In Need of His Grace - Homeschool Blogger

Thanksgiving! Traditions of new and old!

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:52:00 -0600

What a tremendous year we have had! I am so thankful for so many things, my heart just overflows. I stumbled across an old prayer journal from this time last year and was amazed at how God stepped in and answered each and every one of my hearts cries. For those of you closest to us, you know last year from September through April was a season of challenge for our family. We endured constant sickness, unforseen eviction, (which led to finanical trials) slander, persecution, despair, passport anxiety, delayed orders (missing cancellation of assignment by 24 hours) hospitlization of the newborn (RSV), difficulties securing a new home, and trial after trial after trial. But, in that time, I have seen, the Hand of God come down to us, cradle us, comfort us, make a way for us, provide, persevere, protect, and fight for us. I am not compairing my struggles for 3/4 of a year, to the years of sickness, death, and persecution the new settlers endured, but I do have a deeper respect, understanding, and admiration for them than I have in the years past. 

So, although Thanksgiving has ALWAYS been my all time favorite holiday, this year is looked at with new eyes, and because of this, I plan on starting new and different traditions with my family, than I had before. 

In years past Thanksgiving was pretty normal I suppose. If I wasn't pregnant and birthing Joey or Charlotte, my 2 Turkey Babies, I would try to make the Thanksgiving Placemats with the other children, but really that's been about it. Everything about it has been pretty fly-by-the seat of our pants, invite anyone over who wants to come, stuff ourselves silly, and then watch DVD's and fade in and out of conciousness on the couch. 
This year though, with my children a bit older and my heart a bit more aimed at not only appreciating what it took for those brave men and women to take the first steps to ensure freedom for our children, but making sure I turn my children's focus to God's heart towards His people. How great is His love for us. How great is His provision, His grace, His comfort for us when we endure struggles of all degrees. I want to start planting the seeds of His faithfulness in their hearts, so that in the future when struggles come, they may reflect back to all the times God was there for them in the past, and be comforted that He is with them yet again. He proves faithful time and time again. David would focus on the works God did in the past, to reassure him that God would again pull through in his current situations. (Psalm 77:10-12) I love that, and we see it over and over in the Bible. Anyway,

One tradition I want to start is the 5 Kernals of Corn. The second winter was even more difficult than the first. They were battling starvation and, tradition has it, had only a daily ration of 5 Kernals of Corn each. This beautiful poem was written by Hezekiah Butterworth and is not a statement of bleak times or bitterness of the struggle, but instead a peom of thanksgiving to father God that they had corn to eat at all, as well as thanking for even the smallest thigns we take for granted, like the sun dawning that brings warmth, and a God who above all else is still on His throne, and still there in love. I look forward to having 5 kernals of corn at each place, and to pass a cup around and listen as each person drops in a peice of the corn and says something for which they are grateful for. This is one I definitely hope to keep as the years go on.

I want to start taking our yearly family portraits in the Autumn, when the colors are bright and changing. It is our favorite season and would be a good time for us to do new photos/family newsletters, as we choose to not celebrate Christmas or do the typical Christmas cards/newsletters. I have not decided yet if I'd like one outdoors in natural lighting with the colors of the season behind us, or one taken by timer with us around the table...maybe both and then pick the best! :p

I thought this was a cool idea: Thanksgiving Hymms. i didn't realize there were hymms written for this holiday, but I love the idea of making the day more meaningful and memorable with music.

And lastly, the remainder of this month will be spent very "Charlotte Masony" as we are mostly checking out library books, and reviewing Thanksgiving art. Last week we found the book "Squanto's Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving" by Joseph Bruchac which tells the story from the Native American perspective. I had no idea Squanto had endured so much! From being deceived, being taken captive on a ship and sold to Spain as a slave, and then eventually returning back to his homeland only to discover most of his entire tribe and family had been killed. Yet he still persevered in making peace between the other tribes and the English settlers. It really is an amazing story, and has beautiful illustrations on every page. I also love the Four Freedoms by Norman Rockwell. I hope to spend a bit of time studying these, in reflection of gratefulness that we have these freedoms at all.

I am not sure how many of these new traditions will "stick around" in the years to come. But I am enjoying trying out some new things with the family. Especially as the children are getting older and can really understand, appreciate, and remember them for the years to come. No matter what, I have a God who loves me more than I will ever deserve or understand, and for that I am very, very thankful. ;)

Celebrating Fall

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 06:36:00 -0500

So school has been, well hit and miss the last week or so. We've battled a some sort of cold bug with all the kids and had a couple crazy days mixed in between. One day, with child #2 sick and in bed, we just entirely skipped "traditional" schooling and claimed a "learning service, compassion, and prayer day." Sometimes I wonder if those aren't the *more* important lessons to learn anyway? The other two kids old enough to color, made "get well soon" cards for her and taped them around her bed. We also prayed for her as a family. Something I have been really bad about remembering to do. I keep an ongoing prayer conversation in my heart with God daily, so sometimes I just forget that modeling prayer and leading them in prayer is something they are sorely missing out on outside of church. Anyway...later in the day when child was feeling better and had colored her own "thank you" get well sheet per her request (specifically, "mom, I want to color a page where the sick person GIVES the visitor the gift!") We gathered around and prayed a "Thank You for healing" prayer which, i'm not sure has ever been done verbally as a family in this house before. I am embarrassed to say it, but seriously. I'm still learning at this!

Anyway, with all the sickies well again, we've plugged away at our Apologia Botany book finishing the very first chapter (which earned us a Friday day of celebration!) closing up on the differences of which plants make seeds and which don't..etc. Yesterday we started the first page of the new chapter delving into seeds, (that they have an embryo (tiny baby plant) inside, and food for the plant (think of it as it's "lunchbox") wrapped in a protective shell.) After discussing that seeds shed thier outer shell when introduced to warmth, air, and water (just like we shed a coat when we get too hot) we dropped 3 lima bean seeds into a cup of warm water and periodically in the day checked to see how the seed changed. Later I tried to follow up the importance of giving God our thanks for healing with the story of the Ten Lepers, but the kids were tired of being read to, despite my very animate attempts at acting the story out. Which left me thinking, if they are tired of being read to, how are we going to press on with thier science as it depends on me reading it to them?

Today I opened up the Homeschool Minute which talked of this very thing! God is so awesome to bring exactly what you need when you need it! Our school was looking a bit too much like "school" with mom feeling pressure to keep up the studies, keep up the studies, keep up the studies!! So, we're taking a break from book reading today and tomorrow. Instead, we're focusing on doing alot of Fall oriented crafts and decorating the house! (which it is my hope to spurn on conversations about Thanksgiving in general)

I gathered our craft supplies and today we made "Fall Placemats" which is probably one of my favorite Fall Family Crafts. We haven't been able to do it every year, as I can't always find self laminating paper out here when I need it. But basically, it is construction paper, crayons or colored pencils, any stickers on hand, and the self laminating paper. I insist on each placemat having the child's name, age, and date, and if they'll let me I try to trace thier hands. If they want to make them Turkey-hands, that's fine but they don't have to. Then I let them color and sticker to thier hearts desire. After it is done, I try to print out a small recent picture of the child, glue that in place somewhere, then laminate it on both sides making it water proof. The first time I did this, and I still have them, is when Julia and Megan were 2 and 3 years old. I love pulling them out and looking at them, probably more than the kids! Anyway....so we did this today. I have 4 placemats waiting on pictures and laminating! i am so blessed!

Tonight I have my own "homework" of cutting out fall leaves of construction paper. Tomorrow the kids are going to be hanging them from string to make Fall Leaf Banners to tape to the walls. Easy enough!

Saturday we are doing Julia's Idea for a craft...collect leaves outside, then glue them into a fall collage. I was thinking of getting some paper plates, cutting out the center, and making Fall "wreaths" from them. (An idea I saw online) I'd also like to have the kids start an entry in thier nature journals picking a tree outside and sketching it with the leaves changing. I want to "resketch" this same tree in each season.

So that is our "school" for the last couple weeks and the remainder of this week. I have a few other Thanksgiving Ideas (both for crafts and for lessons) that we'll be doing next month. What are some of your favorite things of fall or Thanksgiving? What are some family traditions you do with your families every year, or hope to add in this year?

Homeschool name?

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:23:00 -0500

<hr>So, tonight after returning home from Sunday Night Awana's, the kids were busy with bedtime routines and I was perusing next weeks schedule of "theme nights." Next week is "Wear your school shirt or favorite team mascot" night. Now, we are not an athletic family. We generally don't follow sports. And while we enjoy hearing if our home teams are doing well, I don't think we own one article of clothing supporting such teams. it just isn't a big deal to us. Therefore my mind turned to their current schools...namely, our homeschool, which brought about this simple entry to pose a simple question:

Will you be naming your homeschool? If so, what have you come up with? how did you decide? What factors went into your considerations?

We want to name our homeschool. I also want a mascot and school colors. I also would like a Bible verse that acts as our school "motto" or "Creed." Something that defines our core values, beliefs, and purpose. So far I like the idea of the Lion as a mascot, and perhaps colors of Gold and Red, or Gold and Maroon. I'm just trying to think of a good name that isn't going to sound too funny on a school transcript, or college and job applications. I'm also trying to narrow down verses....

So I want to hear form you, those of you who have been there done that, or are doing it now. What are things that have been important to you in this area? Have you given any considerations to this yet? What are some of your favorite Bible verses that have helped steady you in the marathon of home learning? Any thing else I've missed or any advice?

Same ol' lesson in a new form...Trust.

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:07:00 -0500

<hr>First, a confession...I finally subscribed to the TOS magazine for the first time in my life! I know *blushes* it's terrible I have waited so long....but for what it is worth I am only in my 3rd year of homeschooling, AND the one time I did have a copy to peruse, my kidlets were still so young I wasn't actually "schooling" yet so every thing I read kind of made my eyes go blurry. (Plus I was pregnant with my third child and really just focused on the home birth to come.)

Well, once upon a facebook day the TOS had a reminder announcement of buying a 2 year subscription with a bunch of freebies for 39 dollars. I thought to myself, "Self, this is a really great deal, you should go for it." My first issue just arrived a few days ago and I have scoured it from cover to cover, it follows me from room to room. It has become a lifeline. And I don't mean that dramatically, but literally. I am newly transplanted in Germany WITHOUT a vehical at my disposal WITH 4 young savages, erm i mean blessings, at home. I haven't had the luxury of digging myself deep into a homeschool community. (I know where one meets, just can't get the brood and myself there yet.) So, in the meantime, this wonderful little magazine with it's real-to-life-down-to-earth-writers have supplied much needed oxygen, and I have sucked in all they had to offer with both nostrils and then some. I have learned that "Delight Directed" is the term for the homeschooling style God is most directing me to school Julia with this year. I have learned absolutely no two home schools are alike in ANY way, (except that there are children learning happily in their own homes) and that is okay. That is how it is supposed to be, because no two families are alike in any other facet, so why should they be with schooling either? One of the main points of hometeaching is the ability to tailor it directly to your childs needs...if I am successful at doing this, then my home SHOULD look, feel, and BE different.

So, what is that for my family this year? I've let go of the "text, seat work based" math/phonics approach, and gripped onto a Delight-Directed-Charlotte-Masoney approach this year. And you know what? It's working. My home flows with a peace and a quiet joy. The children are soaking up more (and remembering it later!) with less "desk time." (Surprised? Me too.) We are reading more, doing more hands-on things, more narration, spending ALOT more time outside exploring, painting, coloring, drawing and journaling, and it amazes me how smoothly it is going. So smooth, I question if I am "doing enough" sometimes. And in those times He quiets me (so I stop splashing about), brings me a resource I may have needed (such as the TOS magazine acting as temporary floatation device) then reminds me to trust Him...And in doing so I relax with the ebb and flow of the currents of learning. Lazing in a God-given River Rat inner tube and allowing Him to pull me where He desires, is so much more enjoyable than splashing about on my own accord trying to keep my chin above water. Praise God for still waters.

~*~*~*~*~

The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:1-3

Nature Journals, Self Portraits, and Classification Collages!

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:18:00 -0500

<hr>Today was a pretty great day. My house is a wreck, but the children are happy with sticky-gluey fingers and a true sense of accomplishment. We didn't do much bookwork today, besides learning a little bit what a midrib is on a leaf. We verbally reviewed a bit on the terms we learned yesterday "biology, botantist, classfication..." But really, that was about it. After our great lessons on classification yesterday (again taken from the Pathways Lesson Plans website) we made cut out collages using some National Geographics a friend from England gave us before we left. As much as I hated cutting up the mags (the photography is so stinkin beautiful and the articles so interesting) they were all I had around for the children to use. We don't subscribe to any magazines or newspapers. Anyway, using construction paper as a background, each child chose the color and the subject they wanted to "classify." Joey went with cars, Megan chose people, and Julia chose animals. I cut Joey's pictures out, but he glued them in place. They turned out quite pretty!

So onto today...I assigned the girls to the Science Pathways involving "Nature Detective." We made our own Nature Journals using sticks for the binding, rubberbands, and simple construction paper. We made nature rubbings of tree bark and leaves to decorate the outside covers. It seriously only took 5 minutes to put together and both girls said of the two crafts, this one was thier favorite one for today. Here is a link to the simple instructions:

http://bringinguplearners.com/2008/01/28/homeschool-hacking-tips-make-your-own-nature-journal/

Julia decorating the front of her Nature Journal with a Tree Bark Rubbing:

Megan decorating her Journal with a Leaf Rubbing:

The Finished Journals! (Don't you just love the wind-blown, disheveled hair?)

The other craft was a self portrait done with things from Nature. This was very interesting. We came across all sorts of bugs, spiders, flowers, leaves, and other living things while gathering our materials for this. We literally gathered everything from our very own backyard. I pretty much did Joey's page, although he insisted on grass for his mouth and ivy leaves for his ears lol. It was very interesting watching the girls sketch themselves with a mirror before heading out, and then watching how they peiced everything together upon returning. Interesting seeing how kids see themselves. (Notice the girls used certain flowers for hairbows or earrings? lol!) This would work for anything by the way. Doesn't have to be a self portrait. Nature collages are always fun and interesting no matter how you put them together.

Julia working on hers:

Megan with hers:

Finished!!

Wheew! I am glad today is Friday! I am ready for the weekend. :) One last picture, just because I like it. :)

Lesson Plans and Organization Help!! :)

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:31:00 -0500

<hr> So, I'm learning having a lesson plan the day before, is as helpful as meal planning. On the days I have the following meals pre-thought, the day goes smoothly. When i'm winging it, we usually end up eating rather late, mealtime is more stressful, and more likely to be something odd. Like egg sandwhiches with soy sauce noodles and corn. (blech)

I am finding that staying up 20 minutes later each night and prepping the following days school work is much the same. Yesterday was a rough day following a couple rough nights. I didn't have anything pre-planned, and yesterday we never did get any school done. I am thinking, as zonked as i was yesterday, if I'd only had a couple worksheets pulled out and a few books picked to read, we would have had a much better chance of getting something done despite the sleep deprivation and motivational exhaustion. When things are pre-planned, half the work is already done, so it isn't as overwhelming to get started. Just as with dinners. But I hate planning. I don't know why. It seems like an "extra" step, so I am terrible at doing it. That is, until this morning...

This morning I found something WONDERFUL in my email box! A link to check out Lesson Pathways, Building Pathways for Online Learning. I found a whole huge resource tool that I just have to pass on! you basically get to create your own homeschool curriculum based with online lesson plans for each subject, for each student, for each grade. I know. Doesn't sound that new compared to alot of stuff out there that offers the same, but this one is so VERY user friendly. It has everything I need divided into each subject and sorted by weekly unit studies. Each unit study is then broken into daily activities and lessons, games, crafts, printables, online books to read outloud...everything is RIGHT there! I have been amazed at how easy it is to simply pick a subject, read the brief summaries of what each grade for that subject covers so I can then assess which "pathway" to assign to my student. Once I select the right pathway, I then get to see the year broken by lessons for each week, click on the week and I see what is given for each day. so super simple! I am loving it! I get to upkeep my child's progress, and switch the lessons around to teach in what order I want. To be very bare bones honest with you, I really hadn't planned on teaching History to the kids until they were a year or two older, but this site has it so easily prepared that i may start it earlier than I had intended!

Check it out! http://www.lessonpathways.com/Home
They have a free 30 day trial that does NOT require a credit card to register for, so no worry of being "resubmitted" at the end of the 30 days without your consent. Payment options are $48.00 yearly, $24.00 for 6 months, or $4.95 each month. (I'll probably be signing up for the 6 month to start with) I find these costs very reasonable, but then again I am one of those types that REALLY needs help with planning and organization, so it very much worth the money to me.

Now! To just figure out how to store previously used materials for record keeping, and materials not used for future availability to the younger kids!! I am thinking see thru Tupperare bins are called for, but how to label? By year, by grade, by subject, by child? Hmmm.... What do you do?

On the days you drag...

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 04:50:00 -0500

<hr>For two nights my sleep has gone something like this: in bed at midnight, awake at 1am for baby, woken 20 mins later for (child #3), sleep 1 hour later and woken by baby, sleep 90 mins to be woken by child #2, sleep 45 mins and woken by baby again....rinse and repeat until around 7am when the three LOUD olders announce thier presence to the block (which inevitably wakes the baby) and I wave the white flag and drag myself out of bed.
I am a night owl by nature. Mornings are never kind to me, but more so when the nights are just as rough. How do you, as seasoned homeschoolers, push thru the hard days? The days you drag through. The days that take every bit of energy, focus, and concentration just to remember your children's names and to remain patient at the myriad of balls they throw at you to juggle? Or when you are pregnant and your body (and mind) are using every available resource to grow the babe within, while the babes already-born get the leftovers?

It is noon now. I've just got everyone fed and the baby smelling of daisies again. We have played Mother May I, done a few household chores, and had a brief break-out dance session to the "Locomotion" (presumably when the diet Coke hit my system), oh and the fish have been fed. Otherwise, we are all, every one of us still in PJ's, no "proper" schooling has taken place in any form, and I am trying to motivate myself just to fix lunch!

On these days how do you push thru? How do you motivate? Do you skip the day and vow to make up the work later on? (Hey! Gotta love the flexibility that comes with hometeaching!) Do computer learning games? Send 'em outside and claim it a PT day? And how do you combat the "I could've done better...I wanted/imagined it better" guilt that follows?

Just Today...just starting, learning to submit, and loving nature along the way.

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 07:44:00 -0500

<hr> Perhaps I will start using this site again as a simple notebook journal of our daily happenings. Nothing too exciting to most I am sure, but truly a simple way for me to keep records virtually, and record later on. And if anyone has any comments or advice, I am always welcome for learning new ways of teaching (and learning) things. ;)

We officially started school around 3 weeks ago. I am teaching a 1st and 2n grader, and an over eager 2 year old who is learning most by default. (And the 9 month old who just loves to eat crayons, and when the kids take those from her, she goes for their papers.)

In the past we have used Abeka for maths and phonics. I really just wanted to get a firm understanding of those basics for the first few years, and so that is what we have focused on. We've taken bunny trails on various arts, or sciences, or bible workbooks, but mostly those were the "core" subjects for the first years.

This year I felt very strongly God's desire that I become more persistent with basing alot of this year's curic on Science. A friend highly recommended Apologia which I hadn't heard of before, and also handed down Abeka's 1st grade "Discovering God's World." The Apologia book is on Botony, and does seem bit advanced for 1-2 graders, but still I feel God persisting, "Trust me. Don't put it aside. Use it this year. Trust me. Challenge them."

So, that is what I am doing. I started with the Abeka first grade book, but they have already swept thru more than halfway of the book and only 3 weeks into the year. Perhaps, God actually is right. (As He usually is) Perhaps they are "ahead" on science and I haven't realized it before. Never the less, Apologia kind of intimidated me until this week. I spent the first two weeks this year working on reviewing the girls on their maths, telling time, counting money...etc, and brushing up on some easy readers...and finally this week as we finished the sections on telling time when I began praying about what to do next, God again pushed me over to the Apologia. Sometimes I am embarrassed it takes me so long to submit.

So, today we opened to the page we left off before and began reading more about classes and plants. I had a vague thought to open to Genesis Chapter 1 and also read the Creation Story so it would be fresh in their mind's, this awesome Creator we have, when we went on our first Nature Walk this afternoon. The beginning of reading had my 1st grader saying "this is booooring..." but by the end they were both thoroughly enthralled and enjoying it. Their ideas of how god scattered the stars were so precious! I wish I'd had it on tape.

Afterwards we gathered small memo pads, a few pens, a little box, and all 4 kiddos (with baby strapped in a sling on my chest) tramped outside to find their "specimens." We came home not too long later having chased 4 butterflies, avoided 3 grasshoppers, saw 2 baby grasshoppers, collected half a dozen leaves and a few wildflowers, and caught (but then released) a very beautiful light blue butterfly. We pressed the flowers and leaves in a baggie and squished them under books, then collected our sketches and drawings, wrote dates and time and descriptions. Later I will have a notebook for each child to keep a running log of such findings and sketches...etc. But for now, this will have to do. They were quite pleased with themselves. I can't wait to see what God has in mind for tomorrow. :)

Cheetah, Kita, and Rocket. The Addition of Class Pets to our new School Year.

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 08:36:00 -0500

<hr> Today we added 3 new additions to our household for the school year. Not foreign exchange students, but in the form of "class pets." Despite our children's near constant plea for pets in our house we've always refrained, as frankly, our house is full as it is! But there was just something about my soon-to-be 2nd grader that I just couldn't refrain any longer. It's a much ado for a simple 20 Liter Tetra tank with just a plant and 3 Fancy Tail Guppies, but to our children (and the poor fish) it's been a whole new world. The kids barely slept last night when we only had water in the tank, so I leave you to imagine the excitement when we actually brought fish home today!

Of these Fancy Tails there is Julia's black-spotted yellow Guppy she named "Cheetah," Megan named her half white and black fish "Kita," and Joey is calling his silver bodied guppy, with a bright red and orange tail "Rocket." As guppies are easily bred and have anywhere from 4-60 babies at a time, we decided to go for an all male gang, but that didn't discourage Megan to still pick a feminine sounding name. 
If all goes well and the fish survive the first week acclimating to a new tank, we will probably return to the store in Landstuhl and buy a couple bottom feeders, another fresh water plant, and a school of tetra's. But for now, I am so very pleased. I knew I wanted to focus more of this homeschool year on science specifically for our "Little Scientist" Madison, but I didn't realize we'd go as far as adding "class pets" to the curriculum list. But I must say, it has won my heart over. There is nothing like studying God's kingdom up close, and I have a feeling we have a lot of good lessons awaiting us. :)

Starting again...

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:57:00 -0500

I apologize to all my homeschoolblogger friends. I have been the worst blogger!! It seems at the beginning of school I get excited and have lots of exciting plans to blog about...then the year begins, the burn out creeps in, and I don't write if I'm not excited.

I have been terrible. I promise to get better. (of course, in the last year alone we've moved twice from one country to another, and had yet another baby...she is #4 in 6 years time.) so things have been a bit busy as well. Last year was just very challenging all around. I began using this site as places to store important blogs, but not as an everyday blog. I promise to get better. ;)

So, all this to say, I hope to come back. I am not sure what i will blog about, or if it will be of any use or interest to anyone else reading. But my children are getting older, so school is slowly involving more, which gives me more questions to ask...and my youngers gang up on me, which leaves me with more questions about family logistics and juggling! perhaps i will find someone who can relate, perhaps advise, and help with ideas.

so this is my intro to reentering the homeschoolblogging world. And i do hope to be better. I don't know if I can blog everyday, but certainly no more year long gaps. I promise. ;)

Kristy mommy to two gals moving into 2ndish grade this year, with a 2 year old and an infant learning by default.