Oct. 4, 2007 - Picture of first day of school
Okay, I am practicing posting a picture. For some reason it is not as easy on Homeschool Blogger as it is on Blogger.com or maybe I just don't know what I am doing. Oh well, I got one picture up. This was on our first day of school.
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Oct. 4, 2007 - The end result!
Last week, I went with a friend of mine to a Smoothing the Way class. The classes are meant for first year homeschoolers, so some of it was really basic. I was homeschooled as a child, so even though it is my first year to (officially) start homeschooling, I was ahead of the game. We talked about managing our time and the two ladies teaching us had some really fun stories about how they use their time with their 7 or more kids.
There were several things that stuck out to me that made me want to really implement in homeschooling my girls. One, teaching the young children family habits. One mother shared how she did not leave her house much during the week, so she could spend time teaching character training and basic family habits and how to do them correctly. Now that her children are teenagers, they are such a big help to her in the house and a joy to be around. If you are constantly running around town and not spending time at home it is hard to teach your children routine in helping with basic chores and good character. In the past, I liked the idea of teaching my children how to do the dishes and laundry, but in reality I wanted to get the job done by myself so I could move on the next thing on the never ending list. I also did not have the patience to deal with the "I don't want to do" attitudes. I would think to myself, let children be children and play, for they will be grown soon enough. However, it is my job to train them how to be an adult and they learn by me working together with them. So, I really worked on this this week... now I still need to work on my patience levels. It is so hard. These women looked so patient.
Updates on Ryen: We put all her school work in a binder to show daddy every night and for review. She loves to look her progress. We also finished Anne of Green Gables and she cried when Matthew died. She loves read aloud time with me. Cursive handwriting is not fun to her. Well, she likes it if she can do the letters easily. If not, she hates it. If I see she is not getting it I make her do extra. She is doing great though!
Amaris: Wow, little ball of energy this week. She has not been taking naps for a long time now, but this week....almost every day. I NEEDED a break!! Whoo! She LOVES school and on Sunday asked why we did not do school that day. With Amaris and Cami, I have been making them have rest time in their beds with books. Amaris ends up going to sleep. I just make Cami do this if she gets too demanding on me for nursing. I am trying to wean her.
Cami: She is really loud now. I am reading to her a lot and she LOVES it. She also loves to color with the girls. She thinks she can keep up with them in what ever they are doing.
So my thoughts this week have been this:
I love the end results of homeschooling. I was homeschooled 6th -12th and know that the bond between mother and child is so unique and special. I am so close to my mom and I appreciate the huge sacrifice she made for me. It makes me sad that all parents don't want to spend every moment training their children. It is so special. I am not trying to be judgmental, because I know that under some circumstances parents feel that sending their children somewhere other than home is the best option. I just look at how fruitful home schooling can be if the parents are committed. It causes children to be very strong adults. I love it that I can shelter my children from the world. My best friend is a Kindergarten teacher in the public schools and they cuss at her all time. I thank God I get to teach my children about the wrong in this world and not other children.
Then, my thoughts went to....man, not fair, so-n-so got to drop off all their children so they could go get some personal things done. My neighbor is furthering her education for her career so she will make more money, my other friend gets to work out in peace with only one child in tow (easy) and the other gets to make up her own schedule to work with her husband all day in their family busy or go get her nails done. I look at these women and I think, oh, how I would LOVE to have some "me time". I would love to get more education, go back to work and talk to adults. Or , how nice is it is have a place to send the children off each morning, come home to a nice quiet house and organize the closets or wait, forget that...go get pampered and get my nails and hair done. Then, I came back to reality!! Praise God. You know what, I hated worked and having some boss tell me to get up and be a work at 8 am and take lunch at 12 and get off at 5pm. No way. I hated it...don't want it back. Then God reminded me how special and sweet it was to have only one precious baby and we lived in a precious, little, yellow house surrounded by pecan trees. I told Him, "Oh, how I loved those days, they were so sweet and perfect." And He told me," You will look back someday and think to yourself how precious your time was with your three little girls." I had tears in my eyes. I want to take this time to spend every moment with my children. I will never have this time back. I have plently of time to get more "Me time".
So, gotta run. Peace! Love! And Patience!! :) 
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Sep. 21, 2007 - Our Routine
I have not been a good blogger!!! I did not even post pictures of our first day of school. We have had a wonderful time homeschooling. We have had a harder time getting back into our routine after going to the beach one week for a vacation and then to Days of Refreshing at Kenneth Copeland's church for several days! I love having a routine and LOVE implementing it. However, this week it did not happen and it is okay!
Here is what my routine looks like:
Daily Routine
5:30- 6:00 Wake up & Email
6:00- 6:30 Dressed, Shoes, make-up, Laundry downstairs
6:30- 7:00 Prayer, Word, Confessions
7:00- 7:15 Breakfast Started
7:15- 7:30 Girl's up
7:30- 8:00 Breakfast, Clean up
8:00- 8:30 Kids Dressed,Beds made, check off morning routine
8:30- 9:00 School Charts, Books
9:00- 9:30 Pleadge, Bible, Devotions, Scripture Memory, Coloring
9:30- 9:45 Snack, Potty break
9:45- 10:45 Daily Chores- Mon. Weekly Home Blessing, Tues. Free day
or do extra to do list, Wed. Fridge, Menu, Grocery list,
Thur. Errands/out of the house, Fri. Paper work and Misc.
10:45- 11:00 Organized Play- puzzels, play center
11:00- 11:45 Outdoor Play
11:45- 12:00 Prep Lunch, kids help
12:00- 12:30 Lunch
12:30- 12:45 Clean up/ Prep dinner
12:45- 1:00 Kid's educational video/Naptime prep for Cami
1:00- 4:00 Ryen and Amaris homeschool
3:30- 4:00 (Mom) Zone Clean or Computer Time
4:00- 5:00 Kid's Free play at home, Mom prep Dinner, Clean kitchen
5:00- 5:30 Dinner
5:30- 6:00 Final clean up, finish laundry, dressed for work-out
6:15- 7:45 Work out at gym, Kids play with Dad
7:45- Home by 8
8:00 Girls baths
8:30 Girls bed
9:00 Evening Routine, Clean sweep
9:30 Look over next day homeschool- Prepare on Sundays
10:00 Be in bed if not before
Weekly Routine
Monday:
1 hour Weekly Home Blessing
15 min. Zone Clean
Run- pm w/Annelisa
Tuesday:
15 min. Zone Clean
Kids in the kitchen
Weight Traing in pm
Wednesday:
15 min. Zone Clean
Fridge, Grocery List, Menu, checkbook or bills
Awana in pm
No Workout
Thursday:
15 min. Zone Clean
Weight Training in pm
Am errands or outing for kids
Groceries if needed.
Friday:
Plan Family Fun Night
15 min. zone
Clean out car, paperwork and misc. See list
Weight Training pm
Saturday:
Run early am
Work on Master to do list
Spend time w/ family
Prep for Sunday am
Sunday:
Church
Look over homeschool/Prep for next week
I will post some pictures of our homeschool time when I have more time!!
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Aug. 31, 2007 - TGIF
I am so happy that today is Friday and we get a 3 day weekend!! Today is the end of our third week of homeschool. We have had a strong week and I feel good about what the girls have learned this week.
Every other Friday, we create a play center and have fun just playing. Today, we made a grocery store with a cash register, money, food, shopping bags, and the whole works! Ryen, was so excited and she told me while we were setting it up that playing store "was a dream come true"! Her saying that made my day and it also took me back to when I was a kid and I played store with washers for money.
My biggest challenge this week was sticking to my schedule in areas other than homeschool. I love my house clean, organized and running smoothly and even though the house was straightened, I really wanted to get into the closets and ORGANIZE. My day is full and big projects like that MUST wait until the weekend. I will be honest, it is hard for me to wait, but I can. I control my flesh, my flesh does not control me...that is my confession...my actions will follow through... with God!!!!
God, I love you so much! Thank you for giving me this beautiful time with my children! You are too good to me!! All of your promises are yes and amen!! And I claim them all!!!
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Aug. 28, 2007 - What a dissapointment!
Today, Ryen was so excited about starting her new read aloud book, "Family Under the Bridge". As soon as Cami was asleep we all snuggled up in the reading pillows and started the book. All I knew about it was that a hobo runs into some children and they become family and that it was a award-winning book that Sonlight Curriculum uses. Well, in the first chapter the hobo runs into a gypsy and she tells him that something good is going to happen. Immediately, I stopped reading the book. I was shocked! Maybe the book gets better, but who knows. So, I thought that I needed to do some more research on this book before I sit down and start reading it to my children. I teach my children to listen to the voice of God and not some gypsy who is not listening to the voice of God. Further more, even if the book does explain that gypsies are not from God, I am not interested in having to explain to my 3 and 4 year old why this man would even listen and entertain what a gypsy has to say!!!!! I am not going there. I am only interested in instilling in them that the Holy Spirit will reveal the future to them.
After I worked out I went beack to the library and got another Boxcar Children book, which made Ryen so thrilled! We had to start the first chapter tonight before bed.
Today, I feel like God gave me a goal for Amaris. For 3 minutes at a time, I expect her to sit still (with no wiggles) and listen without talking. Wow, this is a big deal for her. Yes, I know she is 3, but she can do it for 3 minutes at a time. I am really excited about working more with Amaris. It is hard to be the middle child. But she is happy and well taught!! I am teaching her to watch was she says. I expect her to only say things that are good and helpful.
By the way, I am loving having structure and spending my day with my children!! It is a dream come true!!
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Aug. 27, 2007 - 10th day of school
We are creating this new bond while homeschool that is so precious to me. She respects me so much more, because I am establishing my authority as a mother and as a teacher. She told me today in our new classroom, " Mommy, in here in my classroom, you are my teacher and out there in the living room you are my mommy." My goal for making a classroom in our home was not to have it look "cute". I wanted her to know that I am serious about education and to establish authority. And, also to show them that they are valuable to me and that I am willing to sacrifice my desires and free time for them. I want my children to see that in my own life I put Jesus first, and them next. I watched my mother sacrifice clothes, trips, free time, a career and more just for us to be educated at home. She was the best teacher for me, as she loved me the most!! So, I am loving spending the precious moments with my children. I wish you could have seen all three of my babies(4, 3, and 1 .5) bowing their heads praying to God for protection for their daddy. I had tears in my eyes!!
Today, we finished reading our first Read Aloud, "The Boxcar Children". Ryen would not let me put it down. She loved it!!! We are starting a new book tomorrow. We are going to start "The Family Under the Bridge".
I have had to change my schedule somewhat as it is hard to do handwriting with the baby awake, so in the am we do all the charts, music and playing with books and so forth. It is more like a preschool time. Then, as soon as baby goes to sleep the real school starts.
The girls are doing great! R can write perfectly a cursive lower-case "i", "u" and "e". She will have beautiful handwriting. She is already better than me. Amaris has been learning her manuscript "A" and "B". She is doing really well in handwriting. Amaris also is enjoying coloring and staying in the lines.
Today, in math we studied a penny. Both girls really enjoyed it. We had a piggy bank and real and fake money. Some of the things we do are too basic for Ryen, as she is so smart, but it is a good review for her and right on track for Amaris.
In social studies, we talked about what a teacher does and Ryen had to draw her teacher. She did not draw me, she drew her preschool teacher, Ms. Crystal.
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Aug. 24, 2007 - First Blog
I am very happy to start my new homeschool blog. I have a family blog, but no one really cares what my children are learning each day, so I thought that I would create a blog just for our homeschool news!! We are in our second week of homeschooling. I have three girls, one in Kindergarten, one is Preschool and one who is only a 1 year and half, but enjoys doing whatever her older sisters love to do.
We are doing all Abeka this first year for both Kindergarten and Preschool. We have really loved it so far. The first week was a little boring. There was a lot of review on counting to 10 and basic phonics, which they have known for years.
This week, my oldest was so proud of herself. She learned a cursive "i" and "u". This was major for her. My 3 year old, learned to write a "A" and "B". We are about to finish our first read aloud, "The Boxcar Children" and they can hardly wait for the next chapter book.
Our sweet moments together this week was our prayer time. We are reading through the children's Bible together, then a devotion for 2-5 year olds, and then prayer. Talk about some really sweet moments!!!
The girls love art days on Tuesdays. Health is on Fridays. My oldest is really into health and the body, so I am hoping that she will really enjoy this class. We talked about feelings this week and how you may have negative feelings sometimes, but you have the choice to change the way you feel.
Well, I am not done with this first blog, but I have too many responsibilities that need my attention!
