I have been looking back on my blog and I must say it has been kind of disappointing. Bittersweet at times. I feel like we use to do so much, and get together more often, and do more things. Or maybe we did other things... This post may ramble and it may not even make sense. Maybe I took more pictures or made more of an effort to document our life, but lately I don't want to dress Ethan up for cowboy day, I'm forcing myself to plan a graduation party for him. For Liv I couldn't wait to have all the friends (Jake, Joe, and Sara) over for an end of the school party. Then that night I had a girls slumber party/game night. Where is my enthusiasm?? I usually have a passion for something. I don't just sew, but I make a quilt, I don't just garden but I plant /can 78 tomato plants and raise chickens. If I paint, I paint desks, and tables, and rooms! So usually it is not hard for me to find a passion and throw myself into it but I feel a bit "unenthusiastic". I'm halfheartedly gardening, halfheartedly enjoying the chickens, halfheartedly doing the preschool thing... I am taking a long summer break, and hope to find a spark for the upcoming year.
So have we changed so much?
glance through my school tab and see what our use to...use to look like...
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Scared Straight
We have had a little bit of a rocky week of home schooling. I was sick last week and we were behind in our schedule. Last week Maddy didn't complete any work, and was starting this week off in the same manner. By Thursday when I came out of my room and saw her playing Just Dance on the wii, I had had it! I calmly announced that I would be enrolling her in our local middle school in the morning. If she wouldn't do her work for me then she could do it for them. They could keep her in a room, at a desk, and let her know when she could break for drinks and restroom. She cried and begged and moaned and I think therr was knashing of teeth...And then the calm settled and she announced to facebook that she was going to school...and then the cute boy in theatre said he went there...and she got up the next morning and straightened her hair...and then we got in the car, and she said, "Are you really taking me to school??" She totally thought I was bluffing.. So we got to school, and I made her pose in front for her first school picture for the scrap book...
And I walked in the office told the receptionist that we were homeschoolers and I needed information on enrolling a student. He sent us to the guidance office, and I spoke to both the 7th and 8th grade guidance counselors. Maddy sat outside the door so the whole time she was sure I was enrolling her, and then she was called in to go over what a day in the life of an average student looked like. The counselor advised me to call the homeschool office to enroll her and then we were off. We went to breakfast to discuss how her life would be changing, and how cherry she had it making her own schedule at home. I finally put her out of her misery and told her she would not be attending this year, HOWEVER, if she did not take some initiative I would flunk her at her evaluation and then place her in middle school next year back in the 7th grade. Maddy was not in trouble so much for her quality of work, but lack of self motivation. I feel that a key part of being priviledged to study at home is to be self motivated in your studies and online courses...so hopefully this has made an impression!!
And I walked in the office told the receptionist that we were homeschoolers and I needed information on enrolling a student. He sent us to the guidance office, and I spoke to both the 7th and 8th grade guidance counselors. Maddy sat outside the door so the whole time she was sure I was enrolling her, and then she was called in to go over what a day in the life of an average student looked like. The counselor advised me to call the homeschool office to enroll her and then we were off. We went to breakfast to discuss how her life would be changing, and how cherry she had it making her own schedule at home. I finally put her out of her misery and told her she would not be attending this year, HOWEVER, if she did not take some initiative I would flunk her at her evaluation and then place her in middle school next year back in the 7th grade. Maddy was not in trouble so much for her quality of work, but lack of self motivation. I feel that a key part of being priviledged to study at home is to be self motivated in your studies and online courses...so hopefully this has made an impression!!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Olivia aka Pippi Longstocking
After enjoying the Children's Theatre rendition of Pippi Longstocking we have had a bit of a problem here at home...
Liv has decided that the Pippi life is for her. She has taken to wearing mismatched clothes, stomping around the house, climbing the staircase bannister and announcing that she has no parents.
During school today she said, "I'm Pippi Longstocking!" Stood up on her chair, and refused to do her phonics.
After giggling a bit and reminding her that I would wear out her stockinged butt, she ran off to climb the the ottoman and then jump off. I told her I would be calling her dad. To which she stated..."I HAVE NO FATHER" and ran off...........
oooh...I think Liv and Joe are conniving to see how far they push before their mom's end up in lifestream..
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Netflix Instant play selections for the ancients- middle ages
These are all instant play selections
Crusade: A March Through Time
The History Channel- The Dark Ages- MUST SEE
PBS- InSearch of Shakespeare
Lady Jane- MUST SEE
Reign of Fire- just a dragon movie
PBS Egypts Golden Empire
PBS Greeks: Crucible of Civilization (long)
In Search of the Trojan War -GOOD
In the footsteps of Alexander the Great
The Hidden City of Petra
Clash of the Titans- older version
I will be adding to this since we are in the middle ages right now.
Crusade: A March Through Time
The History Channel- The Dark Ages- MUST SEE
PBS- InSearch of Shakespeare
Lady Jane- MUST SEE
Reign of Fire- just a dragon movie
PBS Egypts Golden Empire
PBS Greeks: Crucible of Civilization (long)
In Search of the Trojan War -GOOD
In the footsteps of Alexander the Great
The Hidden City of Petra
Clash of the Titans- older version
I will be adding to this since we are in the middle ages right now.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Netflix selections for History Early American - Civil War
Monday, August 23, 2010
First Day of Pre School 2010-2011
Ethan woke up with a cough!!!!!!!!! He has been blessedly well all summer and he woke up with his asthma cough today. It is getting to be fall so maybe his allergies are kicking in. I guess it is time to start up his medication regimen. Ughhh!
He feels fine and was very excited to get to school. YAY! Well I am off to start our homeschool day!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Summer Break is Over
I'm back!
Summer officially ends in 13 hours. Ethan goes back to Shawnie, Liv starts second grade, and Maddy continues with her never ending school year ;)
And I will end my summer long blogging hiatus! Is everyone ready for the 2010-2011 school year?
I will leave you with an end of summer picture....Bring on the FALL!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Work Zones
I shared my schedule a few posts back, and I thought I would show you what a work zone entails. For example if Madeleine is in charge of zone 2, then she has the kitchen, nook, and laundry room. These are connected and have a natural flow so I pick areas that go together for a zone. In these zones I post a laminated list of what to do in that area, and then a day of the week chore. Here is a picture of the kitchen chart. The laundry room has it's own chart. I post this in the room where the child can access it easily.
Because I have laid out exactly what I would do in the kitchen, and what I expect, it is much easier for the child to do the tasks without having to figure out what mom wants, or what to do next.
Here are a few more examples for other rooms throughout the house..
I was blessed when a friend Steph shared this system with me several years ago. It is not exactly the same as hers but she gave me the pep talk, the theory behind it, and the "how to" to initiate it. I think as mothers we believe that we should be able to do it ALL. We are home all day, right ? Well ladies we were given these blessings to be a blessing to the family not a burden to take care of. If we require that each child bless their home with service they are not only learning valuable life skills, but become the blessing the Bible references. No child is too young to work. If they can play they can help. Work doesn't need to be thought of as drudgery. You can make it into a game for young children, children love to please, so talk up how excited daddy will be to come home to a clean, tidy and orderly home. Believe me when things are tidy order falls in line. I can't tell you how much less stressful it is when everything is in it's place and laundry is done when I need it. Now as a disclaimer I must say that I often fall away from the schedule or become lax and then the house spirals out of control. Look at it as you are the CEO of your home. If the head of the company is unfocused then what happens to the employees? Chaos, right? So as mother the best thing you can do is NOT work yourself into oblivion while your sweet little blessings play wii, or watch TV... No, keep the troops mobilized, on task, and the home running smoothly.
Remember we have many, many , many jobs. If you are scrubbing the floors and making lunches, can you be lesson planning, meal planning, scheduling appointments, and all the other tasks that are as important to the running of the family. A CEO does not do it all but can effectively delegate and encourage those around him.
The first week, start each zone as clean as you expect it and then turn it over to them. It is too overwhelming to ask them to take it on in chaos. Then you train for a week, correcting as needed. After you know they know what is expected, and have performed satisfactorily, then I treat it as a discipline problem if they do not perform the tasks as required.
I needed this little pep talk as much as anyone else, so I hope it helps someone who may be feeling burnout on the home front.
So how do you organize chores in your home?
Because I have laid out exactly what I would do in the kitchen, and what I expect, it is much easier for the child to do the tasks without having to figure out what mom wants, or what to do next.Here are a few more examples for other rooms throughout the house..
I was blessed when a friend Steph shared this system with me several years ago. It is not exactly the same as hers but she gave me the pep talk, the theory behind it, and the "how to" to initiate it. I think as mothers we believe that we should be able to do it ALL. We are home all day, right ? Well ladies we were given these blessings to be a blessing to the family not a burden to take care of. If we require that each child bless their home with service they are not only learning valuable life skills, but become the blessing the Bible references. No child is too young to work. If they can play they can help. Work doesn't need to be thought of as drudgery. You can make it into a game for young children, children love to please, so talk up how excited daddy will be to come home to a clean, tidy and orderly home. Believe me when things are tidy order falls in line. I can't tell you how much less stressful it is when everything is in it's place and laundry is done when I need it. Now as a disclaimer I must say that I often fall away from the schedule or become lax and then the house spirals out of control. Look at it as you are the CEO of your home. If the head of the company is unfocused then what happens to the employees? Chaos, right? So as mother the best thing you can do is NOT work yourself into oblivion while your sweet little blessings play wii, or watch TV... No, keep the troops mobilized, on task, and the home running smoothly.Remember we have many, many , many jobs. If you are scrubbing the floors and making lunches, can you be lesson planning, meal planning, scheduling appointments, and all the other tasks that are as important to the running of the family. A CEO does not do it all but can effectively delegate and encourage those around him.
The first week, start each zone as clean as you expect it and then turn it over to them. It is too overwhelming to ask them to take it on in chaos. Then you train for a week, correcting as needed. After you know they know what is expected, and have performed satisfactorily, then I treat it as a discipline problem if they do not perform the tasks as required.
I needed this little pep talk as much as anyone else, so I hope it helps someone who may be feeling burnout on the home front.
So how do you organize chores in your home?
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Schedules
I have a friend that has asked me about our schedule. When you come in my home there is a pretty colorful board on the wall that looks organized and well put together. In fact putting together the pretty schedule board was the easy part. The funny thing about the schedule board is that it won't institute itself. Just because it says 8:00 bedtime, the kids don't listen to it very well ;)
When I first started using it I thought it would be utilized more by the children, however after tweaking it and using it for a few months, I realize it is primarily for me. It reminds me of the days events, what should happen, and it keeps me on track. I find myself checking the board and staying much more focused with what "needs" to happen during my day.
My board is set in 30 minute increments, it is divided into two columns for each day, and runs Monday through Saturday.Maddy is the first column and Liv is the second. You could add a third as needed. I use post it tabs to customize it for my day. I like being able to see how much school time we are getting in and chore time.
This is a mixture of my friend Debi's schedule board and MOTH.
When I first started using it I thought it would be utilized more by the children, however after tweaking it and using it for a few months, I realize it is primarily for me. It reminds me of the days events, what should happen, and it keeps me on track. I find myself checking the board and staying much more focused with what "needs" to happen during my day.
My board is set in 30 minute increments, it is divided into two columns for each day, and runs Monday through Saturday.Maddy is the first column and Liv is the second. You could add a third as needed. I use post it tabs to customize it for my day. I like being able to see how much school time we are getting in and chore time.
This is a mixture of my friend Debi's schedule board and MOTH.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Big Plans
I have been inspired from my friend at Hillside Hollow to formalize our plans for a new school year on paper, or screen as it may be.
Fall is usually an exciting time for me. I love getting ready for a fresh new school year. The anticipation of new things to learn, classes and projects to start. However this year I am feeling like there is not a clear line marking the "new" start of the year. We have continued with school through most of the summer (we took off most of July) and we are not starting our "new" curriculum til the end of September. This may be contributing to the feel that it is not a clear cut "new" year.
Anyway here is some goals for the upcoming year:
Maddy
* Teaching Textbooks Math 5 & tutoring with Ms. Tiffany
* Finish Sonlight Core 4 Start Core 5 in October
* Home Ec for Homeschoolers book 3
* Quilting a block each month themed by the month
* Spell to Write and Read
* Wordly Wise 5
* Find a grammar curriculum
* Bravewriter ??
* Sonlight Science 5
* Maddy has earned her tuition for theatre and we sent in registration today..
* We will do Awanas, and maybe swim team this year
* PE & Book Club
Olivia
* Horizons K book 2
* Sonlight Core 1
* Quilting a simple block each month
* Spell to Write and Read/ Explode the Code C & 1
* Wordly Wise K
* Home Ec for Homeschoolers Book 1
* Sonlight Science 1 with lapbooking
* Olivia is going to participate in Awanas, swim team, a dance class (if I can find one), and art
Ethan
PRESCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ME
*chicken lapbook
* a halloween and fall quilt
* planting my fall garden
* knitting some washcloths
*park days (I really am missing these)
* I am going to drive kids to awanas, swim team, PE, book club, theatre, art and dance ;)
OUR START DAY IS TOMORROW
Fall is usually an exciting time for me. I love getting ready for a fresh new school year. The anticipation of new things to learn, classes and projects to start. However this year I am feeling like there is not a clear line marking the "new" start of the year. We have continued with school through most of the summer (we took off most of July) and we are not starting our "new" curriculum til the end of September. This may be contributing to the feel that it is not a clear cut "new" year.
Anyway here is some goals for the upcoming year:
Maddy
* Teaching Textbooks Math 5 & tutoring with Ms. Tiffany
* Finish Sonlight Core 4 Start Core 5 in October
* Home Ec for Homeschoolers book 3
* Quilting a block each month themed by the month
* Spell to Write and Read
* Wordly Wise 5
* Find a grammar curriculum
* Bravewriter ??
* Sonlight Science 5
* Maddy has earned her tuition for theatre and we sent in registration today..
* We will do Awanas, and maybe swim team this year
* PE & Book Club
Olivia
* Horizons K book 2
* Sonlight Core 1
* Quilting a simple block each month
* Spell to Write and Read/ Explode the Code C & 1
* Wordly Wise K
* Home Ec for Homeschoolers Book 1
* Sonlight Science 1 with lapbooking
* Olivia is going to participate in Awanas, swim team, a dance class (if I can find one), and art
Ethan
PRESCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ME
*chicken lapbook
* a halloween and fall quilt
* planting my fall garden
* knitting some washcloths
*park days (I really am missing these)
* I am going to drive kids to awanas, swim team, PE, book club, theatre, art and dance ;)
OUR START DAY IS TOMORROW
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Books, Books & more Books
Our book list for the last month has been pretty impressive for us
*Turn Homeward Hannalee
*Perilous Road
*Across Five Aprils
*Behind Enemy Lines
*The Monitor and the Merimac
*Abraham Lincoln Biography
* Abraham Lincoln's World
*Landmark History of the America's (textbook)
* Shades of Gray
* and we have started Old Yeller & Caddie Woodlawn. We are averaging 2 books a week. The good news is we finish Sonlight July 1st. So I plan to take off July then start back August 1st. How is everyone elses summer looking?
*Turn Homeward Hannalee
*Perilous Road
*Across Five Aprils
*Behind Enemy Lines
*The Monitor and the Merimac
*Abraham Lincoln Biography
* Abraham Lincoln's World
*Landmark History of the America's (textbook)
* Shades of Gray
* and we have started Old Yeller & Caddie Woodlawn. We are averaging 2 books a week. The good news is we finish Sonlight July 1st. So I plan to take off July then start back August 1st. How is everyone elses summer looking?
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Train of Thought Post
My thoughts and life have been very, very busy this spring, so hang on cause we are going ALL over the place.
We have been "doing" school for the last three weeks non stop. As in everyday of the week, 6:30 AM until usually evening off and on. We have gone through 20 spelling lists, 5 almost 6 books and covered from after Lewis and Clark up until the Civil War. It has been a wild, informative and at times trying couple of weeks. This crazy pace is a good lesson as why we should stay structured and do our daily work!! But really this year I have not had the energy to get back on it until now, and that is just going to have to be ok!! Because I said it is ok ;)
With spring coming I am starting to feel less sad days remembering my aunt and more days of peace. I know the business of a young family helps to keep my mind occupied. It seems hard to believe that just this time last spring we had no idea of what was to come.
Well I can officially let out that I am going to be an aunt in October. My sister is pregnant and it is KILLING me that she is so far away!! Hopefully she will be back home this time next year if all goes well with relocating their jobs. I am terribly excited and can't wait to be the most favoritest aunt ever!! And a pretty cool sister-in-law, I might add!
We should be done with our 5th grade curriculum by the end of June if we stay on this accelerated schedule. I have pretty much just have hunkered down and we eat, sleep, and breathe school. If we take July off we will go to the lake for a few weeks to be with Lyns, and then start back up school mid August.
Liv is just starting to read and is very excited. It has come very easy to her, and can I just say, AMEN, thank you Jesus!!! I needed an easy reader. After Maddy, I just might have given up if Liv was hard to teach to read. I am sure that the most of the problem with Maddy and reading was because I didn't know what I was doing. In fact as first born she will be my guinea pig, poor Maddy. It will be a wonder if she comes out ok at all. Sadly I was also a firstborn and know the injustices of being first!
Well the economy is in the toilet and I cannot believe how many people I know are out of work. I guess I take a lot of comfort in the reality that I hold a nursing license and could go back and work if it gets really bad. I volunteer monthly with a low cost food program out of our church and our orders doubled this month. The demographic has usually been retirees and fixed income families. However this month it was more middle class young families all with the same story of losing jobs. It has really started me thinking on shoring up our ship for any stormy weather! Hey the nautical reference is likely because we just finished the book All Set Sail. It was nautical nightmare of 1800 terms and salty dog sea jargon! My kids thought it was so funny every time I said the captain was on the "poop". I would get snickers every time and believe me there was many references to the poop deck!
And since I like to garden and do crafty pioneery type projects I have launched the biggest spring garden project to date. I am planning on reserves to can, and freeze. I am also soaping in my free time ;) Just kidding didn't you read above, I have no free time til July.
And in the midst of all this Mike has reconnected with his biological fathers side of the family. They have been so nice and kind and it was through them I have received some of those baby pictures I posted. It is a long story involving an Indian Pow Wow, and a death that happened 10 years ago, and I will leave you hanging on that until next time.
So now you are caught up
We have been "doing" school for the last three weeks non stop. As in everyday of the week, 6:30 AM until usually evening off and on. We have gone through 20 spelling lists, 5 almost 6 books and covered from after Lewis and Clark up until the Civil War. It has been a wild, informative and at times trying couple of weeks. This crazy pace is a good lesson as why we should stay structured and do our daily work!! But really this year I have not had the energy to get back on it until now, and that is just going to have to be ok!! Because I said it is ok ;)
With spring coming I am starting to feel less sad days remembering my aunt and more days of peace. I know the business of a young family helps to keep my mind occupied. It seems hard to believe that just this time last spring we had no idea of what was to come.
Well I can officially let out that I am going to be an aunt in October. My sister is pregnant and it is KILLING me that she is so far away!! Hopefully she will be back home this time next year if all goes well with relocating their jobs. I am terribly excited and can't wait to be the most favoritest aunt ever!! And a pretty cool sister-in-law, I might add!
We should be done with our 5th grade curriculum by the end of June if we stay on this accelerated schedule. I have pretty much just have hunkered down and we eat, sleep, and breathe school. If we take July off we will go to the lake for a few weeks to be with Lyns, and then start back up school mid August.
Liv is just starting to read and is very excited. It has come very easy to her, and can I just say, AMEN, thank you Jesus!!! I needed an easy reader. After Maddy, I just might have given up if Liv was hard to teach to read. I am sure that the most of the problem with Maddy and reading was because I didn't know what I was doing. In fact as first born she will be my guinea pig, poor Maddy. It will be a wonder if she comes out ok at all. Sadly I was also a firstborn and know the injustices of being first!
Well the economy is in the toilet and I cannot believe how many people I know are out of work. I guess I take a lot of comfort in the reality that I hold a nursing license and could go back and work if it gets really bad. I volunteer monthly with a low cost food program out of our church and our orders doubled this month. The demographic has usually been retirees and fixed income families. However this month it was more middle class young families all with the same story of losing jobs. It has really started me thinking on shoring up our ship for any stormy weather! Hey the nautical reference is likely because we just finished the book All Set Sail. It was nautical nightmare of 1800 terms and salty dog sea jargon! My kids thought it was so funny every time I said the captain was on the "poop". I would get snickers every time and believe me there was many references to the poop deck!
And since I like to garden and do crafty pioneery type projects I have launched the biggest spring garden project to date. I am planning on reserves to can, and freeze. I am also soaping in my free time ;) Just kidding didn't you read above, I have no free time til July.
And in the midst of all this Mike has reconnected with his biological fathers side of the family. They have been so nice and kind and it was through them I have received some of those baby pictures I posted. It is a long story involving an Indian Pow Wow, and a death that happened 10 years ago, and I will leave you hanging on that until next time.
So now you are caught up
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A day that will go down in history...
It has been a cold, cozy day where you want to stay curled up on the couch in front of the fire. Since we woke up this morning we have watched Inauguration coverage. The kids don't realize the importance at their age, but one day, I hope they can look back on this picture and remember where they were when America swore in their first African American president. Each generation will have events that they remember where they were when..this or ..that happened. We will remember 911 and where we were, when the Challenger exploded, my mom remembers President Kennedy's assassination. And now something joyful to be able to relay first hand about our nations history. I hope everybody is enjoying this little piece of history. I love to see all the different branches of government and parties come together in unity for this event.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Lighthouse Field Trip
Our local lighthouse put on a homeschool day. It portrayed the life of a child of a lighthouse keeper in the early 2o's. The kids learned about washing, gardening, sewing, and keeping the light.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Extreme Homeschool Makeover
My project that I would love input and help on is my kitchen/pantry/laundry area. It looks fine with the cabinet doors closed, but when they open you see complete disorganization. I often say well, Liv put away the dishes so it's okay if things are here or there, but really it would be just as easy to show her the proper spot.
My pantry is smallish, and alway seems to get cluttered.
My laundry area is also the kids closet. I keep their clothes downstairs since it is easier to keep track of their clothes. (All the kids rooms ae upstairs, and our room is downstairs)
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