A Homeschool Momma's Rant

We are in our fourth year of homeschooling the boys.  It is not a decision we considered lightly.  And daily the evil one tries his best to shake me to the ground screaming hoping I'll throw in the towel.

I'll admit there may days I scream (in my closet or garage), but I do not intend on throwing in the towel.

From time to time I encounter individuals who feel they need to tell me how I should be homeschooling my children.  And nine times out of ten these people have never homeschooled their own children!!  And quite franklin do not know as much as I do, nor have they spent the time researching it as much as I have over the past four-five years. 

My very favorite is the predictable, worn-out question, “But what about their social life?”

Or the one usually from public school parents, "So what are they reading/learning right now? Suzie is reading _______ and learning about _______."  I truly am happy for little Suz, but there is NO set rules or guidelines for learning contrary to what the public school system would have you believe. 

To avoid letting my angry cRaZiNeSs take over this post I will simply share just a few of my favorite homeschool quotes.  In no certain order and some just for FUN! 

I still have no clue who this guy is????

♥ ♥ ♥

There is a shirt with this on it.  Christmas list!

Or what I call "house clothes".


Bottom line is we homeschool because it is right for our family.  It may not be right for you.  And I would never try to tell you otherwise.  It is a personal decision. 

Now to all my public school teacher friends:  if I knew without a shadow of a doubt my boys could have you in a classroom year after year, I would sign them up. 

I am NOT bashing ALL public schools.  Or public school teachers! 

And to all you homeschooling parents:  Keep swimming!  Don't listen to the negative comments and stand firm in what you believe!!!!!

Homeschooling the boys IS the best decision we ever made!  HANDS DOWN!

 

OK, I'm done.......stepping down now.  Enjoy your day. 

Learning To Draw with Doodle Draw Art

If you have young children you are going to love this You Tube channel! 

Last week when Ryan woke up with a fever and it quickly spiked I knew school was going to be different.  After a cry for help to some homeschool friends on Instagram  within minutes I had an answer.  And a plan to keep Matthew entertained.                                                                  

DoodleDrawArt to the rescue!  DoodleDrawArt is a YouTube channel where each picture is a tutorial showing you how to draw.  Matthew was instantly hooked!

Now if you know anything about number 2 it is that the boy loves to draw or write.  This particular day was right before Halloween so we drew a Frankenstein.  Many children and adults just have a knack for drawing.  That would be Brant and Matthew.  Me and Ryan not so much.  But I did a pretty good job. 

Matthew-left, Me-right

After this Matthew drew every other Halloween picture on the page.  I love her calm, sweet spirit showing you how to draw.  Both boys think she is a great teacher!  Ryan missed out last week so yesterday we started our week with DoodleDrawArt .  I like it because for children who may not know how to draw well this gives them an opportunity to gather some skills.  And the confidence to draw again! 

Here's how we do it----we like to watch the video first, then start it again, then pause and play as we draw each little bit.  Here are the trucks the boys drew yesterday. 

SO proud!

Happy with sick eyes and crazy hair.

I'll admit I am having fun during our art time.  It is something I have never had a strong desire to teach, but know how much the boys Matthew loves anything art.  This is just enough for now.  Maybe it will set off an inner artist in me.  ;)

Up for today-drawing a super cute turkey and pretty leaf.

Now grab your little ones-children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or friends and get to drawing with DoodleDrawArt .  Have FUN!

We're Traveling with Passports! And I Have a Recipe!

 

I am not sure I would let these characters into my country.  They look like trouble!  But they have "official" passports now to travel.  I can't tell you enough how much I love our curriculum !  Especially this year with so much to offer the boys as we "travel" all over the world to see many different countries and cultures. 

Last week we started our journey and crossed the border into Mexico.  We'll finish up our trip in Mexico this week and then cross another border.  So far in Mexico...........

 

We have "walked" the streets learning about the culture, ate carnitas (street tacos) ,  made sugar skulls for the Day of the Dead festival and hope to make tissue paper flowers to finish the week.

 

 

The only thing that is missing is sopapillas......maybe a weekend project??

 

 

Sidenote:  the link above for carnitas is a must try!  We have made carnitas before cooking the meat for hours.  And it is really good.   That recipe is here on the blog.  BUT this recipe/link above is a crockpot recipe. Cooking the meat all day---but unattended.  Let's just say it is my new way of cooking carnitas.  We've had it several times and it does not disappoint. 

Wonderful Mexican flavors and the entire family loves it! 

That alone makes any recipe a keeper! 

Don't shy away from the ingredients....it gives it the Mexican flavor carnitas should have.  The only one I don't use is the chipotle hot sauce.  I felt it might be too spicy for the boys.  All other ingredients I do add.  After cooking the meat you then place under the broiler to crisp up the edges.  So good! 

My favorite way to eat a carnita: on a corn tortilla of course with fresh cilantro, avocado and lime juice.  Perfection!

 

Mexican beer is optional.

Carnitas the way all the guys eat them: sour cream, Monterrey Jack cheese, cilantro and fresh lime juice. 

 

Now go have a Mexican Fiesta!

Thankful Thursday-Strength and Freedom

Lots to be thankful for today and this week.  Here are just a few that are close to my heart.

First up during my Bible study/devotion time this week I came across these words...........

"We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life-those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration.  We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength".

Oh the mountains are beautiful.  And the sunrises are a sight to see, but it is the everyday--the good, the bad and the ugly---all the changes and the times we never planned for that make us strong.  As selfish humans we want to stay on the mountain. 
"The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain".
God gave us those amazing moments of inspiration to step back and realize they are not the everyday...they are unique and meant for something in God's purpose.

*Source-My Utmost For His Highest-Oswald Chambers
Day-October 1


Number two-my Dad had a little heart procedure on Tuesday morning.  Everything went well and he is home now recovering.  Praise God!  The boys went along and stay the whole time.  There were times they were bored, a little too loud and a little cranky, but they made it through the whole time.  Life lessons are important.  Children are stronger than we think.  And I feel they should at least be exposed to all life lessons.....even if it is for just a little while.  It is what makes them stronger and able to endure life in itself.  The best part of the day was to see them standing next to my Dad's bed and all three of them giving the thumbs up.

And number three-as hard as many days are with homeschooling the boys nothing beats "spur of the moment" learning.  As we were standing in the front yard watching squirrels devour hedgehog galls we heard what sounded like a peacock on the next street.  We wanted to run!  But it had been raining and we were all still in pjs.  So I did what any other mother would do.....I ran in the house grabbed my keys (and shoes!), jumped in the car (with the boys) and we were off searching for a big bird.  We drove around for a few minutes and saw nothing.  Well actually we saw lots, but no peacock and no sign of a big bird.  Homeschooling allows this kind of learning and I am thankful for that freedom.

 

What are you thankful for today?

First Day of School-September 2013

And so it begins........another year of learning and growing.  It actually began on Monday and so far so good.

I feel so blessed to be teaching these boys.  I am truly blessed to have them all day long for every subject.  And then some!!!  So without further ado here are my two students for 2013-2014 school year. 

First up is Ryan!  His reading has improved some over the summer and I actually heard the words from his mouth, "I think writing is a little fun".  But Legos still remain #1.

 



Next is Matthew.  He is obsessed with learning a foreign language right now (specifically Kenyan) so I have no idea what he is saying most of the time.  His usual drawings and crafts are out of control---think Egypt, pyramids and Chinese Lanterns.

 

 

And put the two together and this is what you get.  Yep, pretty much the entire day.  Except Matthew is carrying around a map of Egypt.

Our day started before the sun came up so it was a slow start.  But soon the monkey bread kicked in and the sun came up.  After that things started moving FAST!

 

The boys had fun doing a "first day of third grade" interview. 

As well as enjoying a few first day gifts. 

Remember erasable pens?  They are a big hit with the boys. 

And since we will be traveling around the world this year Passport Applications were in order. 

Reading is the last subject of the day.  So reading with an afternoon treat really makes for a FUN ending to school.  S'more Krispie Treats-recipe tomorrow.

 

I am loving the slow start to the curriculums.  These curriculum makers really are smart in how they plan the first couple of weeks to have a slower start and progressively get faster/harder.

 

It has been nice to slowly get back into the swing of things.

 

How is your school year going? 

What We Will Learn This Year

What we will learn this year is a whole lot!  I am not quite sure what I was thinking and have yet to know if it is too much, but we are moving forward.  I suppose I was aiming high since we had a rather unusual start last year.

If the creek don't rise we will start school on Monday.  The first two weeks we will ease into the whole routine as I familiarize the boys with their curriculum.  This week we have been playing "operation get ready for school".  In bed by 8:30 for a settle down time, lights out by 9:00 and wake-up at 6:45 am.  It has not been easy, but much needed for all.

So here it is......Third Grade!!! 

I must say as a homeschooler starting our fourth year I truly do not feel a "grade" level matters.  Where one student exceeds at math the other may not.  And that other may far exceed in another area.  Grade levels just make it easier for the general public to know what age group a child is......at least these are my thoughts.

We are once again using My Father's World.  I just love it!  This will be our third year using MFW.  Kindergarten was our first year using this curriculum.  First grade I tried other things and totally missed it.  Last year was a success again so here we are for our third year.  For third grade we will be Exploring Countries and Cultures .  This curriculum will cover our daily Bible and tons of Geography lessons. As well as Art and Music.  It is jam packed of good stuff!!

For math we are back to Saxon Math .  I have tried others to come back to what is tried and true.  With a daily review it is what young minds need.  The math manipulatives set is a great addition to this math curriculum.

Science this year is going to be a BLAST!  We will be Exploring Creation with Astronomy.  We'll be using this textbook along with the notebook journal  .  They can hardly wait.  Over the weekend Daddy hung their glow-in-the-dark solar system.  They have enjoyed going to bed "under the stars and planets".

For Grammar you just can't go wrong for younger children with these books, First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind . We started grammar a year later so we are now on level 2.  These easy to follow lessons generally take about 10 minutes.  Sometimes five so it's easy to see why the boys love grammar.

We use Spelling by Sound and Structure for spelling curriculum.  This is our second year.  I use it because it seems to work.  Ryan's reading showed improvement with a new word list each week as well as going over phonetic skill of hearing sounds and writing the corresponding letters. 

During our school day we have a Book Basket time.  The Book Basket is filled with books on subjects we are learning at that time.  These books may be checked out from the library or may just be some we already have on hand.  It is generally a time during school they are allowed to sit and go through the basket to read or flip through to look at pictures.  The goal is to encourage a love of reading as well as to allow them time to gather more information on topics they are studying.

Besides the "Book Basket" time, time is set aside each day for "Reading."  The focus of this time is to develop reading skill.  Reading is done with various readers/books we pick up here and there.  I allow the boys to read what they want to read.  You will often find them reading a series of older books we picked up at library book sales.  The wide range of subjects is all over the board!  It might any of these: oil spills in the Gulf, the Arctic, pet care, working trucks, animals and more animals as well so many odd subjects under the sun.  Other times you will find them reading silly chapter books about a mouse on a motorcycle or Star Wars readers. 

Our school week is usually Monday-Thursday leaving Friday open for nature studies, field trips and or make-up days.  Since we are studying Countries and Cultures I have already seen we will be trying recipes from around the World.  I intend to use Fridays for a little cooking class for extra learning.

So there you have it!  I am certain I have left something out, but by the looks of this our days seem quite full.  We are excited to begin learning new things this year......some more than others.  

Happy Thursdays Y'all!

Teacher's Favorite School Snack-Banana Nut Bread Cookies

 

OK, school snack, breakfast cookie with yogurt, afternoon snack, after dinner treat-any time is good. 

I first posted this recipe back in 2011.  It's received quite a few pins on Pinterest and I sure hope others are loving these simple cookies as much as I do.  Back then I was making all kinds of "school" snacks for the boys.  I eat most of what they eat and vice versa.  But these cookies, at the time, they were not particularly interested in.  Thus I decided they would be the Teacher's snack.

 

  

You can find the recipe HERE .  After a few changes I love them even more!
 

***A few things I have changed up.  I use molasses instead of honey now, but either will work.  Also regular sugar works just as well as raw.  Raw is healthier, but if you are out regular is fine.

I also add almonds instead of pecans.  Again either will work.  Or any other nut for that matter.  Or NO nuts!  And now, the kicker, I add a cup of chopped Sunsweet prunes. 
The prunes make the cookie!

Guess what?  The boys LOVE them now.  I usually double this recipe because they go so fast.***

With a full schedule for third grade I better get started on school snacks too. 
We'll need them as we explore our Solar System.

Astronomy-it is going to be FUN! 

Next week I'll share everything we will be learning for third grade.
Happy Thursday Y'all!

Savor the Last Days of Summer

This week I have been playing catch up since being gone for a few days last week for Ryan's check-up.  While I knew housekeeping was in order and going through a ton of third grade curriculum, I also knew I wanted to try to savor these last days of summer. 

Although summer is not officially over Labor Day is Monday and school is starting soon.  So it just seems summer is done. 

We will begin school on Monday, September 9th so we have a full week and a few days left to play with.  For two days it was all about movies.  Monday we watched The Hobbit together.  And Tuesday morning the boys watched Super Buddies while I was busy with other things.  BTW-Super Buddies is much more their speed.  And mine!  NOT a fan of The Hobbit at all.  No nightmares were had so far, but I did dream about super tiny mice.

After watching Super Buddies yesterday the boys played.  And played some more. And continued playing in pjs long after lunch time while I was changing sheets on all the beds.  Slow days with an empty schedule is right up my alley.  You could call me a homebody for sure. 

Today will be very similar minus a movie.  I am still reading through all our new curriculum and getting more and more excited as the days draw near.  And a little nervous.  It is going to be a BIG load this year. 

Tomorrow we'll go for an early morning nature walk and the last of the sleepovers on Friday so I can continue to get things in order for school.  Thanks Mom and Dad!!!  The last at least for a while as we get back into a "school" routine. 

It will still seem like summer (warm) here in SE Texas for a while, but school days will make things a little more hurried.  So as the start of school gets closer I am determined to savor these last days of "summer".

Ten Things We Hope To Do Before School Starts:
  1. Finally stay up until midnight with the boys (this will be the hardest!!).
  2. Make strawberry lemonade.
  3. Gaze at the stars and moon.
  4. Make a fort with the table, chairs, blankets and sheets.
  5. One last beach trip!
  6. Make a cobbler with fresh fruit.
  7. Make homemade ice cream (to go with cobbler of course).
  8. Sit outside and listen to cicadas sing.
  9. A family hike/bike ride.
10. Enjoy the calm before the school storm.

How will you savor these last days of summer?

Tuesday Tip-Idiot Box Detox

With school just a few weeks away it is time to have an Idiot Box Detox.  I will shamefully admit that box has been watched way too much this summer. 

Until school starts the boys will have to make an agonizing decision each day about watching TV.  Morning or afternoon?  They are allowed one hour. 

Once school starts we do not turn the TV on until much later in the day.  Maybe not until the evening news.

When I announced my new plan yesterday I got lots of complaints.  I might have witnessed a meltdown.  I heard things like, "I'll be bored", "What do we do" and the old "You are mean". 

Looks like I could use some help from Momma Bear.

 

Yep, I am the bad guy right now.  But it will pass just like it did yesterday. 

This is what happens when you turn off the tube and make your children use their imaginations.

They create and learn.  They have plenty to share with Daddy when he gets home---explaining how magnets work and showing off masterpieces of art.

And when the indoor fun runs out you might find them like this.

No we did not have a cold front come in and yes Matthew is having trouble with the knot.

 

How do you handle TV time with your children?

 

Detoxification-the process, real or perceived, of removing toxins from the body.

The Stars at Night

are BIG and BRIGHT...(clap, clap, clap, clap)....deep in the heart of Texas!

Visiting the tourist bureau has been on our list for a while now.  Sunday afternoon on a whim we decided to visit not just the tourist bureau here in the Big State of Texas, but to also visit the one right across the State line in Louisiana. 

They are literally less than five minutes away from each other so it was a no-brainer.  Both tourist bureaus have boardwalks leading on into the marshy water.  One gator sunning on the Texas side, lots of horse flies, no snakes, but lots of really pretty water plants.  Peaceful with high humidity and little boys eager to find wildlife.  Although Brant and I decided Louisiana had the better boardwalk the boys were true to Texas. 

They especially loved the "free store" to pick up "magazines"(brochures) to many cities throughout Texas.  Oh the road trips we could take across this Great State!!!!!

Little did I know this impromptu visit to the tourist bureau would created a learning experience too.  As we were leaving I had to take a picture of the six flags.  Of course we all had commented and wondered why the six flags. 

If I learned this at some point in history I surely do not remember.  But now I know.  If you are curious you can read about the Six Flags of Texas HERE . 

Cheap Frugal fun for the whole family.  Check out your local tourist bureau today.