Our Homeschooling Expedition

Hello all!  Just to let you know up front this is going to be one loooong entry.   I’m going to introduce you to the backbone of our day.  This is the thing that helps me "get it all done" so to say.  Now there are days where I fail miserably at following it.  Especially if I’m having a flair up or the kids are sick.  Sometimes unexpected things happen that throw us off schedule.  But the way I look at it is tomorrow is another day and we’ll just pick up there.  There is also days that go ahead of schedule and I can sneak in extra loads of laundry or computer time.  So here we go.

 

This is the cover of my homemaking journal.  Yes it is rather battered.  I think it’s about time I replace it.  I simply decorated it to suit me.  I enjoy looking at the cover.  I cut pictures out of magazines and glued them to card-stock.

 

The first thing in my binder is a pouch that holds post-it notes, a couple sharpies, pencils, dry-erase marker, hole reinforcement stickers, and highlighters.  I also have some loose notebook paper stuck in one of the pockets.   

 

The first section is Schedules

 

This is where I keep my daily routine, kids’ sports schedules, a monthly calendar with birthdays and anniversaries marked on it, field trip info, and other things like that.  Now before you ask I do use that family organizer that I purchased.  I look at this master schedule and transfer the highlights to it.  I keep the family organizer on my desk and the homemaking journal in the kitchen.  If you want to see my routine you can download it here.  I was going to type it out but it would take me forever.  I have each day printed on a different color of paper to make it easy to flip to.  I also have them in a protective sleeve so I can use my dry-erase marker to cross out what I’ve finished.  I’ll admit I love seeing all those little lines on the piece of paper that is why I have everything spelled out.  I do not have assigned times for things because that just drives me crazy and makes me feel like I’m failing miserably if I fall behind.  This is more of an order of how I do things.

 

The next section is menus

In this section I have my 2 weeks of menus, master grocery list, and a list of ingredient substitutions.  My menu includes all meals and snacks for the week.  The master grocery list is simply a list of everything that I normally purchase for the house.  I have it split into sections and if you want to see it you can download it here.  I have this to help remind me of things when I’m putting together my shopping list.  Which reminds me I need to add update this since I’ve added a few things to our diet and I no longer have anyone in diapers.  Now with the substitution section I have that for the rare occasion I don’t have something called for in a recipe or the recipe calls for something that would not use all of something.  Like buttermilk or cocktail sauce, these things would get wasted if I was to buy them.  Therefore I just make a little bit of the substitution for the recipe.

 

Up next is the Cleaning Section.

 

In here you’ll find my list of Focused cleaning jobs, and organize projects.  This is the list I pick from on the day that is assigned for focused cleaning or super organized something.  I add to this list as I see things that need more attention than the daily chores can handle.  I have these things like this listed here: scrub stove top/oven/hood, kitchen table legs and chair legs, dishwasher, pull everything out and scrub fridge and freezer, top of fridge, cupboard doors, kitchen walls, shampoo living carpet, wash, iron curtains, under furniture in kids’ room.  Super organize things include: kitchen cupboard, dd’s closet, go through kids’ clothes, boys’ closet, movies, books, kitchen drawers.  As I finish something I cross it off.  If I see something that needs attention I add it to the list.

 

The next section is Homeschool

 

In this section I have a print out of a scope and sequence for the different grades, yearly goals for each kid, monthly goals for the older 3, and a list of activities for Princess to do during school time.   For example on Peewee’s yearly goals I have it broken down by subject and what I would like him to cover in each.  Here’s a short list to give you an idea.

 

Math

 

Learn multiplication and division facts to 12

roman numerals

rounding numbers

equal to/less than

equivalents

positive and negative numbers

simple algebraic equations,

place values

and so on

 

Language arts

 

using period, comma, question mark, apostrophe, quotation marks,

writing short, original stories and poems

post writing skills: editing and proofreading

nouns, verbs, adjectives, articles, pronouns

capitalization and so on

 

For the monthly goals it is a detailed list of lessons I want to finish for each kid.  Pumpkin’s January goal list looks like this:

 

Math – lessons 41-59, test 9-12

 

Spelling lessons 9-11

 

Science – unit 3 in Apologia Physical Science, heart lapbook, begin chemistry lapbook (he wants to do this with his brother)

Social Studies: The 50 states, Martin Luther King Jr.

Language arts

Vocabulary Cartoons pgs. 114-146

Winston Grammar: lessons 11-15

Editor in chief lessons 15-22

Wordsmith lessons 4E to 6

Reading: A day of pleasure

 

As they hit a goal it is marked off.  Some months we finish, some we don’t.  What ever doesn’t get done just gets moved to the next month.

 

The next section is Child Activities

 

In here you’ll find the kids’ chore list and a list of age appropriate chores.  I also keep a list of ideas for family fun time in here.

 

Here’s the kids chores

 

Pumpkin (14yrs. old)

Daily: room chores-make bed, straighten room, put away clean clothes

personal care- brush teeth, comb hair, wash face, get dressed, (this is the same for all of them)

 

Monday: house chores-change bed sheets, help Princess change her sheets, pick up living room

Table chore-clean pans

 

Tuesday: house chores – take trash to curb, pick up dining room

table chore- clear and wipe table

 

Weds: house chore- make lunch

table chore-sweep around table

 

Thursday: house chore – dust all pictures and shelves in house

table chore- clean pans

 

Friday: house chore-straighten book shelves and movies

table chore- clear and wipe table

 

Peewee’s (9yrs. old)

Monday: house chore – change sheets and help Peanut change his sheets, straighten dining room

table chore-clear and wipe table

 

Tuesday: house chore-help take trash to curb and straighten living room

table chore-sweep around table

 

Wednesday: house chore-pick up Princess’ room (this is also where all the toys are kept)

table chore-wash pans

 

Thursday: house chore-clean all tables and chest

table chore-clear and wipe table

 

Friday: house chore-prepare lunch

table chore-sweep around table

 

Peanut’s chores

 

Monday: house chore- feed cant and help pick up toys

table chore-help clean counters and sweep floor

 

Tuesday: house chore-help mom gather trash and help pick up Princess’ room

table chore-help mom do dishes

 

Wednesday: house chore-help mom pick up living room

table chore- help mom clear and wipe table

 

Thursday: house chore-help pick up dining room

table chore- help clean counters and sweep floor

 

Friday: house chore-help pick up toys and feed cat

table chore-help mom do dishes

 

Princess’ Chores

 

Monday: house chore-help wipe down bathroom

Tuesday: dust, feed cat

Weds: help mom pick up toys, feed cat

Thursday: sweeper

Friday: help wipe down bathroom

She also helps Pumpkin with his table chores.  He is helping to train her in these chores.

 

Next up is Recipes

 

 

I think this section is pretty obvious it contains recipes.  It mostly has ones that I use frequently and it has some that I would like to try in the future.

 

Next is Phone Book

 

I know the picture doesn’t go with the title but I thought it was hilarious so I used it.  This section contains every one’s address and phone number.  I also have business that we call frequently in here.

 

Then there is Gardening

 

In here you’ll find recipes for homemade insecticides, info on composting, articles on getting better crops, and a list of things I’d like to plant.  It also has a list in there of when to get my seeds started or planted and approximate harvest dates.

 

On to Inspiration

 

This section contains articles on motherhood, marriage, and Biblical womanhood that I find inspiring.  Just things that I find uplifting.

 

Then we have Holidays

 

In here you find ideas and lessons on the current holiday or next upcoming holiday.  It’s just things I find interesting.  I keep a notebook on holidays and when I come across something that I think would be fun or educational I stick it in the appropriate holiday’s section.  Then when it gets around to that holiday I move that stuff over to my homemaking journal and make up a list of things to do.  I’ll post about that journal some other time.

 

Now we have Sewing and Craft projects

 

This section contains a list of things I’d like to sew or craft for the house or kids.  On my list right now is making jeans into skirts, aprons for me, cloth grocery bags, curtains for kitchen, curtain for bathroom, and pillows.  I also have directions for the projects that require them. 

 

Up next is Book List

 

Here you’ll find a list of books I want to read, a couple of recommended reading list for the kids, and a list of books the kids want to read. 

 

Next is Budgeting

 

Every pay period my dh gives me a certain amount of money to use to take care of the house and get groceries.  He pays the bills and I take care of the rest.  So why do I need to budget?  Well because I have to get the groceries, clothes, shoes, school supplies, fees for sports, home furnishing, and so on.  I set up a budget for these things.

 

Finally we have the Inventory section

 

In this section you’ll find and inventory of the pantry, freezer, fabric stashes, clothes, coats, and shoes stored in totes,  and presents I buy throughout the year.  As I use something I mark it off the inventory or if I add something I mark it onto the inventory sheet.  I have it broke down by paper products, cleaning products, canned goods, jars, home canned goods, fabric, clothes, shoes, coats, freezer meat, freezer cheese and other stuff, and present closet.

 

Well that is it.  That is what keeps it all together.  I usually do lesson planning and that kind of stuff at the end of the day when it is my computer time.  Then I usually post the stuff during my blog time.  During Christmas things kind of went off schedule as I decided to do a lot more sewing than normal.  I stayed up many nights working on that stuff.  Usually I plan ahead and work on the stuff a little at a time throughout the year.  I’m actually already planning for the gifts I want to make for next year, hoping to avoid the lack of sleep.