Homeschooling
Apr. 1, 2008
Homeschool Share - Annual Blast!

Posted in Homeschooling

You have heard me mention many, many times one of my favorite homeschooling resources - homeschool share! This site has hundreds of FREE literature based unit studies (written by other homeschooling moms like yours truly, as well as lots of other moms!) AND tons of FREE lapbooks to go with books and other themes! It really has soooo much that it is unbelievable that it is all free! This is what happens when a LOT of homeschooling mommas work together and share their resources and ideas. What a FABULOUS place!

So, every year, HSS has a BLAST...which means, there are LOTS of contests going on for you to win fabulous prizes for submitting new unit studies, lapbooks, etc. There are actually several ways you can contribute, so take a peek at the blast page and get busy writing those units!

Back to School Blast -- details here


Homeschooling
Mar. 5, 2008
Music in the Morning...

Posted in Homeschooling

As much as I enjoy music, I have had a hard time implementing a good "routine" for singing with my children each day. We sing here and there, learn appropriate songs for Christmas and Thanksgiving, sometimes we learn a hymn if it goes with something.

But, in the last 2 weeks, music has helped to get our day off to a better - and worshipful - start! It started off as us trying to learn the books of the Old Testament together - so I would play the song on the Wee Sing Bible songs cd that had the books of the Bible set to music. Well, surprisingly enough, it worked - my 2 girls can say the books of the OT now! (and sing them!)

Wee Sing Bible Songs (Wee Sing) CD and Book Edition (Wee Sing)

 Every morning before our devotion and Bible time on the couch, I would play this song for us as a review. Well, then I realized how much they were enjoying it, so I started playing 2-3 songs each morning and we all are enjoying it!

This week, as we started our Easter unit, I chose to introduce 2 kids worship songs that really spell out the gospel message. The songs on this cd are EXCELLENT for instilling Biblical truth into our kids hearts with contemporary worship songs that kids are singing. The music is wonderful. I happen to like it a lot more than some of the other cheesy kids music out there.  It is made by the Sovereign Grace Ministries, which I also love!

Forever God

One simple song we are learning is just called The Gospel Song. The words say simply:

Holy God, in love became

Perfect Man to bear my blame

On the cross He took my sin

By His death I live again.

Just thought I would share these 2 cd's with you...as they are really making our mornings more meaningful and worshipful. I love that my kids love to sing with me.


Homeschooling
Feb. 10, 2008
Encouragement for homeschool moms...

Posted in Homeschooling

Yet another reason why I love the FIAR curriculum! Steve and Jane are a part of the FIAR message boards and share their wisdom with us...what a blessing! Here is what Steve had to say on the boards this week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was talking with a friend yesterday and we were talking about the toll that legalism exacts on the women of these boards.

Let me elaborate because this is why, when I talk at conventions, I'll look up and see 100's of women all sobbing softly.

We live in a world (Christian homeschoolers) where there is an endless list of "ought to's" for those who would be Godly Christian Homeschool Mothers (GCHM).

Thou shalt be a GCHM! Thou shalt...

1. Rise before the sun and prepare your husband's lunch.
2. Have meaningful, original devotionals with the children.
3. Serve a hearty breakfast of hand-ground fresh grains and homemade yogurt.
4. Have your house spit-spot before 8:00 AM.
5. Help your children dress in matching home-sewn clothing.
6. Have the children write perfectly penned thank you notes for their Valentine's day gifts from grandparents.
7. Prepare 4 home-baked cakes for the women's church auxillary fundraiser.
8. Make geography exciting and meaningful while fulfilling some PhD's list of foundational world knowledge.
9. Have a 60-minute personal devotional while the children are doing math.
10. Correct the children for not saying "yes ma'am" and "thank you ma'am" when it's time for piano practice.
11. Rehearse the next 500 words for the state spelling bee.
12. Rehearse the next 500 locations for the state geogrpahy bee.
13. Help your 13-year-old complete their SAT practice exam.
14. Serve a healthy lunch of fresh eggs from the hens and fresh bread from the oven.
15. Complete the last 19 calls on the phone-tree for the homeschool co-op's field trip tomorrow.
16. Pray over the twins as you rock them to sleep.
17. Help the 14-year-old prep for the Calculus CLEP test at Jr. College.
18. Complete the daily vacuum, dust and straighten routine.
19. Change the twins into clean outfits to greet father.
20. Roll out the pie crust for the homemade applie pies and be available on the phone for the unwanted pregnancy crisis center counseling calls.
21. Change into a beautiful homemade dress, fix your hair and put on make-up to greet your husband when he returns home.
22. Help your 16-year-old daughter understand why courtshsip is Godly.
23. Put the freshly slaughtered hens into the oven while making sure there aren't any feathers still floating about the kitchen.
24. Whip up 12 dozen cookies for the pastor's ladies tea in the morning.
25. Check for any online orders to your Proverbs 31 Woman Mary Kay business.
26. Make sure the candle wicks are trimmed and the table is freshly polished for a warm family dinner.
27. Inspect the children's fingernails for daddy's approval when he gets home.
28. Change the sheets on "The Marriage Bed" to be ready to meet your husband's deepest physical needs on a moment's notice.
29. Run down your prayer list of 120 struggling missionaries and make sure you've prayed for each one of them again today.
30. Check to make sure each of the children has correctly memorized today's chapter of Proverbs to share with father during dinner.
31. Pay the last of the bills and put the egg-money respectfully beside your husband's plate for him to have.

It's the Baskin Robbins "Hell-On-Earth" 31-flavors of G-U-I-L-T that every Christian homeschool mother faces.

And we wonder why they seem overwhelmed and underappreciated.

What each one desperately needs to know is that Jesus loves them- just the way they are; messy toddler faces, unfolded laundry, a month behind in spelling, wrinkled bedsheets and hair hanging down in their faces.

And the OTHER thing they need to know is that their husband loves them unconditionally too- lunch or no lunch, clean bed or no clean bed.

So that's why I react so strongly to legalism- another list of do's and don'ts placed onto the weary backs of those who are already weighed down and heavily burdened by a Christian homeschool culture that expects perfection on a daily basis.

When I tell women that the Lord CHOSE them for this journey, INVITED them to walk with Him and has PROMISED to help them not be ashamed they weep.

When I tell them that God KNEW their weaknesses even BEFORE He invited them and that He loves them just the way they are- they sob.

We all need a little reminder of that, don't we?

I think that's how Jesus saw people in His day; beaten down, weary, discouraged and all too in touch with their own weakness and failure. I'm so thankful that He sat and ate with them, talked with them and loved on them.

"Just as you are"...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let me add a footnote to say this...

Anytime ANYONE gives you a "formula" for guaranteed homeschool results- feel free to dismiss everything they have to say. There IS NO FORMULA!

THERE IS NO FORMULA. Say that: THERE IS NO FORUMULA!

That's the theme of this year's Five in a Row Retreat in June: Every Story Has an Author: Faith vs. Formula in the Homeschooling Journey.

What worked for a book's author may not work for you.
What worked for your pastor's wife may not work for you.
What worked for your oldest may not work for your youngest.
What worked for your son may not work for your daughter.
What worked for this "encouraging" woman may not work for anyone else! (And to be honest, based on what her children think it's probably not working for her either. She just hasn't figured that out yet!)

We walk out homeschooling... and marriage... just like we walk out everything else in the Christian life- by FAITH in THE ONE Who called us.

It's not about US. It's about HIM; HIS sufficiency, HIS mercy, HIS compassion, HIS grace, HIS wisdom, HIS faithfulness. There are no forumulas. Period.

He loves your children more than you'll ever love them.
He knows your children better than you'll ever know them.
He is more passionate about raising your children than you'll ever be.
In your weakness, He is free to work His will on your behalf.

There's nothing really wrong with almost anything on that silly made-up list above *IF* the Lord has told you to do it. On the other hand, there's really nothing right about almost anything on that list if you're only doing it because you feel you "need to" if you're going to be an acceptable GCHM.


Homeschooling
Nov. 14, 2007
Thanksgiving learning...

Posted in Homeschooling

I mentioned earlier that we were trying out a new resource for the month of November...History Pockets from Evan Moore. We have really enjoyed doing this together! The girls and I give History Pockets 2 thumbs up!  

 


Homeschooling
Oct. 6, 2007
A New Find!

Posted in Homeschooling

I came across this site/blog that has SIMPLE ideas for teaching and doing art with your kiddos! And by simple,  I mean that I looked through a few ideas and thought "I can do this and WOULD do this." I came across this link from the Real Learning boards. What a FABULOUS find! I hope you find it useful as well!

Art Lessons for Kids by Mary Richmond


Homeschooling
Sep. 25, 2007
Another milestone!

Posted in Homeschooling

Sniff sniff, this mommy is SO excited but SO sentimental about her babies growing up...

Look who sounded out her first word today!

I'm so proud! Emily has been asking and asking, no BEGGING for me to teach her to read! In my "plans" for this school year we were going to work on learning her letters...but she actually knew more of them than I thought she did! And nearly everyday she will bring a book up to me and say, "mommy, please teach me to read this book!" I actually have put her off (BAD mommy!) and have been meaning to get a more "concrete" plan in my head...but today I decided to just "go with it" and pull out the BOB books. I pulled out book 1 and showed her how to sound out a word and she did so well! I still had to help her periodically, but she is definitely eager and definitely catching on! I must say, there is just nothing in this world like teaching your own child to read. I am so thankful and so blessed that I can share these moments with my children.


Homeschooling
Aug. 18, 2007
If You Give A Girl a Kitty...

Posted in Homeschooling

Beware that at some point the cat may scratch your girl's eye!! ON the eyeball!!  This happened to Hannah this week and thus we weren't able to finish our If You Give A...series. We did end up reading 1 last story but didn't get to do some of the planned activities we had.

But, Hannah's eye is now fine and things are back to normal around here. Whatever normal is!  The hardest part about a scratch on the eye is the drops we have to put in her eyes! She hasn't been very fond of that, to say the least!

In other parts of the world, the latest news is that MY NEW CAMERA CAME IN THE MAIL!!! Yeah! I've been playing around with it a little bit and finally yesterday was able to figure out how to get the pictures onto the computer.  

So, here is our last picture from our schooling week! On her own, Hannah decided one afternoon to build a house out of blocks just like the mouse did in If You Take a Mouse to School and she did a fabulous job! She got very detailed...down to the 2 round blocks as trash cans located in exactly the same spot as ours. Certain unique windows in our house she did with blocks, where the furniture is, the swingset in the back...she's definitely my very detailed child!! (Note, the proportions are a LITTLE off, ha ha...) (Note #2, notice the ballet leotard she is wearing, gotta love school at home!)


Homeschooling
Aug. 8, 2007
The Little Boy...

Posted in Homeschooling

 

The Little Boy
by Helen Buckley

Once a little boy went to school.
He was quite a little boy
And it was quite a big school.
But when the little boy
Found that he could go to his room
By walking right in from the door outside
He was happy;
And the school did not seem
Quite so big anymore.
One morning
When the little boy had been in school awhile,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little boy.
He liked to make all kinds;
Lions and tigers,
Chickens and cows,
Trains and boats;
And he took out his box of crayons
And began to draw.
But the teacher said,
"Wait!""It is not time to begin!"
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,
"We are going to make flowers."
"Good!" thought the little boy,
He liked to make beautiful ones
With his pink and orange and blue crayons.
But the teacher said
"Wait!""And I will show you how."
And it was red, with a green stem.
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."
The little boy looked at his teacher's flower
Then he looked at his own flower.
He liked his flower better than the teacher's
But he did not say this.
He just turned his paper over,
And made a flower like the teacher's.
It was red, with a green stem.
On another day
When the little boy had opened
The door from the outside all by himself,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make something with clay."
"Good!" thought the little boy;
He liked clay.
He could make all kinds of things with clay:
Snakes and snowmen,
Elephants and mice,
Cars and trucks
And he began to pull and pinch
His ball of clay.
But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"It is not time to begin!"
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,"We are going to make a dish."
"Good!" thought the little boy,
He liked to make dishes.
And he began to make some
That were all shapes and sizes.
But the teacher said "Wait!"
"And I will show you how."
And she showed everyone how to make
One deep dish.
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."
The little boy looked at the teacher's dish;
Then he looked at his own.
He liked his better than the teacher's
But he did not say this.
He just rolled his clay into a big ball again
And made a dish like the teacher's.
It was a deep dish.
And pretty soon
The little boy learned to wait,
And to watch
And to make things just like the teacher.
And pretty soon
He didn't make things of his own anymore.
Then it happened
That the little boy and his family
Moved to another house,
In another city,
And the little boy
Had to go to another school.
This school was even bigger
Than the other one.
And there was no door from the outside
Into his room.
He had to go up some big steps
And walk down a long hall
To get to his room.
And the very first day
He was there,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little boy.
And he waited for the teacher
To tell what to do.
But the teacher didn't say anything.
She just walked around the room.
When she came to the little boyShe asked,
"Don't you want to make a picture?"
"Yes," said the lttle boy
."What are we going to make?"
"I don't know until you make it," said the teacher.
"How shall I make it?" asked the little boy.
"Why, anyway you like," said the teacher.
"And any color?" asked the little boy.
"Any color," said the teacher.
"If everyone made the same picture,
And used the same colors,
How would I know who made what,
And which was which?"
"I don't know," said the little boy.
And he began to make a
Red flower with a green stem.

 


Homeschooling
Jul. 24, 2007
Hannah, the author & illustrator

Posted in Homeschooling

Here are a few pictures of Hannah's stories. I get more excited each time I think about this new love of Hannah's. She read her books last night to Nana, which allowed her the practice of reading new words and remembering new things we learned about some of the birds we studied last week! And the best part is that she ASKS to write a book all the time! I have had to tell her no at times because I don't have time to sit with her and spell out a gazillion words!  But I'm excited about her excitement, so I wanted to share a few pictures of her little books.

 


Homeschooling
Jul. 17, 2007
A FUN day of firsts!

Posted in Homeschooling

We had 2 exciting firsts here at our homeschool today!

FIRST of all, we started swimming lessons with Grandpa! Hannah, Emily and Jacob met grandpa at the pool to begin to learn how to swim. I have prepared the girls a little bit for this, but admittedly, I was still apprehensive that they would even get in the water with grandpa and no floaties or anything!

But....they DID! I am so proud of them! They went down a slippery slide and grandpa caught them, but not after they went completely under the water! And, grandpa had them blowing bubbles in the water today too, with their faces in. And, then he held onto their tummies and let them practice kicking. They were in the pool for a little over an hour! Way to go, girls! And thank you to grandpa, who used to be a swim coach and loved swimming himself. I'm so glad to have someone who loves the girls in the water with them helping them to love the water too!

SECONDLY, Hannah wrote her first little story! Have I mentioned before that I think this age is SO fun? I used to love having my little kindergartners narrate cute little funny stories to me. So, today I had Hannah choose a bird out of a book we are reading to be her character. She chose the Green Jay, a pretty green bird with a blue head. It was only 4-5 pages long with 1-2 sentences on each page, but I am so proud of her! This is so fun for me! She drew the CUTEST little bird on her pages for illustrations. (Of course I'll take a picture when I have a camera!)

Anyway, we made a cover for her book with her name on it and a title, then she drew a picture for the front and we stapled it. Her first book...and I'm a proud mommy!  And by the way, as soon as we got home from swimmin lessons she decided to write and illustrate a story about swimming in the pool! I love her little drawing of the pool!

 


Hi, I'm Candace! Thanks for stopping by!






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