What is everyone doing to get ready for school?

I have been homeschooling for 6 years and for some reason this year I cannot begin the think about all that needs to get done inorder for us to get started. 

I was able to order my oldest math on ebay.  What a savings!  The other two have theirs because we hand them down.  So we have are math.  What else is there ?

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We all say it - "where did the time go?"  I am just in shock that tomorrow is the last day of February. 

In just a few minutes we are going to sit down to dinner as a family.  It seems like this past week we have been all going different directions.  We try to make dinner time a priority but sometimes the schedule gets a little crazy.

This past week daddy was at urgent care for his knee.  His knee was swollen for several days and he was in unbearable pain.  After waiting in the waiting room (with 25 sick people) the doctor saw us.  He was very nice.  Daddy has gout.  The medication seems to be helping, but the pain meds make him very tired.  He does not have time to be tired.  It is tax season.  Two days after sitting in the waiting room poor daddy started throwing up.  He got the flu.  It was pitiful to watch him try to get to the bathroom with his bad knee. 

He is now feeling much better and is working hard with managable pain in the knee.

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This past week seems like a blurr.  It is a crazy time of year "Taxes".  My husband is an accountant and this is his crazy time which makes it "our" crazy time, on top of our already busy schedule.  I have been trying to go into the office 3 to 4 days a week to help him out. 

On Wednesday was our big foster care licensing inspection.  All went well and we only have a few items we still have to take care of - husband needs to take CPR and First Aid class next week, well water test results, and I have to find my first aid card.  I am so excited about this opportunity.

Thursday was our regular long day.  We head for Coop at 7:45 am after coop (12:05) we have lunch and the girls take piano lessons, then dance and then at 3:45 pm Children's choir starts (I am the co-director), followed by High School Choir at 4:45 pm.  We took a few kids home and got dinner at Kim's Teriyaki, the portions are amazing.  I can order two dinners and have enough for me and the kids plus left over for lunch the next day.  By the time we get home we all crash.

I am so thankful to the Lord for the strength to keep our schedule.  We are all healthy and continue to learn more about His grace, mercy and wisdom every day.

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What a crazy weekend in Western Washington.  I woke up at 6:20 Saturday morning, ten minutes later the power went out.  I know that I have about 10 minutes of water (we have a well, no power no water).  I took a quick shower, filled a few buckets for flushing the toilets and warmed up some water on the gas stove.  Over 140,000 homes lost power.  The bigget thing on most people mind was will we have power for the big game.  This is our (Seahawks) first time at the Supper Bowl

The kids all woke up freezing.  We had a nice hot bowl of Oatmeal and started getting ready for the AWANA T in T Bible Quizzing.  The event was changed to a different church because the power was out at CRCC.  We went over to Grace Church and found out the quizzing was still going to take place even though they didn't have power.  Their gym still gets good light with all the windows.  But we were told - do not use the toilet.  We took a couple of trip to Fred Meyers a couple mile down the road for bathroom use.  What a memory.  The kids will never forget this quizzing.  All in all it was fun.  My AGM(9)'s team took first place for book 2 and RFM(11)'s team took 2nd place for book 3. 

Church services were cancelled on Saturday and Sunday because of no power.  We woke up Sunday morning the house was 45 degrees.  We had a very hard time getting out of bed, but by noon the power was back on for us.  Just in time to get ready for the Supper bowl party next door. 

Even after a disappointing lose, it was great to hear our team have such great attitudes.  GO SEAHAWKS!!!

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Game Night

One of our favorite things to do is play games as a family.  Tonight we are playing Set and Skip-bo.  Set is a great game that we got for Christmas. If you haven't played it yet I highly recommend it.  It really causes the kids to think and focus.  The kids get so excited and a little crazy during the game. 

Does any one have a favorite game you can recommend for our family? (Kids ages 10, 9, & 7)

We also like Hearts, Dominos, Uno and chess.

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Monday, Wednesday, & Friday - full school day at home.

Tuesday - half a day at Explorer Academy (Homeschool program through our public school system).  We are very blessed to have a wonderful Christian consultant.

Thursday - half a day at Solid Rock Christian Homeschool Coop.  The kids are enrolled in three classes each.  After coop we stay at church and they complete their math assignments before piano lessons and choir practice.

Every day the kids feed the animals (chickens, dog, and bunny) and do a variety of chores.

Math - Saxon is what we have used from the beginning.  The girls 10 & 9 especially like the DIVE CDs that go along with their math.  The girls complete a lesson, grade their own lesson and make corrections.  I grade their tests.  My son, who is 7, works in the Saxon consumable at the kitchen table with my help.  We don't always read from the teacher workbook. 

Reading - Each of the children are reading on their own now.  They are assigned 30 to 60 minutes of reading about 3 to 4 days a week (not counting reading for certain subjects).  Reagan (10) is finishing up the Anne of Green Gables series.  She loves reading and reads a lot.  Amanda (9) doesn't like it so much, but she is a "little" excited to be reading the Narnia series.  The movie helped.  Avery (7) is in the middle of Tom Sawyer (Treasury of Illustrated Classics for kids).  He loves it.  At bed time they usually read a little bit more.  They can choose their own material.  Reagan usually reads Nancy Drew, Amanda and Avery chose different short books.  At times we try to have a family read out loud book.  We absolutely loved 7 Alone.  I cried at times so I had to ask one of the kids to read for me.  It is a great book.  Now we are trying to read Timberwood Secret.  Great book, but time seems to be the problem.

Writing - Right now the kids write a paragraph or two.  I go over the paper with them talking about sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, spelling etc.  Avery (7) writes two to three sentences.  They can write on any topic they want. This subject I really struggle with.  If any one has any good ideas or programs (inexpensive) I am looking for something that will help us.  I would like to find something that is not too time consuming on my part.  HELP!!!

English - Each of the kids are working through a Frank Schaffer Publication workbook in Grammar and Vocabulary.  Reagan and Amanda also have a spelling book and Avery is working in a Phonics book.  This is another area that we could improve on.  I have gone through the Language Lessons book with each of the kids.  I absolutely loved the book.

History - Reagan and Amanda are in a wonderful Notebooking History class at our coop.  They absolutely love it.

Science - They are in a science class through the public school homeschool program that we are involved in.  So far the classes have been good. 

Bible - We are working through the Book of Acts.  We read, reread and talk about what is happening then the kids write out the verses.  I am using it for penmanship also.  They also work in their AWANA books. 

Music - Each of the kids are in Children's Choir.  My girlfriend and I co-direct the Choir.  We have about 50 kids from 6 to 11 years old.  They are also taking piano lessons. 

PE - Each of the kids are working toward the President's Fitness Certificate.

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I was searching for an old friend (she's not really old, it's just been awhile since I've seen her) when I came across this "blogging thing".

I would love to know more about it.

I am a wife and homeschool mom of three.  We have been homeschooling for 6 years.  Our children are 10, 9, & 7.  Look forward to hearing from homeschool moms.

Lena

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