In Our Homeschool . . .

I’ve been wanting to start talking more about our homeschool journey here on my blog (after all, it is what first inspired me to blog – way back when – over at Homeschool Blogger (dot) com).  This past year has been a real learning and growing experience in our homeschool – so many things seemed to not go as planned.  I’m learning that sometimes those moments are the times when we learn the most.  And maybe the plan isn’t as important as I once thought.  So, anyway . . .

In my life this week…
Our week started out with a lot of rain (which always leaves me feeling somewhat depressed).  I know, I know – we need the rain, right?  But, I’m solar-powered; and I’m so much happier when the sun is shining!  The combination of the rain and the more recent sunshine have resulted in some pleasant sites around our house, though, so I can’t complain too much.  For example:

A few weeks ago, right before I left for the 2:1 Conference, I got a belated birthday package in the mail from my very dear friend Brenda and her family.  Any idea what it is? 

At the time, it was basically just a little twig that Brian and I carefully planted in the flower bed beside our house.

Now, just a few weeks later, it’s grown in size (quite a bit) and is covered with leaves and two buds! 

I couldn’t be more excited!  I’ve never had a rose bush before – and this one is extra special.  It’s a Disneyland Rose! (FYI: that link will take you to a post on the Disney Parks Blog – made on my birthday this year – which I think is totally appropriate!)  Look at that beauty! I can’t wait to see it blossom in my yard and to have a little bit of Disney with me year round! 

In our homeschool this week…
Last Thursday, the girls had their homeschool evaluations; so our school year is officially finished.  We don’t technically “have” to be done before evaluations; but we were ready for a break and it seemed a good time. 

Ashley has actually been done with school for several months now.  In fact, this past Sunday we had a graduation celebration for her.  (Would you believe I didn’t take a single picture?!  Shame on me!) 

I’ve been spending time this week working on our school schedule for 2012-13.  In the past, we have always gone digital with our schedules; but, this year, I purchased a print planner for Gracie – who will be starting 8th grade (where does the time go?!) – and I am really excited to see how it will work for her.  (I’ll post more about that later.)

One thing that took a good chunk of my time was creating a schedule for us to use with Who Is God?  The one provided in the book was only for 54 days.  I wanted something we could use all year, doing Bible 3 days a week.  So, I created a schedule using that timeframe.  (If you’re interested in it, please e-mail me and I’ll be happy to share.)

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
This weekend, we’ll be picnicking with family.  Saturday will be spent with Brian’s family and Monday with mine. 

Things I’m working on…
I mentioned this a bit above, but I’m diligently working on putting together our school schedule.  The goal is to start this next school year on July 1st.  We aren’t officially year-round homeschoolers, but we do like to start our year early so we have time to take off throughout the year as needed (and this year, we’ve got Disney planned for September!)

We’ve also been working on organizing and simplifying things here in our house.  One of my goals for the coming weeks is to go through all the boxes (storage stuff) in our basement and do a major clean-out. Then, I’d like to get some shelving for down there and really organize with containers, labels, etc.  Currently, it’s so hard to find what we’re looking for in a timely manner! 

I’m reading…
Nothing at the moment.  I just finished Donna VanLiere’s new  book – The Good Dream. It’s officially releasing in July, but I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at it.  It’s heartbreaking, uplifting, and convicting.  And, it’s typical Donna VanLiere – just an all-around great book!  I’ll be sharing a review here on my blog soon.

I’m cooking…
Not enough! Do you ever have those times when the pantry shelves are emptying, but you just can’t bring yourself to go to the store?  We’re in the midst of one of them right now.  Sometimes, we consider it a challenge – a “game” of sorts – it’s fun to see exactly what we can create from what we do have.

But, in all honestly, it’s been a lazy cooking week around here and twice we’ve had “fend for yourself night” this week.  LOL

Ashley and I are pretty proud of the cake balls that we made for her graduation party, though.  They turned out great and were a big hit with all the guests.  In the picture, you can see that we made 3 kinds – spice cake with cream cheese frosting and white chocolate coating, confetti cake with white frosting and pink coating, and strawberry cake with strawberry frosting and milk chocolate coating.  Which would be your favorite? (The holes in the few you see are from the sticks we removed to store them after the party.)

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
I hope that, by now, all homeschoolers have discovered Homeschool Mosaics.  It’s a collaborative effort by me and many of my friends to bring you homeschool encouragement and resources to help you along your homeschool journey.  Every homeschooler is welcome at our site – without regard to religious affiliation, homeschool style or method, etc.  Our posts are as varied as the authors who write them.  We hope you’ll visit often.  And be sure to let us know if there’s something you’d like to see at Homeschool Mosaics.  We’re expanding and growing every day –and would love to have you along for the ride!

I’m linking up to

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ 11

In my life this week...

We (mostly Ian) were counting down the days until the Monster Truck Nationals.  The day finally arrived on Friday.  You can read more about it here. 

I’m feeding my Disney obsession just a little bit more by becoming a member of the Magical Blogorail.  This will give me (another) chance to post about all-things-Disney, as we’ll post on a certain topic, once per month.  It’ll also be a great way to meet more Disney fans.

I got some great things to review in the mail this week.  Watch my blog for those reviews (and some giveaways) – COMING SOON!

In our homeschool this week...

We finished our 3rd quarter.  With all the field trips and other educational days on our schedule, we just have to finish our books in order to call it a year.  The goal is to complete everything BEFORE our trip to Florida in May. 

Ashley and I finished our study of Jane Eyre and started watching the series made in the early 80’s.  We’d like to find a more modern-made adaptation to watch.  We started our last TLP study of the year – The Scarlet Letter – yesterday.  It brings back memories as I recall reading it during my own high school years.

Gracie and I are plugging along with her study of  The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.  I’m much more enjoying reading this book aloud than the books I’ve been reading with Ash!  What a breath of fresh air! 

We’re plugging along in our American History studies and looking forward to some real fun as we enter the 50’s and 60’s!  The girls want to make poodle skirts!

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

We’re seeing Monster Trucks!

Now that that experience is behind us, Ashley and I are looking forward to going to the Revolve Tour this coming weekend.  Not only am I looking forward to spending some quality time with Ashley, but we’ll also be spending 2 nights with my brother and sister-in-law.  They are preparing to adopt their first child (a little boy from Korea) in the coming months (hoping to travel later summer/early fall).  Because they live over 2 hours away, we don’t get to see them as much as we would like to.  Also, I’m looking forward to meeting 2 of my Crew Mates who are traveling down to the event all the way from Canada – Shannon and Paula!

My favorite thing this week was...

Last night, Brian and I attended a banquet hosted by his place of employment.  Not only did I come up with a cute basket full of African violets, but I also won a $50 bill! I don’t mean to say that money is my favorite thing, but I’m in need of some new clothes and don’t like spending money on myself – so this was a little gift from God.

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

We’re supposed to be organizing our church’s library.  Nice thought and all – considering as how we all loves books – but it’s been so hard to find the time throughout the week to actually go to the church and work on the project.  And, it’s a HUGE undertaking.  Hopefully once summer gets here we’ll have more time to devote to this worthy project.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

As we finish up our study of American History, I’ve been wondering what we might decide to use next year.  I’m thinking that it might be time to dig out Volume 1 of The Mystery of History again – and start back at square one. 

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

In addition to the upcoming Revolve Tour, we’re also looking forward to the new movie – Soul Surfer – based on the life story of Bethany Hamilton.  Ashley read Bethany’s biography several years ago, and we’re fans of AnnaSophia Robb, who is playing Bethany in the film.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ 10

In my life this week...

One of the highlights of our week was finding out that we are – officially – going to Florida in May.  We knew it was a possibility, but were leaning on the side of not getting excited ‘til we knew for sure.  Now we know, so the countdown chain was created yesterday and we’ve got 52 days to go!  (If you’re attending the FPEA convention in Orlando, be sure to stop by the TOS booth and say “hi”.)

I’m getting used to my new van.  I think I might actually be able to get attached to this one.  It’s weird, but I still see our first van around town and think of it as mine.  Our second van, the one we just traded in, never really felt like mine (more like my mom’s).  Anyway, we’re all enjoying the new van. :)  It’s just so pretty! 

In our homeschool this week...

We’re winding up our 3rd quarter (on our planner forms).  I say that because we’ve got lots of field trip days that are counted up separately.  And we’ve got some “other” days that I consider educational, even though they might not have included textbooks.  Anyway, the goal is to finish school COMPLETELY before heading to Florida (we learned from experiences – some extenuating – last year, that it just doesn’t work to come home from vacation and do school!)

We’ve been doubling up a lot again lately.  For the next several Tuesdays, we’re babysitting a sweet little one-year-old and on Thursdays Ashley works.  So, it’s hard to do school on these days.  So, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we’ve been doing double days, which actually means getting 6 days done in a week’s time, rather than 5.  Oh, and we even did school on Saturday this week.  Call us crazy!

Thanks to our Kindles, Ashley and I can report that we are 83% of the way through Jane Eyre.  We should finish it soon – and then we’ll watch the movie.  I’ll share my thoughts later.

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

Ian is counting the days until we go to see the Monster Truck Nationals.  It should definitely prove an interesting experience! 

My favorite thing this week was...

In addition to the news about Disney . . .

I had been looking for a birthday gift for my friend Jodi and finally, on Friday, I found it!  I hope she likes it as much as I do.  When I saw it, it just reminded me of so many things, and I just knew it was “the gift”.

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

Gracie has been working through Level 3 of Hey Andrew, Teach me Some Greek this year and LOVING it!  She’s already put in her order for Level 4 for next year.  I love this, since I took Greek in high school and thought it was so much fun!  Ashley was the one who wanted to take Greek, and she kinda dropped out – so I’m glad that Gracie has continued with her study and has been enjoying it.

I’ve mentioned my science fail where Gracie is concerned and have  been learning to be more open-minded about so many things that we do each day/week being classified as science.  Ashley just completed her Marine Biology (Apologia) for the year and wanted us to find something else to fill in the rest of the year with.  I had The Ocean (from the Wonders of Creation series from Master Books) on the shelf – so I pulled that out and we (Ashley, Gracie, and I) started with the Introduction on Friday.  It’s got 10 chapters, and we’ve got 10 weeks of school to do yet, so it’ll fit in perfectly.  And, I was pleased that they offer a FREE downloadable study guide to accompany this course. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

I’m thinking back to when I first decided to homeschool Ashley.  The teachers in our school district were on strike and there wasn’t an end in sight. I got to thinking how I was certainly more than qualified to teach her kindergarten and, since I loved her, I was much more willing to dedicate my time to her (obviously more so than any teacher would be, especially considering the circumstances). 

Here it is, 13 years later, and she’s ready to start her senior year in high school.  And I’m ready to start child #3 in kindergarten.  There’s an upcoming vote in our county concerning raising taxes – if the vote doesn’t pass, they say they will have to discontinue several school programs, such as kindergarten, sports, and things like woodshop, home ec, etc.  For me – I don’t care.  I’ve learned, from experience, that my kids are better off at home.  I wonder if more parents will choose homeschooling?  It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.

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

We had a wonderful sermon in church this morning, so I’m feeling inspired to share Psalm 63.  This is the English Standard Version, compliments of Bible Gateway.com.

Psalm 63
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

¹O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
   as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
²So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
   beholding your power and glory.
³Because your steadfast love is better than life,
   my lips will praise you.
⁴So I will bless you as long as I live;
   in your name I will lift up my hands.

⁵My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
   and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
⁶when I remember you upon my bed,
   and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
⁷for you have been my help,
   and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
⁸My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

⁹But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
¹⁰they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
   they shall be a portion for jackals.
¹¹But the king shall rejoice in God;
   all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ 9

In my life this week...

We’ve had a good week, and the weekend (so far) has been even better!

The weather has been beautiful and we even dug the bikes out of the shed so the kids could ride – they rode to the park and enjoyed playing on the new park equipment.

In our homeschool this week...

We worked a little more on our “need to buy” list for next year.  I always enjoy working on those lists.  I can’t believe this is the last year I’ll be making a list for Ashley (but it’s the first year I’m making a list for Ian).

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

Last night, Ashley and I went with some friends from church to see Chris Tomlin in concert.  It was a wonderful concert.  I didn’t even realize how many Chris Tomlin songs that I knew!  Louie Giglio is an amazing speaker and I was really moved by his message.  It was great to be in an arena full of Christians, all worshipping God together. 

My favorite thing this week was...

Going this morning to pick up our new van!!!  Out with the old:

(seeing it here, it doesn’t look 1/2 bad!)

And in with the new:

(I don’t mean to brag, but this van rocks!)

No, this wasn’t in OUR plans (to have to purchase another vehicle and add a 2nd car payment to our lives.  But, it was obviously part of God’s plan.  I’ve certainly learned over the years that God’s plans and God’s timing often don’t line up with my own.  But, His ways are so much higher than my ways.  So, I’m going to rejoice in my new van!

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

Something that doesn’t work for us is getting up early in the morning and starting school.  It never has.  My girls aren’t morning people.  This is just one of the many things that is so neat about homeschooling – we can set our own schedule. 

I get up earlier than they do and spend several hours in the morning working (on TOS stuff), so that I’m mostly done with my work before they  get up and can focus my energies more on their schoolwork.

Ian IS more of a morning person, so I may start working with him before the girls are up and about – we’ll see. . .

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

Are you a curriculum hoarder?  I used to be, but I’m trying to overcome my curriculum addiction!  I have so much stuff here that we’ll never be able to use it all.  If you’ve made your list for next year, you might want to check my “for sale” list – I’ve got some great things on here, at great prices!

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

Yesterday, before the concert, Ashley and I decided we were overdue for haircuts, so we headed to the mall (a bit out of the way, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, right?)

We had some time to kill before meeting up with friends, so we visited the town that I grew up in and took some pictures at an old abandoned church:

Then we went to the cemetery so I could show Ashley the view:

(I grew up in the house at the bottom of the hill, the brown roof you can see in the foreground of this picture)

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ 8

In my life this week...

I started out this week working hard to finalize The 2011-12 Schoolhouse Planner(s).  This is the 4th revision of the Planner, the 2nd release of the Student Planners, and the launch year for our new Special Needs Planner.  Working on 5 Planner products at a time has been a bit chaotic – but I’m looking forward to seeing the final product and feeling that sense of ownership and pride that comes with creating something like this. If you’re a homeschooler, I hope you’ll swing by the Schoolhouse Store and take a look at our full line of planners. :) 

On a more personal note, I’m getting a little tired of juggling cars.  I don’t think you realize how much you depend on that 2nd vehicle until you don’t have it.  Thankfully my parents are very generous in sharing their vehicles when we have a need – but driving a different car every day gets confusing!  A car-shopping trip on Saturday may have turned up my next vehicle (need to make a call tomorrow) – I sure hope so.

In our homeschool this week...

Gracie and I started reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe – this will be her third TLP study and the last for  this school year. 

Ashley and I are about 2/3 of the way through Jane Eyre.  I can’t wait to finish the book and watch the movie.  Can I just say that Mr. Rochester is one strange guy?  I don’t know what Jane sees in him.  LOL

Ian and I started using All About Reading’s early reading curriculum this week (I mentioned receiving it in last week’s post). So far, due to a somewhat crazy schedule this week, we’ve only done letters A & B – but he loves it (and so do I).  Hopefully we’ll get more accomplished this coming week.  He and I also started reading Andi’s Indian Summer from Susan Marlow’s Circle C Beginnings series. 

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

We’ve got lots coming up this week . . .

This afternoon, Gracie had a piano get-together – the kids had a contest and played songs for each other.  This evening, we’re eating supper with my parents and my brother Dave & his family.

This coming Friday, Ashley and I are looking forward to joining some ladies from our church and going to see Chris Tomlin in concert.

Next weekend is my birthday.  I’ve got a few other things up my sleeve, but that’ll be for next week’s post. :)

My favorite thing this week was...

Hmmm . . . Well, it wasn’t all the rain and even occasional bit of snow and the resulting mud.  And it wasn’t searching for used, yet affordable, vehicles online (resulting in a lot of headaches).  It wasn’t hearing about the devastation in Japan. 

I really don’t know what my favorite thing was this week.  Maybe spending the day with my parents yesterday.

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

Pretty much what we’re using is what’s working.  Aside from switching writing programs earlier this year (to I.E.W.), we’ve been quite pleased with all of our choices this year.  I hope we can make choices that will compliment us this well next year!

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

To those of you who don’t have a special classroom for your homeschool, does your homeschool stuff pretty much take over?  Some days I feel like we don’t have a dining room table – it’s always covered with school stuff!

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

This past week, a tragedy struck a local family when their house caught fire and took the lives of 7 of their 8 children.  My mother’s heart cannot comprehend what this must feel like for them.  Please keep the Clouse family in your prayers.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal ~ 7

In my life this week...

I started out this week still dealing with the flu.  Mine held on much longer than the 24 hour bug the rest of the family had. 

My Tuesday I was feeling good enough for Brian and I to go out for our (non) anniversary (we were married on Leap Day, so didn’t have an official anniversary this year).  I was hungry for ribs – which never happens.  We went to try the new Longhorn Steakhouse in our area.  Brian enjoyed his steak, but my ribs were a disappointment. 

This week was a week of lots of bittersweet memories.  I was thinking a lot about this time last year, and spending those last moments with my friend Sue before she passed away.  Yesterday (Saturday) was the one-year anniversary of her passing.  It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since I’ve heard her voice or seen her smile.  I still miss her terribly. 

Friday afternoon we went to test drive some vehicles.  We realized that the Toyota Highlanders made before 2008 and smaller than what we need/want.  So, we’re leaning toward another van.  If you have a Toyota Sienna or a Honda Odyssey, please share your thoughts/experience.

In our homeschool this week...

We had a very laid back week in our homeschool this week.  When mom is sick . . . you know how it is.  We spent a few days viewing movies that related to our history study, and did a day of science like that as well. 

Ashley started her new job on Thursday – doing office work where my dad works.  Our schedule was off due to some other  things going on this week as well.  It’ll be good to get back on track this coming week.

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

No big plans this coming week. 

My favorite thing this week was...

I didn’t want to spend yesterday moping around, missing Sue, and being sad. So, I made plans to spend the day with another one of Sue’s friends, who is also missing her.  We went and did some shopping, had a nice lunch out (Applebee’s), and even got our nails done!  Oh, and we finished it all off with Gelati’s at Rita’s (I had mine made with the new “iced coffee cream” flavor – talk about yummy!  We had a wonderful time and I’m so glad we were able to get together and share our day.

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

Netflix was working overtime for us this week!  Thank goodness for all those great old movies and documentaries!

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

We got All About Reading’s first level early reading curriculum in the mail this week.  It looks great!  We haven’t had a chance to start it yet, but I’m looking forward to trying it out with Ian.

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

"We invite you, if you dare, to step aboard because in tonight's episode you are the star, and this elevator travels directly to . . . The Twilight Zone." Rod Serling, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

I don’t know why I’m sharing this – but I love, LOVE, LOVE the Tower of Terror.  Can’t wait to ride it again!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - 6

In my life this week...

We had a slow week this week.  It’s amazing how much your life changes when you don’t have access to a 2nd vehicle. When I did have to get out (for music lessons, etc.) I was at the mercy of my parents. 

We’ve all been feeling very stir-crazy.  I think it’s cabin fever and/or the winter blues.  Are they the same thing?

As much as I tried to fight off this flu that’s been making it’s rounds at our house the past 2 weeks, I ended up with it yesterday.  Ugh!  I hate the flu.  

In our homeschool this week...

Not much to report.  It was a “bare minimum” type week.  I’ve been sharing how I love our approach to history this week.  We watched several movies that related to the 1930’s – one was Gone With the Wind.  We still have a lot of fun stuff to do relating to that time period this coming week.

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

We finally got out of the house today.  I had won 2 free tickets to the PA Garden Expo – we had planned to go on Friday, but then Ashley had to babysit, so we put it off, planning to go Saturday (yesterday).  Then, I ended up with the flu.  So, we went today.  It turned out to be a really nice day – with temps reaching the mid-50’s – so I’m glad we waited.  

My favorite thing this week was...

Getting out of the house as a family today.  We also went to look at at potential new vehicle (which Brian and I might go back to test drive tomorrow), and to BJ’s.

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

Gracie is loving Greek ‘N Stuff.  I don’t even have to work with her and she’s learning Greek!  I love Greek!

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

I can’t really think of any, at the moment.

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

Some pictures from the Garden Expo --- lots of ideas there! 

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal - 5

In my life this week...

The flu entered our house this past week (the stomach flu).  Ugh!  Ian had it first, earlier in the week.  Ashley had it yesterday.  2 down, 3 to go.  The rest of us (Brian, Gracie, and I) are just biding our time, and waiting. 

In our homeschool this week...

Since we were dealing with some sickness, we did the bare minimum of schoolwork this week.  That’s one of the things that I love about homeschooling.  We can do extra when we need to, or cut back when we need to. 

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

Last night, Brian and I had a date night!  His basketball reffing season is pretty much over, and they have a banquet each year to wrap things up.  We went with a couple that we we have known for many years (he’s also a ref).  It was nice to get out and spend some time visiting with our friends.  (Too bad we had to come home to another sick kid!)

I also went to a Pampered Chef party with my mom on Thursday evening. It was nice to get out and I found some neat new gadgets to try.

My favorite thing this week was...

Getting a package in the mail this morning from one of my Crew members.  It was a nice surprise and came just when I needed it most.

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

Our van isn’t working for us.  I know this is supposed to be homeschool-related; but I’ve got broken-down-van on the  brain.  And since it’s the  vehicle that usually gets the kids and I from here to there, it’s kinda our homeschool bus. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

This coming week, we’re going to start on the 1930’s in our history book.  I’m looking forward to adding in some extra stuff in the form of American Girl books and Netflix documentaries. 

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

I’m sharing a Walt Disney quote this week:

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island and at the bottom of the Spanish Main ... and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life."

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal - 4

In my life this week...

I’ve been working like a busy little  beaver to get things finalized for the 2011-12 Schoolhouse Planners.  This year’s planners will be full of lots of new forms and must-know lists, as well as plenty of new articles to help and encourage homeschool moms.  I’ll be excited to announce when they are available for purchase!

The Homeschool Crew reviewed The Curiosity Files this week.  It’s been fun reading the reviews.  I’ve been working on this series for a few years now, and it’s exciting to see them being used by homeschool families.  The majority of the feedback has been very positive. :) 

In our homeschool this week...

We’re still learning about the 1920’s and finished up a biography on the Wright brothers this week.  We took a field trip to a local antique store, in search of toys from the 20’s, but really weren’t as successful as we had hoped.  We may attempt another antique store next week – not sure yet. 

We’ve got a few more books to read and things to do before we move onto the 30’s and 40’s, but I’ve got some fun ideas and resources up my sleeve for this timeframe – things I’m sure I’ll be sharing about in the Journal in weeks to come.

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

Yesterday we spent a few hours at our church, sorting books.  Our church building  project is almost complete, which means we’ll soon have an “official” library.  Ashley and I are doing a lot of the work to make that a reality.  If you happen to help with your church library and have ideas and/or suggestions, please comment or e-mail me. 

Ashley and I are both book lovers, so this job is right up our alley.  I just hope we can make the time to do it well and successfully. 

My favorite thing this week was...

Hearing the birds chirping outside my window – on three separate mornings – this past week.  It’s music to my hears.  I love that sound.  I don’t even care that it wakes me up!  It’s a reminder that spring is coming soon!

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

Something that has been working  very well for Gracie this year is Spelling City.  Some of the Crew members reviewed it earlier this year (you can read those reviews here).  It’s an online spelling program (vocabulary now too).  There are “generic” spelling lists on it, by grade level.  But, you can also input your own spelling lists.  We use Total Language Plus, so I just input the spelling lists from there.  Gracie is not my strong speller (which I attribute to the fact that she wanted to learn to read TODAY and would not use a phonics-based method).  Using Spelling City, I’ve seen great improvement in her spelling skills and test grades.  Spelling City uses a games-approach to learning to spell, and Gracie loves games! 

If you’ve got a struggling speller at your house, I’d highly recommend giving Spelling City a look. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

I’ve been thinking a lot about graduation next year.  I wasn’t sure what we would do.  I got the mailing from CHAP (our local/PA homeschool convention).  This year, they are having a graduation ceremony during the convention.  I want to be sure to check it out – as that may very well be an option we can use next year.

It’s hard to believe that I’ll have a senior next year!  Where has the time gone?!

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

Gracie’s competing in musical challenges at both piano and violin lessons right now.  She’s very competitive, so she loves this type of thing.  I thought it fitting to share some of the music she’s working on right now ---

(piano)

(violin)

The Homeschool Mothers Journal - 3

It’s time for another edition of The Homeschool Mothers Journal.  I appreciate participating in this meme, as it gives me good reason to chat about homeschooling (which is the whole reason I started a blog in the first place).  Here’s a look back at my week - - -

In my life this week...  This week, we’ve had a lot of winter weather – snow and, mostly, ice.  I don’t like winter (I know I sound like a broken record!)  But, if it’s going to snow, I wish we’d be a good-quality storm so the kids could enjoy some time outside playing in it.

As far as work, my team and I are busily working on the next edition of The Schoolhouse Planner.  Wow!  It’s a lot of work, but it’s very fulfilling to see it all coming to fruition. 

In our homeschool this week... I posted the other day about our history study and reading about the architectural style of the house we live in.  I’m really enjoying our history study this year.  Now that we’re in the 1900’s, it’s really getting interesting to read about the more recent history.  We’ve got lots of  books and movies to read and watch to go along with our studies.  I love history, and making it “real” has  been so much fun!

Places we're going and people we're seeing... We went to visit the dentist this past week.  All 3 kids got the “no cavities” report.  They were even able to get an x-ray of 1/2 of Ian’s mouth.  (Have I ever mentioned that even I am not good at that?  I’m a major gagger!)  The dentist did mention that we should probably consider an orthodontic consultation for Gracie now (we knew it was coming one of these days). 

My favorite thing this week was... Getting out of the house on Monday.  Yes, even a trip to the dentist excites me in the winter.  We did do some shopping and spent some time at Hershey Chocolate World too.

What's working/not working for us... When it comes to Gracie, I’m a science failure.  It seems like we run out of time each day, and it’s always science that gets put on hold.  Our intent was to study mammals this year, using Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Zoology 3: Land Mammals of the Sixth Day.  I wanted the accompanying notebooking journal, which wasn’t available ‘til mid-October.  Starting so late really threw us off kilter, and we’ve just never gotten into it. 

Now, I’m wondering if we should really try to focus on science hot and heavy for the rest of the year, find something else to use (we have been supplementing some with a book that I received to review), or give up.  LOL 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have... Am I the only one who lets science go ‘til last?  It’s just not my thing. 

On another note, I started my list of “stuff” we need for next year.  I need to also take inventory of what we already have. 

A photo, video, link, or quote to share... I bought my girls the cutest camera wrist straps the other week (from this shop on Etsy).  We picked this music notes strap for Gracie, and Ashley wanted this one (pictured on her camera):

Super cute, right?  Now, I just need to decide which strap I want, and order one for me – I need a neck strap and I really want it to have soft, fuzzy stuff at the neck.  Any suggestions?

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal - 2

It’s time to take part in the 2nd edition of The Homeschool Mother’s Journal, hosted by Sue over at The Homeschool Chick.  (Have you been to her blog?  It’s so bright and cheery!  It reminds me of spring!)

In my life this week...

We had snow this past week.  Not a lot (not even what the weathermen were calling for); but enough to make for some slippery roads.  The older I get, the more cautious I am about driving in the winter. 

Yesterday, my family – and my parents – travelled about 2 hours to visit my youngest brother and his wife and to see their new home.  They just moved right before the holidays.  Now, they are planning something even more exciting – an adoption from Korea! 

In our homeschool this week...

We continued doubling up on our schedule and have now completed the first week of our 2nd 1/2 of the year!  I was happy to print out the first 1/2 of the girls’ daily schedules and put them in their binders (for future placement in their yearly portfolios).  It just feels like we’ve accomplished something now, you know? 

In our history study, we moved into the 1900’s and talked about The Great War (World War I) this week.  I dug out our American Girl books for both Kit and Molly along with the Welcome to Kit’s World and …Molly’s World books to use during the coming weeks.  We have almost all of those books, so we might as well make use of them!  I love history this week.  We only spend one day per week with the actual textbook and the rest of our study consists of reading biographies, researching people and events from that era, and fun stuff (like field trips). 

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

Does the dentist count?  All 3 kids have dentist appointments tomorrow.  Is it awful that we like to follow up our dentist visits with a trip to the Hershey Chocolate Factory?  LOL

My favorite thing this week was...

Hitting that 1/2 way mark with our schoolbooks, and finding out that TOS will be getting a booth at the CHAP convention after all. :)

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

Sue talked this week about how Institute for Excellence in Writing has been a Godsend in their homeschool.  To that, I say a loud AMEN!  My 10-year-old VERY RELUCTANT writer no longer complains about writing and is actually doing quite well – all thanks to IEW and Andrew Pudewa.  I’m wondering “where has this program been all my life?!”  But, really, I know that God’s timing is perfect in all things, even when we find a curriculum that’s a good fit. 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

I’m just thinking about how wonderful homeschooling is – what an opportunity to forge relationships with your children.  We tried the public school route with Ashley for a few years in elementary school.  I wish, now, that we hadn’t done that; but it certainly taught us all a lot of lessons. 

A photo to share...

On Saturday mornings, I often visit with my parents for breakfast and coffee.  On my way home, I noticed that one of our bushes was weighed down with icicles.  I grabbed my camera and Brian’s boots ---

This morning, I headed back outside with camera in hand, hoping to get some pictures of the Amish buggies going by on their way to church.  But, I was too late.  Instead, I snapped more wintry pics ---

Yikes, that’s more than one – hope that’s ok. ;)

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal - 1

I’ve had so many homeschool-related blog posts running around in my head and no time to sit down and post them. :(  Here I am, a homeschool mom whose job is homeschool-related and I can’t find the time to write about it on my blog. 

So, this morning, when I saw the Homeschool Mother’s Journal pop up on a blog in my Google Reader, I checked it out.  It seems like Sue, over at The Homeschool Chick, started this for herself – but lots of other homeschool moms wanted to join the fun, so it’s going to become a meme.  How perfect is that?  And I’m even getting it on the first week!  So, here goes - - -

In my life this week...

Well, if you follow my blog at all, you know I’ve been dreaming of Disney.  So much so, that I even decided that it’s time to resurrect the Destination Disney meme.  I’m praying and hoping for more participants this time around – it’s so much fun and I just want others to enjoy it with me.  But, then again, it’s MY obsession, so even if I have to go it alone, so be it.

We didn’t know we were heading  back to the Orlando area this year.  Ian has been watching Disney documentaries via Netflix instant streaming, and I found myself rather interested in the Disney Cruises.  I’ve never even had a desire to go on a cruise  before.  So, we started tossing the idea of doing one NEXT year (2012).  Then, I found out that I’m getting to go to FPEA again for TOS – so that means we get some Disney time in this year too. :)  Oh, the joys!

It’s been cold and snowy here this past week – not a lot of snow, but a lot of cold.  Enough to keep us mostly indoors.  Brian has been busy reffing basketball games, which means he has been gone almost every weeknight (with the exception of a few games that have been cancelled due to weather).  Yesterday, I decided that we needed some family time, so we stayed home from church (heathens!) then got ready and went for a nice lunch and to BJ’s.  It was just nice to get out of the house and away together as a family.

In our homeschool this week...

We’ve been doubling up this past week, doing 2 days in 1.  The reason?  Well, we counted how many weekdays were left between now and the day we leave for Florida and we have more school days to do than days of the week.  We want to be done before we go, so we don’t have to worry about school when we get home.  Hence, doubling up. 

Since it’s so cold and we’re content in the house anyway, I think we’ll continue with the double-up schedule for the next few weeks, at least. 

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

Aside from having to run Gracie to violin and piano lessons, we’re hanging out at home in this weather!  Gracie did have a playdate with a friend on Saturday, which was fun for her.  And we’re hoping to plan a field trip soon – once my friend Jodi and her kids are all settled in back in NJ. 

My favorite thing this week was...

Finishing up Pride & Prejudice with Ashley.  I read that entire book OUT LOUD to her.  Jane Austen didn’t write her books to be read-alouds, I’m quite certain.  We would up that study by watching the movie last night.

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

Most of what we chose to use this year has been working quite well and I’m quite pleased.  We’ve also received some middle-of-the-year pleasant surprises – both via the Homeschool Crew and New Leaf Publishing Group.  I’ll post more about these great products soon! 

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

I’m thinking about the upcoming homeschool convention season, and I’m excited at the prospect of attending CHAP as a CUSTOMER (rather than a vendor = TOS) this year.  I need to sit down and make up our list of  things we’ll need for next school year.  It will be nice to be able to take our time, browse the vendors’ booths, and listen to some of the speakers this year. 

I can’t believe that next school year I’ll have a senior (yikes!), a 7th grader, and a kindergartner!  My kids are  growing up so very fast, and the opportunity to spend each day with them, at home, is a treasure. 

A photo to share...

While the kids were outside playing in the snow last week, I took the opportunity to snap some photos.  I especially like this one of a nearby farm in winter.  (It’s not really this close to us – I zoomed in!)

If you want to join in this new meme, simply click on the button above. :)