LEARNING, LAUGHING, LIVING with the LITTLES!

Our Seasonal Tree will see many changes throughout the year...

Activity Time includes a variety of fun things to do...

...



A place where hands-on activities reflects a literal meaning...

Children are small for such a short time;
smile,
embrace the fun,
enjoy the writing on the walls!
(or back, in this case =)

The Funny Way Things Go 'Round!

Bestest friends are always great to see!

We love these girls from our hometown! Their mom & dad are pretty awesome too! =)

It
is
also
fun
to
have
our
bestest friends
come see us!

We
had
a
great
park hoppin'
day!

Funny thing is...
not
so
funny...








Daddy gets to spend some weeks with our best friends...

Daddy should be home with us...
or
WE should be seeing our bestest friends...

or better would be to live back at our hometown WITH Daddy, seeing our bestest friends.

*sigh*
It is best if I pray about these many weeks/months Daddy may be away from us; and to learn to be content with God's plan....

Life's Pressure...


I do believe that every individual has some type of pressures in life to face.
I do not believe that it all has to be considered stressful.
What is the difference?
To me, it's all in how we choose to cope during challenging times.

My husband has a stressful job. Deadlines to meet while managing to work around other trades of the business, inspectors to please, a boss to answer to, employees to hold accountable, and the daily mishaps that go with the job he has. I think he handles the pressure amazingly well. I am not sure how he does it. I do know he spares me from much of the drama of it. And he has learned how to leave work at the front door when he walks in to face his family of eager faces. We are blessed by that.

I, by nature, am an easy going person. I have the usual stresses as anyone else would have in the life I have.

Being a mom, juggling housework,finances, homeschooling, and getting familiar with our new life in a different state are par for course.

Having a dear grandpa near death adds a bit to the load.

Worrying about a sweet young gal, one whom is close to our family, as she is making desperately wrong choices, adds to the mix also.

The willingness to mentor a couple of lovely gals in an area I struggled with in the past..
this is a passion for me...
but stirs an emotional level of stress at times too.

So what silly thing caught me off balance? what made me skip a heartbeat, bring me to the brink of frustrated tears? A computer. yep, I admit it. Our computer was acting up, and the dear hubby wiped out all the 'favorite folders' and book marks.

It wasn't the treasure of preschool links that are 10 yrs in the making;
I've got the preschool thing down.

It wasn't all the educational sites that I have spent the last 8 years deciphering through;
I've got a handle on what seems to be working best for our family.

It wasn't even the very informative link favorites for how to best help, guide, and nurture our possible asperger's child;
I've got a grasp on what we need to be doing for him.

It wasn't the Blog lists of family members, and of those others I have grown to care about like family;
I've got a positive attitude that they may drop a note by here as to help me "re-find" them.

It wasn't the sports, science, or history links that were erased that bummed me;
I've got ideas where to look, although not much spare time for such things.

It wasn't the Biblical sites I am missing;
I've got several Bibles that can assist me as needed, it was just convenient via the internet.

So what was it?

I have just spent several months researching about....

COLLEGES!

ha! are you shrugging your shoulder at me? or giving me the eyebrow? yeah, well, whatever...

You see, this is an area that I hugely lack knowledge in. Even looking for information becomes overwhelming to me....endless hours of research, and I still don't quite know what I am looking through. The clep classes, SAT, ACT, financial aid, housing, grants, loans, requirements, entrance exams, and the list goes on... good golly, one night it took me 3 hours to locate ONE fairly conservative college possibility that would best fit our senior student. Mind you that this is all in my "spare" time, ugh!

So what shifted me from the pressures of life to STRESSFUL? I bump along so well, pacing the ups and downs as I go... so why did such a replaceable thing send me to tears? Accountability. My husband made the remark the other day about having to answer to his boss when things don't go right... I have to answer to GOD. I have been given the gift of raising, nurturing, guiding, and education our children... at the end of this journey, I will have to answer to what we did with our time, talents, & treasures. I know I will not be perfect, but I do feel I have to do my best.

Most of the time I handle the pressures of life well. I know who is in control, and it is not me!
Thankfully the Good Lord displays His Mercy & Grace on a daily basis. Admittedly, the more chaotic life gets, the One whom should be on the top of my 'to-do' list is often set aside.

Yep, come morning I think I will be cracking open that well used Bible of mine during my morning quiet time...

LOCKS OF LOVE~

We did it =)

Katie-girl and I both cut off our hair for a sweet local girl named "EMMA". She is 11, and struggles w/ alopecia.

Now we both have curly hair, and the stylist did a great job of straightening our hair...
I won't know til tomorrow how our hair will really look. I'll keep ya'll posted...

Keeping it real~ Homeschool Style

Ah, Yes...

School began Aug 02, 2010.

Our day was to begin at 9:00 a.m.

We went to urgent care instead...
then the kids did do math and 'some' reading.

Next day was to the orthopedics...and some math and reading.

Wed, Thurs, & Fri...math, reading (history and literature), and some grammar.

2nd week:

House-sitting out of state, in our hometown, but with good intentions... lots of play, some reading.

3rd week:

Most of the kids are back home w/ me. TJ is still with his dad and oldest brother out of town...
One student did math, one did reading and grammar. :^/

Now, this isn't entirely truthful, as Katie-girl does plenty of self-motivated learning. Like reading next years health book, researching ballet in the encyclopedia, and digging up Scriptures to ask about, and the all-inquisitive remarks of "It's Circle Time on the schedule, when are you going to start?" "Andrew & Bryson missed their Table Time, mom"....

but hey, Andrew is getting his reading & writing lessons done. This is saying a lot for my unique student.

And the "littles" randomly get to practice French, play with marbles, build with Lincoln Logs, create with Play Dough, and help tend to the garden outside...

so....maybe, just maybe, LIFE accounts as some education, eh?

L.I.F.E. ACADEMY ~ 2010-2011

Ready.... to live

Set.... to learn

Go!

Our curriculum choice this year is Robinson Curriculum.

To create self-learners is our main goal~
to be able to educate oneself is a limitless opportunity;
the possibilities to succeed are endless.

NICK ~ a senior

BIBLE:
Pilgrim's Progress, The Study of James

Math: geometry/algebra II

Science: Environmental Overkill, Access to Energy

Civics: The Federalist Papers, US History Documents, The Diaries of George Washington (series)

Economics: What has Government Done to Our Money, Economics in One Lesson, On that day began Lies

Literature: Call of the Wild *(not RC), Tom Sawyer, Pudd'nhead Wilson, Huck Finn, Life on the Mississippi, To Kill a Mockingbird

Language Arts: Writing Composition, SAT study skills, and Vocabulary

Electives: French, Fitness Training, & Basic Car Mechanics

*Senior Project:
List 3 career interests; research, interview, and job shadow for those careers.
To be done 1st 3 quarters.

TJ - 8th grade

Bible: New Testament- daily reading

Math: Saxon 7/6

Science: The friendly Arctic (geography), Seasonal Nature Journal

History: Christopher Columbus, The Life of George Washington (series), Biography of Ben Franklin, Life of Davy Crocket

Literature:
A Boat to No Where *not RC
Swiss Family Robinson
Robinson Crusoe
Treasure Island
The Vicar of Wakefield

Language Arts:
Professor Klugimkopf's Old Fashioned English Grammar
Prof "K"s Spelling Rules
Daily Grams-junior high- *not RC
Creative writing-30 min per day

Electives: French, Weight Training, & Cooking

Katie- 3rd grade

Bible: My Prayer Journal *, New Testament Study

Math: Saxon 5/4

Science: Tale of ... (animal series), Seasonal Nature Journal.

History: Christopher Columbus, The Life of George Washington, Our Hero General Grant

Literature: Bobbsey Twin (series), Lil Pruddy, Dottie Dimple (series), 5 Little Peppers (series)

Read-alouds: Little House on the Prarie (series)* ~we are on book 2

Language Arts: Prof "K" Old fashioned Grammar & Spelling, Easy Grammar *(3rd grade)

Electives: Ballet, typing, & recorder

Andrew- Kindergarten

Bible: New Testament Study w/ sissy =)

Reading: Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Penmanship: Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Science: Nature walks, animal study (per letter of the week)

Readiness Skills: 'Letter of the Week' study to be done w/ Bryson, along w/ many hand-on activities. =)

Bryson- TOT School Fun

Up until Kindergarten, I choose a variety of activities. Mainly, I choose to do a letter of the alphabet per week. I prefer Abeka's preschool cards for this. Here are a few sites that make my job as 'teacher' so much more fun:

Totally Tots

No Time For Flash Cards

Confessions of a Homeschooler

dltk-teach.com

letteroftheweek.com

~I have endless supply of links when it comes to those fabulous toddler years, but I limited it to my favorite resources =)

Living
In
Faith
Everyday...

MONDAY MUSINGS....

Where's Flat Brat Charlie?

Having Story Time w/ Aunt Chanelle.
Poor Charlie has not had many outings in the great northwest as of yet. His first trip out with us we went to Alki Beach...such a beautiful place...and I, yes I, left Charlie at the pizza place. *gasp* Thankfully a dear cousin was still there and saved the day! Maybe there is a reason we have chosen not to have a baby #7 =)

Athletics vs Academics~

Today is our 1st day of the school year.... 2010-2011
Today is also a day I needed to take Nick to the urgent care.
Ummm, yeah, those places are never very quick...
so...
we will begin school....
tomorrow.
Ofcourse tomorrow is when he will see the orthopedic surgeon and most likely have a cast put on his wrist. He did play a great game yesterday, and the 'take out' was at the end of the game. Did I mention he was already seeing a chiropractor and doing physical training for a hip that was jolted out of place while we were in California? Hmmm, the next soccer tournament is in 3 weeks...wonder how that will go?

Vacation vs Education
Have school books; will travel~

Next week we head to Oregon for a couple of weeks...sorta.
We get to house-sit for a dear friend. The kids are thrilled to spend some time in our hometown. Fred is needed in Oregon for a period of time for his job, so this was perfect timing for the family. Our precious dog Asia will not be so happy...she gets to stay home with the Grandparents. I may need to go back occasionally to check up on her, as she is lost without a house full of kids... seriously.

Reunions vs funerals~

I had a family reunion this past week-end. I have always like them. I like seeing family. I especially love to see my cousins! My mom is one of 8 children... I have lots of cousins... I think it is a beautiful thing! My dear Grandpa's time is almost up... he will soon get to go up to Heaven...what a glorious thing that has to be! We were blessed to have the reunion very close to his home so that we could take turns going to visit him. He is such a sweet man.

Just wondering...

If I should cut most of my hair off for a good cause?? It has been a very long time since I have had short hair... but I am blessed with lots of hair... the lovely girl I want to help does not. It would be a kind thing to do....hair is a funny attachment... a part of us, yet not really. I am still thinking about it....

Grateful for...

the unique relationship I have with each individual child we have. My heart's love is beyond what my mind can comprehend... full and overflowing indeed.