It's going great!

Home school has been going great!

We're both enjoying it, the boys have been respecting the boundaries, and I feel so content.

We're using:

Science: Apologia - I'm not sure we're going to stick with it.  It seems a little over her head some times.  We may revisit it next year.

Math - Saxon Math.  So far I'm liking it.  We're jumping around a little to find out where she needs to be.  But she loves getting to do extra math!  :)

Reading - I didn't buy a specific reader series.  We're checking out lots of books from the library and she journals after we read.

History/Social Studies/Literature - a good friend pointed me towards amblesideonline.com  It is a wonderful resource, free no less!  It give you a list of books for each grade level.  And a schedule of what to read each day.  Then we discuss what we've read.

Handwriting- I picked up a workbook with daily sheets for her to do.  She really struggles with penmanship so I hope this is helping.

Phonics - I got a Language workbook from Abeka.  I had heard really good things about their curriculum from a number of sources and I had friends who used it when I was growing up.  It covers not only phonics but grammar and punctuation.

I think that's it! 

We start at 9 am and we're done by noon.  She even gets a recess in the middle with a snack.  :)

Three Things Thursday - a day late

1.  I really want an Australian accent.  I've been calling doctors' offices all over Australia for a pharmaceutical company involved in clinical research programs.  They all sound so cool...I sound so...American.  :)

2.  I lost 3 pounds in the last two weeks.  Can I get a "Woot Woot!"

3.  I pulled a wagon around a church lobby/foyer/narthex for 2 hours yesterday with two 2 year olds - kindergartners.  I think that counted as my 30 mins of aerobic activity for the day. 

Drinking the Kool-Aid

A friend of mine and I have been thinking about drinking the Kool-Aid.  I actually bought some Kool-Aid last week.  I think I'm going to join the cult this coming Monday.

What is the cult I speak of?  Home schooling.

Yes, we too are going to join the cult club.  I've been considering homeschooling for about 3 years now.  But have really felt it tugging at my heart strings more strongly for the past year or so.  There are a number of reasons Chris and I are leaning toward home schooling.  I hesitate to share them all because so many people become defensive when I share our reasons.  But they are our reasons. I'm not saying that what works for our family is going to work for your family.  I'm not saying that my choices are better, worse, more "right" than your choices.  But these are ours. 

1.  Hannah has really struggled with reading and excelled in math and patterning.  But over the last semester in first grade, we've not seen much improvement in reading and have seen her going backwards in math.  Things that were second nature for her at the end of kindergarten have been lost in translation somehow.  I feel like working with her one on one at her level (whether that be advanced or behind) will help her.

2.  I've felt our family being pulled in so many different directions and wanted to simplify our lives.  Homeschooling a K-2 child should take an average of 2-3 hours a day according to the literature.  This will provide Hannah with more "kid" time and our evenings won't feel so rushed, because we won't have jumped in the van at 3, out of the van at the store, into the house, do your homework (yes, in first grade), back in the van, off to the activity, back home, back in bed.  Rinse and Repeat. 

 3.  I want to be a stronger influence in my child's spiritual, emotional, and social development.  I want to be the one to model appropriate behaviors and attitudes.  Currently, Hannah is out of bed at 7, leaves the house at 7:45.  Home at 3:15, in bed at 7:30.  That means that I have 5 total hours with her.  Some of that time is spent rushing to get to school, and some of the time is spent with a tired, grumpy, hungry child.  I want the best of her hours.  Not the left overs.

I was homeschooled until I reached high school so I do have a working knowledge of what it entails.  I do worry about my lack of "me time," I do worry about knowing how to teach her things, I do worry about her missing out on the traditional school experiences.

But I'm super excited to spend more quality time with her.  I'm excited to see her blossom and grow because of what I'm teaching her.  I'm excited for our family to spend more time together.  I'm excited to teach her science from a Christian perspective.

But I'm also scared. 

Three Things Thursday

How about "Three Pictures Thursday?"

My boys love Thursday Mornings


"Isaac, is that a garbage truck?"

"No, David, that's the recycling truck."

"Oh, sorry."    "Don't worry, you're still learning"

Love it

You’re not a kid anymore. You have the right to choose your own life. You can start again. If you want a cat, all you have to do is choose a life in which you can have a cat. It’s simple. It’s your right.

— Haruki Murakami
 
Love it!  Came across this while blog hopping.
 
After spending too much time with too many in-laws this Christmas, this rings more true than ever.  We can't live in the past.  If we are adults, we can choose to live our lives in the present or in the past.  We have the choice to start again.
 
So True.

Three Things Thursday

1.  We have the stomach bug.  I came down with it on New Years Day at 55 mph on a highway in Iowa.  And I kept the car on the road.  And kept driving to Texas.  And then repeated at 70 mph on the interstate in Missouri.  Yes, I am that crazy.

2.  I'm officially "that mom."  Hannah stayed home on Monday with the bug, and I sent her to school on Tuesday.  And got the call at 8:10 that I needed to pick her up and bring a change of clothing with me.  Lovely.

3.  I got about 4 hours of sleep last night.  Yes, Isaac has now come down with the bug.

Can you tell what is occupying my thoughts right now? 

One reason I love winter in Iowa.




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