First Week of School cuz it's cool!

Well last week was our official first week of school. I have to say, I always love the first week. New books, I am organized-for a change, the kids *actually* want to learn, and I love the feeling a being all Teacherie. But usually after that, it's all down hill (like a workout video you think you will do until your butt is in shape...it never happens right?)

But this year, I have a drive in me, that I have never had before. It's not a drive to "finish all of our books" or a drive to do school on time everyday. It's a drive to TRY. that simple. I usually let "research" get the best of me. I try to perfect everything, and in the end, do NOTHING!

I will have to admit my biggest reason for this change is:

1. my diet. I gave up sugar and caffeine (and soon phosphoric acid-it hurts my bones! and bread and pasta-cuz I just eat too much of it) I feel alive now...like my soul is on fire! I wish I would have known this 4 years ago...but maybe this is God's way of me being able to share with the world...that stuff steals your life.

2. GREAT examples of other homeschool moms. I have had some women in my life lately (blog and real life) that share my passion's and to see them in action...it's, intoxicating! I figure, why keep researching it ya duffice, get out there and live it. It would be great to be the example to others that they have been to me. Hey its my dream, stop laughing!

3. my husband, he is my rock, and I feel like when I don't put the effort in, what kind of wife am I? Oh and he works like 10 times more than I do...so I feel kind of like I should be atleast trying a little more.

4. my kids. They love school, and they love spending time with me. Why not give them what they want? It's not like they want candy and PlayStation. Well they do...but that's not my point.



Can you have 4 better reasons? Yes...the Lord. For those that don't have Him in their lives, I just don't know how they make it through the day. Especially if ya don't have the drugs, caffeine and sugar anymore.

My life is not perfect...but I love it just the way it is (minus the disorganized parts of course)
Faith

homeschool book deals & organization mess

First HOMESCHOOL DEALS: (below that if you chose to skip is my organization mess)

Okay a week or so ago I went to a used homeschool book fair to get me some good deals on some homeschool books. For the FIRST time in the 6 or so years that I have been going there I went there with a cut and dry list of what I wanted. I did not walk out with all that I wanted, but I walked out very happy, and $90.00 dollars poorer!

Right up front let me start by saying that I am on a mission. You see I have found certain curriculum's, that to me, works for every type of child. They can be relaxed, or rigid, depending on what learning style they have. And so I have started buying every grade, to own the whole collection 3rd-12th grade. I have about 13 more subjects left and I am done! Oh and I love LOVE books made by the homeschooler for the homeschooler...my list shows it.

The books I use are:
Apologia science (need 2 more for high school, 4 for elementary)
Math-U-See (need 5 more)
The Mystery Of History (1-4) (need 2 more)
All American History (done)
Spelling Power (done)

At the used sale I was able to get 3 apologia science years for a little over $20 each and a Math-U-See for $10 (still needs student workbook) and a Latin curriculum for $10. I also got a KONOS high school Medieval World set for FREE! Its a massive set with all kinds of stuff, she just gave it to me because someone gave it to her! New it would cost $60.00! It covers one History, Writing, and Art credit for high school each! is that not cool or what! And because my kids seem to love hands on projects, this will be up their alley!

organization mess: (homeschool that is)

Before you read below, what I am writing may sound like lots of extra work, it is not in my eyes. I love working on my kids school and so I enjoy the 'extra work'. Also please do not think that the extra work I am providing for my children below is something they must do during *that* subject time. My children get 1 hour a day of book reading or a school DVD to do each day (weekends included-don't worry my kids love it) and this *extra* fun work can be done then.

I have been working on organizing my life little by little. You would not know it by my house as of yet, but I am. The other day at a friends home I was thumbing through her new version of the Mystery Of History book and was baffled that she had large post-it notes in each chapter with stuff I could not make out on it. When I questioned her she told me she finds books that she owns to correlate with that time frame and has her children read them. (insert open mouth shock) Of course this curriculum already lists a large number of read along books to do during private time, but she had her own collection and used hers instead. That is not the shocking part, the shocking part is by just taking a couple of hours to leave notes for her children, she now knows they will be reading those books at that time. LOVE IT! So instead of them just reading any old book during reading time, they read a books that go along with what they are studying at that time! Might sound boring to you, but it's actually really fun, I have seen my own children after reading or hearing about one subject, go to the library and get more on it.

I tried to do roughly the same concept as my friend last year with my Mystery of History book but failed at it because I was trying to do it as we went along and was frustrated that the library either did not have the book we wanted or by the time I was able to pick it up we were about done with the chapter. So early on I gave up. But now I realize that if I just start a few weeks before school begins and write in each chapter what I need, then 2 chapters before time I can easily look it up and get the books or DVD's. A little planning ahead makes light work later on.

I am also doing this for science, language arts and maybe Latin too if need be. It has been fun to get onto the libraries website and look up cool books and DVD's to go along with what Devin will be learning in science. I practically want to do school with him!

It will probably take me from now until September 1 (when we normally start school) to finish doing this, but I am so excited to start! Let the homeschool games begin!

So what do you think?
Faith

Our 2009/2010 School Year

I just wanted to post our homeschool meanderings for everyone. We will be starting school September 1st, like we have for about 5 or 6 years now. We do school roughly 4 hours a day 4 days a week for roughly 45 weeks a year. Taking off Christmas and Vacation/life. Giving us a total of 720 hours of 'class room' school. The other 280+ hours (MO requires 1000 hours of school) will easily be made up in many other ways, mostly in reading, writing, and school video's.

Tyrus our 4 year old will be doing miscellaneous school because I don't usually buy curriculum for a child before 3rd grade. However my friend Karen gave me plenty to keep him busy throughout the morning hours and he loves doing school with his brother.

I will be rotating our school so it will look like this:

Everyday: English, Math, Reading, Spelling
Mon-Wed: Science, Music, Writing
Tue-Thurs: History, Art, Biblical Latin

For P.E. Devin will be volunteering at HOH every week on Tue or Wed from 2-4pm. He is also involved in Baseball, Basketball, and Bowling throughout the year.

Our Homeschool Schedule for 2009/2010:

7-9am All are done as a family except dress and rooms
-Dress
-Pick up rooms
-Cook/Eat/clean up Breakfast
-Garden chores in summer House chores in winter or a mix if needed
-Bible Time
-Get school books out and ready



9am Reading-we read lots of classical books out loud for this class
9:30am Math-U-See Pre-Algebra
10am snack
10:15am Spelling with Spelling Power
10:30am English Intermediate Language Lessons
11am Science Apologia Physical or History MOH II Early Church and Middle ages
11:30am Music guitar lessons or Art
12pm Writing Faith Writers or Biblical Latin for beginners
12:30pm lunch
2-4pm volunteer at HOH once a week

I also plan on having the children doing independent reading for at least 30min-to an hour a day or watch a school-ish video from time to time.

So what do ya think?


Faith

Four day weekends should be mandatory!

My husband thought it would be nice to take a day off this weekend to give us a four day weekend of fun family time. I am ever so thankful for it! We had a blast.

On Thursday we all went fishing at Pomme De Tarre Lake. It was too windy to catch anything really but we so enjoyed the relaxed family time.

-did I mention I have a 12 year old that eats like MORE than his dad does. It was like they we in an eating contest at lunch! I think they had 5 hot dogs each, plus chips, plus fruit!

-A nice moment came up to teach my youngest about patients while fishing it was a great time to speak to him about how the Lord desires patients. Ty is a good kid, he kept looking at me, "has that been long enough?"...lol it was funny he had no patients to be patient.

Then Friday I went to the SHEM homeschool conference in Springfield MO. I absolutely LOVE going to the conferences! I hung out with a close girlfriend of mine and we had a blast being our goofy selves...and spent loads too much on yummy homeschool books and stuff!

-I got Devin (and all 10 future children) These Great CD's on American History...I so wish I had these CD's growing up, I would have easily been a history buff!

-I also got him Math-U-See. I am just bored with Saxon and because of it's public school tendencies I just wanted it out of my house.

Saturday was a day to go to some 'tag sales' (that is Martha Stewart for 'yard sales') and get us some booty to help prepare for 'change' (That is obama for 'change'). If things get bad enough and people get homeless we want enough provisions for them to stay with us, if God so desires.


-I got a fabulous Cuisinart ice cream machine that I have been wanting for like EVER!


Then on Sunday it was Ty's Birthday. It was such a wonderful day! Ty got all he asked for (thanks to great yard sale deals!) He was so happy to get these items. Now I will help him pick out just as many items (if not many more) to donate to those in need, he loves giving to the kids 'who don't have any toys' as he likes to say.

Then on Monday I sat my fat butt in my office chair and did nothing like ALL DAY-except facebook!!~ A four day weekend is fun but tiring!

Love,
Faith

Home School 6 month update

Well we are 6 months into our 12 month school year (we homeschool year round). This year is by far our most consistent year yet...but it's not what you think. Usually by December I have pretty much washed our homeschool books because we bore of them/I am lazy. But this year we love the homeschool books we have and I have forced my self to be a little less lazy. Both have paid off! So here is our updated schedule that seems to work pretty nice for us, it's an average schedule that we try to do Monday-Thursday...notice I said try, we probably only consistently do this schedule 3 times a week on average but I usually make up what school is missed on Friday and the Weekend:

3:20 I get up or see my husband off-This is usually when I blog
6:30 I get up if I don't stay up after husband goes to work-blog
8am get boys up
8-9:15am chores-has chore chart

• start laundry
• make bed
• shower
• clean room
• eat
• brush teeth
• put laundry in dryer
• start school

9:15-9:45am guitar lessons using book and CD (electric guitar primer)
9:45am-10am bible study and memorization (my oldest boy's choice to memorize)
10-10:15am snack
10:15-10:45 reading (Chronicles of Narnia)
10:45-11am spelling (spelling power)
11am-12pm

• Monday and Wednesday: History (The Mystery of History)
  
• Tuesday and Thursday: Science (Apologia)
  

12pm-1pm lunch
1pm-3pm Saxon Math KONOS or other school activity of his choosing
3-5 Free time

My summer schedule (starts first real hot days or first day of summer)will look like this:

8am get boys up
8-9:15 chores (listed above)
9:15am-10am garden/yard work
10-10:30am guitar
10:30-10:45am bible
10:45-11am spelling
11-12pm History or Science
12-12:30pm reading
12:30-1pm lunch
1-3pm Saxon Math KONOS or other project
3-5pm Free time

With this schedule he loses 30 minutes of lunch but gains really nice morning time outside relaxing and weeding the garden.

New Years and Homeschoolingish News

Don't you just love a NEW YEAR. It's hope of a new start, to reflect on the wonderful and crazy past and to move away from bad habits. My New Years Resolutions are my favorite time of the year. Three years ago I always loved to sit down and make my list and I ALWAYS stuck to it-I miss the old me(sigh). But then I had my second child...and all was lost. I have spent the past 3 years trying to gain my life back by get closer to the Lord and in doing so I am starting to see the light of day. It's amazing what hormones and lack of Faith can do to you! I don't mean lack of Faith in the Lord I mean lack of Faith in myself. Bad thoughts bring bad habits that bring bad thoughts...on and on! NO MORE! I love when I tell myself to be happy...I generally am! This past year has brought me to such a closer walk with the Lord, and a new joy with my family. So here are my New Years Resolutions:

#1-To always try and walk joyfully closer to the Lord, Jesus Christ! and in doing that I must:
#2-Love and OBEY my husband in all things-no more back talk...it's just so hard!
#3-Cherish my children-no more "in a minute" while I do something so worthless
#4-Serve others-I like the appeal of saying we are doing missionaryish work...why not in my own back yard?
#5-Prepare my home for easy maintenance!
#6-To be frugal in my meal planning and Have dinner ready EVERY NIGHT!
#7-Eat much smaller servings (don't fret over NOT having an occasional latte-instead have a small coffee cup size instead of a QUART size...I know sad huh?)
#8-Work out everyday by playing with my children and 20min on tread mill. My prayer is that by doing #7 and #8 I will lose the 30 pounds I put on 3 years ago my goal is to be 30lbs lighter by April 26th 2009!
#9-Get school done 4 hours a day 4 days a week-God must be in all the lessons-even Math
#10-Not spend so much time on this computer (no more than 1 hour a day of personal time)


In really interestingly other news I wanted to share with you a video going around in homeschool circles. It's just a bit of information that I think everyone should look at, even if you don't plan on Homeschooling. This is a big reason why we homeschool.

Love Always,
Latte

Quote: "Homeschooler's are DEMENTED"

Well everyone while reading a KONOS e-group letter I found this statement on the show 'The View' made by Joy Behar very repulsive. After viewing the video (below) I sent ABC this letter letting them know how I feel, please keep everyone informed about homeschooling and our active roll in America by writing ABC and showing them we are not "Demented"! My Letter:

To Whom it May Concern,

While talking to a homeschool mom I was informed that Joy Behar on The View made a remark about homeschooler's being demented. While I am sure through Joy's extensive research of homeschooler's via the public school showed her we are demented, she may want to do some extensive research with homeschooler's themselves. Maybe you could get Tim Tebow of the FL Gators on the show and ask him how demented homeschooling made him

FC

So what did you think of my letter? Please do tell...

Tot school and big boy school

Okay first tot school:

This is a great adventure to have with your tot and if you click on the elephant's above you can join us on that adventure. My blog on tot school is Wee-school Pre-school it is so much fun! Did I already say that?

Okay now homeschooling with my big boy. First step by step break down of his school and then how he did in Archery at the STATE competition! Super cool!

Okay here is the break down of our school:

Bible time: we will be starting that this week!

Reading: Everyday we have been reading this book called Boys of Grit! By far it is the coolest boy's book you will ever read. It's about real life boys that grow up in poor or bad circumstances that really prevail into a neat life. Some are people like them man who invented the submarine, the Morse code, became famous singers, bible scholars, entomologist, etc. They have 3 of them and right now and I own two. I was getting them from the library but I really thought my son needed them so we could read them over and over, and we do. If you have boys get these books! The publishers have many great books for boys and girls! We will be starting a new lamplighter book this week!

Spelling: Stuntman is flying through spelling. I don't know if I told everyone or not but he is reading at maybe a 3-5 grade level but spelling at a 1st grade level while in the 7th grade. So all of his words are 1st grade words. I do plan on adding higher grade level words but I am so happy with how well he is flying through 1st grade and enjoying it at this website that I have left well enough alone.

History: So far he has learned about Creation, Adam and Eve, Jubal and Tubal-Cain, and Noah and the Flood plus he did all of his activities. I love how this book teaches about bible history right alone side of the rest of world history. I took pictures then accidentally deleted them so I will have to get more of those next week. We finally started our time line but we left part of it at his grandparents so when I get that I will also get pictures. He is ahead in this subject, always makes a mama happy to be ahead!

Science: We are doing Apologia and this is the first curriculum I have gotten without really looking at it and mulling it over in my head for months. It is so cool!!! It first covered the history of science then my son got to do his first experiment, with water, oil, corn syrup, a cork, grape and a rock. Betcha can't figure out what he did, yep density. Then I think it's followed by a test...not sure yet. I love scripturally based school work! I really like that we got the CD, it's the teacher. Which I don't usually like anyone else to be the teacher but sometimes it's nice for me to have a break!

Math: Same old same old Stuntman is good at math and it seems easy for him. I am going to have my husband check his work but so far it should be right because it's a repeat from last year. I think with future kids I am going to use Math-U-See, I just don't care for Saxon!

KONOS: This class is really fun for us! We get to build stuff, or look stuff up, or write stuff, or listen to stuff. The first week we worked on sound, he built an ear, learned the parts of the ear, and did experiments with sounds. He continuted this last week as well. The scriptures given talk about listening, the experiments pertain to listening, etc. Today we got a timer -ya know the one that goes tick tick and hid it so that we had to really listen to find it. It's just super easy. I don't follow any big schedule on this I just give him the lessons I have the supplies to and he does them...nice and simple! This book is a keeper! Great for scripture learning!

Private bible time and writing to the Lord: we will start that this week as well.

Okay this year in 4-H Stuntman will be doing so much, he has archery, wildlife, beef, photography, gardening, geospatial, entomology, rabbits, just to name a few. We really enjoy archery. I plan on taking a class to get certified for an extreme survival class and taking the kids into the middle of nowhere and trying to find our way back! So cool!

Okay the best part how well Stuntman did at State! We had to drive to Columbia Mo about 3 hours away. Wow long trip! We had to be there a 9:30 well actually an hour early. So here are the pictures

Us waiting for our time...so glad they made us come early!Finally Stuntman's turn!~

Can you see that, I got a pic of the arrow in the air...you don't know how long I have been trying to do that! Very cool pic huh? Oh and if you can't see the arrow it's the orange thing in the tree line.Okay so how he did. First let me explain the scoring. Stuntman gets to shoot 5 arrows each round. And each round he can get up to 25 points. The x in the middle is a tie breaker. He gets 12 rounds plus 2 practices, for a total of 300 points. His score was........drum roll please 224!!!!!!!!!!! He was hoping to get over 200 so he was very please with 224! At a regional competition (his first competition) his score was 187 and we all thought that was pretty darn cool for his first year at archery. Then at State in his first year of archery he gets a 224! We Could not be prouder of him! Sad part is he is a natural. So if he really tried he could easily get a 300!!!! Boy you should see some of those kids out there. The arrows are all dead center; even some girls were pretty cool. It was fun for us to all watch them! Here is Stuntman with his best round...it happened to be his last round. He got a 24! I don't know if you can see it but all are in the center but one and it was just a little to the right. He plans on going Deer hunting this week and I don't think he should have too much trouble getting a deer with a bow instead of a gun!

I pray this was enjoyable to read even though it was long. Don't forget to go over and see all that Little Thunder did this week.

Latte

How I keep from losing my job!

Well we all know that a house wife is a full time job and add homeschool to the mix and your just bogged down with stuff to do. I know most 'out of the house' working people probably don't see it that way but we homeschool mom's know we never stop working. Between the chores THAT NEVER END BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE HOME ALL DAY the errands we must run because WE ARE AT HOME ALL DAY SO WE MUST HAVE PLENTY OF TIME the homeschooling we do which I know my list says it takes 4 hours but really...it takes more than that, their is the missing assignment, the baby interrupting, my grading, filing, making the next day’s schedule I bet it's more like 6 hours a day when all is said and done! Then there is also the normal day to day stuff like dinner, laundry, dishes, etc. It's a full time job!

So in this full time job you can get so lost without a schedule right? I have been doing one that I like and I posted it earlier but how do I stay on task, how do I not lose the schedule, etc. I am going to explain what so far has worked for me.

First I think of the schedule as a must. Yet I don't want a minute by minute guide to my day so I can do stuff like this (posting) with my morning instead of working out. I also make my schedule give us plenty-beyond plenty of room. (I scheduled 2 hours for chores when they actually take 1 hour) so we never get off schedule because the boys were playing, they broke something, or because someone called, etc. Most of the school time is actual school time so I have learned that if an interruption happens then we can eat into other time, like the way over scheduled lunch hour or the 2 hours of free time after school. I made sure to cover my ground. I also gave myself time in the morning for errands (8-10) and in the afternoon (3-5) if need be. If I know that I have something to do out of the house, I try to do those chores either really fast, the night before, or skip what I don't have to do.

Also about how I keep the schedule, if you read my old post you know my schedule system. Well I changed it up just a bit. First I no longer keep my white board next to the computer, instead I keep it on the frig. and instead of one big white board I purchased two smaller magnetic ones. One has an erasable calendar which I write all that is going on for the month and each person has their own color on the white board. So if Stuntman has something going on all his projects for the month are written in green, and so on. This is really neat to have. The other white board has my daily list of "to do" for the day. This white board includes all non-scheduled items like errands or extra cleaning that needs to be done. I also have the grocery list and the dinner for that day on there. I just erase the dinner from last night and right the new dinner. This also helps me to not forget to pull something out for dinner because when I grab breakfast out of the frig, the word dinner is staring me in the face. The grocery list on the frig is so cool because the markers are right there and as I run out of something I am not looking for a pen.

Okay now to keep track of my schedule. Well I use to have it taped to the white board but there is no room on my frig for that so I tacked the schedule on the wall next to the frig and pantry. This way I still see if first thing in the morning and throughout the day, it reminds me to stay on task. I think we all had it memorized after day 3 so it's not too hard to do. I like easy stuff!

Well I hope that helps other moms out there. I got my white boards for I think about 5-6 dollars each at Wal-Mart and they came with magnets and 1 black marker. I think I got my colored markers from Wal-Mart with magnets on them and stuck them on the frig as well.

you can see at the bottom of the calendar I do have a small version of our schedule. It does not have the detail list of our chores or school but it has the time of when we are suppose to be doing curtain things.

I pray this helps you as much as it has helped me. Now if someone can tell me how to keep my desk uncluttered that would be great!

Latte

Okay this school year is so far so good, but super crazy busy! The main reason it's so busy right now is my dear sweet husband decided to take me on a small vacation to "Aa de La Hospital" for 3 days and 3 nights. We did not get the private suite though, but we did have cable! Can you say FOOD NETWORK? And get this my husband did not eat almost the whole time we were there. I don’t know how someone can watch cooking shows all day and not eat! It seems he needed some stones removed from his gal-bladder (and the bladder itself) and the extra stay was because his pancreas was going kuku from it. So when I got home I was husband, wife, mom, and teacher!!!!!! Bet you did not know I could be all that did ya?

Well school last week went smooth aside from my having to hold the fort down. We did most everything on time and completed all the work. The only thing I need to do is look at his math to make sure he is ‘getting’ the work he is doing. I got into a stump last year where I hated grading math because there were SO MANY PROBLEMS! So I told Stuntman this year that if he got them most of his problems right he could cut back on how many he did...do you really need to do about 40 or more problems every day? and most being repetitive? Okay I now what your thinking so I will help you feel better, my house is super trashed! And not the normal everyday trashed, more like almost gross trashed! So I might have got school covered, but the rest is just a joke!


I forgot to add on my last blog about our school year that we homeschool year round...kinda have to because I will can not be tide down to this house 7 hours a day for 180 days (NOT INCLUDING WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS) I really don't have the stomach for that venture. I like saying on a Tuesday..."guess what today is a holiday" for no reason what so ever! Homeschooling year round also gives us EVERY Friday off for a 3 day weekend, long holidays so when my husband gets 11 days off for Christmas (that's right ladies, don't be jealous that I get my man for 11 or more days in December-though I SO my husband would like it in June so he could get more of his 'Hunny Do' list done) So year round schooling works out great this way. And because we homeschool year round we are able to do school 4 days 4 hours each day, isn't that super easy for all involved? And because our state law requires 1000 hours this alone gives us around 800. The rest he gets from 4-H, Field Trips, Life Lessons, Community Service, Bible Study, Educational shows and very little weekend homework.


I have a lot more I would like to post but there just is not enough time in the day, so for now....I will leave you with a teaser! I plan to post in the up coming weeks on 'Life with Cancer part 3'-if you have not read part 1 and part 2 now would be a good time. I also plan to post about why we vote republican-and our take on the parties running and their issues, about my homeschool favorites-I have many great ones I can't wait to share!, and many many more, I just can't remember them right now.

Latte

Our School Schedule and Bookieness

Okay here is our daily Schedule to start September 1st M-Th:

11 year old Stuntman:
6-8am Chores/Eat
8-9:45am Yard Work or Guitar Lessons
9:45-10am Snack
10-10:30am Reading or Language Arts
10:30-11am Spelling AVKO and Spell City.com(test every Monday)
11-12pm History- The Mystery of History
12-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-3pm KONOS and Math
3-5pm Free Time
5-6pm Dinner
6-7pm Family Time or 4-H
7-8pm Chores/Bedtime prep
8-9pm Free Time
9pm Bed Time

3 year old Little Thunder:
6-8am Chores/Eat/Cuddle time
8-9:45am Yard time/mom time
9:45-10am Snack
10-12am School more School or Play time
12-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-3ish Nap Time
3-5pm Play Time/Help Mommy Cook
5-6pm Dinner
6-7pm Family Time
7-8pm Chores/Bath/Bed prep
8-8:30pm Bed time

Age something something Latte Mom:
6-8am Chores/Prep Dinner/Cook
8-9am Yard Work
9-10am Little Thunder Time/Snack Prep
10-10:30am Reading time with boys
10:30-11am Spelling
11-12pm History
12-12:30pm Lunch /Lay Little Thunder down
12:30-3pm Teach Stuntman from KONOS
3-5pm Cook Dinner
5-6pm Dinner or Work
6-7pm Family Time or Work
7-8pm Chores/Ty bath time/Get boys ready for bed
8-8:30pm Little Thunder time/Story Time
8:30-9pm Stuntman Time
8:30-9pm Me Time/Hubby Time/Bed prep
9:30pm Bed Time

Age something something Thunder:
5:15-5:40am Chores
5:40-6:30am Drive To Work
6:30-4pm Work
4-5pm Drive Home/Get Groceries When Needed
5-6pm Dinner
6-7pm Family Time
7-8pm Rest
8-9:30pm Rest/Get Ready For Bed
9:30pm Bed Time


Click on any of the links above and below to see what products I am talking about.

Okay to give you the run down first I know our schedules look too full but trust me I gave plenty of room for most everything. It does not take 2 hours to do chores but it helps to have 2 hours cuz we are trying to wake up!~) Chores are usually stuff like, get dressed, make bed, clean room, walk/feed dogs, laundry and eat. For me morning chores include a small workout and shower...and hair and makeup. Little Thunder's morning chores only include getting his cloths out and eating and sometimes helping me.

On day's it's raining or too cold Stuntman will do his guitar lessons, I figure about 2-3 times a week.

KONOS is a unit studies,classical style, and an all in one program that covers Bible, Science, Social Studies, Art, Music, Literature, and health and safety. KONOS also like the mystery of history covers all ages so while I am teaching Stuntman I can also teach Little Thunder. Very cool! What is also very cool is it's only one book and all other resources I need to get I can buy on Amazon, get from the library, or at supply stores as needed. It is 'mom hands on' a few hours a week, but I think I need to be in my kids work more. Besides most of his other work is pretty easy so doing this a few hours a day of KONOS is not so bad. I am really excited because this is Stuntman's kind of school...Like we will do stuff like make an otoscope or a royal costume, learn sign language, make a bird feeder, go to the zoo, etc. Also this book covers character traits like Attentiveness, Obedience, Orderliness, Trust, Patience, Stewardship, and Honor. This book seems like loads of fun for a boy huh! They have cool stuff for a girl too.

Friday's I work all day or shop so the boys get to either go shopping with me, with trips to the park and library or go to Grandma's house. They don't usually have to do school on this day.

Well that is all I can think of, I pray that you enjoyed reading this.

Latte

Going against the "homeschool" grain

Hello all! I am about to post something that has been bothering me since I started homeschooling! I am going to talk about what other homeschool families refuse to talk about...I dare say it...schedules! For years I would ask people "so what kind of schedule do you have?" or I would say "hey I am looking for a schedule can you help me by telling me yours so I can get some ideas?" And I would get this (blink, blink) stare and this empathetic you poor girl don't you know we homeschoolers don't keep schedules that is what the public school does? For years I would think okay this is crazy...my husband has a schedule why wouldn't I as a wife try and work my day around his? So I would set up schedule after schedule and fail! Then I would think maybe they are right I don't need one, then my husband would come home and feel discouraged that I have to do chores or school while he is home and they were not done while he was doing his work, I knew a schedule was for us. So I implored homeschool moms once again, and again I was met by almost hostile moms. I would think just because the public school has a schedule does not make schedules bad (that also goes for desks! I have met mom's who wont own a desk-school style-because that is what the schools have...it's how it's used that is the problem not the desk, people) So when my husband got cancer I soon found out my lack of schedules came off in a big way as laziness...and in part it was but the big part was my life was a mess from lack of a schedule. So while my husband would rest from his treatments I would organize and I met a this mom who helped us out so much during this time by letting us use her home (her husband and mine are good friends at work) during my husbands treatments so we could homeschool. Well she had a white board with what she needed to do each day or in the near future. She had this great schedule that was neat to see in action. Yes her kid were public school kids so her day was a bit more free to be a lot more organized but she was one of those PTA kind of mom's who is into so much with her kids that it's like she school's. It was neat to meet her! I took her white board idea (which I have tried in the past and failed because I did not do like she did and put it where I would see it each day) and picked it up again. Only I added to it stuff like Dinner, grocery list, etc.

I now have a loose schedule that is hard to stick to (because of years without one) but when I do it, it works well for our family. It goes something like this:

5-8 workouts, chores, showers, school prep, bible time

8-10 garden and outdoor activities or errands like doctor’s visits, dentist’s appointments, etc.

10-12 school type activities (mostly reading or video watching since we are hot and tired from being outside)

12-1 lunch

1-3 school type activities/nap time for little ones (actual book work as it’s nice to do this while the little ones take a nap)

3-5 chores/ free time/prep dinner/small errands if needed

5-6 Dads’ home and dinner-sometime mom goes to work

6-8 play time including stuff like 4-H stuff bed prep time (including bath time, story time, bible time, T.V. time, and family meeting time)
8 kids in bed mom and dad get ready for bed-mom and dad time

9:30 mom and dad bed time

I was talking to a mom that will homeschool and we were discussing not hanging out with friends we have or making new ones cuz it's a lot of work and I mentioned to her my problem with getting close to homeschool mom's mostly stems from a few issues (I will save for another blog) and one is schedules. She told me that in her line of work she has had to work with homeschool moms in the past and when she told them that they had to get on a schedule to fix an issue they angrily refused saying they did not need a schedule of any kind. She told me homeschool families are the only ones that do it to her. She had no idea why and a light bulb went off when I told her I think they don't because they want to stay sooo far away from the government's way of schooling that they get rid of anything that resembles what the public school does. It was unfortunate because these families she talked to whose kids had issues…well there issues would probably resolve with a simple schedule!

We all know the public school has many bad problems and we all want our families to stay away from those evils, but having a schedule is not a bad thing. Not having one of course is not bad either but let families know that are looking for one that while you don't have one you know so and so does and give them their #. Tell them your reasons for not having one and if those reasons are the same as there's then they may do what you do...if not they may call so and so. Either way schedules are not bad things so please stop making mom’s think they are.

Latte Cannon