http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:38:00 -0500 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:38:00 -0500 My blogs have been very uninteresting lately.  I have not been able to post pictures, because my hubby took the camera with him to Iraq last fall.  He actually emailed me and said that he wanted me to send him pictures of the kids.  I told him that I have been unable to take pictures of the kids, because he took the camera with him.  Yet he still kept begging for pictures.  I don't know why it took me all this time to realize that I could just get those disposable cameras and mail him the pictures.  Duh! Anyway, I don't have pictures to show you but I can tell you about our home school this year.  Basically it has been nothing exciting.  My son is 4 and my daughter is 2.  So we do not do a lot of school.  We play, clean house, read books, travel a lot to visit family, basically try to stay busy so that we don't miss daddy so much.  The only curriculum we are doing, is the book "teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons."  I am proud to say that my son has made it through lesson 26.  He is doing well, however the book is starting to go too fast.  He is learning a new sound  every other lesson, and he is struggling to remember the last five we have learned.  So we have decided to take a break and review those sounds for a while.  I still wanted to make it fun, so I made up a game.  I went to walmart and spent $3.00 on a sticker book that has pages and pages of stickers.  Then I cut all the stickers out and gave him the book with just the pages to stick the stickers on.  I also made up some flash card with the letter sounds that he has learned so far.   Out of the 13 letter sounds he has learned so far, he struggles with remembering five of them.  So we play a game.  We go through the cards, and he gets a sticker for every sound he gets right, but he loses a sticker for every sound he gets wrong.  Because there are only five sounds that he is struggling with, I was not worried about him not having stickers when the game is over.  We play this for about 10 minutes, (in place of a lesson)  and when he is done he gets to put all the stickers he won in his sticker book.  So far it has been really good, and by the time we were done with the first game, he was consistently getting 3 of the 5 he was struggling with right.  So I think that we are just going to do two lessons a week for now, and play the review game the rest of the week. My daughter who is not even t 1/2 yet is now on lesson 7 in the "teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons book"  I do not push her at all.  I kept doing lessons with my son, and she kept trying to do it too.  I would teach him a sound and she kept repeating it.  Then she would say that she wanted to do a lesson.  At first I kept telling her no.  I thought she was too young, and she wouldn't be able to do it.  Then I thought.  Well if she keeps insisting, I will do the first lesson with her.  I didn't do the whole first lesson, I just showed her the sounds for "m" and "s".  Then a couple of days later, I was doing a lesson with my son and she wanted to do another one.  So I thought she wouldn't remember the first lesson so I thought I would just review it again to make her happy.  She remembered the sounds, and my mouth about hit the floor.  So I took her through the whole lesson, and she was catching on better than my son did when i first tried to do it with him at 3. (I had to back off with him and wait until he was 4)  Now we are on lesson 7.  We don't do it everyday, and we stop when she wants to stop.  I am so amazed at how smart my daughter is.  She also counts, knows all her shapes and colors, and has an amazing vocabulary, and I haven't even done anything with her.  I may have worked with her one day on her shapes and colors, and then the next thing I know she knows them.  I think my biggest challenge in the future with schooling these two, is trying to keep my daughter challenged, and trying to keep her older brother from feeling hurt and giving up learning, when his sister passes him up.  They are both very smart.  She just seems to ketch on much faster. The other thing that we have been doing in our school is writing letters to daddy.  I have my son dictate to me what he wants to say, and then I have been showing him letter by letter how to write it.  It takes a couple of weeks to finish a letter, but my husband is so excited that his 4 year old son is writing him letters. Other than reading and writing, everything else we do is just living life and waiting for daddy to come back home.  It is amazing how much math, science, language arts, and geography they learn just through every day living. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/551221/ Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:38:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/551221/ I have been trying my hand at homesteading a little bit at a time.  Last year I purchased a Nutrimill grain mill, and have been grinding my own flour.  I was making bread for a while, but since my husband left, we just haven't been eating it fast enough before we have to throw the rest of the loaf away.  So I have instead been making pita pockets.  Then I have been putting them in the freezer, and taking them out a couple at a time when I need to make sandwiches.  It has worked really well.  I also have been making my own tortillas and freezing them too.  The nice thing about the pita pockets is that they are only flour, salt, yeast, and water.  Very easy to make. ( I would show you pictures of all this stuff, but my hubby took the camera with him to Iraq.) Now that it is spring, I am helping my dad so I can learn to garden.  (my parents do so many things so well, but they never taught us how to do them.  So I have asked my dad to teach me.)  We planted tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and bell peppers.  I am also learning how to grow plants from seeds.  I am mostly learning this from the internet, and trial and error.  My first seeds all died.  Then I got online and found out that I am supposed to put plastic rap over the seeds.  So I did that, and they germinated wonderfully.  But then I didn't know when I was supposed to transplant them.  I waited to long and lost all but two seedlings of my Cilantro, and three seedlings of my Parsley.  I finally got them transplanted yesterday.  I hope they continue to grow.  If These grow into full size plants, then I am going to try Rosemary, garlic chives, basil, and green peppers. I thought about purchasing a book to teach me how to grow vegitables indoors.  Does anyone have any suggestions for a good book on this subject?  To be honest, I am so new to this that I haven't a clue were to look. Today, the kids and I are going strawberry picking.  Then in a couple of weeks we want to go blackberry picking.  I would love to plant my own bushes, but I can only take on so much at one time.  I am still learning some of this other stuff.  Plus, we don't have a lot of land, so I want to do what I can with what the Lord has given us, then when the Lord blesses us with land I will be ready for it. I used to make Jelly with my grandma when I was a kid, but it has been a long time.  I am going to try to make jam with the strawberries and blackberries that I pick.  I also want to start making and canning my own tomato sauce and salsa.  I have always done the Ragu sauce, but have recently noticed, that they have started putting high fructose corn syrup in some of it.  It seems like everything is getting that stuff in it now.  Plus, it would save a lot of money if I make spaghetti sauce out of the tomatoes that I grow. This has all been a fun learning experience.  I cannot wait to master this and move on to something else.  Like making my own butter and yogurt.  My cousin does that.  Hopefully when I am ready for that step she will teach me.  Happy homesteading. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/545502/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:37:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/545502/ My sister in law has been on facebook for a while, but I didn't want to join.  I finally broke down and joined it.  It has been really cool.  I have gotten in touch with friends from college that I had lost track of.  It has been really fun.  What is nice, is that I don't feel guilty if I haven't blogged for a while.  You can just type a sentence every now and then to update your status and keep people informed about what you are doing.  I am not sure if there are any homeschool groups on face book yet.  It would be cool if there were. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/545494/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:32:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/545494/ I could really use some prayer.  I have been noticing some numbness in my arms and legs for the last couple months.  Usually when I am under a lot of stress.  I went to the doctor this week, and they are going to run an Echo Cardio Gram on me.  Please pray that it is something simple and easily corrected that is causing these symptoms, and not my heart.  Also, my son may have to have a painful and traumatic surgery.  I am hoping that it can wait another eight months until my husband gets home, and can be here to help me.  It is not something that I can handle on my own.  We were told that we need to see a pediatric urologist to find out our options.  I haven't had a chance to get him in to see one yet.  Everyone that I talk to is telling me that the sooner we have it done the better.  I just really do not think I can do this alone.  It is really causing me a lot of stress.  I don't know what to do. Your prayers will be much appreciated.  Thank you. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/526728/ Sat, 3 May 2008 22:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/526728/ I have written some poetry, and a song that I would love to share on my blog, but I am a little afraid to, because I have never had them copyrighted.  I don't even know were to begin.  I don't want to spend a lot of money to get it done, because I do not plan on publishing any of my work.  I mostly write for my own pleasure, and as an outlet for my emotions.  I would really appreciate any information that anyone can give me. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/515800/ Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/515800/ I know it has been a while since I have posted.  Sorry! I don't know about anyone else, but I am a planner.  I love to make plans, I love to make up organized schedules and lists, and I love to reorganize things.  I get so excited about all the things I am going to do.  The problem is that I fall so short in the follow through.  I am the type of person that likes to jump in with both feet only to get tired of swimming a few feet in.  I am trying so hard to change that. Recently I got the book "Laying down the rails. A Charlotte Mason Habits handbook." by Sonya Shafer.  It is a really good book.  I have realized all the bad habits that I have let cultivate in my children.  The problem is that the habits I am trying to instill in my children, are habits that were never instilled in me.  So what do you do when you are trying to instill habits in your children that you need to instill in yourself?  It is a long road ahead of me, and as I have already said, I am not known for fallow through. We have been trying though.  I do like what it said about one habit at a time.  So I wrote a list of the things I need to train in myself and my children, and picked one.  I am so happy to say that we have stuck to it for a whole month now.  Woo! Hoo! I also requested the free gift from "No Greater Joy" Ministries.  I just finished the book "To train up a child".  I so wish I had heard of this book earlier.  I kept reading through this book and thought he could have been talking about me.  Man, I saw all my parenting flaws.  It was not pretty.  I am so thankful for that book as well.  See I grew up with discipline, but I don't remember the training.  I kept pushing off the discipline, because I thought it wasn't fair to discipline them without a warning first.  So I kept giving them chances.  After all the chances, they had already developed a habit of bad behavior.  When they talked about training the child before they have a chance to exhibit the bad behavior, it was like a light bulb went off in my head.  Do you ever have "duh!" moments.  I also had been letting things slide lately, because I felt so guilty with their daddy not being here for them.  Last week I started training them, and using the wonderful wisdom found in that book.  This last week has gone so wonderful.  I am happier, my kids are happier.  It is great. Now if only I can keep it up.  I am taking small baby steps.  We have stepped back from our reading lessons, which I can do, since my oldest is only 4, and have been focusing on character and habit training.  I started thinking that it is more important than school right now.  There are so many flaws to fix in them and in me.  The Academic comes second to character and habit formation.  I am seeing progress, and it is so exciting.  I have a goal, and I have a game plan.  I just pray that the Lord will give me the strength to implement the plan and endure till the end. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/509018/ Tue, 1 Apr 2008 22:30:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/509018/ My last post got me to thinking about how much we need each other, and some other lonely times in my past. Until my senior year of college, I never had what one would call a close friend.  I hung out with other kids, but I never felt like I could really open up to them, or trust them.  I never felt like I was unconditionally loved by them to the point that I could let go and be myself. During those long years of loneliness, I would spend hours pouring my heart out to God.  He was the only person in my life that really knew me.  Even though God was everything to me, he was my source, I still longed for human companionship. I remember one day confessing my loneliness to another christian lady, and instead of being embraced and befriended, I was told that I shouldn't be lonely, because God is all I need.  I remember thinking, "what is wrong with me?"  "I must not be seeking God enough, because if God is all I need, then if I seek him enough I shouldn't feel lonely."  Years later I look back and think how wrong all that was.  Yes we need God, and yes he should be our source for everything.  He should be the one we always run to, but he made us to need each other. If he meant us to go through life with no close contacts, then he would not have put all those verses in the bible about fellowship. verses like the one that says two are better than one for they get a better return.  If one falls down the other can pick him up, but pity the one who when he falls has no one to pick him up. Or all the verses in the bible telling us not to forsake the gathering together of the saints.  This doesn't mean come to church hear a sermon and go home.  God knew that we need the fellowship of other believers to spur us on.  He created us for fellowship. Or the verses in the bible that say to love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Or the verses that say that we are the body of Christ. There should be no loneliness in a Christians heart, but not because we tell them that God is all they need and then walk away. There should be no loneliness in a Christians heart, because we as the body of Christ should be his hands extended to embrace one another when they are struggling.  If you read my last post, you will see were I have recently been embraced by the body of Christ, and there are not words powerful enough to express how much it has meant to me. Lord let me in turn be a blessing to others as I am blessed.  Let your love flow through me. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/492007/ Tue, 4 Mar 2008 00:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/492007/ Recently several families from the church my family had attended, left the church because they were deeply hurt by the church leadership.  My family was one of them.  It all happened within a month of my husband being deployed.  It hurt so deeply that those I loved and trusted could kick me while I was down.  It literally knocked the wind out of me.  I was so upset when it happened that I was hyperventelating, and my mother had to drive over to calm me down.  I have been reluctant to choose a new church home without my husband.  In the meantime, I am attending church with my parents.  The paster of my parents church and his wife, are such sweet people, that I feel safe there for a while.  Normally, when I attend a new church I jump in with both feet and make it home.  I have never gone to a church were I was not heavily involved.  I find it hard to jump in 100% at this time though, because I do not know where I will be in ten months.  It makes it hard to form bonds with people. So I am in a very lonely place in my life right now.  I also, because of everything, have basically no support structure set up except for my mom and dad.  Who have been wonderful, but I don't want to drain them either.  There is a Charlotte Mason support group that started up shortly before my husband was deployed, but I have not been able to attend one yet.  I really wanted to go this month.  One, because I need to support, and two I need an excuse to get away from my children for a bit.  I love my children, but since their daddy left they have been so clingy and it is draining me.  I need to get recharged.  Anyway, all of my family is busy the day of the meeting, and I didn't know who to ask for help. So I sent an email out on our coop email group.  I explained my situation, and asked for help from anyone who would be willing to watch my kids.  There are several ladies in our group, that I know well enough to have them watch my kids, but I didn't know them well enough to ask them for help.  ( I struggle with asking for help.  Not only is it a pride thing, but when you ask for help, you open yourself up for rejection.  Therefore, I have to feel really close to someone to ask for help) Anyway, I was so overwhelmed by the wonderful responses that I got back.  So many families saying they would love to help me.  Many of them said that they would love to help me anytime, not just the day that I mentioned, but anytime that I needed a break.  Some of them had other obligations, and were not available to watch my kids, but has such encouraging words for me.  It moved me to tears.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful christian homeschool mothers that are so willing to help another mother in need.  I cannot remember the last time I have felt so loved and blessed. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/491997/ Mon, 3 Mar 2008 23:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/491997/ I have been struggling with getting my life in order since my husband left.  We were out of town for so long.  It was hard to get back into a routine when we got home.  I am someone that doesn't usually like to be tied to the clock.  I don't even like to stay home.  The kids and I always want to be out and about.  However, when we were always gone, we never got anything done. I recently purchased a book by Sonya Shaffer entitled "Laying down the rails".  It is such a wonderful book.  I reccemend it to everyone.  I have now gotten a routine down that we are sort of sticking to.  It is a loose routine, but it is something.  Also, the first habit that I am instilling in my kids is picking up their toys. It was driving me nuts.   They kept pulling out all their toys and then wouldn't put them away.  I couldn't even see the floor in the play room.  So I told them that if I found toys on the floor when they were done playing, that I would throw them away.  They must not have believed me at first, because they still didn't pick them up when I asked them to. So the next day, I went in and picked up all the toys they left on the floor.  Put them in a black bag, and hid them in my closet.  After that, all I have to do is mention a toy that is left on the floor is going in the trash and they pick it up right away.  It is wonderful.  For the last four days the playroom has been picked up.  It is so wonderful.  I made up a little chart to check off everyday that we keep this action up until the habit is made. I am also using this book to help instill habits in me.  There are so many habits I want to instill in my kids that I haven't mastered my self.  It is hard work, but if I am going to instill it in them I must first instill it in my self. So here is my pat on the back to me for starting to instill some more disepline into my life.   It has done wonders for my mood as well.  Every little accomplishment drives me on. I hope you are all having a wonderful day. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/491192/ Sun, 2 Mar 2008 15:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/491192/ Well, my last blog said that I think we are done with the flu.  I spoke too soon.  We finished the stomach flu only to transition into the resperitory flu.  This week we have all been caughing and running fevers.  On the bright side.  I would much rather have this kind of flu than the stomach flu.  I absolutly hate to throw up.  After being sick in January and February, I am hoping that march is the month of no sickness.  I am tired of dealing with sickness. I am looking forward to spring.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I tend to deal with depression every winter.  This winter has been a doozy.  I don't know what it is about spring though.  I could be so depressed, and then spring comes and it is like a breath of fresh air to my soul.  It is like walking through the dark valley, and coming out into the light with everthing living and growing and blooming.  I am telling myself, just hold out until the spring.  Praise the Lord, nothing lasts forever.  Sometimes our soul goes through winter times, but I just have to remember, that spring always comes. Thank you Lord for giving me the streangth to carry on.  Thank you Lord that in the dark times you always plant some hope in our hearts. I also want to say thank you to my friend at "falling like rain" for her wonderful words of encouragement.  I know I am not alone, but sometimes it is easy to start feeling that way.  It is always good to be riminded of others who have been were I am and have made it through. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/482384/ Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/passionatepatriot/482384/