God Fills In The Gaps

This was the topic of our Mid Year Refresher.  Can I just mention how thankful I am for this group of dedicated, Christian homeschoolers who vigilantly watch legislation, encourage homeschooling parents and offer many many resources to us that are out there. I never understood the magnitude of stating, " yes I will home school" until I started jumping into it.

This past year has been a challenge, to say the least. We are accomplishing so much but at the same time my idea of school has been a bit "unorthodox" for the organizational and methodically part of my brain.

When I was seven I would sit in my bedroom and color coordinate my closet . I still remember having theses hideous shades of burnt yellow ( yes Mom, you know what color I'm talking about) and then the reds, blues, greens, pinks, and hanging them to stay together.

I would "deed" every book to someone in our home and some of our books still have the deeds in them. I saved my very first notebook, full of lists, as well as many other notebooks full of poems that I wrote. I organized our basement with a game section, art section, listening section. and toy section.

I am a very organized person. Yet, right now I look around my home and I have pictures ALL over the fridge, rooms that are in need of a pick up every single day, a kitchen that is never quite "tidy" and a school environment that is vibrant and fun but not quite orderly.

What do I mean by this? Well, when you throw a one year old into the mix life just gets interesting immediately. Hannah is really coming into her own person lastly. She LOVES to do origami. The girl is fascinated with it. The problem is she doesn't sit with one paper and fold it quietly. Oh no, she wakes up from her nap, comes down with her " dirtsy" ( drink) and "deedee" ( blanket) and whips open the craft cupboard and dumps 100 pages of small squares of origami paper on the floor, scooting around amidst them, dripping her water and then bumbles away.

Then she wants to help us color but trips into our castle now requiring apart of it to be taped back up. She wants to help and be apart but allowing her means that expectations need to be let go.

I am so thankful for this past years refresher because the speaker just emphasized how important it was to realize that God fills in the gaps. We give our best, we do our best but ultimately, there will be gaps in every child's education. Those of us who our now homeschooling and went to public realize HOW MANY gaps there really are!

Everyday, I commit to giving the kids my all. Everyday, I feel like there were some parts that went great and other parts where it "failed". That's life. I am thankful that God has our back and that I can trust that He  has their best interest at heart.

Great Lakes

Desert Botanical Gardens

tilt your head to the left and you'll see the state of MI

This week we are focusing on the Great Lakes, mainly MI right now. I realized after I had all my plans for the week that Konos only set aside 1 week for the Great Lake region....sooo, we will spending LONGER than a week :) We checked a bunch of books out of the library yesterday on cows and then of course on other pets. Jay will be doing a report on three different kinds of cows , what are their differences, similarities, etc. He is pretty excited about them. My children end up being resident specialists when learning about animals because they absorb themselves into that particular topic full force.

Jayden molded homemade tortillas into the shape of Michigan and we drew out the lakes surrounding Michigan. Here is to tell you how pathetic I am. I kept saying to myself, " Where does Erie fit?" Umm, yes, lived in Michigan for 23 years and didn't even realize that ONLY four of the Great Lakes surround our blessed state...not all five. WOW! Thankfully, I kept that thought to myself and did not confuse Jayden.

We will be making an assembly line out of legos today, after our Valentine's party, as we learn about Henry T Ford and his contributions to the automotive industry ( or lack thereof now) of Michigan. In March, we will be doing our dairy farm visit. The kids, at that time, will be going on a hay ride, drinking flavored milk, seeing how milk is produced from cows, watching a sheep shearer, etc. Should be a lot of fun. The books we are reading this week are all on lakes, ponds and swamps, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana, Henry T Ford and cows.

Earlier this week, we met up with a few families in our co op and went to the Desert Botanical Gardens. That was fun as we have been loosely going to a botany class. Admission was free which I was thankful for. I am not into spending $50 for my family to look at cactus when we can just hike for free and find them. Nevertheless, it was a little bit of a drive so we listened to Little House in the Big Woods. It was very fitting because the setting is in Wisconsin. Out of the four cds, we listened to three on our trip to and from alone! I actually got really into them and kept commenting how much fun it would have been and simpler, to live during that time period.

I love books on cd as there are so many I want to read to my kids, quality book let me say, but don't have all that time, so we read some and listen to some. Overall, we are having a great week. Austen worked on patterns yesterday which is more a game to him than anything. He also worked on some mazes and played. Kindergarten is so fun! :)

Math Games

I found this book at the library " Games For Math" by Peggy Kaye. I have to say, this is a really cool book. I believe that repition helps solidfy math concepts, but I"m sorry- sometimes those concepts are taught in a really monontous manner.  I feel that , if I am home schooling, then I am able to make it as boring or fun as possible. Yesterday,the boys and I played two games. The first was  place value game where you make three columns of , for example, red, blue and purple. You cut out 30 red, 30 blue and 1 purple. Then using a deck of cards, you draw a " 4" and add 4 to the red ( ones) column, then continue until there are 10 in the red- exchange that 10 for 1 blue ( tens) column and continue drawing and adding cards until the final person to be able to trade in 10 blue for 1 purple wins. IT's a fun way to reinforce place value without the being redundant. Also, we played a game with 3 bins ( same type of idea) but we had to throw rings into whatever bin we could so for example out of my 9 rings, if I had 2 in the hundreds, 1 in the tens and 5 in the ones my answer was 215. We played about 6 rounds of that game. This particular book, has ideas for math games up until 3rd grade. Finally, There was a bunch of multiplication games but I didn't use them, as Austen was playing with us.

Clapboard Houses

We had so much fun yesterday designing our clapboard houses and learning different architectural techniques and designs found in Massachusetts. Did you know that salt board houses were named because they resembled the actual salt box that was hung over the fire place to keep the salt dry?? Many times, the rooms found under the leaning part of the salt box house was a birthing room or burial room. Also, the boys learned about the "widow's walk"- a balcony found on many clapboard houses where wives would walk on and look out on the Atlantic Ocean waiting for their husband's ship to come in. So interesting!

We also read some more interesting facts on Massachusetts and I would love to invest in the Scholastic book series on all the different states. They are very well written and informative. Next week, we will be focusing on lobsters, clams, dressing up as lobsters and learning sea faring songs!

Patience

Lately, in our Konos lessons we have been learning about cooperation. We are still on the human body and still studying the nervous system. Each day, we read a portion of scripture about unity, cooperation, etc. Well, lately we have been reading about unity and this passage, in particular:

1Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3

I have felt that this is a particularly fitting passage for our family, especially me, to remember to be patient , calm and loving even when I do not feel like it. The hardest thing, I think  about being a parent sometimes is to exhibit what we try to teach your children and how you try to train them. " Use a gentle response Jayden" but then I use an exasperated response....." Be patient Austen"  , but then I'm not patient. I am praying lately that God will continually work these things in and out of me for " Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks"- wow, may I be a constant example of Christ's love and not a pharisee where I run my mouth all day but show no evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I am encouraged by these verses because I take them to heart. I truly want to be remembered as a mama who was loving, patient, firm, and gentle....I know that I will accomplish this all through the Holy Spirit....but it is a constant laying down. 

Yesterday, I put Hannah in her crib, on her tummy with a mirror toy in front of her so she could have some play time, away from the constant "shifting" floor and sea of legs of my other children. I actually kinda forgot she was in there because she was so quiet. About 20 minutes later, I went in to check on her and she was laying on her back, quietly playing with the little dangly toys that were on the mirror. It was so precious. I just want to remember her, laying there looking intently, out of hte corner of her eyes at the fallen mirror, quietly and perfectly content. She has been so much fun lately. The kids and I have this running joke of " Miss Hannah Prim and Proper". It all started when all the kids were in their pajamas at dinner but Hannah was still in her dress, a green one with white daisies on it, and just the look she was emanating at the table, was cracking me up. She looked so proper as I placed her on the edge of the table and it was like she was lounging. Her arms, remind me of an obese women's arms or at least of a very elderly woman's arms as they are very round, loose and saggy :) But she was just look at the kids and so I decided to give her " an air" about her as she corrected the way Austen talked with food in his mouth, Jayden sat on his knees. She was given a very poor British, Mother Goose type accent ( if you can imagine) and would say, " Hellooo, I am Miss Prim and Proper Hannah, you need to get your feet off your seat, that is not prim and proper like me"- and the kids would just crack up and laugh....now, even Riah requests, " Hannah do prim and proper??". I have given this little 3.5month old a personality all her own :) 



So yesterday, we were all sitting in the girls' room and getting ready to go work out when Jayden, walking around with a joke book, started telling Hannah some knock knock jokes.... " Hannah , Knock knock" " Who's there?" ( keep the British voice going), " Andrew" " Aundrewww, who??" " Andrew a picture in the car" ....then the best part of it all, I gave Hannah a hearty, deep, British laugh..... " HA, HA, HA" :) The kids just fell over laughing so hard...here is this little lady, with this laugh coming " out of her" and she is bouncing up and down. It was soo funny....so we did it all day. Oh, Hannah, we love you :)

Finally, yesterday in school I ended up just working with Jayden because we were getting ready for our lego club. We did Konos and did some "neurotransmitter" activities. It was kinda cool as it explained how who have a transmitter that is received by the dendrite, given to the axon to send out to the next neuron's dendrite ( I think I have that right)...anyways, we used a domino as our transmitter and left hand as our dendrites and right as our axons ( phew, give me so literature!!!). Then we started working on his " Math for Gifted Students" workbook. I love this series, they sell them at Barnes and Nobles for like $9. We are almost done, like we have 10 lessons left in his Saxon 2, but I don't want to move him on yet partly because he's only 6 and also because I want to make sure he truly understands everything we have just learned....so, I buy this book because it has amazingly challenging, yet cool ways to practice what he has learned without pages, and pages of drills...it uses real life applications, and scenarios...so, I decided to start it a little early since I'm pretty bored of saxon 2....everyone says by 4/5 it gets better...anyways, we also worked in our language arts and practiced bible quiz...He has a competition this Saturday. That was pretty much it.

I'm pretty excited to work with Austen on his kgd SSRW as he is learning to read!!! He can read and put together many 3 letter "at" words and it's so much fun! I am bringing out our BOB books and just working with him. My goal for Austen this year is exposure, to watch, to see how he learns, I bought him a Kumon maze book the other day, his face was so delighted it just blessed my heart, he even asked for a "school" book for Christmas. The boy loves to learn, and I want to keep that going. I love you Austen!

One Room Schoolhouse

Yesterday, as I was doing school with the kids I was thinking of how far I've come from my "structured" days in school and my frustrations last year of what I thought school should look like. Something that I have found is that my school day is fluid and moving , like water swirling, touching an obstacle and morphing and changing. This concept has really encouraged me to be thankful for what is going on but not feeling so much that it's not looking like " school". What do I mean by this? Great question. Yesterday, we were doing some lapbooking on Oregon. I found a cool mini unit study at www.homeschoolshare.com and ordered a bunch of the recommended books from the unit study, " Apples To Oregon" , from the library. I then proceeded to print off the necessary, FREE information online and got started with the kids.

Here is one way to describe what our moment looked like: We read our cool books together, began to sit down and assemble our lapbook and then enjoyed reading it and explaining it to Daddy. I could put it like that, but then I miss out on really explaining what it looked like, what home educating can look like, at least in my home, and realizing that it's family, we are not a public school so it doesn't need to look like that....so here is MY way of embracing the moments and describing it as such:

After reading our cool books together with Jayden listening closely, Hannah nursing, Moriah climbing , listening moving to and fro, and Austen listening and then curling up in a ball on the couch and informing me with his furrowed brow " I'm not going to read anymore", we finished. There was a myriad of questions after each page. Moriah kept wanting to review the previous pictures and Jayden then wanted me to repeat each written page as he was not liking the idea of flipping back and forth of pages. We stopped, and I put Moriah down for a nap. Then, we grabbed the glue and scissors and file folder and sat on the floor of the kitchen with our papers and markers and got started. I have been only doing one lapbook for both boys as they can then work together and do the different activities that are applicable to them . So, we went over the state bird, flower, and flag- I cut them as our little scissors are at a friend's house, Jay assembled the book and glued it with huge, sticky gobs of Elmers glue. Austen, did the apple math part where I we talked about coloring half of an apple, different ways, etc. Oh no, water spilled! Quick grab a rag! ok, resuming.......and Moriah is up with a fury! Ok, here is some pretzels Riah, sit next to Momma on the floor w/ your blanket. Austen is on my lap and Jay next to me. Now, let's talk about Alliteration....." Jay, can you think of an alliteration for plumb?"
Jayden- " Plumby??" ....." Ummm, yeah but how about like poignant or precious or plunging???" ok ok, getting the idea, " Jayden about cherries?" " Umm, cheery?" :) Ok, we are getting there :) ( The book Apples to Oregon uses a lot of Alliteration). Austen your turn! ok ( with Moriah crying in the background about wanting the silk side of her blanket wrapped around her but not touching her neck...geesh!). Alright , Austen can you color and draw the different types of weather on this paper?".......oh I forgot to mention sweet Hannah decieded to sleep during this time period......

Do you get my picture up there....just like in "public" school, my school isn't any less crazy or busy or hectic...it's different and it's family. We still get done what we need to get done, and it's done with excellence but we are not sitting at a table all the time, and we are definitely not sitting still. But we do our educating on the move and it's precious. I am dealing with different age levels ( Jay and Austen's being the easiest), different personalities and learning styles. I also am dealing with unexpected accidents ( water spilling, crying, running and tripping, etc). But that's ok.



God gives us the grace we need in our season. I am learning that. I am probably the hardest person, on myself, that you will ever find. I have an idea of what I want it to look like and if it doesn't I am so frustrated. That is what God is really teaching me through all of this. I didn't think I needed to be such a student, but God knew how much I have yet to learn. Oh the best part of it all, after the markers are strung everywhere, the glue is gobbed on, the lapbook is all assembled ( and I'm pretty proud of it :)) Jay begins explaining to Daddy...., " and this is the flag, and flower and weather page" :) ok Jayden, since Momma is proud of this, go play and I will show it to Daddy... " Ok Ben, look at this...isn't this page cool...it talks about the different weather patterns and in the story the family experienced......" Ahh, life in a one room schoolhouse :) and if you've seen my house....it truly feels like that...blessings!

Konos in our school

Yesterday, we ended up completing all of our school before 1030! Yeah! and I got my workout in , which is a big deal considering we are still working on adding Hannah to my act at my work out facility. We started off with Konos, Jayden's favorite. We read a bunch of books on the respiratory system, as that is the part we are on, had some discussion and then when onto our fun hands on learning aspect of it. I also love that Konos incorporates verses, ie: " Let everything that has breath praise the Lord".

I used to get so overwhelmed by Konos but now I "get it". I understand the system so much more. You go to the library, pick out "real" book on the subject ( no more boring textbooks). Then define the trait, ie: Cooperation, read the bible part of it, discuss people who demonstrated it or how whatever your theme is ( for us it's the Respiratory system right now) and do a few activities a day. I love it. I actually just bid and won the 2nd volume on line for $15!!!! That's a savings of about $100....so now I have all three volumes and the three smaller history units ( that are included in Vol II). The III one is the most organized as far as breaking it apart of activities for me...but now that I have that rough template I'm not so intimidated by the other ones and feel I am able to do that with them. Once we finish our cooperation unit, I might switch back to volumn I because it was stated that there are more activities for the younger kids ( and I want Austen involved in this part too).

We also did our language arts, Austen-SSRW and then oh so fun ferris wheel song and Jayden LLTL. Math was accomplished with measuring cm, geometric shapes and counting quarters...sounds like a hodge podge? Yes it is...We are almost done with Saxon 2 and trust me , I am looking forward to it! They say Saxon doesn't get "good" until around 5/4 or something like that....sooo, we will see....I might skip having a math book for a little bit and just do my own thing , teaching concepts for that particular grade level....because it just seems so mundane.....so , still thinking. Anyways, we've been having fun. Today, I printed off a lapbook on Oregon based off a book, Apples to Oregon. It went along with the different fall aspects I"m trying to pull in this season. There will be some apple printing, apple math, listening to music with fiddles, etc.... Should be fun :) Happy Schooling!

Funny side note that I want to put in...if anyone knows of Thomas the Train , they know there is a buck tooth character named , Salty. :) He is my favorite and the other day the kids were watching a movie and there was good ole' Salty staring us down and I did an impression of him that made me and Jayden laugh our heads off! :) He kept saying, " do it again " :)