Changes

My two oldest boys have been using Lifepac again because they begged me. I let them and now they don't want to use it anymore. They are very frustrated that it doesn't give instructions at all. So I have searched for something else since the writing with Rod & Staff is to much for now. I don't really have any money right now, so what I have is what we can use. I was pretty discouraged yesterday, but I prayed and then did a search online. This is what I found, a site that offers worksheet generators and e-books. I downloaded 2 ebooks for $4 and will try these for now. The boys did their first pages in them yesterday and really liked them. The books will take them to about 6th grade, so these combined with Calculadder will be our math curriculum for now.

I have been struggling with lack of energy and pain in my joints for the past few years. Since I have started exercising and have lost 18 pounds I have begun to feel better. I also have begun taking spirulina tablets and liquid calcium. I think all of it combined is really helping me. Having more energy is really making me want to go back to Sow curriculum. So next year, hopefully we will pick it back up and use it again.

Chloe has started to read this week! It is so exciting! She tends to want to just guess, so I am having to continue focusing her on looking and sounding the words out. But she is doing great!

It's Been Awhile

It's been awhile since I have posted. Things have been crazy and up and down for homeschooling. But we are finally getting back into our regular schedule, thank goodness. Chloe has been having a little trouble understanding addition so we made a math pig. She really caught on fast once she started using this. Now she is starting to memorize them and she understands what she is memorizing. I used to have a cute duck and pond manipulative set I made for Rod and Staff grade 1 last year, but I put it somewhere extremely safe and now I can't find it!

Chloe is also really wanting to learn to read. She just today finished her first phonics book and now I will start her in actual reading tomorrow. She is so excited!

Well, I have a full day, so I had better get going and do it! Hope to be back soon though!

I Removed Word Verification on Comments

I removed the word verification for comments. I had been told that someone had some difficulty with it. If you had a problem please let me know so that I will not put it on again.

Thanks.

Noah is Becoming an Artist

My son Noah is just now discovering his love for drawing. He drew this today after looking at a picture hanging on the fridge. He is really becoming quite an artist. He enjoys it and I want to encourage him in it because who knows he might use it in the future in some way.

That is one of the wonderful things about homeschooling, we can encourage our children to follow their interests and talents. Sometimes it isn't so easy to see though. Some children just make it as plain as day that what they are interested in and others we have to really look and then look some more. But being with them all day we have more time to look.

What My Little Girl Gave Me

This is the picture that my sweet Chloe colored for me
today. We learned about the story of Isaac being offered and the ram being provided in his place by the Lord. It was a great time and she enjoyed coloring her picture so much. She then gave it to me, and I just felt wonderful!
It is such a privilege to parent children, and they are
so giving and loving to us as their parents. They forgive us and give us treasures we could never buy.

Some might look at this picture and think "my 5 year old could do better", but to me this is a beautiful picture and
I don't want any other. She gave this to me with a heart
of love. When I gave her a hug and told her how beautiful it was to me, she glowed.

This is why I home school my children. These are the moments that make it worth it. These are the moments
I don't want to give to an overworked teacher that doesn't really care. It doesn't really matter if my children go to Harvard or become janitors to me. What really matters is that they keep hearts full of love. What really matters is that they grow to love the Lord their God with all their heart and soul and mind. What really matters is that I get to share in their growth and not miss these special moments.

So the next time I am feeling like I can't "compete" or even the need to compete. I am going to remember times like this. Or when my son asked me for help and then figured it out on his own. But as he walked away he said, "thanks Mom, thanks for being willing to help". The heart, that is what is important.

Still Plugging Away

We are still plugging away with school. The older children are really starting to take more responsibility in getting their lessons done. It is wonderful! I of course am waffleing on the use of textbooks. I am wanting our lessons to be more fun and exciting. So I am considering using Weaver next year. Or returning to SOW, but using it in the way that I want to, and not feeling boxed in by the way the lessons are set up in it. For instance, we could all study the English lesson together, but the children can do the actual work at whatever level they are at. For science I would choose good read alouds on the topics and think of a project to accompany it rather than just right a report. Same for History. This year with the texts I think will be a good rest for me, and perhaps I will be ready to return to a more teacher intensive curriculum next year.

Right now I am in the midst of the getting the housework done and getting the schoolwork done tug of war. It's either the house calling me to work, or school but I haven't found the balance yet this year. And where fun falls into the struggle I don't know, but I better figure it out fast, or we will all be burning out in the next few months. I really need to learn consistency in my housekeeping so that I can enjoy my time with my children more. If you think of me, please pray for growth in that area of my life.

Homeschool Forms

On each of my blogs I have mentioned that I am in the midst of creating forms for different things. Once they are created I will put up a link so that perhaps others can use them to. I have designed a lot of them, but I need to turn them into pdf files so that I can share them.

For a couple years I have wondered how I could share my hobby of creating forms, now I know. So, as I get several up and made I will post the link. Of course this has to be fit in between school work, house work, yard work, kitchen work, hmmmm, well work. And play too.

So in the next month or so I should be ready to post the link.

You Know You Are A Homeschooling Family When...

....it's possible that everyone is still in pj's at lunch.
....bathroom reading involves encyclopedias and not comic books.
....Mom automatically corrects grammar/spelling and math errors without a thought and the children think it is normal.
.....homework is everything.
....home economics is more real and you don't have to use a flour sack for a baby.
....after two hours all lessons are finished and the children move onto the important stuff, LIFE.
....the neighbors give you strange looks all the time and ask if your children shouldn't be in school.
....the children find science fun.
....an entire afternoon is taken up with reading aloud a great book and everyone enjoys it.
....there is always a mess somewhere.
....you have more crayons than the local kindergarten.
....you feel like you might have to move out of your house because you can't fit anymore books.
....P.E. is playing in the backyard.
....nature study is a pleasant walk around the neighborhood.
....extra curricular activities are weekly errands.
....budgeting and finances are well known to your children.
....the children suggest that we need a day of 'home ec' instead of book work (translated, "if we clean the house can we have the day off of school?")
....your children aren't afraid to figure it out for themselves, they don't have to have a 45 minute lecture to do their lessons.
....the littles (2-4) beg for school and Mom finds SOMETHING for them to do that is educational.
....the older children care for the younger children, and don't feel put out because this is what life is about.
....your children can wear hand me downs and clothes that don't cost a fortune and don't give it a second thought.
....your children are mature, but have a childlike playfulness still inside them. They aren't afraid to be silly and be kids because it's not "cool".

A Neat Website

I found this website when looking for a recipe yesterday. It has so much and when I get time I would love to really look through it. It has many links for great educational books that can be downloaded and printed for a whole lot of subjects.

http://ofed.50webs.com/

Enjoy browsing through all the great stuff!