Homeschooling A Houseful

Shelly posted a comment , about kids wanting to snack all day and not wanting to eat their meals. Here's her comment... Melinda, I'm curious. How often do your kids eat during the day? Mostly your younger A's, since they seem to line up with my kids. I'm struggling with the kids wanting to graze all day, then they don't eat their meals. Then when they don't eat their meals they get hungry soon and it's created a vicious cycle of my kids snacking, not always on the best foods, and not eating their more nutritious meals. Any suggestions for me? hmm...well one of the biggest problems I have with snacking and grazing all day, is that I, Mama Bear am a grazer!! So yes, naturally my children are too. All the things I will suggest, are not always true, nor do they happen each day. Please, please, PLEASE keep in mind, there are almost no perfect days around here! I guess the first suggestion I would give, and this is something I can honestly say about us, let them s...

Remember this system ??? What's for dinner??? or NOT!!! This did not work out for us! The theory of it, still seems good, and I like the idea. Here's why it did not work for us, not to say it will not work for you. Whenever I need something whether it's in the freezer, fridge downstairs or pantry... I usually send an A to get it, and it's usually a younger A. Well those A's can remember to mark off the list, or even read the word they need. I am sure I could train them to do it, but....well I just don't feel up to it. The second reason {and probably the one that bugs me the most} is that I don't have this list with me, at the grocery store. Making it difficult to know for sure what was on the list. I will go back to the way I use to do it... I have a list in my Mommy journal, {aka Brain} and I keep track myself. That or it's the old standby of my memory. However don't despair, I have a new plan for my wipe-off boards. This is the first one I made. I ...

I am working out all the details on our Thanksgiving Lessons for next week, yes I know procrastination!!!! I came across this, and actually I used this once, a few years back and forgot about it. If you ever need a free map, go here ! You can even print a wall size map, I just wonder how fun it would be to put it together??!!?? I printed a world map, in the 4 page size. We will be cutting out the continents, and gluing them to a poster board, to make a map of the world, to chart the Pilgrims Route. I found the inspiration for this fun activity here . We will also be making the mini boats.

For our November Field Trip with our local Field Trip Group, we toured a local Pizza Restaurant. They were so nice there, and so willing to teach the kids. They took the kids in the back, in the kitchen area, and had them all wash their hands, put on plastic gloves and aprons. We ordered two pizza's and an order of breadsticks. They made our order, right there, and even had the kids help! We also watched our pizza go through the oven. They offered not only an educational field trip, but also a fun and hands on one.

Remember when I was talking about our Christmas Advent Chains ? Here's a link to a very nice one, very similar to mine. Though ours also has a hymn each day...which would be very easy to add.

Last Sunday A3 was reading a Friend magazine, it's a kids religious magazine Grandpa and Grandma send the kids. They love reading through these. At the dinner table, A3 was telling us all about the story she read....Sunday Stations. This is the story, simplified for my blog friends :p The family in the stories church was not until Sunday afternoon, after lunch. The kids always had a hard time waiting for church to start. So the Mom came up with the idea of Sunday Stations. She had 4 stations in the story, one at the table, one on the couch, one on the computer, and one on the other couch. At each station she set up an activity, she gave some simple instructions for each station, set the timer for 10 minutes and the kids were off, moving around the stations. In the story the stations were table- color/work on personal goals and progress, couch1- call someone Grandpa in the story, couch2- read aloud with Mom, computer-email someone close to you. Well the A's all thought this was...

Go on over to Spell Out Loud, and see her Christmas Nativity Sets Post . I love little people, and this is too cute! She also listed tons of links of cute Nativities online. I also wanted to add a few fun things we have and do with nativities. I wrote another post with ideas, earlier. I wanted to add a few other things. We have two kid okay nativities, one is not available from the site I purchased it from, I bought it around 9 years ago! It was only $3-$5 and it's very small, and porcelain. I like it because they do have to handle it carefully! I also just purchased this one from oriental trading company. My good friend Andrea, at Dean's Academy does something I love. She has purchased each of her children their own nativity , she looks for cheap ones or nativities at thrift stores. Her children, pick the perfect place for their nativity, and can set it up as they choose, they can change the positions as they want! Last year, one of her children was sure someone was messing ...

I have heard of a holiday book basket idea , such as was posted on the Spell Out Loud website. I did this one year!!! I think it will be a nice addition to our holiday school routine. Hopefully I'll remember and post a list of the books when I gather them for our basket! This year two weeks before Christmas and at least 1-2 weeks after Christmas we are going to attend Holiday School. I got this idea from my friend Andrea, at the Dean's Academy . Basically all "book work" will be put away. We will still be learning and attending school, but it will be in a more relaxed and holiday themed way! I am going to use the book, A Christ-Centered Christmas , as our base. I also thought now would be a great opportunity to use our book, family math . This is something I was so excited to purchase, and still haven't found the time to implement it, like planned. We will be working on traditions, and fun learning together! Along with some fun service projects we do each year, an...

I am in the midst of planning our Thanks Giving School Week. I haven't bothered with doing fun holiday school themes for the past few years. I have made it a goal this year to start adding to our school memories.... and holiday units is one way. Here are a few online, free gems that I am planning on using. Audrey's Thanksgiving Page Annie's Thanksgiving games and activities page Learning Treasures~ Pumpkin Candles My little Gems~ Coffee Filter Turkey , and Storytime~Turkey with a terrible temper Learning Treasures~ Thanksgiving Themes Christian Preschool Printables~ Thanksgiving page Oriental Trading Company ~ A few thanksgiving activities, not free but all ready to go!! {I also saw many other fun things to consider for our family store !} I also joined the Live and Learn Press Yahoo group ... they have an awesome Thanksgiving Lapbook, and many more too! {some free some not!}

and well let's just say we all have a love/hate relationship with it!!! However I do not give up that easily, and will try a few more! We "rowed" {that is five in a row} with How to make an apple pie and see the world Here's a few highlights from our week. Spell Out Loud~ Apple Pattern Cards HS Share~ How to make an apple pie and see the world unit {I do love that there are so many ideas on HS Share that go with five in a row!!} HS Share~ Apple tree math game ~made apple flashcards and three part apple cards. The science experiment in the Five in a Row teacher book~ Salt Water. Here's A4, A5, and A6 all helping stir the salt into the water. Here's the finished product....salt!

We did our first run with our family money and family store. It didn't go quite like I thought, but it was our first shopping experience! I thought a few of the older A's would want to save some money for later, but the thrill of the first time shopping got to everyone! I am sure over time, it will wear off and the A's will start saving. Here's the details. I made all our Mommy Money, worth 1/2 of the current US currency. So if I purchased something for $1 in the store, it is $2 in our family store. Also if the A's want their Mommy money exchanged for US Currency, it is worth 1/2 the value. My reasoning for that is, this way I can "control" what they want, in some respects. If it's something they truly want, but I feel is a waste of money, then it will only take that much more self discipline on their part to get it! So for the last 2 weeks the largest amount of Mommy Dollars given out was $4.80, so as you can see it's not going to break the bank....

Sometimes you just have to get outside!

Andrea, at Dean's Academy, asked about the types of items I will have in our "Mom Store" Well right now....very little!!! I will be adding to it this weekend. Some items might be ~Craft kits, you can get this all over the place. They come in boy or girl, young or older... and the A's love them!! Things like scratch stickers, paint by number, sand art, make your own rubber balls, jewelry kits, leather working kits, wood or kits for our wood burner, clay or moon sand, stamping..... ~we eat a very strict diet, so treats are a must. We also only buy healthy treats, so treats are not often around here, gum will be a must. A personal bag of their favorite type of chips, nuts, sunflower seeds, beef jerky... ~ Dollar Store finds, some of these are fun craft kits. A4 loves those little plastic army guys. Trinkets for the older girls, hair accessories, craft items. Most stores are also starting to sale fun and cute dollar items, and you can find some gems there. ~There's al...

I am somewhat joining....more so stalking the new Spell Out Loud Making Christmas Meaningful thread. I do not have a lot to add to this, because this is an area I am looking for ideas and getting organized myself. However, since I have been thinking about this, since....well last August or so!! {Seriously!!} I have found a few ideas, and come up with some plans, that I will try to share. First treasure I found, at the Aussie Pumpkin Patch . These great holiday planning sheets , scroll down they are there, along with tons of other free planners. I have these all printed and sitting, nice and BLANK on my desk!!! She also has tons of Christmas Crafts, under the Christmas link. Now I have a cute planner cover and sheets to add, thanks to Spell Out Loud I also like the idea I got from my good friend, at Dean's Academy , about Christmas School We will be doing this for about 3-4 weeks during December and January. I am thinking 2 weeks before Christmas into the first week of January. Oth...

Cocoa at Chocolate on my Cranium , just posted these Thanks and Giving Tree's. I love this idea, Here's the PDF files and here's another post about it, along with other great fall ideas! I am actually printing while I share! Tomorrow I will be headed to the copy shop, and getting the trees enlarged. I want to make family trees to hang on our wall. Enjoy