Well, I can now say that I have two weeks of homeschooling under my belt!! The girls are really doing good, but I had my doubts that first week. We lacked just a bit of focus, but that is to be expected. We have never really had a "set" learning time so we are still in the adjustment phase. I don't know what day it was, but one day Karsyn said to me, "when are you going to quit talking because I am ready for you to be done!" Kinley has already thrown the phrase out, "I should have went to real school!" Those may discourage some, but I can promise they have had more fun times than bad! It is just hard for them to understand we have to stay put and LISTEN for a little while!
It is really nice to not have the morning rush! We can get up and enjoy our time together before Shane heads off to work, and the girls can take their time getting ready in the morning. They have even been able to sneak in a short cartoon before we start our school time.
So, what did we do the last few weeks!?? Everyday we do our math, handwriting, and phonics. We are also doing a curriculum called Five in a Row, and we literally read the same book five days in a row and pull out different subjects each day. This is where the real fun comes in!! Last week we read Madeline. We had a friend that was in the hospital so we visited him, and that went right along with the book plus we were able to minister to someone. We painted the Eiffel Tower, talked about rivers, and learned about compassion. It was a great week! This week our book was The Story of Ping, and we had a lot of fun with this one! I highly recommend this book if you have small children. Ping is a duck so one day we went and watched the duck march at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock. The girls thought that was really neat! We have talked about China and the Yangtze River, cooked a Chinese meal, made Chinese lanterns, experimented with mixing different colored pencils for art, and topped it off with a picnic to the park where we fed the ducks and some cute little baby beavers! Oh, and I can't forget our little float and sink science experiment we did today when we talked about Buoyancy! The kids loved it.
It is so amazing to me how much learning and exploring we can do! Sometimes their questions open up a whole new topic, and I LOVE IT!! We are cherishing every moment we have together! There of course is always time for play! We have more fun things planned so stay tuned ;-)
Friday, August 26, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
School Time!
For the last several years I have really dreaded my oldest daughter, Kinley, turning five. I knew the day she turned five I would be sending her off to school. I knew I would definitely be needing that box of tissues for the first day of school.
A few months ago God put homeschooling on our family's heart and we have been headed that direction every day since. Planning, rearranging, and gearing up for our first school year. God laid it on our hearts so we are being obedient. Not everyone agrees, but there is a peace in my heart that surpasses understanding. Needless to say I am not dealing with the same feelings that many other parents are feeling this weekend. For most, they will send their baby off to their first day of school. I still remember my first day of school thanks to my parents and pictures. I had my hair in pigtails, a gingham red and white shirt, and I was sporting the most famous Popples backpack! Of course, I can't forget that big smile on my face! I started thinking about all of this and I felt a bit of sadness in my heart. There is a lot of excitement that goes into the preparation for that first day of school, and a part of me feels like Kinley might be missing out a bit! Laying out the school clothes, packing our first day's lunch, and meeting the teacher are all things for a little Kindergartner to get excited about. Instead we might still be in or pajamas at 10:00am. That is not so bad is it!?
I am excited about our school year. I am just feeling a rush of different emotions and I am sure that is normal. There is a peace when you know you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. The school room is all set up with their little desks, the curriculum I have picked out, and all the other materials and decorations. Tonight we will go to a kick off party for a local homeschool group to meet some new people and start this journey.
God is faithful and I know he has a great year in store. I see us learning about him everyday and putting ministry into practice by helping our neighbors, family and friends. My hope is that my girls, Kinley and Karsyn, will see God in a whole new way and learn how to serve others. I am sure they will get their daily dose of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic too!
A few months ago God put homeschooling on our family's heart and we have been headed that direction every day since. Planning, rearranging, and gearing up for our first school year. God laid it on our hearts so we are being obedient. Not everyone agrees, but there is a peace in my heart that surpasses understanding. Needless to say I am not dealing with the same feelings that many other parents are feeling this weekend. For most, they will send their baby off to their first day of school. I still remember my first day of school thanks to my parents and pictures. I had my hair in pigtails, a gingham red and white shirt, and I was sporting the most famous Popples backpack! Of course, I can't forget that big smile on my face! I started thinking about all of this and I felt a bit of sadness in my heart. There is a lot of excitement that goes into the preparation for that first day of school, and a part of me feels like Kinley might be missing out a bit! Laying out the school clothes, packing our first day's lunch, and meeting the teacher are all things for a little Kindergartner to get excited about. Instead we might still be in or pajamas at 10:00am. That is not so bad is it!?
I am excited about our school year. I am just feeling a rush of different emotions and I am sure that is normal. There is a peace when you know you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. The school room is all set up with their little desks, the curriculum I have picked out, and all the other materials and decorations. Tonight we will go to a kick off party for a local homeschool group to meet some new people and start this journey.
God is faithful and I know he has a great year in store. I see us learning about him everyday and putting ministry into practice by helping our neighbors, family and friends. My hope is that my girls, Kinley and Karsyn, will see God in a whole new way and learn how to serve others. I am sure they will get their daily dose of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic too!
The Journey
This is my first experience with blogging so you will have to forgive me if I don't have everything exactly right!
Why blog? It seems like a great way for me to keep those important people in life updated. You know, the grandparents, close friends, and anyone else who takes interest! If you know us well then you know that we are embarking on several new journeys all at the same time. Life is a journey that is for sure, and I want to make mine count. Hopefully along the way we can inspire and encourage others.
I hope you enjoy the posts!
Why blog? It seems like a great way for me to keep those important people in life updated. You know, the grandparents, close friends, and anyone else who takes interest! If you know us well then you know that we are embarking on several new journeys all at the same time. Life is a journey that is for sure, and I want to make mine count. Hopefully along the way we can inspire and encourage others.
I hope you enjoy the posts!
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