See the Blue Sky
• Oct. 8, 2008 - Artist...
• Oct. 8, 2008 - Spot On Which To Study
Posted By Holly @ Aiminghigh
Is it number eight already? Holy toledo, Batman! Where've I been? Looks like I've got some catchin' up to do! Last Homeschool Memoir I did was number three. Shame, shame on me. But, since I insist that my blogging is not to interfere or take priority over my here and now, I only feel a tiny, little, itty-bitty guilt.
Now doesn't that sound like a totally righteous excuse for skipping class four weeks in a row? Shhh.
Did you ever skip class before? I did once (not counting the times I faked illness so I could stay home and watch Brady Bunch). I wasn't exactly one of the "cool kids". Even my skipping was lame: it was Senior Skip Day. You know, a scheduled skip day. Justifiable. I even did all my schoolwork that I could before the skip.
How lame is that!?
Let's see here. Homeschool Memoirs #8: Study Spot. My favorite spot to study with my kids.
...with my kids...
Oh, boy. There's the challenge. Study and children don't always go together: Baby wants to be fed, two-year old wants to cuddle, three-year old wants to sit on my head, five-year old wants to supervise seating arrangements much to the horror of all other squealing children, seven-year old (just turned seven five days ago) wants to dictate how everything should be done, and teen-aged niece needs help at the computer. Thus, favorite spot to study is at the table.
Shocked you, didn't I? Yep, I'm a Charlotte Mason-wannabe. Images of cozy couch cuddling is a myth at my house.
We start the day at the kitchen table...for the baby's protection. He doesn't get sat on while I nurse him. Two and three year olds are pinned in their chairs, so that helps. And, we already have "assigned" seating, so five year old is content. Seven year old likes her spot because she is directly across from me and can make constant eye contact. I'm sure she feels center stage...perfect for my little actress. Teen-ager doesn't arrive 'til afternoon.
If the assignment had been to share my favorite study spot with my kid (note: singular) I would have said the sofa...hands down. For the sake of being able to breathe...literally...Table Time is a must at our house when we all are studying together. I do, however, adore cuddling on the couch with one of my children, each of us with our favorite blankies.
Mine is yellow with flowers all over it. My blankie, that is.
Speaking of which, I notice one of my children has woken up and is curled in MY blankie. Gotta go play some tug-of-war....
Many Blessings,
Holly
P.S. Don't you dare comment on my lack of progress in learning to categorize, put pictures in and/or add the class icon thinga-ma-gig. I know you want to. I so know you want to.
P.S.S. OH. MY. WORD. Did I really just successfully get the class icon thing up? I did it, didn't I? It was so simply; I feel so stupid. Now I must go back to my other entries for this class and get that little picture up. Got to keep up my reputation for being anal, you know.
P.P.S.S. Yes, I won the tug-of-war! No one gets between me and my blankie! No. one. It was a close one and my three-year old, Sweetness, put up a good struggle, but she was willing to concede defeat after round eight. |
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• Oct. 7, 2008 - Possible Conferences for Your Church or Homeschool Group
Posted By Malia Russell
Possible Conferences for your Church or Home Education Group
The Joy of the LORD is my strength. 10-20 minute devotional. Available on CD.
Keeping Young Ones Happy and Occupied During School Time. 35-45 minutes. Available on CD, without group discussion (only about 12 minutes). Can also be adapted to fit just moms of toddlers in general, without the Home School Emphasis. Includes cute handout charts with quick reminders for ideas in a fun format you can post in your home.
Casting Away the Stones of Bitterness and Judgmental Thoughts. The Hot Stone Treatment (A Spa for the Soul). Available on CD. Running time 37 minutes. In a group setting, allow one hour. This is a serious talk, for Christians, using the Bible as the source of truth.
Sabbath, Family Style: Help your family learn how to truly celebrate the Sabbath and find a day of rest for your soul. 45-60 minutes. This is an inspiring, uplifting talk that will leave you excited about the prospect of resting in the Lord once per week.
From Chaos to Order: Bringing Organization to Your Home. Available on CD. 40 minutes. Also adaptable to "Bring Organization to your Home School with special points JUST for Home Educators. Allow one hour for discussion and questions. Also available in Workbook form! This resource has a strong Biblical emphasis.
PMS and your teen: Help your teen through this time of transition with grace and good health. 35 minutes, allow one hour for time for questions.
Dinner 9-1-1: Getting Dinner on the Table
Topic One: How to plan and execute meal planning and preparations.
Topic Two: Freezer Cooking Four Ways: Practical workshop to teach women how to prepare yummy meals for the freezer that can be used on those busiest nights. |
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• Oct. 7, 2008 - FREE ~ Basic Bird Nature Study
Posted By Nature Notes From Above
Currclick has a great freebie this week. They are offering for download a Basic Bird Study with notebook pages.
It has a fantastic diagram labeling all the parts of the bird as well as blank bird anatomy charts for your child to fill in themselves. There are also notebooking or journal pages for feathers, flight, migration, songs, homes and nests and more. The pages are geared to all writing levels with single or double spaced lines available so the whole family can enjoy them.
It is a perfect time to start a bird nature study since they are starting to return to our feeders in full force again. They are done raising their young and have more free time to socialize at the feeders. *grin*
Make sure you hurry and get them. They're only available for one week :)
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• Oct. 6, 2008 - A New View of my Teaching
Posted By Jilann
I think since I began even thinking about homeschooling, I had heard to teach to the oldest and the rest will come along. True confession... I never do this.
When we started homeschooling, my middle daughter had finished kindergarten, so was just mastering reading. Therefore, I spent a lot of time working with her, and sending my oldest off to be as independent as possible.
By the time I got my middle relatively independent, my youngest was starting school, and the whole teaching to read process began. So, I have really been focusing on her and helping her with her work, because she can't do much independently.
I have had some frustrations with my oldest. And, now that she's in 7th grade, I feel a great urgency to be sure we are moving along, she's learning as she should be, and that something is sinking in.
I was talking with a friend not too long ago who really encouraged me to teach her first. I really felt this was a word from God for me. I took it to heart and that is what I've been doing the last week and half. As I've thought about it, I really feel like I"ve cheated my oldest daughter and put more on her than I probably should have. So, I'm really excited about the changes that I'm making and am feeling confident that this is going to be a good year for her. I know I still have a ways to go, but I feel confident that this will be a year of great growth for her and ME! |
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• Oct. 6, 2008 - Family Movies
• Oct. 6, 2008 - My Week Ahead 10/06
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Ok, so my “quiet” week went a little crazy! But it was still a good week. A very full week, but a good week.
- Bible Study/ Devotions ~ Still reading Mark and Philip Yancey’s What’s So Amazing About Grace for our Thursday morning Bible Study.
- "Must Do"~ I’m finally finished with my niece Brynn’s baby blanket so I’ll be mailing it and a care package of material to my niece Janice this week. Other must-do’s:.
· Get materials together and organized for my new job that I start next week. I’ll still be working at the store through the season, but I’ll also be tutoring.
· Empty the dining room to get it ready for remodeling next week.
· Still working on that 501(c)(3) for a friend. .
· Get ready for a yard sale next week
· Change the video on the blog
· Shampoo carpets..
- Zone~ Kitchen week. Thankfully, yesterday I was avoiding writing a paper for American Lit that I scrubbed down half my kitchen and ground all my flour for the week! I still have to finish the paper, but my kitchen is all sparkly clean.
- Train Them Up~ We are having focus issues with Jared. He just has a real hard time staying on task. I’ll be spending this week looking for more ideas on how best to help him without frustrating us both.
- Menu Planning~ Found an amazing sale last week on chicken at Sweetbay. Twenty-nine cents a pound! So this week we’re eating a lot of chicken…again.. J
Breakfast – Choose from Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal, Toast, Granola, Cold Cereal (Mini Wheats this week), and Fruit (apples and pears again this week).
Lunch – For Hubby, its two sandwiches, pickles, a piece of fruit, and potato chips. For the rest of us, lunch is either leftovers from the night before or some kind of sandwich. This week, the sandwich choice is PB & J.
Dinner:
Monday – Breakfast casserole
Tuesday – Mac & Cheese
Wednesday – Mexican chicken wraps (this is a very simple meal of shredded cooked chicken, chili beans, yellow rice, tomatoes, peppers, and corn, all mixed together, served up in a tortilla, and topped with cheese. It’s very filling and a little goes a long way.)
Thursday – Chicken Alpo over pasta (see previous post for the definition of Alpo)
Friday – Chicken and dumplings
Saturday – Sandwiches
Sunday – Oven fried chicken and veggies
Hope you have a blessed week!
Thanks for stopping by.
Betty
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. – 1Peter1:2b |
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• Oct. 6, 2008 - Berry Well
Posted By Malia Russell
It's the time of year again when everyone starts fall activities, and folks start sharing cold and flu germs. Last January, I tried something called Berry Well. It is a supplement that helps build your immune system naturally. I was skeptical at first, but my husband and I decided to try it during the "sickness season" at our house. All of our children got the flu, and my husband and I stayed on the Berry Well. We managed to avoid getting the flu (even though I usually catch everything my children get!). We did allow our oldest daughter (then 17) to take it and her recovery time was super-fast. SInce this experience we now allow our children to take it at the first sign of illness. Our doctor visits and days of sickness have dropped to almost nothing since learning about this supplement.
Once we were completely convinced that this was making a huge difference for us, we contacted the company and asked them if we could carry it on our website. Now it is one of the few products of theirs that we sell. We love it.
If you are interested in trying it for your family, you can find it on our website: www.homemaking911.com
Happy Homemaking!
Malia Russell |
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• Oct. 5, 2008 - Evidence of Love
Posted By Holly @ Aiminghigh
A very important question was addressed to me this week:
"Mom? Why do you have a bright pink line on the top of your big toenail?"
It's been intense survival mode for the last couple of weeks. The light at the end of the tunnel is a looonnnnggg way off. Only the musts and the have-tos are getting accomplished. I'm not lieing, just look at my big toe. Evidence of the fact that I have been neglecting some personal care for way too long.
Not talking about painting my toenails; I do that only in the summer to cover up my toe fungus during sandel and flipflop season. I'm talking about other basic care...like getting my haircut or nails clipped.
So. This week I set out to take care of myself.
Monday: I took the time to floss my teeth. Just one more way to count to ten before exploding on the five year old and three year old whining and arguing yet again.
Tuesday: Got my haircut. Surprise! Didn't even have an appointment. Was meeting my husband at HIS appointment after a full day of running errands. My hairdresser took one look at me and practically threw me into the chair.
Wednesday: Managed to shave my armpits. Believe me, we are ALL glad I took the time to do that.
Thursday: Almost had time for a shower. Almost. Two year old needed the bath more than I did. Blowout diapers take priority.
Friday: Almost had time to shave my legs. Almost. Figured I should probably join my seven year old and the rest of the family for the Birthday Girl's special breakfast. Legs can wait.
Saturday: Almost had time to trim my toenails. Used the time to trim the children's toenails and fingernails instead. All 100 of them. Here, I'll help you out: (10 toes X 5 children) + (10 fingers X 5 children) = 100.
Sunday (this morning): I hope to be able to shave my legs and/or trim my nails too. We'll see. I think I just used my little window of time to write this blog entry instead. Takes awhile when one is feeding the youngest and typing with only one finger.
Besides, if I trimmed my nails this morning, what would I use as silent weapons on my children during church today?
However, I think I have an answer to my daughter's question as to why I have a lingering bright pink line on my big toenail...
"The better to love you with, My Dear."
Many Blessings,
Holly |
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• Sep. 30, 2008 - Frazier International History Museum
Posted By Malia Russell
We visited the Frazier International History Museum for the opening of the Civil War Exhibit. They had terrific snacks, a fun live music performance, and a brief opening speech from Mr. Frazier, the founder. We had such a nice evening! I know we will go back while the exhibit is still in town when it is not evening time. David's patience wore a little thin by the end.
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