The Homeschool Mother’s Journal

 

In my life this week…

I feel like I’m finally getting back on track after our surprise move. It has been one crazy month! 

It has been really wonderful to catch up with family and friends here in Ohio but I have to admit that I really miss my Alabama friends. I also miss some of the “luxuries” that I’d become accustomed to in a larger city- like grocery stores that don’t close at 10:00pm or the amazing thrift stores that were minutes away. Getting used to small town living once again is really going to take a bit of adjusting. 

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

My oldest son, Nickolaus, turned 18. My husband wanted to do something for him that would be really special. We asked Nickolaus what he wanted and he surprised us when he said he would love to visit the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in no other than New York City.  So Nickolaus and I set off for our first lone adventure. 

We’re blessed to have an aunt and uncle that live in New Jersey that had offered to allow us to stay at their home near Princeton which would allow an easy commute into the city via train. It was so nice to see them. They really spoiled us. Last Friday my aunt went into NYC with us to show us the ropes.  We visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art- which is a museum like no other, Central Park and the beautiful cathedral.  On Saturday we spent a full day learning about the Revolutionary War by visiting places like The Old Barrack’s Museum in Trenton and Washington’s Crossing in nearby Pennsylvania. My uncle also gave us a run down of the battle of Princeton of which he is very knowledgeable.    

 Stepping off the Subway in NYC

Things I’m working on…

I’m trying to unpack our necessities but since our housing situation is only temporary, I don’t want to unpack everything. Yet finding a happy medium is proving most difficult.

I’ve also been thinking about “all things homeschool”. We have moved back to Ohio which means that I have to acclimate myself once again to Ohio’s homeschool laws. I have to notify with the local school district, try to find a football team my son can play on, decide if we will join a support group and which one and I have to determine which curricula and materials we will be using this year while one child has determined that they would like to finish two years this year. Whew! 

Did I also mention that I am also house hunting? My children have very specific requests. They each want a bedroom, they want to live in the country so they can have friends over and have bonfires and we need something near the Interstate so my husband will have an easier commute to work. Not too bad of a list, but rentals like that aren’t easy to come by. I’m praying the Lord will open just the right doors. 

Oh yeah, I didn’t even mention that we are taking a real vacation in August that I really should wrap up plans for? I haven’t even made flight arrangements which should have been completed months ago. Does anyone have any secrets for getting a great deal on flights? 

Yep, this is one of those times that I am totally, helplessly overwhelmed. So how has your week been?

Want to see how other homeschool moms have spent their week? Stop by The Homeschool Chick to read other journal entries. 

Until next time, Happy Homeschoolin’!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal, Summer Edition ~Week 2

In my life this week…

We’ve been super busy. Last weekend we visited Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia for a special tweetup event. If you haven’t been there and ever get the chance, GO!!! It was incredible. You can read my post, Ten Reasons You’ll Love Callaway Gardens to see all that they offer.

On the way home from Callaway Gardens, we stopped at the Alabama Gold Camp to pan for gold. We didn’t strike it rich but it was a really inexpensive and fun outing. I’ll be sharing more on that trip next week.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This afternoon I ran my kids to our local mall for a fun scavenger hunt for the teens that my daughter arranged for our local teen group. She was excited to organize the event and pleased that she had a decent turn out. We didn’t know it when we planned for it, but it ended up raining so today was the perfect day to be indoors! 

Chelsea divided the group into teams. Each team had a list of 20 things that they had to do or find in order and document by taking a picture with their digital camera. Some of the items on the list were easy- take a picture of a team member reading a book or magazine. Easy ‘nuff. Others weren’t that simple- get four strangers to spell out YMCA or sing Happy Birthday to a stranger.  Hmmm….yeah. Believe it or not, they did it!

The first team to complete all their tasks and return to the meeting point were deemed the winners. Each of the kids received a small bag of candy for participating and the winning team won a small prize.

If you’re looking for an activity for your own local teen or homeschool group, this may be just the thing.  

My favorite thing this week was…

Spending time at home!

What’s working/not working for us…

The Great Courses DVD program on the Metropolitan Museum of Art that I mentioned last week is a hit! Nickolaus and I were excited about visiting the Met before but now we really can’t wait!    

Things I’m working on…

With all of our running here and there I’ve really neglected our house. My goal for the weekend is to get it back in order- or at the very minimum to find the floor in my bedroom once again. *sigh* At least my laundry is caught up- I’ve learned not to take clean underwear for granted.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

One of the views we’ve come to love in Alabama.

Want to share what’s going on in your homeschool this summer? Stop by The Homeschool Chick and link up to The Homeschool Mother’s Journal.

Until next week~ Happy Homeschooling

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal~ Summer Edition Week 1

 

In my life this week…

This past Monday I met with a group of moms and teens to discuss curriculum and allow the kids some social time while we moms could yak. I found out about some cool homeschool resources.

One of my friends mentioned The Great Courses. Have you used any of them? She had used the Museum Masterpieces: The Metropolitan Museum of Art before a trip to NYC and graciously allowed me to borrow the program so Nickolaus and I can work through it together before we head to The Met in July.

Summer football practice began this week but my son has been driving himself so it hasn’t been so much running.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This week I’m off to another tweet-up except this time my entire family gets to go with me. We are all really excited and looking forward to some family FUN!

My favorite thing this week was…

Family night with my husband and kids.

What’s working/not working for us…

Working our way through the unused materials I had stashed away has been great. It gives us some variety and makes me feel better knowing we’ve not wasted any of our resources.   

Questions/thoughts I have…

Have you used any of The Great Courses? Which ones did you like/dislike and why?

Things I’m working on…

I’m trying to get more involvement in our local teen group. Last night my daughter and I were brainstorming some activities and she came up with some really good ideas. Do you have any free or low cost activities that you think teens would enjoy? 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

If you find yourself with extra time on your hands, doesn’t this look like a great homeschool summer project?

This 1/12th scale model of the complete shuttle stack only took three Space Camp Crew Trainers about 200 hours and 25,000 pieces of K’NEX to complete! Isn’t it amazing? Now they are working on the Hubble Space Telescope.

This model can be seen at the US Space and Rocket Museum in Huntsville.  

Want to share what’s going on in your homeschool this summer? Stop by The Homeschool Chick and link up to The Homeschool Mother’s Journal.   

Until next week~ Happy Homeschooling!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ A Week Just for Mom

 

In my life this week…

I went on my second Tweet-up, had a great time and was missed by my family. I wasn’t gone overnight so it was nice to know that even though my kids are teenagers, they still miss having their mama around! That just makes me smile.  

In our homeschool this week…

We’ve been revisiting some of the curriculum and resources that have spent too much time on the shelves. I have a laundry basket full of materials that I had “intended” to use that somehow were pushed aside. Not anymore. I’ve decided that I will try not to make any purchases until we make a dent in our pile.

It may take awhile.  What do you think?  

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

You’d think people would have plenty of time now that ‘school’ has wrapped up for many people. Including us.  It’s been hard to hook up with anyone the past couple weeks but this week we’re changing that. My son will begin summer football, we’ll meet up with some other families with teens for a hike and we’re heading somewhere really fun next weekend. But you’ll have to wait to read about that….

My favorite thing this week was…

Was attending a Tweet-up at the US Space and Rocket Center. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it in the days to come. Just let me say that if you have ever considered sending your children to Space Camp, DO!

What’s working/not working for us…

My kids have actually enjoyed using the materials we already have on hand. Some of the material is more of a review- but I know my kids “get it” and don’t we all worry about that from time to time?

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

At the Tweet-up, we had lunch with Tim Pickens and he shared his latest venture; to land a robot on the moon while sending images back to Earth.  He’s a brilliant man and has fun creating rockets and similar toys in his man cave. The rocket bike is one result of his tinkering. Check out this short video (you just may not want to read the comments).    

My kids are thinking this would make a fun summer project.

Until next week ~ Happy Homeschooling!

Don’t forget to stop by The Homeschool Chick to be encouraged by other journal entries or to add one of your own.

What kind of fun do you have planned next week?

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal~ Week 18

 

In my life this week…

Has been crazy and rushed.

In our homeschool this week…

We’ve been evaluating our past year. We’ve discussed what the kids liked, what they haven’t liked and things they’d like to do differently. Though we’ve pretty much been unschoolers while we’ve traveled and the kids have enjoyed having time to learn about their own interests, they would like a bit more structure from here on out. So we’ve been planning accordingly. 

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

After our incredibly busy schedule last week that took us to Disney World in Florida on Thursday, home to Alabama late Friday night, to Nashville early Saturday morning (where I promptly locked my keys in my vehicle) and back to Northern Alabama Saturday night for a concert, I thought we deserved a break.  

My favorite thing this week was…

Sleeping in Sunday morning. What a blessing it was that my oldest son drove himself to Sunday School and my husband took the other two and let me sleep in.   

What’s working/not working for us…

My kids want to meet more people and go on more field trips (imagine that)- but they’d also like to take some classes. I was shocked by some of the topics they want to pursue; psychology and sociology. Surprisingly, I’ve managed to find a couple classes that may work. My kids are ecstatic. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Vincent, our dog, didn’t travel with us last week. Though he was happy to visit his friend Clifford while we were away, he still missed us. He sat on my son’s lap and licked him the entire drive to our house.

I couldn’t resist taking a picture.

Until next week ~ Happy Homeschooling!

Don’t forget to stop by The Homeschool Chick to be encouraged by other journal entries or to add one of your own.

Many people are wrapping up their school year (even if next year is only a week or two away) what changes are you looking forward to making in your home?

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal~ Week 17

 

In my life this week…

I invested hours and hours of time making some changes to my only to loose it all when Blogger went haywire. Ugghhh…I only hope that it comes back up this weekend so I don’t have to redo all the html. My eyes are still crossed.  

In our homeschool this week…

Well, I told you what I was up to. My kids were basically on their own. That’s okay – they’re teenagers, remember? We did get together for some bible time and to continue reading God’s Smuggler, a story told by Brother Andrew.  If we were consistent about our family read aloud time we’d have it finished by now and have already moved on but we’re savoring this book. We all love it (even if my daughter would rather read it herself).    

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We’re heading somewhere very special this weekend! Tomorrow is GAME DAY! Yep, my boys’ are going to play their first football game near Atlanta. They’re really excited. They are also excited that the Jamboree wraps up the spring football clinic. They’ll have a bit of time off until they begin summer football, then fall football. Sigh…I dream of football.  

My favorite thing this week was…

Mother’s Day! My kids were so wonderful! They each spent their own money to buy me bouquets of flowers, a scented candle, and decorative keepsake box. I was really surprised. After church my family wanted to take me out to eat but since it was my choice we got carryout from Zaxby’s.  We were going to watch a movie but on our way to the theater I got sick. SICK, can you believe that? The kids didn’t even act disappointed, they grabbed a movie from Redbox and some snacks from Walmart and had our movie night at home.  I just love my family.

What’s working/not working for us…

This really has nothing to do with homeschooling per se, but I’m going to throw it out there. Having two new drivers in the house is taking some getting used to. I was alright with them driving to the Y which is five minutes away on a clear, sunny day. I was kind of alright when they wanted to drive a bit further and go to the mall down the road. I was not okay when they wanted to drive to football practice by themselves on the Interstate. But I held my breath, said a pray and watched them drive away. I was not okay when they wanted to drop a friend off on the way home from football practice. But my husband reminded me that they’d been driving for almost a year before they got their license. They would make that step sometime. I was not okay when they wanted to go to the movies after football practice and I knew they’d be driving in the dark (even though they’ve done both WITH me in the car)! And I was certainly not okay when  they wanted to drive in the dark AND in the rain! Every step forward sent me reeling. And I thought it was hard to watch them ride their bike for the first time without training wheels! Driving is a whole new dynamic. In the midst of one of those moments, I opened my email and found a reassuring message from a dear friend reminding me of Psalm 91 and especially of the verses that she prays over her children- (who happen to be older than mine, some already  on their own)-  

⁹ If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
   and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
   no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 

Comforting words from an older sister in the Lord who’s already walked through the steps of loosening her grip that I’m now also facing.  

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

I’m beginning to plan for next year. We aren’t quite where we should be in math. I wonder what the record is for how many programs a person could complete in one year. Anyone?

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Where we’re headed….

 

Don’t forget to stop by The Homeschool Chick to be encouraged by other journal entries or to add one of your own.

Until next week ~ Happy Homeschooling!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ Week 16

I missed posting last week. If you’re curious, you can read this post. I’ll give you a hint, it starts with T and ends with O.

In my life this week…

I’ve felt scared, anxious, helpless, angry, sad, empathic, grateful, thankful, hopeful, and joyful. It seems as though my emotions have really run the gamut.

In our homeschool this week…

We managed to learn a lot of life skills, like what to do in case a tornado (or multiple tornadoes) hit your area and you loose power for nearly a week.  

After we regained power, my middle son drove to Game Stop to buy a new add on pack for Call of Duty Black Ops. He was really excited because the new extension was just released. Once he got home the Xbox wouldn’t accept his code. He called Game Stop and explained the problem and they told him he’d have to call the people at Xbox that they couldn’t help him. So he did. He was on the phone for quite awhile when they told him that Game Stop had made an error and that he’d have to call them back and ask for a valid code. So he called, straightened it out, and was pretty pleased with himself.     

The boys also began driving to football practice so they’ve been doing some maintenance on my oldest son’s car. This week, while my husband was working, they drove to AutoZone, bought new headlights and installed them without assistance. When one of the headlights didn’t work, Nickolaus tracked down the problem and remedied it.  Yep. My boys are really growing up.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Since we had no power and my husband couldn’t work, we took the opportunity to head to Knoxville for two days to see my great nephew. He’s such a cutie.  

My favorite thing this week was…

Even though we didn’t have power at home, we all realized how very fortunate we are.

I enjoyed the slower pace. Talking without the interruptions of the TV, internet or xBox, reading, napping, playing games by candlelight.  I was reminded of some of the things that I loved most from our camper days- things seemed much slower paced then. 

What’s working/not working for us…

Volunteering. We’ve tried several times to aid our community by volunteering in the clean up efforts. The good news is that there has been an influx of volunteers. The bad news is that the officials are only accepting help from organized groups and so far many of the groups require you to be 18 which means the kids can’t help. We’re trying to figure out another way to help. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

Let’s talk homeschool sports for a minute. Right now I’m having a love/hate relationship with football.  I think it’s a great opportunity but by does it wreck havoc on our evenings.

Do your children play sports? Do you find that sports is disruptive of your home life? What adjustments have you made to keep things running smoothly?

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

On the way home from Knoxville we passed through the Cherokee National Forest. Beautiful.  

Don’t forget to stop by The Homeschool Chick to read other journal entries and to add your own.

Until next week ~ Happy Homeschooling!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal~ Week 14

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Homeschool Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

In my life this week…

We’ve been BUSY! Although that’s becoming a regular part of life. We’ve had a great week- but I have fallen a bit behind in the housework department. That doesn’t make me happy. :(  

In our homeschool this week…

We’ve been very productive. All three of my kids earned their CPR/AED/Basic First Aid certification in an eight hour class that they attended at our local Red Cross Chapter on Monday. They did a great job and my kids, who have never been in a traditional school setting, were very appreciative that they aren’t forced to sit in those hard chairs for hours on end!

At home they’ve been plugging along through the book work. We’ve loved using the Nutrition 101: Choose Life! curriculum, my son is still making headway through ALEKS math (which I’m thrilled with), and I started my daughter on some remedial math drill.  She wasn’t too happy about that, but sometimes it’s necessary to take a step backwards.

My kids have been reading quite a bit. My 16 year old has been reading about Pearl Harbor and WWII (one of his favorite subjects), my oldest has been reading comics this week (at least he’s reading, right?) and my daughter dove in to The Phantom of the Opera.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

After church on Sunday we are going to go camping. I can’t wait to hit the hiking trails and see some of the wild flowers that we’ve been missing.

My favorite thing this week was…

My oldest son got his license- he was really pleased. Of course now he doesn’t want to drive, but in his words… “it’s nice to have that option”.

The fact that Nickolaus doesn’t want to drive is really aggravating Josh who wants to drive everywhere. The good news for Josh is that he’s been able to drive around in his Nickolaus’ Camaro. The fact that Nickolaus allows Josh to drive as often as he does truly amazes me- Josh just has to pay for his own gas. I guess that’s a pretty good deal.   

What’s working/not working for us…

This isn’t exactly homeschool related but I’ll share anyway.  We’ve been busy. The boys have started football training for the fall season and their team is pretty intense. Practice starts around 5 and isn’t over until 7- right smack in the middle of our meal time. Family mealtime has always been a big deal to us. My husband is starved and food is always done when he gets home from work,  but now we aren’t able to eat together. I’m thinking that I’m going to begin making some crock pot meals on the days the boys have practice so if you can point me towards a yummy crock pot recipe, I’d appreciate it. We won’t be able to eat as a family but at least everyone will have something warm when they do eat.      

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

We’re planning a trip out West that we are really looking forward too. I’d love to know if anyone has a favorite living book suggestion on the subject of Lewis and Clark, the Westward Expansion or the Wild West?

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

This isn’t a great picture with all the light streaming in through the window, but I love it anyway. We love books and when my kids were younger we read thousands of picture books- I think we read like 1200 for kindergarten!  I found one of their favorite bedtime stories, How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight, and though my kids are “too old” for a bedtime story, they really wanted me to be the one to read this book to them, just like old times.

Just a reminder that your kids are never to old for you to read to them. We don’t make it a point to read picture books but hey, they loved it.

Until next week ~ Happy Homeschooling!

Would you consider stopping by Circle of Moms and voting for Live the Adventure as one of the Top 25 Homeschool blogs? I’d really appreciate it. :)

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ Week 13

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

In my life this week…

I’ve felt a tiny bit overwhelmed with schooling, housework and life in general.   

In our homeschool this week…

I’ve felt like a failure. Chalk it up to one of those weeks. We returned from our Ohio Road Trip on Monday night. The rest of the week became a mess of much needed errands, vet visits, doctor appointments for physicals and tax time…need I say more? 

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

I am a Great Aunt! Yep, my niece had baby boy on Monday and we will be traveling to Knoxville this weekend to see him. I can’t wait!

My favorite thing this week was…

Returning from our road trip. There’s just no place like home.

What’s working/not working for us…

Lately I’ve felt that we’ve been on the road too much and I just really long for one complete day at home with no running around. That won’t happen for a bit longer, as the boys begin football next week but that will cut down on the out of the area travel for a bit.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

My mind is not working this week so can’t say I really have anything to share.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

We’ve had our share of rain and stormy weather. This picture was taken minutes after the tornado warning expired, as the hail began to fall. These two thought they'd run outside and grab a few ice pellets which is what prompted a discussion on storm safety. Ugghh…I’m sure we’ve had this discussion before…

Until next week~ Happy Homeschoolin’ and Be Safe!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ Week 12

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

 

In my life this week…

I’ve been gearing up for a weekend getaway. Two of my children and myself are hopping in the van early Friday morning and heading to Ohio for my sister-in-laws baby shower. I can’t wait to see some of my old friends and the kids have been counting down the days ever since our trip was announced to see theirs.

This is the first time that I will be tweeting and blogging from the road, but not while I’m driving of course. Seriously, this trip is in preparation for another longer trip that we’ll be taking this summer. If you want to see some of the fun and random stops we see along the way make sure you stop back over the next few days or follow me on Twitter or on Facebook.  

In our homeschool this week…

The kids have gotten lots of P.E. and some art appreciation. Other than that we’ve continued working on the basics and even took a day off so my boys could each take their driver’s test.

One passed and one didn’t. Let me give you a bit of advice, if you have children that are fairly close in age and could potentially take their test on the same day for whatever reason, do anything you can so it doesn’t happen. Just think of me as an example, okay?    

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

The kids have gone ice skating and we had a wonderful walk on the UAHuntsville to see the Spaces Biennial Sculpture Trail with other teens and their families.

And of course, we’re embarking on our road trip…

 

My favorite thing this week…

I loved inviting friends to our home to help us celebrate my son’s 16th birthday. Though the day couldn’t have been too much more stressful and I even cried after I burnt two batches of cupcakes,  my handheld mixer broke (when I was attempting to make the icing for the cupcakes), the belt broke on my vacuum and the heel ripped right off my favorite pair of shoes. Now, let me say that I LOVE having people over and entertaining, even though our house is small and we don’t have much seating but by 4pm, I didn’t care if anyone showed up. Turns out that company was good for the soul and I enjoyed our get together every bit as much as my 16 year old did.

You know what makes this even more special? This is the first time in nearly six years that we’ve been “home” for his birthday rather than in a hotel room. I’m sure that was a favorite for him.    

What’s working/not working for us…

We are planning a trip out West this year and the kids have been researching where to go along the way. I asked them if they would each like to plan our stops in an entire state and go from there. In their research they are learning some really cool history and adding some geographical features to their lists of places they’d like to see that aren’t common to Alabama.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

Have you read Christian Unschooling? I dug my book out earlier this week to pass on to a friend and found myself rereading it yet again. It’s so encouraging to me.

A photo, video, link or quote to share… 

And since travel is on my mind, I shall leave you with this quote from Danny Meadow Mouse, character in Burgess Seashore Book for Children.

“Travel will, I think you’ll find, greatly broaden out your mind”.

Ahhhh….isn’t that just lovely? 

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal~ Week 11

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

 

In my life this week...

This week has been a week of firsts for us. A first prom, the first time the kids have gone ice skating, the first time they’ve ridden horses and the first time I’ve invited friends over spur of the moment when the house was a mess. Wow! If I could tell you how hard it was to extend that invitation for the perfectionist in me! I do have to say that after I got over myself, I really had a great time and the kids and I were so happy to have spent the time with new friends. 

In our homeschool this week...

Have you figured out that we are on the verge of being unschoolers? Though I do use curriculum, a lot of our schooling comes as a result of our many field trips or impromtu discussions, discoveries and interests.

This week we continued reading Boy Meets Girl. My kids are really enjoying this book and look forward to our read aloud time. Yes, I do read aloud to my teenagers. Though they read plenty on their own, they really enjoy this special time. We also added God's Smuggler, a story about Brother Andrew who smuggled Bibles to countries hostile to God's Word. It was my desire at the beginning of the year to encourage my children to read more biographies of great Christian men and women. They’ve read books about Amy Carmichael, Frannie Crosby, Billy Sunday and a few more but this is our first biography together. So far all I can say is that it has certainly gotten our attention.

The kids worked on their individual studies and lessons, including Latin Alive! Book 1 that I just reviewed.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

In addition to the field trips that we’ve taken, we also went to a meeting for a homeschool football team. My kids are extremely excited to be playing this year because after years of searching and all of the places we’ve traveled, this is only the second time we’ve discovered a high school team and the first time they’ll actually be able to play.

My daughter is considering joining the cheerleading squad. The way she looks at it, she won’t have anything else to do because we all know she doesn’t want to watch her brothers’ play. I don’t think she’s figured out that if she cheers she’ll actually have to pay closer attention to the game, but the way I look at it, she’ll make that discovery soon enough.    

My favorite thing this week was...

Hanging out with some new friends and discovering that we all homeschool similarly. It was like a mini-support group meeting!

What's working/not working for us...

Crock pot meals! Seriously, we’ve been busy this week so my crock pot has really been worth its weight in gold.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have... 

I have to admit that lately, I’ve been just a tiny (okay, maybe more than a tiny) bit aggravated that I’ve set up several field trips, have had quite a few people sign up and then quite a few no shows. I was really embarrassed a couple weeks ago when I was expecting almost 20 people and only 6 (counting my family) showed up. 11 people  that I’d counted on just didn’t call or email which has led me to believe that homeschoolers may be too flexible. Meaning they will sign up for something but if something better comes along or if they just don’t “feel” like going, they won’t.  Have you experienced anything similar?    

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

My kids went to their first prom last Saturday and had a great time. I really think a lot of the pressure was removed because they went with friends as a group and not as a date. They were able to really cut loose and be themselves. I took quite a few pictures but I thought I’d share my favorite…

   

…it really shows their personalities! If you have a prom to prepare for you may get a few tips from my post, Ten Ways to Save Money on Prom Expenses.   

Until next week~  Happy Homeschooling!

**Just so you know, the links for the books are affiliate links. If you are offended because they are there, just don’t purchase books through the link. Otherwise, they are there for your convenience.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal~ Week 10

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

In my life this week...

I already shared a tiny glimpse of what my life has been like this week. You can read about it here if you’re really interested.

In our homeschool this week...

We’ve been moving along. Not too exciting but not everyday can be, now can it?

We did go on a field trip to our local homeless shelter for a tour and to serve lunch and work in the kitchen. It’s always a great experience for us and this time was no different. Our local shelter has a live-in program that is pretty neat. As a faith based shelter they receive no federal, state or local money for the government and yet manage to serve over 200,000 meals a year, clothe and provide housing for their residents.

It’s important to me that my kids learn to serve and realize that homelessness is something that can happen to anyone.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We visited one of the many local homeless shelters this week for a tour of the facility and to serve lunch and work in the kitchen. We learned discovered a few things that I’ve   

My favorite thing this week was...

Wrapping up a huge project that I’ve been working on that wasn’t nearly as painful as it started out to be.

What's working/not working for us...

Netflix and Zeezok are working for us this week, but I’ll have more to say about that later. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

Do you ever just want to go back and start all over? My kids are growing up. They are all going to their first prom tomorrow and I can’t help but think that one day soon my little birds are going to fly from the nest. If only the time hadn’t passed so quickly…

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

After this weekend I’m anticipating a ton of pictures to scrapbook so I’m thinking it’s time to learn how to digi-scrap. I ran into this great site Working with Digital Quick Pages that will help me get started, so if you’re in the same predicament as me you may want to take  a look too. 

The Homeschooling Mother’s Journal ~ Week 9

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

In my life this week...

Things have been a bit topsy-turvy this week. My husband has been home this week with the kids and I. Let’s just say that we don’t get much accomplished when he’s here.     

Years ago, we made the mistake of designating the days he was home as “No School Days”, only because at that point he worked really long hours and if he was home it was rare and a special treat. The kids got used to that and weren’t about to allow us to rescind that ruling.

The fact that our area school’s were on spring break didn’t really help much either- not that we follow the school schedule. I’m thinking at this point we’ll wrap our school and August 1st and start back August 2nd. ha!

In our homeschool this week...

I think I already did a great job of sharing what we accomplished. Zilch. Nada. Nothing. Well, let me take that back. We did discuss a lot of current events, which led to making altered books.  The kids did read quite a bit and my oldest son is working on his ongoing journal.  We also went shopping for prom. That was quite an experience.

The boys wanted to wear black tuxes with a black vest and a colored shirt under the vest. Hmmm…let me save you some embarrassment before you head to Men’s Warehouse. What the salesman told me in a bit of a hauty tone after I patiently explained not once, but three times what I was looking for (clearly showing my ignorance I might add)…

Salesman: “They are wearing a tuxedo? Not a suit? A tuxedo has a formal jacket with a lapel, duh, duh, duh,(sorry, I began to tone out a bit here) and tuxedo pants have a black stripe?”  

Me, wondering, since when do they wear suits to prom and not tuxes anyway? “Yes, that’s what they have to wear”.

Salesman, looking at me in disbelief:  “They own a tuxedo?”

Me: “Yes”.

Salesman: “A tuxedo is formal. Therefore it is only appropriate to wear formal colors.”

Me, clearly perplexed, trying to figure out why on earth it’s considered formal for boys to wear Converse high tops with the tux but can only wear ‘formal’ color shirts. Go figure.

Salesman: “Formal shirts would be white, black and ecru”.   

Me: Point learned.

By the way, Men’s Warehouse, condescending salesmen are not a great way to win over customers for a repeat business. Just saying.

I guess you could say that we had a bit of a lesson in dressing for formal engagements.  I’ll chalk that up to Life Skills 101.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

If you didn’t stop by last week, I think you have a pretty good idea from the previous question what we’ll be up to.

My favorite thing this week was...

That my husband was home with us. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

What is the best resource you’ve used for teaching the Civil War for older students? 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

I do remember teaching my daughter to match her socks when she was younger. This is purely fashion.

Until next week ~ Happy Homeschooling!

The Homeschooling Mother’s Journal~ Week 8

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

In my life this week...

Last week I confessed that I was ready for some home time. It just seems like we can get so busy so fast sometimes! When I began homeschooling my kids 12 years ago, I imagined quiet days at home, doing our schooling around the table. What a change it’s been! Not that we’ve never had the ideal homeschool setting, it’s just that the ideal setting changes with each new season of life.

I did get one day at home this week. I can’t remember the last time that happened but for one entire day I didn’t step foot in my van. Bliss, I tell you. Pure bliss.

In our homeschool this week...

I’ve met just a bit of resistance as my son announced “… everyone knows the world is going to end in 2012, so tell me why I need to know this stuff ?”  *sigh* This is the same child that told me shortly after we started school when he was six years old that “…if  Adam and Eve hadn’t sinned, he wouldn’t have to do school work!” Bless his heart. You just gotta love him. *smile*

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

As a family, we had a fun day after church rummaging through some of the local antique stores. I was able to pick up a couple Landmark books that we collect and my daughter, the photography buff, bought an old camera to decorate her room with. 

My kids have resumed the ballroom dancing classes, have begun attending church on Wednesday night with the youth and are planning to go to the movies with some of their friends this weekend to see Rango. I’m wondering how on earth they became old enough to do those things without me?

My favorite thing this week was...

Attending a missions fair that our church held on Sunday. We’ve all been praying about ways that we could serve our church and our community for the past few weeks and were thrilled to find the exact program that my husband has wanted for years! He and the boys will be setting off on their first assignment close to home soon!

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

This isn’t really homeschooling but it does apply to the socialization aspect. I’ve never been one of those parent’s that felt my kids were missing out by not being in school. I’ve even thought of how terrible some of those events were in the first place. Like Prom. Is it really that big of deal? I can tell you from my experience that going to prom was a chance for kids to act like grown-ups in ways that they shouldn’t. Why would any parent in their right mind allow their child to go to prom?

Well, my kids want to go to prom. Not with dates. Together as siblings with a group of friends. Not as boy and girl more like part of a collective group.  And you know what? My husband and I have talked about it extensively, we’ve talked to the kids about it and we’ve decided okay. I’ve become that parent and surprisingly, I’m okay with that. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

May this encourage all of us to crack open those spelling books with our children!

Until next week ~ Happy Homeschooling!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal~ Week 7

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

In my life this week...

I’ve been busy, busy, busy! Planning field trips, meeting new friends and trying to work. Some weeks it feels like it’s just hard to keep your head above water—which is why I’ve cleared our schedule next week! I’m ready for some HOME time!      

In our homeschool this week...

My daughter began crocheting a baby blanket for her yet to be born nephew. It’s turning out beautifully. I’ll count it as Home Ec. She’s also decided that she’d like to decorate and sell her own line of clothing and spent much of one day transforming a shirt she found at the thrift store. She’s not one to like the ordinary and I enjoy her creative flair.  

My 15-year old is continuing to work out at the Y. I think he’s managed to rack up enough hours in the past two months that is required for an entire 4 years of high school Phys. Ed. credits!  Now he’s ultra focused—he found out about a homeschool football team. Conveniently, the Y directed him to the coach.

My 17-year old has been spending time tuning up his car which I count as an elective, Auto Repair. He’s hoping to enter it in a couple car shows this year. Fortunately, his car isn’t the only thing on his mind. He’s also been enjoying a new Latin program and an animation program that he pulled out of the pile of curriculum we’ve just not gotten around to using, but I’m sure no one else would know what that’s like. *grin*    

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We’ve had lots of socialization, dare I say, too much?  

Last weekend we visited Cathedral Caverns with some new friends of ours. It was a nice trip—one we’ve been planning to make for awhile and just hadn’t gotten around to. 

We also belong to a group for homeschool teens to be able to meet and hang out with other homeschool teens. If you have younger children, you may not realize how beneficial that is, but as my kids have gotten older, we’ve watched many of their friends head off to school or in different directions. Sometimes it’s hard to find teens to hang out with. This week they were able to go to a movie with the teens and my husband and I took the opportunity to have a date. Steak- N- Shake and Home Depot and my husband thought he was in heaven. Seriously.    

My favorite thing this week was...

Do I really need to choose only one thing?

What's working/not working for us...

Our full schedule isn’t really working out that well. I’m really looking forward to a bit of time at home with nothing to do but…well…SCHOOL!  

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

I’ve just spent the past week thinking how fortunate I am to have been able to homeschool my children the past 12 years. They have grown into teenagers that I LOVE spending time with and I’m really going to miss this season of my life when it’s over. *tear*  

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Today we drove to Atlanta for a field trip to Medieval Times that I’d arranged. One of the moms that attended was Diane, a fellow blogger.  We’ve read each other’s blogs for a while now and it was so nice to be able to meet her and her daughter Grace. I only wish we would’ve had more time to chit chat. 

Diane homeschools using a Charlotte Mason approach and blogs about her experiences and life as a new homesteader.   I hope you’ll stop by and visit her at Cabin in the Woods.

Until next week…Happy Homeschooling!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal- Week 6

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal meme is hosted by Sue a.k.a. The Homeschool Chick. You can click the link or the button below to see how you can participate or to read other link ups.  

In my life this week…

I’ve seen several examples of answered prayer. God is so good!

Places we’re going & people we’re seeing…

Unlike some parts of the country, we’re experiencing spring- like weather. It was nearly 70 today!

I was so excited to notice the buds on several trees appear within the past two days. With such beautiful weather we really couldn’t stay inside, now could we?  We visited with some homeschooling friends early in the week and went on two field trips to learn about Alabama state history—our preferred method of learning.  Who says you need a textbook to learn?  

My favorite thing this week…

Our field trip to the Constitution Village which we agreed was one of our favorite field trips this year.

What’s working/not working for us…

We didn’t spend a lot of time at home this week which makes it a bit hard to accomplish much, however, I have a feeling that the rising gas prices are going to hinder some of our running around. Plus, the forecast is predicting rain…and lots of it.   

Homeschool questions/thoughts that I have…

It’s been a good week. I love homeschooling,  field trips and watching my kids grow and express their own individuality. Even if it does mean that they have blue hair or a mohawks. You probably think I’m kidding about their hair style choices. I’m not. I just hope we don’t frighten away the entire homeschool community!

A photo, video, link or quote to share…

  

Sporting the new “do’s”. 

I actually told my 15 year old that if he was going to have a mohawk, he had to make an effort to smile more so people didn’t think he had a bad attitude.

I’m just curious. If you have teenagers, how do your teenagers express themselves?

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal- Week 5

 

In my life this week...

I’ve been playing hostess and tour guide to my parents who finally arrived from Ohio! I can’t begin to tell you how excited the kids and I were to have them here with us for five days! We had such a wonderful time  and I can’t imagine how it could have been any better. 

In our homeschool this week...

To be honest, since this was a special week,  we pretty much blew off school or  textbooks anyway.  Just try to make me feel guilty. Ain’t gonna happen. *grin*

I did get a couple new products to review that I am extremely excited about that we began working on late in the week. I can’t wait to share them with you but for now, mum’s the word.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We had a fun Valentine’s Party with some of our homeschool friends. The kids went bowling and had a few moments that they were pretty pleased with themselves, as you can see from the picture. 

They were asked to exchange Valentine’s and candy. My kids were all for the candy and though they’d decided that Valentine’s were creepy, at the last minute we stopped to pick some up. 

As is our normal routine, we have a couple field trips scheduled this coming week and a really fun one the first week of March that will be taking us to Atlanta. Woo Hoo! I can’t wait to tell you about that experience!  

My favorite thing this week was...

Without a doubt, having my parents visit for the week. 

What's working/not working for us...

Last fall I had the opportunity to review Aleks, an online math program. My 15 year old enjoyed it so much that we’ve continued with the program. This is the first math program that he is excited to use  which means that I absolutely love it.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

This was one of those weeks that I’ve really appreciated the flexibility that we have as a homeschool family.  My children didn’t miss a minute of their grandparent’s visit—something my parents really enjoyed. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

When I found out that my mom and dad were going to visit, I wanted to show them all the reasons that we have grown to love Alabama. This short video I took shows one of those places, High Falls Park in DeKalb Co. located in Northeastern Alabama. 

I think you can see why this gem made it on my list.

You can see how the past week turned out for other homeschool moms or join Sue in participating in the Homeschool Mother’s Journal at The Homeschool Chick.  

Until next week~ Happy Homeschooling!

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal- Week 3

Do you need some encouragement? Check out my giveaway.

In my life this week…

I’ve been busy learning the art of couponing.  After watching an episode of Extreme Couponing, my husband is convinced that I should be able to acquire all of our groceries and personal care items at little to no out of pocket cost. Clearly, couponing is not as easy as that or everyone would do it. However, I have couponed in the past and was doing really well when we began traveling with my husbands job. Let me say that stocking up when you live in a motor home is easier said than done.

In our homeschool this week…

We’ve not been very diligent. My boys each worked together two full days which left just my daughter and I at home. It doesn’t take long for her to complete her assigned work, so we spent our afternoons visiting some of the thrift stores in our area. We found some amazing quilt pieces so we are beginning  a quilting project. Sewing is not my thing so I’m really hoping that I can be a good example and see this project through to completion.

Since our visit to Narnia: The Exhibit, we’ve been fascinated with the works of C.S. Lewis once again. I rented a movie from Netflix, The Life and Faith of C.S. Lewis, that we watched and enjoyed. It also discussed his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien. I’d found a book called The Tolkien Companion by J.E.A. Tyler which I presented to my oldest son and he’s been reading it every spare moment.

My 15- year old is still focused on training for boot camp and has visited the gym every day this week and is thrilled with his progress.      

Places we’re going & people we’re seeing…

My parent’s will be visiting from Ohio next weekend and I’m busy planning some sight seeing excursions while they’re here. We’re all looking forward to showing them around Alabama- we just hope that the snow lets up in Ohio so they can actually drive here!

What’s working/not working for us…

I received two products this week to review that I am absolutely thrilled with, a bible/worldview curriculum  and an art program. You’ll hear more about these products in the weeks to come. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

Now that my boys are working more, I’m trying to figure out how to schedule our days. It’s been a challenge since they don’t really have a set work schedule. They work for my husband and he doesn’t typically know too far in advance when he will need them. So far we kind of take it day by day. 

A photo to share…

Check out my newest adventure….I’m planning to open an Etsy store next week featuring my unique penny jewelry. I’m also hosting a contest until Sunday night - if you’d like to help me choose a name, you can win any one item in the store when it launches.  

Hope you’ve had a great week! Happy Homeschooling!

Join The Homeschool Chick to see how the week has been for other homeschool moms.  

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal- Week 2

In my life this week…

I was surprised to find out that I won a trip to Tunica, Mississippi! The timing is perfect since my parents are planning a visit from Ohio, which means they can stay with our kids and my husband and I will slip away almost unnoticed! A mommy and daddy need that every now and then, ya know?

Anyway, maybe you can help me out. Tunica is famous for the casino’s but I’d like to break away from the norm here. I plan to visit the Mississippi River Museum, we’ll be staying at Harrah’s and have a gift certificate to eat at 37’s. I’m not saying that my husband won’t enjoy sticking a few pennies in the slot machines, but if you have any suggestions on things to do in the area that don’t include gambling, I’d love to hear them.    

Places we’re going & people we’re seeing…

I think I already let the cat out of the bag on that one.  As far as the kids and I, we’ll be heading out to check out a new Sculpture Trail that is around town. My kids are also super excited to attend a concert where they will see some of their favorite Christian bands like Thousand Foot Crutch and one of my favorites, Casting Crowns. I’ve not decided if I’ll go yet- normally I do go to the concerts with them but this time they think they may want to go with their friends. *sigh* My babies are growing up…*sniff* *sniff*  Actually, its all good with me because now that I’m getting older, I much prefer outdoor concerts.

My favorite thing this week…

Has nothing to do with school. We watched the movie Secretariat. Have you seen it? Oh my. I don’t even like horse shows and am not a fan of horse racing, but I thought that movie was excellent! When it was over we even looked up Secretariat online to learn more- though my kids probably won’t admit that to anyone.   

My favorite thing ,school wise, is that we actually had a couple really great school days. We’ve been reading I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris and discussing it. If you have teenagers and you don’t want to go the dating route, this is a great book. My kids are really enjoying it, though they probably won’t tell you that either. *smile*

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard my husband tell our children, “…that other than choosing to accept Jesus as your personal Savior, choosing a spouse is the most important decision you will ever make.”  We don’t want to encourage them to date, giving bits of their hearts away little by little or throwing them into temptation’s way when they aren’t ready. Unless they are ready, emotionally, spiritually and financially to get married, they aren’t ready to date.  Of course, that can’t just be our decision. Our children have to come to that realization themselves. Oh well, it seems that I’ve gotten off track… 

What’s working/not working for us…

Our YMCA membership is working beautifully for Phys. Ed. I think my kids will get all of their hours in for their high school credits this month if we keep up the pace! We are really serious about getting or staying in shape. 

This week I signed up for a Free class from Homeschoolblogger, The Greatest Hoax on Earth by Dr. Johnathan Safarti from Creation Ministries International. It was the first class that we’ve joined, but my oldest son really enjoyed it so we’ll be joining others in the future.   

My kids have excelled in their weekly ballroom dance classes and have now moved up from beginner status to intermediate. I guess you could say that’s working.

Homeschool questions/thoughts that I have…

This week has been a good week. I may not a perfect homeschool mom, but it’s not one of those weeks that I feel like a failure. It’s good to have a week like that. 

A photo to share…

I was disappointed when the hike we were going to take with friends at Bankhead National Forest was cancelled due to lack of interest- actually, I don’t think it was lack of interest, but threat of inclement weather that scared everyone off. When I woke up to a beautiful sunny day in the high 40’s I knew we had to get out of the house. We headed to nearby Wade Mountain Preserve to hike the Devil’s Racetrack trail. I didn’t read the directions quite right and actually told the kids that it was a mile and a half hike. Turned out it was 1 1/2 miles TO the Devil’s Racetrack trail. Our mile and a half hike turned in to nearly four miles!  Oh well, we survived, lived to tell about it and spent an hour at the museum afterwards! I’d say we got a workout, what do you think?

Want to share the thoughts floating around in your head? Why not head over to The Homeschool Chick website and join in the fun? 

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal –Will You Join in the Fun?

Sue, a.k.a The Homeschool Chick, inadvertently started a fun new meme. I don’t think she intended it to be that way, but her readers sure thought it’d be fun to participate. As a result, she’s added a linky to her post and each week you’ll have the opportunity to answer the writing prompts and link up your own blog post. Sound like fun? I thought it did!

In my life this week…

I have to admit that I’m a bit heavy hearted. This morning my husband called and shared a difficulty that one of our family members is experiencing. I don’t want to share any details, but they’ve been on my mind and in my prayers throughout much of the day.

In our homeschool this week…

We are re-evaluating. We’re a bit slow getting back to the daily grind and I think part of that is because we’ve struggled so much this year to find a daily routine that works for us. Our focus is on spelling, math and writing, with some foreign language thrown in. Pretty much the basics.

My husband also finished previewing The Young Man in the Mirror and has insisted that our boys begin reading it right away. If you have a teenage son, my husband can’t recommend this book enough.

We’re also attempting to spend an hour at the YMCA, three times a week. If my children weren’t so insistant, I know it would be easy for me to slack off on this but we all have a desire to work on getting fit. Okay, that’s a lie. I want to get fit. My boys just want to get six-packs.       

Places we’re going & people we’re seeing…

If you regularly read my blog than you know we’re ALWAYS heading out the door for a field trip. This week we’ll be exploring one of the National Forests here in Alabama with a naturalist. We should be able to see some waterfalls, scenic bluffs and hear about some of Alabama’s Natural History along the way.  We’re hoping that the forecast is wrong and it will be a bit warmer than the 36 degrees that is predicted!

We’re also excited to expect friends over to share a meal tomorrow night. We love to open our home to others so that is an especially special treat.  

My favorite thing this week was…

Okay, since I’m getting in here a wee bit late, I’m going to share my favorite thing that happened last week. Ready? Here it is: I reached my goal of working out three times and discovered that I’m really loving our Y membership, more than I ever imagined! Another benefit? While I’m there, I clear my mind and pray and give praise to the Lord the entire time I’m walking. I leave relaxed and refreshed. Amazing.

What’s working/not working for us…

Right now? Nothing seems to be working- which is the reason for the re-evaluation. Hopefully I can respond a bit more enthusiastically and positively on Friday.

Homeschool questions/thoughts that I have… 

I wonder if every other homeschool mom has the same fears that I have.

A photo to share….

Last week was my husband’s birthday. We bought him a super girlie purple, pink and yellow cake because it was the only one that was half white and half chocolate! We also bought those trick candles that you blow and blow and they still don’t go out. Hmmm…it’s a good thing that not all of the 39 candles were trick candles! I couldn’t believe how difficult it was to extinguish those flames. Oh well….it seemed like a fun idea at the time! 

There’s a peek at our week. This has been really fun! I hope that you’ll consider joining The Homeschool Chick and linking up your own journal pages. Until Friday~ Happy Homeschooling!