Dec. 17, 2008 - Our December Home School Support Group Meeting

Last night was pretty special.  I don't think we have had a Home School Support Group Meeting for years.  One lady asked me in early December when our meeting was this month.  I mentioned it to a few other ladies and there was some interest so I chose a meeting day - which was last night.

We were a little subdued, but still had a good time.  Christmas seems to take so much out of any mom, much less a busy home schooling mom.

There were only about 6 of us, so it was a smaller meeting, but you know, those are the meetings when sharing is easier and those that are there, want to be there, so they are there big time - ready to share!  smile

I opened up with The 14 Days of Home School .  There were ladies that weren't singers there, but they were good sports.  I had us sing verses 10 - 14, and they really enjoyed it.  It is funny to read all the excuses not to home school, the answering phrases AND then the follow up verse where the neighbor decides to home school.  I loved the 5th verse,  "You are so strange!"  (Make sure you drag it out like _Five Golden Rings_)

I really think many of our neighbors and friends don't understand us at all - some of the stories shared last night revealed that AND we are so strange to them. 

Part of our discussion last night centered around home school socialization.  One of the moms shared she looked up those words online and got 250,000 hits.  Smile 

A few people have written about that in the history of the internet.  And it sure is something that comes up in discussions when you decide to home school your children.  How many times have you been asked about socialization? (smile)

We had quite an animated discussion about the value of socialization and how much personalities play into being comfortable in situations. I think we agreed that socialization is not necessarily about friends but about being with other people.  AND that socialization is being comfortable in many age groups, NOT just your own age group.

Speaking of "we are so strange", one lady spoke of another lady's daughter (two sil's attend our meeting and have quite a background with each other).  The second lady's daughter is very shy and the first lady can remember thinking (before she home schooled), "maybe if she put her in school, it would help..."  Shortly after, the first lady started homeschooling and said she realised it wouldn't make much of a difference. 

Sure, sometimes you can make children appear to not be shy - but are they secure?  They can learn to cope, but why should they have to?  I was incredibly shy when I was younger and hated new things.  I could work myself up quite well in the weeks before school started, worrying about what would happen.  I think the fall of grade 6 was the worst for me.

We talked a bit about the importance of children feeling secure - whether they are in school or home schooled.  Having a relationship that children can depend on - where they can talk to us about anything, is so important. 

One lady made us chuckle concerning the weird home schooled child that sometimes people comment on - she said "Have you seen their parents? They would be weird no matter where they went to school - it's not just because they homeschool."  Of course we weren't talking about anyone in particular, but sometimes that statement comes up, like the child is different because they home school.  Sometimes people are just different AND they would be different in school, too. 

Mom #1 had a very real home schooling day - smile - anyone there and done that.  It definitely wasn't perfect.  She probably yelled at the kids.  She shared that when she talks about home schooling to different people, they say "Oh, you must be so patient."  Another mom made us laugh when she said our kids stand behind us shaking their heads *no*.  SMILE

You know, that is an important thing to realise.  We aren't perfect or incredibly patient BUT we love our children and most days go very well.  There is the odd day where someone  wakes up grumpy (even mom does sometimes!), but we love home schooling and it is working in our homes.  AND you don't have to be patient to start home schooling your children.....

Mom #2 spoke about her desire to make time to have fun with her children.  She is a mom of many and could certainly get caught up with all the have to's, but she is making time to have fun with them.  She encouraged us to enjoy our children.

Mom #3 is a new home schooling mom of one.  She said before she had her son, she was pretty regimented.  Let's get this list done.  Now she tries to take time to enjoy her son and life.  She was in a hurry yesterday and had tons to do, but all her son wanted to do was sled down a hill.  She stopped and thought.  Then they grabbed the sled together and went up and down the hill 10 x.  It really didn't take that much time out of her busy day and made him so happy. 

Mom #4 had a 10 day vacation in November.  When she came back, they took a week off and are now doing a half load of school, so they can do crafts.  She is loving December.  She plans their year - they worked hard before she left and will work hard in Jan., but for right now, they are loving life together.

Mom #5 shared Christmas is hard for her sometimes.  There are multiple divorced in law families in her family and it is hard keeping everyone happy with the amount of time spent in each home.  She was the one that looked up home school socialization.  She talked to her daughter about it and her daughter thought mom was thinking of putting her back in school.  She was quite horrified, because she loves home schooling.  The mom was just having a discussion - they love home schooling, too.

There was a short discussion about the best laundry spot treatment - Smile

  Two spot removers were mentioned as working really well!  Econo Clean - found at your local Co op AND a Banana Oil Cleaner - not sure of the name, that is found in the local Paint Store - that will actually remove paint.  One mom talked about a spot remover - two solutions that mix together to be squirted on a stain (Oxy Clean, perhaps?).  It actually ate a hole in a pair of jeans when left sitting.  The mom wasn't comfortable having that strong of a solution in her laundry area or even on the kids clothes.....

One mom of a young Home Schooled boy shared about her brother who always asks her son if he can read.  Her son thinks because he has to sound out words like "Elizabeth", that he can't read yet, but he is doing very well for his age.  Anyway, mom stayed out of it last time.  When her brother was driving them home, they stopped at McDonalds for lunch and her son read *birthday zone" aloud.  Her brother said "You can read!" and was so surprised.  The mom was so pleased that it all happened like that.....

Another mom of many shared that her three pre teen daughters are doing the Christmas Baking for her this year.  She is almost 7 months pregnant with her ninth child and it is tough getting everything done.  I was so impressed at the willingness of her kids and they are having a ball doing the baking. 

We shared some of our favorite recipes.  One mom that couldn't come, sent her soft gingerbread recipe.

• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 12, 2008 - Christmas Countdown Gift Idea

This was a variation of the Advent Basket of Joy idea that I had. 

My mother in law had surgery last week and seems a little blue.  She has a recovery time of 6 to 12 weeks.  I wasn't ready to make her the idea above - plus it would be late!  But I wanted to do something and I thought the idea of opening a gift everyday might help.

So again, I went through my sadly depleted Basket of Joy gift box - found a few items that would work for her, and then went shopping. 

The idea is to have a gift to open the 12 days before Christmas - little or big.  I chose a bit bigger because it is my inlaws and it will be their Christmas present.

I found some great things.  I wanted them to be usable, not more junk either.  I wanted some to be for her, but also some for my father in law, too or for both of them.

SO, I had a couple of Christian books (a devotional and one to read - because I also want easy things for her to do, to help fill in time!), a new scarf and mini gloves, scrapbooking items, hot cider packets with a cup, some office supplies most homes run short of now and then (tape, post its, permanent markers, and so on), as well as, a word find, sudoku  and a puzzle book.  There were some bigger gifts, too, and it will close off on Christmas Day with a bag of bird seed for my father in law and a photo album for my mother in law.

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 12, 2008 - Advent Basket of Joy

This has been the absolute BEST idea I have seen for many years.  I'm on a Crafters 4 Christ elist and one of the members sent this idea through, plus shared her files.

I've adapted some of the ideas (updated them a bit) and added more into the basket.  It originally came as tags that you put on each present.  Let me back up and say what it is exactly!

It is ideas for each of the 25 days in December til Christmas. There is a scripture reading, a service idea, a warm your heart idea, a quote, AND a suggestion of a carol to sing EACH DAY, with a small present to open. 

I ended up typing everything in and making it into a booklet, so it could be reusable over the years. 

So I have the ideas on one side for each day AND I went online and found 26 carols to sing - which was harder than you think!, and put them on the opposite side for each day.

Smile  There are a lot of carols that we sing over and over, but it actually was hard to find 25 AND then on the last link I looked at, I found 2 and I had to include:

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

It is on the last page of the booklet.

I did two last year  - one for an auction and one for a friend.  The auction one was harder, because i had to make it generic, so it would fit anyone.  Much easier to make it fit one family!

This year, I had been watching for small things all year long - garage sales would be great for that!  Small Christmas items, books, home schooling extras, etc.... and I started to make some Baskets in late Nov.  (smile - Hard to get things done before you need them!)

I prayed about what families I should make one for - a friend, a family going through a hard time (one lady from our church has cancer and I thought it would lift her spirits), a shut in / gramma or another Home Schooling family.  All of these families had been a blessing in our lives over the year and I just wanted to bless them back in some way.

I loved putting them together - what fun looking at what I had gathered and deciding what might work for each person or family.  I wrapped them, then tagged them and put them in a box for delivery.

It really brought me a lot of joy putting them together and I know the different families appreciated it.  Perhaps this is something you might want to think of doing next year.

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 12, 2008 - Some of our favorite ways to count down to Christmas

Herre are some more of our favorite countdown ideas....

Last year, I saw this idea, so it isn't a real old idea in our house, but how about singing a Christmas Carol everyday til Christmas?  I actually wrote down the titles and put them in our advent calendar, along with an activity a day.  I'm hoping the girls will enjoy it. 

I just printed out the carols from my Advent Basket of Joy file (another post!).  I have 26 of them typed and beautiful, even dated, so we say, "It's Dec. 3rd, so we need to sing *O Little Town of Bethleham.*', and so on. 

I'm going to put them in our Hymn Binder under Christmas to make it easy to find them and to use them.

A friend was telling me her countdown idea.  She has 3 different trees with numbered ornaments.  One is felt, another paper and the third is an actual little tree with numbered ornaments.  She has 3 children, so that is why she has three trees.  Each day, her children love putting their ornament on their tree.  I thought that was a pretty neat idea. 

Oh, and one more thing.  I have been putting together an Advent Basket of Joy.  One of my daughters was helping me wrap presents and said, "Wow, this would be fun.  I wish someone would make it for us."  Smile

So, I thought about it - I'm not doing a little gift every day, but I have bought a few things through the year and this December, that would be good to use.   I added them into our Advent Calendar, too.  Today is the 11th, and we will be doing Christmas Mad Libs.  Each of them gets a book today.  I also have a couple ornament kits, a small box of chocolates and fuzzy Christmas Stickers to color.  Nothing big, but just a little something to make them smile.

By the way, if you don't have any Mad Libs books bought (I usually get ours through Scholastic - they are great for grammar practice), go here Mad Libs Online to print some out.

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 12, 2008 - Loved this blog today - With a Taste of Chocolate

Came across this blog this morning and enjoyed reading several pages of her thoughts.  Loved her creative categories!

With a Taste of Chocolate

I especially liked her entry What I'd Love to Do   I found it very encouraging and a great reminder.

Why not visit her blog today?

• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 3, 2008 - Christmas Letter ideas -

I saw this thread on Five in a Row Christmas Letter Ideas and loved them. 

So many good ideas - everything from pictures telling a thousand words, to how to write a humorous Christmas letter to more.  If you need some ideas this month, why not check the thread out?

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 3, 2008 - Awesome Craft Blog - Christmas and more!

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 3, 2008 - Blog Comment Day!

Loved this idea at On Any Given Day

The idea is to leave comments on blogs today and I would say in December.  I love reading the comments others leave here and I do try to leave comments as often as I can, on the blogs of others!  I'm going to try harder this December to leave comments. 

Why don't you join me?

• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 1, 2008 - I liked this blog today - It made me think.

What is in your Garden?

What are the weeds and flowers in our lives?  In our families?

What takes away and adds to our life?

 

• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 1, 2008 - Still more Advent Activity Ideas

Saw a thread on the Five in a Row site that had some great ideas.  One mom was doing a craft and an activity a day - For more ideas, go here:

Advent Activity ideas

Of course, as always, pick what works for your family.  We love crafts, so a craft a day might work here. 

The idea is to do something that makes this time special for you and your children.  If it is too much, set it aside for that day or even to do next year.  smile

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 1, 2008 - Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

My 17 yr old Princess made an Advent Calendar - scrapbook style - for a friend last year.  She tailored the activities to her friend.     It was very girly.

Here are her suggested activities for each day -

 

Listen to

Christmas Music!

 

Idea: Why not dance

while you listen to the music?

Read

THE Christmas Story!

 

Ideas: Instead of getting caught up

with the materialism (gifts) of Christmas,

why not get into the Bible and the very

story that talks about why we

celebrate Christmas (Jesus).  

 

Go for a

drive to see

Christmas lights!

 

(Ideas: It doesn’t have to be you alone –

why not take a friend, or three?

You could take pictures of your

favorite decorated houses. Make sure

to appreciate what you see and not rush by!)

 

Eat a

Candy Cane

OR two!

 

Ideas: See if you can only suck

or lick your candy cane

the entire time!

 

 

Paint

your nails

RED!

 

(Ideas: Or you could do green!

AND who says you can’t do both?

If you don’t want to do your

finger nails,

why not do your toe nails instead?)

  

Wear

some

SPARKLE!

 

(Ideas: sparkle make-up,

shiny clothes, rhinestone purse,

sparkly hair accessories.

Bling Bling!)

Make a

Paper

Snowflake!

 

Talk about fun, fun, FUN!

There are books with patterns

and websites to make

snowflakes online, too!

 

 

  

Wear

Green!

 

Idea: It could be from head to

toe, or just some accents!

 

Eat a

“Christmas”

Orange!

 

(hmm... Yummy!)

 

Throw

a Snowball!

 

Ideas: You could practice your aim

by just throwing at a tree

OR cause some trouble and

throw  one at a friend!

 

 

Write what

Christmas

means

to YOU!

 

Ideas: You could make a poster

or write in a notebook

or whatever you come up with!

 

 

 

Record a

past favorite

holiday memory!

 

Idea: You could start a journal

that you write memories in

every Christmas! 

 

 

  

Read a

Christmas Book!

 

Ideas: Or a poem!

Find a favorite Christmas book

from when you were a child!

 

Watch a

Christmas Movie!

 

Sing some

Christmas

Carols!

 

Idea: Wouldn’t it be a lot of fun

to go Christmas caroling (door to door)

 with family or friends?

Or maybe you just want to sing alone

on the couch this evening...

 

 

Today is

St. Nicholas Day!

Go check

your shoes

for candy!

 

Idea: Why not stick some candy

in your friend’s shoes and

see the surprise on their faces?

Maybe you went to read about

St. Nicholas (the first “Santa”) today...

 

 

 

Wear Red!

 

Idea: It could be head to toe

OR just some accents.

Why not throw in a Santa hat

while you’re at it?

 

 

 

 

Make a

Snow Angel!

 

Idea: Why not get a friend

to make snow angels with you?

It could be a heavenly host

of angels!  Don’t forget to

dress toasty warm!

 

Do a

random act

of kindness!

 

 

 

Make a

Christmas

Craft!

 

Ideas: Not sure what to make?

Go to the library (or a book store)

and check out the craft books for ideas.

The internet is also a great place

for finding craft ideas.

Or you could just go shopping and see

what strikes your fancy!

 

Have a

Merry

Christmas!

 

Open gifts. Eat yummy food.

Read the Christmas story.

Surround yourself with

Family or Friends.

Be Happy. Be Thankful.

 

 

Do some

Christmas

Baking!

 

Ideas: Get some yummy recipes from family

or friends. You could share your

newly baked creations,

OR sit in front of your favorite movie

eating them.   YUM!

 

Take

Christmas

Pictures!

 

Ideas: Why not document/ photograph

your Christmas decorations?

Or you could take a walk around

the neighborhood and find some winter scenes!

 

 

Drink

Hot

Chocolate!

 

Ideas: Invite some friends over

and serve some creamy

hot chocolate and snacks.

 As you sit around the table, remember

what Christmas is all about

(and maybe share that).

 

 

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 1, 2008 - Online Advent Calendars

While searching for a picture of a home made advent calendar, I came across these links for online Advent Calendars.  Some of them look really good!

Home Schooled Kids Advent Calendar

Jesse Tree Online Calendar

Christmas Customs Calendar

I hope you enjoy them - I will be checking back on them through the month of December!

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Dec. 1, 2008 - Christmas Advent Calendar - Why not make one today?

I have done this for years with our family.  My sister made a Christmas Tree one for us years ago.  It has 24 pockets (all hearts!) that I put slips of paper into, with the activities that we want to do leading up to Christmas.  It is one of our favorite traditions.

Here is a fun alternative - all you need is something that has 24 pockets.  smile

Stocking Advent Calendar

It could even be just a paper chain with ideas written on each slip of paper.  The important thing is to do some planning AND do something together each day. 

I even plan extras up into the New Year.  By doing that, all the fun doesn't stop at Christmas. 

I had bought two Advent Calendars (on a great sale last year) and am making them for two of Redhead's friends.  I wrote out the suggested activities last night and need to buy some small candy for the pockets.  They had great size pockets - usually it is hard to fit anything into the pockets.

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Nov. 28, 2008 - It's been a long month / year and I have learned a lot!

Smile - we have done so much this year/ this fall / this month.  My head starts to spin just listing the things done.  I know I was thinking about while swimming one day and was encouraged to realize I have just been extremely busy - it's not that I'm lazy or not using my time well.  It's just been insanely busy. 

We have done everything from renovating to painting to having extra kids in our home to shingling and more.

At a recent 50th Anniversary celebration, I asked a relative of my husband if she was busy.  She said no.  That got my attention because I don't hear that much.  Most people seem to think it is a badge of honor to be so busy and not be able to do one more thing.

Perhaps I am sensitive to it because I almost had a nervous breakdown years and years ago.  I like to be busy and doing things, but I need breaks now and then, too.  Esp. as I get older.  smile

SOOOOO - how has this week been? 

It has been delightful.  This is how I want to live my life.  Time to read.  Time to play.  Time to create and do some extras.  Time to shop.  Time to sit with my girls AND of course, time to home school AND time to plan our home schooling.

Why was it different than the previous 6 months?  Smile AND why did it take me so long to set  a boundary or make a change?

Well, my husband and I decided to do some renovations and painting this year and it just kind of richoted.  smile  I never really planned to do all that was done, but one thing led to another and that was our year. 

The last thing I did was look after a friend's three children when she and her husband went away for 12 days.  It wasn't really convenient, but as my sister once told me - people need things when it isn't convenient.  smile 

I got through it, but I did determine in my heart to make some changes. 

I need some time to be creative.  I need some time to read and to plan our home schooling.  smile

I am so looking forward to Christmas home schooling.  I had seen a plan a couple of years ago where someone put together a lovely plan to do an extra every day during their home schooling in December.  I'm getting a little excited about that.  (We haven't had our usual fall, so home schooling will continue in December, instead of taking a planned break.) 

Are you feeling a bit stressed?  Well, perhaps it is time to slow life down a bit.  As another sister told me, everything I do is a choice.  If I am stressed, it is up to me to make a change.  It's a good word!

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Sep. 29, 2008 - Will I ever learn?

I don't know what your September has been like, but mine has been one thing after another AND last week was the worst week yet!

I'm not sure what I am going to do, but I cannot keep up to this pace.  smile  I think it has been about 5 years or more, since I had a week as busy as last week.  AND I won't have another week like that.  Period. 

So, here is last week:

Mon - Home Schooling, Prayer at the Church and did a program at TOPS

Tues - Home Schooling

Wednesday - Home Schooling, Share and Care evening (support group for Christian women)

Thursday - Home Schooling, led a Bible Study on Joy (also baked two cakes - one for tonight and the other for tomorrow)

Friday - Swimming, Groceries, Games Afternoon, 

Saturday - Went to my sister's (1 1/2 hour drive each way) to  pick up bookcases and then to Walmart to develop pictures and shop, Babysat 3 kids (10 months, 3 and 6) overnight.

Sunday - Got a meal ready for a potluck (Pistachio Poundcake, Hashbrown Casserole and Greek Salad), kids went home at 10:15 a.m. just before church

Wow - you know that isn't even all I did.  Had a couple visits with friends and kept the house and laundry under control.  BUT it was too much.  I was considerably stressed by Sat. night.  Why pick up the bookcases?  It was the only time I could go and if we were passing by Walmart, that is the time to shop.

And I even went to the gym 4 mornings at 6:00, too.  Wow.

Why babysit for a friend?  Because that was when they needed it and like another sister once told me, "people don't ask for help at convenient times".  Smile

Most of it just happened.  BUT I am going to use my calendar more and like I was discussing with a friend earlier today, I'm going to build in time at home.  Only two nights out a week, I think. 

I had a meeting tonight, but I canceled on it because I was not feeling good and need to take a break.

Why blog about this?  Well, it was a busy enough week, it made an impression.  I want to enjoy life more and to not have that stressed feeling.  It does happen, but my goal is to have it happen less often than it did years ago and less often than it did this year.

It is hard fitting everything in.  I've got extras that are taking time to do, like painting and organizing, BUT I have to have some time to plan our home school, some time to exercise AND some time to enjoy life and friends. 

That is my goal AND I will learn it.

 

• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Page 2 of 25
Last Page | Next Page