I have spent 2009 reading a lot of books that I experienced when I was in Jr. High or High School that I kind of remembered, but needed to read again.  In the new year, I plan on reading some great classics that I have never read.
I got War and Peace and Mansfield Park for Christmas and those will be first on the list.  I will also be reading other Jane Austen selections and choices from Ambleside online's booklists. 
I will post thoughts and comments on the themes and content of the books if you are interested in checking back.  I plan on posting at least weekly if not more often.
Using Charlotte Mason's teachings on narration, I will use this blog as my digital narration of the books and poetry that I encounter.

All of the planning and praying have paid off and we had a wonderful first week of school!  I was so scared of the High School thing, but my dd did all of her lessons with very little help and seemed to enjoy the changes we made and the curriculum that we chose for her.
My youngest was so eager to learn that the first few days she would ask, "That's it?"  When I deemed her day to be done.  Following the advice of Miss Mason though, I resisted the urge to plan more in her days next week.  In the afternoons this week; she painted, took a nature walk with me, played with doll houses, played with her 8 note bells and many other things.  (It was too wet and rainy for outdoors time most of the week.)  
I am thankful for all of the friends who advised me, or just listened to me sound off on my choices for this year.  I could not do this without the support of the homeschooling community!

It's summer.  A time for relaxing and sleeping in...
Unless you are a homeschool mom!!!
We have been to Vacation Bible Schools, Fine Arts Camp, Softball Camp and Writing Camp.  In a few weeks, we will go to Church Camp.  Summer is a time for fun and friends!
The kids get to choose what they will do, I don't push them into anything.  Both girls chose the day camps and activities they wanted to do and I signed them up!  They love it!
The next four weeks are finally activity free and I will spend that time planning the school year and looking over all the new books that have been arriving in the mail in the last few weeks.
We read, we do craft projects, we eat (alot) and we enjoy the outdoors.
Summer to us is a time to enjoy all of the things that get left out of the mix in the school year.  We have time to do the projects that are to cumbersome in the regular school day and we get to have a break from the same old thing.
Do they still learn in the summer?  YES!  We don't have summer reading lists, just library days.  We don't have summer bridge activites, but we do write letters and play on the computer.  We don't do math drills...at least not as many:-)
We are probably as close to unschooling as we will ever get in the summer and yet, they grow and thrive these months sometimes more than the last few weeks of school when they are burnt out.
Summer is GREAT!

It has been seven years since my womb was a source of comfort to another soul.

Seven years since I felt the joy of movement coming from deep within me.

Seven long years since I was truly needed by another in every single way.

Watching you grow the last seven years has been wonderful.

The intense feeling of missing you is just beginning.

Every step leads you away.

Every year leads you on your own path.

May you, my daughter, grow up to be a mother too.

Then I will once again feel the joy of a soul growing.

We are in our second week of "spring break".  However, it doesn't feel like I'm getting much of a break.  Let me explain. 

Instead of taking our break from daily lessons in the early spring, we take the week of Lads to Leaders and the week of SATs off and that is our break.  This year they happen to fall back to back. 

The kids got two days completely free last week.  We headed to Nashville on Wednesday for convention.  We spent four nights at the Opryland Hotel.  The days were spent in family outings and convention events.  This week, we have testing and meetings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  They were free on Tuesday and Thursday. 

This is an unconventional way to get in a spring break, but the kids like having two weeks free from lessons and I get to ward off burn-out before it sets in.

I have spent my free time packing and unpacking, mostly.

We will start back on Monday with daily lessons and will finish the school year up in about 6 weeks.

I do take a summer break, because we all need it. 

At least I got a little change of pace.

In the book Educating the WholeHearted Child, the Clarkson's have this to say about our aims in education:

"The true test of a child's education is not what he or she knows at any one time relative to what other children know.  It is whether or not the child is growing stronger in all of the most important learning skills."

And also,

"The goal of education is not to raise a child who does well on the tests of secular educators; rather it is to raise a child who does well on the tests of real life."

These are both points that we as home educators need very desperately to remember.  We get caught up in choosing the right curriculum and scoring high on tests and we forget to train our children's character.  Don't mistake me, academics are important.  However, if you are neglecting the character training of your child, then you are failing them. 

Spending every day with our children can be trying.  If we are cranky and depressed, we are training their character to be cranky and depressed.  If we are joyful and loving, then we are training them to be joyful and loving.  They are learning every minute of the day.  It is not confined to the morning "lesson" time.

The next time you are not up to par, take a break.  Maybe your children can learn more that day by helping you get caught up on cards and letters to friends and family.  Or, you could do chores with your favorite music blaring.  Whatever it is that you do, make sure it remains educational, not burdensome.  When you are already stressed or tired, the last thing you need to do is bring on more stress.

The next day, refocus and start anew with a fresh perspective and fewer things on your to-do list. 

Also, if your child is doing their best, don't discourage them by making them feel as though it is not good enough.  Not every child will be an A student.  Some will excel  in math and others will shine in English.  A few will be the best chef or handyman you ever met, but will shun reading and writing.  Don't try to make them be something that they are not.  Educating them is the goal, not mapping out their lives.

Remember, enjoy these days, for they are few!

I have always said that I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  Now that I am getting too old for that phrase, I will just say that I still don't know what mark I want to leave on this world.

I am teaching and training my children, but what they do from here will be their mark on the world. 

I am helping my husband with his business and farming ventures, but the successes will be his own.

I am working at the local church and teaching little hearts to know our Lord and Saviour, but that is to the glory of God.

So I guess the mark that I am leaving is that I hope to encourage and help those around me to be all that they can be and that will in turn make me the best that I can be. 

An encourager, now that is a great thing to be when I grow up!