At Home On The Islands

Getting Scattered and Hectic at Home

Only 18 more days until the military pack out movers come and take away all of our stuff.  They'll hold it until we are ready for it in Maine, but we'll be "stuffless", for a couple months, with the exception of our camper, truck, car and things.. We'll be camping for three weeks until we head across country from Washington to Maine, while my DH officially retires and we say all of our goodbyes.  All this chaos make schooling very challenging, and it's hard to switch gears from "normal", to "Oh My, Mode"... We're gearing up to only have reading, journaling and math for the road and summer months, but today was a wash... just too beautiful outside, so we all boycotted the grind and spent the day out... together.  Had a great day, a long one, and we were all pooped by the end, but I feel a lot better in my head and heart and I think the boys do too.  DH doesn't always understand why we play hookie, but doesn't growl too much when we do.  Just wants me and my right side dominated brain to stay on track... I tend to wander when I'm forced into the left side too long.  Kinda like having to do your taxes... :-)  Not really, cause I enjoy the boys way too much, but the day off did it's trick and we're all aligned for tomorrow... It's funny though... Just when I get all set for school lately it always ends up being Friday again.  LOL... It's gotta be spring.  Thanks for listening to the chatter.. Denice

Eclectic Creativity~ Theirs and Mine

I'm working on knitting a new pair of socks, just started them last night, and will post a picture when my DH returns from a trip to Texas this evening.  I also have a shawl that is in a variety of pinks, in an alpaca and silk yarn that I bought at a sale this spring. It was enough to make at least three shawls.. I think they will be gifts for my sisters for christmas. I'll put in a picture of that process later too.

My youngest son (YS) made a beautiful sunflower with tissue paper yesterday, we forgot how much fun glue and tissue was until he was elbow deep in it. 

Our middle son (MS) is into origami lately and is making chinese throwing darts and roses... fun fun. :-) He gets to apologize with a rose after he wings one of the darts in the wrong direction. :-)

Oldest son (OS) is working on split ink painting, chinese brush painting and some designing of ships which is new and exciting for him right now. 

All the boys will be working with a retired local wood turner this Wednesday afternoon, so that should be interesting to share as well.

Home Sweet Home...

Home sweet home... that is what you invision when you chose to home school your children.  I am fairly new to this lifestyle, and have come upon it by way of neccessity rather then a choice that I've had nudging at my heart all of my mothering days.  I have three boys, 13, 11 and 9.  That kind of speaks for itself in some ways, !   The reason we've chosen to school our children has been mainly to protect them from the secular world... in school, not always the teachers but the student body has a big roll to play in our wanting less of a social influence of that nature and more of a wolesome and Godly lifestyle for our family.  It's amazing when your children are in public school and you do all the things that you think your supposed to do, raise them in such a way that is conducive to your way of life, a heavy church influence, and you still have your kids dealing with so much, so soon and it's baffling to run interference all the time with simple basic values... it's the world I know, but it just makes you more convicted to stay the coarse no matter how much you need to learn along the way. 

We chose to home school two years ago when our youngest son, then in second grade was molested by a fifth grade student for three months before we knew a thing.  It went on during the bus rides to and from school, as well as the older child seeking my son out during the day and it happening in the bathroom right across the hall from my sons classroom.  That was the straw, then we had our oldest son repeating a fifth grade year, getting help in the "resource room", and finding out two thirds of the way through the year that he was spending 90% of his day in that room, when it was only to support his math for one period a day.  No consequences, just a shrug and an excuse as to why they can't keep track of everyone, all the time.  Our poor middle child was doing just fine, and excelled in every area, but we made a "family" decision to home school and he was part of that choice.  So here we are two years and running and all seems to be somewhat sane and working in the best interest of all three.  Their spirits are strong.  Their faith is solid.  Their manners are admirable, and they have strong relationships with friends that they value and share their sweet lives with.

This next year my husband will be retiring from the Navy after 20 years and we'll be moving back to Maine, our home.  The older two boys are thinking seriously about returning to public school, while the youngest will remain home with me.  I'm struggling with the older two, buy want to make sure they have some say in their life choices too.  I think giving them a taste for a quarter or two of what they think they remember was "awesome"... might either be great for them, or make them think a bit... I'm praying hard about this one, while planning next year to have only one home to start with.

This blog is great and I hope to have some response and kindle some friends soon.  Thanks for taking an interest... Hope to chat with someone soon.  Denice