I like to keep my two olders on the same page.  They're only 18 months apart, and it's SO much easier than seperating them.  Besides which, they're both doing really well, so why shake things up? 

This will be our first year doing textbooks.  This will only be our second year of "formally" homeschooling, and I swore I wouldn't use the things when I started, but here I am.  With the babies, and Sean running around, it's just too much for me right now to try to plan unit studies or CM studies.  I get overwhelmed, so this works for us.  I'm hoping to get Teri Maxwell's Managers of Their Schools soon, to help me out with scheduling and ideas and things.

We've decided on Rod and Staff, because I REALLY like how Scripture and Bible is incorporated into EVERYTHING.  (Patrick likes the price, so it all works out well!!)  So here's what we're using:

Reading, Reading Comprehension, and Phonics:  Rod and Staff Grade 2 Bible Nurture and Reader Series,Bible Nurture and Reader Series, plus we'll be supplementing with CLE and Pathway Publisher's series, if we need to.

English:  Rod and Staff Grade 2 Preparing to Build, and Climbing to Good English, Grade 1.   We didn't do a whole lot of English or Grammer last year, so I figure a refresher is in order.

Math:  We're finishing up Basic Math Grade 1 in Rod and Staff, then moving on to Working Arithmetic Grade 2.  

Spelling:  Rod and Staff Spelling by Sound and Sequence, Grade 2  

Handwriting:  Danny is finishing up Grade 1 Penmanship for Christian Writing, and Katie is finishing up  Grade 2.   They'll both be advancing when they're ready... Handwriting is a real pain for us.

Health:  Proper Manners and Health by Rod and Staff

Social Studies/Civics:  Our Father's World by Rod and Staff

Music:  Beginning in Music for Grade 1, since this is our first year doing music, by Rod and Staff

Art:  Katie is working on Artpac 1, and Danny is working on Bible Pictures to Color, where I read him a Bible story every week, and he colors the matching page, every week.  Art is not my strong front.  LOL

Home Ec:  We're starting off withFuture Christian Homemakers (you can download their handbook for free at their site!) for both of them, and then (eventually) moving on to Pearable's Home Economics Level 1.Home Economics Level 1.  We want them both to have a good, solid foundation for when they have their own homes.

Bible:  We'll be doing a bunch of different things here.  We're starting off with a Fruits of the Spirit Lapbook, and we'll be sort of starting our own Adventurer's club (which is run through our church, although our local church doesn't have one), and that will teach some church history and such.  We'll also be doing a doctrinal study, called God Loves Me 28 Ways, which we started and never finished, so we need to do that.  Eventually, we'll also be adding the Pearable's The Narrow Way curriculum for character building.

Science:  Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy

History:  Mystery of History Volume 1

Other stuff:  We're working on our Adventurer's honors, and Katie is going to begin a study in Beautiful Girlhood.   We'll probably start Danny on a study with the Pearable's The Christian Gentleman's Series:  Lessons in Responsibility for Boys, Level 1. 

We're also looking for projects for them to do, something to keep their hands busy.  We fully believe it's very important to keep them industrious, but we're at a loss on how to do that.  So, we're looking.  (Any ideas for age appropriat, semi-long term projects would be GREATLY appriciated!  We live in a small town, but still in town, in a single-wide trailer in a court, so space isn't exactly in abundance, but we'd still like to figure out *something!*) 

So, I think that's our year in a nutshell, as far as books and curriculum goes.  Hopefully I can get to where I can show you some of our organization this evening, if we ever find our camera cord. 

In His Love,

Kristi

I thought I'd tell anyone who wants to add me the sites I'm on, and my names on them.  OK, so my names are pretty much all the same, kchara,  but here are the following sites I'm on:

The Homeschool Lounge

A Virtuous Woman

The Conservative Homeschooler

Sparkpeople

Babyfit

The last two are REALLY GREAT sites for losing weight and getting healthy!  If you've never heard of them, definately go and look around, and use me as a referral if you decide to join.  Don't forget to add me as a friend!  (No, I don't get anything money or anything from them, it's just I really, really enjoy my time there!)

In His Love,

Kristi

Well, here we are at the start of another year.  :)  I love the start of school years.  Some people make resolutions in January, I always have closer to September.  I suppose it's because when I was growing up, I changed schools every year, due to my father's job.  So, every year, I got the chance to make a new start.  And it just feels like the start of a new year, every year.

OK, so that's a bit about me.  Here's an introduction to my family:

I have been married to the best husband in the world for nine years.  We have a wonderful marriage, and it gets better the more we learn about each other and closer to the Lord.  He is leading our family wonderfully, and is possibly the best father I know.  I have been so blessed by the Lord in him.

Our oldest daughter is Katie, and she's 8.  She is quite the little princess, who is getting to be not so little anymore!  She loves horses, and anything that sparkles.  She's very outgoing, friendly, and has never met a stranger.  Here's a picture of the Bigger Little Princess:

Our next is Danny.  He's 6 1/2, and anxiously awaiting his next birthday.  (7 is a big deal in our family... summer camp, lots of things.)  He loves building with his Lincoln Logs, and reading his Bible.  He's more reserved and shy, but once he opens up to you, your friends for life!!

Sean is our toddler, at 2.  He's 110% BOY!!  Rough and tumble, and into EVERYTHING.  He definately keeps us on our toes!

And our newest additions are Caeleigh and Delaeney, botn July 25, 2009!  We're still getting to know them a bit, but they're a couple of the sweetest newborns you'll ever meet!

***Sorry for the not-so-great pictures, I'm down to my camera phone at the moment***

And I'm Kristi aka Mommy.   Daddy says I keep it all together, but I'm not so sure about that.  LOL  We live in a small town in Wyoming, called Buffalo.  About 5000, so the sign says, but that's probably the local ranchers, too.  It's very rural out here, and we've only been here not quite a year after living in a large city (Indianapolis), so it takes some getting used to, but we're getting there!  We're blessed to live in a pretty homeschool-friendly area. 

We're devout Christians, and one of the main reasons we homeschool is to make sure the kids learn a love of the Lord before anything else.  We like to incorporate Scripture and character learning into all of our school.  This year, we're picking a theme:  Fruits of the Spirit.  (OK, I admit, not *strictly* my idea, I got it off of THL. )  I love the idea of a yearly theme, but couldn't figure out how to incorporate it.  I'm working on that, though!

Anyway, that's us!  Hope you enjoy hearing about our journey this year!

In His Love,

Kristi