My twenty cents keeps moving!

Oct. 11, 2008

School Pics

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Sep. 30, 2008

Mock Election

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Sep. 9, 2008

Carnival of Homeschooling

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Don't forget to check out the Carnival of Homeschooling over at the Cates' blog! I found some really great information there!

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Sep. 4, 2008

Counting the Cost-- Homeschooling

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"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost?" Luke 14:28

When I was pregnant with Spenser, I didn't know I was going to be a stay-at-home mom. I know that sounds naive and short-sighted, but I don't remember ever thinking about it. Or having a conversation with my husband about it. I was raised by a working mom, and he was raised by a SAHM, but I don't remember ever having a discussion about which I would be. Then suddenly I had a baby in my arms, and I knew I wasn't handing him over to a daycare. I just couldn't (partly because I had spent the past three years working in a day care LOL.)

So I started babysitting at home, and later also sold things on ebay. When I started homeschooling, I still did both for a while. But eventually I realized I couldn't keep up the level of ebay sales I had been doing. I continued babysitting (and still do, although I don't have a regular this year for the first time.)

But I never sat and counted the cost of homeschooling; I just followed the path I was shown. I knew God was calling me to homeschool, and I obeyed. Sometimes now, I am forced to recognize the cost, and I have to count it quickly and move on lest I dwell on it and become bitter. (I'm kidding-- sort of.) For a long time, I thought we were ~~poor~~ economically challenged because we are in the ministry, but the truth is, we are ~~poor~~ economically challenged because I stay home with the kids.

This year, for the first time, I have 4 school-aged kids. I could put them all on the bright yellow bus and send them to public school. I wouldn't have to pay day care. I could work during school hours, and bring in a nice income that would help us so much... at least, economically. I could teach (you know, in a "real" school, and effectively double our household income.)

But I just can't do it. I recently drove by the school that would be "ours," and I thanked God that they weren't there. I felt overwhelming gratitude that they are with me, and a sense of alarm at the thought they could be there. They are mine, my responsibility, and I cherish every minute I have with them. I love being with them all day; I love watching them learn; I love the mess and the bickering. OK I lied about those last two. But I do honestly love homeschooling. I love that they are each other's best friends. I love that they mock me when I sing about Henry VIII. Really, I do. I absolutely love being at home with my kids...

even when it means we lost the remote and can't watch our 15 year old TV because the power button is broken. A $10 remote control may seem like nothing to some, but it's just not in the budget this payday. Probably not next either, but maybe it will turn up by then. (update 9/6: Macy found it and I gave her $2)
even when it means my brother cuts my hair because I don't have the money or the time to go get it done. (HE did a great job by the way.)
even when it means I can't buy my husband a nice birthday present. (It's ok honey I have something in mind for later...) Tinab knows what I mean :)
even when it means we give up soccer after 8 years and switch to tennis (much cheaper, who knew?)
even when it means we shop at thrift stores and eat chicken all week when it's on sale, and don't go on vacations very often, and skip going to Sonic after tennis.

I could go on and on but the point isn't to wail and moan about what we don't have. I am so thankful for a husband who is willing to make the sacrifices with me. He wears hand-me-downs and Goodwill shoes. (And sometimes they fall apart the first day he gets them, and they were a great European brand!) I am thankful for children who accept their plight (LOL) and work for what they really want. Reed saved her money for a year so she could go to drama camp at the Springer. Spenser works at the theatre to buy the games he wants. He and his buddy worked this summer and made $1000 for a youth trip. They are learning to make choices, and honestly they get an awful lot. Not as much as some kids, but they are not deprived. Sometimes we lose focus on what is really important, but then I stop and count the cost. And I realize that homeschooling is the best bargain I ever got.

So.. what are some sacrifices you have made to homeschool... and is it worth it?

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Aug. 28, 2008

Labooks We have Done

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Here are some pictures of the lapbooks we have completed over the last 2 years. Some very very small, like The Story of Ping, while others like the Thanksgiving one and the Heart one were huge. Some were worked on by mutiple children (the big ones) and others, like The Courage of Sarah Noble were done by only one child.

I have pictured here:

Thanksgiving lapbook by Live 'N Learn Press

Christmas Symbols by Hands of a Child ( I don't think we did the whole lapbook)

The Human Heart by Knowledge Box Central (we did this while we were doing Christian Kids Explore biology)

All About Me from Live 'n Learn Press

The Story of Ping I think I made up as we went by scouring the internet (I did this one with the younger girls)

The Moon by Hand of a Child (Reed and Sydney did this one while using Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space

The Courage of Sarah Nobles Reed did this one for literature. I used TCR's guide for using The Courage of Sarah Nobles in the classroom.

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Aug. 26, 2008

Science Links-- LIGHT

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I am using the Dinah Zike book The World of Light and Sound with Reed and Sydney. Here are some great links if you are studying light.

http://www.kathimitchell.com/light.htm

http://www.opticalres.com/optics_for_kids/kidoptx_p1.html

http://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks/light.htm

http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/light.asp

http://www.psc.cornell.edu/gssop/courses/Global_Climate_Change/2005/Global_Climate_Change_appendix2a.pdf

http://web.archive.org/web/20040722075858/http://www.howe.k12.ok.us/~jimaskew/plight.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/activities/light_dark.shtml

http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/light/measure_measuring.html

http://www.cape.k12.mo.us/jefferson/grammer/Light.html

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Aug. 26, 2008

The Hundred Dresses lapbook

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Reed is in the play The Hundred Dresses next month, and so I made a lapbook that we will use in literature. And, of course, Ami from homeschoolshare made it better! You can find it here:

The Hundred Dresses lapbook

Let me know if you enjoy it! Read the book and come see the play if you are in Georgia near me LOL! It is a great story with important lessons about friendship and peer pressure.

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Aug. 14, 2008

Back to School

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We are back in full swing, and I love it. I was sick of the unstructured days of summer. I like my structured school days, even though it is a heck of a lot more work than sitting on front of the computer all day reading blogs and playing games LOL.

We are doing alot of lapbooking to supplement our textbooks this year. Again, alot of work, but we all enjoy it. The same info is apparently easier for my kids to write in a little booklet shaped cute than on real paper, LOL. So we are lapbooking MOH 3, and my son is lapbooking with his Apologia. I made a small lapbook for Reed for The Hundred Dresses, since she is in that play. Also, she and Sydney are doing Dinah Zike's Great Science Adventures, The World of Light and Sound. Other than that, we have Saxon math, A Beka language arts, Latin for the older two, and Logic for Spenser. We are all going to be doing Pilgrim's Progress from Answers in Genesis for our Bible lessons.

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May. 22, 2008

Field Day

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Apr. 25, 2008

What's a tautology? I'm only 5

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During their Bible lesson today, Jason asked the kids how we can know that what Jesus said about Himself is true, i.e. that He is the Son of God, He rose from the dead etc.

Macy's answer: Because He never lies.

Bad logic. Good theology.

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