Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Sad times too
I truly believe that learning doesn't just happen with the books open and sitting at the table doing it. We recently took a trip to North Carolina to bring my son back to base for him to soon be deployed. I try and look at all this as learning opportunities for Samantha. As hard as it is we have to face reality of life. She has learned a lot about life through these sad experiences. She has learned to rely more on her faith. She prays all the time for her brother to return to us safely. She has learned that even though we don't want him to go this is life he signed up for so we just have to tell him we love him and miss him. She also has learned to smile through the tears. She has learned to hold onto him in different ways. Every night since we got back from NC she has slept with Nicks blanket. Telling me it smells of him and it feels like he is with her when she wraps it around her.
On our trip we saw some of the destruction of the tornadoes that hit there. So sad. We will be doing a small study on tornado's now since she is interested in learning how and why of it.
Not all lessons in life are easy and each new experience brings us to a greater understanding of this.
Samantha asks many questions and many tough ones to answer. She has been a little focused on death lately and its understandable. She is afraid of what will happen to her if we go. She was reassured to find out what our plans are. Then she wanted to know what will happen if she goes. She was glad to know we would miss her terribly. Then the big question what about her brother. The question we all avoid the question we all don't want to ever face but this little child my 6 year old has asked the tough question about a brother going to war. How do we face it all? How do we face the worse that can happen? We face it with faith. With faith in God, with many prayers and tears, with faith in Nick and his training, with faith in his level head. We face it with faith.......
we planted flowers on Abigail's grave this weekend. Sam talks to Abigail while we are in the cemetery. She likes to make her grave look nice. She then likes to look at all the other grave markers there. Her latest she wanted to know who will be buried with Abigail. and just how does that happen.
I believe that our society shys away from death, that we have removed ourselves from this reality. we shield our children from this. Its wrong. I think Samantha has a healthy take on it. She is saddened by her loss of Memere a couple of years ago. She is sad about the loss of Abigail and the sister she will never know until heaven. But she faces death and the losses with strength and with a face of reality that is life. Its a normal part of life. Not something to be feared. And just like a child she thinks of this for a short time and bounces back to her reality of life. To her playing and learning other new things thats out there to learn.
On our trip we saw some of the destruction of the tornadoes that hit there. So sad. We will be doing a small study on tornado's now since she is interested in learning how and why of it.
Not all lessons in life are easy and each new experience brings us to a greater understanding of this.
Samantha asks many questions and many tough ones to answer. She has been a little focused on death lately and its understandable. She is afraid of what will happen to her if we go. She was reassured to find out what our plans are. Then she wanted to know what will happen if she goes. She was glad to know we would miss her terribly. Then the big question what about her brother. The question we all avoid the question we all don't want to ever face but this little child my 6 year old has asked the tough question about a brother going to war. How do we face it all? How do we face the worse that can happen? We face it with faith. With faith in God, with many prayers and tears, with faith in Nick and his training, with faith in his level head. We face it with faith.......
we planted flowers on Abigail's grave this weekend. Sam talks to Abigail while we are in the cemetery. She likes to make her grave look nice. She then likes to look at all the other grave markers there. Her latest she wanted to know who will be buried with Abigail. and just how does that happen.
I believe that our society shys away from death, that we have removed ourselves from this reality. we shield our children from this. Its wrong. I think Samantha has a healthy take on it. She is saddened by her loss of Memere a couple of years ago. She is sad about the loss of Abigail and the sister she will never know until heaven. But she faces death and the losses with strength and with a face of reality that is life. Its a normal part of life. Not something to be feared. And just like a child she thinks of this for a short time and bounces back to her reality of life. To her playing and learning other new things thats out there to learn.
MOPS homeschool fun
I belong to a MOPS group.. that is Mothers of preschoolers... this group is for moms pregnancy until your child completes first grade. A few of us have decided to homeschool and we get together for extra outtings besides our normal meetings. We meet up at the library, the playground, at each others houses to learn the recorder(I am trying to teach them) tryign is the key word here. LOL We have gone on field trips. Its fun.
We went to Battelship Cove last year, wow was it cold. But a fun time was had by all kids and mom's.
Just last week we went to Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Abroretum. The flowers, the grounds and the view of the water all was so beautiful. All the kids enjoyed their time there. Samantha was amazed at the Mansion to see how the rich lived.... she said it was for the king and queen. I believe a few other little girls said the same. She was amazed at the toys in the nursery. Glass tea sets, glass dolls, books and wooden blocks. Thats all the kids had. She saw the intercom system of yesteryear. She wanted to come home and try and think of a way to make one for our house. I love it her imagination at work. She told me on the way home just how to do so. Sam said that way at night if she gets scared she can just call me and she wont have to come running into my room... not that our house is so big I wont hear her calling me...
Story time fun.... this week the theme was in the jungle. We had a fun time exploring the library looking for jungle animals. We also had the added bonus of having my granddaughters along for the fun...
our mops homeschool kids are a great bunch of kids. I am glad we have the opportunity to have such great friends to learn with and have fun times with too.
We went to Battelship Cove last year, wow was it cold. But a fun time was had by all kids and mom's.
Just last week we went to Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Abroretum. The flowers, the grounds and the view of the water all was so beautiful. All the kids enjoyed their time there. Samantha was amazed at the Mansion to see how the rich lived.... she said it was for the king and queen. I believe a few other little girls said the same. She was amazed at the toys in the nursery. Glass tea sets, glass dolls, books and wooden blocks. Thats all the kids had. She saw the intercom system of yesteryear. She wanted to come home and try and think of a way to make one for our house. I love it her imagination at work. She told me on the way home just how to do so. Sam said that way at night if she gets scared she can just call me and she wont have to come running into my room... not that our house is so big I wont hear her calling me...
Story time fun.... this week the theme was in the jungle. We had a fun time exploring the library looking for jungle animals. We also had the added bonus of having my granddaughters along for the fun...
our mops homeschool kids are a great bunch of kids. I am glad we have the opportunity to have such great friends to learn with and have fun times with too.
The end of a few of our homeschooling activities...
All good things must come to an end...
trying to "socialize" my homeschool only child I have enrolled her in many activities. They all end before summer starts. Some earlier then others. For swim class we have to re-enroll her every 8 weeks. Well with all that is going on in our busy and crazy life I forgot to enroll her for the last spring session. OOPS. It was too late by time I called. I am not really heartbroken about this and she hasn't even noticed. :)
She took gymnastics at CD Rec and that ended in April. It was fun in a very unorganized way. Samantha enjoyed it and that is what counts right??? We did meet a few other homeschooling families.
We are left with Baton, Ballet & Tap class. The recitals are next month and that will end until the fall.
We joined a homeschool group and that will come to an end in June and start back up in the fall. We have a few more activities with them.
MOPS- our mom's group. This will come to an end this month. We do plan play dates for the summer. We have a few homeschooling families that belong and we meet up separately too for some activities....(I will post about this later)
so is that is? what else do we do.... as if this is not enough....
Oh we go to story hour almost every week at the library and often come home with many books to read and return the following week. Normal story hour ends in June.
trying to "socialize" my homeschool only child I have enrolled her in many activities. They all end before summer starts. Some earlier then others. For swim class we have to re-enroll her every 8 weeks. Well with all that is going on in our busy and crazy life I forgot to enroll her for the last spring session. OOPS. It was too late by time I called. I am not really heartbroken about this and she hasn't even noticed. :)
She took gymnastics at CD Rec and that ended in April. It was fun in a very unorganized way. Samantha enjoyed it and that is what counts right??? We did meet a few other homeschooling families.
We are left with Baton, Ballet & Tap class. The recitals are next month and that will end until the fall.
We joined a homeschool group and that will come to an end in June and start back up in the fall. We have a few more activities with them.
MOPS- our mom's group. This will come to an end this month. We do plan play dates for the summer. We have a few homeschooling families that belong and we meet up separately too for some activities....(I will post about this later)
so is that is? what else do we do.... as if this is not enough....
Oh we go to story hour almost every week at the library and often come home with many books to read and return the following week. Normal story hour ends in June.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Recently I went to a book sale with my friend Kim and sister Michelle. The online bookstore Christian books have a warehouse near Boston and twice a year they have a big warehouse sale. I got so many good deals. I really didn't know what to think when Kim invited me to this sale with her. We got up at the ungodly hour of 6:30 am to drive there. The line to get in was long. My sister said it reminder her of black Friday. Once in there the 3 of us all headed to the homeschool section. So..... here are my finds for next school year.......
Math- Horizon's first grade Math book one and two... I couldn't find the teachers book I got those 2 for a whopping $7 total! They are new but slightly damaged... the covers look old.
Spelling Workout Books A & B both student books and teachers books. Each book was only $3.
Phonics-Horizon's book 1
This fun book All About Time Discovering How the Calendar Affects You. It looks like so much fun.You learn about time in many ways... the beginning of time, years, months and seasons, Calendars, clocks, times zones, why we grow old and sooo much more!
I also got many non school stuff. I can't wait for their fall Sale. I will be telling my other homeschooling friends all about this sale.
We have a good start for the fall. I am still on the lookout for a history and science curriculum. I have an idea on what I want to do. But we will see.
For grammar I am using a free curriculum off the internet along with worksheets.
At the sale I did get some stuff to finish out this school year with. I picked up Horizon's kindergarten phonics workbooks to go along with what we are doing now, Horizon's Health both the teachers guide and children's workbook. Some extra math worksheets from life packs... these say first grade but they are what we are doing for math right now. So we are using them now.
Math- Horizon's first grade Math book one and two... I couldn't find the teachers book I got those 2 for a whopping $7 total! They are new but slightly damaged... the covers look old.
Spelling Workout Books A & B both student books and teachers books. Each book was only $3.
Phonics-Horizon's book 1
This fun book All About Time Discovering How the Calendar Affects You. It looks like so much fun.You learn about time in many ways... the beginning of time, years, months and seasons, Calendars, clocks, times zones, why we grow old and sooo much more!
I also got many non school stuff. I can't wait for their fall Sale. I will be telling my other homeschooling friends all about this sale.
We have a good start for the fall. I am still on the lookout for a history and science curriculum. I have an idea on what I want to do. But we will see.
For grammar I am using a free curriculum off the internet along with worksheets.
At the sale I did get some stuff to finish out this school year with. I picked up Horizon's kindergarten phonics workbooks to go along with what we are doing now, Horizon's Health both the teachers guide and children's workbook. Some extra math worksheets from life packs... these say first grade but they are what we are doing for math right now. So we are using them now.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Fun with learning....
I have been wanting to plant some plants... last year we did sunflowers and I thought I held onto those seeds but didn't. We did pick up some seeds on one of our trips to Walmart. Samantha had fun watching the little disks grow and then plant the seeds in them. We have spearmint, basil, and 2 flowers. She also was so excited that if our plants take she is planting some at Abigail's grave in the late spring. We also planted daisy's a couple of weeks back but I forgot to take pictures. They are growing they are about 1/2 inch tall. :)
In Math she was learning how to count by 5's and 10's she got the tens very quickly and fives did only take one lesson... Today we applied what she learned she had to count out coins by 10's and tell me how much was there at first she was a little confused but soon got it. I love seeing the light bulb go off. I also had cards with the 10's on and 5's and she had to put them in order it didn't take her long to get it right. What fun learning can be when its hands on.
We do a devotional at least once a week that has a short lesson then an activity or craft. Ours this week was to make homemade ice cream. Half way through I had to take over shaking Sam's so mine came out more like a milk shake and hers was just like soft ice cream... so yummy!!!
Science today was using sun beads to see how fast they turned color in the sun. It was a kit we got a while back from the science class she went to. So first we had to count how fast they turned in the sun, then covered with a shirt, a shopping bag, sunglasses and then sunscreen. Interesting results... the shopping bag was just like having nothing covering it. The shirt after a minute the beads were only slightly colored the purple ones got color the fasted when covered. The sunglasses had a slight color to them after a minute also. Well with sunscreen on them the purple turned after a minute to a light purple and the others stayed white to a light light pink. So interesting since I paid good money for that sunscreen! This was a real fun experiment.
In Math she was learning how to count by 5's and 10's she got the tens very quickly and fives did only take one lesson... Today we applied what she learned she had to count out coins by 10's and tell me how much was there at first she was a little confused but soon got it. I love seeing the light bulb go off. I also had cards with the 10's on and 5's and she had to put them in order it didn't take her long to get it right. What fun learning can be when its hands on.
We do a devotional at least once a week that has a short lesson then an activity or craft. Ours this week was to make homemade ice cream. Half way through I had to take over shaking Sam's so mine came out more like a milk shake and hers was just like soft ice cream... so yummy!!!
Science today was using sun beads to see how fast they turned color in the sun. It was a kit we got a while back from the science class she went to. So first we had to count how fast they turned in the sun, then covered with a shirt, a shopping bag, sunglasses and then sunscreen. Interesting results... the shopping bag was just like having nothing covering it. The shirt after a minute the beads were only slightly colored the purple ones got color the fasted when covered. The sunglasses had a slight color to them after a minute also. Well with sunscreen on them the purple turned after a minute to a light purple and the others stayed white to a light light pink. So interesting since I paid good money for that sunscreen! This was a real fun experiment.
I find others opinion on homeschooling so funny
Everyone will have an opinion about homeschooling even other homeschoolers.
Today while shopping I was told how brave I was to homeschool. I find that hilarious. I find the parents who choose to put their child in our cities public school the brave ones.
I have been asked by a friends husband if it was even legal to do it. Too funny. No its illegal and I do just because I want to go to jail. HA HA HA
A friend of my husbands told me I was going to ruin Samantha... recently he was over for dinner and started quizzing Samantha on her reading.... we had a paper up that she wrote out sentences so he wanted to make sure I didn't give her the answer and she could actually read it. So funny. When he was done I asked him if she passed his test. He did admit that she did real really well for her age. If Samantha didn't want to answer his questions I would have stopped it. But she seemed to love the attention showing off her reading skills. Another friend asked if the reason Sam has no interest in playing baseball and hockey because we homeschool! I guess he feels if she was exposed to it she would love it.... Not every child wants to play a sport...she does she wants to play soccer so I will look into it for the fall.
Other homeschoolers (NOT ALL) think their way is the only way. Some worry if you don't do things just so the government will say you can't do it... One said if I don't use all the same company for all subject my request to homeschool will be rejected. One person is so concerned with us homeschooling and only child that she even looked into scholarships for Samantha to go to a private school.
Some parents who send their children to public school will often get offended about our decision to homeschool. I often wonder does it make them question their decision to public school. Question their parenting decissions? Some parents who send their children to private schools can't understand why we wont sacrifice more to send her to private school also. Like I don't sacrifice to homeschool her! I heard this one from a parent from Sam's dance class who sends her 2 kids to private school.
There are days when I am praised by strangers for my sacrifices to homeschool Sam. How great they think it is that I am doing this for her. In our short time of homeschooling I have heard it all. Most of the time it makes me shake my head and giggle to myself. Some people are genuine curious about it how it works what we do and so on. Some people try to pick it apart and find where you have gone wrong.
And since everyone does have an opinion this all is my opinion! If you do what is best for your child and family you are doing your best and your child should thrive be it private school, public school or homeschool!
Today while shopping I was told how brave I was to homeschool. I find that hilarious. I find the parents who choose to put their child in our cities public school the brave ones.
I have been asked by a friends husband if it was even legal to do it. Too funny. No its illegal and I do just because I want to go to jail. HA HA HA
A friend of my husbands told me I was going to ruin Samantha... recently he was over for dinner and started quizzing Samantha on her reading.... we had a paper up that she wrote out sentences so he wanted to make sure I didn't give her the answer and she could actually read it. So funny. When he was done I asked him if she passed his test. He did admit that she did real really well for her age. If Samantha didn't want to answer his questions I would have stopped it. But she seemed to love the attention showing off her reading skills. Another friend asked if the reason Sam has no interest in playing baseball and hockey because we homeschool! I guess he feels if she was exposed to it she would love it.... Not every child wants to play a sport...she does she wants to play soccer so I will look into it for the fall.
Other homeschoolers (NOT ALL) think their way is the only way. Some worry if you don't do things just so the government will say you can't do it... One said if I don't use all the same company for all subject my request to homeschool will be rejected. One person is so concerned with us homeschooling and only child that she even looked into scholarships for Samantha to go to a private school.
Some parents who send their children to public school will often get offended about our decision to homeschool. I often wonder does it make them question their decision to public school. Question their parenting decissions? Some parents who send their children to private schools can't understand why we wont sacrifice more to send her to private school also. Like I don't sacrifice to homeschool her! I heard this one from a parent from Sam's dance class who sends her 2 kids to private school.
There are days when I am praised by strangers for my sacrifices to homeschool Sam. How great they think it is that I am doing this for her. In our short time of homeschooling I have heard it all. Most of the time it makes me shake my head and giggle to myself. Some people are genuine curious about it how it works what we do and so on. Some people try to pick it apart and find where you have gone wrong.
And since everyone does have an opinion this all is my opinion! If you do what is best for your child and family you are doing your best and your child should thrive be it private school, public school or homeschool!
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