Homeschooling A Houseful

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...

Today as I was reading something completely unrelated to this post I thought of the following scripture: Galatians 6:9 (KJV) 9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Being a mother is a lot of work. Being a mother of a large family is a lot of work. Being a homeschooling mother just adds to that load! However we do it, ALL of it, for a reason! We are doing it for, "well doing". Whatever that reason may be- it's there. And in due season we will reap from all this work, if we faint not!  INSPIRE, IGNITE, EXPERIENCE, FIND JOY!!!! As this season, this "rough road" called being a mother will not last forever- and we will see the benefits of our struggles, our prayers- our trials. If we faint not, if we don't give up, don't give in!!!  As we are starting a new year, and for our family a new adventure! (We recently moved, more on that later) I am feeling very inspired by this scripture.  So ...

I have been compiling some booklists for our upcoming (slow coming) school year. Well I don't want to get into all the details, or should I simply say all the excuses! However it's time to get the ball rollin'!! Here's a few lists specifically for boys! Books for Boys, and other children who would rather make forts all day.   Ha love that title! Raising Real Men, Character Building Books for Boys

Isn't that the question?? It seems that everyone out there wants to know the best curriculum, the best choice in educating their children. That is one blessing, and possibly one curse to the popularity of homeschooling.... Oh the choices! There are so many, so many different methods, so many different ideas, so many different programs, and ways to school.... honestly it's overwhelming. It gives me a headache just pondering them all. I seem to get asked about curriculum, a lot. I guess part of it is that I have been homeschooling all my A's from the start? I guess it's that we all seem "together". I guess it's.... well it's just "the" question when it comes to homeschool mom's getting together. So what do I use.... it doesn't matter!!! What?? What??? are you going to just leave me hanging like that?? Yes I am! {once in a while I mention things we do and use, but honestly I try not to} I believe what works for me,...

Here is a look at Nobles IS sheet . Not all his IS subjects are included, there are a few I will add later. There are a few subjects I mentioned, but don't know how often he will complete them. This will give a general idea of how I keep it all {somewhat} straight! Notice they also turn in their planners every day 5 {typically Fridays} so I can look it over and make sure everything was completed. Along with that they must show it to me daily, before I okay them to be done with school. If I noticed they didn't complete much, or as much as I would have liked. I will make suggestions, but I only suggest. The only time I require is on Day 5, the whole sheet must be finished... no exceptions. All the kids have had weeks where they have "learned it the hard way" but that's how it goes, sometimes.

The homeschool village's discussion this week, is refreshment. What do you homeschool mom's do to refresh? Since we are back to a year around school schedule, I don't take an extended time off. However we take our breaks, breathers, and refreshers as needed. We take part in many different activities and outings throughout the year, school and summer, to keep us refreshed and recharged. For me personally whenever we take a break, it seems it's harder to keep the peace. We like our routine, and it works nicely to just keep it going. A few other things I've heard others do that I am considering, pondering, and praying about... Is to do school 4 days, and use the 5th day as a project, family day. I like this idea, but at the same time, we do many of these types of things everyday!! Another thought is to school 3 or 4 weeks on and take one week off again as a project week. Again not sure about it, will have to see what way the Lord directs our ways. For us, we use our br...

If you have been reading my blog for very long, you have probably noticed, I am a planner! I came across the planner last year, and purchased it. I was HIGHLY impressed with it. Not only do I love the format, layout of the planner pages themselves, but I love the graphics and special added features. It's cute, and that makes me want to look at it and use it... honestly!!! I love reading the articles included in it. I also signed up to get a free THE HOME EDUCATING FAMILY MAGAZINE. I couldn't put it down, and I still haven't finished reading and re-reading to my hearts content. I have also started using this planner as my daily planner. I use the top boxes in the colums for our family studies. Things I need to plan, and keep track of. I also use it for our opening time, and for notes about things I need to finish for the A's school work. Then I use the bottom boxes for a to-do list for each day. I love having my day planner right there with my homeschool planner, it help...

Since my decision to go to more of a textbook curriculum, I haven't said much more about it. How is it going?? Well I LOVE it!! I am not having to plan, and organize and come up with ideas and think, and be creative, and be on top of everything... all the time. It has really lifted a large load off my shoulders. I spend most of the morning teaching Peaceful phonics. I also spend a lot of time helping Valiant with his work, and mostly his reading. He has a speech impediment, along with being all boy, he has struggled with his reading. He is doing a ton better, but I work a lot on his speech. I also read aloud his Science and Readings with him, and Peaceful usually sits in and listens too. That along with keeping the two younger children busy, occupied, and somewhat quiet. I was having a hard time keeping up with my teacher prep time, and {honestly} my peaceful meek teaching spirit! It was getting very overwhelming. So I decided to give you a run down of how I do it. How I organize a...

I believe it could be too early, if it's done in the wrong way. If you make it a stress and you must pass the test, when the child is too young... that's the wrong approach. However I feel I have found a great approach. Of course when to start this with your child, it should be handled individually to each child. There is a free service from the SAT collegeboard . I signed A1 up for the daily questions, and I signed up to get them too. Each day he will read them, and try to do them himself. Then he will let me know if he got it right, and on what try. While A1 just turned 13, he loves knowledge, he loves a challenge and he loves facts. I figured this would be something he would love, and well I was right!! I made it no stress, nothing to worry about. I told him if you don't know, simply make your best guess, then use the help section to get help, and always read the sections that explain the answers. This will not only help him prepare for the SAT, and test taking, but it w...

It seems to me schedules are being talked about all over the homeschool world. On all the blogs, and yahoo groups, amongst friends and support groups. I was going to join in with everyone and attempt to write about our schedule, but then it occurred to me, honestly I would just be repeating so much of what others are saying. You see we run on a somewhat MOTH schedule. Most homeschoolers know what a MOTH Schedule is, it's very popular!! If not, let me know I can link you to a few great sites with MOTH schedules, or better yet... go to the Managers Of Their Homes website! SO to not bore everyone with yet another MOTH Schedule, I thought I'd try to discuss a few of my thoughts on schedules. I think that having a schedule, whether it be a strict time schedule or a laid back routine, a schedule is needed for everyone in any lifestyle. We have more of a schedule/routine! If you would like more details, please leave a comment and I can write about our schedule. I think the first part ...

What does that mean!??! What ship are you jumping from? Where are you jumping to? How are you planning on jumping?? Well let me tell you.... I am jumping into the great deep, dark and "unknown" world, I am planning on jumping Titanic style, Spread Eagle that is!!! No seriously folks, I have decided that for our upcoming curriculum, we are going to jump into the area of {dare I even say it??} Traditional Christian TEXTBOOKS!!!! {I can hear you all moan, and groan and say OH NO!!!!} Yes TEXTBOOK, tends to be a "bad" word in the homeschool world. It's one of those 3-letter words, okay so it's actually an Eight-letter word. I am not sure why TEXTBOOKS have such a bad name to homeschoolers. Actually I do, it has to do with the dumbing down of America. It has to do with short tidbits of information crammed into a lesson, bits and pieces of history... never knowing the whole thing. HOWEVER, you must also admit, that there are NOW so many choices in TEXTBO...

Yes we are going to become year-round schoolers. We use to be year-round, then for a few years Papa Bears Nephew lived with us, and it was "easier" for everyone to go along with the public schools schedule. However if I ever had another child in public school, I'd still go year round and make it work in others ways. {but that's a whole different post} We also love Saxon Math. I always thought A2 would need a different math curriculum, however she has learned to work Saxon, and it works!!! That being said, I do not use the early Saxon. I used these with A1, and when it was only him, it worked. However I can not sit down and "teach" math to all my children day in and day out. Not to mention, Mama Bear all but detests math!!! We love the Rod and Staff Math, and we have used Abeka for the first years. Now we are only using Rod and Staff, it's much cheaper and I believe has better review. I also enjoy being able to purchase materials and keep using them for a...

I am preparing, gathering and getting ready to begin {again} our unit with the littler A's about Seasons/Winter/Snowflake Bentley and Balto! I haven't gotten anything yet on Balto, he's later into our unit, so I am not there yet!! We started it the day I purchased it, I was so excited to do it!!! However I decided I better take a few moments and plan what we will be doing!!! SLOW DOWN!! I just wanted to put a few links here I have found. Since I believe in giving credit, where credit is due.... I will link you directly to the posts I stole, or I mean took my ideas from! {someone help, I forgot how to cross out words on my blog??!!??} I started with this, Download and Go Winter Wonders We are planning on extending these to the max!! Some days, might go 2-3 days, some might go a week or more. Alot will depend on the kids, and my ability! Then I found some more fun ideas Spell Out Loud, is doing the same download and go activities, and she has some wonderful links, mostly for...

I read this idea a few months ago, and well one thing lead to another, and I am finally getting around to doing it! You know the ever growing to do list, just never seems to get to do-ed!! For years now, actually the entire time we have been homeschooling, we have memorized. We started simple with scriptures and then slowly added quotes, then hymns and songs, and more and more. Currently we are memorizing; Weekly: one Poem {usually one week is all we use on a poem, though it depends on the length and how well we really practiced it} one Scripture, one quote, one educational item {again, usually one week, sometimes more when needed} Songs {one Hymn, one Childrens Hymn, one Educational Song, one Patriotic/American history type song, and usually one Seasonal or just for fun song} Monthly:one Historical Document. along with a new history facts memorization we will be throwing in. I never really needed this with A1, he tends to be a fact magnet, or maybe that should say a fact sponge! He lo...

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.

I received a comment/question about our devotional time, Tracy would like me to give more details about our devotional time. {WARNING~ this post has become extremely LONG!!!} First off before I start into all that I'd just like to say I am so glad Tracy decided to comment, and especially with a question!! The main and only reason I blog is to inspire others, help others, and well sometimes it's as close as I get to adult conversation! I noticed that as of right now {as I right this} I have had 787 visitors to my blog... and only 2 people who have commented! The other one is my O' So kind SIL!! Please feel free to comment...because as it says on the Right Sidebar...I LOVE Comments!!! I also want to clarify and answer any questions that I might have stirred in your heads with my thoughts!!! So on with the Question.... We have ALWAYS had devotional time... it's changed and grown with our family. It's what we, Papa Bear and I see as the things our children need. Just be...

How do I remember it all??? Hmm...well I don't, but this helps! I make a simple planner with a simple table, using a simple words program. {trust me, nothing special and pretty here!!} Each Independent learner has their own personal planner, and it's personal to them and their studies. On this I listed that kids individual lessons, we call these IS {Independent Studies} These are things that the older kids can do independently, or most of the time independently. Things like Math, Spelling,Vocabulary, Grammar, Handwriting, etc. I usually spend a few minutes Monday mornings, to discuss lessons and go over words. I listed all these things, plus IS readings, textbooks, typing programs, explode the code, logic etc. Then on it, I put 2X, 3X, 4X, or 5X. This counts for how many times those things need to be done in a week. So Math is a 5X, Scripture Study and Journal writing is 5X. Handwriting is 3X, IS readings are either 2X, 3X, 4X or 5X depending on the child and the topic. Things ...