First full week of homeschooling...

So tomorrow will be the last day of our first full week of homeschooling...and I am ready for it!

I spent 2 weekends making up our own curriculum with the A Beka books the boys got from school. I made 4 weeks worth of lesson plans in a daily calendar for all four boys.

I am just now realizing the work that I had planned for the big boys is too much per day...that Jackson and Aidan hate doing worksheets...Aidan especially...we have 2 days out of the next 2 weeks that we will not even be home but I have already made lesson plans for those days... I don't have any arts or crafts for the little ones...we are all already dreading school everyday!!!

I asked the kids what we could do to make homeschooling more fun...all they could give me was "We want recess!", which doesn't really make sense because they do have a "recess" time, so I was pretty much on my own for ideas.

So I had been thinking about it for the last 2 days and I thought of a few things to make things go more smoothly and make things more fun for the boys...

-Getting started earlier so we are not still working on a lot of stuff after lunch...not too early now! We had been starting at about 9:30...

Here is my proposed schedule:

• 7-8 am- get dressed, eat breakfast, clean up a little
• 8-830 am- Bible reading time
• 8:30-10:30 am-schooltime
• 10:30-10:45- snacktime
• 10:45- 12:30- more schooltime
• 12:30-1 pm- lunchtime!
• 1pm-2pm quiet reading time
• 2pm- finish any extra schoolwork!

-More internet time for the boys...Starfall and Spelling City

- Plan field trip days every 2-3 weeks

-Some sort of PE

-And the most exciting thing so far...Lapbooks!

I am so excited about the lapbooks! I did some research on the internet about them and I am really excited about doing them with the boys! I was a little worried about how we would do that on top of all their regular subjects but then I thought about doing them with their textbooks! Instead of doing History and Science we are going to make lapbooks for each chapter and learn about them that way! I have a dinosaur one planned for Jackson and a Fruits of the Spirit one planned for all of them to do. I am still brainstorming for ideas for one for Aidan...

So although we started out rough...I am looking forward to the coming weeks when I finally have my act together and the kids are actually having fun AND learning!

New Years

I have been pondering "resolutions" for the upcoming year. Its kind of hard to do when your children are sliding down the staircase in pillowcases screaming like banshees...but I don't really have to think too hard. I have decided to do everything my friend Kelli does! I read through her resolutions this afternoon and I have been thinking about them since then. She "said" all the things I desire to do and be, especially about being a Godly wife.

The thing that stuck with me most was this verse...

{...forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13b-14}

One of the hardest things for me to do is forget the past, to forget about how I have been wronged. Even as I type the words I can see how selfish it sounds. Although I feel like I am justified in my anger and hurt, I know I am not handling it in a biblical way. I react to things in the here and now instead of looking forward and upward and looking at the "big picture".

{ Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Hebrews 12:14,15). }

{ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:31,32). }

{ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly (I Peter 2:23). }

{ For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14,15). }

Lord help me to remember these verses in the next couple of days as issues are being resolved!

And thank you Kelli for your biblical insight...it is God's providence that you have these types of posts when I need them the most. I look forward to stealing more ideas from you in the future! ;)

Homeschooling!

Kyle and I are going to spend some time tonight getting the boys homeschooling stuff organized. We can only do the little ones because we dont have the quizzes and test for the older two yet. I dont think we will get them until the day we are supposed to start school! Maybe the day before if their teachers are at church Sunday! I am really looking forward to having the boys home and I pray that that feeling will continue once we start. Lots of changes coming up this year!

Chris Tomlin Giveaway!

Kristen at We are THAT Family (my favorite blog!) is hosting a giveaway on her website today. It features books, cds, candy and gift certificates! Click here to enter into the giveaway.

I have got work to do...

(Wow...don't you just love that picture! I just found it on Google...it's called Rest)

I have had so much going on these past couple of weeks, like parties, field trips, school and being sick. I feel like I haven't gotten anything done! I have several organizational things I need to do as well as some trash to treasure items that need some work. As soon as I get a camera that works I am going to get some pictures taken for my projects so you can all be super impressed with my craftiness!

Now that things have slowed down quite a bit, I feel like I just want to sit and rest and enjoy some peace and quiet...but I know that is just my laziness coming out! So I need to get to work! There are several things I need to get done today...groceries, going through the boys shoes and clothing to get rid of what doesn't fit anymore...and just general cleaning around the house. Plus I need to help my handsome husband with a few things.

We'll see how much gets done!

Busy Week!

Before I went to bed last night I was praying and thinking about what I have going on this week:

-Saturday- 2 birthday parties, one for Tyler 12-2 and one for Colby 6-8:30
-Sunday- Both Kyle and Aidan are getting baptized! Yay!
-Monday- Reach Visitation for our Sunday School Class (kids out of school too!)
-Tuesday-Nothing...possible Bible study...
-Wednesday- Jackson field trip...then choir practice that evening
-Thursday- Aidan field trip
-Friday- Go see Tenth Avenue North
-Saturday- Another birthday party for all the boys...then Wild West Carnival at church
-Sunday- Another birthday party for Aidan at Chuck E. Cheese

I am tired just looking at it! Lord help us honor You this week and not get too busy and help us to remember Psalm 90:12-"Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop a heart of wisdom".

October 2009

I haven't posted in quite some time. I have been busy with school and just with life in general. I would like to start blogging again, even though I still don't have my computer back...I am borrowing Kyles!

This past month has been awesome for our family. Both Kyle and Aidan got saved this month and are getting baptized soon. We have all been blessed by Kyle's decision and we are all growing in the Word and growing closer as a family and we are striving to be "set apart" from the world so that people can see Christ and His love through us. I hope to share on my blog the things that the Lord has shown us and what He is doing in our lives.

Right now we are attending a weekly Bible study at a friends house every Monday night. The Lord has really blessed us with the people He has put into this group. We eat and fellowship and spend time in His word and pray. This past Friday the wives of the group got together at the Coffee Beanery and just had a great time visiting and talking about our struggles and what we could do to change them and how to serve Him better. It was really awesome and I can't wait to do it again!