Home Sweet Homeschool

O Christmas Tree

2008-04-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

My son did it again. Yesterday we discovered that someone had taken a bolt out of our lawnmower and the handle was falling off. (we assumed that someone had done this since both of our backyard gates had been kicked in and a few bottles of vodka-small bottles- were strewn on the lawn)

But I asked him to find something that would help us keep it together so we could mow. He entered the shed...less than thirty seconds later he came out with one of the bolts from our Christmas tree stands. It fit, it worked, we will keep it there until we buy a new bolt. Smart boy...that one!

If we don't get around to fixing it....will we remember where that bolt is when our tree is leaning ever so far over to the left??

Life Lessons /Best Teachers!

2008-04-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

The day before yesterday my son learned a hard lesson.

Computers and static electricity don't mix.

More lessons- You can salvage
256 RAM

60 GB Hard Drive
ATI Radeon 9250 Graphics card

Fast ethernet 10/100 MBPS network card
40x CD Drive

And a bunch of other computer wires. (He means a bunch) This has been quite a hands on experience for him. When I asked him what he has learned most he said, "Never leave your computer plugged in when you are working on it!"

Always something to learn

2008-04-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took the kids to one of those golf/frisbee parks.

We didn't spend a lot of money. The frisbee's were $1.oo a piece at Wal-Mart. We played on a nine hole course. Each player had their own color of frisbee to play with. I printed the map out from the computer and my boys navigated for us.

The wind blew our lite weight frisbee's in all sorts of directions. Occasionally a kid had to duck to avoid getting hit in the head. My kids added the scores, navigated and had a wonderful time. I know my kids are older, but younger kids would enjoy this sport.

One of those proud parent moments

2008-04-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

If you have ever seen your children's brains in action...you will understand why I was so proud!

Sitting on the living room floor last night...we needed to blow up an air mattress for a guest we had staying at our house.

It was dark and I didn't want the kids going through boxes in the shed. My youngest son suggested that he could use the blow dryer, set on cool air to blow it up.

Only the connection was all wrong. The blow dryer nozzle wasn't going to fit in that hole...no matter how hard it was pushed.

He said..."I know I'll take that pop bottle use the top part to fit in the nozzle and cut off the bottom of it to fit the blow dryer in." Fashioning his minor invention took seconds and with a little assistance from some duct tape...he had that mattress blown up in less than 5 minutes.

Go KID! The fact that he used DUCT TAPE....does frighten me somewhat!

Public Speaking

2008-04-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

Several months ago when we were looking for a church in our new home town....we chose a smaller church because we wanted more opportunities for our children to learn to serve.

(I know that there are ways to serve in a large church too....no judgment here! It was just our choice!)

Our two sons gave the sermon again on Sunday night. This is their second time.

Our oldest son did a sermon on 1Timothy and and letting no-one having a chance to look down on your youth. He talked about purity in speech, faith, love...etc. Very well put together.

Our second son spoke on faith and used three scripture references pertaining to the birth of Jesus and how Mary had to have faith, how the wise men had faith and how the magi had to have faith. He did such a good job.

It was interesting to see their individual personalities handled their talks. I am so proud of them.

Of coarse this counts as speech class.

Only the coolest song ever!

2008-03-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

http://acl.hanyang.ac.kr/yohun/music/03%20-%20Be%20Thou%20My%20Vision.MP3

You know you are a homeschool Mom when

2008-03-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

You Know You're a Homeschool Mom When...

My friend sent me this, I love it!

1) When a child busts a lip, and after seeing she's okay, you round up
some Scotch tape to capture some blood to look at under the microscope!

2) Your children never ever leave the "why?" stage.

3) You look at every room in your home to try and imagine how to
squeeze in another bookshelf.

4) You turn your china cabinet into bookshelves.

5) You ask for, and get, a copier instead of a diamond tennis bracelet
for your wedding anniversary.

6) Your kids think reading history is best accomplished while lying on
the floor with their head resting on the side of their patient dog.

7) Your husband can walk in at the end of a long day and tell how the
science experiment went just by looking at the house.

8) You never have to drive your child's forgotten lunch to school!

9) The only debate about the school lunch program is whose turn it is
to cook.

10) If your child gets drugs at school, it's probably Tylenol.

11) Your formal dining room now has a computer, copy machine,
bookshelves and there are educational posters and maps all over the
walls.

12) You have meal worms growing in a container....on purpose.

13) Talking out loud to yourself is a parent/teacher conference!

14) You can't make it through a movie without pointing out the
historical inaccuracies.

15) The teacher gets to kiss the principal in the faculty lounge and
no one gossips.

16) Your honor student can actually read the bumper sticker that you
put on your car.

17) If your student claims that the dog ate his homework, you can
ask the dog.

18) You can't make it through the grocery produce department without
asking your preschooler the name and color of every vegetable.

19) You can't put your produce in your cart without asking your
older student to estimate its weight and verify its accuracy.

Sunny Weather

2008-03-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

It is about that time of year again...when we start running out of curriculum and have to spend spend spend...to get us through the rest of the year. This I will gladly do.

The weather is almost like spring and we hope to spend more time outside this year than ever before. Life is too short to waste these sunny days.

I sent an email to an online art society to inquire about a map for a tour of the cities statues. They never answered back....so I don't know what I will do about that. Perhaps a little more research and asking at the library.

We live by the Columbia River and I hope to get my children into drawing scenes from our river walks. Charcoal drawings would be cool.

We also live close to a pool and not far from the YMCA with weights and other muscle building equipment so we will be joining that this month.

Well that is it for a brief update on what we are up too. Back to ordering the books.

:)

Our Menu For this Week

2008-03-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

Our Menu has done a bit of adjusting this week since I am not going to be home when my family has dinner.

Mon- Swiss Chicken Casserole

Tues- Oven baked Lasagna

Wed- Yankee Style Pot roast

Thur- Red Beans and Rice and corn bread

Friday- Meatloaf, baked potatoes and carrots

(note the simple dinner menu) The next time I make the menu I am going to aim for more fresh veggies. I just needed to get through this week, with a new schedule, a cold and making dinners.

A Happy Home

2008-03-04T13:14:00.001-08:00

I know this is lengthy, but I really loved it! Ok so in review it was really lenghthy so I just posted a closing poem from the sermon.

"Happy the home when God is there,
And love fills every breast;
When one their wish, and one their prayer,
And one their heavenly rest.

Happy the home where Jesus' Name
Is sweet to every ear;
Where children early lisp His fame,
And parents hold Him dear.

Happy the home where prayer is heard,
And praise is used to rise;
Where parents love the sacred Word
That makes us truly wise.

Lord, let us in our homes agree,
This blessed peace to gain;
Until our hearts in love to Thee,
And love to all will reign."
–Henry Ware

Get Er Done

2008-03-04T13:04:00.001-08:00

It is amazing to me how in the few short weeks that I did work and my schedules were not exactly great for homeschool....how much my kids let slide.

My daughter said today...."Wow mom...I have gotten so much done in the last two days!"

SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE

Thanks again God for allowing me to stay home with my kids.

Worms in the Spaghetti

2008-03-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

I was driving to work the other morning when I heard part of a sermon. The speaker was telling a story from 5th grade. He had just been served spaghetti in the lunch line. Upon examining his spaghetti he observed that it was moving.

He quickly took his spaghetti to the lunch server and explained his situation.

WORMS WERE IN HIS SPAGHETTI!

School was dismissed for the rest of the day.

The point of his story was that God worked all things for good for those that loved him.

Romans 8:28
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called according to his purpose.

While he was jesting, I would like to take his point and elaborate a bit.

This week was a horrible week for a working homeschool mom. My kids were fighting and it is so evident that they need me more than ever.

As the week began I was dreading the hours my work had given me and I was begging God for the chance to be with them more. One client became abusive this week. (HE WAS THE WORM) I had to tell the company that I would no longer work with him.

I received a call from my company giving me another client Mon- Friday 9am to 3pm...to which my heart sank...why couldn't I be home with my kids. At the end of our conversation the office lady said, that should just about give you your 40 hours. To which I opened my eyes widely and said, "Wait...I only want 25-30 hours a week!" "Oh!" she said and we changed my schedule. (SHE LET SCHOOL OUT EARLY!)

Now my schedule is in the evenings for just four short hours a day Mon-Friday and I have a great amount of time with my children. GOD DOES WORK THINGS OUT DOESN'T HE!

My children will have their father home with them in the late afternoon...into the early evening...giving them very little time alone! PRAISE GOD....and thank HIM for the worms!

Good Morning

2008-02-23T07:18:00.001-08:00

A glimpse into the life and home of a homeschool family!

Well it is another Monday Morning. I am counting the days until I have another day off. 1....2....3. Awww yes. That blessed Thursday off.

Yesterday I finished organizing the kids school curriculum in the desk file drawer. I got their bulletin board fixed pretty much the way I want it for now. It is their book report board. It has lists of books for them to choose from and their book report criteria and the prizes they can redeem their points for. I got a movie in their prize box, two notebooks, modeling clay, a pom pom craft and some really rad highlighter pins. I will add to the box as needed. I thought about putting candy in there, but knew I would be too tempted.

I don't know if my kids are getting too old for a prize box. I guess we will see. I just want to give them some extra incentive to read books that are "classics". We had to cross a few off of the list a little bit too much for anyone to read, let alone young beautiful minds.

I got up at 6 am yesterday and except for the laundry-and the bathrooms- I had the house clean before we went to church. Yahoo! I had to reclaim my dining room. It had been turned into a small factory for arrow shaft making. The boys had cut, sanded and straightened their arrows for at least a month in the dining room. I had to take it back. I couldn't look at it any longer. The interest had dropped off with making the arrows and all that was left was the mess.

Smiles, blessings and prayers as we all head into another week of the most wonderful experiences with our children!

An idea of what a homeschool mother's day is like!

2008-02-16T07:04:00.000-08:00

Today as usual there is much to do.

I have a little bit of a banking mess that I need to clean up. I didn't mean to, but I over drew one of our accounts. And I gave our boys permission to buy something on Amazon.com that over drew my husbands account. Of coarse the letters came in the mail 10 days later. So today that is the first order of business...get money in those accounts.

So it's Budget first X
Cleaning up accounts X
Call Shari's in Yakima since it is there that I overdrew the account X
Call my Daughter Bethany X
Let my husband know how much to write the check for and deposit it into his account X
Grade my daughters book report
Do five loads of Laundry XXXX
Clean the storage part of our basement / (that stands for half of an X)
Get the air conditioner dusted and put back in the box for winter X
Call newspaper for moving sale advert.
clean the rugs spots by the front door. X
Clean the kitchen Xand the frig- get the milk glass off of the top shelves, wash top of cabinets and pack glassware
walk to MCDonalds with my daughter so she can redeem her free breakfast sandwich coupon X
While there go to safeway to get eggs so I can bake a bit today. X Banana bread and ......
Ironing / got a few pieces done
Clean out our closet and clothes dresser
Work on homework with Carolyn X We actually had a no school day. Boys worked on landscaping a friends yard and putting up a retaining wall. And Carolyn and I priced things for a garage sale.
Apply for a part time job
Bible and Prayers I am terribly ashamed to say that I didn't read my bible- I prayed tons though.
Watch a Mary Kay Video
Have my boys go through their clothes
Pack up our books / got some of this done.
(I am praying that I make it through this!)

It also looks like I might need a nap. xxxxx took a great little nap.

This was a blog from several months ago before our move. The xxx's stand for things I actually got done that day. There is always so much to do.

Online Math Games

2008-02-16T06:57:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to online Math Games. I have been using this site for my youngest to play MATHO.... it is kind of like bingo and is helping her review her times tables.

She has been playing this for a half hour a day this week.

Working and Homeschool

2008-02-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was sitting in church and got the question..."How can you homeschool and work!" At least it wasn't the basic one...."How will your kids learn how to be social?"

Well, the truth is that many times I wonder how I do it. Considering the alternative...sending my children to public school, I have to put my doubts behind me. If my children were younger I would also have more doubts. I would be lying if I didn't tell you that it wasn't difficult. It is hard.

Add to the fact that my energy level is so low that I have to take a nap most every day and I really feel guilty some days. (LUPUS is a nasty little disease) Ok almost every moment that I am not with them I feel guilty.

But they are great kids. I watch them at church and they are all interacting with kids and adults and the adults gather in circles around my kids to talk to them. They have preached sermons, pray in church, do projects to help the community. Write wonderful stories, tell great jokes, read non stop, jog, play frisbie, watch clean movies, are offended by obscene things. They all love God...to me that is the most important thing of all.

Ok, I will lay my worries aside and continue to do the best we can!

Homeschool September 2005

2008-02-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

This is one of my first homeschool blogs. Posted in September of 2005

It is very frosty this morning. Our garden wilted pretty badly a few days ago. I hate to see the end of the growing season! But fall is by far my favorite season.

This year we planted, zucchini, radishes, snow peas, green beans, tomatoes, onions (my sons dug them up on accident) beats, carrots, spinach, acorn squash, and beautiful sunflowers. I did a bit of freezing. I didn't come across a canner until a few weeks ago. But the one I got was a beauty. It even has a rack in it. I don't think I have ever had the privilege of canning with a canner that had a rack. I canned some zucchini relish, but I didn't need to use the canner for that. I think that next year I am going to can a lot. I grew cilantro too and was going to can salsa, but we didn't have a great tomato-growing season in Washington.

This week I plan on being a better mom. I really want to focus all of my attention on my kids. I didn't realize it until my two older children went to school, but they were really over shadowing the younger two. So now as far as home school goes I have a lot of catching up to do with the younger. I am sure someone might say, well...you did work out of the home, and while that is true the overshadowing thing is true too.

My oldest two were home schooled up until this year. My son is 15 1/2 and my daughter is almost 17. WTMW-welcome to my world! They were going to take two classes a piece at the high school. But the transportation issue kind of fell apart.
So we decided that we would try school for a half of a year. If they were doing well, it would determine what we did the next semester.

We go to a very small church not too far from our home. We used to go to one an hour away that had over 400 members. Our hearts were with our little community though, and we wanted to serve the members of our church down here. There are three young families that go to our church. There are no other teens besides our teens. We are praying that the Lord will bring us more families. We have started a teen class; so far we have 3 wonderful kids. All mine! We have two other teen boys that come to worship. They have to come with whoever brings them. We pray for them only their great grandparents are believers.

Our children are praying that they can meet and invite their friends to church. We live in the country, so meeting and making friends is hard, unless you go to where they are.

Prayer-
For our new youth group
For my husbands efforts with work to be blessed
For me to have more faith
For me to be a better home schooling mother.

Cool Math Site for Homeschooled Kids

2008-02-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

When my kids were growing up and learning their times tables we were always making flash cards out of 3X5 cards. It was cheap I admit. But here is a cool website that has the flash cards that you can print out. Of coarse it has lots of other games too!

Cookies for younger kids to make!

2008-01-24T07:49:00.001-08:00

This is an old post from my previous blog on homeschool.

Carolyn made the most beautiful cookies last night. It was her first time doing it alone. I went to bed. She started after nine. But she was so excited to do it I just let her go for it. Besides who can argue with having our Friday night movie snack already made?

Tasty too. GO CAROLYN!!!

Heading back to work. I am excited today. I made the first step in becoming a stay at home mom again. I have started a work from home business. :)

I am a working mom as well as a homeschool mom. It does present it's challenges. I have been off work for the last month though..it has been a major blessing to be with them full time.

My kids are older so it isn't that bad. Although I have prayed for the income to be there for me to stay at home, it just hasn't happened. So I do my part. And I make the most of every opportunity to be with my kids! I considered putting them in public school, but the benefits of homeschool, even though I was working, still outweighed the prospect of putting them in public school. My next post will be about how I get it all done!

The cookie recipe that my daughter made was much more involved than this one, but I thought I would put it here for the younger kids.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipie

This is a very basic, easy peanut butter cookie recipie that doesn't even require flour. They taste great and are quick to make.

One cup of peanut butter (crunchy or regular... doesn't matter)
One cup of sugar
One egg

Mix all ingredients together. Roll dough into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet, silpat or parchement paper. Using a fork, flatten the balls leaving a waffled pattern on them. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes. Check periodically to be sure they don't burn. Enjoy!

Day 6000

2008-01-17T07:55:00.001-08:00

How much information do you think we managed to cram into their little brains in approx 6000 days?

I dare say, not as much as I would like to.

We started homeschooling 17 years ago.

Here is a short trip down memory lane:

We visited a planetarium and learned about the stars

We went to the beach and played on numerous occasions-we brought our bible and had a devotional on the sand.

We visited and fed seals

We played games-we played games-we played games!

We started several businesses and had the kids help with filing etc...

We played hours and hours of Celtic music with the fiddle, guitar, tin whistle, keyboard and drum.

We talked to our kids almost non-stop

Here is a list of what we are doing now....

Our boys are preparing to give their first sermons at church

Our youngest is doing needlepoint, painting and listening to all kinds of music

Our kids are learning to compose music

Our son just opened his own online t-shirt shop

Our kids are learning Spanish

They also do their bookwork....math...civics...history....social studies...bible...reading....music theory...etc-

What a blessed homeschool we have had. I wouldn't trade those 6000 days with our kids for anything in the world. Just the thought of someone else getting to experience all of those things with my kids makes me sad!

Spending Time With Your Kids!

2008-01-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

If you are spending time with your kids then you have actually taught them a lesson more valuable than any lesson they could ever get by going to school.

You have taught them that they are valued!

Journalist Trip

2008-01-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

We are heading to Yellowstone this summer! I can't wait. My husband is getting our kids geared up to present the trip like a journalist would.

Food Critic
Natural Journalist
Scientist
Photographer

I can't wait to show you some of their work this summer.

Lesson Learned

2008-01-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

Wow, yesterday our family experienced a new kind of food. Banana flat bread. Interesting, but still mildly tasty.

My youngest was making the banana bread and forgot to put in the baking soda.

Lesson learned!

Sometimes we get uptight about teaching our children at home. There are lessons in everyday life. Once you have that mentality, you will find lessons all around you.

Take every opportunity to teach your kids by having them do!

Kitchen sink repair, toilet repair, yard work and cooking!

(I have to insert this...because I don't want people to think that I have over worked my kids)

Play with them too! :)

Turn off the TV?

2008-01-07T06:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, watching nature videos with your kids is rather err, interesting.

Fortunately my kids are older and they aren't asking a lot of questions.

Nothing like when they were younger and were amazed at a double bodied crane fly. LOL!

Nature videos and other videos from the library are great resources. But they really don't or won't help your kids learn, unless you have them engage in an activity involving what they learned.

My kids all had to write a one page essay discussing all of the references to evolution and all the evidences of a creator.

The papers were awesome! It is nice to see that my kids are engaged when they watch something on TV and not just tuning out!

GIVE UP MY TV?!?!

It may sound preposterous at first but heavy TV watching is linked to a great number of social ills. I realize that little box in your home looks innocent enough. It's such a entertaining and relaxing piece of furniture. However, a growing body of scientific evidence indicates that TV viewing has become an unhealthy addiction for a great many people. Society as a whole is suffering. Cutting back on TV can help minimize some of the problems, but many people are ADDICTED to their television set. If you are among those addicted to TV, the only solution may be to TRASH YOUR TV.

Look at some of the effects of society's TV addiction:
THE AVERAGE AMERICAN WATCHES OVER 4½ HOURS OF TELEVISION EVERY SINGLE DAY1

UPDATE 9/21/06: The most recent figure from Nielsen Media Research, Inc., is 4 hours and 35 minutes per day, up three minutes from last year. Now, let's add that up. That is 31½ hours every week (almost a second job!). That is also 5½ solid days per month and more than two whole months every year. By age 70 that is over 13 years watching television! Aren't there more important things you would rather be doing with this time? Spending time with your family? Camping or hiking in the great outdoors? Fishing? Reading? Imagine what you could do with all this time.

Getting your kids to do homework

2008-01-04T10:08:00.000-08:00

As I type you would not believe what is going on behind me. All three of my kids are sitting on the couch doing their homework.

You will never guess what the incentive is!!!

We have been without high speed internet for almost three months now. I just installed it and the kids are just, well, being so good!

Haven't heard a peep from them since I said they could play on the internet when their homework is done.

Meanwhile, I have five blog tabs open and am listening to Sirius Satellite radio.

Weather update: It is snowing like crazy outside.

Top all of this good news off with the fact that I am going to win the wife of the year award for installing all of the cables and getting us hooked up to DSL.

Swiss Family Robinson

2008-01-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

This is how our homeschool day went yesterday.

My youngest had missed an important instruction 4 pages earlier in her English and was totally confused. We had to go back and do a few things over. That took about an hour. It might have gone quicker, had it not been for the crying and whining that took place. My daughter informed me that it drove her nuts having me home and making her do work. Good! That means I am being effective.

18 year old twaddled the day away. I wanted to watch and see what he was going to do. I wasn't really that impressed. So-Today he is going to sit down with me and write out a goal chart and he is going to have to stick to it. Gasp!

15 year old did pretty good after I pulled him off of the video game. He said he was done with his school work, just about 15 minutes after he had begun. Well.....not so!
Pulled him back into reality and he actually spent another 1.5 hours doing homework.

We went to the Library to get Swiss Family Robinson for his English project and they won't have a copy back for a week. Lucky for him. But today he will pick another book and begin reading it. SHOCK AND AWE!

I also picked out a rather cool PBS nature video for them to wrap their brains around.

I love being home with my kids!!!!
Quote from the 1960 movie-Swiss Family Robinson
[Reflecting on their island paradise]
Mother: It's wonderful for today, but what about tomorrow?

New Year

2008-01-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

Well- like most homeschoolers school is about to begin again. I wonder how many kids are complaining?

After Christmas, New Years and all of the festivities that have consumed us over the past few weeks....moving was in there too. I hope we are able to ease back into a routine. Although it will be a new routine for us. Since I was working part time and homeschooling. Now I will be home to torture the kids.

We plan on picking up Spanish this Semester. We already have some video tapes that we bought through School Of Tomorrow. We will be watching these and looking for some interactive games on line. That will give us a good start.

I'll let you know what we find.

A Well Trained Mind

2007-12-31T04:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a great website

Welcome to Home Sweet Homeschool

2007-12-31T03:11:00.000-08:00

An introduction is in order!

I am the mother of 4 wonderful children. My oldest has graduated and is now enrolled in a criminal justice program. Her GPA 3.8

My oldest son will graduate this year and plans on working for a year then attending preaching school.

My youngest two are still in there journey.

Our homeschool hasn't been extremely structured. We have taken a mostly eclectic approach to learning. Our goals have always been to teach them as we go.

Our children have made rabbit hutches, a deck, worked on plumbing, and helped with car repairs. They have raised rabbits, cats-dogs, and fish. We have introduced them to farm life, small town life and big city life.

In our travels we focused on learning while having fun. We play games with our children, read to them, discuss books, watch the behind the scenes in making of movies. Utilized the library, encouraged them to be independent in there studies.

My goal with this blog is to share stories and ideas with other mother's. I hope to encourage you to continue the journey!