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So my children tell me I do not blog enough, so I am working on that. I sponsored an event last week called Trip Around the World where kids studied about different countries and then put together displays to share. It was great and we had a lot of fun. The kids worked hard and were so wonderful to learn from as well. I can't wait to do it again next year! So I keep wondering how I can make this a helpful bolg, and I have decided to list ideas |
for events and activities that other home schoolers can try. I will also give reviews 
on the different types of curriculum we use. Hopefully that will be helpfull.
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Today is what we have right now. It's all the time there is until later. Then later is now, and now is then. Are you following me? So just what it my point? Perhaps I will know later if there is a later to come. Right now, I have to vacuume. |
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I can't believe it is October already. It seems like yesterday when we first moved into this home and here it is coming up quickly on our first year. Time sure does fly fast. During our time here we have gone out on many adventures in hopes of learning our way around.
One day we decided to take our nature notebooks and walk to the closest park to study the squirrels and different plants that grow here. It was great to just get out of the house and spend some time in the fresh air and sunshine. During our walk I noticed many funny looks darting our way from the people passing by in thier cars. I guess it is a little odd to see a mother and her two daughters walking to the park during regular school hours when I think about it, but at the time I kept wondering what it was they were looking at. I am waiting for the day when someone comes up and asks me why my girls aren't in school. I already have my response prepared. Sad, I know.
But isn't it sad that we have to be prepared to deal with situations like this? Perhaps one day there will come a time when home schooling is looked at as the best way to educate instead of the craziest, but until then, I guess we will have to keep on our toes. |
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I have found that over the last three years, homeschooling my children has changed from total uncertainty to Whoo Hoo!
What do I mean?
Well, in the first year, I had no idea what I was doing. We basically did nothing much but play that year. And somehow, my daughter got "caught up" in math, but my husband was not happy with the unstructured way we were doing school and wanted things to change. The following year I felt that we needed to do more, but I over did it on buying "school stuff" and we were so overwhelmed that I had the "what am I doing this for" jitters. Thankfully my group of fellow home school moms kept me from making a mistake like taking my kids back to the "box". But last year was awesome! We read books, played games, did some book work when we felt like it, we took many field trips and did nature journals. We spent time with family and did a lot of art. In the end, I felt like we had accomplished so much, and realized that we were just growing every year in our homeschooling. This leads me to really look forward to the wonderful things we will learn this year. I am excited and so are my girls. So I say, Woooohooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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We have the opportunity to see nature take place right out side our window. There is a Mourning Dove that has decided to live on our porch and the girls are very excited to see the new arrivals when they arrive. It took up residence in our hanging planter about a week ago. You can get pretty up close and personal with it too. Isn't it awesome to have an opportunity to learn like this?
I have to say, this is something very new to me as I am a native to the desert. We never had a lot of trees so there weren't a lot of birds around the house, but I am enjoying this right along with my kids. We have been doing research on it and drawing some great pictures. We will be sure to update on the progress of this new addition to the family.
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We took a trip to Michaels yesterday to find some good markers as the ones we have are old and drying out. We walked out of the place about an hour later with not only markers, but clay, water color pencils, blank puzzles, blank note cards and different kinds of paper in blue. We decided to create some note cards for friends and I had an idea about making puzzles with our family member's pictures on them. First I changed a picture to black and white in our photo shop, and then glued the picture on to the puzzle; however it was too hard to cut out the lines and I ended up messing it all up. Next I ironed on a picture, and this worked better, but you really have to time it just right to work. The girls found some old felt pictures they had forgotten about and began using the new markers to color some awesome pictures. Next they designed their own picture for one of the puzzles. All in all it was a great day for creating and having fun.
I love when things just happen like this. We end up having so much fun and just enjoying our time together so much more. Perhaps I will be able to show off some of their stuff later. |
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Welcome to our journey. It has been fun. We started homeschooling three years ago with the thought of it only lasting a year. I am sure glad we kept on going. I was one of those people so blinded by the system, with no idea homeschooling was even legal. It is funny to think about now, but at the time I was really upset that this infomation was not made known to me. (I was convinced that I would have made the perfect homeschooled student myself.) Our start in homeschooling was when we took our daughter out of public school after third grade as she was behind in math but passing anyway. She wasn't a behavior problem, so as long as she turned in her work finished, she recieved an A done right or not. Meanwhile she was crying every morning and begging to stay home. We made the right decision to pull her from public school and set her free. We never looked back, and never will.
My children are such a blessing to me as they teach me just as much as I teach them. At a wedding we just went to I was reminded of how much I used to love to dance. My oldest daughter was pulled onto the dance floor a bit unwilling, and then she exploded with the thrill of dance. She had a huge smile on her face as she came to me and said "Mom, I don't know why I was so afraid to dance in front of people, because it is so much fun. Come dance with me!" and off we went to create a new memory for us to cherrish together.
Today they are working on "computer stuff" and it allows for a quiet moment in the house. These moments don't come often as they are always doing something fun and loud. Lately they are into playing make believe as they run around the house in there bathing suits with towels saying they are going to the beach, or they go into one of their rooms and turn on music and pretend they are at a party. I love their creativity.
We are off to have lunch with "Daddy" as he has a free afternoon, something else that doesn't happen too often. We look forward to sharing our journey with you and hope you enjoy reading along.
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