Do you take the month of December off from homeschooling?  It seems nearly impossible not to.  So much to bake, wrap, clean, and decorate!  We scale way back on the sit-down lessons during December, but the kids are able to keep up with several things on their own each day.

Some things the 8 and 9 year old do each day on their own: 

1.  Typing program on the computer

2.  Cursive for the 8 year old (9 year old has mastered it already)

3.  Reading literature books (they do a chapter or two a day)

4.  Spelling (Excellence in Spelling is done with headphones/cd player)

5.  History/Bible with the Veritas Press Self-Paced online course (which the little ones love to watch as the older ones complete the lesson).

I had heard that homeschooling would get easier as the children got older and were able to complete more on their own.  It really does!  They often complete these subjects by 10am without any prompting!  We also take 2-3 months off with the birth of a new baby, so I am thrilled that they can keep up with some subjects while I am unable to teach others.  They are also able to do Math-U-See with just a little supervision, so we'll be keeping that up as well.  Shirley English and Excellence in Writing still require my sit-down instruction with them each day, so I am hoping to not get too behind in those. 

The younger children do Phonics Museum (Veritas Press) for reading and writing.  They have a college girl teaching them Math-U-See and art this year, which has been a great blessing!   Hubby also reads to the children each night, sometimes a Bible lesson and sometimes a work of literature.  He is currently using "The Child's Story Bible" by Vos and "The Chronicles of Narnia".

So even though we scale back for holidays and new babies, I have to remind myself that some schooling is getting done.  :o)

I hope you have very Happy Holidays!

From the Heart:

Has another week really gone by already?  This week has held a lot of snow (18-20 inches or so) and a lot of stress about things that are happening and not happening in our lives.  I got another letter from the state stating that my license needs to be renewed by January 31 - didn't say what the consequences would be, but not having a job right now really stresses me thinking that I could be making it very hard to regain my Colorado license in the future if I should so desire.  To be honest, at times I feel almost abandoned by the Lord for not speaking clearly to me about this and other things we've been praying about lately.  I am wondering why He chooses to leave us hanging so long right now.

Dh made the kids this dulcimer out of another cigar box this week.  He's so talented.  He also made a drum for a friend to give to her kids for Christmas this week.

In the School Room:

History can be so interesting.  For example, I never thought about how the time zones came into being, but this year I found out that it was because of the transcontinental railroad needing a uniform time as it went across the country on which to make its schedules.  It took about 50 years to get the states and local areas to adopt it and put it into law from the time that the railroad systems adopted it.  People thought that they were trying to be God to have the time scheduled instead of the sun determining it. 

Little Critter loves this little Vtech computer.  He can be found dressed up in so many ways as some of the next few pics will show.

Many people all over the world were responsible for the spread of Christianity - much of this happened during the late 1700s and the 1800s.  The stories about specific people are amazing to read.

Mysteries and Marvels of Science, put out by Usborne, is teaching me a lot about science that has been learned since I finished high school 23 years ago.  The pics are really incredible.  I hope the girls are learning a thing or two also! 

Bubbies learned more about the letters C and D, and continues sounding out her first readers.

We read about Hannukah this week and are wishing we had a menorah to use to celebrate.

On the Mission Field:

To be honest, I didn't feel much of a missionary this week, except in my own home.

In the Literary Scene:

I finally finished reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's third book in the Galway Series Ashes of Remembrance. 

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol

If you would like to join me in this theme, just write up your own weekly summary, using mine or your own categories.  Then sign the Mr. Linky below.  I'd love to read your weekly summaries too!    I hope to post mine on each Friday or Saturday.  At the latest it will be on Sunday.  If you get yours done before I do, just leave your link in my cbox or comments from the week before.  Be sure and check last week's Mr. Linky for any new ones who posted before I did!  It is a great way to meet new people

From the Heart:

The next six months seem to hold a lot of unknown for our family.  There will be no discipleship training school this year like we usually have in January.  A couple of our good friends are moving overseas in the next couple of months.  It seems like it will be a lonely isolated time.  I know God can make good of it.  We do have some things in our minds and hearts to do, but we want God to be in control, and so we eagerly await His direction and confirmation

On Monday evening we went into town and helped a missionary family with Frontier Ministries pray through the home they just purchased.  The Lord gave them a surprise package last year when their son was born.  They found out he has down's syndrome.  Right now they are working stateside, but they hope to go back to Afghanistan in the next year or two.

Last Saturday night, dh and I went out to a movie.  We hadn't had a date in a LONG time.  We wanted to see Blindside, but it sold out while we were in line.  We saw 2012 instead.  It was nice to be able to talk in the truck and have a special time together.

In the School Room:

We had a nice full week this week.  It was good to get a lot done.  We are enjoying our readers and read-alouds, and I am learning along with them in science.  Right now we are reading "The Terrible Wave" about the Johnstown disaster of a dam breaking in 1889.  Amazing story. 

I think Little Critter may end up not needing a kindergarten year.  He enjoys so much learning along side his sister!

On the Mission Field:

We prayed the team of 8 off to New Mexico this morning.  I am excited for them, and for what God is going to do in them and through them.  They will be working with the Navajos until early January, then heading to northern India.

In the Literary Scene:

I finally finished reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's second book in the Galway Series Of Men and of Angels.  I'm also reading a book called, "Funding Your Ministry".  It seems like a great resource to teach us how to raise our missionary support in a godly, biblical way.  Soon Tim and I will be reading this together.

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol

If you would like to join me in this theme, just write up your own weekly summary, using mine or your own categories.  Then sign the Mr. Linky below.  I'd love to read your weekly summaries too!    I hope to post mine on each Friday or Saturday.  At the latest it will be on Sunday.  If you get yours done before I do, just leave your link in my cbox or comments from the week before.  Be sure and check last week's Mr. Linky for any new ones who posted before I did!  It is a great way to meet new people.