We had a great first day of school! Daddy was off of work today so he was here and "opened" up school with a prayer. He also made breakfast of Eggs, Sausage and Biscuits. Yummy!!
Joshua, our 1st grader, was very independent and loves his new curriculum. He is really enjoying spelling once again this year. Nathan, our kindergartner, has no patience at all, no patience at all. He doesn't want to do school, just wants to play. This is a personality issue and a discipline issue that I think we will have "fight" on our hands for a while with him. He really needs to be able to settle down and learn. I will be pulling out the lapbooks soon for him.
I have pics to upload, but PhotoBucket and other methods aren't working for me right now.
It is time to begin our HomeSchool Year tomorrow! This will be our 2nd official school year and we are so excited. We will have a 1st grader and a Kindergartener.
Joshua is a very independent learner and really enjoys writing and drawing. He is also above level in many areas and a very quick learner. The only thing he has a hard time grasping is Handwriting. We are keeping him in Getty Dubay Level A again this year because he is still having issues with Handwriting.
Nathan is a hands-on and visual learner and I may have to tweak things along the way with him. I am going to do lots of lapbooks with him because he loves hands on learning. (What is Lapbooking?)
We will also be doing Lapbooking and Notebooking on various topics and subjects. We will utilize the Forest Preserves and Park Districts for Nature Studies. I have collected many free ebooks and resources over the past 4 months and we will be supplementing our main core curriculum with other studies, especially for holidays and such. We plan on doing a unit study and lapbooking on the Election.
We are looking forward to a wonderful school year. One that honors God and as we honor God in our School, we pray that he will bless our family.
Stay Tuned tomorrow for "First Day of Homeschool" pics and report!!
Don't we all love FREEBIES? I know I do! The Erskine family, owners of the great homeschool resource Homeschool Radio Shows now have a brand new website called Homeschool Freebie of the Day. I joined about a week ago and have already downloaded very nice freebies.
They are going to have lots of different freebies: Unit Studies, E-books, games, samples, lessons plans and much more.
Apr. 6, 2008 - Homeschool Group Show and Tell Night
Our Homeschool Support Group had Show and Tell night last night. Our oldest who will just be 6 at the end of this month, loves writing and drawing. 2 months ago he independently began drawing a picture and then writing 2 sentences about that picture. He would do about 4 pages like this to create a "book". Last week he wrote a few short stories around just one picture and he shared 2 of those with the group last night. Here is a video of him reading one of those stories
He obviously is into fiction, because we don't own a dog. LOL!! We also have to work on his writing, as he was having trouble reading his own writing. He started writing these short stories on his own and has really done well. He was very excited last night and voluteered to go first.
Mar. 6, 2008 - Another great reason to be a Homeschooler in IL
My DH got an email from Americans for Truth this morning about a suburban Chicago HS that is using Angels in America in their AP Literature Class. (this link takes you to the Americans for Truth website).
Everyone wonders why the youth in america are in so much trouble, well take a look at the curriculum in the schools.
I have made several phone calls to those listed on the AFT website letting them know they need to be more responible for what is being taught in the schools and not allowing books like this to be used as teaching material. The teacher himself, the school principal, the school district and the regional office of education and so far no one seems to think this isn't a problem.
So glad I am a homeschooler in IL. This is the 3rd such case this past year or unexceptable reading material in Chicago area schools.
It frightens me to know that I have a niece entering public HS next year and another niece the following year. (not Deerfield, but local suburban Chicago HS) Praying their HS's won't subject them to such reading material.
I have a book recommendation for Arts and Crafts time with the kids. We found a really neat series at our local library and we love them so much we are looking to buy a few of the titles.
Little Hands Art Books is an excellent series for kids as young as 2. There are many different titles and the link above is only a few of them. They are published by Williamson Publishing Company and have various authors, only of the most popular authors is Judy Press.
Here are some of the titles:
There are so many more titles!! My boys are loving these books and we are looking to acquire a few via half price books, paperbackswap, ebay and other book sales. They really are so much fun!!
To find more titles do a google search or a library search for "Williamson Publishing Company" or "Little Hands Art Book".
UGH!! It seems since Jan 7th we have really only done 2 days of official school. We have had some life interupptions(my dad needing rides to and from Drs. over the past couple of weeks), a couple of sick children(right now Joshua himself is sick with Strep Throat) and the winter blues have set in for me. We aren't doing "book work" but I know as we go through our day we are doing learning activities. For instance, the one day I had to drive my dad to the hospital for an outpatient surgery, I took Joshua with me. My dad ended up not getting the surgery due to having bronchositis on that day, so we picked him up early and he wanted to eat. We went to a restaurant. The kids menu had a fill in the blanks with the animal names. Joshua took his menu and filled in all the words(entire spelling needed) all by himself. My parents were quite impressed. We have been doing some baking lately with the kids help so they have been learning about measurements and such while baking.
I still have a bit of guilt though that we haven't been able to do "book work" but only 2 days in the past 12 days. I know he is only in Kindergarten, but sometimes I get to wondering if I'm failing him by not doing more book work with him.
Please pray that life interupptions will come to a halt and we can get more focused on our school work.
Hello!! Welcome to my blog of our homeschool activities and more. I feel very blessed that you have stopped by. I pray that something you may read here will bless you and give you encouragement. Please leave a comment if you would like!!
The Lord truly blessed me today with being able to attend the Illinois Christian Home Educators(I.C.H.E) Mid-Winter Renewal Retreat. The other day I was feeling "blah" but I can say God has given me the "renewal" I needed to get motivated in the right direction.
The speaker for this event was Karen Ehman who is an author and a Proverbs 31 Speaker. The topic for the day was how to handle the busyness of life, getting and staying organized and also Hospitality. The theme was a flashback to the 50's and the reason for that was it went along with the day of trying to simply things and back in the 50's families weren't so busy as they are today. The decorations were 50's, the ICHE staff were dressed in poodle skirts and such, lunch was a menu of Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes, Corn, salad, Crush Orange in a bottle, and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. I so wish we could go back to that decade because that is the main thing that I admire about that decade, more family time and less busy activities.
The topic of getting and staying organized really hit home for me as I have gotten bad at time management. I tend to get distracted from my real priorities and have chosen to focus on other things that shouldn't be at the top of my priorities. I am so glad that she gave us a "homework assignment" for managing our priorities. She told us to take a blank sheet of paper and list your top 10 priorities by order of importance. Watch all your activities for a week to see if your priorities match with the way they were laid out on paper. You can even do a pie chart of your actual time spent on activities. Wow that would so be an eye opener I believe.
Some other key points from the topic of getting and staying organized:
She did say "Don't let lists be your master, let it be your servant" I have a Home Management Binder that I am now inspired to redo a bit, as some of the info is outdated and over a year old. Karen also suggested using a Clipboard Storage Case. I have seen these at Wal-Mart for around $6. This would be for your daily checklist and "Hot Files", things that need to be taken care of immediately.
A few more things on Organization that Karen mentioned:
"Beware of the baroness of a busy life" "If Satan can't make you bad, he will make you busy", "Don't take on more then you can pray for"
Between a challenge I am participating on a message board and Karen's speech today, I am truly motivated to be a better manager of my time and my real priorities.
The topic of Hospitality was also very intriguing to me. Our family is just now beginning to practice Hospitality by inviting families over to our place on a more frequent basis.
Karen said that the difference between entertaining and hospitality is this:
Entertaining puts the emphasis on you, Hospitality puts the emphasis on the guests.
There are many who don't practice hospitality due to "excuses". Karen listed a few of these excuses:
Excuse: I don't know how to fix fancy meals.
Karen says switch from "Gourmet" to "Simple and Plenty". We are not out to impress our guests, but refresh them. We shouldn't live a double life of only cooking certain foods when we have visitors, instead fix simple foods and make plenty of it. She recommends freezer cooking and her favorite book on this topic is 30 Day Gourmet. I took a peak at the book today and I have now placed a request for it from my local library system.
Excuse: It's hard to start conversations with others.
Plan a theme for the night as this will be a topic starter. Have a dinner that needs to be assemble. As you are assembling dinner, conversation will start flowing.
Excuse: Don't have enough money to decorate nicely
What you can't change, think outside the box and bring it all together. Shop thrift stores and resale shops to find low cost decorating items.
Excuse: My house is too small
Make use of the space you do have. Your guests won't "notice or complain" about the space, they are just glad to be of company. You don't have to host someone in your home to show hospitality. Utilize Parks, Coffee shops, etc.
The most important statement about hospitality that Karen mentioned was:
"Hospitality is simply pulling up a chair and asking others to join you in lifes journeys."
One other quote that I took away from the day was:
"Contentment is wanting more then you have, it is wanting what you already you have"
I had such a blessed day. I meet old friends and I met new friends. Hi to Gail!!!
I am really excited about the yearly Convention which isn't until June 5-7, but I am super motivated and looking forward to the event.
Praising God for sending such a great retreat day my way!!! It was very inspiring!!
We are trying to get back into our school routine after being off routine for about 3 weeks. It is so hard to do after such a long break. I also have SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder) for all of January and February each year. It takes a lot to get me motivated during these months to get things accomplished. I guess it is a good thing we are only at the Kindergarten level and that our ds in kindergarten is already ahead for his age.
I get frustrated that I can't get motivated. We did school on Monday but Tuesday and Wednesday I "hid out" online all day. I really need some motivation and a good push to get me going!!
That's all folks. Just wanted to express some thoughts!
There is a blog that I like to read Dandelion Seeds . It is very encouraging and wonderful blog. I was reading it tonight and she is offering a 52 week devotional for 2008 for FREE. It is called
She is offering this for FREE, but if you feel led to you can donate an amount to her also.
This devotional is about how when we clean our hearts and focus on the Lord, we can also clean out our homes.
She has now started a weekly challenge over at her blog. She was very honored that the word spread about her devotional and how many women needed this, so there is now a challenge. I will be posting here about the devotional and how the Lord works in me through this.
Our oldest DS is only in Kindergarten, but every since he began reading at Lesson 14 of 100 Easy Lessons, he has taken an interest in Spelling. A couple weeks ago we had a family party where we bought gifts for our kids to receive from under the tree. I purchased My First Spelling Bee by LeapFrog for our oldest DS and he it. We play it at least once a day and he has become quite the speller and have incorporated it into our Homeschool Day. He can do the first of 12 sets of 40 cards and he about to move onto the 2 set of 40 cards.
The past couple of days have been quite busy at our household so we have been doing school at 7pm at night. I like this freedom of homeschooling. DS loves being able to do school at night also. Hopefully we can get back on track and on our routine tomorrow, as I do prefer to get things done in the morning rather then later.
I found this website via a Cafemom Group that I am on. It is called Wish Upon a Hero
Here is what Wish Upon is all about:
Quote:
No wish too large. No hero too small.
Wish Upon A Hero was first conceived by founder Dave Girgenti shortly after the September 11th attacks on New York City. From his home in NJ, Girgenti watched as thousands of people posted pictures of missing loved ones throughout the city. He thought there had to be a faster, more organized way to connect people in need. That was the moment in which the idea was born.
Less than five years later, Hurricane Katrina created a similar catastrophic event in New Orleans where hundreds of thousands of people needed immediate help. This time it wasn't just about locating loved ones. Hurricane victims needed everything from healthcare services, food, fresh water, clothing and shelter.
It became clear that Wish Upon a Hero needed to become more than an idea. Over the next two years, Girgenti exhausted every resource at his disposal to create an online community that offered a platform for people to help people. Working under the mantra of “No wish too large and no hero too small,” Girgenti created http://www.wishuponahero.com, which launched in September 2007. This is a one of a kind service designed to connect those in need with people that can truly change their lives.
Cast a wish
Wish Upon A Hero is completely free to its users, allowing everyone who registers the opportunity to cast up to three wishes at a time. Because Wish Upon A Hero is designed to help everyone, wishes can be big or small, elaborate or simple, based on financial need or just asking for a simple favor.
Be a hero
Wish Upon A Hero is a unique venue for any individual, organization, or company looking to make a difference in someone’s life, or the lives of countless people. Heroes come in all ages and from all walks of life. All of us, from our nation’s most powerful corporations to individual philanthropists, and those with limited financial means, can be someone’s hero:
A man who buys uniforms for his town’s little league team.
A plastic surgeon brings his skill to the aid of an uninsured breast cancer survivor.
A national appliance retailer that donates a refrigerator to a single mom with a newborn.
A groundskeeper at Yankee stadium who helps a woman fulfill her father’s lifelong dream of throwing a single pitch across home plate.
A group of 8th graders that rally behind a fellow student whose home was lost in a fire.
A woman who writes to a man in Seattle to say, “I think I’m the sister you’ve been looking for since we were separated 21 years ago.”
A female soldier stationed in Iraq who says, “yes, I will.”
Once a wish is granted, the hero can choose to remain anonymous, or be formally recognized on the Wish Upon A Hero website.
Sign up and post a Wish or become a Hero today. Everyone can help anyone.
I have been reading some of the wishes that have been posted and it is so cool to see the ones for basic needs getting granted. Lots of Christmas wishes being granted also. This site is for year round needs, not just holiday needs. Even saw someone requesting homeschool materials.
I printed it out and will begin to get it ready to start on Dec. 2nd. The devotional has been posted on a favorite website of mine for the past 2yrs and some of the families have used it before and love it.
I also found a FREE Christmas Unit Study about Symbols of Christmas:
I am going to find a pic of a Cornucopia, get it enlarged. Put a scripture verse above it. Put all that on a posterboard. Then I am going to make some pumpkins or other things associated with a Cornucopia. Each night at dinner we will fill out a paper of things we are Thankful for and do this all the way up to Thanksgiving night. I also saw this idea on the link page above: ThankFul Turkey
This week has been a little frustrating. DS1 has decided that he wants to think he is funny with his math. Math is very easy for him and he so knows what he is doing, except all week he has been getting to number 9 and then skipping right over to 12. He totally knows what comes next, but he has been playing games with me. I finally got really frustrated and made him put away his math yesterday. Today he was better about it. We are going to be begin using Little Hearts for his Glory by Dakota Publishing on Monday. We got the package on Tuesday and I am going over the material and it looks really awesome. Can't wait to begin.
Today we did school in the morning and then after lunch we baked 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies, 3 dozen oatmeal cookies and 2 loaves of banana bread. The boys and I had so much fun!! Tomorrow we are going to bake some muffins. I have decided that a couple times a week we are going to bake some healthy snacks, like muffins and such. I'm tired of the store bought cookies and such. Plus it will give us something to do in the afternoon during the winter instead of sitting in front of the TV to keep quiet while DH sleeps(he works 3rd shift)! I love baking and the boys have so much fun "helping". I also think that homemade snacks fill you up much more then store bought snacks. Also, we were able to Whole Wheat Pastry Flour rather then All Purpose Flour, WWPF is much healthier. In the long run it is also cheaper to make homemade snacks.
Can't wait to taste the banana bread in a bit here!!
Hello!!! My name is Kendra Neal. I am a Christian SAH Homeschooling Mom to 3 wonderfully, active boys. My husband Harlin and I met at Columbia College Chicago where we both studied Radio Broadcasting. We have been married since 8/1/98 and our boys are: Joshua(age 5 Kindergarten), Nathan (age 4, Pre-K) and Daniel(age 2, toddler). We attend Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL.
We officially began our homeschool journey on Sept 4, 2007. Joshua is the one who were are offically schooling, although I am working with the other 2 boys also. We are using: 100 Easy Lessons Modern Press Math Modern Press Phonics Getty Dubay Italic
We just order: Little Hearts for His Glory this weekend and we will begin using that also. My DS is breezing through the K Math and will probably finish that in no time. He totally understands the concepts and he can do some 1st grade level math. I am going to be ordering the preschool program of Little Hands to Heaven, which I will use with the younger 2 boys.
We have also found a Homeschool Support Group that we feel "right at home" with. The group is called Christian Home Educators of Southwest Chicagoland. The group is made up of homeschoolers from mainly the Southwest Side of Chicago and Southwest Suburbs. Many of the members go to different churches, but have been brought together through this group. The group is made up of about 12 families and we meet on the 1st Saturday of the month for Family Activities. I think that is what I really appreciate about this group, it that it is about family and not a group for the mom. We went to a informational meeting back in June and then to a picnic they host each year on the 4th of July and we were hooked. The group is very like minded and that is very important to our family. The group is very supportive of each other not just for homeschooling issues, but life issues in general.
I will use this blog to do a daily(hopefully) journal of our homeschool activities and learning.
Looking forward to being a part of the blogging world!
