HELLO 2011

Is anyone still homeschooling these days? Is everyone too busy to post here? I know the last 6 months of my life have been completely insane...so I'm cutting everyone a break...LOL! I'd like to see a post for each author once a month if possible and you ladies feel free to hold ME to that as well, OK?
As for the Homeschooling MeYeRs, we are trying something COMPLETELY new this year. Last school year ('09-'10) took much longer than planned. As in we didn't finish that school year until November of '10. YIKES...however, since we have switched to the year round schooling to accommodate our ever changing schedule that tries to accommodate Dan's work schedule, it's all good. So, we've been on break since the week of Thanksgiving and are restarting today after a move, the holidays and some good family time together. The new things that we are doing are as follows...

I am buying NO BOXED CURRICULA this year (this should THRILL you, Kim *winks* )

I am using up the FREE resources that I've downloaded or been given, or things that I have previously purchased and haven't used yet.

I am going to write/create/find more of my own teaching plans...anatomy class, anyone?

I am going to work on having MORE hands on activities...science experiments, music class, more structured PE time, going and SEEING things, not just reading or hearing about things (for all the boys, but especially for Pat)

We are going to take more "educational" family field trips, serve the community together and get involved in something besides our own life.

I am not teaching English this year....no grammar, no book reports and no diagramming sentences. We will be reading, reading, and reading....mostly from the classics and we are going to let the GOOD English seep into their brains without horrible worksheets and boring book reports. We will be using narration and dictation as our guides for retention and understanding. Oh and enjoying a free spelling program I found online since D and P both struggle with spelling sometimes.

We are starting movie/book month themes. We will read books and watch movies from particular categories each month. So excited about this one! For instance, this month is comedy. We will be watching, listening to and reading some of the greats; Bill Cosby, Mark Lowry, Red Skelton, Abbott and Costello and more. I've got some super audio broadcasts downloading and waiting for them. Add some good belly laugh movies and before you can say, "I love homeschooling!" we are having fun AND learning a bit of history AND sharpening our comedy skills.

I found a great deal ($4) on some math books/DVDs at the local used book store this fall and am excited to get started on using it since the boys have been just trudging through math this past year. So this year, they get to watch a 10-15 minutes lesson on math, do just a few practice problems and badda-bing, DONE with math for the day : ) It's a thing of beauty

Derek will be working on his alphabet lap books, working his way through the 100's of preschool/kindergarten resources that I have, playing math games, using flashcards, memory and other learning games and sitting in on the big boys' lessons when the mood strikes. He will do nature study alongside of them as well.

We will be joining Jodi and James several times a week to work through the 2nd year of My Father's World with them and I'll have the boys do the supplemental (6th -8th grade) work at home. They LOVED doing MFW last year and are looking forward to it again.

I think that's about it for now. So excited about this new school year! I know I always say that this school year is the best one, but this past one really had some super high HIGHS and a few lows. It was a good year, but it just stretched on for too long. So this 'year' we are trying to cram everything in by mid July. Then we can have a short break and begin again in late August. Phew, I can't even start thinking about next school year yet...LOL! Hope all is well in your homeschooling universe. Be well, learn and love much!

Blessings from my homeschool to yours,

Kristy and the Man Crew

New Button

Good evening friends! I haven't been able to post on this blog for a bit and I apologize.

I have given up on all of our A Beka curriculum except the math. It's the only ones I'm still using. And I barely use them for that. It's basically just a guideline of what to teach.

For phonics my girlfriend from high school gave me the Hooked on Phonics program to use. We all like this so much better. And because it includes the readers and reading comprehension stories, I can also use that instead of the A Beka Reading and Language Arts for 1st grade. I am going to do Language Arts on my own next year anyways.

I have been seeing that kids are getting out of school already for the summer. We are going to be working for most of the summer I think. We'll take a little break, maybe a month. We started late and have not worked all the way through the school year because of my migraines and such. We haven't done school this week except on Monday because of my headaches.

I finally got my PSP up and working so I made a button for our blog.

I have a couple of pictures to share also.  The first picture is the kids and Tom listening to Bible study:

The kids were doing art on their own by watching a DVD that Amanda picked out at the library called Rainy Day Activities and here's what they made for me.  Kyle made the first one, the top picture is a picture that my husband took at one of his job sites.  Kyle thought I would like that.  ;-)  Then the bottom picture is my niece Graclyn.  Amanda's is the 2nd one shown and both of her pictures are of Graclyn.

We are just about done with our obedience lessons.  There is one story left to read.  It's been left since about Tuesday, but because of my migraine we haven't done it.  I still need to write up their test also and help them with their verses.  We are also still doing our bird study.  The kids will be starting their bird lapbook next week.

Turtle Week

This week it's all turtles. Here's our cute little craft. Please excuse my underwear boy, he decided it was Naked Tuesday. lol

Apple Trees

This week's MFW theme was Apples (Aa, Apple, 4). So we made our own applesauce and traced-hand apple trees. I just had to share these pictures with you! lol Check out Corbyn's tree. It's funny & cute how their perceptions of the same thing (a tree) are different.

What a Good Mother Does

What a Good Mother Does…

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What a Good Mother Does

What a Good Mother Does…

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Recent Happenings

So we've recently jump back into things. Thank goodness for day work schedules and our sense of "normal-ness" returning! Our weeks haven't been exceptionally consistent, but we're gettin' it done. :)

This week we're on Lesson 4 (Apple, Aa, 4) in My Father's World. So far, we've learned about Creation (first 10 days), then weeks one-three were the Sun, the Moon, and Leaf. Each "lesson" is a week and the alphabet letter and number correspond (Sun, Ss, 1, etc). Each Lesson has a Biblical Concept: Sun = Jesus is the Light of the World. Moon = I am the Light of the World. Leaf = I will live and grow in Jesus. So each time we hold up the alphabet/picture card, the kids can name the picture, say the letter & sound and it reminds them of the Biblical Concept. My only issue has been with our public library. It seems that the books they suggest are not available to me (and that's just my small issue with our p.l.) so we're looking in to investing in the books (used) through Amazon.

Bare with me as I haven't figured out the photo placement. So, somewhere in this post, pictures will show up to show what we've worked on....

The first set uploaded is of our seedlings. Since we're so cold most of the spring, we have to have an indoor garden, first. It's been fun to watch the sprouts come up. So far, we've planted Lettuces, Spinach, a variety of Peppers, Carrots, Peas, and Tomatoes. Sounds like an amazing salad to me! If we get time (and outdoor warmth) today, we'll be starting our herbs in the same way. :)

The second set uploaded is of "schooling". Home made sundials, Z's "Masterpiece", our Mobile, and our Ant Farm.

The kids have gotten a kick out of the Ant Farm. I think I ordered it too soon, though... oops. Oh well, we may just have to order more ants a few weeks before the lesson comes up.. They're really fascinating behind plastic. LOL They just work, work, work.

Zoë and Corbyn have really enjoyed school each day. Corbyn gets copied pages to do what Sissy does, but he's learning so much in his own, 3 year old way. :)

Just a question, do you think Corbyn will have an easier time reading since we're going over letter sounds now and while we're teaching Zoë, he's participating? I'm not at all concerned about Zoë reading, but I've heard that boys have a harder time learning. Also, I've been trying to show him the proper way hold a pencil (as much as I can being left handed and he's right...) and write his letters, is there an easier way to do this? I know he's just three and I'm not stressing about it. Z just picked this stuff up much easier and I don't want Corbyn to be frustrated that he "can't" do it right now.

There's always more to come.... :) ♥
Happy Homeschooling!
~*April*~