Well, really I don't have too much to say about today. I have an awesome kid who is excited about school. He even got I am proud of myself for writing something down today, even if it is right before I go to bed, and really is about nothing. Some days are just not all together, and that's okay, not ever day can be a memory maker or fantastic. If they were, there would be no true excitement in life, right? We did have family night tonight and the husband was in charge. We played a fun game called "Cutting the Flour". I was just glad it wasn't called "Cutting the Cheese"! We had fun with it and lots of giggles. He also led our family in a discussion about callings in our home and at church. I really do love our little family and that we are growing together. Well, I think that is all I have left in me for today, it has been a long day.
Oh, I forgot, my husband gave me the best compliment today and I HAVE to document it. He told me that he can tell that Alex is really liking school. He says that he has noticed Alex being happier and kinder. Even in the last three days he has seen a change in Alex and his entire demeanor and he told me that he can tell that I must be doing something right! It means a lot coming from someone else, especially my husband who due to work doesn't always get to spend a lot of time with the kids.
Alright, now I am really done. Nighty-Night!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Bubbles and Chocolate
Day 2 of homeschooling and I am still feeling pretty optimistic. Alex tells me repeatedly that he is having fun and likes being home and me being his teacher, so I guess I am doing something right. This morning was a little rough as we got home later than usual last night. After Eric's tumbling class we went to dinner. This was great other than we had the slowest service ever! I was very tempted to get up and leave since it took them 20 minutes just to get our check, but as I was gathering our stuff, the check magically appeared. So, since dinner lasted longer than usual, we got home later than usual. I let Alex sleep in an extra 30 minutes and of course Eric was up at the crack of dawn. The boys were definitely having a hard time staying on task this morning. No chores got done before school started and when the alarm went off at 9:00, Alex still only had on one shoe. Needless to say, the first 2 breaks were spent doing our chores (oh shoot! I just remembered I still need to scrub toilets). Anyway, school work went really well. Alex was having a good time and he really enjoyed that we did some science today. I am grateful that A Beka has a God based science book. I really like that for the basics. After lunch we had our "PE" time. Let me preface this by saying that I HATE THE HEAT! I have lived in Texas most of my life and I can't imagine living anywhere else, but the summers are TORTURE! Plus, with the mosquito issues we had yesterday I really didn't want to go outside. So, I am racking my brain trying to come up with something for the kids to do inside that got them really moving. LIGHT-BULB! I pulled out the bubbles and we played a game that I came up with on the spot (Thank you for the inspiration Heavenly Father). I blew bubbles and the boys had to pop them with the body part I said. We did fingers, toes, knees, elbows, tongues (ewww), noses, heads, and bottoms! We are all giggles and smiles the whole time! It was so much fun and it got them moving! Alex said it made his heart beat faster with all the jumping and squatting and Eric actually built up a sweat. I got a little light headed with all the bubble blowing, but it was too much fun. So, I am need more ideas for indoor moving time, so any ideas, please comment below. Now, that's the Bubbles part of my title, next chocolate.
I LOVE CHOCOLATE! I have since I was too young to have it. i especially like dark chocolate. Sometimes, I really need a piece of chocolate to get me through my day. Some people have coffee, coke, cigarettes, or whatever else, mine is chocolate. After dinner last night I told my husband that I was going to need some serious chocolate to get me through this year. He surprised me by bringing me a bag of one of my very favorite chocolates. I am definitely grateful for it. Just one piece is instant bliss for me (sick, I know). I gave up drinking carbonated drinks over two years ago (there should be one of those anonymous groups for that). It was a very hard thing and I still have days where I struggle with it (only someone who has ever given up an addiction can relate), but I still have my chocolate. I don't binge (often) on it and it seems just to give me that little touch of endorphins I need to get me out of that mid day slump (and no, exercise does not do it for me, I have tried). I pray that the church never says that chocolate is not allowed anymore. If it does, I know I will obey, but definitely with some murmuring (don't judge, you know you would too). Anyway, I don't know what this has to do with homeschooling, but it is what is on my mind and it helps me keep it together.
I LOVE CHOCOLATE! I have since I was too young to have it. i especially like dark chocolate. Sometimes, I really need a piece of chocolate to get me through my day. Some people have coffee, coke, cigarettes, or whatever else, mine is chocolate. After dinner last night I told my husband that I was going to need some serious chocolate to get me through this year. He surprised me by bringing me a bag of one of my very favorite chocolates. I am definitely grateful for it. Just one piece is instant bliss for me (sick, I know). I gave up drinking carbonated drinks over two years ago (there should be one of those anonymous groups for that). It was a very hard thing and I still have days where I struggle with it (only someone who has ever given up an addiction can relate), but I still have my chocolate. I don't binge (often) on it and it seems just to give me that little touch of endorphins I need to get me out of that mid day slump (and no, exercise does not do it for me, I have tried). I pray that the church never says that chocolate is not allowed anymore. If it does, I know I will obey, but definitely with some murmuring (don't judge, you know you would too). Anyway, I don't know what this has to do with homeschooling, but it is what is on my mind and it helps me keep it together.
 |
| My Precious! (You have to read that like Gollum from Lord of the Rings) |
Monday, August 27, 2012
Back to School!
Well, we made it through our first day of homeschooling! We had a filled day and were finished aroung 11:45! Not bad, but I know it will only get tougher as we are pretty much reviewing right now. So far I have planned for our days to go like this (as often as possible).
7:00-Rise and Shine!
Between 7:00 and 9:00 the boys have to get up, eat breakfast and have scripture study, brush their teeth, get dressed, and do their chores. I love starting the morning with a tidy house :)
9:00-School Starts!
Pledge of Allegiance
Stretching
Calendar
Singing
Prayer
Then we did 20 minute increments of learning. He picked which subject he wanted to do first and then when he completed the assignment he took a 15-20 minute break. This allowed me to feed baby girl and entertain little brother. During his breaks he either played with his toys, read a book or did a puzzle. One of his breaks we had some outside time (the mosquitoes were TERRIBLE!). We had a snack around 10:30. Today we had smoothies.
12:00-Lunch
After lunch we spent some time picking out his "research topics" I will talk about that another time and we reviewed his Primary Songs. He seems very happy and excited about the year. He keeps thinking of fun ideas for us to do and learn. He also keeps asking me what else we are going to learn. I am very grateful that he is eager to learn. Now, just to convince him that he doesn't know everything!
I know that today was only our first day, but I am feeling confident. Confident in myself and that my Heavenly Father is guiding me through this and he has placed wonderful people in my path to encourage me and help me. Tonight is Eric's first tumbling class of the season. He is not very fond of this whole "evening classes" thing, but he will get the hang of it.
7:00-Rise and Shine!
Between 7:00 and 9:00 the boys have to get up, eat breakfast and have scripture study, brush their teeth, get dressed, and do their chores. I love starting the morning with a tidy house :)
9:00-School Starts!
Pledge of Allegiance
Stretching
Calendar
Singing
Prayer
Then we did 20 minute increments of learning. He picked which subject he wanted to do first and then when he completed the assignment he took a 15-20 minute break. This allowed me to feed baby girl and entertain little brother. During his breaks he either played with his toys, read a book or did a puzzle. One of his breaks we had some outside time (the mosquitoes were TERRIBLE!). We had a snack around 10:30. Today we had smoothies.
12:00-Lunch
After lunch we spent some time picking out his "research topics" I will talk about that another time and we reviewed his Primary Songs. He seems very happy and excited about the year. He keeps thinking of fun ideas for us to do and learn. He also keeps asking me what else we are going to learn. I am very grateful that he is eager to learn. Now, just to convince him that he doesn't know everything!
I know that today was only our first day, but I am feeling confident. Confident in myself and that my Heavenly Father is guiding me through this and he has placed wonderful people in my path to encourage me and help me. Tonight is Eric's first tumbling class of the season. He is not very fond of this whole "evening classes" thing, but he will get the hang of it.
 |
| My 1st Grader! |
Sunday, August 26, 2012
The First Step is Admitting It...
Well, I have decided to keep a blog of my personal feelings and happenings as I start a new chapter in my life. I first want to start with admitting who I am. I am a MOM. That is who I am. I have three wonderful children (I may be a bit biased) and they are my world. My children are Alex-Age 6, Eric-Age 4, and Josephine-Age 4 months. I have been blessed to be able to stay home with them and learn along with them. Being a mom is definitely not a walk in the park, but at the end of most days, I can say that I wouldn't trade it for anything (key word being MOST days). I consider myself a pretty normal person (well, define normal) and for once I want to document real life. Not drama filled life (although there are some days...) or picture perfect life (we have a few of those moments), just real life, the way it is.
This official start of the school year starts tomorrow. I am excited (I think, or maybe it is terrified) for the start of a new chapter. I will be my oldest son's first grade teacher this year. Yup, that's right folks, I am "one of those homeschooling parents" now. Take me back to this time last year and I would have NEVER dreamed I would be where I am right now. My oldest, Alex went off to Kindergarten, eager and excited. My middle one, Eric was enrolled in preschool and I was pregnant with our third child (finally). Life was pretty average and life marched forward. As time went on I started to teach at Eric's preschool. I LOVED IT! Words cannot describe how much I adored teaching these kids. I had never considered myself a teacher, but it felt comfortable and good in the shoes of a teacher. Fast forward to about March and then I started feeling an inner itch about Alex and school. Something wasn't right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. There was the typical drama of having a kindegartener that just doesn't quite fit in, but still, something wasn't right. I spent a lot of time on my knees. Yes I am "one of those praying parents" too. I kept getting the feeling that I needed to homeschool Alex, but really that is not the answer I wanted, so I decided to keep praying and maybe I would get a better answer. Well, April came and baby sister was born! One of my friends once told me that it is an entirely different ballgame when you go from two kids to three. HOLY MOLY! She was right! Yikes! I am still hoping I can gather all of the pieces of my brain and have them in the same spot at the same time someday soon...things aren't looking too good on that end. Anyway, by the end of the school year in May, my husband and I had concluded that the answer was to keep Alex home next year. Well, "next year" has arrived and I really hope I am ready. I think I have my first week planned out, but I know that Alex will set the pace once we get started. I bought myself a Teacher Planner, which is really a glorified personal calendar, but it helps me to see everything laid out and written down. I say tonight and went through the pile of curriculum I ordered from A Beka and I think I have my head in order for the first week...don't even ask about the rest of the year.
I am a planner at heart. I love knowing what is coming next and what to expect. I hate surprises and I thrive on a schedule. Well, something happened and I have started to understand that at times I have to sit back and wait for things to happen, or press forward in the dark and wait for the light to come on. I call it organized chaos. Yikes, I never thought I would refer to my life as organized chaos, but really, it is. My Heavenly Father has taught me a whole lot about rolling with the punches, having an open mind, and being patient (I'm still working hard on this one). My goal is to post on here Monday-Friday. Alex will have time each day to write in his journal, and I am going to use this as my personal journal time. I think it will help me to stay focused and to look at the big picture. Well, at least I hope it will. Well, tomorrow the journey begins.
This official start of the school year starts tomorrow. I am excited (I think, or maybe it is terrified) for the start of a new chapter. I will be my oldest son's first grade teacher this year. Yup, that's right folks, I am "one of those homeschooling parents" now. Take me back to this time last year and I would have NEVER dreamed I would be where I am right now. My oldest, Alex went off to Kindergarten, eager and excited. My middle one, Eric was enrolled in preschool and I was pregnant with our third child (finally). Life was pretty average and life marched forward. As time went on I started to teach at Eric's preschool. I LOVED IT! Words cannot describe how much I adored teaching these kids. I had never considered myself a teacher, but it felt comfortable and good in the shoes of a teacher. Fast forward to about March and then I started feeling an inner itch about Alex and school. Something wasn't right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. There was the typical drama of having a kindegartener that just doesn't quite fit in, but still, something wasn't right. I spent a lot of time on my knees. Yes I am "one of those praying parents" too. I kept getting the feeling that I needed to homeschool Alex, but really that is not the answer I wanted, so I decided to keep praying and maybe I would get a better answer. Well, April came and baby sister was born! One of my friends once told me that it is an entirely different ballgame when you go from two kids to three. HOLY MOLY! She was right! Yikes! I am still hoping I can gather all of the pieces of my brain and have them in the same spot at the same time someday soon...things aren't looking too good on that end. Anyway, by the end of the school year in May, my husband and I had concluded that the answer was to keep Alex home next year. Well, "next year" has arrived and I really hope I am ready. I think I have my first week planned out, but I know that Alex will set the pace once we get started. I bought myself a Teacher Planner, which is really a glorified personal calendar, but it helps me to see everything laid out and written down. I say tonight and went through the pile of curriculum I ordered from A Beka and I think I have my head in order for the first week...don't even ask about the rest of the year.
I am a planner at heart. I love knowing what is coming next and what to expect. I hate surprises and I thrive on a schedule. Well, something happened and I have started to understand that at times I have to sit back and wait for things to happen, or press forward in the dark and wait for the light to come on. I call it organized chaos. Yikes, I never thought I would refer to my life as organized chaos, but really, it is. My Heavenly Father has taught me a whole lot about rolling with the punches, having an open mind, and being patient (I'm still working hard on this one). My goal is to post on here Monday-Friday. Alex will have time each day to write in his journal, and I am going to use this as my personal journal time. I think it will help me to stay focused and to look at the big picture. Well, at least I hope it will. Well, tomorrow the journey begins.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)