Join us as we explore the world around us and simply learn http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:35:00 -0500 Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:35:00 -0500 As the new “school” year begins, I thought I would write a little about what we will be doing this year. Some things will stay the same and some things might be slightly different. I feel that we have been learning at home long enough that we have discovered things that we like and things we dislike. Sometimes we have a particular curriculum that seems to have become stagnate, and while we still like that curriculum, it feels as though we are just treading water and really getting no where. So what’s a home school mom to do? We have to pray. I know that educating our children is a calling, and I accomplish nothing without God’ guidance. I always pray a lot during the Spring and Summer months about our decision regarding our curriculum for the coming year. As I have said, sometimes I feel as though we are not progressing as we should with a particular curriculum, but there are times that the Good Lord means for us to just carry on with that curriculum. Other times we have been allowed to just lay a particular curriculum aside and begin anew. As our children have grown older, it seems that the decisions concerning curriculum have become more difficult. Trusting in God we have been pleased with the curriculum He has lead us to use. I feel these choices have helped us grow as a family, because Mom and Dad are learning right along with the children. We weren’t raised with the education that our children are receiving so it has been quiet an eye opener the many things we weren’t taught or what we had been taught from a very different worldview. This year we will be adding God and Government Volume 1 by Gary DeMar to our older child’s curriculum. I have looked through the book and am impressed by what I have read. There are two other books that go along with this one, and he’ll continue on with those in the following years. He will also be adding In the Shadow of Plenty from Christian Liberty Press as his Economics class. The most difficult decision we had concerning the books he would learn for this year was Biology. I have had the opportunity to look at many Biology books during the spring and summer months. There were many that I knew immediately weren’t for us, but there are two that we have struggled with making a decision; Abeka and Christian Liberty Press. We finally decided to go with the Christian Liberty Press Biology book. There was only one thing we changed with our younger child’s curriculum for this year, and that was her Science. For years she has used living books and unit studies for this subject, but this year we are moving her into an actual textbook; Abeka’s Matter and Motion. We will be continuing on with Tapestry of Grace and Math-U-See. We have been extremely pleased with Math-U-See over the years, and I have watched my children learn math in a way that I never did while attending public school. Tapestry of Grace has been a wonderful curriculum for us over the years, but it seems as though we are just treading water with this curriculum. I am convinced, however, that this is the curriculum that we should still be using. I have tried to set it aside, but we always come back to it. We love all the books it has introduced us to over the years. For some reason though, I have been seeing a greater need for more biographies on key people so we will be adding some biographies to what is already there to read. We’ll continue trusting in God with this and follow Him. On the home front or should I say on the farming front, we have had an interesting couple of months. We have know for some time that something had been getting our chickens’ eggs and ducks’ eggs. Something has even killed a few of our ducks and their little ducklings. We bought several cages at Tractor Supply. First, we caught a huge yet beautiful female raccoon. I wish I had taken pictures of her before we relocated her to one of my cousin’s property. Next, we caught a huge possum, and it just wasn’t that pretty. It wound up dying before we could relocate it. Then we began catching skunks. Our cat was sprayed and smelled awful, but luckily, none of us wound up stinky. The first skunk we caught was a momma and her baby came to try to get her out. My husband had fed her and could get close to the cage so he released the momma skunk. It was funny to see she and her baby running down the side of the road. We wound up catching about five baby skunks and another momma skunk so much to my horror my husband loaded them up in the trunk of the car and relocated them to a graveyard which is in the woods with no church or anything else nearby. The last critter we caught was a little raccoon which was also relocated to the my cousin‘s property again. Luckily, we haven’t caught anymore animals, and our hens are sitting on their eggs happily. Well, I have rambled on long enough.  I hope you all have a wonderful "school" year. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/711318/ Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:35:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/711318/ It has been so long since I blogged that I felt the need to add something to this blog.  It has been a busy year with so much going on that I just haven't taken the opportunity to write here.  I hope everyone out there in Blogland has had a wonderful year. We did have a snow day here on March 13, 2009.  To say the least we were excited.  I know to some snow may not be a big deal, but when you go for years rarely seeing it stick to the ground, you find yourself and your family excited over an inch or so of th fluffy, white stuff.  I thought I would show some pictures I took of our Snow Day. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/680584/ Sun, 19 Apr 2009 02:58:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/680584/ I really hope it is okay to post this link to the fight the Freedom of Choice Act Petition here. Here is the information from their website and the link which they sent to me in an email after I signed the petition myself.  I'm writing to let you know about a terrible piece of legislation called "The Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA). FOCA would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide. It will eradicate state and federal abortion laws that the majority of Americans support and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future. Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/616257/ Fri, 7 Nov 2008 22:16:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/616257/ October has been a fun as well as busy month for our family with Harvest related festivals, our first game night with the church school, and just the many activities that are all over the place this time of year in North Alabama.  One such activity was the yearly opening of Peinhardt Living History Farm to the public this past Saturday, October 25, 2008.  Peinhardt Living History Farm is located in Cullman, Alabama, and such a beautiful place to visit.  They had all kinds of old time ways of doing things for us to see and do.  Plus there were many old buildings from early settlers on the farm to visit.  I will post a few pictures of some of the things we saw there.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/611548/ Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:52:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/611548/ Well, while I didn't get any pictures of the pumpkin patch, barns or anything else except our children, I did get a picture of a butterfly that was flying around the white fence at The Great Pumpkin Patch in Hayden, AL. I am always amazed at the beauty God has put in nature for us to enjoy.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/603080/ Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/603080/ I decided to go take some pictures of our chickens and ducks again.  They are all growing up. This green head duck is what I believe is a West Indies and the brown duck is a Rouen. The is Ruen the Indian Runner. This is Hercules our little Banty Rooster. The is Jersey our Jersey Giant. This is America an Ameraucana. This is Snowball an Ameraucana Rooster. This is Spike a Partridge Plymouth Rock. This is Red a Buff Plymouth Rock Rooster. We have more chickens and ducks, but these are the pictures that turned out the best.  We enjoy watching our animals and learning about them. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/596527/ Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:30:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/596527/ We had our first Park Day with the local homeschoolers and the children had a really good time.  Then Friday, September 12, 2008 we went on a field trip to Noccalula Falls, 1500 Noccalula Road, Gadsden, AL  35904; Admission: Adults--$6.00 and Children (4-12)--$3.00.  Noccalula Falls is the home of a 90 foot waterfall, named for a young Cherokee maiden who plunged to her death over the falls rather than marry a man she didn't love.  The park features her statue, a pioneer village, an animal habitat, a sightseeing train, botanical garden, and hiking trails.  Here are some pictures from our field trip. Meeting and School House Sightseeing Train One of several fawns within the park The Waterfall http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/590604/ Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:43:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/590604/ Well, it has been so long since I left a blog entry I thought I would stop by and type an update.  We have been trying to plan for the coming year, and it looks like it will be an interesting year.  We actually never stop in May like public schools do.  We learn year round.  In the summer months, we do slow down.  We continue our math, Bible, and some history.  So we'll just be adding a few sujects this month.  Then hopefully we get to go on a bunch of interesting field trips.  All has been going well with all our animals.  Our cat had five cute little kittens.  Two of them were born bob tailed like their mother.  The ducks are huge now.  They are still loving the kiddie pool and are trying to fly and land in the little pool.  I am occasionally worried that they will hurt themselves, but so far, they seem to know what they are doing.  The chickens are quiet large as well.  We have about five that are small to medium breeds.  Four of those are hens and have been laying eggs for a long time. The remaining eleven chickens are large breed and are still quiet young.  Some of our young hens have begun laying eggs so we are never without fresh eggs. Well, I guess that is all there is to update at the moment.  I hope everyone is doing well out there http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/570543/ Tue, 5 Aug 2008 21:24:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/570543/ Our ducks really enjoy their in ground kiddie pool.  They are so funny to watch.  Even the chickens enjoy watching them from their chicken run which is separated from the ducks pin by chicken wire.  The ducks were much smaller when we got this pool so we are going to have to get them something larger to swim in before too long.  I am not sure what type of ducks these are except maybe one blue swedish, some West Indies, but the others are a mystery to me. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/538391/ Mon, 26 May 2008 22:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/538391/ We went on another wonderful field trip, and although I have a few more pictures of other field trips to add, I'll just add pictures from Burritt on the Mountain. This living history museum is located at 3101 Burritt Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35801.  You may reach them at 256-536-2882 or visit their website at www.burrittmuseum.com.    This picture is from the Smith-Williams House which was built around 1869.  It was orginally built on the eastern base of Monte Sano in an area known as MaKay's Hollow in Huntsville, Alabama.    This is one of the goats that was in its fence behind the Smith-Williams House sticking its head through the fence waiting for someone to pet it.   This is a picture of the Blacksmith Shop.   These are some pictures of the Balch House which was built around 1887. It was originally located in Nebo, Alabama in Madison County. Well, I hope you have enjoyed seeing a small part of Burritt on the Mountain.  I didn't put many pictures from the Barnyard at Burritt on the Mountain, but they have potbelly pigs, shetland ponies, sheep, goats, cows, and chickens. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/536721/ Fri, 23 May 2008 00:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeLearningExplorer/536721/