Homeschooling update

Woooh woooh woooh wait a minute. This is kind of like when I had my first baby and left my job and it was winter time and we were stuck inside a lot and here was this little toddler of mine (toddler in size, but only days old) and I was now home without any ongoing socialization because uh yeah I had only left my job about three days before my water broke and so here I was a brand spanking new stay-at-home mommy--all my friends were working and my sister in laws were busy and my husband left me home all alone after just a week--and uh, yeah that pretty much sums up how I feel. Wow. Homeschooling is hard work. And, just like when I left my career to become a mom, I wonder, why didn't anyone tell me it would be like this? Don't get me wrong, I love being a mom and I am so thankful that I have had the privilege of being home with my boys all these years. And, I am privileged to be able to homeschool my boys. But, this is exhausting stuff. And, I still feel like I'm not getting enough done!
But, you know what, just as it was difficult to adjust to life as a mommy--I know that in time, I will cope and learn what to do in order to be a successful homeschooler. I know the resources are there--I know I have support from both family, friends, local and on-line homeschoolers. But, most importantly, I have the guidance and direction and strength from the Lord. I sank to my knees this week praying and sadly, I hadn't done that in a long time.
I also know that just because I struggle, it doesn't mean it's not working and it doesn't mean it isn't worth it. It's so worth it. I know that already.
When, I have time and a well thought out post, I will post about our curriculum and our first few days.

CAKE TOPPER

Here is a wedding cake topper that I recently decorated with Swarovski crystals.

It's such an honor to be a part of someone's special day. Can't wait to see pics of it on the cake.

CHILD's Window Mistreatment Nester Style

Ignore my cute husband, who jumped in front of the camera just to bug me--look at that window in the foreground...OK...I'll give you a close-up look:

These are inexpensive window shades ($6 maybe from Home Depot) and I painted them to match our primary color theme. I also hot glued those plastic paper clips to the curtain rod.


Here are two windows I mistreated in a little playroom. I used few pieces of fabric and just layered them.
Here I painted the sill red and stamped it with white paint, then hung some garland I had bought from the dollar store.

NEW PROJECT

This was completed for a twin...I still have to figure out his sister's letters.

This was painted to match the bedding pictured just below.

I added a tad bit of red to the top of the "n" b/c well I just think it needed to be done!

Some close-ups

I'm thinking about posting my web site or even to begin selling on etsy as one client suggested.

Not sure what to do--as of now I have just been taking orders

based on referrals and past clients. Hmmmm....

OUR HOMESCHOOL PLANNER

Stepping Stones Academy -- the Planner.

I created this planner in MS Publisher, but will add it here as a PDF for others to use if I can figure out how.Just tonight, while speaking with my husband about the boys' schedule, I realized tonight that I forgot to add "Computers" as a subject. He really wants to teach the boys Word and Excel--and at some stage teach them to build a computer from start to finish. So, if I were to recreate this, I'd add "Computers."This is similar to a planner I used two years ago and loved. I just thought I could customize it to better suit our school. Staples bound this with a blank cover page and then a protective plastic covering over that (40 weeks worth of copying) for under $9. Well worth it to me. I had each boy illustrate and label their own planner. You can see a partial of the cover below.

One thing I liked about this is that I could use the planner to teach my boys about scheduling. Even in Kindergarten, my oldest began to see his schedule for the week and I'd let him cross off what was completed. He even wanted to start to write in what was due. This year I'll plan to tell them what is due by the end of the week and allow them to write in what should be done in order to meet the deadline of what is due. Of course this won't work with all things, but it is like a class in and of itself, in my opinion--teaching time management and organization. I could use a lesson in this myself!

This planner is meant to be printed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, landscape, double-sided. The pages should face the other and lay as a two-page spread. Hope this helps!

Summer Pics

It's VBS week for us and we are very busy with Cosmic City! It's so fun and we always enjoy it. Our church shares the responsibilities with two other churches...it's great for unity! We're exhauted by lunch time though...!

Here are a few pics of the kids recently. The zoo with one of the cousins and then a trip to make boats and visit at the water lab to test them!




Ahhhh...summer is much too short. But, thankfully--because we homeschool, we'll be able to do daytrips more often.

The Blog

I have struggled with having a blog and am finally beginning to feel comfortable with it.
My good, sweet, beautiful and dear friend Fee originally introduced me to the blogging world. I would read hers which is always so interesting and fun...then I began to "shop around" and noticed quite a few other bloggers that were fun reads. Now, almost a year later, I can't believe how much it has affected my life! I don't spend much time blogging per say, however, those blogs that I do read have had such a major influence on me. I just don't understand how to juggle the time in order to make my blog what I want it to be. So, it's really just a hodge podge of different things I feel like writing about. But, I don't know if it really represents who I am...

However, blogging is a great way for family and friends to keep updated--especially those in South Africa! My sister down South. Or even ones right around the corner who I don't even get to spend as much time as I'd like with!
It certainly put the homeschooling bug back in us! It's one of those things that you don't realize--your environment truly does affect you. God began to stir in us a heart toward homeschooling. Yes, we homeschooled two years ago, but I was very naive about it. Now, I feel as though I am equipped and prepared. The resources I have gained through blogging, well, they are priceless.
I've been able to find lesson plans through Trivium Academy. Yes, lesson plans. For science. For real. From the Well Trained Mind. Yes, for real.
Smooth Stones Academy. Awesome.
Sara's Art House. Artilicious. She's so talented. Check out her house. It's like Candy Land, except with paint!
A new blog I've discovered, Beth from Pages of Our Life. I have been able to get many ideas from her and she even shared a fabulous morning routine chart that she uses in her homeschool.
Kelly from Embracing the Journey inspires me every time I read her blog. She is truly one of the most devoted Christian woman I have come across and probably too humble to hear that. Her blog is so focused on Christ--I love it!
Then, there's my dear Mrs. Manz. This woman has been tested and tested and is passing with flying colors. I have cried a small pond while reading through her testimony of a life sold out for Christ.
Elinor from Barton College...I spent about an hour reading through her posts about homeschooling and couldn't believe how inspired I was. What a gem.
These are just a few of the amazing people I have come across.
I feel guilty not mentioning everyone that I like in bloggyland. But, I just wanted to share a few who have really inspired me. I hope one day, when I grow up, that I can sort this blog out, find a focus and perhaps I can be a blessing to others like they are to me.

THE CAR CAKE...he does loves cars and this was no exception

Homemade pound cake...sliced a little here...trimmed a little there. It's a start.This actually stayed in one piece when I flipped it, a miracle in itself!
OK, so two and one half 9x13 cakes. Looks like the start to a roadway.

I started to get a little excited after I did this. I usually RUIN cakes!
Take the little end piece that I sliced off, add a little white frosting and voila, it's a windshield!

The final results. Complete with custom Canada mints headlights, brakelights, a custom license plate in the front and one in the rear. Grass and rocks to boot along the highway. Kewl. It actually came out better than I thought. Like I said, I usually RUIN cakes. It might be sloppy, but my baby loved it. "Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep"

My Baby...a toddler now!

My baby is turning two this weekend. My doctor did tell me with all three boys that I must stop giving birth to toddlers as they were so big, even though I went one to two weeks early!

Now, my baby is really a toddler--I can't believe it. As all moms say, the time goes by too quickly. My little guy is such a joy to us, he is just so much fun to play with.

He a big blue eyed hunk of sweetness. He's very smart and likes everything to be in it's place (he gets that from big brother dos and we don't know where son numero dos got that from, because we could care less if stuff is in its place most days!) For instance, if we're getting in the shower, I'll take that diaper off and put it on the floor til we're done and then throw it out, but oh no, baby cakes has got to carry that thing out the room, with no worries about wasting water and place it properly in garbage pail. I mean how could one shower prop'ly if ones' dirtay diapah be stayingest in thine bathe!? OK, so you get the idea of how picky he is....

His new world of vocabulary has us all excited each day. We never know what's next. His newest and most common word is "more." Only is comes out like this. "moooooowwwah" And, it is just so cute! "Mooooowwwwah" (milk); "Moooooowwwah" (chicken/crackers/cheese/brown rice etc); "Moooooowwwah" (water running down my widdle head washing shampoo bubbles away--[as he stretches his head so far back]); "Mooooowwwah" (believe this or not, lotion for Grandma to rub on my feet/legs/arms/back/shoulders!!! Yes "Moooooowwwah" massage Mom (what he calls Grandma--I am mommy, she's mom!)

I'll say, Oh you want Grandma? He says "yesh, mom............mom,beep" which means that Grandma isn't here because she left in her car. Just like every morning he says

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy"

and I say "Yes"

He replies, "Daddy"

I respond: "Yes baby, Daddy"

And, he says "Daddy, beep, bye bye"

And, I say "Yes, Daddy went to work in his car"

And he says "Daddy....beep, bye bye"

That is the same conversation we've had every morning for weeks now and I just don't tire of it cuz he's so darn cute.

And, each day when he hears the mail truck he goes running for the door..."mommy, mommy!!!!" and he is so excited that I just have to rush to open the door and get him to the window to look out because it just has to be the first time he's ever seen that mailtruck.

And, he loudly proclaims "beeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppp beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppp mommmmmeeeeee beeeeeeeeepppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and then the mail truck stops at the house across the street. So the baby pauses because now he just must have no idea what is going to happen next and as the mailtruck starts up towards the next house, he says, "bye bye"

and we do that for each house that the mailtruck stops at before he rounds the culdesac and gets to ours!" Only the other day, the little guy surprised us with Mommmmmmeeeee, Daddddeeeeeeeeeeee beeeeeeeeeeepppp mayolmayol...that's the mailman for those who can't read phonetically!

And, tonight we had the ever emerging taekwondo champ who is now into copying his brothers and trying to break everything in half! This oughta be fun for a while.

My favorite thing is how he folds his hands in fists and puts them to his chin while we pray and then looks around at everyone so secretively as though no one can see him do it. He has said AMEN a couple of times. Soooo cute!

I cherish this little guy so much. After two miscarriages and four years of wondering and waiting if we'd have another--he is truly a blessing. I remember the moments after he was born, when my husband brought him to me all wrapped up (after a c-section) and I just was completely astonished at his beauty. It captivated me. I was in awe that a baby could look so stunning. I'll never forget that feeling. Especially since the other ones came out so squishy and weird and bent in odd places, OK just number one did, but I couldn't single him out. Sorry, but true. He's gorgeous now, but not so much at birth -- (and they were c-section babies too!) Anyhoo, my littlest honey was just so beautiful. Then, I noticed he was really chubby and hunky and kind of hairy with all darkness up and down him--so cute and I thought---"I'll call him Bruno." And, I did, for a day. He was my little Italian hunk for just the day.

ANyHooo.....Happy Birthday to you...

FATHER'S DAY PICS

For Father's Day, I was supposed to have a girl from church take them, but our schedule got so busy, I canceled So, my mom offered to give it a try right before and I am very happy with the way they came out! I played around with the photos a bit in Fireworks, then framed them with frames from Walgreens! Simple. Hubby was very pleased. He has wanted framed pics for his office for a long time.