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.

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.

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 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 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 Glimpses of our homeschool

I was talking to my husband on the phone and was telling him how I am making the kids watch Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower on the History Channel.

We aren't counting this weeks learning on our records because we have done our one hundred seventy eight days, per state law, of learning already for our year of learning. (We "learn" year round and our year starts in late November. This year it starts on Dec. 1st) We've already done just over two hundred days this year so I made the funny to my husband that even though I am having the kids watch the History channel, that it still counts toward their learning and that I'll still track it.

I joked to my husband about taking the difference from our two hundred or so homeschool hours and the one hundred eight hours and "roll-over" the extra hours to next year.

Yeah, nice thought. I wouldn't "roll-over" the hours but it sure was fun to entertain the thought!

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

We've all do it. Standing in lines. Long, short, straight, curved.

I guess I never really though much about standing in lines due to my public school experiences. Had to stand in line to go out to recess, then stand in another line to go back in. Stand in line to sharpen pencils or to go to another class, to go to the bathroom. Then there was the lunch lines... yuck!

Now I'm older and I still stand in lines. Grocery lines, DMV lines, movies, concerts and the all so ever fun, pot-lucks!

I guess one thing I have failed to teach my children... so my hubby thinks, is our kids standing in lines. They stand in lines with me all the time... at the credit union, the store, DMV, potlucks...

We were at a "company picnic" this week and my husband noticed that our seven year old cut in line to get his food. Oh well. Sometimes "life learning" from standing in lines with mom doesn't always work... especially when food is involved!

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

What a busy summer this has been. Since the end of June it has felt like non-stop. We get home, unpack, then a few days later repack for another adventure. It's been wonderful, but I feel tired. Thankfully, I have three weeks of hanging out at home before another fun trip or two.  This weeks focus has been laundry and cleaning the long neglected house.

Next week we'll work on getting back into the home schooling routine.  We've had a fun summer full of outdoor learning but now it's time to get back to the basic "R's".

 

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

I learned this week how motivation is contagious!

Back in December I was so un-motivated! It really stank and I was tired of it. I prayed and sought ways to overcome! I did, back in January. Nothin' compares to discipline, hard work, exercise and soap to get you movin'!

The motivation, the drive that I have has carried on to my kids. Oh, what joy!! The past two days my children have gotten most of their learning done, the stuff that doesn't require me to help them that much, like math, handwriting done without me prodding them. In fact, my oldest has been getting up before I do and does his math. Total shocker! I'm proud of him!

I can only hope and pray that this lasts with the kids. I know I want to stay driven!

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

I love, love, love my juicer.

Today as we were making carrot-apple-grape juice (family recipe) we all noticed how each "juice" separates. (The kids love to watch the juicer do it's thing.) I admit, it is rather fascinating.

Suprisingly, the carrots are lighter than the apple and grape juice.

On another note of fresh organic homeade juice, it brings me to mention that I have joined Spark People to give me an extra "oomph" on my weight loss and eating better journey. Best part it's FREE. Check it out. (I'm HisHappyApple). There is a Spark Peaple button on my side bar.  over there ------------------->

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

This is a wonderful article about alternatives to HSLDA.

I have had a free trial membership with HSLDA and I was a member once. Honestly, I wasn't all that satisfied with them and I hated giving them money that I could have used to buy more books. I do like to use HSLDA as a resource but I will not be a member again.

You do not need to be a member to get that feeling of protection. The best protection you can give yourself as a homeschooler is to research and to know and understand your state laws.  

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

We've taken the past month off from learning. Well, actually I took a break from leading or teaching my children... they still learned quite a bit while our on our adventures.

We have our "school year" complete according to our state law. We don't have to do anymore days until November, but since we learn year round all the time I have been starting to think about what we'll do next week.

I'll be using Weaver again with all 4 of them this year. I'm enjoying my break with not planning units or anything. I often go back and forth between Weaver and our own studies.

Boo - Math U See, Wisdom Words, Daily Bible reading, Daily journaling, New vocab. word daily.

Princess - Math U See, Wisdom Words, Daily Bible reading, Daily journaling, New vocab. word daily.

Peanut - Math U See, Alpha Phonics

Squirt - Letter of the week

CupCake - She's usually in the middle of all the action.

 

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Isn't that flower just lovely? We were on another hike yesterday. I forgot what these are called. (Nancy, do you know?) It's been a long time since I've seen one! If you know what these beauties are called please tell me. Below: Bee busy at work.

I feel so blessed during this season of my life. I am so grateful to be able to do the things that I enjoy or have a passion for. I get to be outdoors in the mountains with my family and friends! It took about 12 years to convince my hubby that the mountians are a fun place to be and that there is nothing like being out in the beauty that God created. He is really enjoying it. Oh, how I am thankful.

I guess I've been blogging about all of our family fun that I haven't really blogged about our learning adventures. As you can "see" the kids have been learning a lot!  We've been doing a unit study on mountains so our adventures have been perfect!

 

 

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Busy! Take a lookie!

A hike with our unschooler's group.

Making molecules: packing popcorn, toothpicks, scissors and markers. (Markers to color the packing popcorn to represent the different elements)

Water Molecules. We also made molecules of O2 and O3 (To show how they "bounce" around.) and of snowflakes.

Breakfast has gotten interesting.... Colored Cream of Wheat, anyone? I kept mine plain thank you!

After the storm.

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Today the kids and I went on a field trip with some other local homeschoolers. It was fun and better yet, the kids enjoyed it too! Bonus! We went to a mining museum. I've been there a few times and I even know some of the people who work there. The kids got to do some gold panning. I don't know of any child who doesn't like playing in water! Later this month or next I'll be taking the same group gold panning as well as rockhounding. I am looking forward to it.  

I forgot to take pictures though... whooops. We'll be going again since we get in for free and my kids like it so much. Works for me!

Tomorrow is hike day. Yes! This time I will take pictures!

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Summer is approaching and the kids and I are starting to think about what fun things we'll learn. Part of our learning will involve many hikes so I'm thinking we'll do theme hikes. One we'll search for birds, another hike will be rocks and minerals, another trees, another plants and Oh, I cannot forget insects. I like those ideas! A hike at night would be fun too. Then there are all the fun things we'll learn when we go camping and gold prospecting!

When we aren't outdoors I'd like to do some fun food science and make ice cream, slushies and smoothies. I'm sure we can come up with all sorts of fun flavors!

We also need to come up with a good read-out-loud list. (We have to finish Lord of the Rings first) Any ideas for good, fun summer reads?

We'll also have more veggies grow. We grow most of our veggies in pots. I have dreams of having a big yard someday to have a nice sized garden.

What are your plans for fun summer learning?

Posted in Glimpses of our homeschool

Dry erase boards have become the newest rage in our home.

Each of my kids have a small one that they use for various things.

Boo boo uses his for writing his spelling words and drawing.

Princes uses hers to do her multiplication problems on.

Peanut uses his to practice writing his letters and numbers. His is also magnetic so he uses magnetic letters to help him read and spell simple words.

The kids also like to take their dry erase boards in the car.

I have one on the fridge to jot down things I need at the store.