Things have finally calmed down a bit and we're back to 'normal'.  We've resumed schooling and are finding our groove.  Our operating hours are a bit different from most.  But they suit our family.  After all these years, I think I'm finally getting the hang of homeschooling.  This only occurred after I STOPPED reading about what everyone else (even the 'experts') was doing.  And I started praying in earnest for what God would have me do...and studying my family and what works for us.

We were using Math U See as our spine for math, but I kept having to tweak it (rebel that I am)   For instance, it just makes more sense to me to spend time focusing on learning ALL addition facts than learning a few here and there sprinkled with other things in between.  I'm sure that's because of my personality type.  If I have to do something, I go for the gusto!  Do it with all my might and get it over with, ta da!!!  So while we were taking a break to learn subtraction facts, I found some e-books at Math Mammoth which seem to be a good fit (for now).  Some of the books are for grade levels and some are according to topics.  I had used one of them before to help oldest son over the hurdle with fractions.  It was great in that it covered almost everything to do with fractions.  The younger two are using a MM book and both told me that like it better than MUS.  More importantly, I like them and they're learning and loving it.

We're using Rod and Staff readers for all the children.  Daughter will finish her set sometime this month.  I believe she's ready for a formal language arts program now that we have that learning-to-read time over.  I have the older version of LLATL which looks pretty good to me, BUT we'll see how it works out.   Baby Boy is still in the learning-to-read time and I will tell you a secret.  Promise not to let this get out, but we are NOT doing phonics any more.  We'll actually I throw in a bit in the natural course of a reading lesson, but no more formal phonics and workbooks. 

In his reader is a list of new words (words to phonetically sound out and sight words).  We go over the new words, I read the story to him, he reads with me and then he reads alone with me helping him with any words he struggles with.  When he's comfortable, we move on to the next story.  He's still struggling with handwriting, so I have him copy his new words and a few sentences (from the current story) each day.  Voila ... handwriting and reading lessons done!

We're nearing the end of Farmer Boy which was a fun read.  I was planning on reading the entire series, but still on the fence about it.  These are wonderful books, but very wordy for my children with short attention spans.  They seem to love the stories but would enjoy them more in a condensed form - what to do - what to do.

I'm not a science mom, but the children have requested it.  So after looking about a bit, I'll order Exploring Creation with Astronomy for the younger two and Exploring Creation with Biology for my soon-to-be high schooler.

Its so hard to believe it, but I will have a high school student next year.    We only have four more years before society thinks of him as an adult.  There are so many things we want to teach him and academics, though important to us, are not at the top of the list.  There are more important lessons that this young one needs to learn  and I really feel an urgency at reaching him soon.  But on the other hand, there are things that the government requires us to cover, so we'll have to get that in as well.  Wouldn't it be nice to not have to worry about such things.

My one dilema (as far as school goes) is in finding an American history book that I like.  This made sound awful, but... I don't like the secular books which rewrite history.  AND I haven't found a Christian book that I care for either.  They all seem to paint America's history as glorious when in fact there is some of our history that is quite shameful (for instance, slavery).  I have trouble wrapping my mind around a slave owner being labeled a hero and great Christian.    One book I read said that our treatment of the Indians wasn't so bad because after all they were always at war with each other any way, and we didn't treat them nearly as bad as they treated each other.  Regarding slavery, they acknowledged that slavery did exist here, BUT that slavery has existed for a long time, even since bible time.   This book seem to try to justify bad behavior by pointing out other bad or worse behavior. 

What I am looking for may not exist yet.  A book(s) that tells the facts, the good, the bad and the ugly and lets the reader draw their own conclusions.  If you know of such a thing, please let me know.

I am horrible at keeping records, but will have to find something that works for me soon (especially for high school records).  If I have all the books the children have worked through, then why do I need records?  If children who have never been to school are reading and writing and doing math, isn't it obvious that we've been doing school.  Ack, its the rebel in me, I suppose.  And the fact that I'd rather be DOing rather that writing about what I plan to do or have done.   Oh well, I must conform now (at least for my high schooler).   And before you think I just fly by the seat of my pants, nope.   I make a list for each child of what I'd like us to accomplish for the year.  Then I look for materials to help us and dive in.   How do you keep records?  Any suggestions?

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