All posts by KME

Homeschooling, Project 365

Trying to Start School

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“I hear you started school Full Blast today.”

Hmmmm. Since she was sitting at the airport in Chicago, I had to wonder where my mother got that little school update. Surely CNN isn’t running stats on local homeschoolers. I can almost picture it:

“This just in, summer is now officially over as Washington homeschooling family of five begins school, full blast.”

I don’t know. Full blast sounds more like something relating to fire hydrants and stereo systems, not homeschooling. We do have our share of fights over music during the day –

“Mom! He changed my song.” “He’s heard this one 20 million, zillion times, it’s my turn to pick the play list.”

– but that happens all year round, not just during school time. And, of course, doing dishes always brings the temptation to squirt a sibling with the new faucet. Again, this is completely unrelated to homeschooling.

what grade am I?

Our First Day of School signs definitely count as art and computer graphics studies.

It turns out there is a Full Blast Family Entertainment Center in Battle Creek, Michigan. 85000 square feet of swimming, computer games, and dancing. Impressive. There’s also a Full Blast Fitness Club in downtown Toronto.

Neither of these things sound particularly academic but then, despite reports to the contrary, we didn’t get a huge amount of schooling done ourselves. It was more like Half Blast, at which point we ended the day with a full regimen of entertainment.

Joshua picked up a friend and went to a beach outing with middle school, promising to bring a group of guys home with him (he’s considerate that way). Rachel scooted off to spend the night with the girls (anything to avoid Joshua’s sleepover). Sarah snagged the little sister of Rachel’s friends and brought her home for a visit. Daniel called up a neighbor boy and asked him over to play.

It’s obviously very important to balance a hard day of school with plenty of fun and games.

joshua is in what grade???

Joshua made an awesome sign, as did the rest of the crew. Sarah wants me to take a picture of her and then print it out. A print of a printed page. Cool.

Of course, even amidst a busy school day, you never know when some celebrities will drop by for a visit.

david, tarah and sarah out on the town

Autographs anyone?

Tomorrow, after we return all the children to their proper homes, we will attempt to get back to school.

Full Blast!!

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 248

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Project 365, Works for Me Wednesday

WFMW–Homeschool Faves

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WFMW School is back in session so what better topic for this week’s Works for Me Wednesday than a collection of a few of our favorite homeschooling books, programs, and curricula.

Homeschooling Tried and True Favorites

Horizons Math — this is a math that we have loved and used it for years with all of the children. It’s colorful, advanced paced, and published by a Christian company.

Start Write — this is a great handwriting computer program that lets you create custom handwriting sheets using a wide variety of styles including cursive, manuscript, Italic, D’Nealian, Handwriting Without Tears, Palmer, New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), and Victorian (VIC). I use this for thank you notes, letters, general practice sheets, and more.

dear daddy...

A six year old’s letter is more colorful than your average note.

Sonlight — Sonlight has been the core of our homeschooling curriculum for seven years. It is a literature based program that brings history to life and makes learning a true adventure. Sonlight’s packages include all the books needed for a year’s worth of history, Bible and literature, as well as detailed instruction guides. We are very loyal Sonlight fans.

CQLA — Character Quality Language Arts is a relatively new homeschooling discovery. We have used many different language arts programs over the years. This is the first one that we have found that integrates copying, vocabulary, spelling, grammar, composition, creative writing, poetry, and dictation all in one consumable workbook. I love the way each week’s study centers around a godly character trait.

art time

Art AND letter recognition!

Rainbow Science — this is a serious, two-year, total science curriculum for junior high students. Joshua loves the conversational tone and humor that are interspersed among the science lessons. As he said to me today, “It’s not every science book that opens up with the word ‘Yowie!’” The first year covers physics and chemistry, and the second year covers biology and applications of science. The curriculum and the Home Laboratories are completely self-contained. It has been an excellent fit for Joshua.

Math U See — I have found, over the years, that there occasionally comes a time in children’s education when they need a different approach in their math studies. Perhaps they are stuck on a difficult concept or frustrated and bored with the current curriculum. At that point it has been tremendously helpful to take a break from Horizons math and try something new. Most often this has meant spending some time using Math U See. This hands on, manipulative based curriculum, complete with DVD teaching, is wonderful. The three older children have all worked through various Math U See levels, brushing up on old concepts, polishing existing skills and learning new strategies for understanding math concepts.. Even Sarah and David enjoy playing with the manipulatives (we don’t tell them they’re doing school). :)

Teaching Textbooks — Horizons math is an elementary program (meaning it ends after the 6th grade – sniff, sniff) so at that point it’s necessary we select another math curriculum. I have decided on Teaching Textbooks for the more advanced math levels. Joshua worked his way rapidly through pre-Algebra and is now part-way through Algebra 1. The lectures are featured in the textbook as well as on DVD. The wonderful part about Teaching Textbooks is that every single problem is worked out on DVD (step by step).

school cubbies

These school cubbies hold some of our current workbooks. It’s taking me a while to finish kindergarten but I hope to be done soon.:)

Explode the Code — these are HUGE favorites in our family. They are simple phonics workbooks containing exercises on reading, writing, matching and copying. My children love them and are always sad when they come to the end of the series.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of our homeschooling favorites. I didn’t see the note about this week’s Works for Me Wednesday theme being “Brand Loyalty” until 9 pm this evening. Up until that point I was working on a great WFMW blog on marriage and some specific ways to show respect to your husband. You’ll have to come back next week for that helpful post. :)

Hopefully I will have time to write further about the different Bible study and devotional books we have devoured over the years as well as reading programs, geography studies, art and more that have been family treasures.

Please leave a comment and share your favorite homeschooling programs or books. I LOVE hearing what other families are using and enjoying.

Thanks!
Kathy
Project 365 – Day 247

Head on over to Rocks in My Dryer for further Works for Me Wednesday links.

Some other Duckabush WFMW Posts

TopBlogSites
Laundry Organizer
Giant Whiteboard
Travel Outfits

Join us for our Tuesday Tips for Parenting

Calling Your Child
Creative Use for the Timer
First Time Obedience
Sermon Notes
Thorough Job

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Events, Project 365

Birthday Surprises & Babysitters

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It turns out the way to REALLY surprise someone on their 40th birthday is to throw them a party four months ahead of time. Who would suspect anything??

happy b-day nancy

A Happy Birthday sign covered the entire drive way.

Nancy, my wonderful friend who cheerfully allows me to invite myself to her lake home, has a January birthday. January is a fine month for birthdays. There are many famous people born in January including Paul Revere, J.R.R. Tolkien, Elvis, and Cary Grant. It is, however, a difficult time to throw a beach party. When you invite people to a lake affair in January only a few hardy souls (ice swimming anyone?) show up. It can be very discouraging. This is difficult for someone who is a summer/lake girl at heart. Sure you can have people over to visit and even throw a little gathering here or there, but it’s not your birthday party.

family shot

The surprised birthday girl and her family.

Enter Dave, Nancy husband, undeterred by the date and determined to throw the birthday (okay, future birthday) girl a grand, 40th surprise party. The gala she has always wanted — a summer gathering where it’s warm and sunny, where you can sit out on the dock or beach and swim. Dave, along with several friends and helpful family members, planned and orchestrated an amazing party. Invitations were sent out, decorations beautifully placed around the lake front, and a special gift purchased. Nancy was completely and totally surprised (after all, who suspects a surprise birthday party FOUR MONTHS before the actual date?).

What a kind husband to take the desire of his wife’s heart and labor to make it a reality.

Happy (almost) 40th, Nancy!!

hannah, rachel and bethany

These gorgeous girls have nothing to do with the birthday party but they deserve a place in today’s blog. Every week they care for the littlest members of our home fellowship group. They play games, entertain and comfort the younger children so the grown ups can study, learn and share in relative peace and quiet. It’s a HUGE gift and they do it for only a small pittance. Thanks girls!!

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 245

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Events, Project 365

Here We Go A’Camping

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We had a lovely time camping this weekend. Can I call it “the weekend’ if we were only gone for one night? Tim is still easing me into the whole ‘sleep in a tent’ thing. The children need no easing or convincing. They love every minute of the entire camping experience.

I’m too tired to write much. It’s only 9:50 pm and I’m falling asleep while I blog. That’s pretty early for this night owl so I’m going to post a few pictures, enjoy a hot shower and then climb in my own bed. Hooray! You know how it is being away from home (night after, uh, night).

hikers!

We are now officially hikers. Even Sarah handled most of the trail in good spirits.

camp site

All of the children took turns caring for the fire.

david and Sarah

Our campsite was close to the river. We did a great deal of exploring up and down the river bank.

We had a great time. It felt like we were gone for days and yet we still have the rest of the holiday weekend stretching ahead of us.

We did come home to quite an unpleasant mystery. I’ll write about that tomorrow.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 244

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Events, Project 365

Because I Am in Serious Denial

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… And not your regular, every day, run of the mill denial. Serious Denial. The kind that causes your sister in law to write, concerned for your homeschooled children. “When are you starting school?” she casually asks, perhaps wondering if you have forgotten September is, oh, I don’t know, right around the corner; the time that most people begin their academic studies.

daniel kayaks

School? It’s time for water adventures, not school.

Ha! Perhaps ths is why organized, motivated folk accomplish things with their lives.

No, I’m in denial.

  • Denial that school starts next week.
  • Denial that my life of blogging until the wee hours of the night is coming to my husband’s negative attention.
  • Denial that my 15 year college reunion is rapidly approaching and I still have 25 pounds to lose (the same pounds I’ve been working to lose for the last year and a half). Can you drop 25 pounds in 2 months? Is there a Biggest Loser trainer in these parts, available for hire?
  • Denial that our homeschooling co-op begins in a few weeks, and I’m teaching two classes.
  • Denial that I have become a summer sloth and haven’t touched a treadmill or elliptical machine for months (except to use as a storage rack).
  • Denial over the state of Daniel and David’s room which has yet to be decorated (while their toys are currently strewn across my bedroom floor).

sarah is comfy

Ah, Mommy, don’t worry about all of that. Come and play with us!

There are probably a few more areas I should address, but I don’t want to think about them. This being a classic case of denial and all.

Fully embracing this new life motto, I abandoned today’s work and finagled an invitation to a friend’s house. Her lake house. Yes, it was another gorgeous day here in Washington. One of those days that tease you with the promise of eternal summer. Summer, not fall. Not school time, with its busyness and activities galore.

nancy and kirsten

Are Nancy and Kirsten 1) praising the Lord; 2) attempting beach yoga; or 3) trying to tell time?

Some of these faces might look familiar. Same beach babes, different beach front.

rachel smiles

Rachel stepped on a nasty stick and later crashed into Allison on the edge of the dock. She was one tired girl by the end of our lake visit.

How is a person supposed to plan school, or go to the club for a work-out, or organize toys when the sunshine and water beckon so loudly? They call, not with a whisper or faint suggestion, but a fierce and demanding cry:

“Get out in the sunshine! Grab towels, snacks and head to the beach!”

too bright to see

David can’t even open his eyes, the sunshine is so piercing.

Fishing, jumping, floating, snorkeling, kayaking, diving. These are words with much more charm than sorting, folding, writing, organizing.

Jake dives

Jake does a little snorkeling before heading off on the kayak.

Surely there’s time for work another day. What do the scriptures say?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. — Proverbs 6:10-11

Whew! That’s why we send Tim off to work and don’t fold our hands a bit while we’re at the lake. :)

Perhaps a little fun and fellowship, before the rigors of school descend upon us, can serve as delight and refreshment to the soul. I know I find myself drinking in the sun and warmth like a thirsty child.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven … — Ecclesiastes 3:1

This was definitely a season for kayaking.

emma and julia

Emma and Julia enjoy a little snack. Yum. Seaweed.

david tries his hand at fishing

Mom, what’s a bass? Eli and Jake keep talking about a bass? Is it a fish?

David’s buddy, Eli, is not a strong swimmer but he adores the water. He was our resolute fisherman yesterday and he was eager for a kayak ride today. Jake (age 9 and an able seaman) proved to be an excellent kayak guide.

heading out to sea

paddling hard

ah, what beauty

The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. Psalm 29:3-4

I am so thankful for sweet friends, the beauty of God’s creation, and another day full of life and laughter spent with my family.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 242

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