Wordless Wednesday

The Seasons of Life...

Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
~Thoreau

I stumbled across this quote today....It reminds me how we live our lives in seasons. The seasons of life come and go..As I look at my 15 year old daughter, and my soon to be 5 year old daughter, I wonder where the time has gone. I am learning to enjoy each season of my life, because it is just that and it passes so quickly.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven ~ Ecc 3:1

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

~Proverbs 3:5-6 (NAS)

Basketball...Basketball..

Yes! Spring has finally come and I am excited. I am not very fond of cold weather, so this is a great time of year for me. I get really energized.

I haven't posted in a while because life has been very busy. We have just finished high school basketball season where my daughter's homeschool team placed third in their division at a homeschool tournament at Liberty University last week. http://www.hspn.com/

Now we are into travel basketball season which will last until the end of July.

I had an opportunity to attend the Apologia Live Mom's Conference in Baltimore, MD Feb 27-28. http://www.apologiaonline.com/live/ It was absolutely awesome. The theme was Walking In The Light. There were five speakers including Sally Clarkson (The Whole Hearted Child), Debra Bell, Raechel Carman,Zan Tyler, and Elizabeth Smith. What a great opportunity to meet other homeschool moms and be able to fellowship. If this conference comes to your area next year, I encourage you to go. You will definitely get blessed.

It's that time of year to plan for the upcoming school year. I have been doing a lot of curriculum searching, planning and high school recordkeeping. I'll be posting upcoming plans soon.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
~Hebrews 10:23

Wordless Wednesday

A Blast from the past.....Knight studies

On behalf of Quilt Week..

About three weeks ago, we had quilt week for our preschool theme. We read quilt stories and did a few craft projects. Then I had a brilliant idea--I'll make a quilt keepsake for my little one. I let her pick out about 8 types of kid fabric that I already had. I tied the different fabrics together with alternating blue blocks. It seemed to have taken me longer to finish this quilt than I had anticipated. However, it is complete and I hope that she will enjoy it for years to come. It measures apprx. 56''x56''

Art Discovery

I found some great resources to use for art with my 4 1/2 yr old. The main focus has been on art exploration.

We are currently using the book Primary Art: http://www.amazon.com/Primary-Art-Its-Process-Product/dp/0876592833 I was able to find it at my local library. The same author has another book entitled Preschool Art: It's the Process not the Product. My libary didn't have a copy of that book, but I've seen it at a few bookstores and it is packed with great activities.

We haven't focused on any artists yet, but it can easily be added in by using the Getting To Know The World's Greatest Artists series of books.


GiGi and I are having so much fun with art. It is such a joy to see how her writing and drawing skills are developing.



This is one of the projects found in Primary Art. It is a Penciled Watercolor --Pattern Design Blend.

Wordless Wednesday

Plate People

Crafted glass ornaments

I haven't posted, but we have been busy here in our household, making Christmas crafts, reading Christmas stories, wrapping, shopping, baking AND attending basketball games. :-)

We will be traveling for the holidays, and I am looking forward to being with family and friends.

Preschool Christmas Crafts

Diligent Concentration..... Yields.......

This idea came from The Mailbox 2007-2008 yearbook.The Mailbox is a bi-monthly elementary magazine for educators full of literature, math, craft ideas, themes and resources. I don't use it regularly, but find that it comes in handy. You can find out more about it at http://www.themailbox.com/ or at your local teacher supply store. It is typically geared towards a classroom, but some things can easily be adapted to your homeschool.

How are your Christmas crafts coming along?

The Reason...

For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace —Isaiah 9:6

Why study Latin???

I have been teaching my 14dd Latin beginning in 3rd or 4th grade. We began using Latin Primer, then we switched to Latina Christiana 1 & 2. Last year in 9th grade we began Henle Latin using the Mother of Divine Grace (MODG) syllabus. She is scheduled to complete Henle I in the next few months.

Over the past 3-4 weeks, my dd has been having major challenges with Latin. I must say, I am at a point that I can only be of minimal help to her. This year she has really been teaching herself, and I have been overseeing, and checking her work with the answer key etc. Having a 4dd around, and all of my other responsibilities, I just can't keep up with Latin at this level. So, I had to admit that I needed help. (gulp) Yes, help.

I called her co-op and found a great highly skilled Latin Tutor. Yeah!!!!!!!! She currently teaches High School Latin 1-4. We met with her last week, and she was able to immediately help my daughter in the area that she was challenged. We will be meeting with her once a week, until we decide if it is a temporary need, or if we will continue to meet the rest of the year.

Wordless Wednesday

Balance

We have been homeschooling for about 8 years, and the area of balance is a big struggle for me. I can go weeks and do just fine and then it seems that I just can't get anything done.

This is the time of year where there are a lot of things to think about. Curriculum yeahs or nays, sporting seasons, family gatherings, holiday shopping, holiday parties, etc.

Today, we begin homeschool basketball games for my teenage daughter. We truly enjoy watching her and her teammates play the game, and fellowshipping with other parents. I have to add though, it is time consuming, late games and practices. By the end of the last school season, if felt numb from all of the going.

It's not just basketball, because quite frankly, my dd 14 plays basketball pretty much all year around, just in different leagues. It's just that this time of year we are just getting routines down, kinks worked out--and then....

This year though, I have learned to delegate some of my responsibilities. I realized that I don't have to be at every practice or every single game. When I feel the need this season (and I have already) I will delegate, and utilize my limited resources. In the past, I haven't been very good at doing that.

Tonight is our first game. Go team Go!!! :-)

Fall Crafts

Preschool:

We have still been focusing on the autumn theme this week with my preschooler. The weather has definitely changed this week, making it actually feel like fall. The leaves are beginning to change, and it is quite windy and chilly here in the southeast.Here are a few of the fall crafts that we have done so far this week. I have a few more crafts in mind, along with a trip to the park for a scavenger hunt.

High School:

As for my high schooler, we are continuing to plug away with Tapestry of Grace-Yr 2 Classic. We are on week 7. It is going well. She has been working diligently keeping up with the readings and assignments. She is really enjoying the church history. She has began Canterbury Tales, reading The Nun's Priest Tale this week.

I along with others have jumped on the TOG workbook bandwagon. I created this for my daughter during the summer for Unit 1. It is VERY helpful having all of the assignments in one place.I am starting to work on the Unit 2 workbook now. Hopefully, I will have it complete in about a week. Here are a few pictures of the workbook.

An Artist In The Making

This is the first picture that my 4yr old has drawn. She's drawn plenty of faces and scribbles, but this is the first picture that she's done on her own while we were riding in the car. She loves animals! It is a shark eating a fish. I am such a proud Mama. :-)

Pumpkin Time

It's been way too long since I posted,
but I wanted to share the wonderful time that we have been having here during this harvest season.

This week was "pumpkin week" for my preschooler. We read pumpkin stories, did a few pumpkin crafts, and visited the pumpkin patch.

Hum drum days of February..

This is the time of year that is usually the most challenging for homeschooling moms. The holidays have long gone, the cold winter temperatures(for most of us) are dragging, and the yearning for spring and newness is on the forefront of our minds. Combine that with the thought of the new school year ahead, curriculum/teaching changes and thoughts, and the thought of the teaching methods that were sure to work--and are not working, many moms feel like this.

This is our 7th year homeschooling, and every year is the same. So new homeschoolers know that you are not odd if you are feeling this way.

I have tried to implement a few things around this time of year to help me through this tough time of the school year. Some of these tips I have picked up from others along the way.

1. Read positive inspiring words.

Daily reading of the bible; a homeschool devotional or article is helpful.

2.Listen to homeschool conference tapes/cd's

This is invaluable. If you attend a conference and are able to purchase cd's, do so. It is very helpful and inspiring to listen to them when you are "in the middle" of your school year." You can also purchase here http://bestchristianconferences.com/ (search for state homeschool conventions)

3. Go on a field trip.

Get out from the routine and visit a local art or science museum. Seasonal clearance sales, or spring shopping are also nice trips. :-)

4. Excercise

Get out (if you can), or borrow a fun exercise dvd from the library, and let everyone participate.

5. Try somthing new.

Try a new craft, read a new genre, cook a few new recipes.

I hope these are helpful tips.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Back to Blogging

I know it's been way to long since I've blogged, but I figure I'd begin again.

Homeschooling is hopping in more ways than one around here. I currently have a 9th grade dd and 3 1/2 dd who are both keeping me busy.

It has been a fun and busy year. Having a preschooler around is exciting. My oldest daughter went to a preschool and a few yrs in private school before we began to homeschool, so teaching preschool is new "territory" for me. Of course I have been checking out all of the prospective programs/books etc. to use in the future.

I am still trying to find out what learning strategies work best for gigi. We are having a lot of fun first, with learning sprinkled in. I can tell that she is going to be a very different learner than my older daughter.

On the flip side home schooling high school has been--nerve wrecking. I'm not sure why. I think that many parents who home school there high schooler for the first time have obvious concerns and questions about so many things. Two of my daughter's classes are at a co-op. The classes are going extremely well. It just takes so much time away from home. This is such a challenge, especially with a preschooler in tow.

Every year I promise to slow down, but it seems that it happens each year. This year being the absolute busiest with a very busy basketball team schedule and travel. How do you balance it all?

Thought of the day: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.---Albert Einstein

Recipe: Taco Soup

Scripture of the day:

One thing I have asked from the Lord that I shall seek; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord.
Psalm 27:4


Recipe to share:

This is by far one of my favorite quick and yummy dishes to prepare for my family, especially during the chilly months.


Taco Soup (serves 4-6)
1 lb. ground beef or Morningstar veggie crumbles (I’m a vegetarian)
1 medium onion
1 can red kidney beans
1 can corn
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies (original, mild or hot)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 packet of Ranch dressing
1 packet of Taco seasoning mix

Sauté ground beef /crumbles and onion in skillet until brown. Drain if necessary.
Add all of the remaining ingredients without draining. Stir and simmer for approximately
20 min. Viola!