Time....

With Thanksgiving a week away, I decided to put some thoughts down.

School is trucking right along. We took some time away from the books and took a few field trips, worked on our community involvement, joined a co-op, and the kids have started taking art and music lessons. I also started a part time job. So once again, scheduling is a must. Between lessons and work, there is very little idle time. Which makes the time fly by. It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner with Christmas hot on its heels.
Our goal is to get through week 14 of our curriculum and then take two weeks off. We will be a very busy house as 2015 closes. Then we will put a successful twelve months of schooling in the books and start again midway through January.

Oh look it's September

I am shocked every time I look at the calendar. Hard to believe that Labor Day has come and gone. Especially when it is still 95* outside. As I sit, listen and watch the kids play outside I can't help but think how awesome our summer has been. While we spent most of our days at the local swimming pool, we still managed to knock out 6 weeks of school. Our 7th week of school proved to be the most challenging, taking us the entire month of August to get through. Now that we are into the second week of September, we are trucking right along. My overall goal is to get through Core D+E (Sonlight) in 18 months. Which will get the girls through 4th, 5th and 6th grades; respectively. The boy will continue working on Math, Language Arts, and Science. As he gets older and matures, we will add in other subjects. He would rather play with his dinosaurs or his Lego's, than sit through a history lesson. Little does he know that the books he reads and quite a few of the shows he watches are riddled with history. I know he will know much more than even he realizes.

Question of the month... Is home schooling hard??
Several acquaintances have asked this. The first time I was asked I was caught off guard. Of course I sat back and thought about it. As I pondered how to answer whether home schooling was hard or not, I realized that it is all about what you consider difficult. The answer to this question is not simple and the answer is not the same for everyone. I will do my best to answer.

The short answer is, yes. Not for the reasons most would think.
It is not difficult to have the kids home all of the time. Overwhelming at times but not difficult as long as boundaries are set. Everyone has a period of time during the day that is quiet time. Each child can do their own thing, as long as it is done quietly.
Scheduling appointments, volunteering, having lunch with friends can be difficult to plan. Especially if you are the only one in your group that home schools.
Meal time, I have mixed feelings about this. Having to plan three meals a day, can get tedious. After a year of trying to do it on my own, I decided that the kids can take some responsibility in meal planning. Each kiddo has to plan five days worth of meals, including snacks.
The hardest part of the entire process, for me, is staying on task. Life happens and it is so easy to let your little boat get carried off by the current.

Overall I would say that home schooling is not any harder than sending your kiddos to school. The challenges are just different. We don't have to worry about home work, fundraisers, parent/teacher conferences, sick days, snow days, bullying and unsafe schools.
Instead we worry about whether or not our choice will be the best one for our children. We worry about the neighbors calling the cops because our kids are outside at 10 o'clock in the morning. We also worry about our kids making good choices, we worry about the friends they choose, and whether they will be able to get into a good college.
As with any choice we make in regard to our children, it's all about perspective. What works for us, might not work for you and vise-versa.

Right now we are all enjoying the fruits of the kids being home. Our schedule is, mostly, our own. The best part of this.....I get to wear my pajamas all day!!!

I had a plan...

No. Really I did have a plan. I swear there were rainbows and unicorns involved too! However, I have learned that if you want to see God smile, tell him your plans. The plan I had did not turn out and that's okay. We have learned so much in the last year and I know it is a good thing.

So cheers to new lessons and new adventures!

Here are a few things that I have learned about myself, about my marriage, and about my children.

Things I have learned about myself.

1) I am stronger than I think I am. While the cross that I bear is heavy, I know I am not alone in my trials. I know that I have friends, family, and other resources to lean on when things get hard.
2) My faith is unshakable. I am not a church person, but I do have faith that God has a plan for me.
3) Learning is my true passion. When I am learning, I am happy. When my hands and my mind are engaged in something meaningful my heart is full of joy. Learning to sew and crochet has given me a sense of well being and accomplishment!

Things I have learned about my marriage.

1) Being married is a commitment. I know that sounds so obvious. However, I think we often forget that "I do" doesn't imply that you know how to be everything your spouse needs or that your spouse knows how to be everything you need. It is a trial by fire commitment. The ups and downs of being married are what makes us a stronger unit!
2) I have truly found my partner. I find strength in his presence and humility in his acceptance of my faults. In all that I do, I know he will be there to support and encourage me along the way.


1) Children will grow by leaps and bounds when you give them sunshine, dirt and freedom. Riding bikes is a new found realm of physical activity and freedom for all three kiddos. It gives me such joy to see them learn what their bodies are capable of.
2) I have learned that saying "no" takes up more time than saying, "show me how it's done." All three kids have learned to read recipes and follow directions in the kitchen. Lunch is no longer a chore for me since one of three is usually willing to put on a quick meal of grilled cheese, soup, sandwiches or a myriad of other easy meals.
3) Having my children home 24/7 has shown me what a real joy it is to be a part of these blooming personalities.  Each and every day they amaze me with their insight and brilliance.

I am truly looking forward to the days in front of us!

It's a new year!

I can't help but laugh! Just when we had a plan, it changed! Our plan was to go with Oak Meadow for curriculum (and we might), now our plan is to go with Sonlight. With three kids at about the same level, this seems to be the best option. Anyway, our plan was to start in January, with actual curriculum, well it looks like that too shall be put on hold. With all of the changes that we have had to face, I was feeling a bit apprehensive about keeping the kids home. Until today, when my oldest wowed me as she compared the book she is reading to North Korea. I don't know what I am doing, but whatever it is; it's working!

The younger two are enjoying a new building set, marble run. Their current project is an attempt to get the marble airborne. I think they will figure it out before too much longer. All three continue to devour any book that is put in front of them. They are learning the fine art of house keeping and cooking. Cleaning is not a favorite subject among them but they realize that it is much easier to work when their space is neat and tidy! Another win for me, as I am a tad OCD and enjoy the smell of bleach!

Well until next time.....