Hi guys, we haven't been doing any real schooling this summer. We took the summer off, or so the children thought. We did participate in our summer reading program (school that they don't consider), swimming in their Aunt conny's pool (,more school, P.E. they don't consider), counting their  money they have earned from time to time (school, they don't consider), & of course, all of the science that has been found in our backyard. No real schooling,but much more than they realize. My DD has even brought me notebooks & showed me her copy work/penmanship. We took the summer off, but have accomplished so much.

     I am looking forward to August so we can get started back with school. I think my DC are actually looking forward to it also. The only problem with starting back up with school is that my mind is scattered in many directions on what we want to study/cover this year.

     The last few months of last year we used the Charlotte Mason method of teaching & it went so well. I want to make the same approach this year, but not sure if I want to use my curriculum I have, Ambolside, or Old Fashion Education. I may just use a bit of all of it. I like spontenuity getting up each morning with something new to dive in to. Using many different things will allow us to be able to do that. 

     Our school year may involve lots of spontenuity this year. Because of Elton becoming disabled & us having to go on disability, our income is not that great & I may have to get a job. My heart is torn in this. I want to go to work to make ends meet & be the help mate I need to be to my sweetheart, knowing that he is not able, but then there is that mother side of me that wants to be home with my babies. Should I get a job, it is going to be hard for me & my children. We have never been apart for more than a few days of them spending the night with a grandmother or aunt. Being apart every day will be a hard bridge to cross. We desire all of your prayers.

      I'll keep you all posted on what happens. I'd better go for now.  Blessings to you all, Traci

     Hi everyone, hope all is well with you all. I know it's been a while for me posting, but things have been a bit hectic.Between schooling, my mother being sick my nephew being sick, & my grandmother getting sick & us having to take care of her around the clock until her passing last week, I have not had time to get on the computer for nothing.

     Now things seem to look like they might slow down for a while so I can blog again.

     We did go to our Art banquet & had a marvelous time. My DH & I both won awards and sold a painting. I am so excited about my award! I won what they call "The Traveling Exhibit Award." That means my painting travels for six months to different galaries & in October will be on display in our state capital, woo, hoo!

     We finished up our school year using the Charlotte Mason method & my children & I were well pleased with our end of the year results. It worked so well the last few months of this past school year, we'll be starting back up in August with the same school setting.

     Through all that has been going on, I am looking forward  to our family getting back in our family routine of being at home, schooling, enjoying our back yard, etc. I just have to sit down and get things lined up for the things we will study this year.

There is just so many directions my mind is racing, I'm not sure which direction to let it race. I'm sure as soon as I take time to pull aside & get alone with my Lord, He'll give me a sure road map. He has not failed us the past 4 years & I know He won't fail us this year. 

     Well, time is up for now. It is time for us to get ready to leave for church, so until next time, blessings to you all, Traci

     I have had more excitement today! When we checked our mail today, there was a letter in there that I didn't know I was going to get.

     We (elton & I) had an opportunity to send some of our art work to the Very Special Arts in birmingHam Alabama so we did. Your art work has to go before a juror to be judged to see if it is good enough to be placed on display for this art exhibit. I wasn't sure how we would do, but thank's be to God, the letter we recieved today had complimentary tickets to the art exhibit April 15, 2008 on Tuesday of next week. Our art pieces had been chosen!!!! So Lord's willing we'll be heading to Birmingham next week to see if anyone buys our pieces. 

     We desire all of your prayers. With me being legally blind  (no income) & Elton on disability, we are hoping that my art work will boost our income one day. I am just now venturing out & putting my work on the market as a blind artist.  Hopefully this is just a beginning break through for what God is about to do in my art work.

     On another exciting note, today we went to a thrift store just for the purpose to see what books we might be able to find. My DS was so tickled because he found him a science book. When we got in our van & was on our way home, he was looking at his new science book (a high school science book) and he said, "Wow! Mamma we don't have this stuff in our science book we've been using." He was so excited at the new things he was reading & learning. (Only a third grader)  I was sitting there thinking, yes son, I know that stuff is not in our science book because that is on a much higher level than you should be studying for your grade level, but he was so excited & reading & discussing so many things, I just kept my mouth shut. I figure, if he's excited over the material & understanding it even though it is much higher than his level, why should I set his goal. If god is giving him the knowledge to understand that material, then I need not step in the way of God's hand moving.

     It blesses my soul to know that this child is the one that I have so many problems in the past trying to coach him in to reading and after a month of Charlotte Mason's Approach of mainly consisting of reading, now I see my son picking up book after book realizing there's some important information in the book that he might could learn. wooWho!!!! God is helping us so much. He gets all the Glory! Nothing in our self, all Him.

     Another late night, so better go. Hope all is well in each of your homeschools. Bless you all, Traci

     We got up this morning with plans of getting in a good school day so we could be ready for Homeschool Expo with Cindy Rushton tomorrow, but not long in to the day, our plans were changed. My aunt called & said she was sitting at a gas station & she didn't know if her tank had a whole in it  or what, but the gas was running out on the ground when she  was trying to pump.

     I thought, here goes our school day, but when a neighbor is in need it's an opportunity for a good deed. so we got ready & off we went to see if we could be of any assistance.

     I grabbed the library books & said, "Beings we are going that way, we'd better make a library run too."

     We got to where she was & thank god my hubby immediately spotted the problem. We had prayed when we got in our van that God would show him the problem and again God was faithful. There had been a limb that had gotten caught some how & it was stuck between the gas tank & the van & it had knocked the hose lose from her gas tank. Thank the Lord for showing him & soon she was on her way again.

     We went on to the library & that is when our fruitful day began. Here it was, I had thought our day was shot for any school, but God had other things in store, little did I know.

     My son is getting better, but he is not what you would call an advid reader. Today I could tell God wanted to shine some light on our homeschooling. Everyone was picking out their books to bring home or just brousing around & my son & I went in the children's reading room (a place where the librarian reads to the toddlers) and he got a book and sat down & began to read to me. He read three bookx! WooWho!!! We're on a roll. When we left the library, he started reading in the van. We went to my M-I-L's house & when we left there, he started reading again. God is on the move!

     Not even in the plans for the day & so much accomplished.

     My son started drawing a picture & I asked him what he was drawing & he said a carriboo. I asked him, "Do you know what a carriboo is?" He said, "Yes, Mom." (This was in one of the books he had read to me.) So I asked him, "What is it then?" He said, "A deer." That's good enough for me. Great job done! I'll take that as a naration. I can tell that he had learned something today. We are having a blast with the Charlotte Mason style of teaching.

     We found some great movies to go with our studies this week about stars, sun, moon, solar system, galaxies,.... I think this will make our library book on galaxies come alive to them. I have never seen my children more happier about schooling than they have been in the past month. I thank God for leading us down the right paths to follow.

     Well, I am going to go for now. I got me a great book to read also, now that I got me a program that goes on my computer & will read books to me. I got me a book called "Things We Wished We'd Known" compiled together by Bill & Diana Waring.  Anyone familiar with that book? I am looking forward to getting to do lots of reading. If anyone has any great suggestions, please feel free to leave them in a comment or email me. Wep, better go, Blessings, Traci

     Up this morning and getting ready to go to the house of God. What a thrill! Just to know that I have the freedom to get up and go worship my Lord this morning without having to worry that someone is going to throw me in stocks & chains if I am caught.  That's something my flesh would not like, but in the spirit, I suppose it would be just fine. Beings my Lord suffered for me, I should be willing to suffer for the name of Christ.

     Today the world forgets the suffering He done for us & how he said if you be ashame of me before men, I'll be ashamed of you before my Father. The world is in this fashion if I am around a person & they act like they don't have a problem with me being a christian then I'll let them know that I am. On the other hand, if I am around a person who acts like they don't care for christianity then I'll just not bother to let my light shine. Besides, if I let my light shine around that type of person they might not be my friend, or ..... What has happened to the true love of Christ?  What happened to the first commandment where Jesus said, "Thou shalt not have no other gods before me."

     Most people look at this commandment as some other object or person as another god, but this can go in many directions. Most of us don't want to admit it either, that sometimes we, our self, can be the other god we put before the God, Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior.  That old self-pleasing spirit, that spirit of having everything we want, right when we want it, just how we want it, & no other way except our way.  I know you all know what I am talking about, help us God? Help us learn the true meaning of love, the love like Jesus showed us when He went to calvary. Lord just help us get our flesh under your subjection & walk in your spirit?

     Well, I don't know how I got off on that, but it's good for us, a reminder that Jesus should be Lord of our life in everything.

     Our week has been great in school this week. Yesterday I was getting some things together for our notebooks for this week. We are going to study the Milky Way & galaxies this week. I got some things together that would be like things that you'd put in a lap book, but we are going to arrange them on notebook pages instead. I'll try to get pictures and post them. I think the pages are going to be so cute & such a fun way of learning.

     I had always thought that people learned so much from just reading, but I never knew how true that was until just lately. My children & I have just been reading books & some we've taken notes as we've gone through & others we have just read & I have seen my children pick up on so much. No long drawn out study, just reading through the book. It has been great.

     I am looking forward to planning my school year for the new year coming up in August. I have a feeling it is going to be our best year ever.

     Well, time to go out the door so I'll post more later. Everyone have a blessed day. Enjoy your Lord & Savior today, & all His beauty. Blessings, Traci 

      God has ben so good today. It has ben a marvelous day. I've been sitting in on cindy Rushton's Homeschool Expo conferences today, working with my children with their school work, picking up my house some, baby sitting my nephew, & my hubby even cleaned on the yards some. So much was accomplished & I know it was only the hand of God that let it happen.

     My days have been so much more at ease since I started with the CM style of HSing. And what is so amazing is that it won't look like we have accomplished much with our schooling, but when I go back to record it in my journal, our day is filled. We have been just taking our time with schooling, but our days have been so fruitful. I also see some changes in my DS.

     It used to be a battle just about every day with my DS, but for the past few weekss,taking our time & slowing down, he has worked wonderfully. 

It finally feels good to homeschool peacefully. Before the past few weeks, we were always pushing & rushing trying to get this done, trying to do that, but now that I have relaxed and just folowed my desires for the day, my whole family seems a lot happier. You all know the old saying, "If Mamma's not happy, ain't  nobody happy." Well, when we were so rushed with trying to get everyday's life  done around our house, I wasn't exactly the calm loving Mamma I needed to be. Some days I would just lose it. I knew that was not God's will or plan He had in mind for me homeschooling my children. He didn't mean for me to chew them up and spit them out every day. I knew something was wrong, but what? We were getting up and following the books every day. Just what could it be?  I see now following man's plan with all of the load of books curriculum has for you is not what God has in mind.

     God's call is to train up our children, not cram them in the way they should go. I have repented much in the past few weeks and now feel free in my soul that I am following God's way now. Not letting the books run us, but us enjoying our books at our pleasure.  I have actually been training my children in some things the past few weeks, instead of being like a drill sargent.   The stress load has been lighter so Mamma is happy, so now the entire family is loving it.

     Pray for us to be the family God would have us to be. We're on this journey trying to make it to the finish line, but we still have a ways to go. I know my Father is leading the way though. In Him, Traci

    I  received this email today & thought I'd share it with you all.  It's about leaving prayer out of school.

       I don't like it when people try to leave God out of the picture & in reality without Him there would not be, anything. 

The email is an essay a student wrote.

New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME) !

Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer are not allowed in most public schools anymore Because the word 'God' is mentioned...
A kid in Arizona wrote the attached essay:



NEW School prayer :
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen 

Jesus said,
'If you are ashamed of me,
I will be ashamed of you before my Father.'

      My prayer is that God will give good christian students the umption to spread His name & Word like wild fire throughout every school.

 

      Bless you all, traci

     Well, I had taken a week off to revamp my schooling and to refresh myself and everything went great.

     We stepped in to our new approach this week and my children and I are loving it.  We are slowly easing in to the Charlotte Mason Approach and we are thrilled with the results already.

     Usually, our days are long and drawn out. It has been so nice this week. 

     I'll give an example of just one of our days this week. On Tuesday, we did our school the Charlotte Mason way, I cleaned my house, had an appointment that was kept, and had time to pleasurely enjoy the computer or anything else I wanted to do because I didn't have to sit and feel guilty because something wasn't done. I could sit at ease. That is a first for our homeschooling.

     Charlotte Mason requires a child to learn through lots of reading and copy work. We love to read in this home so that has been excellent for us. Even my DS that I used to have to coach in to reading has just fallen right  on course.

     My children have been finishing their school work and have had time to go out side to enjoy the new family pet, Tank (a dog). Don't ask where that name came from. I don't know why we couldn't be one of those families that had a FOO Foo or Tiger or something, but instead we have Tank.  I suppose we're just like God would have our family to be though.

     I thank God for the way he has blessed our family and has had us at such ease this week. It has been rather nice to be without stress this week.

     I have tried to venture out & follow the leading of God in teaching my children in the pass, but just wouldn't get out of the boat and go with it. I figured I had sat in the boat long enough, it was time to swim a while. So we are swimming and having a wonderful time.

     I'm still getting a few things together for our schooling, but hopefully now I can visit blogs more often. If things keep going, I should be seeing you all soon, on a regular basis.

     Well, got to go for now. Tonight is our church night and I like to get everything ready ahead of time. Blessings to you all, Traci

P.S. If any of you have not heard of the Homeschool Expo with Cindy Rushton, check it out. I'm sure you'll enjoy it very much.

     Hi all, I haven't been on my blog for the past week because I have been sitting in with Cindy Rushton & all of the other wonderful ladies in the chat room for Talk-a-Latte. It has been a tremendous refreshing & I have met a lot of wonderful new friends.

     If any of you have never been to Cindy Rushton's blogs, you may want to consider it. She has so much to offer & she has given me so many others web sites that have been and are going to be even more helpful in the future.  Check her out.

     As for our schooling, we took the week off so I could do my homework & revamp   myself. I know this is not really the time of the year to be doing this, but I want to follow the leading of  the Spirit. I am homeschooling my children because I want to be in the center of God's will, so I think after 4 years of trying it everyone else's way, it's high time I back down from the world's way & let God take complete control.

     Forget having a set book setting that we have a certain time to be finished by. I am going to take the Charlotte Mason approach & run like fire with it so I can enjoy my little blessings that God has only lent to me for such a short time. They'll be grown before I know it.

     I know God called me to HS my children, but I have always had such a fear of not being able to teach them enough to be successful in life. I am tired of that fear the devil has placed upon me. I rebuke that spirit in the name of Jesus, my Lord & Savior, the one who equips me for all things. He will not call those that He will not equip. So get behind me Satan. I am going to do this God's way from now on. 

     God I know you are walking beside me & you said I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me so I am standing on your word.

I'll keep you all posted on how things are going around here. Sorry for that outburst. I just had to put the devil in his place. The Word says never give place to the devil & I have been doing that so I had to run him off. He has no place in my home or life.

     Well, I'd better go for now. I still have a few things I am looking in to before we start back on Monday. Blessings to you all. Hope to get around to speaking with you all soon, Traci

     Am I the only one that has a problem with this, "Breaking out of the box?" I have so many things I want my DC to learn, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time to do everything I want to do & follow the curriculum that I have purchased. I love my curriculum, but sometimes my DC just   school better when they think that it's not really schooling (doing school work that is not in their actual curriculum book).

     I am one of these that doesn't like ot waste  anything so it bothers me when we finish a school year with out doing all of our curriculum. I need help in this area. I want to follow the leading of what God would have me to teach my DC, but then there comes that fear again. You all know what I am talking about. The fear of am I teaching them everything they need to know? Am I doing enough of work with them? Is the work I am giving them too much for them?  Is it too easy for them?

     I feel like I am beating around in a box and can't find my way out. I know I am not suppose to compare my DC with others, but I don't want me to leave something out that would cause them to be behind. How do you get out of this box and let God lead you in your own HSing journey?

     I'm sorry, I guess I am just journaling instead of blogging. I desire all of your prayers.

      We have had a great day with our schooling today. My Dc have been very cooperative. They are doing super. I just need to discipline myself in some areas. 

     I'd better go for now. My niece just got here for the night. She is having to stay with me at night while her mother is at the hospital with the baby. Please pray for my nephew (the new baby) he is in the hospital, under an oxygen tent. I'll blog more later. Blessings to you all, Traci  

     I feel like I am living in the fast lane. I am running here & there, doing this & doing that, & it still doesn't look like I am getting anything accomplished. Do any of  you know what I am talking about?

     I have been working on my house today, but that is really not what I wantded to be doing. I have managed to get my house at least clean enough that I would not mind company. (Terrible me, I should do better).  I long to be the Proverbs 31 woman, but I am so far from it. I know god's frace is sufficient though so I know He is going to help me in this area. I am so thankful that God has mercy that goes a long ways. If it didn't, I'd be in a lot of trouble because keeping my house clean is an area that I have struggled in.

     We are schooling, but I'm not sure we are getting enough accomplished. I know as a HS family everything becomes a learning experience, but how much book work do you have to have to show your accomplishments. We have been doing lots of hands-on learning, but I don't have anything to show that we have done it. I know they are improving in some things though because I have seen it. There was a book that my DS could not hardly read at the beginning of the year and he is reading it now. He read 3 chapters the other day for me. I was so excited! I usually have to coach him in to reading just one chapter to me, but he just kept reading & of course I didn't try to stop him. I just let him go to see how far he would read before he stopped. I was so over-joyed by the time he did stop.

     I am a blind artist and I have also been working on my art work. I have 3 events coming up in the next couple of months I have to get some things together for them. I love painting, but I just don't have enough time to paint like I would desire. I know one day the children will be older & they won't require so much of my time & then I will be able to get more involved with my art work.

     In the midst of all of this, I need to take time to stop by the spiritual filling station & refill my tank. I feel like I am running on fumes. I definitely need more discipline in this area. If I could just slow down for about three days & get alone with the Lord, I know everything would just fall in place after that. He took time for me, Lord help me to take time for you.

     Speaking of time, I need to go. there are a few more things I want to get done with my housework & it is getting late in the day. Talk with you all soon. Blessings, Traci 

     I have been so busy with so many things. It is so hard for me to believe that it is almost March of 2008. Time gets away so fast.

     We have been working on our schooling, but not like I had planned. I had so many things I wanted us to accomplish before the end of this year, but we have had some things to come up that we wernot expectingso it has thrown us a little behind where I wanted my scheduleto be at this time.

     We've also had some sickness that has slown us down.

     Just a little update on my new nephew, who just turned 2 months old last week, he is now 14 lbs. 2 ozs. He is growing so much more faster than any of the other grandchildren grew. He is already holding his head up very good & trying to talk to you if you talk to him. I keep telling him he's not suppose to be doing all of these things so fast & growing as fast as he is growing. I want him to stay a baby for a little while beings he is probably going to be the last grandchild, unless my brother decides he will find a wife(which will surprise us all if he does). He says he doesn't need a woman to tell him what to do or spending all of his money so he'd better not get married.

     I have been working on my art work again. Maybe I can get some pictures posted for you all to see.

     It's late & I am just rambling on & on so I'd better go. Blessings to you all, Traci 

     I've done it again. I've let so much time go by with out blogging. I have been so busy though. I've been a Mamma,  a wife, a teacher, a boarding house lady, a baby sitter, etc. so I haven't had any time for the computer for the past few weeks.

     Everything is going great though. If I could just get my little man to realize that school  should go a little faster than he allows it to go. We are having a bit of a battle with him wanting to lag around with his work.  I am going to hold my head high. I know we are going to fget through this by the help and grace of God. Day by day grace, that's the only way we make it anyway.

     So far, my new things that I was trying with my DC's schooling is really working out well.  They are doing super with their Spelling program that I have (or, am) creating along the way.

     In English we are learning to use helping words, nouns, common nouns, proper nouns, & finding the subjedct of a sentence.  They seem to be enjoying their lessons right now. I don't have much fuss when I say English , so I know they are liking it right now.

     We're up to the five multiplication facts, doing two step multiplication problems, & two step division problems. They are doing really well with them. They just don't spit their answers out quite as fast as I would like for them to. I think we'll keep moving right now and slow down if it becomes a problem later.

     As for history, science, & health, we're getting it when we can get to it. Hopefully we'll cover enough ground in these subjects before the end of our year.

     My new nephew is growing entirely too fast. He's 6 weeks old & has grown over two inches longer & has gained over four pounds.  He is so chunky. His Mamma calls him "Chunky Monkey."  He is so sweet. He's everyone's baby, even the other grandchildren. We thought they possibly would be jealous of a new baby, but they love him.  I have pictures, maybe I can get them posted soon.

Well, hope all is well with you all & that things are going great for you & your HSing.  I'd better go for now. Blessings, Traci

     A lot has happened around our house since last Thursday. Friday, we did our schooling & after school, we got a big surprise. My sister brought my niece & new born nephew over for me to watch. She really surprised me when she wound up letting them spend the night with me. We had so much fun Friday night! We all took turns spoiling that little bundle of joy. He stays awake a lot more & love's for someone to talk to him. He's so sweet.

     Our schooling is going so good right now. We are learning so many new things. In English, they are learning to use the dictionary & learning verb tenses. So, I tie our Spelling in with that & bring out more dictionary work to inhanse their vocabulary. They are also learning to syllabify their spelling words, conjugate forms with their spelling words (making a word singular if it is plural & plural if it is singular), & they are being introduced to the Thesaurus. We have also had some find a word puzzles to go along with our spelling words. Then, my DC have created their own game with their spelling words. We play hang man with them. They love it!

     Our math is a review right now, beings we just started a new book. A Beka always reviews at the beginning & end of the year to see if the DC have retained the information they have obtained during the year. Addition, subtraction, telling time, money, measurements, roman numerals, word problems, & multiplication, that sounds like so much material to be covering. I am wanting to give them the S.A.T. next year so I want them to be ready for it so we are really pushing ourselves this semester.

     We are also working on a lap book on Sled Dogs from In the Hands of a Child & my DC are very excited over it. This is such a fun way to learn & it keeps the DC involved with the material & facts they are learning.

     I am creating my own reading program. I had gotten the DC some books from Scholastic for Christmas & we are using those for our reading. I am making up my own questions from the book that we are presently reading & giving it to them to anser to see how much of the material they are comprehending. It is turning out similar to  a unit study on a book. My plan is to teach them to pay closer attention to the different events that happen in the book they are reading. I am hoping this will help them in the future with their history & so forth.  I want them to learn to evaluate  material from all points of view. I read that this is supposed to teach your child to be an independent learner with any material they might read.

     We are aalso making our own Presidents study. We have just started that, but I think we are going to thoroughly enjoy it. We are going to make it similar to lap book style.

     This post is turning out longer than I had intended, but I just wanted to elaborate on a few of the things we were learning/studying right now. I'd better go for now before it gets any longer. Blessings to you all. Praying for you all, Traci

     We've been moving right along with our schooling. We've managed to get everything done that I have wanted to do this week, except for one thing. I think that's pretty good.

     I have even been working with my children on some typing lessons on the computer this week & surprisinly they are doing exceptionally well. I told my DD today that I think she is going to have the makings of a professional secretary one day. She is already starting to memorize where the keys are. I wasn't expecting either of them to do that for quite some time. I know it is only God sending His helping hand to help us along our journey.

     I learned to type when I was in the third grade so I know it can be done, but I did not think my DC would pick up on it so fast. Surprise! how they have surprised me. I had to learn to type at such a young age because of my vision. They wanted me to have another means of writing my lessons beings the Dr. had said I'd be totally blind by the time I was 12 years old. Praise God! I still have some vision today at 35 years old. Only God is in control no matter what any Dr. says.

     Well, I'd better go for now. It is time for us to walk out the door to go to church. Blessings to you all. Traci

     We started schooling again yesterday & things seem to be going pretty nice. My DC haven't given me much fuss about doing their work (which is ve-------ry  unusual for them). Hopefully they are coming to the knowledge of how important their  education is.

     We've actually done Reading, English, Math, Penmanship, & Spelling, along with some spelling games. Their off to a great start for coming out of holidays of nothing but reading.

     I am changing a few things this year to see how it works with my DC. I desire everyone's prayers. I am stepping out on my own with a few things & I am a bit scared.

     Well, I thought I had a few minutes to put a new post in, but one of my little darlings  needs my attention. I'll write more later. Blessihngs to you all, Traci

     Well, we have been tremendously blessed, but so busy & thrown off our schedule with our normal every day life (That's if there is one of those with a HS family).

     God has been good to us these holidays. He has kept us & blessed us beyond measure.  Much more than we deserve. He made ways where there looked like there was no way. I'm always amazed at how He always comes through for our family in every situation, but I don't know why I let  this amaze me like that because He has never failed us. I have always found Him to be faithful. 

     As for our new little blessing, he is so sweet & cuddlely. My sister was out & about last night & even brought him to see me about 10:00 p.m. They stayed until about 12:00 a.m. (see, that is his normal bedtime for now, beings he thinks Mamma & him shouldn't go to bed until about 12:30 a.m. every night). Of course, I probably made those problems a little worse, beings I held him the entire time he was here. I was sure he didn't want to lay on my couch. or anywhere else in my house, except in my arms, or at least that's the only place I wanted him to be.

     As for schooling, we have plans to start back on Monday with a full load. My DC have done really good about keeping up with some reading over the holidays. My DS is doing super with his reading. It has been a slow go, but we have now reached the point that he reads a chapter a day in chapter books (unless of course, the chapter is too lon, then we break it in half). Pictures in a book used to be a major distraction for my DS, but we have seemed to gotten past that level also. Praise God!!!! I wasn't sure we'd ever make it through that. He thought telling me all about the picture was reading. Thank God, we now read & then discuss the pictures.

     I got our new math books to start on Monday. We had been just notebooking math problems  that I would give them, or some math worksheets.  But, we have had such a long break for the holidays, I'll certainly get to see if they have learned the concepts of what I was teaching them or not. I'll post on how they are making it along.

     Well, here I am again, long & lengthy  with so many things to talk about, but I'll spare you all that for now. I'll post more later. Keeping you all in my  prayers, Blessings, Traci  

     The time is flying by. We've been so busy. The holidays has had us going, but we finished our schooling in the midst of it all. Other than reading some good books & listening to some audios, we are through with schooling until the first of January. I am undecided exactly what day we will be starting back up.

     About my title, I am the proud aunt of avery handsome nephew.  He was born Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. He weighed 8 lbs. & 9 ozs.  & was 21 in.  long. He is so acute! With a head full of dark hair. I just loved to see new born babies with a lot of hair. I think that makes them so pretty. His name is Landin Ray.

     Well, I'll keep this blog short so I can check in on some of you. Should I not have time to visit some of your blogs, Have a very blessed Christmas.  Merry Christmas everyone, Traci

     My, how time flew by. I did not realize it had been over a week since my last blog. Hope all is running smoothly with you all. Although, I know you all have probably been like me, so busy that you don't know if you are coming or going.

      Inspite all the hussel & bussel, we are moving right along with our schooling. Tomorrow,  we will finish up with our English until after the Christmas break (And praise God! We are right where I wanted to finish up at before Christmas.) A few more pages in our Writing With Phonics Cursive Writing Book & we'll be ready to shut down for our break. My DC are working very hard & I am proud of them.

     We've been listening to the "Cinnamon Bear" & my DC are having a great time with it. My DC do lot's of reading, but they love it when I say let's listen to an audio. Oh, how schooling all of a sudden becomes so much fun.  Who says school has to be all work? When we listen to an audio, I am constantly pointing out how discriptive the author's words are, the order he/she keeps his/her story in, etc making sure my DC are noticing the creativity of the author so that when they write maybe they'll pick up on some of these techniques. I have been blessed over some of my DC's creative writing stories. They've really done a super job.

     Enough about my DC. Update on my sister. We don't have a baby yet, but if we don't have one by Dec. 18th  the DR. is going to take him. I just can't wait to get my hands on him. It has been 7 years since the last baby of our family.  Pray for my niece. She has been an only child for 8 1/2 years & she is having a little bit of difficulty accepting the fact there is going to be a baby in the family.

     I guess I've rambled enough so I'll go for now. Praying for you all, Traci    

     Just when I was getting my DC back on a good roll of schooling, wouldn't you know a clown (my baby sister) would come along & mess it up. Just when I was getting ready to start our schooling yesterday, the phone rang & it was my baby sister. (Let me remind you, she is suppose to be having a baby in December.) She said, "I just left the Dr.'s office & she is sending me to the hospital."  I about had a fit! Her baby is supposively due Dec. 24, 2007, but the Dr. has told her that she didn't think she'd ever make it til then.

     She went on to say, "Mamma is gone on a field trip driving the school bus so come to the hospital with me to see what is going on. The Dr. told me she just wanted to let them give me a stress test & that I had some white blood cells in my urine, so they are going to check that also. Oh, yeah,  I've also dilated  1 1/2 .

      So what does a good sister do? I got the children dressed (because we all know homeschoolers very seldomly already have their run to town clothes on) & off we go to the hospital. The stress test took about 4 hours & they found out she has a bladder infection.  I thought we'd soon be leaving, but then they told her they were going to give her something to eat & if she could keep it down she could go home.For someone who  has not been sick her entire pregnancy, well, guess when she decides she's going to be sick, you got it yesterday.  So they tell her they are going to keep her over night to watch her. She soon decides she needs a baby sitter.  Guess who that might be, your right again, me.  So I get to play the good sister part again.

     All of that hard work trying to get my little ones back in the books again this week & that clown has messed it up. I have to admit though, we had a great time. The sick patient she was suppose to be played her part so well, the clown, I was looking for the nurses to burst through the doors at any time and tell us we'd have to leave for disturbing the other patients.  She had me laughing so hard. Laughter doeth good like a medicine, I should not be getting sick no time soon. (I wonder if she is going to give me the Great Sister of the Year Award)

      So this explains my title of no schooling.  We'll try again next week. Praise God for the flexibility of homeschooling.

     Everyone have a blessed weekend!!!! Traci