Creative Homeschool Exerience - Homeschool Blogger

Feeling a Bit Down

Fri, 9 Mar 2007 18:26:00 -0600

Things have been busy around here the last couple weeks. Been of course schooling the boy’s but also just doing things with the MOMS Club and other errands. Just don’t have the time to be online as I did before I started homeschooling the boy’s. But that’s ok I am enjoying my time with the boy’s and watching them learn is just the coolest thing to watch.

Now on to why I am “feeling a bit down”. Well yesterday hubby’s plant had a meeting and they are saying that in the next six to eight weeks they will be thinking about shutting down the plant. I think they will be shutting it down though and not just “thinking about it”. If they were to shut down they said it would probably be during the fall and that they would of course give the employee’s severance pay and help everyone make up a new resume’. Also one of hubby’s bosses told both hubby and his brother (they work in the same place, same position just different shifts) that he would give them great references. So at least that is good news. I am just scared. There really aren’t any jobs here in Michigan. I just don’t know if he will be able to get another job soon. What if we have to move? Will I have to go to work? How will that affect me homeschooling the boy’s? How long before he can find a job or for me to find one if needed? I have so many questions going through my mind. I just don’t know. I am trying to just let go and let God but it’s hard when you don’t know what to do. I keep praying that we get through all this. I know we will somehow but I am still a little scared. Hubby doesn’t seem to be as bothered as I am about it though. He says it doesn’t do any good to worry about it right now and that we will get through it. I know he’s right but I am a worrier at heart. So please keep us in your thoughts and prayers that we get through this. I know God has something planned for us. It’s just the unknown and being patient that is so hard to do. Thank you all!!

Still getting used to this Laptop

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:48:00 -0600

I have been trying to get used to using this laptop. So I have been playing around with it. See it's pretty different because it's got the new Vista Window's on it. I have to say I am not really that impressed with it. It doesn't come with Microsoft Works on it so you have to go and buy a program to do worksheets and word sheets. I think it's mostly for graphics and pictures. But I am not realy thrilled with it. But oh well have a laptop now LOL. Because it's vista too and out desktop printer is 3 years old so it isn't compatable with it. I went to the printers website and they are not sure when they will get new drivers for Vista for our computer. So I am going to have to get a different one for this. I will only need just a basic printer since I can use our desktop printer for copying and priting pics and all.

Other than the new toy I have LOL not much has been going on. I took the boy's to a MOMS Club Valentines Day party. They had a ball. With the cold weather they haven't done much. The other day I did have them play out in the snow and my youngest was rolling around in it LOL. Thank goodness he had on a snow suit LOL. But after that one day it got really cold again. So going to the party was a good thing for them. They got to see their friends and just have fun. Hopefully it won't be as cold so they can go out again. I know we really haven't had much of a winter till now but I am so ready for spring and the warm weather all ready LOL. I for some reason find it easier to keep cool then I do at keeping warm. Yeah I am odd LOL.

Got a new toy!

Sun, 4 Feb 2007 20:39:00 -0600

We got out taxes back and hubby bought me a notebook. Just got it the other day. So I have been trying to figure it all out and work on it. I am still having to download some stuff on here but it's coming along well!! I am really loving it!!

we finally got the car back. After not having it for almost a month!! I am so happy to be able to drive again. It was the computer (brain) of the car. The way it was built you have to have the same vin number as your car. So they had to put a brand new one in and reprogram it. I guess they were having problems programing it so that is why it took so long. I seen the computer that was originally on the car and wow it was definetly corroded. So glad we got that fixed. Thank the Lord that it's hubby's cousin who owns a garage that did most of the work and gave us a big break on the cost. Other wise I don't know what we would have done.

The weather here is so cold now. we went from basically fall/spring weather to freezing cold. Well you know what they say about Michigan LOL. Don't like the weather? Wait five minutes and it will change LOL. So true!! I really dislike winter. I wish I could just hybernate through the winter LOL. But at least we had some decent weather till now.

Boy's are doing well in their schooling. My youngest son who just turned five years old Jan 3. Is doing really well. He is learning his letter sounds and can now count past 29 as long as you tell him what's t next number after he can keep on counting. Now to keep the letter sounds down a little better. It's only a few letters he has problems with. Especailly the vowels (well all except A, he knows that one) but I know he will get it evntually. That's all that's been going on here. Hope everyone else is doing well!!

Been a While Sorry

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 19:50:00 -0600

I have been missing in action again. Sorry about that...again lol.... Well our car is still in the shop so hubby has been having to take me places in my mom's truck, which is a stick and I don't know how to drive a stick. Poor has been taking me places when he should be home asleep since he works midnights. He does it all without much complaint. What a good hubby I have.

Life has been busy since after the holidays. Once we get in the homeschooling mode it just seems to make our day's go so much faster. The boy's are doing well though. My youngest I am learning is a Kinesthetic learner. He loves to be moving and talking a lot LOL. When he say's his ABC's he has to be moving. He will walk in circles while saying them. While it may make me a bit dizzy I let him do it. Seems to help him learn better. I am really glad we are homeschooling him because I think in school he would be labeled ADHD because he does like to move around so much. He is also a very social butterfly LOL. If he is in a roomful of people he has to the center of attention. He will do anything to get people to notice him. But when it's just one on one instruction he will pay attention and do what he is supposed to do. In his own way anyway. I don't think the public school would accept the way he is. He is far from ADHD. He may be hyper at times and more energetic then some kids but when he wants to concentrate he can and does.

My older son is between a visual and auditory learner. If he sees or hears something he can understand it almost immediately. I once explained what multiplication was to him and he understood it right away and can multiply simple numbers like by 5's and 2 and 3's. This wasn't even when we were doing any school work. I just told him what it was and he got it right away! Also if he sees how something looks he is able to learn it quickly too. He totally amazes me on how much he picks up. Last year 1/2 way through Kindergarten I had to buy first grade curriculum because it got to easy for him. Looks like I will have to do it again this year. Especially with the math. I have had to skip over some lessons for him because it was just repetitive things that he already knows and he was getting board with. Now for Phonic he is doing well but I want to get through the Saxton 1 book before moving him ahead on that. Just don't want to miss anything important on it.

I think it's going to be a challenge to teach two kids that are so different from each other learning wise. But since I have done some with my youngest while teaching my oldest this year I think we can handle it. I just need to find some more active teaching with my youngest. Amazing how two brothers who come from the same mom and dad are so different from each other. One is laid back and reserved and is a real thinker (oldest) while the other one is energetic, loud, demands attention and loves to move around. Yet even though they are so different they get along really well. People often ask me how I can have my kids home all day long and not go crazy. First of all I love having my kids around. They make me smile and proud. Second it's not like they fight a lot. I won't lie and say they never fight but not as often as I thought they would. I know my brother and I were six years apart and we fought all the time. Now I wonder if it's because I was in public school and with him being so young we just never connected? But now we do get along great. Go figure LOL. So how is everyone else doing?

Sorry It's been a while

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:40:00 -0600

since I last blogged. Things have been either busy or computer was having issues. I actually tried to blog the other day but it wouldn't let me. Let's see our car is still in the shop. After the figured out that it was the computer in the car that went out the garge went and got a new one from Auto Zone. Only to find out that it was the wrong one. So now they have the right one but haven't been able to get to it just yet. Please pray we get it back soon. Thank the Lord we do have my mom's truck but it's a stick and I don't know how to drive a stick so as I said before hubby has been driving us around. Hopefully we get the car back tomorrow but we shall see.

The boy's had a play date with another homeschool mom and her son. They got to watch "Snow Dogs" since it is on sled dogs and racing them LOL. Because we are doing a study on the Iditarod Race in Alaska. Then they got to play around and they had a ball. So that was good. Hubby drove us there that day too but left to go do a few things and returned to pick us up later. Time sure does fly when you are having fun LOL. I know I did.

My computer has been acting up lately too. I got most of it figured out but it's still not right so I have been trying to figure that out. Other than all that things are ok here. Just been getting back into our grove again after having the holiday's off. At first it was a bit of a challenge but it's getting better. I am hoping to have a drama free month for the rest of this month LOL. So how is everyone start of the year going so far?

My Broken Down Car a Good Thing?

Tue, 9 Jan 2007 21:35:00 -0600

A good think you ask? How can your car being broken down be good thing? LOL. Well we do have my mom's truck so that is a good thing. But also because I think it has given the boy's and I some more time with hubby. See my mom's truck is a stick so I can't drive it. So hubby has to take us places instead of me driving places. For instance today we had to go to the library to return some books and pick up others ad he drove us there and spent time with the boy's while I looked for things. It was nice having him around during the day. I feel a little bad though because I know he isn't getting much sleep with working midnights and all. But, it's nice just the same. Tomorrow I have to go do laundry and have to do it at the Laundromat so he will be taking us there tomorrow too.

I know it may seem simple but I really treasure this time. With him working midnights it's hard to spend much time with him during the day and then when he does get up at night he is getting ready for work. So we get him on the weekends. Which for him is Friday and Saturday. Then it seems those day's just flay on by and we are back to seeing him when we can. If he could switch to day's or even afternoons he would in a heartbeat but he doesn't have the seniority even though he's been working there for almost six years now. Maybe some day. I will keep praying about it. In the mean time I will enjoy the little things now while the car is still at the garage and still hasn't been looked at yet.

Don't get me wrong. I love to drive and I can't wait to get the car back so I can go where I want when I want but I am really enjoying the little things now. We have been together now for thirteen years and married for eight years (will be 9 in July and yes we are high school sweethearts). And I still enjoy the little things. God had really kept us together I tell you. We as a couple have been through so much in just the little amount of time we have been together. More so then a lot of couple's go through at our age. I won't get into it now because then this post will be really long LOL. Maybe another time. But we have been through the ringer and yet know matter what we have stuck together. Yes we have had our ups and downs and we argue at times but we know each other so well and all the newness of our relationship is over. Our love for each other is not!! I love him more now then I ever have.

A lot of people we know are surprised that we still hold hands when we walk together or give each other a kiss either a peck or a loving one or even a hug for no reason other then to say I love you. Sometimes trials break up a marriage and relationship but for us I think it has made us stronger. We hold each other up when one of us is down. When someone needs to just talk we are there for each other. I hope our kids see that and know what real love is. I hope the do see the tough times too and know that even through those times love can and does survive. I hope they find that kind of love when they are older. Good thing it's a ways away right? LOL.

What an Adventure

Sun, 7 Jan 2007 22:23:00 -0600

Well earlier this afternoon I went to go grocery shopping. We have been having trouble with our car since just before Christmas and we had to get the fuel pump changed. Even though we changed it just last year about the same time. The warranty had expired though but we had gotten a little off for it so that was nice anyway. But Christmas Day on the way to my mom's the car just stops dead as we are getting ready to turn left. Well we got it towed and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. They put it on the computer and everything and couldn't find anything wrong. They could see when it stopped and such but not what was causing it. So they give the car back to us and we didn't have to pay anything. Hoping that it was just a fluke. Well it happened to hubby two more times but after a few minutes it would start back up again. So thus he has been using my mom's truck but it's a stick and well I don't really know how to drive a stick so I have still been using the car. Not often but when I have to. Nothing had happened each time I drove it though. Until that is today.

Driving along to go get groceries and the lights on the dash board flickers and then the car just quits. So I coast to the side of the road. Thank goodness I had my cell phone on me. So I call hubby up and let him know what happened. So while I am on the phone with him I give it a few minutes and then try to start it again. It starts right up. So hung up from hubby and on my way again. Didn't get too far when yep you guessed it the car once again died. So I coast again to the side of the road and I again call hubby. Wait and nope wouldn't start. Couldn't get it to start so hubby got the kids ready and came to pick me up. We went to the place we had it before and told him about it (hubby's Cousin actually is who has been doing it for us. He owns his own garage business). So he was going to get it towed to his place. Hopefully they will find what is wrong with it. Either way after we get taxes back this year we are going to buy a new car (well used new car LOL). Anyway in the end we all ended up doing grocery shopping. Wasn't too bad but man I wish my car would work lol.

Anyway tomorrow we officially start back to schooling again. I think the boy's are going to be happy about it even if they do groan about it lol. I find when they don't get to do school they fight more and they whine more. They really need the structure and so do I, I think. We all seem to do better when we are doing something. I am actually looking forward to getting back in the swing of things too. Not to just get a car that runs LOL.

Yesterday, Iditarod Race, My Brother and Reading Bible in a Year

Sat, 6 Jan 2007 22:33:00 -0600

Yesterday we just spent time at home just relaxing. That was nice. Just the family and I got some time with hubby too. So that was good. Other than that we didn't do much yesterday at all. Today we did some things. We went to Bob Evans for a late breakfast and then we went shopping so my youngest could pick out a toy from the money he got for his birthday from Grandma. Then we came home and I really cleaned the school/computer/toy room lol. Because since we use it for so much it gets messy really quickly. I still need to dust around it but not today LOL. Will get to it someday.

I am getting excited about doing the study with my oldest (maybe my youngest too if he is interested LOL) on the Iditarod races. I joined that Yahoo group and now the membership is now closed to new members. Starting Monday - Feb 2 I believe we have to start making a wall map of Alaska and the Iditarod trail. The race starts in March and the boy's will get to pick a Musher and we get to track them as they get to their check points. I plan to do little crafts with them too as we go along. The race lasts any where from nine to twelve days. I am still learning more about it and I have to say I am excited about it. I know my oldest seemed pretty excited about it too. So we shall see how that goes.

Found out last night when my brother called that he got into an accident. He said he went to stop and hydroplaned into another car. Thank the Lord everyone was fine including my brother. I am glad he called me to let me know though. He was just married in Oct and has their eight month old baby girl to take care of. Glad he was wearing his seatbelt and the air bag worked. No one but him was in the car with him so that was good too. He is just a little sore today when I called him. Praise God he is ok though. He's my baby brother so I worry about him a lot. He is six years younger than I am. So to me he really is my baby brother LOL. His car is totaled but he has two more vehicales he can use so that is good.

I have been doing good at reading the Bible in a year Chronologically. I got the idea originally from A Work In Progress. I printed the study at www.backtothebible.org . I am really enjoying reading it this way and knowing others are doing it together helps keep my on track. Anyone else want to join in? Just go to A Work In Progress blog and let her know you want to join in too!!

Forgiveness and My Testimony

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 22:22:00 -0600

Matthew 6:14-15For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

I don't know why but today I have just been thinking of forgiveness and what it means to me. It just seemed to pop in my head today LOL. Maybe God is trying to tell me something I don't know about yet?! Anyway I was thinking of what it means to forgive someone of wrongs done to you and what not. I remember before I was saved I had a lot of hatred and anger in me. Sure I did good things but I held grudges like my life depended on it And each time someone would do something to hurt me I would build a little more of a wall I kept around me so I couldn't be hurt any more. I had such a wall around me that no one could penetrate it. I was closed off to pretty much everyone in my life.

I remember feeling so angry and then wonder why I didn't have anyone to really reach out too. I remember thinking why is all this happening to me why me? It wasn't till after the birth of my oldest son that I began to really feel God's presents. I remember looking into the eye's of my new born soon and feeling all this love for this tiny little person. (ok so he wasn't really tiny at 10 lbs 7 oz but you get what I mean LOL) and it was then that I thought well I guess their is a God (before this I had turned away from God and denied his existence). It was also then my heart melted and my wall started crumbling and I realized what my unforgiveness had done to me.

Little by little my heart was warming to God. I knew of God but had not yet met with Him. But I began to realize what forgiveness was. It wasn't about letting the people who hurt me get away with what they did. In fact it really had nothing to do with that person at all. Forgiveness I realized was more for myself.

When I started to let go of all those hurt feelings and let my guard down to let love in I felt this huge weight lift from my shoulders and heart. Forgiveness was for me to just let go and let God. After I realized this I began to let God a little more in my life. Then I met someone I worked with and she began talking to me about God. Not in a preachy way but in an informative way. I never felt like she was trying to as they say "Bible Thump" me LOL. But she would just talk and I would listen. Then I don't remember exactly the month or day it happened but my eyes were opened and I finally let God in my life completely. I don't think I have ever felt so much love in my life. I love my hubby and my children but this was completely different. Soon after I became saved.

When I first started reading the Bible and watching Christian programs my hubby thought I lost my marbles LOL. He considered himself a Christian man but he knew I wasn't a believer for a long time and certainly never did the things I was doing now. At first he was a bit freaked out about my new found love. But then I started to pray for him and talking with him about what the Bible said and this and that and then he too was opened to the Lord. We both were baptized together. Sure we have our faults but we strive to listen to God and we have each other to help focus each other. So for me that is what forgiveness really is. For myself and letting God in. So learning about forgiveness actually brought me to the Lord.

He's 5, Iditarod, and Love of God

Wed, 3 Jan 2007 20:48:01 -0600

Well today was official my baby turned five years old. I feel a little sad. Only because the boy's seem to grow faster and faster with each passing year. But I am loving to see who they are becoming along the journey. My birthday boy was so excited to turn five LOL. He told everyone he saw that he was five years old LOL. He would stick out his arm as far as he could reach and splay his five fingers and proudly announce to anyone that would listen, or make people listen with his loud voice lol, "I am five years old!" He was also excited that his daddy shared the same birthday!

After my baby blew out his candle was a number 5 candle) he kept saying where's daddy's candles? So I looked and found a three candle and we didn't have a one candle so I just used a regular birthday candle and made hubby blow them out LOL!! When I load them up on my computer and resize them I will try and post them.

Well I have been talking to a friend of mine who I just met about four or five months back, who just started homeschooling this year. And she was doing a study on the Iditarod race. For those who don't know it's the dog sledding race in Alaska. I thought it sounded cool so I decided to do that with my oldest when we start up school again on Monday. She also told me about a yahoo group where they are doing this and you get to pick a racer and follow them along in the race. This happens in March. But I am looking forward to doing this. I think the boy's would love it. My youngest might not understand a lot of it but he will get something out of it too. If anyone wants to learn more about it . You can go to this website Iditarod History it is really neat!! I haven't finished reading up on all of it yet but I will get to it. I need to find a wall map of it so my oldest can map out the progress of our racer. I am not sure of all the details of it just yet but I will learn more from my friend when we go over to her house on the 12th.

The boy's and I also went to the library today to return some books and to get more. I was impressed my oldest usually doesn't really pick out books for him to read but today he did!! I so hope he picks up my love of reading. I just love to pick up a book and read. If I didn't have kids I tell you I would have my nose in a book all day long LOL. It's a good thing I have the boy's though so they can keep me active and interested in other things LOL. I also picked up some books on Ancient Egypt and dinosaurs. Two of the things he wanted to learn about. We will see what we get too LOL. With the dinosaurs I am going to have to review the books and edit out the parts we don't agree with. All though I have explained to him that a lot of scientist think dinosaurs lived millions of years ago. It's funny to any time he hears on TV or reads something that has that in there he will point out. No it wasn't millions of years ago LOL.

All though we haven't really done school since just before Christmas I have been keeping up on Bible study with them since I bought the new Devotional Bible book for them last week. They are short so I have to expand and have him talk about them more but I like it. I am so proud of the boy's and their love of God. Jesus loves the little children and you can really see it in the boy's. Always reminding us to pray at the table and my oldest will witness to others about God. I remember one time someone was saying God made the earth in seven days and my oldest said well actually in six because the seventh day he rested LOL. He is my little logical child LOL. Not much gets passed him LOL. He loves to learn about God and is always so full of questions and wonder. Sometimes though I truly believe he may know more about God then I do. Having the boy's have really led me to God and I am loving seeing God in my children everyday!! What a blessing I have in my two boy's. Even my youngest will make sure we pray and tell God he loves him!! I believe in us homeschooling not only are the boy's learning but so are hubby and I through our kids!! I am so glad we can homeschool!!