Tribute to an amazing Daddy!

His vision for our family: Father, grant my request that the number of my descendants in heaven is equal to the number I have on earth.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth it's fruit in it's season whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper.

Psalm 1:1-3

Therefore, now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever. 2 Samuel 7:29

So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household."

Acts 16:31

For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt though be and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Psalm 128:2-4

The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.

Proverbs 20:7

I am working on our home education list for the rest of the year. I bought some books at the used curriculum sale last week and some more at CBD. I am reading through some more "how to books" and gaining lots of ideas. I like to school til about Thanksgiving and then "take time off" in November and December. I try to make sure we read a lot and watch some good educational videos during that time. I am trying to mesh up Charlotte Mason, Classical Education and the different learning styles of my children. I am working on some more "home ec" stuff. See my posts in the sidebar for Maiden Karly, Responsible Adrian, and Gracious Kelsie and Tamara. There are some new pics coming soon, I promise.
Jonathan is begging to "do school" so I have a little Bible craft and letter he colors. Also lots of reading. I want to incorporate more classical music and art history study this year. Karly is heading swiftly out of the grammar stage into the logic stage so I am looking into some logic stuff for her. On top of everything I am trying to make school more fun!

My head hurts! :)

I have prayed and prayed over our Math curriculum. I am comfortable with it and my kids do well with it... even though they hate Math. Sometimes I read that I should shove the Math curriculum because they hate it, sometimes I read that if it works we should stick with it. I would dread trying to start a new Math curriculum. When I weigh all the pros and cons I am thinking I will just stick with it. I think they hate it because it requires them to think.. I don't think another Math curriculum would fix that. LOL

For Grammar I wonder if I should switch, but I love the comprehensiveness of the Grammar program we are using. I tried a different one this year and it was just not it. I know with this one they are learning what they need and it's pretty low maintenance on my part. With five kids I treasure low maintenance. Then I read about all the fun Grammar programs. I think for now I will stick with what I have The kids don't mind it too much. The part they don't like is the writing, but that's Grammar..right?

Handwriting I will keep the same. They only do the Kindergarten, first grade, transition, and last book.

I love copywork so we will keep that.

We are not reading nearly enough. I have a Literature Pocket (Nursery Rhymes) coming for Tamara and Adrian. I am doing a Beatrix Potter study with Kelsie and a Literature Pocket (Fiction books) with Karly. On top of that I am checking out biographies, classic fairy tales, and other fun read aloud books from the library to read aloud during the day.

Our science and history was getting dull and boring. I have a new science project program and am adding something to our history program to spice it up a bit. On top of that we are going to read everything we can get our hands on for the science or history we are studying.

For Tamara and Adrian I am adding in a structured Phonics program. I was trying to get away with not doing it, but Tamara especially needs some more help. We are also reading a whole lot with them. A. Whole. Lot. They have a simple school day of one math worksheet, an addition fact sheet, three pages in Explode the Code, a handwriting sheet, and soon a Phonics sheet.

I picked up a new Spelling program I think I am going to try with Karly and Kelsie. It's very low pressure and seems to be really good. We will try it. My girls are HORRIBLE spellers. :)

I am sitting here blogging because I don't want to go play with lesson plans and schedules anymore. I need to because July is going to be when we start most of the new stuff.

July is kind of the start of the second half of our year. It seems weird, but I get pumped around this time. We have the used curriculum sale, the state convention (which I have yet to get to), and the regional convention (which I enjoy going to!). All of that works to get me back in the groove. Around Thanksgiving I really want a break, but then there's the new year and it's time to get pumped again. LOL

I love home education..even if it makes my head hurt! :)



Be Blessed!

In the garden

My garden is doing just as poorly this year as last.. oh well. I will keep trying and keep learning. I think it was still lack of bees.
Here are some squash, zucchini and tomato plants. The tomato plants actually look a lot bigger now and I have staked them. We will see. The squash looks bad and no results.

Here you see pepper plants and my gynormous cucumber plant. The cucumber plant just keeps going and going and going. My pepper plants look beautiful but nothing. Last year they bloomed and fruited really late in the summer though so I have not given up hope yet. With all the rain we had in the past few weeks the weeds are totally out of control. I pull and pull and pull, but they just keep coming back. Here it's not so bad. Of course this picture was pre rain!

And here it is, boys and girls, my big garden bounty so far this year. Yum-O they are good!

I really believe in growing my own food so I will just keep trying. Someone suggested a humming bird feeder for the back yard so that is on my list of things to try.

I thank God for the cucumbers though. It's nice to see something for my labors. :)

Be Blessed!

I'm just saying....

I read this article today with a pain in my heart. California a lot of the time leads the way for other states. Two very distinctive things struck me about this article. One was the fact that these kids were being called these horrible names. The other was the parents who are so upset over this ruling.

No child deserves to be taunted cruelly or called horrible names. It's never Christ like to bully someone else. These Christian parents should be teaching their children that while we don't tolerate sin we still need to have mercy towards the sinners. No one is going to come to know Christ while being teased and taunted mercilessly. I don't believe the sin of homosexuality is any different than lying. Sin is sin. Just as mercy as we minister to other sinners is mercy.

Next, can I just say, as a parent if the ruling in California makes you so angry, why are your kids still in public school in California? Do you really think this is the first time they have gone outside of your permission to teach your child lies? Evolution as a fact, anyone? Revised history that completely leaves God out of our country? Why is it ok for the schools to teach your kids this but not the homosexual agenda? As my favorite preacher Voddie Baucham says, "If we continue to send our children to Caesar for their education - We need to stop being surprised when they come home as Romans."

Be Blessed!

Thoughts and Musings

We were out of town for the better part of last week. We went and visited with my inlaws for a few days and then hopped over to Tampa to visit my husbands best friend and his family. It was a busy but joyful week.

Karly has her schoolwork caught up. A huge deal around here. We are ready on Thursday to start June. WOOHOO! I won't tell you that I just decided to move all of May to June and just pick up there. LOL I really do love homeschooling.

Roy went for a test for a job on last Tuesday. Please say prayers that it all works out. He is very excited about this prospect and I pray with my whole heart that this is it for him. He really feels that God is leading him in this certain direction and is trying to be obedient. Of course it would mean major life adjustments for our family, but hey, I'm all for it if my husband is loving what he is doing.

We have our yearly used curriculum sale Saturday. I look forward to this all year. I am so lame. LOL It's so much fun pouring over the curriculum and finding that treasure. You know, like last year Saxon 5/4 the whole package brand new for $24.00. No lie! Or how about Keeping Your Child's Heart by the Maxwells for $1.00. A book I have come to love and treasure. Of course occasionally I walk out with a dud or something I end up not using but for a few dollars a piece it's not a huge loss. Of course God always sends someone my way that I can bless with my oops purchases.

Potty training. Stubborn. Do I need to say more? "Jonathan, you can't play the Wii until you are potty trained. You have to be a big boy." "Ok," he says cheerfully. Ask him if he wants to play the Wii. "No, not til after potty trained," he replies and then goes on his merry way. Seriously?

"Jonathan, you can't spend the night with grandma. She does not like changing diapers." "Ok, I wait," he replies with a grin. *Sigh* I do so love this little boy though!

Anyway, just a glimpse into the everyday chaos that I call life. Hope you are all well.

Be Blessed!