MIA: Where have we been?

       It has been awhile since my last post, and a lot has happened.  First of all I have to admit that blogging seemed to become more of a chore then for fun, so I have decided to stop posting every little thing about the little ones schooling. They don’t seem to mind because they were getting a little camera shy. Plus making and posting all of our Collections were getting in the way of other things that should have been happening instead, so I decided to put those off for a while also since Lady Jey is really not using them any more and Lady Bells will not use them in full until maybe next year.


     On my last post I posted about Lady Jey’s first book, since then she has read many more and is doing good. We have completed the Math U See (MUS) Primer and decided that MUS is just not for us and have moved on or rather back to BJU math, only because it is what Princessa used and we already own it. We also finished the BJU science we were working on, so I am in the process of looking for something for her to do. We are still doing Sonlight but I am not really happy that Sonlight does not introduce sight words in a “normal”  way, so I have decided, that we will add in the You can Read curriculum that we started last year and finish it up. Although things are going to change up a little Lady Jey is doing really well, kindergarten is NOT as stressful as I thought it would be, that summer before we started.  I am really enjoying teaching her, and I am really glad we went for a more laid back approach.



As for Lady Bells, “school” has kind of slacked off a bit. She is really not into doing worksheets or her notebook everyday. She still reviews the letter sounds at least once a week and we do some counting and she listens to Lady Jey’s stories but that is all the school she is up to doing these days. This does not alarm me in the least, I have since come to realize that all of my children are different and sometimes it takes different levels of maturity to be introduced to certain things. So things that she just didn’t get this year will come automatically next year. I have also decided that I will probably wait to start official kindergarten with her, the year she will be six, it  just seems that things are easier to grasp, for them at this age. But we will see!



      Princessa has since finished her study of the human body using the Answers in Genesis curriculum, and is now doing The World of Animals.  I really like this curriculum because of it being from a young earth perspective but using Sonlight has turned me on to the the use of living books, so I am on the fence as to rather or not I will continue with AIG. Princessa seems to like AIG so I guess for now I will continue with what we are doing and maybe use Sonlight science over the summer?  As for math, we have done away with MUS at this level also. This decision was not taken lightly because I did love the approach of MUS and Princessa was doing really well in it. I made this decision based solely on the struggles that Prince was having in math, more of this below, and the drive to get back to simpler things. I decided to go with Rod and Staff to meet our needs. Not only is this curriculum VERY cheap it is simple. Simple for me to teach and they really get the concepts easily. Fourth grade at this stage has been a breeze for Princessa, no real struggles and I pray it will continue to be.


      

 

 

 Prince is finally catching up in math, YAY!  As mention above MUS was just not working for us partly because he did not learn the concepts needed in public school to complete the level of math expected  of his grade level. We tried everything! After much tears from him and lots of prayers on my part everything came together when a neighbor introduced me to Rod and Staff.  Not that I have not seen it before, but I dismissed it as old fashion and boring, what with all of these new math curriculums out there how could it even be remotely compared. Boy was I WRONG!  Prince instantly caught on! I don’t know, maybe it was all the distractions of the previous curriculum, not just MUS, that was holding him back, maybe it was the one on one teaching he needed, I don’t know. But I truly have to say Rod and Staff was a Godsend!  The spiral approach is what he needed not the one concept approach of MUS that I thought would help. Rod and Staff is how I learned to do math so that helps when trying to teach him something he doesn’t understand. I say to any of you out there that have little ones who struggle in math, Do not overlook Rod and Staff as an option! It is simple and basic and does the job! without the higher price of the “newer” curriculum. As for science, he has finished his Creation or Evolution book and is still excited when he can discuss these things with anyone who is willing to listen, so of course that makes me excited that I went with my gut in picking this science for him to do. He has now started on his upper level science, and is doing Apologia Exploring Creation with General Science, he was VERY excited to start this because of all the experiments he will be doing, I was excited because I DON’T have to help .  I am not a very hands on learner and just reading about the experiment does it for me so thankfully these experiments or pretty straight forward and he can do them himself plus they offer a companion CD that explains the experiments.


, One of Prince’s first experiments with his new science. Using water, corn syrup, and oil. With a grape, a small pebble, a piece of cork, and an ice cube.


   
        Our group studies have been very pleasing, we are ALL loving Sonlight history, everything from the read-alouds to the readers. There have been a couple of books that we did not get through, such as Walk the Rim and Lawn Boy, which came highly praised, but there have been others that we truly LOVE such as Sign of  the Beaver (I also recommend the movie based on the book Keeping the Promise), Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans and Landmark History of American People some of these being ones that others said were difficult to get through. At first, I have to admit I was a little skeptical about this curriculum, “how could we learn about history by just reading books” again I was wrong to think this, we have learned SO much, even me a self proclaimed history buff!  The Holzmanns have weeded out all the nonsense books and have truly given a blessed history curriculum in Sonlight! 
We have finished the Armor of God Bible study we started in the Summer. This should not have taken so long but we had some interesting discussions that came from these lessons, so all in all I am happy with it. After much searching on my part for our next  Bible study I decided on Apologia’s Who is God? because it offers in it’s reviews what I am wanting for my children, a way for them to “ discern among competing ideas and stand in the truth”. I am excited about this and can not wait to start it.   We also started the series What’s in the Bible, starting with Why Do We Call It Christmas over our break and continuing on through the Bible Series. I am excited about these also, and can’t wait to dive in!

December marked our halfway point and in all this year has been our best year, of course last year I felt the same! We have been blessed beyond what we deserve, and I can not thank God enough for giving us the blessed opportunity to homeschool.  I look at my little ones everyday and do not regret the decision I have made, I truly feel blessed to be a part of this experience with my children, to have them with me each and everyday, to know exactly what they are doing and what they are learning, that is the job God gave me as their mother and I can, with my whole heart say I am doing my part!
Until next time!

Four years already!?

I can not believe how the years have passed by, it has been 4 years since we have started down this path but it seems like just yesterday. I started out scared and unsure how things would turn out and here I am 4 years later, happy and have loved every minute of it. I have loved every special moment that I have spent with my babies and can’t wait to see what this year has in store for us, and the many years left to come!
And so I introduce you to MY class of 2012/13…


Prince and princessa, who were my guinea pigs, have grown up quite fast. It is hard to believe that I taught Princessa in 1st grade and here she is now in the 4th grade. And Prince who had the most experience with public school has made the switch so smoothly without any complaint.

And my two babies Lady Jey and Lady Bells who have known nothing but homeschooling and have been involved since they could crawl. I remember the days Lady Jey use to cry to do school and my endless hours of searching the net and discovering Tot-school. Which Lady Bells is now in her last year of doing, (sniff) . 
I am so proud of my babies, but it also makes me sad to see how fast they are growing and becoming more and more independent.

I LOVE you, my I love yous, and here's to another great year of learning and special moments together here at Our Days at CA!



                                     

A child’s memories

Today too many women think that being a mother is a part time job. That there is somewhere a magic switch that turns this “job” on and off. Or that there is a time clock that you clock in and out of.
Some Women today think that being a mom starts when your children get off the bus or out of school in the summer. Then somehow the responsibility gets turned over to the teacher when summer break ends.
Because of the high teen-age birth rate some women feel that this “job” of being a mother can be turned over to the grandparent. They reason this with the “I am still young I should still be able to party” attitude.
Some women today think that having a child will give them that perfect little family they always dreamed of.
But motherhood is not perfect; it is not a clock in/out job. It does not start in the evening and end in the fall. Being a mother is a 24 hour job, 365 days a week. You do not get a break or a vacation. You may not even get a night of sleep! It is not something you can turn off the switch to go out for a night of drinking! It is something that is a LIFETIME, not an 18 year time.
Motherhood is a responsibility, a blessing from GOD! Being a MOM means giving up your life for that of your child. Putting your wants and needs on the back-burner for that of your child. Being available 24 hours a day for your child.
You may be asking yourself what experience does she have on this subject or what right does she have to post this:
First, I am a Christian that reads her Bible so I know my place as a mother.
I am also a daughter, a grand-daughter, a mom to four, a sister/stepsister to 5, an aunt to 10, a cousin to many, and a friend to more…
I also know that I am truly blessed to have the means to be a one income family, to be able to school my children and be a mom 24 hours a day… In the same sense I know life is not perfect and their or others who wish this but it is not their reality and my heart goes out to those women whose hearts are torn between motherhood and making a living. I sincerely thank GOD for my life!
If anyone gets anything out of this just remember, you only get one chance at this, the time that you lose you don’t get back, it is forever gone! As the old saying goes, they’re only little once and then you blink and they are gone….
So what kind of memories will your child hold?

MIA

It has been awhile since I have posted anything, but things have been so CRAZY around here.

For one I have decided awhile back that MFW was not working for us, although I LOVE their mission, so I have been busy recreating our lesson plans using a collection of things.

Second, not only have we been schooling but I have also been planning things for our upcoming summer studies. I want this summer to be more productive then last year was, I figure if we are going to do school, then we need to do things that we need and want to do.

Last we have been busy with the two additions to our family.

Even though I did not actually give birth, after it was all finished I felt like it. It took our Pug, Roxie 10 hours to give birth to 4 pups to of which we lost. We had to help her from beginning to end, so it was exhausting. She was not in very good health afterwards so we had to do some of the feedings ourselves…
But 3 weeks later…
Amber MoonStoneMidnight ShadowBear

Happy and healthy Puginese pups!




That’s our days at CA!

Awarded: To you

I don’t know if you guys have noticed but a couple of weeks back my blog was awarded the One Lovely Blog Award. This was such an honor for me and I thank Bev over at Preschooler Busy Hands for this award.

Now it is my turn to share the prize! I spent weeks looking for those special blogs that in some way encouraged and or shared thoughts and materials through the homeschooling community.
Some of these blogs are well known, but I picked them because they are truly “One Lovely Blog” sharing life, heartache and encouragement for fellow readers.

Others, for the most part, are new bloggers a with a low following group. These are blogs that I felt need to get out and be heard!

So the winners are: (drum roll please)
Amy @Raising Arrows
Lisa @A 2nd generation Homeschooling
Erin @ A full Heart
Lana @Hart to Hart
Renee @ Living Laughing and Loving
Mary @Grandma's blogspot
Julie @Creatin' Classical Chaos
Carole @Our Normal Chaos
Andrea @No Doubt Learning
Maria @A Simple Mom
Tricia @ Autism and Salvation
Victoria @SONset Academy
Kelli @Life with thing a majiggers
Colleen@ Raising Life Long Learners
Bev@ Grace for Seven

The rules for excepting this award:
Follow the blogger who felt moved to present it to you. And in turn search for 15 more bloggers and blogs who you fell deserve this award.
Have fun and be encouraged!

What’s Wrong?!

It has been awhile since I have posted on any of the children, especially Lady Bells, but we have been having some attitude from her. She just refuses to do anything school related for the past couple of weeks?! She is too young to have the end of the year itch so I am bewildered. Can she read it from me? I know I have been trying to rush the days, even though we really do not take a break but things just have not gone as planned this year.
First we had the move that made things crazy, then the curriculum we are doing is just not as fun as we expected, not for me anyway because I am scrapping and scrambling to get things together. I am at the point to just say, STOP!
But I am afraid to do that because Prince is getting closer and closer to his important high school years, although I know he will redo all of this within these years I just want him to enjoy these years. (Although I know if I am unhappy with the way the year is going so are the kids).
When we moved, I got the 4th bedroom I wanted, but the room is proving too little for all 5 of us and all the school things and I find myself having to take several breathers. So what is the solution?
After much prayer and talking with my husband, we have come up with a few answers:
1. Even though I LOVE the thought of MFW and their reason behind the curriculum, I have decided it is just NOT for us. There is not enough meat within to satisfy my teaching style. I have realized through a pros and cons chart, which I do often, the cons out way the pros. And the Pros are things I can be involved in without using the curriculum, such as supporting the Bible translations.
2. I have realized that my first choice for curriculum is what God had chosen for my family. I backed away from this curriculum more than once because of the price, but have since realized that this was the source of my unhappiness and feel peace in my heart now that I have accepted God’s will and know that he will provide this curriculum for us, if this is his path for us.
3. I have since, through other blogs that I love realized that there is no one perfect curriculum. There is no standard that we as homeschoolers have to follow, this is the reason that we homeschool so that we are not held under the Public school standard. My heart is at peace with this also, this is a big one since I was always trying to tweak this and that to make it “perfect”. I spent most of my time doing this. Now I can create because it is what I like to do.
4. I myself have realized that homeschooling is the heart of our family, and have helped my husband come to this realization also. We have this huge living room that is barely used because we don’t watch TV; the children are band from the filth. We hardly invite people into our “sanctuary” and those that are privileged enough to be invited in, know we homeschool and that this IS our life. So do you see what I am getting at? We have decided that the living room would make the “perfect” classroom! The 4th bedroom will become the living room (minus the wall that makes up the hall) which will be the right size for the perfect cozy living room. We will be again a 3 bedroom family but most of our time is spent in the classroom so everything will even out. I am so excited about this change, which will happen the first week we will be out, so maybe this is the reason for the end of the year itch for everyone.
I will keep you posted on the change!

Moments to Remember

In Public School when do you get the chance to Marvel at God’s Awesome works, And then turn them into the lesson for the day.

Yes! you are seeing double!

I got this on a much needed day. Only to be reminded that God is there leading us through our storms. And then he always seems to double the blessing.

Anyway I remember automatically thinking when I seen this, “there is a rainbow after every storm, even the storms of life!”

                                                          

Moments to remember!

Is it not joyful to watch the relationships within the family grow, through the bonds they create while schooling together?!
Yesterday we worked on cutting with Lady Bells, she did good for the first time using scissors. Today while working on her work Lady Jey helped out…

Although you can’t really tell from the picture, she was showing Lady Bells the correct way to position her fingers, on the scissors. This was what I walked in on after a quick break .
These two know only homeschooling and the relationship they have developed over the past 3 years is priceless. Sure they have their moments like all siblings do, but they are quick to comfort and protect each other. The older ones will do the same but they have their “outside” friends, but Lady Jey is quick to say when asked, that Bells is her best friend!
This is one of those things that I prayed for as a result of homeschooling my children, and I can honestly say that God has answered my prayers.





                                                                    

Happy birthday Princessa!

I can not believe how fast the time has gone! It really feels as though I just brought you home from the hospital. I can still remember being pregnant with you and praying to God that you would be a girl. I remember being told at the ultrasound that they just did not know if you were a girl. I then remember praying harder. 9 years ago today, when they laid you in my arms, I remember crying I had my perfect little girl!
I remember like it was yesterday, dressing you in all your frilly pink clothes. I took pictures EVERYDAY!  I think it is my fault you are addicted to all things girl .
Now just as then, you are my perfect little girl. You have grown into a beautiful little girl inside and out. You have become a great role model for your little sisters, in showing then your walk with God. I pray that you continue to do so, and continue to use the talents God gave you to praise him, even when things seem hard.
Anyway, enough of mommy’s mushy stuff; I hope you enjoy your day and make it as special as you are! As I continue to watch you grow day by day just know Mommy will always love you!

Moments to Remember…

We all started homeschooling for different reasons… But one of my top reasons is the time I get to spent with my kids and in turn the relationships they develop with each other…

They all made Valentines for each other!