Posted in Educational Pursuits

I finally found the perfect grammar program for next year!!

Posted in Educational Pursuits

In my bid to keep up with my blog, I have joined several daily postings, and am enjoying them immensely.  However, it occurs to me that I am neglecting the chatty side of my blog, so on we go with the readjustments!

'Tis the time of year for all good home educating companies to send out their catalogs, and send them out they have!  It has been a veritable treasure trove each and every time someone is sent down to the post box.  Between home educating catalogs, online school book purchases (for me, to help me plan), and receiving our PaperbackSwap requests, each day brings its own little gift of happiness.

To that end, I have been consumed with next year's planning.  Each year I eagerly dive into planning, but this year is different.  Why?  Because:  Piper begins high school.  Dunh-dunh-duuuuunnnnhhh, as Jigger would toll out.

I am almost finished with the order list for Jigger, because I keep telling myself that once Jigger is done, I can fully focus on Piper.  True, but also an extremely valid stalling tactic.  Because the truth is, high school initimidates me.  A little less each day, as I talk myself down from the ledge, but still, when you start with a large chunk and whittle away a little piece each day after several weeks you still have a large chunk.  (Chocolate popped into my head during this recitation; what do you think Freud would say about that?)

So, for all of you mothers out there who are educating high schoolers, please don't laugh at this High School newbie.  I really, really don't want to mess this up, and I keep vowing to myself that *this* is the year we would be more focused, whether we actually were or not.  It didn't really matter, because in the back of my head it didn't seem to somehow 'count' until we hit high school.  And now we have.  Hit high school.  With the full force of an eighteen-wheeler slamming into the concrete below as it careens off the edge of a cliff.  Air bags are deployed, seat belts are engaged, and the dust has yet to settle.  Stay tuned.

Posted in Educational Pursuits

Welcome! 

Isn't it wonderful to begin each school year anew?  The excitement of finishing the old year has segued into an equal excitement to go 'round again.  With each book that arrives in the mail, the flush of Christmas as a child comes over me, and it is with barely restrained glee that I rip into the package to see which goody has blessed us that day.  The pure feelings of pleasure, pride, and gratefulness as I reverently slide another book onto its shelf for the year bring untold joy. 

My excitement is contagious, in spite of the fact that it's not 'cool' to want to start school, and the boys were up, showered and dressed, chores completed, and ready for our opening day breakfast of homemade French toast by 8 a.m. yesterday.  Morning lessons fairly slid by, and before I knew it we were making lunch and I was putting dinner in the crockpot.  We headed off the libraries and outside music and dance lessons for our one day out of the house, and enjoyed our tea between lessons. 

What a wonderful way to begin our school year!  And we have today, tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday morning at home, with Friday afternoon being spent studying astronomy with friends of ours.  The perfect week!  No where to go, nothing to do, no one expecting us!  What else could one want??

Well, not to wake up the next morning feeling less than stellar because this month's visitor has decided to wage womb war.  In spite of the all-day (so far) discomfort, we have still gone through school like clockwork; the boys are finishing their days as I type (music and dance practice).  We have tea on the schedule next, but I think that's going to be visited by the chopping axe, as the thought of standing in the kitchen right now is enough to make me cry.  Yes, Midol helps.  Yes, I've taken some.  But when your discomfort begins strong enough to fell a Redwood, the downgrading of the discomfort becomes relative, then, doesn't it? 

I didn't begin this to whine, actually, more to chronicle our day and to share the joy I am finding in this new year.  For the joy is limitless.  We have a new schedule, which I may remember to type up soon if anyone would like to see it, and my days are being spent this year with a new priority:  HOME.

I know some of you are confused, because a home educating mother's priority should automatically be home and hearth, right?  Well, sadly, many, many HE mothers' priorities are shifted, and mine was as well.  I was running children to lessons, local group outings, field trips, park days with friends, family requests, etc., and our school work was suffering.  This is not unusual, unfortunately, and the only way to change it is to make a commitment to changing it, and then forcing yourself to Stay Home.  Pretty soon, you don't even realize it's happening, but you don't have to force yourself any longer.  Your home is clean, your children have settled in, your husband hurries home, and you are actually starting and Finishing projects!  All because you're home, the phone is off, and the computer is neglected.  Whoa!  Yep, you heard me.  More on that later, as well. 

All this is to say that life, even in one of the largest cities in the U.S., can be simple if you let it.  If you encourage it.  If you, at first, force it.  And it's so much more worth living, IMHO.  So, list your priorities, be realisitic, give it great thought, pray, talk to your husband, and find the life in your home.  It's a lovely place to be.  Especially with the drone of the bagpipes in the background piping out America the Beautiful while the beagle accompanies him with his lovely howls and growls.

Have a lovely week, and if it hasn't begun on the best note, make it a wonderful rest-of-week.

Posted in Educational Pursuits

Our new school year officially begins tomorrow, Monday, August 27, 2007.  I've been scrambling like mad to get things finalized, and while I've made tremendous strides, I swear the details are going to do me in.  I thought I'd take a break and visit with my long-neglected friends in a last-ditch effort to make my eyes stop bleeding long enough to finish up tonight.

I realize that I've had a long absence again (sorry, Lys!), but this time it was more legitimate than not (how pathetic it is that I've been reduced to levels of legitimacy).  We were out of state for a couple of weeks, visiting my grandmother in Michigan for her 80th birthday.  Long trip, fun to see everyone we saw (because let's face it, with a family my size, it's impossible to see everyone, period), and I'm ever so glad to be home.  Home.  A word we all take for granted until we have to leave it. 

We were parted from hubby for those weeks, a fact he firmly states will 'not happen again.'  Since I wholeheartedly agree, it was easy to give him that one.  :)  I still feel like I'm catching my breath, and am looking so forward to beginning our new school year because a new school year = s.c.h.e.d.u.l.e.!!  We have fallen off our old one, and I'm so anxious to begin anew. 

Lots of planning going on here, and I hope to share some of it with you within the next few days (yes, really!).  For now, I think I'll sign off and attempt to finish this schedule so I can totter off to bed.  I seem to have had a point to this post when I began, but I'll be darned if I can remember what it was at this point.  That tells me I need to get off before I begin to babble uncontrollably... you're welcome. 

Have a wonderful week, and I look forward to stopping by and visiting you all soon!

Posted in Educational Pursuits

Abraham Lincoln You have a Bible and a library card what more could you possibly need? You prefer the Charlotte Mason Method of reading living books for everything: historical fiction, biographies, real histories, nature guides, etc. No soon-to-be-outdated textbooks for you.

What a surprise, LOL!!

If you'd like to take this quiz, click here.

Have a great day!!

Posted in Educational Pursuits

I've been thinking a lot about our school schedule lately, and it has me a little worried.  I think we far and away enjoy the freedom of home educating a little too much.  Music lessons downtown this afternoon?  Why, we don't have enough time to do ALL the lessons this morning then, so why try and fail?  Sets a bad example for the boys.  We have a park day today?  Well, we'll surely need tomorrow to recover.  The boys have a performance this weekend?  Automatic four-day weekend!!

Okay, so we aren't THAT bad, but sometimes it feels as though we are.  We are on Week Nine of Term One, and yes, we are behind my projected timetable.  Three weeks, to be exact.  Good thing I know myself SOOO well and built in a three week cushion at Thanksgiving, LOL!!  My problem came after Week Four.  Weeks One through Four went SO WELL.  We were in the 'zone.'  You know the zone.  Where you get up, everyone's head is in their schoolwork, you're getting the housework done around lessons, meals prepared, kitchen cleaned, laundry kept up, and you even have time to blog.  The Z.O.N.E.  It was beautiful. 

And then....

Well, and then you encounter your first scheduled week off.  What do you do?  What Do You Do?!?

Well, in hindsight, I can tell what you DON'T do.  You don't take that scheduled break.  Do No Do It.  Avoid it at all costs. 

That break is just that:  a Break.  It breaks your concentration, your accomplishments, your FLOOOWWW.  You know, F.L.O.W.  You enjoy yourself a little too much, park days look too inviting, family pops round for a 'quick' chat a little more frequently, any reading or game qualifies as learning as long as it's not electronic, etc. 

Know this:  if you take a break when you're in the Z.O.N.E., you will pay.  Dearly.  You'll put off starting back up again, family from out of state will come to stay for 10 days, your children will vomit for a week straight, and you will sit down and cry.  Because your pretty little timetable for the current school year is now just a sad little memory of what-could-have-been's. 

So, the lesson learned is this:  unless it's a major holiday or vacation or an illness, do NOT get out of the Zone for a regularly scheduled break, otherwise you will not be able to get back into your regularly scheduled programming.

Well, I'm off to try to salvage my teacher's mind, and to try to find the Zone.... Have a wonderful week!!

Posted in Educational Pursuits

Good evening, Dear Reader!

Well, we've begun the fourth week of Term One today, and I must say I'm quite proud of my boys (and me!).  We've worked together to find the schedule that works best for all of us; I've had to face what doesn't work, and they've had to face what they need to get accomplished in a day. 

I have finalized our morning schedule, and look forward to adding the 'extras' into our afternoon schedule after our break next week. 

Not only has our school routine come along nicely, but our home routine has as well.  Chores are completed before breakfast, breakfast is on time, and school begins promptly.  Mama happy = children happy, LOL!

I hope your school years have begun as successfully as ours has, and that you enjoy every day with your children!

Posted in Educational Pursuits

Well my Dear Reader, our first week of school is officially behind us.  It was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be.  Originally, we were to school through the summer, but an unexpected 11 day trip to visit family combined with a 10 day trip for the boys with my parents culminated into two months off.  How do things get so far off-schedule some seasons?

Our current school year began this past monday, and each day felt like pulling teeth just to get back into the routine.  I'll be honest, most of the tooth-pulling pain was on my behalf.  The boys just eased into it for the most part, while I, cruise director supreme, resisted and grumbled my way through it.  How embarassing that is to relate, Dear Reader, but in the spirit of honesty, it must be reported.  Apparently I enjoyed our freedoms of the past two months to the extreme.  No more!  I am fully committed to getting back into my leisurely enjoyment of teaching my children, and am working on week two's lesson plans today while hubby is at work and the boys enjoy their relaxed day for the weekend.

Tomorrow, Jigger has another feis (Irish Gaelic in orgin, and pronounced 'fesh', for those of you interested), which is an Irish step dancing competition.  He is entered in five dances, so keep a good thought.  Piper has band practice tomorrow afternoon, so mo Chroi and I will be kept hopping running pipers and dancers to their destinations.  It will be a busy day, hence the slow and peaceful day today. 

Well, my Dear Reader, I must not procrastinate any longer.  Back to my laundry and my planning.  I hope you have as peaceful a day as we are having, and enjoy your weekend!!

ps.  If anyone knows how to load the pictures onto these things and you have a spare moment, could you please advise me on the particulars, as I just can't figure out how to make the pictures small enough to store on this blog.  I have the Bloggy Tour of Homes pictures ready, but no idea how to actually do it.  Thanks so much!!!

Posted in Educational Pursuits

Happy Christmas in July, Dear Reader!!

Today we are celebrating Christmas in July, an old Victorian tradition.  Our dear friends are joining us, and the children will be decorating Christmas cookies, painting wooden Christmas ornaments, and assembling a separate ornament.  We will be reading aloud 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, by Clement Clarke Moore, along with a brief biography.  This is done as Mr. Moore was born and died in the month of July.  After lunch, the children will be settling down to watch the 12 Dogs of Christmas  while my girlfriend and I plan the holidays.  No more getting caught for us!  The early bird gets the worm, Dear Reader, and we shall be stuffed from our planning.  Enjoy your beautiful weekend!

Posted in Educational Pursuits

Good Day, my Dear Reader! 

I'd like to take a moment to give a review of a recently (on my part) discovered resource.  It's called The Home Educator's Tutor, and while many of you have heard of it, many more still have not.  The HET is beginning its second year, and I say congratulations to them! 

This little gem comes bound in an unassuming manner, but don't judge the book by it's cover, Dear Reader!  Inside is a treasure trove of rich lessons to cover all the 'extras' and then some.  You'll find the following categories included:

Nature Study

   ~outdoor games, nature notes, nature stories

Shakespeare

   ~A retelling of a Shakespeare play by the Lamb's is in my first issue, broken down into 12 readings.  Also, five famous quotes from Shakespeare's original play are included, and could be used for copywork or memorization. 

Character

   ~Stories, a Habit to focus on for the term, selections from Charlotte Mason's Ourselves for the older students

Art Study

   ~an artist and bio are given, along with five (in this issue) prints (in color) to be studied

Composer Study

   ~a composer is chosen and a bio is given along with five of his/her pieces of work

Plutarch

   ~one of his lives is chosen and two separate articles are included: one for younger students and the original for older students (all broken down into 12 readings)

Literature

   ~so much literature is included I know I'm missing some of it, but there are fairy tales (broken into 12 rdgs.), poetry, literature (Tanglewood Tales and letters from US History which are specific to this issue) and much, much more

Latin

   ~Bible verses in Latin for further study

Bible

   ~Readings, verses to memorize, Hymns

Handcrafts

   ~two handcrafts are included in each issue

Folk Songs

   ~words and music given

Misc.

   ~Descriptions of Teaching Tools, timeline for current term being covered in HET

CD

   ~the best part, in my humble opinion, is the CD included with each issue which has on it:  The 3 Hymns, the 3 Folk Songs, and the 5 pieces chosen to accompany the Composer Study. 

I'm sure I've not listed everything here, but I've tried.  What I'd like you to come away with, Dear Reader, is the sense that this simple book is the answer to so many's prayers on How to Fit the Extras In.  Many (most) of the literature selections are broken down into 12 Readings for your ease of use.  I can not recommend it highly enough.

For those of you interested in The Home Educator's Tutor, it comes out quarterly and is packed with enough to last you through one Term (124 pages in this issue).  The summer issue is lighter and has no art prints or CD, but does come with articles, the plan for next school year, Bible, memory verses, and outdoor summer activities.  You will receive all four issues for only $33.99.  If you'd like to order a back issue, or even the current one, simply to look it over to determine how useful it would be to you; you may do so for $11 per issue.  If you'd like to see what a regular issue is like, I recommend the Winter or Spring issue.  If you'd like to see what's on the schedule for the upcoming year and get a feel for it, then the Summer issue is just right for you.

I highly encourage you to check it out, Dear Reader, as this is a wonderful way to get the most for your budgeted home educating dollars.  I plan to use it faithfully as they have done all the work for me, and my time, as is yours, is so precious.  Look it over, and let me know what you think!

Blessings upon your home...