Posted in sewing, knitting, crochet and other crafts

I'm usually excited about Thanksgiving each year. Family, friends, fun and fabulous food is something to look forward to.  This year it's not the same. It may be because I haven't focused on the what to do's and what to makes.  The only thing we've done around here is started Thanksgiving journals. Maybe over the weekend I'll get more excited about the whole thing. I could make some pumpkin bars and some eggnog bread.. that might help my mood.

I think we'll do a family craft together. We've done one when my eldest two where younger. Now that I have five children it will be more fun.

We'll make a Thanksgiving tree.
I'll cut out a tree base out of construction paper and then all my children, my hubbs and I can cut out a bunch of our traced hands in fall colors, and then glue them to the tree.
I think it'll look real neat this year with all the different sized hands.

What about you? Do you do any family crafts together?

Posted in Encouragement

I have had this blog since June of 2005, way back when homeschoolblogger was in beta. I was invited by two dear friends, ByHisGraceInColorado and HomegrownHearts and became hooked. For three years I blogged almost daily or at least three to four days a week. I had many readers and I met a lot of neat like-minded folks. This year was different. I didn't have the energy. I spent my days drained and even though I had creative learning ideas to share I would sit here and stare at my computer. The words just could not flow out the way they used to.

That is changed! I am back. I have my energy back and I feel great!

I haven't thought much about Thanksgiving this year. We will be going over to my grandmothers home. I'm supposed to make mashed potatoes and eggnog bread.

Kids learning: I started my two eldest on Time4Learning. I figure it will give them something different to do plus it will give me a bit more time to focus on my little ones. I have two more that are learning to read.
I'll let you know what my kids think of time4learning in a few weeks when they've been doing it for a while. The nice thing about it is there are no contracts and we can go month to month.

Posted in Fun learning

Here are a few of the Thanksgiving journal prompts I have come up with for my children. I will continue to add to these throughout this month. Enjoy.

What is the definition of Thanksgiving? Write it in your journal along with what it means to you?

Today I am Thankful for...

Look up Psalm 69:30 and write it in your journal. What do you think it means to "magnify Him with thanksgiving?"

Describe your favorite Thanksgiving meal?

Plan a menu for Thanksgiving day. Include recipes. If you can't find a recipe, ask me (mom) to help you find it.

Write about your favorite Thanksgiving memory?

What is something you don't like and why? Should you still be thankful for it?

Posted in Fun learning

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. Today I'm thinking (or attempting to) of things that I can teach my kids that aren't the same-o, same-o. You know, the same stuff we do every year during this time.

Last year the kids made "pilgrim hats". (I'll have to find the post to it. They came out cute!)

I think this year we'll make these turkeys. Aren't they cute?

Maybe, starting today we'll do a being thankful for.. journal entries. I like that idea actually. See what I do when I'm in the zone? Now to name it so that I can get my kids excited about it. Hey, I think I'll even get them their own special journals for this. The easy part is that my kids actually like to journal. This should go over well.
Okay, so each day my kids (myself included and heck, if I can get my hubbs in on this, too) well start off with, "I am thankful for..." or "Gratefulness is..."
If I come up with more Thanksgiving promts I'll post it here, folks. (Which I'm sure I will.

Now that I just had an idea burp, now to think about other things we can do for Thanksgiving.
Please share your ideas with me. I love to hear them!

Posted in Encouragement

Since my husband started his job three years ago we have struggled off and on with routines. He works mostly out of our home, but he is often out in the field working. My hubbs was on a "staycation" for about three weeks. During that time him and I have been able to really talk about how to make our home run more smooth.

First thing we did was go out and got new bedroom furniture and a new mattress. We've been married almost 17 years and never had bedroom furniture. We'll be painting our room her soon, too. We figure that we'll sleep better on a better mattress and if our room is more of a sanctuary we'll want to go to bed earlier and spend more time in there. I tell ya, after getting our new stuff yesterday I was anxious for bedtime. Our old bed left me sore and in pain every morning. My couch was more comfy than it was.
I didn't have any pain last night nor did I wake up with any from sleeping on the new one. Praise the Lord!

Next, in hopes that we get better sleep and we go to bed at a decent hour we'll have more time in the mornings to spend together as a family for breakfast. We used to all the time and we really miss it. It's amazing how your day can go when you start it with a good family breakfast.

We also want to start exercising together. I usually exercise after he's at work and the kids are getting started on "seat work."

Those are at least a start to a few changes around here. I'm  excited about it and I pray that getting us, my hubbs and I on a good routine that our home will start to run smooth again.

What about you? What helps your home run well?

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

One of these days we'll get into a routine again. Well, either that or our routine is trying to get into routine. Seriously, it seems like every time the kids and I get into a learning routine that it gets blown out of the water somehow. Summer and fall was busy with camping, field trips, my hubbs away for work across the ocean and broken bones. Maybe I'll just give up trying to get into a routine... nice thinking, but... no. I have a few children who learn and thrive better when they have a routine. I am very routine driven also. I get stressed when my routine is messed up.

Thankfully through the craziness of our non-routines, the kids still learn. I think that has to be one of my favorite perks to homeschooling. Learning happens whether it is directed or not. Our recent adventure took us away from learning about explorers (which I was going to blog about, but didn't get time) and learned about Japan while my husband was there for two months. We also traveled around Colorado with my mom for a week seeing and learning about various places. 

The week after my husband got home from Japan we didn't do any "formal" learning so that we could enjoy having him back. The second week we didn't get to formal learning due to doctors appointments - one which was a fractured elbow. Here we are at week three and still no routine. My husband had surgery and so I've been distracted with helping him while keeping our home running. Its been interesting.

I'm planning on using this weekend to plan and prepare for next week and get our learning (formal) back on track. Our "school year" starts late October so at least we are still on track.

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Summer is slowing down a bit. Our activities kind of came to a halt when my six year old fractured the top of his foot last week. Poor guy is in a cast for a total of three weeks and is supposed to keep off of it as much as possible. Uh, yeah...  not easy!

So, since we are home bound for a few weeks we decided to dive into our learning and get things going again. We are a family that loves adventure so we are learning about explorers. Next week as we get into our studies more I'll share what we learn and do.

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

I need to find my blogging groove again. I probably lost it on Facebook or Twitter. 

Summer is slowing down a little bit which means we can get back into the "heavy" learning here again around October. We "school" year round but due to all the summer fun the "schooling" is light.

I recently went through my totes that I keep all my supplies in for lesson plans, resources and such. I added more journals, more books for the kids to read and more ideas. The kids have also cleaned out their cubby holes where they keep all of their supplies.  I think we are ready to "hit the books" again.

Now just to get a new routine down. My kids thrive on routines and schedules which is a challenge for me. I like to be free. Routine, yes... schedule.. no. But, I try in order for my children to be successful and to make my hubbs happy.

Oh, I'll post here again soon.
I haven't been blogging much on any of my blogs due to busy summer months.  I'll post when I can or when I feel inspired.

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Now that life is returning to normal again I will have more time to devote to this blog. My step-dad recently passed away so I was busy with helping my mom with things.

Today, after almost a month of not doing a whole lot of learning in our home (book work that is), I had expected my kids to just be able to get back into it. That plan backfired like an old truck. The kids could not find their math books or pencils. We forgot where we left off on our units studies. The cubby holes where the kids keep their learning materials were a total mess. I quickly found myself getting frustrated and so were the kids.

I knew if we kept going the smoke from the backfired truck would quickly fill the room. It was time for a pow-wow! I gathered my kids around and I apologized to them and admitted that we all got off to a bad start. We all then decided to take today to organize the cubby's and find their learning materials. We all agreed that it is much easier when things are organized and clean.

I will return to my bloggy self eventually. I have had a family emergency come up.

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

I've been thinking a lot lately about extra things my children can do outside of our "home school walls. You know, like martial arts, sports, art class, dancing or music lessons. As much as I would like my children doing more of those things I also have to take into account the monetary cost. It's not easy during these times in our country.

Besides park and rec. programs, scouts, local support groups or co-ops what are ways that you give your children "extra curricular" activities without spending your milk (or non-dairy) money?

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Links for Reading Comprehension worksheets and printables.

Reading Comprehension at RHL school. 

ABCTeach

EdHelper

Teach-nology

Posted in Fun learning

I have kept journals for as long as I remember. I enjoy sitting down and just spilling words out upon a blank piece of journal page.

Journaling is something I wanted to pass down to my children. Each year I get them brand new journals. They really like the ones that you can close with a clip or a magnet. Each day we all take time to journal. Myself included which sometimes ends up being blogging or making grocery lists. We've been doing this for at least five years. Even my little ones journal by doodling or scribbling on paper.

My daughter and I also have a journal (three ring-binder) where we write to each other. It's precious.

It always puts a smile on my face when we walk out the door and a child brings their journal.

I have a box of writing prompts that we use each day when we cannot think of something to write about.
Teacher Created Resources Writing Prompts. They offer different grade levels if that is something that floats your boat. Otherwise, if you are not concerned about grade levels then have fun with them. I enjoy them even no matter which grade level we pull from. Journaling is about writing and enjoying it.

Online Writing and Journal Prompts:
Writing/Journal Prompts at CanTeach.
Daily Writing promts at The Teachers Corner
A Goldmine of Journal Writing Prompts

How about you? Do you journal? Do your kids journal?

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Home school to-do list for this week.

• Finish planning this week.
• Think about planning next week.
• Move bookshelves.
  
• Library run.

My eldest decided that he wanted to work on his math everyday at 2:00 rather than in the mornings. We'll see how this works. Hey, if him setting his own schedule for his learning routine helps, I'm all for it. He may be more like his dad and will strive on schedules.

Posted in Fun learning

Great on-line learning aids.

"Hundreds of worksheets. Millions of combinations." at Worksheet Works

Free on-line books, poems and short stories at Read Print.

On-line graphical dictionary and thesaurus at Visuwords. This has become one of my new favorites. Being dyslexic I can "see" the words by getting a neat picture. Seeing this site for the first time was pretty exciting for me.

Posted in Encouragement

I have been learning a lot today! I had composed a heart felt post about when I am a sour apple the whole bunch (my family) are also rotten.
Then the blog post monster ate my words! Really, I meant to hit "Ctrl C" but pushed "Shift C" instead. Poof!

This will be the shortened version.

Our attitudes affect more than just ourselves. When we have sour attitudes they usually end up spreading to our spouse and to our children.  Children can read feelings well. I have learned that when I am a sour apple my children act out, they don't obey, they are rude and often will not listen. It has been in these times where I have had to take a mommy time out, calm down and then humble myself and apologize for being rotten.

As homeschoolers we are on the lookout for teachable moments to teach our children, but more-so we as the teacher need our teachable moments, too.

 

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

'Tis the season to start praying and thinking about purchasing new learning aids. (Books, workbooks, ya know that stuff that helps aid in learning.) It's time to start planning what direction we want to go this year with our learning. Fun times, I tell you.

My 12 yo and my almost 11 yo are wanting more self-directed learning aids. I am planning a day when I can take them out to our local get-your-homeschool-supplies-here store so that they can look and touch learning aids, and I can get ideas.

My almost 8 yo (in two weeks) is getting into reading more. Reading has finally clicked with him. It is exciting when reading "clicks" for a child. I am so thankful that I am the one that gets to see that "click" and not some stranger.

My 5 yo is wanting his own math book. Yes! I'll be making another mass order to Math-U-See again soon because my other children are almost done with their books.

My 2 yo, well she is happy with a stack of blank paper and a box of crayons. She is quite good at making scribble.

Posted in Encouragement

I have not been able to get away from Psalm 19 this week. I've set up camp. My tent is up but my sleeping bag is out in the wide open next to the fire pit. What a place to be under the poetic words of Psalm 19:1-6.
To feast on burnt marshmallows and s'mores while telling stories is as devouring the words of Psalm 19:7-11. Sitting peacefully recalling the days events is as ruminating on Psalm 19:12-14.

Camping is one of my favorite spring, summer and early fall activities. It brings me refreshing, relaxation and joy to be out in G-d's glorious creation. It is pure enjoyment to teach my children the skills they need to be in the outdoors. They need to know how to fish, gut a fish, put up a tent, make a fire, make marshmallow roasting sticks from willows and many other things to make a successful camping trip or for survival if need be.

As parents it is our responsibility to train our children, to prepare their hearts and minds so that they will be successful adults. It is our responsibility to teach our children the ways of the Lord - to teach His laws, His testimony, His statutes, His commandments and to fear Him. His way brings our souls closer to Him. They give us wisdom, understanding, joy and strength.

Psalm 19:12-14 set before us a way to clean up camp and to make things look better than when you first set up camp.

"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my Redeemer."

What comes out of our mouth that is directed at our children, ( or anyone) can cause encouragement or hurt.  What is in our heart is bound to come out of our mouth.

"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." Matthew 15:18

Ouch.

As parents we need to allow the Lord to prepare us so that we can teach and prepare our children with  the heritage that Christ has given us.

I encourage you to find a place in the Word and set up camp. Listen, chew, enjoy.

Did you know that in the middle of the night in the dark depth's of the laundry room when you're sleeping that the underwear gnomes and sock gnomes fight? It's an all out "king of the mountain" type fight to gain control of all sock-dom. This, my dear friends is why my children, nor I, can't find pencils. You see, pencils are their weapon of choice. This is the reason why you can never find pencils, underwear or missing socks.

I think the gnomes take pencil sharpeners as well, but I haven't been able to prove that yet...

Seriously, at least once a day I hear, "Mom, where is a pencil?"
I have a hard enough time keeping tally on my pens, let alone their pencils.

I've tried giving the kids their own pencil boxes to keep in their own cubbies. Failed. I've tried a community pencil box. Failed.

I am terrible at coming up with creative organization solutions for our pencil problem. I have not been blessed with the gift of organization. Organization is something my dyslexic self has a hard time with. I "see" everything in pictures. I can walk by objects and I'll make a mental picture of the object and what is around it. I've always amazed my hubbs with my gift for knowing exactly where everything is.

Anyway, I welcome any ideas for organizing pencils.