Homeschooling Schedule

Well, we are done homeschooling for this year. We've been done for a little while actually.

Now, I say we are done for this year but when I really stop to think about it that is not true. We are done with some of our text books until fall, but the learning continues. Last night, Caleb chose a book to read before bed. He finished today while we were driving. We stopped for groceries and I let him use my cell phone to add the prices as we went. I got 2 of one item which was $1.69. He didn't want me to tell him the amount to enter. He wanted to figure out on his own what the cost of 2 would be, and then he would enter it.

Now I am planning what our homeschool year will include for this fall. It's interesting to look back and see how things went when we first started homeschooling and to now see how things went this year. That is post in itself. lol ;o) I will post that sometime, because it really amazes me to see the changes.

A Thought for Mother's Day

I was reading a book this morning called "Happiness Homemade" and came across this passage. Again with Mother's day not too far off, I thought this would be a blessing to other mom's.

Sculpturing a Divine Likeness

There is a God above, and the light and glory from His throne rests upon the faithful mother as she tries to educate her children to resist the influence of evil. No other work can equal hers in importance. She has not, like the artist, to paint a form of beauty upon canvas; nor like the sculptor, to chisel it from marble. She has not, like the author, to embody a noble thought in words of power; nor like the musician, to express a beautiful sentiment in melody. It is hers, with the help of God, to develop in a human soul the likeness of the divine.

The mother who appreciates this will regard her opportunities as priceless. Earnestly will she seek, in her own character and by her methods of training, to present before her children the highest ideal. Earnestly, patiently, courageously, she will endeavor to improve her own abilities, that she may use aright the highest powers of the mind in the training of her children. Earnestly will she inquire at every step, "What hath God spoken?" Diligently she will study His Word. She will keep her eyes fixed upon Christ, that her own daily experience, in the lowly round of care and duty, may be a true reflection of the one true Life.

Let every mother feel that her moments are priceless; her work will be tested in the solemn day of accounts. Then it will be found that many of the failures and crimes of men and women have resulted from the ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide their childish feet in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness owe the principles that were the mainspring of their influence and success to a praying, Christian mother. -E.G.W.

20 Great Reasons to Homeschool

I bookmarked this cartoon a while ago and thought I would share it.

Back to (almost) Normal

My Little Sweetie is feeling much better today. :o) He wanted breakfast but only nibbled and things, but it's a start. I think we could have homeschooled today, however I thought I'd let him have an extra day to rest up. We do a 4 day school week, so he will have tomorrow off anyway. I did get out our Boggle game and we palyed that for a little bit. (spelling) We may play some other games after if he is feeling up to it. Games are alot of fun, and its learning too, but kids only see it as a fun time. Sneaky isn't it??!!

Well My Little Sweetie is hungry so I'm off to make him something. It's antibiotic time too. :o)

Scrubbing the floor

Wow!! Now there's a catchy title.

Fun! Fun! Okay not really, but for some reason my son was determined that he was going to scrub the floor tonight. ;o) It was on my 'to do' list, and once he saw the mop well that was it. So my hubby swept the floor and I got the bucket of water ready. I wrung the water out and showed DS how to scrub. After he completed a little area, I dipped the mop again and wrung it out. Well guess who thought he should ring the mop out?? (He wasn't being bossy, just really wanting to help and be independant.) So we comprimised, I held the mop handle up over the bucket and twisted in one direction and, he held the wet part of the mop and twisted in the other direction. A perfect compromise really, that worked wonderfully................well that is until we twisted a bit too much and heard a snapping sound. :o) Yes, one of the plastic thingys that holds the mop strands on broke. It didn't look like much damage was done, plus we were almost done.

You know how dominoes fall?? It all happens so fast you can't stop them! The mop had a domino moment. The next swipe of the mop the strands were falling off faster than I could blink. :o) It's quite funny! ;o)

I like that he wants to help out around our house. Last fall he wanted to learn how to use the washing machine. He knew I had to have minor surgery and wouldn't be able to do laundry or other chores for a while. So I showed him how to start and run the machine. It didn't take long until he decided he had it figured out and he could do it by himself. The next load of laundry he told me he could do by himself. I watched and only had to remind him to set the water level differently. I offered to help with the soap, but he said he needed to learn so he could do it when I was getting better. :o) :o) :o) Now I can send him to the washer and dryer if I need to, and he is pleased as punch to be able to help out.

With homeschooling I think kids learn a lot of life skills that maybe they wouldn't otherwise learn. I'm happy that he has the desire to want to learn and help out. He sees his dad help out too, which is very important.

I am amazed every day at the little man he is becoming. :o)

Snowfalls & Blessings

Yesterday we had our first snowfall of the year. Ds(8) was so excited when he woke up and saw the snow covering the ground. It was one of those snowfalls that only left about 2 inches of snow and will probably be followed by rain in the next few days. Anyway, ds was so excited that he jumped right out of bed and asked if he could go outside. I knew how much he had been looking forward to the snow arriving, so I agreed. He got dressed and suited up with his snowsuit, boots & gloves. He and the dog had a great time playing in the freshly fallen snow. Throwing snow, shoveling the snow off the deck and making a snowman....well the dog wasn't much help with the snowman. LOL! :o) I took some pictures so I can scrapbook them later. I relaxed (recovering from surgery) in the rocking chair and watched them out the window. Ds was having an awsome time. In all he stayed out for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

When he came in he had something to eat, we did worship and then he did his schoolwork for the day. He was as happy as could be. :o) Again he wanted to go outside to play in the snow with the dog. By then his snowsuit had dried by the fire, so he was able to suit up and return to the great white cold fun. I again watched from the window while he and the dog palyed. This time he spent 1 and 1/2 hours outside. When he came in we looked at the clock. We realized that public school had not yet let out for the day.

This showed me another (of the many) blessings that homeschooling offers. Often people wonder if homeschooled children are missing out on the 'things kids do' because they don't attend public school. And I have to admit I have asked myself, 'Am I doing the right thing by homeschooling?' Well, yesterday removed any doubt I may have had. Ds did not have to wait til recess or lunch to enjoy the snow. He didn't even stop for breakfast. LOL! :o) He got to be a kid. (Not looking expextantly at the snow from a classroom window.) I had the wonderful joy of watching him create, tumble and play in our winter's first snowfall. It warmed my heart, I tell you.

I appreciate these blessings so much. I 'm sure they happen more often than I realize. Let's look for these blessings wherever we might find them. They are there. I found mine in a snowsuit playing in the snow.