love to paint

Coffee.  I am thankful it is Friday.  I've been on a very busy, bumpy road this week.  I haven't even gotten my coffee several mornings! Every year I forget that the first week of school is hard.  There's always papers I haven't organized or copied and books or folders I realize that I need--and don't have.  I try to be organized.  I think through my schedule ahead of time and make my master planner.  I did a lot beforehand this year.  But, as always, there were a lot of unforeseen needs that popped up each day this week. I suspect a lot of people are like me.  We know what we should do and yet we just don't do it!  I know I need to show myself and my children grace and ease into things.  But, I just don't do it.  I put a lot of pressure on myself.  I am thankful for my children and their grace for things (and for me).  We're working out the kinks together and making adjustments.  I haven't figured out how ev...

This year we're starting a new science curriculum, Christian Kids Explore Biology.  I'm excited for it.  I like the way it's written and I think it's doable with the rest of what we're tackling this year. I'm getting ready this morning for unit 1.  A friend of mine mentioned that her goal is to make all the copies she needs for the next month.  I thought that was an awesome idea.  But, I know I don't have the planning time Here are the resources that I needed this morning.  I'm going to add to this post what I need as we go, in case it might be helpful to someone else. Extra Needed Resources: First, I made a worksheet in Word that listed all the biomes and asked for a short description. These sites can be used for kids' research: http://mrsdelgado.edublogs.org/2010/06/09/biomes-of-the-world/ http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/ http://iss.schoolwires.com/Page/23411 http://www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/edline/webbuilder/assignment.cfm?thebuilding=43...

A few months ago, I wrote a review of a book written for young women about modesty and had a lot of concerns about the messages the book sent.  I had intended to look into other books, but got caught up in the end of our school year.  Then, recently, I had the opportunity to review another book for teen girls so long, insecurity (teen edition) by Beth Moore.  I haven’t read a book by Beth Moore in a long time because there are a few little quirks about her writing that don’t sit with me.  Well, actually, it’s just one, which I’ll explain later in this review. One of the big issues I had with the other book I read was the pictures of girls in the book, in the author’s magazine for girls, and on her website.  They all were supposed to represent “joyful girls” focused on inward beauty and not outward beauty, except that all of them were thin, Caucasian, long blonde (or light brown) haired girls.  There weren’t any pictures in the book I read, so I went ...

Yesterday, we went bike riding with our kids.  It was one of those awesome times.  All three kids are riding their bikes without training wheels and they love it.  We went on a trail near our home that is mostly flat with a few slight ups and downs.  All three were able to ride.  No major spills.  Chris finally has a bike that he likes and I have a bike that I like just fine.   As I trailed my family, I was just thankful.  I was thankful that we could do this.  I was thankful to be with my family.  I was thankful to live in a place where we can get to a trail and ride.  Where I grew up, we didn't have anything like what we rode on yesterday.   (I snapped this picture while riding and holding my camera.) For two hours, our lives slowed down.  We were outside on a day with a perfect temperature.  It was overcast, but it didn't rain on us!  I had peace and I was present in the moment.  It was a wonder...

Our children have taken piano lessons each year that I've been homeschooling, so that has been their music curriculum.  But, yesterday I brainstormed with a friend of mine ideas for music this year for her kids in grades 1 and 2. Here was my idea: Make a composer notebook. Study one composer a week.         1.  For each composer, read a biography on  http://www.classicsforkids.com/  or  http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/mmf_music_library_meet_the_composer_index.htm   These are very brief.  Then, find a past episode of  Classics for Kids  on the composer to listen to with your children. 2.   Making Music Fun  has a composer job application. You could also make your own if there are other details you want your children to record. 3.  There are coloring pages dot to dots and word search worksheets for the composers on Making Music Fun.           4.  Look at this page for other...

What my kids give me: Their Patience. Their Love. Their trust and belief in me. Their forgiveness. Joy. Last week, Time Magazine ran a cover article about "The Childfree Life: when having it all means not having children".  On yahoo, there were two columnists that posted their dialogue about the article  and many others in the media weighed in.  I read in one article on the LA Times which mentioned that most dialogue has been focused on whether a couple's decision to be childless is right or wrong. My concern about the cover article of Time was not a matter of right or wrong.  I do have friends who've decided not to have kids.  Most of them for health reasons. But, I remember one friend (who got married before I did) telling me that she and her husband never wanted to have kids.  She was honest with me and said, "We're just too selfish.  We like our life the way it is and don't want to change it."  I was a bit taken aback.  I ...

I heard an interesting thing last week that I didn't get a chance to write about, but I think it's important.   There is a new set of education standards that are being adopted across the country.  These standards are what public school teachers use to determine what students at every grade level need to be taught and need to learn.   There have always been state standards around (which have always been problematic and difficult for teachers to implement).  But, there are some new things with the common core--notably the tracking system that is tied to it and education funding/teacher evaluations that are being tied to their implementation.     Here's the definition of what the common core is from their website ( http://www.corestandards.org/ ): The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be...

My Phonics/Spelling Plan!  Okay, well, this is my plan.  No, I haven't used it yet.  My daughter is entering 3rd grade, but she needs work on her encoding and spelling, so this is the plan for both that I'm going to implement this coming school year with her.   This plan is the result of my reading and research.  Many of these strategies are what I gleaned from reading about spelling difficulties in many online documents and learning about how children encode language.  I listed some of what I read in a previous post if you're curious. :) Pre-Spelling Assessment:  Testing a Student’s Encoding Processes 1.     Test beginning blends. 2.     Complete tests on phonics and phonological awareness http://www.paec.org/itrk3/files/pdfs/readingpdfs/cooltoolsall.pdf 3.     Design a spelling and a reading program to remediate student’s weaknesses.       I made a grid worksheet and tested her to see if s...

I'm still working on my project and trying to come up with a plan in my head.  I think I'm getting there... I just found this great page in the process... http://www.pcboe.net/les/elderweb/hidden%20resources/phonemic%20awareness%20task%20cards.pdf These are oral activity cards that can be cut out and used to practice phonemic awareness skills with kids in grade K-3.  My plan is to pull out 2 or 3 at lunch or breakfast each day.  I probably won't even get them done that regularly, but my goal will be to get through the batch of them at least once in the next school year.  I know my kids will have fun with them and probably be quite silly about it...

I haven't written much on this blog in the past month.  It has felt like a whirlwind, one thing to cope with after another.  Nothing major.  Just life stuff.  Last week was VBS and we were gone every morning.  I just have to say, Yuk!  My kids loved it and I loved it, too. I got my haircut and saw friends I hadn't seen all year.  But, Yuk!  I was gone every morning of the week and by Friday I had begun to feel frantic about getting my house clean and back in order.  People always talk about homeschooling in terms of whether it is best for the child.  I always say that homeschooling is the best choice for our family !  We are out less at night.  Our days involve less running around and we focus on schooling. Thankfully, VBS is just one week of the year and so next week we will be at home...except for soccer practice that starts and will be every night of the week!.  Can you hear my anxiety?  I've avoided the every ni...

I'm helping a friend who's switching jobs write a resume.  She hasn't written one in years, so this is something new.  I began working on her resume, but then stopped to write my own because I thought it might be helpful.   Being a homeschool teacher may not seem to many like an occupation or career, but it is.  I used the combined form of resume for myself.  I began with the basic information, then moved on to strengths (the combined skills/experience part), education, Occupational Experience, then Related Experience, Certifications, Computer Skills, and mentioned at the end... References Available Upon Request.   Sometimes homeschooling parents have to reenter the workplace because of family changes and needs.  How could you express what you've been doing in a way that's acceptable for a resume? Well, here's my take on it... Teacher, Homeschool                  ...

This morning I had the privilege to get to share a devotion at a baby shower for a friend.  These were the thoughts I shared... Parenting I get excited when my friends are expecting.  What is this little one going to be like?  What new adventures are in store for him or her?  And for mom and dad? There’s all the normal things that people think about.  Getting the nursery ready.  Registering.  Labor.  Nursing.  Labor.  Packing your bag for the hospital and being ready.  Labor.  Just kidding…  Then, the other day, I started thinking about the biggest things I’ve learned about parenting and from my children.  So, of course I started a list… Some of these overlap a little… #1 When a child is born, it is one of the greatest reminders to me of how amazing God is.  The way a child is knit together from his or her parents is breathtaking.  Truly breathtaking. #2 God matches us up uniquel...