What about SCHOOL?!?

So, when we started this summer I was all super organized and everything. :o)

I had NO IDEA we would be doing THIS:

Needless to say, we have been busy.

Moving takes a lot of energy and focus.

Thankfully we are doing it though the summer.

Sadly, we are a month behind to start school.

We will catch up with you once we get settled...

Sometime in September.

Summer Update!

Sorry we just sort of faded away...

We have had a great start to our summer!!!!

We actually went camping! That was huge, since we have never been as a family. It was a blast!! We're already looking forward to the next camping trip. Superdad was able to take a whole week off & we had such a great time hanging out with him! We went to the park several times, camping (as I mentioned) and we played miniature golf. We're planning to go swimming, bowling and to the library as well next week. We are certainly staying busy!!!!

My 2yo's favorite words are: Park, Camping & Bowling. He repeats these words over and over and over at least several times every single day. He's so funny!

As for "school" time stuff, we are doing a few things here and there just to keep our brains from going to mush. We are trying to stay consistent meeting for "together time" each day. We're basically just praying together & doing a bible study called Sword Fighting. The book is no longer available, which is too bad because it's been one of my kids favorite! You basically memorize a scripture to use as a "sword" in your every day life. Each day you read a bible story of someone who struggled or succeeded in the temptation you are studying. Then there is an activity you can do as well. You have a "sword fight" regularly by asking them... "you are tempted to-----" then they reply with a scripture to combat the temptation. Really cool!

Also, we are doing some math. That's pretty much it. It's been too busy to try to do anything else right now. Maybe later in the summer I'll add in some fun studies, but for now I just throw in a little math here and there (sort of as a "chore"), and I haven't really had any complaints so far.

Just thought I'd check in. We're going to be busy until the end of July. I'll probably get back to you at the beginning of Aug. Which is when we should be starting school back up again. I have a feeling we might have some trouble getting back to normal when the time comes.......

see you then!

Independent Time...

Is working really well around here. It is hard for most people to be self-motivated, really. We are using the time accountability worksheet to help Superkid visually see what he's doing during his day. It's been really good.

In the meantime, I'm spending more time with my little peeps. :o)

So much of our time revolves around SCHOOL that it feels really good to be able to spend time with my "preschoolers" and just PLAY!!!!!

I've gotten almost all of next year planned out. I still need to get our light weeks a little more organized, but I can squeeze in a few projects here and there over the summer. For now, I believe God is telling me it is time to spend some time with my littles.

Playing is discipleship at its best!

Refreshed in perspective

Hi everyone!

I know, it's been awhile since I've said hi.
Let me just fill you in a little bit...

A few weeks ago, I went though (what I now know as) my yearly freakout. I realize now that every time we start school up again I start thinking maybe, just maybe I'm not doing what I should be. I freakout, then I pray. God is always so faithful to bring a fresh perspective on our schooling.

In this case I came again to the yahoo group. I'm so thankful for this group!! I wish I had others around me who were using the SOW curriculum (or even friends within my church that would homeschool for that matter!) But, that's not the case. So, I am very very grateful for the ability to talk things out with like minded people online. Anyway...

After a few posts, Merle the author of the SOW curriculum wrote to me. Let me just repeat that, she wrote to me. Then, she took time out of her day to give me a call. And oh my! The wisdom this woman has is incredible!! I'm so so thankful for that conversation. I just wish I could have recorded the conversation so that I could go back over all that was said. I was doing all I could to take in every word. She reminded me once again that it's not just about the education of our children, it's the nurturing of every part of them. She gave me a wealth of ideas and encouragement, then she prayed for me. God is soo good!!

So, since then I've been reordering my life a bit here and there in different ways. I am very excited about this school year.

First of all, I need to say that we are really struggling financially. I have picked one of the most inexpensive curriculums there are out there, yet at this point we aren't able to get those things to make it work. It's really going to be ok. I have narrowed it down to the very basics - phonics, math, and a few small things. I think the total is somewhere around $100. So, it shouldn't be too long of a wait until we can really begin. In the meantime I'm doing the best I can. ;o) I promise I'm not complaining - God has provided in amazing ways!!!!!! He is always always always always faithful and He knows what He is doing. I trust that His plan is best.

Anyway, in the meantime I'm taking time to get organized. Made a schedule, organizing the bookshelf, oh and I made little mini notebooks for each of the subjects (language arts/prayer/daily studies/english).

Here's the new schedule we'll be implementing as soon as we can.

Daily Schedule

Get Ready
(Get Dressed, Clean Room)

Sing song
Praise God

Pray:
Personal Requests
(option to share yesterday's journal)
Prayer Box
(people around us)
For Country
(new one each week)
Pray over children

Go for a walk

Eat Breakfast

Thankful Journal
Manners book
Prayer Journals

Share Yesterday's Work
(Discussion Questions)

Language arts/Devotional
(see weekly schedule)

Daily Studies
(Sci/Hist/Geo/Writing/Electives)

Outside play

Lunch

Independent Study
(Phonics/Math)

Free-play

Chores
(see list)

Daddy Home!!

This schedule is much different than we've ever done before. I like that we actually get out of the house in the morning. I like that we're putting the important stuff first. I like that my afternoons are totally free, yet everything is getting done that needs to be done. (school, chores, playtime) In the morning we'll all be working together. I think this will strengthen our school time together. Before it was a little bit hit and miss when we'd get together. This seems to flow very naturally. The most fun out of all of this is I've decided to bring in my Little Bear to SOW with us. She is VERY excited. It's going to add such a neat dynamic to our school. What's funny is she will have almost the same work as Superkid, but it will be on her level and she will work more with me versus independently.

Right now we have been doing a mini table time for school. After breakfast we do the following: sing, pray (together, over kids and for the country of the week), thankful list, manners book and then we just read a chapter from the new testament. Eventually we will just start into our SOW at that point.

Anyway, that's the latest in our home.
Check back later for more updates...

1A5 Done & SUMMER TIME!!!!

Hi all...
I know it's been awhile since I've been here, but I thought I'd jump on to say that we are just finishing up 1A5 this week. Then...we're taking off for SUMMER!!! YAY!!! I know, we're a little later than some, but we had quite a few breaks this year with moving & having a baby in the house & such. Originally I had planned to just work right through summer, but on second thought...we need a good break to play!! So, I just decided to spend the time making sure we hit a good place to break before we took off some time to enjoy the weather. Next year we're aiming for an entire summer off. I'm not totally thrilled with the idea ( I've never thought that a whole summer off is smart, but...) Superkid really wants a real summer break so, we'll go ahead and do it this next year.

I PROMISE THIS WILL BE THE VERY LAST MENTION OF HOW LONG IT"S TAKING US TO DO SCHOOL AROUND HERE....

But, I wanted to say...it took us an entire month to do 1A5. So, I guess that's just the speed we'll be taking it. Whatever. I can see though a little better now that we've gotten more organized what the problem is. Superkid can only do 4 to 5 things per day. Five is really pushing it! I've learned just how much is too much for him. That includes the everyday stuff like prayer letter, memory verse stuff, math, etc. The reports can sometimes take all day long, depending. He tends to spend hours on details sometimes, totally forgetting that it means he'll be really behind on his other work. I'm am SOOOO thankful that I homeschool! I often wonder how he would do with the workload in PS. He's a great student, just spacey like his mama. ;o)

ANYWAY...we're doing really good over here. We've got a dinosaur diorama done, we've learned about how light works (even made several rainbows!) We're finishing up our study of "theology" and learning about evolution vs creation. Which I have to say that EVERYONE should take time to study this!! Especially children - with every book they read there are those subtle thoughts of evolution and its with that lie that satan is deceiving people in so many ways. Building our children strong in the understanding that the world was made by God (they are made by God!) they will not waiver in their faith as easily. Just thought I'd throw that in there. ;o)

As for other things, we'll be moving into the study of Geology next. We'll still be studying it from the understanding that this is where a lot of creationists and evolution scientists disagree. So, we're still learning similar stuff. Superkid is really glad about his new math (Math U See) He's whipping through it really quick! I was contemplating switching to saxon, but I think I'll just stick with what is working. HA! What a concept!

We will have absolutely NO SCHOOL WORK for the entire month of July. I think it will be really refreshing and Superkid will start into 4th grade sometime in August. (He wants to start early so that he could have an even longer summer next year...we'll see...)

By the way, we have new camera batteries coming in the mail so coming "next" year we will be able to actually take pictures once again. It's a bummer not having a camera of your own!!

We'll see you "next year!!"

HAVE A GOOD SUMMER EVERYONE!!!