Homeschooling A Houseful

making bread has been a huge part of my life as a mother... here’s the problem, don’t start making homemade bread, unless you plan on doing it forever!!! Once you eat homemade bread, it’s didficult to eat store brought breads!!! Even some of the nicest, most expensive, they just seem so dry and bland.  That being said, I can make all our bread for our family of 11 (currently in the house) in about 15 minutes! (Not including the rise and bake time) I usually make it on the weekend, and then again around Wednesday or Thursday each week. Whenever I make it, I incorporate it into our dinner that night. Usually making 3 or 4  loaves of bread and 1 pan of rolls- for dinner. You see if you don’t do that, you’ll end up eating all of it the first night, right!!! No one can resist hot, fresh, homemade bread- especially with melted butter!!! 💖 So here’s the recipe, I know you’re all dying to have!  This should make about 5 loaves of bread, or a mix of bread and r...

In our Morning Time we will be reading some fun and educational picture books to begin our family geography lessons. Yes I'm just starting this now, in March.... sometimes that happens. We've been studying geography in both our Good and the Beautiful Language Arts, and also our Mystery of History Lessons, so I don't actually feel bad about this! First up, for our World Geography.  I decided to start with a general world geography book. I chose  Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacey Schuett.  This book is alot of fun. It discusses different geographical areas, showing some amazing pictures. It mostly talks about the time zones and international date line. I thought that would be a nice introduction, and something we haven't really discussed a lot. We started our week off with this beauty, on Monday. After we finished our morning time, and headed to our school room. You see, we meet on our couches, in our family room for a lot ...

It's time for Spring Planning, and Easter Prep... It's not too far away, honestly.  Easter is April 21, this year.  The Easter Season is almost here!  Let's celebrate by practicing to spell some fun words in an Easter Crossword Puzzle. Easter Crossword Puzzle Answer Key Hop on over to  Education.com   for more  learning resources and printables  just like this! and Happy Easter Planning

Laundry, well it's one of the to do's on every families to do list, that is not a favorite.... I've never known anyone to say,  I LOVE LAUNDRY sure some of us say I love empty laundry baskets, or I love when my laundry is all done. I do laundry, I don't complain about it, much... I just have accepted it, so to speak.  How do we manage our laundry?  I prefer to do all our laundry together. I don't like to share my laundry machines with everyone. I've tried to have set rotations or wash days for each child, or sometimes a group of children, maybe by room. However I found that was alot more headache for me. Remembering whose turn it is, or what day we are on, what rotation we are with. What happens when we have an off day, or a busy day, and laundry doesn't happen that day.  We are able to do all our laundry for our house of 9 kids, plus towels and cloths, together. If I run atleast 2 loads a day, I am typically able to keep up with our l...

Some days you just need a little change in the routine or a quick way to review a new concept. One thing I've noticed about homeschooers, is they don't typically have that hate of worksheets from the worksheet/busy work overload. If your child is needing help with three-digit subtraction, then I have just the right freebie for you!  Your kids will have fun with these cute leaf themed, three-digit subtraction worksheet freebies. For more math fun,  or fun free worksheets visit  Education.com Three-digit Subtraction Worksheet ANSWER KEY Happy Homeschooling.... you got this!

This year I have decided to focus on our multiplication facts.  My 10th, 7th, and 6th graders will be reviewing them, While my 4th, 2nd and 1st graders will be learning them. My younger 2 boys, really enjoy memorizing things, ANYTHING... so why not get this stuck in their heads, now? If they learn them, great if not, it will be knowledge they will use later when they do learn them.  I am made a binder for the younger 3.  I printed one sheet of each of the times tables,  here . These are in page protectors, and they will fill them out each day, using a dry erase marker. We will work on one table a week, moving 1-12 and then starting over again. If they get to knowing the facts really well, I'll switch them to a timed drill.  We will also learn a nursery rhyme skip counting song, from  planing playtime.   I am also hoping to add some fun games that I may find. I also downloaded  these . I used the 1-12 tables. I made 1 wit...

I'm a planner nerd, you know the type... they get all googly eyed as they walk down the office supply aisle.  Can't help looking at color coded.... well everything.  And planners, well they own too many, and never stop looking at them! NERD!! Yep that's me! Enter,  the Happy Planner, the Create 365, the Me and My Big Ideas Planner.  (yeah it's known by all those names!) Do you see this beauty.... I am in love with it!!!  This is the Big Happy Planner, the Big size, not classic or mini.  I purchased the horizontal, Big sized regular planner.  Let me just explain the layout.  I use the top section for our family life planning. Things like outings, classes, lessons, parties with groups, and the likes. The first hand drawn line, at the bottom of the top section is where I write down who's sheets are being, or should be, washed every day. My goal is once a week, but well life happens. It's there to just remind me...

Many Americans don't even realize why we celebrate the Fourth of July. It's a sad fact of our society and educational system.  Most Just Want to Celebrate, for any reason... just Party.  Interesting Website I plan on putting together a mini unit this week  Here's a few suggestions and ideas I found.  BOOK SUGGESTIONS: These are 2 I own, and plan on using. The Fourth of July Story American Patriotic Primer ACTIVITES: Learning Hand Signs to the Preamble Constitution Writing Prompts, Worksheets and Activities Printable Patriotic Quilt Literature Guide , it's free with a 7 day free subscription to the site. Independence Activities , tons of fun activities and suggestions Patriotic Lapbook Templates Declaration of Independence Mini Unit TRIVIA GAMES: Trivia Game, from IMom Trivia Game, from Make and Takes Stay tuned to my Instagram Account, and I'll post fun pictures and info about it there.

What's for Dinner? I ask this often, too often. I am not always the most on top of our meal plans... and sometimes I have no idea what I'm making when I go shopping. Yes, I know what I need to make something, but I don't have any creative, yummy meals planned. I know it's bad... ends up with me running to the store way too often to get that one item, that ends up being 10 items, and then I'm out $50... when the item I needed was only, $5.... Please tell me... you know what I'm talking about!?!?! So if I don't have anything planned, I simply have meals I know I have the basics for and can typically put together, with everyday items I would buy.  Entering one of "those" meals... the no stress, no thinking, simple dinner but everyone loves, kind of meals.  TACO SALAD This is a picture of a very simple taco salad, but here's the thing, it's has so many variations, so many optional ingredients. Which may or may not c...

Anyone else on the lookout for some St. Patrick's day fun?   Education.com has offered my readers with another spelling freebie. These are such great ways for kids to work on so many of their language arts skills.  Gear up for St. Patrick's Day with this themed crossword. Put your knowledge and spelling skills to the test with other spelling resources at Education.com  Clover Crossword Answer Key Enjoy! And an Early Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

Hey everyone, just wanted to take a moment to mention our new Language Arts Program, and may I add one of the best decisions I've made in my homeschool career. We LOVE the Good and Beautiful Language Arts Program!  After 15 years (give or take) of homeschooling I finally found a curriculum that is the right mix of structure,  review, and phonics blends for our family. Not only that, but it's kid approved! The following is from a recent email sent to all users of the curriculum, from the founder of the curriculum, yes a homeschool mama. This is so honestly spoken! I feel her testimony and her love for this, along with the everyday burnout and overwhelming feelings that homeschool mama's feel. We love the good and the beautiful company, and all the work they put into every sing piece of curriculum they offer. This is not something that is just thrown together or simply reproduced through the grades. This is ..... amazing! Here's my Kindergartener, reading his ...

Hello Mama's!!! I was recently approached by Education.com, to share with my readers a FREE Word Scramble Worksheet! These came at just the right time, as I currently have a 4th grader, that is FINALLY coming around to reading, and found an old word scramble book. He has been having so much fun with it! I also have a 1st grader who likes these, and you know he has to keep up with his brother. Then lastly I have a Kinder, who needs to keep up and do everything they do too. Plus the reading practice is, well FUN when its in a scramble!!! So guys, check out this website, education.com and nurture your child's language skills with this kayak-themed word scramble. Make learning fun with an assortment of spelling games available at  education.com/ ! Word Scramble Worksheet Word Scramble Answer Key ENJOY!

and Girls!!! So those of you who don't know me personally don't know that I have 4 boys in a row. Ages 8, 6, 5, 4 and a toddler 20 month old girl.... who might be mistaken for a girl in a skirt! What can I say, she was raised by those 4 boys! Plus I have 2 older boys, who use to be little boys. And a couple other wiggly girls all in one house!!! In my opinion it's fine to let them be wiggly, to let them use that energy they have, because a lot of the time they just have a ton of built up energy they need to have used! I thought I'd collect a few tips and ideas for teaching wiggly kids. *If you are trying to practice reading with them, and they can't sit still long enough to do a lesson, make a deal, for every page they read they will earn 2-5 minutes of "recess" or "free play" right after their lesson. This should be changed to their age and ability. So it could be page, paragraph, sentence- word or flashcard. I like to say you have to si...

When you tend to be an OCD Planner Mama, it's difficult to work with the normal chaos of a homeschool life. Babies and Toddlers, Illness and Sick Days Vacation and Spontaneous Activities Feeling Overwhelmed and Burned Out Can you honestly plan those things into your day, into your life? NO..... because would you plan those things into your life, if it was your choice! Well I'm sure we'd all plan babies and toddlers, but they'd have their behavior more on our schedule! I love having a plan, I love knowing my plan, but having that plan and knowing that plan, can also cause such a stress when things, aka life, happen. Over the years of homeschool I have learned, I need a plan and a routine, I (along with some of my children) really work better with that in place, yet when my plan is out of sequence, or off schedule, it feels like a weight or a burden. My answer is simple, because when you live in organized chaos, like I often feel, I need simple, I crave simple...

Well it seems to be the time of the year when many are homeschool planning. I am seeing posts and links everywhere, with tips and advice and so many ideas! Yes, even I am in this mode here. It just must be that time of the year! So as I'm planning, the first day is always hard. I have dreams, I have visions, I have ideas and....well Oh so many!!! I literally start thinking, how can I add more hours to my day? Let's see we could start our day, at 4:00, no that doesn't mean everyone will be cranky and tired. Definitly  not, and especially not me! Then we could school until 4:00- I mean the neighbors can't really plan until then anyways, by the time they get home, have a snack and work on school or home responsibilities, right?!?! REALLY, REALITY CHECK!!! Then I decided, no what I need to do is edit, sort and maybe even subtract!!! For some reason as a homeschooler, I think that our school needs to be extra special, at all times and...

We are a Summer School Family. Here's the main reasons why I choose to year round homeschool our houseful. First off I completely agree with public school moms, after a couple weeks of a summer break the kids are bored! They start complaining, being mischievous and/or driving me crazy!!! We like routine, we like routine with flexibility. Hence I like to year round school, because often in the homeschool world things come up last minute, or we just need a break one day when it's been a difficult week, or maybe it's the first nice/warm day of the spring- and let's face it no one wants to be inside on a day like that! Yes in my book, all those days can be and are included in schooling my houseful, however I still like to know where we stand in our curriculum and in our goals for the year. So if I know we have an entire year to complete something, not a school year, I feel more relaxed! I also detest having to review everything you learned last year!!! REALLY! If you...

I have been an Oil'er for years, actually I believe it's been a good 8-10 years! I love oils, I use them for medicinal purposes, aroma purposes, and emotional purposes. I won't go into purposes, or things I love, necessarily because, well there's so many recipes, advice, and blends out there. I use many different oils for many different reasons, and well whenever we have an aliment, I simple search for an oil, if I don't already know one. What I will get into is Essential Oil Companies. I've investigated oil companies, and read may blogs about what oil companies are out there, and their business etiquette, origin of their oils, and of course cost vs quality. I won't get into all the info here, but this is a wonderful blog series about many popular companies, essential oil showdown series While the companies I prefer, are not on her list, or even really compared on this blog series, I did take many of her questions and concerns and applied them to th...

Recently there was a discussion about independent learning on a Facebook group I follow. One mom was upset and tired of feeling like her children couldn't follow through with a given assignment or directions unless she was right there, they would get distracted and/or start playing. She also spoke of her children not listening while reading aloud too, and too often she felt like she was talking, and NO ONE was listening! One of the comments on this post, suggested that homeschool mom's shouldn't expect their children to learn independently. Public school children are not working independently, nor do children typically like to do things they don't want to. So if you are asking them to work on something they dislike, then of course they'd rather not do it. Since Independent learning, is so important to me, and how I honestly have homeschooled my 11 children, over the past (technically) 15 years, somewhat sane. I thought maybe I should just write a blog post about...

Anyone out there wondering how I keep our calendar(s) organized? Trying to keep up with all my little (and big) A's is a wonder at times! I don't know what happens, but all the sudden when your kids get older, like teens and preteens, they have calendars all their own! They have activities and clubs and all the sudden they think they need playdates again!! LOL!! So here's how I handle my life of organized chaos. I love that saying :) It really is how I feel our life is! First I have a paper planner. There's just something about writing that I love. I jot notes, and thoughts and such on there. I also write all our plans, and calendar events there. I love, love, love paper planners. I've tried to delete it from my life, but I always miss it! However what I don't like about paper planners, is carrying it around everywhere. My paper planner is HUGE! I have everything in it. I currently love the Mormon Mom Planners, Mothers who Know . (they do offer one that...

An amazing giveaway! from mystery of history!