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This post is a few days old but I couldn't pass up the cute pics.

We are studying E & F.  I decided from the Letter of the Week that I wanted to do the egg carton project with my 3yo.  Emerald, the angel in my backyard, was scheduled to come and be with him while I took the baby (yea...he's almost 2) to therapy.  So I handed that project off to her.

Now...if I would have done the project, we would have cut out the cartons and DRAWN the eyes and antennae with a Sharpie. 

Not Emerald...

Since it was a beautiful day, she first took Tre' outside and read the "E" and "F" books with him  on the trampoline. How fun!

Then she marched Tre' out the front door and took him on a nature walk.  They collected leaves and rocks so that the egg carton caterpillar would be in it's natural habitat.  I had no idea of what was happening b/c I was with my little one at his appointment.  When I got back home I was met with a surprise.

Here's the finished project. 
Praise the Lord for photos that keep better than the actual projects!

All of this happened on the same day as our visit from the fire truck.

What an amazing day.  It would have been good anyway.  Emerald made it great. My 15yo made it even better by snapping great photos (in between her schoolwork) so I didn't miss out on sharing the joy!

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We have been S-L-O-W-L-Y making our way through the alphabet using Letter of the Week online curriculum.  Earlier this week I went to the library and picked up our books for our current letter, "F".  Of course, firefighter, firetruck, and firemen were part of the subjects that fit nicely with this letter so I contemplated the idea of a trip to the local firestation.  I called the fire marshall's office and left a message inquiring as to the procedure for setting something like this up.

That was Monday.

On Wednesday, after  my preschooler  had already had a great day of learning, we were going about our afternoon routine when we heard a very loud noise outside.  My son came running in the house from the backyard yelling, "Mommy, it's a FIRETRUCK!".  We dropped everything, grabbed the camera and ran outside.  Whadya know, God brought the firetruck to us!

We talked to the firemen, touched the hoses, looked in the truck.  We have a fire hydrant in our front yard.  I'm assuming that the firemen were doing a routine check.  So...we even got to watch the fire hydrant explode with water!  It was awesome.  I couldn't have planned a better fieldtrip.  Even the little one got in on the action!  We had to stop him from trying to leave with the firetruck!

God is so good and so thoughtful! He brought us our "F"

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Playing with rice is a big hit at our house.  I filled a plastic container with rice.  I store it in our special activities cabinet.

 

I set the rice on a plastic cover.  I believed it was originally supposed to go under a high chair for easy clean up.  Anywho, we found another use for it!

I give the boys some various sized cups, containers, and measuring cups and let them go at it.  The only rule is no throwing.  Realistically this activity lasts about 15-30 minutes before they get a little TOO creative and start creating a major mess.  Actually my 3yo could last for about 45 min but my younger son would be just be too messy creative with that much time on his hands.

When they are done, I simply pick up the plastic mat, fold it a tad to form a narrow opening at the bottom and re-pour the rice into the container.  If any has gotten onto the carpet, it's a breeze to run the vacuum and clean it up.

Be sure to check out Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-Me Wednesday tips.

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I had a friend to stop by this morning. She's having a baby next week and I wanted to share some of my baby things with her. I had just set my son in front of the computer intending to sit there and play with him.   As part of our "school" we have found some great educational sites online.  Free is always good.

90 minutes later, he is still there and has navigated his way to the Cars website. My 3yo has figured out how to use the mouse correctly with his sweet little hands. He has figured out how to "paint" the cars, switch pages, and minimize the screen. We try to spend time on the computer every now and then looking at his favorite characters from PBS kids but I didn't know he knew enough to navigate his way around.

This is one of the reasons I love being home with my children. I don't miss stuff like this. I needed this little moment of joy too. This morning started with me thinking I needed a break and trying to figure out where I could send him!

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I wish my house was pristine.  I wish my house was always organized.  I wish I made three square meals a day.  I wish that my nails were always done and that my makeup was always fresh.   I wish that my carpets didn't have spill stains and that my ceramic tile didn't have cracks in it.  I wish that my TV didn't have fingerprints and I wish that my videotapes were actually in their cases.  I wish that my favorite shoes weren't tennis shoes ( or just socks) and I wish that I had more occasions to wear drycleanable clothes.  I wish that my  day could stop when I had a visitor pop by and I wish that I could talk for a very long time on the phone to each person who called. 

I have all of these wishes b/c I'm a homeschooling Mom.  There are many things on this list I thought would drive me insane.  I've learned to live with the incomplete and the imperfect because we LIVE in our house and people are perfect or complete.

Sometimes I wish I could explain to others  the ins and outs of a homeschooling household but  tonight I read a wonderful post by Kendra on her blog PreschoolersandPeace.  Thanks Kendra for expressing yourself and ME so eloquently.

What Non Homeschoolers May Not Know: We've been educating our children at home for ten years now.  In those ten years, I have observed that there are expectations that non-homeschoolers can place on homeschooling moms simply because they lack the practical knowledge of what it means to homeschool. If you are the mother, grandmother, sister, friend, father, or brother of a homeschooling mom, here are some things you should know: 1. Educating children at home is a full-time job. Don't get irritated if she consistently allows the answering machine to do its job.  If she were a teacher in an institutional classroom, you probably wouldn't think of calling her during school hours, so try to realize that while still at home, she is keeping regular school hours, too. 2. Unlike homes in which the children are gone for eight straight hours, her home is in a constant state of activity.  The children are not only home, they are home making messes.  All day long.  Their mother doesn't even have the opportunity to go into their rooms while they are at school and weed out the junk.  And if she is like me, you might find odd homeschooly things lying around- like the month we had a dead turtle in the garage fridge. 3. Housekeeping and homeschooling are mutually exclusive.  If she is doing her job educating her children academically, then her house is not being cleaned.  If she takes the day to clean the house, then school wil not be accomplished. 4. Place realistic expectations on her- she cannot simultaneously teach school, make three square meals, keep a house that looks like it has sprung out of the pages of Architectural Digest, have her nails done, drive children to extracurricular activities, and have all the clothing laundered and pressed.  Something's gotta give, and in my experience, it is usually her personal care.  So don't expect her to don the latest styles, have her roots meticulously dyed at just the right moment, and her aforementioned nails filed and polished to perfection.  And while most of us aren't slovenly, we just tend to put some superfluous aspects of personal care at the bottom of the to-do list. 5. For many of us, homeschooling isn't an option.  Many believe it is not only the best way for their family, it is the only way.  Many see homeschooling as a Scriptural directive.  When sharing a particular struggle unique to homeschooling, comments like, "Well, why don't you consider putting them in school?  Maybe homeschooling just isn't your thing" aren't helpful.  Instead, offer a listening ear and your fervent prayers on her behalf. 6.  If you are truly concerned about the state of her emotions, home, children, or marriage, offer practical help to ease her burden.  Personal time is at a premium for her, so consider offering to take her kids for the day so she can recuperate.  If you like to do laundry, offer to come over and get the loads going, fold, and/or iron.  If you like to cook, consider putting together some meals that she can store in the freezer for days when time is at a premium.  If she teaches a broad spectrum of ages and grades, consider offering to come in once a week or more to teach preschool to the little ones.  One grandma I know created "Nana U" for her preschool grandson (number five of seven) and not only did it ease her homeshooling daughter's burden, it created a special bond between grandma and the child. But there’s a caveat here: ASK her what would be most helpful to her.  Don’t presume to know what would help her.  Taking the oldest children for the day might be fun for you, but it’s quite possibly not at all helpful to her.  The living room might need to be vacuumed, but it’s not helpful if she’s trying to take a nap.  Someone once told me, “If it’s not wanted, it’s not helpful.” 7. Think about what a financial burden homeschooling may be placing on the family.  The loss of her possible income can be a real struggle nowadays, and you might be able to buoy her for another year by offering to purchase little things like simple school supplies.  Gifts for the children like books on subjects of interest to the child, field trip fees, museum memberships, and the money to pay for music lessons or other extracurricular activities are the best thing you could give a homeschooling family.  Not only does a homeschooling mom not need one more thing to manage or pick up, she would be thrilled to see you take an interest in the many academic items on her wish list. 8. Simple questions like, "How can I pray for you?" and "Is there any way I can help you?" are like a cool breeze in her life.  Don't assume you know her needs- ask.  You could just be the vessel God uses to carry her on through this very demanding and ultimately rewarding season of her life.

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This is just an example of how you cannot judge your life by one day or incident.  I, jokingly, posted yesterday about the incident where my 15yo daughter asked me a fairly basic question.  I laughed at how quickly a homeschool Mom can feel like a failure when her child(ren) do or say something that does not quite measure up to whatever standard we have set for ourselves and for our family.

Well today, just as quickly, I am convinced that homeschool has outstanding benefits!  This same daughter who asked me about a kitchen appliance just the day before, volunteered tonight to make dinner.  This comes after a crazy day yesterday where she made ALL THREE MEALS.   This same girl made breakfast this morning!  Unbelievable.

Even better than cooking, she chose to try something unfamiliar.  She broke out the recipe book, rode her bike to the store for a couple of necessary ingredients, and then cleaned up after herself as the food cooked!

Today I am convinced that being with my children gives me the awesome opportunity of seeing them surpass my wildest expectations on a regular basis.

...today my 3yo told me that I should be careful b/c what I was doing was "dangerous"...

...my 1yo baffles me b/c he doesn't want to sit still for Momma to read to him but he will sit for long periods of time, on the floor, "reading" (babbling) a book to himself...

...my 15yo sits with me early in the morning to study God's Word...

...this same 15yo reads about 3 books a week...

...back to my 3yo....he can work any puzzle I put in front of him...(it's kind of scary)

...and my sweet 1yo is vying for his freedom but still takes random opportunities to lay his head on my shoulder....

This is what I choose to focus on today...what my kids DO RIGHT!!!  They are not geniuses, nor are they perfect, but they are MINE and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be with them! 

I'm sure there will be many days when I wonder if I'm being a good Mom, educational guide, disciplinarian, cheerleader, and friend.  I am learning not to let the days of wonder determine my hopes and conviction for the long-term benefits of homeschooling my children.  Good days and bad days, fun days and crazy days, they will come and go alike.  At the end of the day, the positive moments overwhelmingly outweigh the negative ones :)

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My daughter was making some instant mashed potatoes this evening.  In the process of reading the directions, she asked me how we were supposed to cook them if we didn't have a microwave oven.  I looked at her like she was crazy and said, "What do you mean?".  She repeated her questions.  I smirked and asked, "Are you serious?".  She was. 

I walked over to the microwave and said, "Here's our microwave right here!".  My sweet oldest replied, "but we don't have a microwave oven!".  I busted out laughing and proceeded to explain that a microwave IS a microwave oven!  She had no idea.

I guess homeschool geniuses still need a  little instruction ever now and again :)

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OK...finally getting back to talking about our school day at the Arboretum. 

At last update, the kids had just finished hanging out in the petting zoo. After watching the animals walk around in hay, the children wanted to play in hay too.  What do ya' know?  There was a hay maze for them to play in.  Beginning Logic class began!

After the boys ran themselves out of steam, we rounded out our study of "large" animals with a hayride.  Keeping everyone in their seat was a challenge but we laughed the whole time we were in the wagon.

The hayride ended with the petting of the horse so we began to head to the bathroom to wash our hands.  But we got side tracked by an impromtu study of botany and ecological systems :)

Abstract Art Appreciation Centered Around Nature

Practicing Observation Skills and Research

Group Thinking Activities

Gaining First Hand Knowledge Through Experimentation

WHOO!  Finally, a much needed lesson in cleanliness, mechanics of specialized equipment, and more team work!

I can't even tell you what the point was in washing our hands.  These anxious students headed right back outside for more BUG FUN!

This day just kept getting better and better.  Kariss DID get a break while we trapsed around with the little ones to get some of her book work done.  What better way to get a job done is there than working on Biology homework, outside, in a pecan grove, and sipping on complimentary Starbucks Coffee.  When the boys headed back in her direction she very willingly got involved again with a servant's heart in helping them to max out their trip to this awesome place.

One thing about being home with your children, it gives parents plenty of opportunity to work at cultivating children who are willing to serve others as opposed to being completely absorbed with their own needs.

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On Tuesday this week, the kiddos and I went to the Arboretum.  It was the greatest blast.  When I tell you we stayed ALL DAY...we stayed ALL DAY.  The kiddos were having such a wonderful time and I was enjoying the surrounding beauty, we virtually stayed until they closed.

A dear friend of mine offered me some free tickets and I said YES!  The planner in me didn't want to reck my week by taking the day off but I'm so glad I did.  Days like these only come around once in awhile and you have to seize the day!  I even got adventerous and added one more little one to my brood (my sweet nephew) and we all headed out to for a fun-filled day.

All of us getting ready to go on the wagon ride!

When we arrived, we headed straight for the face painting.  I was anxious to get some good "pumpkin patch" picks of my little ones with the good old 35mm before their faces were altered and I got 'em!

Then came the paint!  The boys were all AMAZED at their transformations!  In fact, we had to wait "awhile" until we could coax my oldest that it was time to wash it off! (the next evening)

My sweet nephew!

What would I do without my oldest daughter?

I really think that my son  thought he had transformed into a tiger!

Then we were off to the petting zoo.  They boys got to waltz right in and be up, close, and personal with a few.  I kept my youngest strapped in the stroller and let him pet from a short distance :)

Since I entitled this blog, School at the Arboretum,  let me share what we learned about today.  My young ones learned about animals.  They got to look like them, pet them, brush them.  They learned more about tigers, goats, horses, and such.  We talked about the sounds that animals make and what they eat.  We reinforced the concept of gentle touch and taking care of God's creation.  Because there were a limited number of brushes available for the children to use, the kiddos got to practice sharing and the quality of putting others first.  Selfishness starts early so I'm glad for the opportunity to encourage the trait of UNSELFISHNESS with these little guys early.

My oldest got a lesson in photographing children.  The tricks of catching them in their "moments" and getting them to sit still and focus on the camera!  CHEESE!  She plans on entering the photography competition next year in the Texas State Fair so she is always looking for opportunities to sharpen her skill :)

I'll write more about our field trip tomorrow...

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Yesterday, I mentioned that  Tre' and I made a "D Book".  Thought I'd give details today on what we did and how we did it.

There are three pages.  The first page has the letter "D" and all of the figure to cut and paste. 

The next two pages are the book. Tre' and I colored the "D" page together.  Then Tre' did the cutting of the figures while I held the paper and turned it this way and that way so that his cuts would be on the line.

I cut out the book pages.  Tre' glued on the figures on their respective pages and then I stapled the pages together and glued on the "binding".

Here are the pics of our finished project:

and no...my digital camera isn't fixed.  I just remembered that I can use my digital cam to take photos.  Technology is wonderful!

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It took me a second to get these photos loaded but this is actually from Wednesday, Oct 11th. 

This day was STELLAR!  This was one of the few days that everything went off without a hitch.  During "outside" time, I took the boys to a park in our neighborhood.  It had rained pretty heavily the day before so the playground equipment was all wet and icky.  I figured swinging was a pretty safe activity!

The boys really had a good time :)

They could swing for a loooooooooonnnnnnnng time!

When were all done, we took a nature walk and looked at "big" leaves and "small" leaves.  We observed sticks, rocks, and even found a gigantic spider web!  The boys lingered at a bridge looking at the "river" as Tre' called it - basically it was only a dried up creek with remnants of the rain.  Where did he learn about rivers?  I have no idea :) 

A couple of the leaves we observed got picked and made it home with us.   I'm not a super crafty person but the idea struck me to make an arts and crafts project out of it.  I taped the leaves, face-up to the back of a sheet of copy paper and during Tre's school time had Tre' color over the leaf, making an impression.  We discussed "big" and "little".  He was awestruck out how a leaf appeared out of nowhere.  I felt like the greatest Mom ever.

Like I've said many times before...most of my days are far from perfect but this one was...well...very SWEET!

Thought I'd share...

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I started homeschooling my eldest half way through her 6th grade year.  I was a wreck.  I was so uptight (still am sometimes).  Veteran homeschoolers kept telling me to RELAX... but I just couldn't figure out how to do that.  Once I started to let go of the reins just a tad, things got so much better.  We have now reached a nice stride...not perfect but nice...

So after "falling" into homeschooling, I found myself slowly starting to view it as more of a permanent choice for our family rather than a temporary fix for a situation with one particular child.  Fear stepped in when I realized that this would mean I would be responsible for teaching my little ones some of the most fundamental stuff in education....and I've never considered myself to be a "little-people-person".

Once again I was freaked out.  I read so much about how preschool should be and what they should learn....and then I remembered the lesson I learned with my oldest....RELAX...so I decided to try that and it has been wonderful.  I can't believe the things my son learns while with me and I thought I'd share some of things that we do around here just in case it might encourage someone that small kiddos just don't need to be stressed over but ENJOYED!

I never though I'd enjoy being with my ltitle ones.  I really do....God is so good.

I JUST made my three year old a notebook and put a piece of paper in the clear pastic spine that says "Tre's Notebook". Right now, it has one thing in there that he colored. We will soon be getting back to our routine and I'll be adding stuff that he does in there. Things like alphabet coloring pages, worksheets (learning how to drawn in a line or from dot to dot). He fingerpaints the words he learnes to read so I'll probably be adding a section soon called "Words I Know". Stuff like that...but mostly this is for HIM to look at and get excited about what he's accomplished. I'm really not concerned about a "knock" at the door". Texas is such a GREAT state to homeschool in.

The best that it gets with Tre' is that he has his spot on our family routine and I have time during the day set aside for him to work on certain things. I have things that we work on during his preschool time but even more than that....he's learning all day in my house. During preschool time (30 minutes) we work on:

• Reading - Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (but we are progressing S-L-O-W-L-Y)
• Counting and Number Recognition - Number coloring pages or an Abacus I bought from Ikea.
• Fine Motor Skills - Puzzles, Large-Piece Floor Puzzles, Lacing, Workbooks, etc.
• Computer time with w/Mom - PBS Kids or Starfall

During Blanket Time or Table Time Tre' can work on:

• Puzzles - gotta get some more cuz he's mastered all the ones we have!
• Coloring - he gets to choose what he wants to do
• Table Toys - Lauri Toys are GREAT. Pegs/Shape Sorter/Lacing
• Finger Paint - I've TAUGHT him not to make a mess
• Library Books - I keep a nice set in a basket on our fireplace where he can browse whenever he wants. This worked great until recently when the baby (who we are still training) started getting into it and messing it up :)
• Wooden Tool Set
• Wooden Blocks
• Play Doh
  

And then there is all that Free Play. I try not to give them free access to our game room or their bedroom so that when I DO allow them in, they are excited to the toys relegated to that room. I just put them in their room and fold clothes while they play or let them have a good time in the game room while I read a book on the couch or make some quick phone calls.

Tre' is really working his mind all day though. I try really hard not to buy toys that don't have purpose. We are really into puzzles, wooden train sets (Ikea), coloring, paint, make believe play with all of those free kid's meal toys, etc. I'm hoping to invest in a good set of legos soon. I have the letters of the alphabet posted at his eye level going up the stairs.

Also, I'm big into him helping around the house. Tre' helps me empty the trash, put the wet clothes into the dryer, throw away dirty diapers when I change my youngest, cleaning up his toys and books, etc. I recently taught him how to crack eggs so he loves helps me in the kitchen too!

I can get really stressed over wanted to do everything "right" but with the fruit I see in my kids, I'm becoming convinced more and more that it's not about meeting every task on the checklist but about developing great character in kids and giving them the freedom to be curious and begin to love learning.

Hope this helps someone!

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So here I am already into September and just now getting around to working out the kinks of our household schedule.  A couple of years ago, I heard about "Managers of Their Homes", a book that teaches homeschooling Moms how to structure their days for smooth sailing.  (Go to www.titus2.com for more info).

Well it took a looooooonnnnnng time to get through it but it was SO worth it.  We now have a guide for our days and everyone has an idea of what comes next.  Our schedule is not law and not rigid.  We use it as a tool to assist us in maintaining order and Mommy's sanity :). 

Since I'm starting this daily blog up fresh, I thought a good place to start would be to share our newest schedule!  You can take a peek by clicking HERE !

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