body says that its only 10:50 but my clock says 11:50. When the alarm goes off it will say 6:30 but my body will say 5:30. So, off to bed I go.
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 24, 2006 - I must confess, I feel depressed!
I dont know what is going on with me today. Im really blah, tired and unmotivated though we are doing school. I have so much on my mind. Most of all our 12 year old. He is so caught up in the world and all of its ways. We homeschooled last year and did okay. This year was a different story. And right before Christmas, I had enough and we put him back in the pit of public school. He even went to boot camp for 2 weeks over Christmas break. Now boot camp made a difference and was worth it. In fact, we are considering sending him for a month over the summer. He is a wordly boy to boot. Worried about the clothes he wears, shoes especially and being "cool". He wants nothing to do with God. He enjoys going to church for social reasons, really no other reasons. And now, his progress report gets home and he has 3 Fs, 1 D, 1 C, and 1 B. Now mind you, he has only been in school for maybe 30 days. He has already been written up 3 times, expelled for 3 days, in school suspension for 2 days. Not really having problems with teachers, just students. Im just dont know what to do. Im tempted to pull him out again. Looking back, I see things that I couldve done and shouldve done differently and feel confident that I could hold my ground this time. Hes already been subjected to so much and I just want to protect him from any more. Please give me some advice! Thanks!
• 8 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 23, 2006 - How Can I Make Tomorrow A Better Day?
Every evening this thought begins passing through my mind. How can I make tomorrow a better day? I think about ALL of the stuff that I would like to get accomplished daily. Keeping the sink empty, laundry basket emptied, the house tidy, the kids educated, etc.....Everyday, I feel like a failure. Take today for example. I decided at the last minute to go to bible study at church, something I normally dont do out of fear of not getting our entire day complete - as if that ever happens. Trying to have bible study in the nursery with 4 boys, ages 2, 5, 5 and 8, who are instructed to stay quiet and make no noise is totally unrealistic. How soon some seem to forget what their children were like at the age of 5. I understand expecting them to know how to behave but expecting them not to act like kids, and boys to boot - Im digressing. So, I got showered, head of hair dried, dressed, boys presentable and off we went. I knew in the shower what bible study would be like. And I was right. Wont make that decision again. One reason I dont usually go is since we put our 1b12 back in school : ( - horrible decision!! - it really puts a restraint on our time. Out of bible study at 12 to pick him up by 2. Just not good. I ended up doing math with 2b8 around 4pm and by this time in the day, he is just not focused on school and there are usually tears. So, my husbands been out of town since Sunday evening working and he came in at 7 to turn right around to get to basketball (he coaches our 2b8's team) at 7:30. I just went to prepare his plate so I could get the kitchen cleaned up, and noted that in my big pot of Red Beans with Kielbalsa there was only a 1" piece of meat left for him. Not happy about that. Then I went in to the laundry room and noted a wet load in the washer - from this morning. Why didnt that get dealt with? It just never ends. There is always a mess to clean up. I have delegated the dishwasher to all 3 kids (2days/week), some days I forget or decide to "just do it myself" and they each have 2 days/week of cleaning up their bathroom.
My ideal day would be as follows:
6am wake up/devotions in bed
6:30am - treadmill, Walk Away the Pounds video, or other work out video
7am - take 1b12 to school
7:30am - breakfast/daily devotions with 2b8 and 3b5
8am - chores/teeth
8:30am - school
10:30am - outside time
11am - lunch
11:30am - read aloud
12:30pm - finish school work
2pm - p/u 1b12 at school
2:30pm - complete any school work/chores/free time
5:30 - prepare for dinner
6pm - dinner
7:30pm - family devotions
8pm - 2b8 and 3b5 in bed with books
8:30pm - 2b8 and 3b5 lights out
9pm - 1b12 in bed with book
9:30pm - 1b12 lights out
10pm - D&M to bed
In a perfect world.
This is what we do during the week:
Monday - Boy Scouts for 2b8/church until just a few weeks ago
Tuesday - nothing
Wednesday - church/praise and worship practice for husband
Thursday - basketball practice for husband and 2b8
Friday - basketball practice for 1b12
Saturday - 3 basketball games somewhere between 10 and 3
Sunday - church until 1, cell groups every other week
My husband and I need a date night. Where does that fit in? Where do you find time to do it all. Especially those blessed with more than 3 kids?
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 23, 2006 - Recommendations!
My mind is already considering curriculum for next year. I have a few favorites that I will continue using (Wordly Wise, LLATL, Easy Grammar, Spelling Power, Saxon Math) but there are others that I have purchased and never used that I intend on using. Im not sure of my hesitation. We have had The Story of the World Vol 1, which I want to start and I was pondering over some others - The Mystery of History, Gods Design Series (Gods Design for Heaven and Earth). I also have Around the World in 180 Days, which I would like to use also. Is there anything anyone else is using that they just love and would recommend?
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 7, 2006 - The Best Superbowl Ever!
Well, we just dropped our oldest off at school. I didnt get up at 6am or get on the treadmill. So now, we are officially off schedule. I will try to get back on track in the next 1 1/2 hours. As long as we start school by 9:30, we should be good to go. I never commented on my Superbowl Sunday.
My husband is on the praise and worship team at our church. They are working on live music so he now stays after church most Sundays to practice. He arrived home Sunday afternoon about 3pm and announced that the horses were out. That is all I needed to hear and I was off like Dash (the Incredibles). I jumped in the ole Expedition, driving like it was a sports car and followed a trail of bewildered neighbors racing the clock to find the horses and get them back in their pasture. As I approached a little main road here in Concord, to my amazement, they had crossed the street and someone was chasing them back, with no regard to oncoming traffic. But they made it. They then cut in and between 2 house back towards the bewildered neighbors. I went down another well traveled main road, saw that they were coming my direction and stopped on the other side of the road (still have remembered why I did that), barely got it in park and jumped out and started calling the horses. To my amazement, I apparently had befriended them, at least the one in charge, and he came to me. He has no harness - I try to lead him with his mane - didnt work. With all of the frenzy of onlookers, he, followed by she, took off. They only went 2 houses away and then came back towards me. Of course this was to tease me and they ran right past me. Someone spooked them and they came back and stopped with me. I was then able to turn them behind a house, my husband on the other side, turned them towards their pasture gate, and at last, they were safe and sound. My heart was in my stomach. Very dangerous situation, for traffic, the 25 and 27 year old horses, and my rather "stoopit" self who loves horses enough to put myself in front of 2 running, spooked, and scared horses who happened to be headed straight for me at a rather fast pace. Mind you, these arent our horses BUT this was probably the most excitement I personally have had on any Superbowl Sunday - EVER! Amazingly, this is my 3rd horse rescue. Hard to believe that Ive never come across a dog in need of such! LOL!
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 6, 2006 - Here we go again.....
Every weekend, I plan on Monday being the ideal start to our school week. I would get up early, walk on the treadmill, shower and dress. Have my public school child at school by 7:15, come home make breakfast and jump right in to our school work. Well, it is 12:16 and what have we done. Nothing organized. Ive been preoccupied with getting the boys' bathroom clean seeing how the one child I cant find "Not Me" continues to miss the toilet. I usually have the boys clean the bathroom, but it is time for a deep down clean. We did make it the basement to start school, but the boys had started a movie and I found myself gathering our stuff in a crate to bring upstairs to do school. And here we are. I guess that we will be gettin 'er done this afternoon. Its amazing that we all seem to have this idea of how the perfect homeschool mom does it - any way but the way that "we" do it. I do have a schedule but we never stick to it. I know that the boys would do better. So, Im going to commit to sticking to it. Its not unreasonable. In fact, take a look at it, and let me know if you think that there is any way to improve it.
6am - Mom up, treadmill, shower, dress
6:45am - Boys up, oldest ready for school
7am - take oldest to school
7:30am - breakfast and Keys 4 Kids
7:45am - school
11:30am - lunch
12:00pm - school
1:15pm - read aloud
2pm - p/u oldest from school
2:30pm - finish any school/homework for the oldest
Chores when that is done
6pm - Dinner, if not a church night, earlier if it is
8:30pm - younger 2 to bed
9pm - older to bed
9 until getting the rest done, or trying to.
Not one of us is perfect. Ideally, I should be having quiet time with the Lord with no interuptions, but I settle for reading my Bible while Im on the treadmill. Im in the word, but not building my relationship with Christ. Room for improvement there. My evenings are usually crazy. Church, basketball, or stuff around the house. I would love to be in bed every night at 10pm but Im lucky if Im there by 11. And then it all starts over the next day. And Lord help me if I dont get something done and have to do it the next day. And then when I get totally overwhelmed..............
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 1, 2006 - What Does A Homeschool Look Like?
I have been blessed with a finished basement for our "school room". Fully carpeted, carolina blue in color, french doors that open up into our back yard, which in full bloom/summer is beautiful. The room is rather large. I have a sleeper sofa covered with a denim slip cover (do they ever look good?), an oversized cushiony rocking chair that you just melt into. There is a coffee table, end table, our old kitchen table with chairs and even an "official" desk for the teacher. I have multi-colored rolling carts, shelves and more. I set the sofa up in the middle of the room facing the french doors. Behind it is a large train table with cubbies underneath. We have a play kitchen, hand made blocks (my husband is a carpenter) and more toys than 6, let alone 3 children would ever need. There is also a computer for the kids (no internet) with tons of educational software. With all of this stuff.......we have a hard, hard time going to our "school room". The table and sofa upstairs are so much more appealing. Its "home". After all, isnt that part of homeschooling in the first place - home! I feel guilty for having all of that space that we just take for granted. But yet, I feel just as guilty for trying to make our school seem more like a "school".
Some say that it is good to have a learning room set aside for school so that the children see that their "school" is important enough to have its own official space, used for nothing else. Some prefer learning centers set up everywhere so that the children are inticed in different rooms to "learn" in a more natural way. I know that there is no right or wrong answer, but I am curious as to how others deal with this issue.
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jan. 30, 2006 - I Just Cant Commit
Months have gone by. I just was unable to commit to blogging. As I sat and looked through my Old Schoolhouse Mag I received today, I found myself turning back because I thought that I saw a picture of someone I went to school with. I was right. What an awesome surprise!! I checked out her blog and now Im motivated!! Hopefully, it will last for more that one entry!
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Aug. 20, 2005 - We Have Moved!
Due to issues with our Yahoo blog, we have changed our address. You can add us to your favorites (if we are) and take a peek at what is going on in our lives.
