Wow!  I've been gone a long time.   There is so much to do.   Or so much that we've been doing.   Recently they have been taking a placement test from the Alpha Omega site.   http://www.aophomeschooling.com/           I used the test as a guide for myself really.   I'm trying to prepare for next year.   Checking to see what they still need to learn or work on.  It starts with kinder and goes until 8th grade or you can get the higher grades.   That's just what I used.   They did very well.   One is 9 years old and the other just turned 14.   They are above their age level on most things.   I'm glad to know I'm doing my job.   : ) 

We will take more time off this summer.   Maybe 2weeks off, 2 weeks on.   Not sure.  Still thinking about it.

Library Today

Have you been to the library lately?   If you are a homeschool mom, I'm sure you have.   Maybe not this week but within the year.   I usually just go to pick something up and leave.    Today I started looking thru the shelves.   I'm speaking particularly of the biographies, kids biographies.    Gone are the days of Amelia Earhart, Benjamin Franklin, and Johannes Gutenberg.  (sigh)  I was looking for a book on Amelia Earhart and couldn't find anything.   I did find other inventors and such, don't misunderstand me.   I was just surprised at the amount of books on Christina Aguilera, Tupac, Beyonce and others such as that.   When did singers and actors become today's role models?   Or so important that they had so many of those types of books.  I know they have always had followers, but in our library I found quite a few books on "stars" rather than on the stars.   I was young once.   I remember reading about my favorite actor's or singer's likes and dislikes.   What I'm talking about is the change in morals and desires.   I know we have already had the 1st lady astronaut or the 1st lady speaker of the house, but surely our kids must aspire to more than getting paid for acting or singing.   Not that these people haven't broken barriers in their profession.   It's just not what I would like for my children to base their lives existence on.  We all can choose how to raise our children.   It is our choice to train them or encourage them toward something.   I really just hadn't noticed those books nor their importance in our life.   That's another reason to love homeschooling.   I can choose what my children watch and can encourage their interests in the direction which I see fit.  

Long Month!

I'm not complaining though. It's been a good busy month of March. Time just goes too fast. Today we will be working on our Amelia Earhart lapbook. Time to get back on track.

Last month we barely kept up with our math, writing, reading and our ministry.   The weather is warming up but still very windy.   I have a few things planned, so we will see if you get them all done.   Can't wait to get back on schedule.   Neither can the kids.   They asked when we'd be starting again.   hehehe  Just the words I love to hear!  The girl should begin her piano lessons this month too.   The boy will begin guitar soon.   Haven't found the right teacher yet.   They are growing fast.

I hope to keep up with my blogging this month, but if not I'm sure I will be updating soon.

HAPPY HOMESCHOOLING!  

Free Day!

I love homeschool.   Today dad had off so we went out of town to visit a friend.   It was so much fun.   We went out for lunch then back to his house to play games.   I haven't felt like playing games in a while.   Sometimes I just get so worn out that just sitting around and visiting is enough for me.   Since we began a new way of eating I have so much energy.   Depression and fatigue are kept at bay.   I really do feel great!  As for homeschooling, I love that we can schedule or reschedule as we need.   Sometimes its the things we do that the children learn from.   Schooling is important, but when dad's off we need to be able to adapt.  These are memories we are making with our kids.  I want them to enjoy life too.

Son purchased the game Mancala this weekend.   He was so excited because it is a game he learned to play on Poptropica website.   It is by the writer of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.  Son saved his allowance and decided it was time to go shopping.  He bought himself a Foam Sword and the board game Mancala.   It is a game of strategy.   It comes in a wooden box which is the board. 

Daughter on the other hand had been saving her money for a new puppy.  

Isn't she precious?  She is a 6wk old sheltie.  Her name is Autumn.  She is in a basket.   Easy to train and very sweet disposition.  Daughter had been wanting a puppy of her own since she was 8yrs old.   She is now almost 14.  I hope she is really ready for the responsibility.

Well seems like there will be all kinds of learning in this house.   hehehe 

Not Much

Well today was one of those days.   We started out really cold, cloudy and raining.   It sure does make it hard to focus.   Since I went to bed so late last night, I slept in.   9:30 to be exact.   Ugh.   This just means on a short day, it gets even shorter.   I was slow moving this morning.  Son is so great lately that he was ready to start me a pot of coffee.   When suddenly I remembered, we had put a couple of diet sodas in the freezer for dad who was coming home at midnight.   I hated the thought of opening the freezer, but I had to look.  



















See son's "experiments"?  hehe  We will be taking those frozen balloons to launch them in the ditch with his giant sling shot. I got it for him at the homeschool convention this past summer.





What a wreck isn't it?   Well thanks to the kids we got it all cleaned up.  

 

 

 











Much better!  I didn't put all that ice cream back in either.   Looks brand new.   I hated putting anything in there.   I threw out a lot but what I kept went into the freezer in the garage.

For school we did our meeting prep.   Bible reading and things like that.   Then I had them write a grocery list.   They even took the dogs out for a short walk in the rain.   I figure that's good schooling.   hehehe

As for tomorrow, we will do some quick math then off to the store and some errands with those lists they wrote for me. 

School Day

Its Wednesday.   I coulda stayed in bed today.   Alas, not possible.   I have coffee at 8am.   Kids are up and getting dressed by 9am.   It's late, but I kinda like the quiet.   Especially on cold cloudy days.   I have been doing some deep cleaning the last couple of days.   Today I took apart the sectional and "washed" the left side recliner.  Yesterday I cleaned the right side recliner.   Tomorrow I will do the middle section.  Since I have pets in the house, I have a lot of fur to tend to.   Then I have the laundry, always laundry.  I have been working on cleaning throw pillows and small carpets.  Tonight before bed I will wash and dry hubby's coveralls.   He worked late tonight and he needs them for tomorrow.

Before lunch we watched Nanny McPhee.   We have seen it before, but they wanted to watch it again.   Sometimes I wish I had a Nanny McPhee.   hehehe   Only 5 lessons.  Not that my kids are as bad as the ones in the movie, but she sure would come in handy when the kids don't want to do their chores or schoolwork.    

We began school after lunch.   They worked in their workbooks.   This helps me to finish cleaning.   They did some language arts and then some math.   They have a daily read aloud.  Usually its Bible reading.   Sometimes its from a book they are reading.  

So, that's it for today.   Tomorrow is supposed to be our game day.   It is Thursday; therefore, we will also have meeting prep.

To close I leave you with a picture of our growing bunny Clover.   Isn't she cute?
 



  

Monday, Monday.....

Well, it was a school day today.   Unfortunately we only got home ec. done.   hehehe  I am glad about that too.   It got cold this evening.   We started out with nice sunny weather then it changed to dark clouds.   I believe it was in the 70's today.   Tonight it is in the 50's and very windy.   So although we were in shorts today, tomorrow we will be in jeans and long sleeve shirts.   

We did finish a read aloud we had checked out from the library.   A friend had told me about the book Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt.   We just finished the 2nd book in the series.   We liked the series, so I am sure we will be checking out the 3rd one this week.   While I did most of the cleaning, the kids folded laundry and put away clean clothes.  They also did some writing on their own and then we did a bit of wrestling.   hehehe   I love getting down on the ground with them and tickling them 'til they cry uncle.   hahaha

Well I'm off til tomorrow.  Night!

Homeschool?

Ok. I have made a new decision. Since Thursdays are very short for me, I have decided we will make that our "game" day. My son feels that he needs more play time. Isn't that funny? I think what he means is that he needs more mommy time. It is still a form of learning anyway. For example, have you ever played this game? ......



hehehe Well, its Spanish isn't it? hehehe We also played Uno. Before, after and between games we had our Bible reading and other meeting prep. Sounds like homeschool to me.


I'm sure all homeschool moms can relate. It just seems that time gets away from me. I have been feeling so crummy for so long. Now with our change in diet, I seem to have more energy and a more positive attitude. I think the kids see that as well, so they want to take advantage of it. I always tried to keep house and was always worried that it wasn't organized enough. I know our home will never come out in the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. I do want the children to look back on their childhood and reflect on all the love and fun that we had as a homeschool family. It's important. The mountains of laundry will always be there as will the inches of dust and the dirty windows. Believe me I do my best to clean, but I have realized that I don't need to spring clean everyday. If by chance someone happens to drop by unannounced, then I just hope they aren't offended. I will not apologize, nor will I make excuses. We live here. 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. (and if it really bothers them, they can pitch in anywhere they see fit. I can always use a maid.)

Now I'm off to get my z's. Happy Homeschooling!

2 Months Absent

WOW!! Time sure flies. It has been 2 months since I have posted. A lot has happened in that time. Nothing really great as far as schooling. By that I mean we do our usual. The 3 R's! Believe me, I am grateful just to get that done. We have finished a lapbook on maps and globes. It was fun and had a lot to learn.

Dad changed jobs again. Went back to his old one. :( Nope we are not too happy about that. He is working Monday thru Friday and gets out early, but there are still other issues there.

The next big thing that has kept me busy is our new "diet". We are now eating raw. I would say 80% raw. Yep that's what I said. We have hardly any meat and when we do its chicken. The rest are raw fruits and vegetables. We were doing a lot of nuts and seeds, but I want to keep the fats down to a minimum. I feel so much better and I definitely do notice a difference in energy level. It has been since December and I can actually say I even see a smoothness in my skin. It is very soft and even the fine lines have seemed to begin smoothing out. I personally don't have cravings to go back to fast food or beef, but i think hubby does.

We also had a death in the family. Hubby's grandmother. We have been busy with family. It's unfortunate that we don't see each other until someone dies. I guess that happens to most.

Oh and we have a new family member. Not named yet, since we don't know if its male or female. We should be able to tell in another week.

Isn't it cute?!

And look at this gift we received from a dear friend....







EWW!



THANKS, FRIEND!!!