I read this from TOS's most recent Homeschool Minute, very cute..

The Familyman
Todd Wilson, Familyman Ministries

After a quick Google search, I found that the term Home Economics was coined in 1899. I'm guessing that some pubic school brainiac officials decided that school needed to be more like home. I assume the thinking went along these lines:
    
"Ladies and gentlemen . . . academics are not enough. Our young women need to learn the valuable skills of preparing meals and managing a home. I suggest that we teach homemaking skills and call it something institutional sounding like . . . home economics. Ooo, we could even shorten it to Home Ec. All in favor say, 'Aye.'"
    
Since then, public and private schools have not only been teaching Home Ec, but in recent times they have also modeled THEIR schools after what we already do in our homes.
    
They let their students build things with wood and metal and call it "industrial arts." They have turned finger painting into "art class." They call playing, "gym" and "recess." They plant gardens, go on nature walks, and teach children how to get along with each other.
    
In short, they KNOW that the best place to teach children is in the HOME and have spent the last 100 years now trying to make their schools more like it.
    
In light of that, why do we homeschoolers try to make OUR homes like THEIR schools?? We need to stop and do what we do best. So, Mom and Dad, let's teach our children to cook, clean, and care for the needs of our home and those who live in it . . . but please, PLEASE don't call it Home Ec. It's just home.

Be real,
Todd

Due to our circumstances and budget, I have to learn how to be a more frugal, effective housewife and homeschooler.  This takes a lot of creativitiy and imagination.  So I'm focusing  the majority of my blog on my "adventures" in creativity.  I put "wannabe" in the title because I'm busting my brain trying to force it to get creative.  This does not come naturally for me!  Some of my entries might not be that creative, maybe common sense for most of you,  but I have to work really hard at it.  But I figured that maybe I'm not alone and I just might motivate someone.  My goal is to show that it takes trial and error and to hopefully give some moms proof that you don't have to be born a Martha Stewart to be a homemaker and homeschooling mom.  Alot of us homeschooling moms are being self-homeschooled too and it's ok!  God is giving me the stregnth, knowledge, and resources that I need.  I'm just figuring out what to do with it all, lol!  So I praise him with all my soul for being so providential!

Dear Lord, I praise You and glorify Your name!  You truly know my struggles as a housewife and mother and yet You are always there and You always provide what I need!  Thank You for the the creativity and the knowlege that You are giving me from the resources You have provided, such as when you have inspired my toughts; the friendships that are helping me to grow; from Your Church and the Scriptures, it's teachers, leaders and communities; from the homeschooling community. They are all helping me grow as a Christian woman.  Forever I will sing of Your Goodness.  I ask that you help me to never give up and to always realize what my priorities need to be. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN

Ok, so I haven't blogged since 2006, and even then I only had a few entries.  My limited time and typing skills are to blame for that.  What are the major changes since then???  Well..

1...We no longer have our home in Fredericksburg.  For the rest of 2007-2008 we lived back in Woodbridge.

2.  We joined a charismatic community called Families in Christ Jesus Communities (FCJC for short).  And we love it!  We have been busy lots of activities with them.

2..Hubby joined the DC National Guard and so now we are on this whole new military lifestyle adventure (at least part-time).   We are currently living at Fort Eustis while he is training in AIT.

3...In December of 2007 our oldest daughter was diagnosed with seizures/epilepsy.  This was very scary and traumatic because all the testing and new medication happened while hubby was away at basic! We also dealt with all kinds of colds, flus, pink eye, other gross stuff.  Basically, we would go to the doctor for one thing, leave there with another.  Shouldn't homeschoolers be immune?  I guess that's a myth (unless you child is never ever near public school kids). 

4...We basically got no school work done the whole winter and most of the spring.   But miraculously we survived all the changes, and they passed all their testing.

Well, things are getting back to normal and I have been re-inspired by Titus 2 so I figured blogging is a good way of sharing advice with other moms.

It's so funny how I am on the computer every night, but I never get to do the things I enjoy on the computer (like blogging!).  I just started babysitting again.  I was desperate for money and one mom called me and needed me part time and I gave in.  See, I was doing childcare in my home for two years, then gave up because of all the stress of homeschooling and watch other people's children (who where always under 4).  I hope one day I can have a home business that doesn't deal with watching toddlers all day for low pay!

Hi, we have been very busy with the holiday season.  We had our own little mini-vaction/fieldtrip to Williamsburg and Richmond to see President Park, and the VA science musem, both were offering events for homeschoolers.  There we also shopped and got to see Chicken Little at the theaters.  On Dec. 9th, we got to go to a premiere for our homeschool group for "The lion, The Witch and The Wordrobe"  I enjoyed it so much and highly recomend it.  Later that day was our REACH holiday party at the AMF bowling alley.  Later that week we had a white elephant party in which the children got to pick out free gifts for me and wrap them and then they went to a homeschool get together at chuck e cheese! Wow, very busy and very crazy!

Saturday was a fun day for all of us!  First, the whole family got to enjoy ourselves at a birthday party of a little girl who belongs to a lovely homeschool family. The mom's name is Veronica and she has been so nice to me and my family. I was surprised to see that I knew Veronica's sister from school and we got to catch up on things.  What a small world, huh?  I don't have enough space to add more pictures here.  But you guys can always check out www.spaces.msn.com/members/jayfink143 to see more pictures.

Also, Alexander participated in his first Cub Scout Holiday Parade.  He is in a homeschool tiger cubs scout group. Him and daddy got to share this event together and they said they had fun (too cold for the girls to go).

This is for all the homeschool mombloggers coming across my site.  I'm interested in making new friends (guess we all are) and would love your comments!  As well as tips for teaching a first grader boy who hates to do his school work (the writing practices/worksheets).  I don't want to push him, but at the end of the year he will have to do testing to see how he is doing against his peers.  I'm new to this whole thing.

These pictures reflect on some of the extra-curricular activites we have participated in since the fall of 2005.  I wanted to post these to show those who may not homeschool that homeschooling doesn't mean children won't be socialized.  Sometimes there are too many activites for homeschoolers that they can be too socialized.  Our family did this and we had to cut back on some activities.  They did have a blast trying out new things and meeting new people though and best of all, I got to get to know the children and their families with whom my children where interacting with. We will continue to try new things, and stick with what works best for our family and ditch what doesn't.        

Notes on pictures:

Co-op:  We participated in a co-op created by the homeschool families group at my Catholic church called the Holy Innocences.  This co-op meets once a week during the school year.  Usually from 9a to 12p, the children are divided in groups based on grade level and the mothers take turn teaching a subject to the children that is usually that particular mom's speciality or something new and interesting to the children.  We had to drop this co-op this fall becuase of emergency situations with our family that caused us to miss too many mtg.s  but we hope to join again in January.

REACH homeschool bowling:  We belong to a very large homeschool group called REACH.  One of the activites we still particiapate in is the bowling league at our local AMF center. 

TOOL Book fairs:  We did our first book fair this year with another group we belong to called TOOL.  Alex and Alyssa got to do a presentation on any book or subject they wanted.  Alex made a poster for the book "Chicken Little"  and Alyssa made a poster for the book "The Stinky Cheese Man and other fairly stupid tales"  This was alot of fun.

Alex is currently in Cub scouts and Alyssa is in gymnastics.  Alex will take P.E. later this year or a sport later this year.

much more serious!

This is first thing in the morning, I said "say cheese" and they said "TUNA"! 

The picture up top shows the "Cindy Lou Who girls"

Thanksgiving was great cause we spent lunch with my filipino side of the family.  and then we had dinner with my mom, sister Roxi, and Harry!  Too much food

Hi, we are the Naupari Family which includes my husband Pauly, my first born Alexander Paul (06/17/1999) Alyssa Marie (10/25/2000) and Anais Nicole (01/05/2003) and Myself Jamie!  My husband is Peruvian, I am half filipina, and my other half is german, irish, english.  We are highschool sweet hearts, and we were teen parents.  I was only 16 when my son was born.  We are very blessed by God, as he has blessed our marriage to defet the statistics.  We are devout Catholics, yet respect all religions. We started homeschooling our children last winter, after Kindergarten wasn't all that it's cracked up-to-be.  Since, then we have adapted this lifestyle of loving to learning at home as a family.  I was surprised to find out how many people homeschooled in my area. I didn't even know it was an option for me.  We are still in the experiment stage, (if any one reading this has any tips I would be very greatful), but we are now trying a style of learning based on Charolette Mason's philosophy.