Homeschooling A Houseful

I recently spoke at a convention, and wow I thought an hour would last forever, it didn't!!!! I had so much to say, and didn't get to it all!!! So I thought I might start doing some simple posts to give different ideas. My talk was called House of Order. The first and most important part of this talk, and all ideas for organization, is that you must take what works for you, and forget about the rest! Don't make something work for you that doesn't. To simplify my thinking, and to make sure I don't forget the great ideas or new ways we are implementing school. I make a simple graph on my office computer program. This is for each of my children who are independent in subjects, to keep track of what they need to do and what they have done. We call it the IS sheet, Independent Studies! I make a graph with 7 columns and however many rows are needed per child. Column 1 is for the subject, or item they are to do. These are only independent subjects. Spelling Pr...

  The Fellowship of the Unashamed           I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded...

    Little man doing the arch! sometimes it seems to easy to forget to be grateful in all things! Simple things too. For instance my little guy, and his love he has for his Mama!! Oh he loves his siblings, and he loves his Papa, but he truly LOVES his Mama. I know, oh I know too well how quickly he will grow and change, and that LOVE will fade, and I will miss it so. So for this moment, I will be grateful for all the love he will give, and find great joy in it..... because before I know it, I will be without so much of it!! It's so cute how little ones can be playing so contently on the floor, having fun, being alone.... and then it's like..... well it's like how Mom's have eyes in the back of their heads, it's almost like baby's have a Mama sensor, and know when you slip into a room... just to peek at them!!!! And even though I have a To Do List a MILE LONG! I know too well, it can wait until tomorrow or later. That I must find joy in my calling...

The other day I was down rocking my baby, we caught the worst cold and flu. I think we are finally all over it, however the cough is still lingering. As I was sitting there cuddling my little ones..... I heard this shrieking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Coming from not one, but TWO teenage girls. As mom's of teenage girls know there's a difference between yells of drama and yells that matter!!!! (Wait most mom's of little toddlers know this too!) This was a Yell THAT MATTERED! As I was getting up, the next thing I heard was that pitter-patter of running feet. Then...... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a  LAUGH,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!                                  A LAUGH SO LOUD I wondered what was worst, the Yell or the Laugh? Ok, now I am confused. Wait is it the flu!?!?! Next I hear a herd of wi...