this is telling

I must really love these kids...

...to set up yet another art project (that makes three in the last three school days), when I am such a craftaphobic mama.  

But you've gotta go with what speaks to them, right?

homeschooling: taking the plunge, again.

I bought a few books last week.  Homeschooling books - for the 2013-14 school year.  I guess we're in!

The fact is, although we take it a year at a time, we still feel called to this homeschooling thing.  I feel that it's where God has us right now, so that's what we're doing.  All the same, when I start making curriculum purchases...that's when I sort of pause and say "Alright...another year."

And it's good.   I feel that although this past school year (not that we're finished with it yet) has been challenging, the slight changes we made at the beginning have worked well.   This year has been busy but filled with togetherness (usually good togetherness!) and a lot of reading.  We've learned about the Civil War and the Middle Ages.  We're exploring the solar system, fractions and decimals.  And we have mixed in a lot of play dates for the younger crowd as well; I'm learning that assigning my older kids a whole morning's worth of individual work can be excellent for everyone's morale.

I never thought I would be in this place: a homeschooling mother of five.  Never, ever ever.  The Lord certainly does have some surprises up His sleeve.  And you know what?  I think it's a testament to what He can do through a very, very weak- but willing - vessel.

I've seen progress this past year, and while we all have a lot of room to grow, I am greatly encouraged.

That being said, we're working our tails off to try to finish everything within the next few months.  I am not sure yet, but I think we might actually take an extended summer break this year - a first!  My kids aren't the only ones who like the sound of that...

ready or not, here we come

My brood and I were off to Monday School today!  It was a fun whirlwind of a day, only a half day to ease us into it all.  I got to chat with some wonderful ladies and enjoy the fellowship of other families who have chosen this path.

We're so thankful for our co-op and for all the people who work so hard to make it happen.   The kids had a wonderful time, and so did I.   Here's to a great spring term!

*Gabriel was squeezing in a nap before we headed off.  One benefit to his very early morning today!

6 things I learned homeschooling my kids last week

1)   The more I teach math, the better I'm getting at doing math.  It's amazing to me, but I am re-learning this stuff, and learning much more efficient methods of handling numbers.  I love it!  And I love watching my 4-year-old develop an appreciation for math as well.  Math, fun!  Who knew?

2)   Reading aloud is really, really hard with a wailing baby in my arms.  Okay, so I knew this one already.  But truly, I am re-learning it.  Don't worry - I think it's just teething issues. But whew!  Not such a great time...for anyone.  Hooray for naptime!

3)   Laminators are super cool.  We purchased a laminator a few years ago, but (and this is so embarrassing  the truth is, I was afraid of it.  I still can't put my finger on exactly why, but that's the way it was.  However, I have recently begun to use the thing and have discovered that I'm crazy in love with it.  Laminating at home: incredibly useful and very, very cool.

4)  My kids are super cool.  The more time I spend with my kids, the more I enjoy them (though I do confess to loving a break now and again.  I do adore alone time!).  They are so much fun!  They make me laugh each and every day.

5)   We are having fun this year!   What an immense blessing.  It isn't always perfect (in fact, it rarely is perfect) but it is actually enjoyable a lot of the time.  I am so incredibly thankful.

6)  At the moment in time, we are actually ahead of schedule.  And it feels good!  I know things will ebb and flow, but this first term was going to be difficult to soldier through.  So it's amazing and encouraging to me that we're doing so well.  But don't tell my kids!  I'd like to save some flexibility for sick days and special stuff.  So...shhh!

homeschooling: the first few weeks

 It occurs to me that after a little bit of educational drama, I've been very quiet about school since our first few days.  Perhaps an update is in order?

So, how's it been going, you might wonder.  Here's the answer: pretty good.  Overall I think we've gotten off to a very positive start.  It hasn't been perfect - and it only took us seven days for our first schooltime-related tears.  They were connected to writing, unsurprisingly.    But thus far schooltime angst has been pretty rare, as has been crying.

on one sunny morning, we took our books outside

I feel busy.  Busier by far than I've ever felt during school mornings.  Whereas before I might be able to get a project accomplished in the kitchen or disappear to work on laundry for 10 or 15 minutes, these days I feel lucky if I can get a load of clothes tossed into the washing machine before lunchtime.    The new approach we're trying is more time-intensive for me, thus I'm having to be a little creative about my own household chores.  But it's working out.  And frankly, I am enjoying myself during school time!  I find myself feeling really excited about the year ahead.

balloon model of our solar system (the sun is on the left)

The thing I am struggling with is my preschoolers.  I sometimes wish I could clone myself so that I could work work with the preschoolers and the elementary crowd at the same time.   My younger ones have been behaving themselves, mostly.   It's only that I wish I had more time to do individual lessons with them.  I tell myself that they're young and that for them, play is an important part of their development - and I know that's true.  But I also know that they relish that personal time with mama, and that there are a lot of worthwhile things I could be doing more with them.  For example, my 4-year-old is very interested in learning about numbers right now.  We are managing to slip in some time to work on it together, but it's a huge challenge.  I always wish we could do more.

The routine will change as time goes on, I know.  The book we're pushing to finish reading together will give way to one that doesn't take quite so much time each day.  Monday school will end next month, and then we will have Mondays back for home activities again.  We'll continue to get more settled into things.   This is only the beginning.

But honestly?  It's been a pretty good beginning, after all.

the first day of school

Yesterday was our first day of the new school year.

We had our traditional donuts and cider (along with some cheesy eggs) at breakfast...

...and decorated our personal binders.

Then we did some school work, read some books, did some dancing...oh, and we took school photos too.

Ben, 4th grade (Don't ask me what he's doing.  I have no idea.)

 Kyle, 2nd (and a half) grade

Owen, preschool

Elise, pre-preschool

Gabriel, distracter extraordinaire

ready, set, go!

homeschool year-at-a-glance

(from Todd Wilson's Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons)

Yes.  

taking a...break?

Elise and Ben helping make pancakes for breakfast

So, counter-cultural once more, we are on a break from homeschool just as the rest of the country is beginning.   We will be taking three weeks off total, and currently we're a third of the way through our vacation.

Vacation?

I have a host of projects I want to get done.  I want to finally get Gabe's newborn photos framed and on the wall.  The pantry desperately needs to be organized, the study (where we keep our school materials)  needs a complete overhaul.  Monday school has started, we have Bible study on Tuesdays.  I have preparation I need to do for the new term beginning in October.  And I must confess: I still haven't graded the end of the year math tests.

Between all this stuff and a flurry of playdates (yes, three playdates in three weeks is a flurry to me!), our time off is filling up fast.

But it's all good.

Somehow the important stuff will get done.  And the things that aren't quite as high on the priority list will work themselves out.  While I feel busy, it is a good busyness.  At the moment there's a little more time for cuddling upstairs before I head down to fix breakfast and start the day.  The kids now have plenty of time to give their bedrooms a good cleaning.  The crisp fall mornings are perfectly delicious, and I'm excited about the new season about to begin.

And today?  My kids and I are heading to play at the park.  It's a gorgeous day out there, and we're going to  soak up this time...

homeschooling: meet me there

I've made no secret on this blog of the fact that homeschooling is not easy for me.  From the beginning I have tried to be honest about that - even as it chips away at my pride a little.  It's an ongoing struggle (challenge) for me, but I am blessed to be able to do it.  I am thankful for the freedom to do it.  I am incredibly grateful that my husband supports me in it the way that he does.  I don't mean to grumble or complain, and I hope I don't come off as pathetic and whiny.  I'm just trying to be real.

Schooling my children at home is something I believe God has asked me to do.  And so, though it's by far the harder road for me,  I am going to do it.   The idea of being out of His will is not worth it to me.  So I'm pressing on.

But here's the thing: I need to be on my knees.  I've recently been convicted (from several different sources, as it happens) that I may have been trying to do this under my own steam.  I'll ask for prayer now and again, but am I praying about it much?  Honestly, no.  That's embarrassing to admit, but there you go.  The sad truth.  No wonder it's such a struggle for me.

I don't mean to suggest that all this will be easy-as-pie if I pray about it.  I'm sure we'll have ups and downs,d ays when I start listing other options.

Still, in a way this feels like a turning point.  I've been brought to a place where I am convinced, at last, that I must plead with the Lord about this before I even leave my bedroom in the morning.  I must ask for help, I must commit it all to Him.  Because I finally know that unless I do that, I simply don't stand a chance.

How I long to enjoy this path where God has placed me.  How I want to see my children thrive.  I don't want us to merely survive a day or term or year...I want us to grow.  To grow in wisdom, in knowledge, in relationship, in our walk with Jesus, in our love for one another.  I so hope this coming year can be one we can look back on and say "Yeah, that was good stuff.  It was fun."  Wouldn't that be something?

But even if it is always a hard thing, even when the difficult days outweigh the fun ones, I will obey.  And I will commit it to Him; I don't want all this to be in vain.

So...I'm going to call on his name.  To remember that He has a plan for all this, and to know that he will be faithful to complete what he's begun.  I'm going to sing "Trust and Obey" to myself, and to trust that through the ups and downs, the times of triumph and the times of self-doubt...Jesus will meet me there.

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.

                                                                             Psalm 127:1                                  

               

homeschooling: a little lost

Lately when I think I about homeschooling, I've been feeling a little lost.  I feel that something needs to change, but it's difficult to say just what.  Is it the schedule?  The curriculum?  Our attitudes?  Possibly all of the above?

I spent a fair amount of last week in tears.  What to do?  Keep up the curriculum we have been doing?       Make the frightening move of choosing something new?  Three and a half years into this journey, the places where we are weak haunted me. Was it a matter of a child's individual pace?  Or was I failing my son?

For a while my husband and I discussed trying some kind of web academy.  There was a moment when we had pretty much decided to up pursue it for a year - and see.  I won't lie; it sounded heavenly to me.  But with a little more time and thought, it has become apparent that this is not where our path lies.

After much agonizing, we decided to make a bit of a change.  I will still be using the Charlotte Mason method, but with a different curriculum: one which offers me, as the teacher, a bit more guidance and structure.  Today I took the plunge and made my first step in this direction...I ordered a teacher's guide.

I feel trembly, but more secure in my footing.  God has not released me from this thing, and I have no way of knowing if He ever will.  So I'll keep on...stepping out in faith.  Trusting that He will walk through it with us, praying that He will give me wisdom - and pick up the pieces when I do fail.

Pray for me in this.  Teaching does not come easy to me, not even with the kids I love dearest in the world.  Fitting in different learning styles, different paces and ages...I am still working it out as I go.

Scary?  Yes.  But it will be, I have to believe, so worth it in the end.

So...obedience.  That's my plan.  Obedience, and a lot of prayer.

of boys and blueberries

I went out to the yard in the afternoon to check on the blueberries.  There are four bushes against the back fence.  Like four siblings, they are alike and yet distinct.  The bush on the far west is the one I always seem to approach first.  It is full and flourishing, its branches heavy with berries.  Many were ripe and blue, ready to be folded into pancake batter, blended into smoothies, or simply popped into watering mouths.

At last I stepped away from the westward bush.  I moved down the short row, peering and choosing.  When I got to the bush on the east end, I stopped short.  It is smaller than its sisters.  This bush is mostly leaves - some berries here and there, but considerably fewer than the other bushes.

This may be silly, but I spoke to it.  "Well there.  You're not doing so well, are you...?  Hmm."

But I realized that the only reason I made such a judgment was the obvious contrast of this last bush to the others. The others were heavy with berries in various states of ripeness.  This one, the smaller one, had berries.  It was healthy, green, producing.  It was producing fruit.  Still, when compared with the others before it - well, I guess you could say it wasn't growing at the same rate.

And I thought about my boys.

So similar, yet distinct.  Each with his own strengths and weaknesses.  Each individual, unique.  Growing, changing - but not always at the same pace.  It is hard not to compare at times.  The inclination is natural and strong, and yet...none of my boys is the standard for any of the others.

The God who created them knows them inside and out.  He knows the end from the beginning.  He knows, far better than I, strengths, weaknesses, and how both virtues and vices might be used to bring Him glory.  I must encourage each man-child (and my daughter too) to fulfill his own unique purpose, on his own unique timeline - according to the blueprint of the One who designed every shred of DNA and knows every hair on their heads.

I cannot ask them to fit the same mold, and I cannot hold any one up as the example to follow.

There is only One.

So I'll water, nurture...shine light in dark places.  I'll point to the Way and do a little weeding here and there.  But the ending?  I'll leave that to the master gardener, who understands this process far better than I do.

I'm so very glad I can leave it in His hands.

activities for my littles

Back in November, while in the throes of nesting, I went through a crafty stage.

You may recall that I am not at all crafty.  In fact, I very rarely dabble in anything of the crafty sort.  But I stumbled on some simple (very simple!) project ideas, and I decided to make a few things to help keep my younger kids occupied after the baby was born.

Said baby is now 7 weeks old, and we just got the box o' activities out last week. But hey, I was saving them for a "rainy day."

All of these ideas came from THIS POST by Michele at Frugal Granola.  So I suppose it's not entirely accurate to say I "stumbled upon" the ideas, since I read her beautiful blog religiously.  Still, it was a happy surprise to find something I could and wanted to do.

My kids love these activities!  Even my big boys think they're very cool, and love to help the little ones do their projects.  I'm very pleased to have a box o' fun to pull out, especially during school time.

Maybe there's something to this Crafts Thing, after all...

a new school year

Today marked the first day of our homeschooling year.

We welcomed the 2011-12 year with our traditional 1st-day-of-school breakfast, including apple cider and homemade donuts.

I need to practice more often than once a year. Still, they were good.

Ben, 3rd grade

Kyle, 1st grade (halfway through)

Owen, goofball extraordinaire...Pre-school

Elise, pre-preschool.