Story of our Life

Cloudy School Day

2012-01-24T17:04:00.000-06:00

Today has been cloudy most of the day. Not cold, just really dark. It seems that the weather is making everyone stir crazy. There's a lot of noise and no focus. Today we have had many breaks.

Grammar was making up sentences and finding the subject and predicate. We also did some reading and geography. I don't usually use the same books. Depends on the mood. Sometimes its just reading. Games are fun too. We will do that later. For now, we are going to ride our bikes before the rain comes. Yay!

Gotta Love Homeschool!

2011-12-28T23:38:00.001-06:00

Or vacations. Lol!
Headed to the Hill Country!

It was just beautiful! We had a great time. Although we had fun, we still had school.

We are using a Live Class from Currclick. It was their last week, so they had to finish out the class. That's what I just love about homeschooling. I never would have thought to visit an out of town library. The staff here was very homeschool friendly. They opened up their conference room to us and gave us privacy to have our class.

Thank you, Leakey Public Library!

Speaking of public libraries.....I never realized how important it is to visit those libraries. That particular library is in a small town. Population: 357. They are funded by how many people visit them. Even if you don't check out books, some sell books and they have useful information concerning the goings on in the area. At this particular one, I found a great deal of homeschool information. They had Practical Homeschooling Magazine and 1 other that I don't recall. Sorry.
I was also informed that because of all the visitors in that area, they had over 280 zip codes on their list last year. I saw an address from Germany and 1 from Switzerland on their list too. My point to all this is that it is important for us as homeschoolers to visit these libraries, so they will be there when we need them. Our support is very important to their existence.

Garner State Park

We love hiking. Lost Maples State Park is a great place.

Can't wait for our next adventure. Homeschooling doesn't have to be school at home.

Homeschool Life

2011-11-23T16:54:00.001-06:00

Time flies when your living life by the seat of your pants.   The kids just keep growing and learning and maturing.   Sometimes I feel like they'll be leaving me behind too soon, but other times I feel like it's not soon enough.   What can I say, I'm a true homeschool mom! Ahahahaha!

Quick rundown of our happenings: This summer we attended 2 homeschool conventions.   It was so much fun with the family.   They learned a lot too. We even got to see a porcupine at one. They had all kinds of exotic animals on display. The kids had a look at all the books and really loved Rainbow Resource. Of course we picked up a few things!

They are also doing well with their French lessons. This is the 2nd year. Son wants to take French 3, mostly cause he likes the class. Daughter does not. She was never really into it. I do want them to take a different language. Perhaps something that they would actually use in our area. We'll see.

Well, gotta run!   Yesterday was our anniversary and we are heading out the door to go for a late celebration.

2010-05-24T22:37:00.000-05:00

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

2010-04-09T00:34:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-04-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-02-16T00:18:00.000-06:00

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

2010-02-12T01:05:00.000-06:00

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

2010-02-10T23:14:00.000-06:00

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.....

2010-02-09T00:09:00.000-06:00

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?

2010-02-05T01:32:00.003-06:00

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

2010-02-02T01:28:00.005-06:00

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!!!

Homeschool Day

2009-12-01T22:21:00.003-06:00

No traditional school for us today. It was a wet, cold and dreary day. We had an 8am eye appointment. Then we rushed back to make some "wash day" soup for lunch. We read from our latest book Earthborn. Then headed back out to a couple of dental appointments. I thought it was interesting that my 9yr old seemed to be more aware of things going on. He showed a great deal of interest at the optometrist's office. They were very nice and accommodating too. They even showed him how the boxes with the animals work. Since he does not need glasses, he had not been there in a long time. Sister has astigmatism and is nearsighted. He was able to see how all the instruments they use work to get the best lenses for her vision. So although we did not have traditional school, we did have school of sorts. It was more a like a field trip! By the way, hot chocolate and some banana nut cake sure make a yummy breakfast on a day like today. YUM!

Great Evening!!

2009-11-23T21:23:00.004-06:00

Ok. This counts as part of our homeschool life. After all this is how our homeschool began. hehehe

Yesterday was our 19th Wedding Anniversary. We met in high school and got married 5yrs later. Nope. I couldn't stay away from him and he couldn't stay away from me either. ...to say the least. We have had our ups and downs like any normal couple. Nothing really to break us up. Just the normal things. 2 kids, several pets, vacations, illness, family, and many more "normal" issues. This last year was the most dramatic. He has gone thru a couple of job losses and finance changes which we had never experienced before. All the while thru stress and all, we continue holding on. Yes, there have been times 1 or the other needs a "break" or to get away, but we are still here and have made it thru another year. So not expecting anything special on our 19th, we went thru our day as any other Sunday. Except that the excitement was building! Why? Well on Saturday morning we knew that we didn't have a dollar to our name, but it was ok. I was just happy to have food on the table and gas in the car. Then we got a phone call from a friend. He insisted we go out with him and friends. Before we had a chance to convince him we couldn't, he purchased concert tickets online. So there we were, shocked and grateful. He treated us to the Darius Rucker concert. The really interesting thing about that is that he didn't even know it was our anniversary. It was so much fun! We left our kids at home and went out with 2 adults to a concert. Reminded me of the "good ol' days". I actually forgot about all that has been going on the last few months. I really needed it. I was so relaxed I gave a few shouts and sang right along. When it was all over, I was ready to get back to my kids who I had left behind with another good friend and their uncle. hehehe So we got back to our "normal" life at 11pm. It sure was a great 19th anniversary. Ready to go another year.

Same ol',same ol'....

2009-11-15T13:03:00.003-06:00

Hi, you probably thought I was no longer here. Well sometimes I feel like I'm not. hehehe Life keeps me busy. I actually have posted a few times, but they are still in the draft section of my blog. It just seems like I don't have the want to or the energy to post lately. We have had a tummy virus and it has almost made its rounds to everyone in the family. I had other issues this week as well and it is difficult to school on such days. The reason for my posting this negative post is the header on my blog. I am supposed to be recording the good and the bad of my homeschool life. So to me, this is the bad side. No matter how much school is the most important part of our day, life has a way of prioritizing for me. The goal of course, is to do some form of schooling no matter what. How do we manage that? This blog is about homeschooling after all. hehehe Well we read in bed, play educational games... Yes even Monopoly can be educational! My son has learned to count money very well with that game. I have a site that sends file folder math games. They are easy and just something to keep them going. The math is easy to take care of because even if I am not up to playing games, they can do some worksheets. Then they have some Language Arts. I have a few books that they can work in if they need to do something that I don't have to actually teach. We have also been working on a maps and globes lapbook from Hands of a Child. They are older now too so it's a lot easier. They are now able to read instructions and understand what they are to do. We have taken a few field trips to nature trails and such to keep them thinking and learning. It also gets us out of the house and gives us fresh air and refreshes our minds. Certainly it is not just about academics. Life has plenty of lessons for us as well. We have had a few deaths amongst our friends and family which helps the children learn compassion and kindness and how to give comfort. In being helpful in someone else's time of need, they learn to make application and importance of scriptural guidance. The lesson for me here is that I have learned that I am not a failure as a mother or a teacher. I am able to persevere under our circumstances and help the children learn thru life's lessons. Well guess that's all for now. Until next time. Hope its soon! Happy homeschooling!

School

2009-09-22T02:17:00.003-05:00

Well another week started. Thursdays and Fridays have not been very good school days. Seems those errands and interruptions have decided those days belong to them. This week we will be extra special busy. Starting Tuesday evening we will have a special week of activity. The ministry will be our main focus. It will be good for public speaking and volunteer work.

We will still try to do the 3 R's for school. Today was the boy's 1st composition. We began with something simple. A paragraph of only 3 sentences. Right now he is just adding adjectives. He is working on the format of a paragraph. He did some reading and language arts as well. I see alot of improvement from him since last year.

The girl read and worked on critical thinking and some language arts. She sure is reading a lot. and she has done a great job with her art. She is very creative. My shadow is in the way, but here is her interpretation of the scripture Matthew 19:6.

The hand around the wedding couple represents God yoking the 2 together.

Well that's it for today. Until next time!

2009-09-15T22:55:00.005-05:00

Well, school has been slow going. Too much to do and too many interruptions. Last week I had to make preparations and clean up. We made tamales on Saturday. We really began on Friday. That's when I started putting meat in the crock pot. We also had a grown up sleepover. Mamo is really the tamale maker and she likes to get started at 7am so we can finish and be ready to eat by 5pm. There was no time for school except home ec. hehehe Then the kids can see how much work goes into making tamales. The fruits of our labor can be so worth it. YUM!

Monday we worked on some reading and language arts. Today, the girl was not feeling well, but we did some school anyway. It was really fun and I couldn't wait to post about this. I had heard about online classes given in a webinar. I had never tried them. Science Jim had a free online class thru Currclick. It was fun and informative. Even my 8yr old enjoyed the class. It was on Atoms. It was very cool. I have just a few pictures posted. They didn't take notes, but I did. We did receive some info before we even had the class. Basically it was what he said in a 45 minute class, but on paper. If you ever get the chance to do this, I recommend it. We did not need a webcam for this class. Some do require it though. We were able to ask questions online too. Now don't look at the mess on my desk. hehehe It's about how attentive the kids were during the class. Another good thing was that we didn't have to get all dressed up to go out. It took place right there in front of our monitor. Science Jim was great!

Email and Other Online Reads

2009-09-08T22:52:00.006-05:00

I don't know if you're like me, but I sure do get a lot of email. Yes, some of it is from the groups I'm on. Most of it is from online magazines. "What kind?" you ask. All kinds! Mostly homeschool things. I do have a few other things as well. Cooking, decorating, how to's, financial, you name it they are there. I was thinking about this because when I don't look at my email for a day or so, there could be hundreds. I rarely can go a week without looking. I have most of my groups on special notice. The other things seem to come in on a daily basis. I change around and get off email lists all the time of course. As the children have grown and things in life change, so do the emails. I no longer receive anything on preschool or how to homeschool. I have changed other online mags as well. When I begin to realize that I no longer care to look at one, I send a request to be unsubscribed from their list. Then when I look thru the ones I do have and I find an article I think I could use, I print it out and save it in my school planner. I usually just print pieces that I find helpful. Whether it be an idea on organization or tips for teaching handwriting. I use them as reminders. I even print out scriptures and/or supporting materials that I know I will be needing to read again one day. Does it sound like too much? Maybe. I know it helps me to have those things where I will see them. hehe As things keep changing in my life, I will continue getting off some lists and on to others. I'm sure I'm not the only one that does this. hehe

Now for school topic. We read books, worked on some math, did some home ec., and our weekly Bible reading. Nothing really to post about. Just the usual. They are doing well in their subjects and moving right along.

Btw, there is a great picture of a cave on the National Geographic POD on the right side of my blog.

A New Week

2009-09-07T19:02:00.002-05:00

Well we started off like a firecracker. A big bang with lots of fun and color and ended with a fizz. hehehe Oh well. We schooled really well the 1st 3 days then a few things came up that we needed to get taken care of by the last 2 days of the week. Today is Monday and we missed it too. Well tomorrow is Tuesday and I hope and pray to be back on schedule. I have some math, writing, and science ready to go. It is the 2nd day of the week and I have to keep that in mind. Of course the whole world is on holiday today because it is Memorial Day. I wasn't planning on taking the day off but that's how it worked out. I'm ready. I hope they are too.

--------------------------------Hump Day!

2009-09-03T00:47:00.002-05:00

Ok today is Wednesday. It's over and I am so glad. The boy and I got up at 7:30, but the girl didn't even budge until 8:30. It was the longest and hardest day so far. The boy was so moody that I had to keep reminding myself it's only the 3rd day. He was very upset about lunch. He wanted pizza and she wanted a taquito. The drama continued until around 5pm. Nope. No pictures today. hehehe I can only imagine the faces I'd see.

We did put in a full day of school. After breakfast we worked on Language Arts, Science, and Writing. We did some oral reading, chores, and a little more science with our wonderful new video. Today was still good. I hope we can still keep up our schedule. It's always a challenge since I'm a "stay at home" mom. hehehe

TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER!

-------------------------------Another Day

2009-09-01T23:50:00.003-05:00

I know it's only the second day, but it has gone very well. Especially since we are now waking at 7am. Yesterday I thought I would pass out by 1:30pm. Today we didn't feel sleepy until 3pm. We didn't nap because I was afraid we wouldn't be able to sleep. hehehe They are doing really well getting up so early. No grouches. Still going slow and easy. Math, reading, and some arts and crafts. We made some Happy Hanger Apples to decorate our school area. We will try to do some decorating monthly. It helps with their fine motor skills and of course it's fun. After we were done we went outside for some exercise for kids and mascot. Then we stayed outside and I read a book titled Schooled, about a homeschool kid, while they worked on some art. I am enjoying getting up early. It allows us more time for some fun.

---------------------1st Day of School!

2009-09-01T22:58:00.008-05:00

Finally. I thought it would never get here. Even the kids missed school. Well you know what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder. hehehe Here are our 1st day of school pictures. We waited until 5:30pm to go by the water to take these.

They sure have grown. We had a great 1st day. Started nice and easy. A good breakfast with whole grains and fruit then a walk around the block. When we got back, the school mascot took a nap and we got to work. We sat on the sofa and cuddled while reading Tiki Tiki Tembo by Arlene Mosel. I know my babies are growing, but that's one of the perks about homeschooling. They still like to cuddle. Afterwards they worked on math, writing, and reading. Here is what the bulletin board looks like now. Don't forget, you can click on the pictures to enlarge.

---------------------Getting Ready For Tomorrow!

2009-08-30T21:48:00.013-05:00

Woo hoo! I'm excited even if no one else is. I will leave their schedules on their desks tonight along with some treats. We will take pictures tomorrow afternoon when the "principal" gets home from his "other" job. I have really been working hard on cleaning up and cleaning out the school area. I am posting pictures from one side to the other. These are a couple of our bookshelves. Of course, as any homeschooler, we have bookshelves in each room of our house. Yes, they are all loaded with books. I LOVE BOOKS! hehehe

The principal and I went out to get some treats for their 1st day of school too. He helped me decorate. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them. I have a few new games we can play. I found some math and geography games to help with our memory and for fun. We will begin lightly tomorrow. Mostly the 3 R's. We will also be incorporating more home ec. I am not quite ready with their schedules, but I have to start sometime and if I put it off, it will not get done. Hope to post more tomorrow. For now I have to hit the sack, since I will be trying to get up early. I don't want to be a grouchy zombie tomorrow. hehehe

Out With the Old, In With the New

2009-08-28T00:57:00.015-05:00

Isn't it nice to start new. It's like Spring. hehehe You know, when everything looks nice and fresh and bright green. New books, pencils, pens, paper, and a new schedule. It's almost time to start up again. We have only the weekend left. On Monday we will have an easy day. Just going over expectations, the schedule, and their new chores.

This week was all theirs. They have nothing to do and all the time to do it in. hehehe I have repeatedly asked if they are bored and the answer is always, "No". They have gone swimming, read books, slept in, woke up early, attended the District Convention, played with friends, cooked, had hard times, good times, and some easy times.

We collected bugs.

We went swimming.

We rescued birds.

We rekindled old friendships.
Recharged our spiritual batteries.
Now it is time to get back to our school schedule. Hopefully I won't be too tired to post on Monday with new 1st day of school pictures.

All About Timing

2009-08-14T14:05:00.011-05:00

Hm? Where does the time go? It seems these days that it goes by all too quickly and then it's time to start dinner. No, I'm not talking about the years. I'm talking about the hours. Between laundry, bathroom cleaning, sweeping (just to mention a few)and the other chores we have around here, it seems as though there isn't enough time to get in all the fun and schooling we want. The good thing about a new year is that we can try again. You know, something different. We go thru our planners or schedules and keep what worked and throw out what didn't. So as I go thru the blogs I have stored in my Favorites list, I find things I can glean. Some school in the mornings, some in the afternoons, and some in the evenings. Others do what I like to call grazing. hehehe You know a little here and there and take a few breaks. We are all different and there is no right or wrong way. Its whatever works for each of us. With all of our different circumstances, we have to keep in mind what's important. Our child's education, bonding, fun, spirituality, or all of the above. Whatever is most important to YOU. The parent.

So one of the things I was thinking of trying was working with each child individually for 20 minutes. Although I only have 2 and they are 8 and 13, they still require some one on one. That's not a bad thing. I like it. I get to see what they need help on or how they think to come up with the answers. I'm undecided. Maybe 20 minutes each then a 20 minute break. Then I can give them things that they can work on by themselves. Like if I start with the oldest one for 20 minutes then let her work alone for 20 minutes. That will give me time to work for 20 minutes uninterrupted with the younger one then give him some time to work alone. After that we can take a 20 minute break so I can do some housework. Then we can start again. Maybe using the same method. The problem I have is the constant interruptions. Not just the phone and other external things, but from people that get bored while waiting their turn. hehehe

Well these are just my thoughts for today. The best I can hope for is the chance to keep trying and hopefully we will find what works. I do like the chance for a fresh start the next year. It also keeps ME from getting bored. hehehe After all, they are growing up quickly. Soon they won't need my help like that anymore, so I have to make the best of the time we have together.

HAPPY HOMESCHOOLING!!

Something New

2009-07-15T16:12:00.004-05:00

Ok, first of all, I just want to say that I changed my music playlist. I wanted it to reflect how I feel about my family....even if they do drive me CRAZY at times. hehehe

Now to get to what this blog is all about. We haven't been working on school too much except to do some writing, Bible reading, meeting prep, a little math, and art. Not much, right? hehehe
Today I will begin working on a schedule. Hopefully we will be able to keep up with it, but we will do our best. For me, I need things written down that I can see to help keep me on track. I am wanting to have at least 1 full day in the ministry so that must be included. Of course, we will still have out weekend for that as well, but since we are living in "critical times, hard to deal with" I thought this would be good for me. As soon as I get it all together, I will post my page on here. This is all the update I have for now. I may be on again later. hehehe

What Method Are You?

2009-06-23T19:23:00.007-05:00

This is something I have been thinking about a lot lately. We started with a box curriculum. I loved it. I still do. Its hard to get away from it. Although it wasn't perfect, the teacher's manuals are a gold mine. So, thank you, CALVERT. I couldn't have done it without you. or maybe I could have, but I'm glad I didn't. I was looking thru the spring magazine from TOS and saw an article on the different methods of homeschooling. There are many styles. After reading it, I consider myself Eclectic. It is defined as a "mix of philosophies and curricula to accommodate each child's abilities and interests. Parents choose from any method or style only those components that fit their specific needs." I like the Charlotte Mason method, but I am still learning. I have learned to like Unit Studies by doing lapbooking. I think the Principle Approach is important because it puts emphasis on God's Word. A couple of examples of this is when we do our Bible reading or anytime we do nature study. The Classical approach uses the five tools of learning, known as the Trivium. They are reason, record, research, relate, and rhetoric. It is to teach people how to learn for themselves. This is important especially when getting ready for college. And who doesn't use Delight Directed? Isn't that what homeschool is all about? This is where learning is based on the child's interests. On the other hand, Unschooling is a relaxed setting in which learning is directed by the child. Last but not least, Traditional Textbook. This is a full-range, packaged, textbook type curriculum. Like my Calvert. hehe A little of everything suits us just fine. We have good easy days and some very busy difficult days. Sometimes its easier on all of us to just do what we like for that day. I'm sure this happens in all homeschoolers lives. So, what method are you?

Still Here

2009-06-17T23:58:00.002-05:00

Today I was thinking about my blog and school. I haven't done much of either. Today was especially difficult due to a migraine that arrived Tuesday afternoon and didn't leave until Wednesday night. ha ha! Nope I'm not talking about a guest. I am talking about a real painful no light no noise debilitating throbbing can't even move my head headache. Of course life doesn't stop because of it. The trick is to train the children and do things as slowly and light as possible. It's good to teach them how to make their own lunch. They also helped taking care of the pets. They are old enough. I sure do appreciate them.

We did work on math today. She did multiplication and he did some regrouping subtracting double digits. I also looked at this web page Lesson plans and worksheets from learningpage.com. They had some books that will go with a study on bones or vertebrates.

Well tomorrow is another day.

Today's Events

2009-04-27T21:30:00.007-05:00

I will start with the fun stuff today. After dinner was a fun lesson in chemistry. Dad and son made some edible wart drops and some fizzy drinks. Have you ever heard of Doctor Dreadful? We found this chemistry set in the toy aisle a few years ago. They are sweet and sour mixes you eat or drink. Comes with recipes and all the beakers and other lab equipment needed. Son always enjoys brewing up a new concoction with his mad scientist laugh. muahahaha

Earlier in the day we took a 20min walk out by the water. Before we got to the trail we saw this in the road. We think it is a yellow rat snake. Too bad someone didn't like him crossing the road. hehehe

Of course there were other things in school today. Math is always done. Home Ec is another daily subject. We had some delicious buttermilk cornbread made by Daughter and Son helped with a little laundry. Let's see what's on for tomorrow? Hope it's more yummies made by the kids. hehehe

Can you say, "I love homeschool!"?

2009-04-24T01:47:00.005-05:00

Just having some fun with a magnetic board. See the skateboarder going up the ramp?

This is their favorite place when we read. Mom and Dad's bed. Having a snack while I read from One Eyed Cat. Even the dogs and cats enjoy reading time.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

After math, we had a nice easy day. I read stories from a couple of books and they drew pictures or had a snack while they listened. I love homeschooling, spending time with my babies, and being their teacher.

New Books!

2009-04-18T00:34:00.003-05:00

I love books! I'm so excited. We didn't stay home for school today. We went to the bookstore and i bought 2 books for our lapbook. hehehe We are still working on the HOAC lapbook on American Indians.

We should start reading these on Monday. We also got some bamboo so we could make a teepee in the backyard. We got the link from a homeschool group. The kids can't wait to get started. I will be posting those pictures soon too. Hope the weather stays good.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-04-16T01:05:00.005-05:00

Time sure does fly by. This week we began working on a new lapbook about the American Indians. We are doing it as an online co-op. Which means that I have to do something each day and hopefully we will finish in 2 weeks. Of course life doesn't always let my plans work on such a timely manner so I think it will end up being 3 weeks. hehehe

The other thing we have been working on is getting our school area cleaned up and organized. I just don't feel motivated unless i can find our books and school desks. The kids have been very excited about it. It made me think about what grocery stores do to get our attention. I have a few friends that work for several stores restocking. They make rounds to different stores changing things out on the shelves. Putting things more accessible and eye catching. This is the same thing I did. We have the same books, shelves, and desks, but because they are placed in a different part of the room, it is more appealing. Today the boy went looking in all the drawers for "new" things to play with. The girl pulled out different books to read. hehehe I am still organizing but making these learning tools easily accessible has giving us a sense of refreshment.

Here's our school area so far.

A New Classroom Pet

2009-04-07T00:36:00.005-05:00

This is a Northern Walking Stick. We don't see much of these little guys around these parts. This one was swimming around in our pool. Hubby has been working on getting it ready and they found one in there the day before too. That one died. Too much shock in the water. Son saved this one. We didn't think he'd make it. When we first got him out, he just lay there.

As you can see now, he is safe and sound in our critter box with his food and water.

It eats rose, oak, and apple leaves. We have also noticed that it likes swimming in water. It keeps getting inside it's water bowl and stays for a bit then comes back out. I think this is a female. We read that females have a glossy hard appearance like polished wood. Don't know how long we'll keep it. There are many sites with instructions on how to care for them as pets.

After preparing it's new home, we played Mexican Bingo. The kids love calling the cards out. They have to say the words in Spanish. It's good for them.......and fun. Then we played a game called Memory Madness. It has hundreds of subjects and you have to try to remember as many items as you can. The first person to hesitate loses that round. For instance, the card may say "Names of Apostles". Then we would go around to each person and they must name one. There are so many subjects. From foods to even historical events. It was fun and sure did help end our day on a good note. Boy did I need it today. hehehe

Spring Is Here!

2009-04-01T01:21:00.005-05:00

It's true. Signs are everywhere. Not only has the daydreaming begun, but so have the whiny voices of children. It seems as though it is getting harder and harder to get thru 1 lesson. The birds are chirping, squirrels are eating, and the sun is burning bright.

This critter was stealing some string for her nest Sunday morning.

Monday was sooo pretty that we decided to go outside for some reading time. Under the shade was just perfect. I love being able to go outside whenever we want.

Today was very light. Mostly just worked on our lapbooks. It's nice that we can do that since I had a headache all day. Ah the joys of homeschooling. I will truly cherish these days with my children. I love you, Guys!

Is This Homeschooling?

2009-03-26T00:32:00.005-05:00

*A warning for the squeamish * The pictures you are about to see are not for the faint of heart.

Normally I myself would never have stood for such a thing. I have learned that as a homeschooling family there are many things that will change in our lives. What I was afraid of before has now become a curiosity. I do things that I never thought I would do. Are you ready?

Keep going..........

Scared? hehehe

Well here it is!

Yes. This nasty little guy was in my pantry. Why is it alive you ask? Well, because of the 2 faces that keep peering into the critter box. We discovered we had an invader since yesterday. As Dad and I were discussing how to get rid of it, our daughter was appalled that we would set regular mouse traps out. So we decided to set the sticky kind out. Did it get caught there? No! Believe me, I sure am glad about that. The next morning our cat Dora found it and was playing a game of catch and release with it. Daughter nonchalantly turned to me and said, "So he came out?" I looked to see what she was talking about and ran across the room the other way screaming. hehehe After I regained my composer, I grabbed a large empty coffee can and chased it around trying to catch it. It took 20 minutes.

While we were practicing our writing, the kids kept taking turns peaking into the coffee can. I was afraid it would jump out. So i looked for our old critter box, cleaned it up and filled it with some guinea pig bedding we have. NO! We are not planning on keeping it. No matter how cute the kids think he is. It is for observation ONLY . I don't care how much they cry. hehehe

Lapbooking

2009-03-12T00:27:00.011-05:00

Here is what we've been doing this week.

Since the girl loves horses, I thought it would be fun and educational for her to do a lapbook on horses.

The boy is working on his own lapbook. Learning all he can about snakes, of course.

So far they have worked on vocabulary, classification and geography. This is their second lapbook and I'm sure it won't be the last. Lapbooking covers quite a few subjects. The hands on learning they get from it helps them retain the information. They get up in the morning and it is already set up at the kitchen table. They begin working and reading right away. Best of all it's fun! Can't wait to see the finished product. I'll be posting that soon.

Goings On

2009-01-08T23:07:00.004-06:00

Here's my girl. She loves that horse.

Isn't he cute?

We have been very busy lately. Our schooling sure has changed. I actually like it ..... a lot. I can't believe it. Me! The queen of perfectionism. I always loved playing school when I was a kid. I remember having a biiiggg chalkboard when I was 6. I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. hehe Of course, that was not the path I chose as a high school graduate. Because I graduated 10th in my class, I thought "riches" was what I needed. Once I had my kids, it was all a different story. I wanted to be with them 24hrs a day. hehehe I just wanted to enjoy them as much as possible. All the while knowing they will be leaving me someday. Hopefully they will look back on this time with fond memories of their mom and their education. So, "what's the big deal?" you ask. Well normally we use Calvert curriculum. I do love it and it is hard to stray. hehehe Lately we have some circumstances that have caused me to take a look at our schooling and our daily life. As we see things in this system (from a worldly standpoint) quickly coming to a crescendo, we see a need for change. The children need to learn to put God 1st. We can do both. Time is so limited these days. There is no way we can do all we need to do in a day. The best thing is to study from our Bible based publications and use them for schooling. I never would have thought I'd be doing that. I guess it's considered unschooling? Maybe there's another term for it. Today, we used our study book to learn punctuation. Of course the older one knows, but the younger still needs practice learning what a complete sentence is. He is only 8 years old. I thought he already knew everything. hehehe Well I will have to explain more thoroughly. Tonight is not the night. It will have to wait. Besides I think I have said enough. Until next time!

A Year In The Life......

2009-01-06T23:41:00.010-06:00

I just hadn't made time to post anything. I decided today was the day. We have had so much in our life since September. Yes, that's how long it's been. Shame on me! It was actually a nice day outside. It was a little cool, but the sun was out. I sure missed it. It has been foggy or cloudy and unusually cold.

So, what's been going on? Well my dad has been in the hospital in New Jersey since December 18th. It was a very long month. I miss them and am worried, but life goes on here. Then we had a cousin move in. She is now a single parent with a 13 month old. She has moved in to get spiritual help. Considering her situation she and her baby will have a good life with Jehovah's guidance. She has been here since October and it has been up and down with the stress as you can imagine. Neither of the children are used to infants or their space being invaded. We live in a small 3 bedroom home and now with 2 extra people, the boy is having to sleep in the living room.

Well, with all that has been going on, we have tried to continue with our homeschooling. As it is I'm not very good if things are not put away or the floor isn't swept. It actually drives me crazy. I just can't concentrate knowing things are messy or in disarray somewhere. hehehe Not really much to tell there. On the days I am too busy, we just do the basics. Reading and math. We have not done any projects or gone on field trips.

Then today we went on errands for most of the day. We came back and Dad didn't feel well so he took a nap to try to sleep it off. The boy kept coming in to get string, cut string, give instructions, etc. I finally realized he needed some attention. I went outside to see what he was doing and saw that he was putting together a bike, skateboard, and a wagon. He wanted someone to ride the bike while someone stood on the skateboard or sat in the wagon. hehehe Isn't he ingenious?! While I was watching him tie the knots on the string, he looked up at me and said he loved me. Then he said, "Thanks, mom. The fact that you came out here to watch tells me you love me." Wasn't that the sweetest thing! It made him so happy for me to be out there with him. SIGH! I just wish I could use my time more wisely. That is the thing that I want to work on this year. I had been paying bills and I decided to just STOP what I was doing. Nope nothing happened. The bills were still there when I got back. Nothing caught fire. Everything was ok. I needed to hear that from him. It was not really shocking, but it caught my attention. I realized that I need to do that more often. Just STOP!!

Now for my little girl. She sure has changed in the last year. She is not quite 13. She looks every bit of 15 though. She has really blossomed. Some days I'm so excited and can't wait to do a lot of girly things with her. Then other days, I want to hide her in a tower like Rapunzel. She has even begun to enjoy reading. Since September she has read 3 whole books. I can't believe it. I thought the day would never come. She takes a book with her whenever she leaves the house. Woo Hoo! She also has been going to feed the horse more often. She doesn't even need any help. She also is very helpful with the baby. She has always loved dolls and I think that's why some days she is all over that baby. She will make a good mommy someday..... someday waaaaaayyy far away! Here is a picture of my beauty after i put some nails on her and we worked on her hair.

Isn't she beautiful!?

3rd Day of School

2008-09-04T16:32:00.006-05:00

Today was actually a sick day. I woke up at 6am. Got out of bed at 6:15 and by 10:30, I needed a nap. I fell asleep while getting school things together. Didn't wake up until 12. The kids on the other hand are getting better at waking up early by themselves. Brandon was up at 6:30 and Jamie woke up at 7:30. They were ready to get started. I even have happy smiling faces! hehehe They didn't just sit around though. Jamie is getting really good at taking care of things around here. Poor babies. Because of my migraines, they have really adjusted. She made lunch for herself and her brother. They played together. Then they decided to paint.

Here she is working on a canvas.

Here's the boy working on his painting.

1st Day of School 2008

2008-09-03T22:34:00.005-05:00

Well, my goodness! It has been a while since my last post. I don't think I can even remember all of the events in our life since then. One major thing is that Dad has been on a looonng vacation and now 5 months later is back to work. He has a much better job.

Now on to school. We have begun schooling since yesterday. The kids are getting up early and we get started by 9am. The boy gets finished 1st of course. His load is light. My poor daughter has way more, but she is doing well and without complaint. Already I can see lots of improvement. I have a few goals that I would like to post about, but I will have to do that another day. As for now I have to get some sleep. Getting up at 6am is too much for me. hehehe

Summer Is Coming!

2008-05-28T16:37:00.003-05:00

We have been getting ready for it this month. First we had to level out the back yard. We bought some sand to fill up the low spots. Then we got to work on setting up the pool. Yes, they have been in it everyday since. Hehehehehe Instead of going to the beach, we brought the beach home to us. hehehe

Long Absence

2008-04-01T14:37:00.003-05:00

I know, I know. I've been absent for a while. Too much going on. Nothing I would like to talk about. hehe I do however have something I would like to share. This is my daughter's work.

I love horses. They can be your best friends. They are so beautiful. They help you to have patience. They can be so kind and gentle too. They will protect you and love you. You have to show that you love them back as well. That is not hard to do. Well, at least not for me. They are hard headed as well, but just the way they act is so beautiful. I love them and I love that they are hard headed. I think about my horse so much and I love him every second of everyday. This is why I love him so much.

History Project

2008-02-10T00:37:00.000-06:00

I have been really bad about posting lately. I wanted to post Jamie's history project. She had read about Molly Pitcher some time ago. We just got around to doing the project. Molly was known for taking pitchers of cool spring water to the men at the battle of Monmouth. She also fed the men and dressed their wounds. She made Johnnycakes for them to eat. They are made from cornmeal and can be served like pancakes with butter and syrup.

She's turning into a real good cook. Yummy!

IN OUR BACKYARD

2008-02-07T23:07:00.000-06:00

(Oops! I forgot. If you go all the way to the bottom you can pause my music, so that you can hear the birds.)

It sounds like spring! We were outside at noon and this is all we could here for almost 30mins. I got a phone call and couldn't even hear the person on the other line. I love that big oak tree. It holds the most wonderful surprises. We also have a large cage that the kids love throwing birdseed into. Unfortunately the cats and dog love the cage too. This is what they caught today. As you can see they love our birdseed! This is a red winged marsh blackbird. He and his friends were very loud today. They were also very hungry as you can tell by the last picture.

Today was very exciting in my backyard.

We also had a friendly honey bee that joined us for a cup of tea. It kept coming back for more. It was actually eating the Stevia that was on the side of the cup.

I hope to post more tomorrow. It's been a week full of illness and work. I did take plenty of pictures and got some school work done.

Restaurant Critic

2008-02-03T01:15:00.000-06:00

Have you ever driven down the highway on an empty stomach? In Texas, it can be pretty far from one place to eat to the next. What do you do? When you get to the first available place, do you pass it up or stop for a bite? If you're like me, you are kind of leary and unsure of where to stop. I mean, is it clean? Will the food be any good? What about the price or the kind of food they serve. Most kids are a bit picky about what they eat. Well, we were hungry and decided to stop at a restaurant on our way home. So we stopped here...

The food was really good and the place was really a nice rest stop.

Isn't this a big swing! hehehe

Cute bridge

Yummy! Fried mushrooms!

Great place to play!

I have to admit the food and price were good. The picnic area in back was great! I definitely recommend it.

Field Trip!!

2008-01-31T23:23:00.000-06:00

(updated to include photos)

I am sitting in the dark in our hotel room. Nothing fancy. Just a Super 8. It's clean and it's a place to sleep. I am in San Antonio. It is expected to get into the 20's overnight. By midday it should be in the warm 50's. Brr! Well, it's warm in here and the kids are sleeping soundly. That's all that matters at the moment.

Today we came out to the Witte Museum. The latest exhibit is Our Body The Universe Within. It is actual human bodies. I'm sure you've at least heard of it. Well, believe it or not the kids wanted to see it. So here we are, in San Antonio. I couldn't take pictures or video. Too bad! If you get the chance, go see it. Parental discretion is advised. These are actual human bodies and are anatomically correct. We did not have a problem with it. Neither did the kids. It really shows how "we are wonderfully made". They had a complete human skin laying encased in glass. It looked like a large piece of dried out leather. The kids liked the Prenatal area. They had babies from 12wks of gestation up to 36wks. They even had clean organs and diseased ones. Very interesting. Especially since I had just had a gallbladder attack a few months ago. We were there for 2hrs, but I'm sure we could've spent more time inspecting.

I hope we get to go again before the exhibit ends in May.

School At the Beach

2008-01-30T02:32:00.000-06:00

The weather was beautiful today! Homeschooling indoors was definitely out. Outside that is. We took a blanket and our book to a park by the water. We read for a while, but the temperature outside was a warm 81 degrees. With the sun beating down on us, we got pretty hot. No I didn't take pictures. We did get to walk by the water so Brandon could pick up some shells. His new venture is making art out of shells. He was pretty excited when he found a shell that was intact and partially open. We almost brought it home. It seemed all dried out. He placed it in the water to be sure and yes, it did close. Obviously it was alive, so he put it back in the water. After walking the beach a couple of times, we decided to go home and get a long drink of water. Tomorrow will be cooler. Maybe we will take a trip to the library. No other school allows this kind of freedom or this type of motivation.

Ups and Downs

2008-01-29T00:54:00.000-06:00

That's how it's been lately. We schooled a little on Thursday. Mostly bookwork. Friday I was not feeling very well. Then I had many errands to run. By the time I was ready for school, it was 3pm. The kids were ready to do something else. Sometimes I have them school anyway, but it was Friday. We didn't do any school on the weekend either. By Saturday, I could tell the little one didn't feel well. He had an earache and sore throat. We ended up missing Sunday meeting. He was in bed most of the day. Poor guy. He is finally feeling better today.

School today consisted of some reading, language arts and of course he loves to do math.

Jamie worked on Phonics, Critical Thinking and reading.

We'll see what's on for tomorrow!

Today's Homeschool Fun!

2008-01-23T00:47:00.000-06:00

We did not have traditional school today. Here are some pictures of what we did.

We had a field trip to Chuck E Cheese!! We even took Mamo. I didn't get pictures of her playing the games, but she did like shooting the alien from Aliens. Ha ha ha It was yummy and a lot of fun.

After we came home, we read 5 chapters in A Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo.

Then Brandon made dinner. He made Italian Chicken Sandwiches from a recipe from a Kraft magazine. Yum! He loves to cook.

School Day!

2008-01-21T22:25:00.000-06:00

Ah, Monday. It was cloudy and drizzling all day. The temp was between 66 and 69. Not too bad. A day in the life for the kids was as follows:

Breakfast
visit with dad (he got home from work around 10am)
cleanup
school (for Jamie)
playtime (for Brandon)
Brandon went with dad on motorcycle to grocery store
Jamie helped clear school work bins (probably had papers in there from last year)
late lunch
more time with dad (they went to the grocery store and movie store)

All the while we were listening to songs on You Tube. Brandon loves High School Musical so we looked up songs from the movie.

A day in the life for me is as follows:

wake up and make bed
get dressed and put some clothes up from the day before
wake daughter (son is already awake and boiling water for Rahmen Noodles)
clean sofa entire sofa with Resolve (cleaning up Brandons cheese flavored noodles)
daughter finally is up and in bathroom
unstop the overflowing toilet in the main hall (which dumped out what seemed like an inch of water)
keep son entertained by giving him a lesson in plumbing while I do the work
throw load of towels into the washer (the ones that got soaked in the great flood)
clean restroom now that we had a nasty over flow (might as well, I'm already there)
make breakfast
get things ready for school (clear off dining table and desks)
still making breakfast
turn on computer to put on upbeat music to help ME start the day on a positive
Oh forgot coffee so I beg hubby (who just walked in the door from having worked nights) to make us some coffee
serve breakfast, feed animals, grab my plate to sit at the computer to IM my brother at work and look for more music on You Tube
visit with hubby
get daughter out of her room again to school
entertain son
send son outside with dad
took a quick ride with hubby on his motorcycle around the block (trying to squeeze in time for him too)
school daughter
dear hubby folds laundry that is waiting for me on the sofa
still IM'ing
play with my blog
send hubby and son on errand to grocery store
still schooling daughter
checking on laundry/sending son to get clothes out of dryer
(sigh) is it lunch time? throw corn dogs into oven
do breakfast dishes
heat myself up some leftovers so I don't pass out from low blood sugar
give up on schooling son (sigh)
sit at computer again
pick up whatever is on the floor
try to clear dining table a little
start dinner (boiling chicken for casserole)
no more school, but still listening to You Tube
finish dinner and sit down for the day (on the sofa and ready for a movie)

All this takes place by 5:30pm. Now today my daughter made the statement that I have been at the computer all day. Ugh! Hahahaha!

I still have to wash dinner dishes, but I was waiting for everyone to finish up their showers. Dad took and short nap and joined me for the movie. It was Nanny Diaries. Then he put them both to bed. The little one gets and story and says prayer with daddy. The older one just gets tucked in and prayer with daddy.

Of course this is by no means typical. Anything can and will happen. Wake up time can have an effect on our day as well. This is just what took place today.

Bad Day!

2008-01-17T02:04:00.000-06:00

Today was one of those days. I'm sure it was mostly me. My hormones are crazy. I had too much to do. Sometimes I think it would be easier if I just sent them away to public school. Then, because I'm emotional it makes me feel selfish. Is it normal? Is it just me? I hate feeling this way. It all started because I couldn't get them to come in and school or help with the chores this morning. I know I overreacted. I feel terrible about it. After they realized how I was feeling, they sat and did their work. I hate feeling this way. I hate myself for making them feel that way. On the other hand, the things I do are not for me alone. I always think of them first. Maybe that's the problem. I feel as though the time I spend on myself late at night is selfish too. Oh if only I could find the balance in my life. I was on the verge of tears, as were they. One day....one day I will wake up and I won't have these terrible sad days. One day I will wake up and "the former" things will have past. Oh how I long for those days. When life will be as intended by the Almighty Himself.

So I chose the song Bad Day by David Powter to add to my playlist. In hopes that singing a sad song will turn it around....

Books and Hot Chocolate!!

2008-01-16T00:46:00.000-06:00

Today we read our last 5 chapters in GOOSED! It was a very cute book. Both of them really enjoyed it. The story is told from the dogs point of view. It was a lot of fun to read. They really enjoy the different voices of the characters especially the puppy. Definitely a must read. Here is a picture of them getting ready:

It was cold and rainy outside. The perfect weather for a good read. Our next book is called MR. TUCKET by Gary Paulsen. We begin next Tuesday.

Ok, now last week we worked on lapbooks. You take one topic and make a book out of folders then basically display what you learn. It reminded me of a science fair project. Of course, you can use it for any subject. It really helps in many subjects. Writing, research, reading, mathematics, history and art were involved. It helped them retain the information they learned as well. We only had 3 or 4 days to work on it, so they didn't really finish. However the whole experience was different from our normal routine and made it more exciting. It sure helps with burnout!

I am so proud of them. They didn't like it at first. By Thursday, they were ready to put the finishing touches. That would be the nice front covers. Don't they look good?

Homeschool Party!!!

2008-01-13T23:11:00.000-06:00

We had so much fun! A small group got together to enjoy each others company and celebrate our homeschoolers accomplishments. It was sort of a spur of the moment thing. Sometimes those are the most fun. Since we were working on our lapbooks for the week, we thought the kids would like sharing their work with others. This also gave them a chance to see what others were working on. We even had them do the Mentos/Coke experiment and the vinegar and Alka Seltzer.

School This Week

2008-01-11T01:53:00.000-06:00

Ok. I haven't posted in a while. It's not that we haven't been schooling this week. It's that we have taken a different approach. We are not using school books or work sheets. No drills or any usual manner of lessons. This week we worked on lapbooking. I must admit it was difficult somewhat. Mostly because of the timing. We began by printing all of the activity sheets on Monday. Jamie worked on sled dogs and Brandon worked on Tigers. On Tuesday, we had to really get on the ball. Our projects were to be finished by Friday morning! There was much research and paper cutting to be done. Then they had to glue the information to the folders. I don't have pictures yet. I hope to print them tomorrow. I will post more. There is much to tell.

School Today (Friday)

2008-01-05T22:02:00.001-06:00

The kids have really been having a hard time getting to school this week. I don't really know why. Since Wednesday they have been kicking and screaming (ha ha) when it comes to doing their work. They are both grounded from any electronics. Brandon got his privilege back Saturday and Jamie on Sunday.

Friday they had the usual work then we went out to eat lunch at Pizza Hut. They enjoyed that. School usually takes 2-3 hrs a day. Calvert sure does make it easy for me.

Huh!!!! (huge sigh)

2008-01-02T17:00:00.001-06:00

Today has been one of those days. Ok. I said I would post about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Well, here it is.

Not good, I know. It shows exactly how I feel today. Blah! It was a typical morning. Jamie has been getting up early and coming to the living area dressed and ready to help with breakfast. Joe was already in the kitchen making menudo. Yum! I have to admit I slept in. I didn't wake up until 8:20. Brandon woke up late today too. He was up at 9:30. Brandon wakes up singing. They love to see their daddy in the morning when he gets home from work. I thought everything was going good. UNTIL....(insert JAWS! theme here) the homeschooling mommy calls for students. Aah! Shriek! Scream! Kids start running for cover. Jamie was fine at first. She finished with her journal entry. Then after Brandon was told 3 times to wash up, he finally stomps off crying about the injustice. Jamie takes a break in between each different subject, so I can set Brandon up with his schooling. Well, when he gets back and learns he has to journal, he begins to cry. Again! He doesn't write in his journal. Brandon's is a drawing journal. His topic was: I get angry when... I thought it would help get rid of some of his frustration. Afterward we went for a walk. It was so cold (brr!) and windy. They all practically ran. ha ha! They were ready for more school work. Most of the problem was that I was trying to print some things out and not paying much attention to them. They just couldn't handle it. They were like that all day except when I would get all tyrant on them. I had my ruler in hand the whole time.

Jamie worked on spelling. She had words with sh, ch, and th. Then she had phonics, hard and soft c, hard and soft g. For reading, she had the Legend of Mulan. She was supposed to have an art lesson, but she isn't feeling well. Poor baby!

Brandon worked on reading comprehension. We discussed a story about the rain forest. He had to paint a mural of it. In history, he read about the Incas in South America and had to paint a picture of a silver and gold house. For phonics he read "Rain Day". He even practiced the spelling of words with the long a sound using ay and ai.

Well, That's it for today's school. I'm sooo glad it's over.

Books I Picked Up Today

2007-12-28T22:56:00.001-06:00

These are some books I picked up at Half Price Bookstore today. They were having their 20% off sale. I couldn't pass this up. I also picked up a couple of boxes of science experiments and some fraction disks for 50¢. I hope these books interest both kids. I will use them when we cuddle on the sofa to read aloud.

We didn't school today. Daddy started the graveyard shift today, so I spent the day with him. We had a nice lunch at Landry's where we ate fish and shrimp. Before that we had coffee at the bookstore.

School Today

2007-12-27T00:32:00.000-06:00

Today started a little late. I've been kinda out of it lately. I can't get up very early. The kids had school this morning. They both worked on math. Brandon had a friend come over today. He finished his work so fast and eager, I couldn't believe it. It sure was a nice incentive. He was happy to work.

Jamie worked on spelling, reading, critical thinking, her journal, and mythology. Her incentive today was going to see Winston, Dad's horse. It's nice having something they like that they work towards.

Not much else to report. I am enjoying my blog. It really is fun.

School Today

2007-12-25T22:42:00.000-06:00

Today they both had math. We did some drills while I was ironing. I used multiplication. Then I had them do a couple of sheets in their workbooks. Jamie has to journal each day, so she did that. Then she had some composition, and reading. Brandon worked on words that have the long a sound using ai or ay. He did a couple of worksheets on that.

Then they ran off to play with the keyboard together. I don't know what song's they played. As long as they get along, it doesn't matter. ha, ha I will never understand why they complain to get their work done. They began at 12:30 and finished by 2:00.

My daughter...

2007-12-25T21:52:00.000-06:00

I don't say much about her. Mostly because these days she is holed up in her room. She likes to write. She is always writing and rewriting a book that she has been working on for at least a year now. One day she will finish it. I believe it helps her. She is shy. So I think this helps her deal with it. When she was 4 years old, she wrote a book for a friend who was having a baby. We printed pictures for it and I put it in a folder.

Her other love is horses. She studies about them, reads all she can about them. This spring I hope to get her riding lessons. My dad has a horse, but he is not ridable. This really disappoints her so. If it were up to her, she would go see him everyday.

She is beautiful in every way. Even on her bad days. She is opinionated and stubborn, intelligent and creative. My first born. Her daddy's spitting image.

Fireworks!!!

2007-12-25T00:10:00.000-06:00

My son LOVES them. He didn't care for them too much last year. They were too loud. Their grandpa on Joe's side has a firework stand. Brandon told him he wanted to attach a toy to a rocket and watch it fly up in the air. Boys! He ended up getting some free rockets to use. He discovered that the added weight made the rocket fly backward. Not a good thing. When it came back down the little man we attached was still in tact. I used little red firemen from the Dollar Tree so we could see it better. Brandon thought it was SO COOL!

Mmmmm....

2007-12-22T02:37:00.000-06:00

As you can see, we had cooking class. Don't those tamales look good? See the look on Brandon's face? It had been a year since we made tamales. He was ready for them. Today they learned that it's a lot of hard work and takes all day, but the reward is oh so good.

The rocket there beside him is his new project. Hopefully we can fly it soon. It's been too windy.

Manic Monday

2007-12-18T23:56:00.000-06:00

Well, this is homeschool. The kids were having a hard time getting it together. I couldn't get them to do anything. They love to play the "we're best friends" game. They don't hardly get along until it's time for school. I decided we would sit and read on the sofa. Jamie rolled her eyes while her brother rolled on the floor. They complained the whole time. We went outside, but then they started arguing. Huh! What to do! I finally decided they would work until 8pm. They didn't even have much to do. Some math, some language arts and some reading. It only took a couple of hours. You would've thought they were doing hours and hours of bookwork. Ha!

My Beautiful Flower

2007-12-17T02:12:00.000-06:00

My daughter is like one. I remember when she was born and they put that tiny little baby in my arms. She weighed 5lbs 12ozs. She was like a tiny little bud on a stem. You watch that bud and daily feed and water it, then one day it opens. The color is so fresh and new, you can't help but admire it's beauty. You take care of it to make sure it lasts as long as possible. Carefully checking it for bugs or any kind of problem that may hinder it's life. It was so scary when I held her. All the things that went thru my mind. How was I going to help her grow into a beautiful flower? Seeing her grow into a beautiful girl has been exciting and difficult. Sometimes I don't know if I'm holding her back too much or not. She will be 12 in May. Somedays I look at her and see a beautiful young lady. As though her body is screaming it out to me. Then other days I look at her and something she does, maybe it's the way she laughs, reminds me of the little girl she still is. This weekend we attended a wedding. It was very sweet. I couldn't help but think that one day that may be my little girl. Taking the first dance with her husband, then the second dance with her daddy. Oh believe me I'm in no hurry. It's just that time seems to fly. There are so many things I wish I had more time for. Maybe even some do overs would be nice. Of course that's not going to happen. So I sit, take a deep breath and watch as my little bud begins to blossom...

What Am I Thinking?

2007-12-12T20:11:00.000-06:00

No, really. What have I been thinking? I haven't posted because I didn't think I had anything important to say. Well, It's all important. As a homeschool mom, I have the most important job of my life. Surely the children aren't teaching themselves. I am the most important person in their life at this time. Like little owls perched on the rafters, they quietly watch my every move, hear my every word. Sounds scary, doesn't it? It's not enough to tell them what is expected of them in life. They want to know how I do it. How do I handle certain matters. For the rest of their lives, they will do things influenced by me. From how I answer the phone to how I wash the dishes. How I wake up to how and when I go to bed. I see these things when I see them walk around here each day. If I wake up in a bad mood, they begin their day in a bad mood. If I wake up with a smile in my face and a song in my heart, they do too. I see my beautiful children growing right before my eyes. Lately Brandon wakes early each day and walks into the living room and sits on the sofa. He gives a big hug and an I love you with one of those sleepy smiles and bed hair. He just turned 7, but he's still comfortable enough to come in his undies. He's still my baby. Yes, some days are good and some not so good. Today was one of those. The weather changed on us, so that may have been part of it. They just couldn't get it together enough to do much school. Oh they did some school anyway, but it took a few breaks and a nice walk around the block. The point is, even if this helps no one but myself, remember that they are always learning. Even if it is not straight from books. We are making memories. They are learning to love, be calm, and how not to stress out when things get hectic. Aren't all these social skills?

What Homeschool Is All About...

2007-12-05T23:46:00.000-06:00

Today was a really nice day. I couldn't stand to be inside. After a little laundry, I decided to take the kids out of the house for some experiments. I took some video of the kids doing the Mentos and Diet Coke experiment. We will try this again tomorrow. It would be awesome to get some kind of measurement on how tall the geyser can get. Unfortunately I couldn't upload it to the blog.

Then I took video of them doing an experiment with a bottle of vinegar blowing up a balloon filled with baking soda.

Of course, afterward, Brandon walked around looking for things he could explode! Ha, ha!

Art Today

2007-12-04T01:04:00.001-06:00

We did some art today. This is a part of Jamie's history lesson also. We studied about the patriot Patrick Henry. This year she is in A Child's Study of Famous Americans. As you can see Brandon participates in this class as well. I like that, it makes the class more fun and much easier to teach.

This is called silhouette art. You shine a light on your subject and trace their silhouette onto black paper then glue onto white. This form of art was mostly popular in the 18th Century.

The 1st picture is Jamie's artwork of me.

This is Brandon's artwork of me.

This next picture is one I did of Jamie.

I hope you can see the small picture. It is of Brandon. Notice his mouth is open. He says it is of him eating.

Hope you enjoyed my new post. I'm trying to have a lot more fun with the kids this year. They are both doing really well.

Late at night

2007-11-28T01:14:00.000-06:00

This is the first attempt and I don't think I know what I'm doing. I have been inspired by a really good friend. I don't know if I can keep up with this, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I would love to keep an album of our life, so that I can go back and reflect on what has been most important. I love my family. I think keeping this journal will help me especially in those days when things are not so wonderful. I will post more tomorrow, but for tonight this is a start.