Schooling on the road...

We had a great trip to North Carolina recently, and got some schooling in on our trip! We had cold, windy, rainy weather most of the days, but we were fortunate to have a couple of days where the sun was out and the temperature wasn't frigid, so we ventured outside!

We started off the trip visiting with good friends of ours who recently moved up there. The day we arrived was exceptionally chilly and grey and we were welcomed into their home by a roaring fire in their fireplace. I could have stayed in their living room, in front of a fire for the whole week! We enjoyed hanging out with our friends very much .

From their house, we traveled to Kill Devil Hill and Kitty Hawk. On the way there, we stopped at Digger's Dungeon, which for those of you who don't follow "Monster Truck's", is the home of Grave Digger, my son's favorite Monster Truck and it's driver, Dennis Anderson. They have a store there that sells Grave Digger merchandise, and the shop is there where they work on the truck. There were trucks outside, and giant wheels, too, as they had just had an Easter Egg Hunt on their property the week before and apparently needed somewhere to hide eggs. While we were there, my hubby recognized the voice of the owner of Grave Digger, speaking to some people who were apparently putting up a diner on the property, soon to be opened as "Digger's Diner"! He went over and asked if we could take a picture of him with our son and he was more than happy to oblige. What a nice guy! He talked to us for a while and then we went on our way, deciding that was the highlight of our trip! Above are a few photos of that fun stop!

We also got to see (and play on) the largest sand dunes in Eastern North America at Jockey's Ridge State Park. Our pictures don't do it justice, but it was awesome! We climbed huge dunes and then the kids and dad rolled down them... they loved it, although dad was dizzy and couldn't get his balance for a few seconds after the rolling stopped.

We visited the Wright Brother Memorial and saw where those amazing first flights took place. We saw replicas of the first planes and where the gliders took off from, as well as where the first successful powered flights lifted off from, and how far (or not-so-far) they flew! We learned a lot about the Wright Brothers and already knew some of it, from our previous study on them.

We got to see the world famous lighthouse at Cape Hattaras. It was beautiful! I'm hoping to be able to frame one of my shots of this scene and hang it in our home!

I'll try and post soon about the rest of our trip!

Have a Blessed Day in your Homeschool!

Springtime....Planning time!!!

This is officially my favorite time of the school year... Springtime! Even though we're all looking forward to the current school year to be finished, I can't help getting into the planning-for-next- year mood! I love to plan the upcoming school year. I love looking through the curriculum catalogs and websites and trying to imagine what would be best for us to use in the coming year. I keep a few tried-and-true basics... Saxon Math, Bob Jones Writing and Grammer, but the rest usually changes from year to year.

I had been considering a local co-op for next year, but after a lot of praying and talking to a few friends, decided against it. My kids are doing amazingly well with what we're doing here at home, and I don't need to add anything more structured to it right now.

I'm planning on doing a Geography study this year, in place of history, and I'll use the same text for both kids. I found what appears to be a great book, Trail Guide to World Geography, which looks really interesting. I think it will be a fun study for all of us (especially me, as I am terribly geographically challenged!). I'm looking forward to studying not only the geographic location of different parts of this world God created, but the people, culture, history, etc. of the world. I hope my excitement is matched by my children's in this area!

For science, since I feel I've been a little lax as a teacher in that subject, I'm going to use The Complete Book of Science for each of the kids, in their grade level. I hope this will give them a well rounded year's worth of science, so that next year, I can begin the Apologia Science series with them. That series teaches a specific type of science in each book, so I'll feel better if they get a little of all areas of science this coming year, before honing in on specific branches in the following years.

I'm still not sure what I'm going to use for spelling for my youngest. Right now, he's using a 2nd grade workbook from Scholastic and he's doing great with it. I don't know if I'll just purchase the 3rd grade book in that series, or if I'll switch to something else. I haven't found anything that I love the looks of yet, so I'm still looking.

I think I'm going to have my oldest start Rosetta Stone's Spanish this coming year. I'd like to commit to studying it with her, but we'll see! LOL!!! I feel like one of those old dogs that just can't learn any new tricks!

We're studying the Civil War this week, and going to see the re-enacters at a local battle site this Friday. Unfortunately, we'll miss the re-enactment of the battle, but we will get to tour the grounds, and learn all about how the soldiers and their families lived during that period of history. We will be leaving for a week's vacation to North Carolina on Saturday, and will be visiting some great historical areas of the Civil War, which will add a little more hands-on learning to our studies. We're looking forward to the trip. Especially because we're getting to visit some wonderful friends who recently moved up there, that we miss very much!

I hope you all have a Blessed Day in your Homeschool,

Considering a Co-Op

I've been invited to enroll my children in a local Homeschool Co-Op and I'm actually really considering it. A couple of my friends have their children in this particular group and from some of the things I've heard, it sounds like a great experience. I've asked some of the ladies for more information, and I'm going to go visit and check it out later this month. My daughter was completely against it until she found out that one of the kids at church that she really likes is in it. Now, she's totally up for it. You can tell where her priorities are!

I'd love to hear about any experiences that any of you readers have had with homeschool co-ops. I've been doing this at home, alone for so long, that it's a little intimidating to think someone else will be teaching my children, and finding out how much they already know.

The parents are required to either teach a class, or assist in 3 classes, if I have understood that correctly. I don't know that I'll feel confident enough to teach anything right off the bat, so I'm sure I'll be assisting and learning from 3 other teachers. Although, maybe they'd let me teach cooking. I might be able to handle that!

As we're getting close to spring, I'm getting the FEVER! I'm ready for school to be wrapping up. I've ordered the kid's testing materials for the end of the year, and I'm happy to see us have fewer and fewer lessons left in their books to cover.

We took a day off last week and went to Sea World. We took my dad along with us and even my hubby was able to join us in the afternoon. It was a great day. We hadn't been there in a long time, so it was fun to see some of our favorite shows. I want to hit the beach soon, too, before it gets too hot and too crowded. Maybe we can take some of our school work with us and go on a week day. The kids probably won't mind doing their daily reading out on the beach! I know I wouldn't!

Remember, if you've had experience with a Homeschool Co-Op, share it with me. I'd love to hear about it!

Until next time,

Have a Blessed Day in your Homeschool!

Six months have passed...

Since we lost my mom, and I keep feeling like she's coming back. Like I've gone long enough without having her around and God's going to just give her back. Sounds crazy... doesn't it? I feel crazy sometimes. I miss her more than I ever knew would be possible. I'm glad for her that she's in heaven, in the presence of our Lord, but selfishly, I really wish she was still here, with me.

There are restaurants that we "always" used to go to, and when I drive by them, I feel so sad that we won't ever get to go there again, together. I used to take her to the doctor about every other week, and even driving down that road, I get sad. She hated having to go to the doctor so much, and get her blood count checked, but we always enjoyed our time together, so I even miss those doctor appointments.

We had our annual SuperBowl party Sunday evening, and it's the first time in as long as I can remember that she wasn't over here pigging out with the rest of us on more food than we could possibly eat in one evening.

Three of my children have had birthday's since she passed, and my hubby's was yesterday. I don't like that we have to go on without her here to celebrate with us. I cried a lot yesterday. My sweet 7 year old, (even though I had yelled at him just about all morning because for some reason, he can't remember any of his addition facts) - came into my room while I was sobbing, looked at me, and said "I miss her, too." I know he does, and he's going to miss out on her the most, as he's the youngest. My oldest kids will be able to look back at so many years of memories with her, but my little guy only got 6 years with her. It's hard to remember stuff that happened when you were that young. I don't want him to not have memories of her when he's older. It just makes me so sad for him.

I know that God has our days numbered, and that he has a plan for each one of us, and I really believe that He took her home when it was her time, but I have so many thoughts in my head, all the "what if's" that I have such a hard time with. "What if I hadn't told her she needed to have the surgery?" "What if I'd insisted they keep her in the hospital another day after the surgery was done?" "What if I'd been with her when she said she felt she was going to die?" I have to force myself to remember God's in charge and it was His decision, not mine, that brought her home to Him.

I wish I could dream about her. At least I'd feel like I got to spend a little more time with her. There are days when I feel really sorry for myself, as I'm the baby of the family and I think things like "my brother got to have her for 58 years", "my sister got to have her for 51 years" and "I only got to have her for 41 years, and it's not enough!". Man, I'm a mess!

I am so thankful that I treasured the time I did get to spend with her. Living only a mile a way from my parents was the blessing to all of us that I knew it would be when we bought this house 19 years ago. We DID spend a lot of time together. I DID make her a priority. She DID know how much I loved her. My kids DID share their life with her. She WAS the best mom I could have had, and I told her that time and again. I believe she's in heaven cheering us on, loving us from above and patiently waiting for us to join her. That is the blessing... I will see her again. And, she's enjoying this time with the family that preceeded her to heaven. Her baby sister that she never got to see grow up, her parents that she lost before I was ever born, her three brothers that she just adored. And our Jesus, that cared for her and about her since God first thought her into being. If I could just stay focused on everything I just wrote in this paragraph, maybe I wouldn't be such a mess!

Well, it's time to get started with our school day. I'm grateful that I had a place to express all that I've been feeling, here on this blog. I'm sure it will be something I'll come back to and read occasionally. Thanks for letting me share my heart about my mom.

Have a Blessed Day in your Homeschool!

Well, it went better than expected...

I introduced History and Science books to the kids yesterday and had them both read a certain amount in each subject. My 11 year old had to also answer the review questions after her history chapter. There was no complaining... I couldn't believe it. The 7 year old actually said he enjoyed the history and was looking forward to what he had to read today! The 11 year old enjoyed her science the most, but that doesn't surprise me. She doesn't care much for history, but I never did either, up until the last few years.

We had a great day yesterday. It was the 11 year old's birthday and we went out for lunch and did a little shopping after school. She got to pick out some pants and a pair of shoes. She had asked for gift cards to the stores we went to so she could shop, but I thought it would be more fun to actually let her shop on her birthday, instead of just giving her the gift cards. She also got her own Wii controller and green sleeve to put on it.

We had all the kids and their significant other's here, along with my dad and his sister and her husband, who come down each January for a couple of months. We ate dinner and then had a great cake - Cookies and Cream - from Target. She had a good day and I was enjoying having all my kids here for the evening.

The kids stayed up late last night, so they are still asleep at 8:45 this morning. You'd think I'd have gotten more done with the extra quiet time this morning, but all I've done is read my bible and get on here to update my blog, looked at a few coffee maker's (I want a thermal one... dh gets up much earlier than I do and by the time I get up, the coffee tastes terrible!), and read my mail.

Well, I'm off to try and find us another Field Trip to enjoy. That's the best part of homeschooling, in my opinion, and I'm wanting to be sure we have something planned for February.

Thanks for checking in with me, and until next time,

Have a Blessed Day in your Homeschool!

Over the half-way mark...

Anyone else nervous about how much schooling we still have left to do before this school year is up? I am... we have been doing school since early August, but since we started a week after my mom passed away, I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind for school. Thank goodness that I had already planned my beginning lessons out back in early summer, as I do every year. If I hadn't done that... I doubt we would have started school much before now. Anyway, most of us, who go by a more traditional school calendar, are now a little over half way done with our school year. This is the point in the year that I always wonder if I'm doing enough, if my kids are far enough along in their subjects, if I've chosen the right curriculum...

We're getting ready to add some more traditional work to our schedule. I've been using the Beyond Five in a Row curriculum, and all though we have absoultely LOVED this style of learning, in addition to Bible, English, Math, Spelling and independent reading... I feel my kids are lacking in the history and science areas, again. These were the two subjects my kids didn't excel at during last year's testing. So... after looking through my bookshelves to see what I already own... I've decided to add some History and Science into our schedule.

I have a few great Christian Liberty Press books that I bought last year when friend from church had a "Going out of Business Sale" at the Christian Book store he owned. I'll be starting "A Child's Story of America" with my 2nd grader and "Exploring American History" with my 5th grader. We'll actually be adding them in beginning tomorrow.

I had some Harcourt Science books on the shelves, too, so we'll be starting those as well. I'm expecting that I'll feel a little more comfortable with the amount they've covered in these two subjects the closer we get to testing day, although, I'm sure my kids won't think the extra work is necessary.

We love Beyond Five in a Row, though, so we'll also be reading our last book for the year, "Betsy Ross", from the Childhood of Famous American's series and keeping up with some of the FIAR lessons from the manual.

Anyway, I just wanted to write a bit about the aprehension that I feel every year at this time. You see the end of the year in the near future, and know that you don't have the WHOLE year ahead of you anymore to get in all that you intended. You might make adjustments and that's the blessing of homeschool... you aren't bound to any specific path... you get to make your own.

Thank God for the ability to homeschool our children!

If you, too, are struggling with the "mid-year anxiety"... I'd love to hear from you with how you're dealing with it.

Until next time....

Have a Blessed Day in your Homeschool!

Don't ya just love a good Field Trip???

It started with a chapter of "Homer Price" where a dress was described as "Robin's egg blue" and developed into a field trip to see bird eggs and their respective birds! That's how we homeschoolers think! And any thing I can relate a field trip to, all the better!

We spent a few hours at our local Audubon Center for Birds of Prey and had a great time! We originally thought that only a few of us would be going, but I asked around and everyone wanted to go. We had 5 mom's and 12 kids! We did a self guided tour, but the employees (or possibly volunteers) at the center took some time out of their day to show our kids some wonderful bird related goodies and even bring some birds out on their arm and talk to the kids about each one. We got up close and personal with a bald eagle, a barred owl, a caracara (my favorite),

and a beautiful hawk, although I'm not sure what kind.The kids asked some great questions, and we really enjoyed the outing. Homeschooling is awesome! We get to get out of the house, go somewhere new, spend time with friends, learning about the fantastic things that God made for his Glory and our enjoyment, and call it "school"!

The kids got to hold feathers, entire wings, beaks, talons, all kinds of cool things! There's just nothing better than "hands-on" learning!

The kids even got to sit in a lifesize Eagle's nest!

What a blessing!