Homeschool Week 12 In Review

Well, we are finally done with another week. Each week shows me more and more how proud I am of Caleb. And -- every time I hear a story about a school district (take Clayton County losing their accreditation for one), I become more convinced that homeschooling is the right option for us. Here's how this week panned out:

Beginnings: Caleb learned about some favorite tales this week. We read The Little Red Hen, The Gingerbread Man, The Three Pigs, and The Three Bears. He reviewed the letter "g." The "nd" blend was introduced. "-and", "-ug", "-ig", "-ag", and "-eg" were added to our growing list of word families. "Father" and "are" were added to our list of service words. We studied plural words, distinguished between reality and fantasy, recalled sequence of events, and matched items by size as well. Caleb read another book called The Three Cats. He continues to do really well with reading.

Math: We spent this week studying bar graphs and reviewing all of the concepts we've learned so far this year.

Bible: We reviewed First Catechism questions 1-13. Caleb's Bible verse for the week was Psalm 119:73. We've found that if we make up some silly song for the Bible verse that he catches on more quickly. So, I'm getting quite adept at putting Bible verses to music...LOL! They aren't always very good, but hey, if it helps me boy learn God's word, then I'll do it!

Art: We learned how to draw Benjamin Bunny and a Silly Snake from Caleb's drawing book. Granted, I'm not the best drawer by any means, but I held my own this week. Caleb really enjoys art, and he's always wanting to draw. It's just sad that neither of his parents are very good at it. So, since Omi and Opa are visiting this Labor Day weekend, he's been told to ask Opa to give him some lessons. Opa doesn't know this yet...so, Opa...get ready!

Music: We listened to various songs to determine the musical instruments that were accompanying the music.

As always, thanks for reading and following our homeschool adventures, and we'd LOVE to see some comments from you. Let us know you're reading.

Love you all!

Blogger Friend School

I saw this on another homeschooling mom's blog, so I thought I'd check it out. Well, it looks like something that I may truly enjoy and benefit from. So, I joined Blogger Friend School. It's a way to meet homeschooling moms across the globe and grow spiritually as well (we can all use that, right?). They're also having a giveaway to start the year off, so we're excited about that, too. Anyway, look for more BFS (Blogger Friend School) posts to come throughout the year. As always, thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing from you all!

Caleb's First Homeschool Report Card

Well, we've finished our first quarter of homeschool. That means there are only 3 more to go...woohoo! Seriously though, I cannot complain. Caleb is a decent student for the most part, and things are going great.

Here's a copy of his first report card...we're very proud of our smart little Kindergartener! And -- before anyone bashes me, I know...it's just Kindergarten and we don't HAVE to give him a report card. In fact, we don't even have to report anything to the county. However, it's keeping me on my toes and making me kick things into gear so we're ready for next year when everything counts. Plus it's a way for Brian to see how Caleb is doing, and it's something Caleb can share with his Omi, Opa, Grandma, Granddaddy, other family members, and friends. So, take a look...(and I apologize for the picture quality...we haven't replaced our Canon camera yet).

A little bit of encouragement...

Back in October of 1998, I was taking a discipleship course at the church I was attending. I cannot remember what course it was, but during this particular assignment, we were told to "rewrite" the 23rd Psalm as "OUR PSALM 23." So I sat deep in thought, and I finally came up with something. Well, I've kept it in my Bible ever since, and I often turn to it and read it for some encouragement. I came across it this morning while doing a little bit of reading, and I thought I would share it. Maybe it can offer someone else some encouragement like it has me. And -- if you think about it...why don't you take the time to write YOUR 23rd Psalm. It may be just what you need in times of struggle and worry. God bless all of you.

My 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my daddy, I shall not be afraid.

He knows the decisions I will face,

He guides me in the right direction,

He gives me strength.

He leads me down life's highway

with faith and understanding.

Even though I alone

cannot understand the depth of His love,

I will seek His will,

for He knows best.

His love and peace,

they comfort me.

He will always stand beside me

no matter how alone I feel.

He gives me the faith I need

to face each tomorrow.

Yes, I will trust and follow Him

all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of my daddy

forever.

Homeschool Week 11 In Review

Another week gone...woohoo! We are in a groove now, and we are having lots of fun. Caleb is always eager to start homeschooling each morning, and he's always telling us how much he enjoys it. That just warms our hearts. Here's what he learned this week:

Beginnings: We talked about picture books. He learned about authors and illustrators and what their respective jobs are when it comes to books. He reviewed the letter "a." The word "come" was added to his list of service words (sight words basically). Also, the "-ad," "-at," -ap," and "-an" families were added to our list. He read a new book called In the Tub which reinforced all of his word family and service words thus far. Again, he continues to do a really good job in reading.

Math: He reviewed left, right, top, middle, and bottom. He also continued to practice counting by 10s. The #s 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 were also reviewed. He continues to do really well with math, and he seems to enjoy it.

Bible: First Catechism question 13 was added. His Bible verse for the week was Psalm 135:6a. Our Bible story this week talked about having a spiritual birthday and what that means. Caleb is really starting to express a lot of curiosity in this area, and we are thrilled about that.

Extra Stuff: We watched a lot of Olympics on TV, and we were able to discuss what it all means as well. He really seems to enjoy gymnastics, swimming, and diving. Hmmm...could there be a future for him in one of these areas? We shall see... He also sat down and "attempted" to read Green Eggs and Ham by himself. I actually overheard him, and he did quite well. Granted, I think most of it was from memorization, but it's okay...to him, that's reading. And -- if that triggers a love for reading then so be it. He also continues to enjoy sitting down and working on his writing. He's always asking us to help him spell/write words in his little notebook. Again, we are happy to see him have an enthusiasm for learning.

Thank you again for keeping up with our homeschool progress. We look forward to sharing more as the year progresses.

Pure bliss...

Let me just say...tonight has been sooo peaceful and quiet. Both of our boys were asleep and in their beds by 9:15pm. Micah actually fell out around 8:30ish, and Caleb was up playing Zoo Tycoon with Brian and me. Well, he laid down on the couch around 9ish and started dozing off. So, I immediately had him go to bed. And -- off to "snooze-land" he went.

And -- for those who are wondering...Caleb is doing a fabulous job with the transition to sleeping by himself in his bed. He's on a roll, and it's a GREAT thing. Granted, he still wakes up maybe once a night, but I can handle that because I have my bed back. It's been nearly 4+ years since Brian and I have been able to call our bed "our" bed. And -- since we upgraded to the king a while back...it's wonderful. I can actually lie in bed and not be touched by anyone...something I haven't been able to say in quite some time. LOL! Don't get me wrong...I love my husband, but I love my space, too. So, it's nice to have it for once.

With all that being said, our goal for this weekend is to actually attempt to make our bedroom an actual "bedroom" for us. We plan to spend some time doing some cleaning and clearing out. Who knows...one day we might actually paint and decorate it. LOL! Unfortunately, this means that Micah's room will now partially become the "overflow...it will go to Goodwill or the garage sale" room.

Anyway, I just had to share my excitement about the peaceful and quiet night we're experiencing (minus all the Hurricane Fay weather that is here...oh well).

Everyone deserves just a little bit of pampering...

Since I've been homeschooling Caleb, I truly don't get out of the house much. It's not that we don't want to get out...we just don't have very many obligations at the moment. There's his weekly speech appointment, but other than that, we're pretty much home all the time. So, it was time for me to get out and relax.

I had a hair appointment scheduled, and my mom was watching the boys for me. Since I was going to be out anyway, I asked her if she would mind if I got a pedicure as well. She obliged me, and I dropped off the boys (they both love being over there anyway...Caleb especially). I got my hair done...I decided to get it cut a bit shorter because Micah is really loving to pull it these days. Plus, I just wasn't as pleased with the new style I had been wearing for the past two cuts. So, I reverted back to my old favorite...the stacked bob. It's cute, hip, and most importantly, EASY!!!!! With two kids, I hardly find the time to shower...much less fix my hair. So, I need easy these days. I LOVE it!

After my hair appointment, I decided to check out a new nail shop that a friend had raved about. They always ask if you want the deluxe pedicure, but I always say no. Well, not today...I figured I'd go all out and enjoy my break from the boys. Man...what a deal. They worked on my toes, which were in desperate need of a pedi anyway. Then, they applied the sea salt and worked that all into my legs. I didn't really care for that...at some points, it felt like my skin was scraping away. Oh well...note to self for next time. After that they applied some cooling cream to my legs and wrapped them in piping hot towels. Then she used hot rocks to massage my feet and legs. She finished up by massaging in the lotion. Finally, she was to the polish. It looked really good, and I opted to get my eyebrows waxed as well. Well, wouldn't you know it...I mess up my big toe while getting into the chair for my brow wax. So, then I had to have that repainted. Then, I was done.

So, I headed to my mom's to pick up the boys. Caleb got into an ant bed while shooting the bow and arrow with granddaddy. Luckily, it was only a few bites, and he survived.

Anyway, I really enjoyed my pampering, and I think everyone should go get pampered at some point. It truly is a wonderful way to just relax and wind down from all the worries and stress of life.

HE DID IT!

Well, as most of you know, getting Caleb to sleep in his own bed has been quite the battle over the past 3 years. Well, hopefully we've finally made a breakthrough. Yesterday, Brian and I informed him that he would start sleeping in his own bed by himself. Obviously, this upset Caleb tremendously, and we got the usual "I'll be lonely, and I need you" spiel, but we weren't having it. He's 5 years old, his baby brother sleeps in his own bed, so it's time for him to do the same and step up. Well, after talking to him a bit, he decided he'd give it a go if Micah slept in his room, too. So, we moved Micah's crib into Caleb's bedroom yesterday, and I made sure everything was set. Micah goes to bed by himself a lot easier than Caleb ever did, and for that, we are truly thankful. So, he went to bed as usual last night.

When it was time for Caleb to go to bed, we talked with him, and of course, he started crying his eyes out. We sat down and prayed with him that God would comfort him and give him peace, and it was off to bed. I had told him earlier that he HAD to stay in his room until it was 7:00am. So, I had to make sure he knew what 7:00 looked like on his alarm clock, and I set the alarm for him. I told him that when the alarm went off, he could come into our room.

Well, it was a bit of a struggle, and he cried a little. But -- he eventually realized we weren't giving in this time (as we have soooo many times before...bad parents). LOL! So, he went to bed, and I tucked him in. Brian and I headed off to bed as well being it was after midnight (Brian and Caleb had been playing Zoo Tycoon...a new computer game for the two of them...I know...once again, bad parenting for letting Caleb stay up so late). I had the monitor on in our room so that I could hear both kiddos, and Caleb knew that he could call me if he needed me. Well, fast forward to 1:15am, and he's screaming. So, I go in and comfort him, and tell him he's got to stay there until 7am. He goes back to bed, and I hear him again around 3am. Once again, I follow my routine of talk, comfort, put back to bed, and all is well.

I didn't hear anything else from him until around 6:15am. This time, I went in and told him that 7 would be the next number on the clock, so it was almost time to get up. He laid back down, and the alarm went off at 7. So, I go in there to make sure he's got it turned off, and praise him tremendously for sleeping in his own bed. He then gets to go into the bed with Brian, as I make sure that Micah is still sleeping.

So, there you have it...he did it! Granted, I'm tired from having to get up and tend to the crying all night, but if it means I get my bed back with my hubby, then so be it. Hopefully each night will get easier. We're just super proud of him, and we made sure to let him call his grandparents this morning to share the news with them. They are all proud of him, too.

Oh and Micah did just fine. He did wake up a few times, but he went back to sleep as usual. So, we shall keep you posted...stay tuned!

Proud wife and mommy

Well, I thought it was time to do a bit of bragging on my three boys. We'll start with Brian. He's been working independently for the parent processing company for over a year now. I am so proud of him. He continues to excel with sales, and he's become quite popular around town in his industry. Most of his customers are sending him referrals at least once, if not more, a week. His customers are very pleased with him, and we pray that they are on the books for a long time. He goes above and beyond his duties with his merchants, and he's always on call for them. This job has also been a blessing to us as a family. Not only is it meeting our financial needs, but it's also given us the time to really bond as a family. We truly enjoy being able to spend nights and weekends together doing whatever it is we want to do. We've also enjoyed being able to go on vacation as a family. We've made lots of memories over the past year, and we look forward to making many more.

Now to our oldest boy...Caleb. I forgot to mention in our homeschool review that he started learning how to count by 10s this week. Caleb only had to learn up to 40. But -- he took it upon himself to figure out how to count by 10s to 100. So, he's now a pro. He is so proud of himself. We are so proud of his accomplishments with homeschool. At first we were concerned with his learning of word families, but he's now got that under control, and he's doing wonderful. Sometimes I have to stop and remind him to look for the word family, but once he figures that out, he's unstoppable. He's also really starting to become inquisitive about God and Heaven. We've been able to sit down and have some discussions with him about salvation, and we're praying that God will continue to work in his heart.

Lastly, there's sweet baby Micah. He now has two teeth...he added another bottom tooth this week. He'll soon be eating everything...LOL! Brian and I decided about a month ago to take him off of his Zantac. We noticed that he really wasn't as fussy as he had been, so we thought we'd give it a try. He's doing GREAT. It really seems like his reflux issues are under control. I think that adding solids to his diet has helped tremendously. Speaking of solids, the boy loves to eat. He eats about 1/4-1/2 cup of cereal each morning and 2 jars of baby food at supper. This is in addition to his 28oz of formula each day. So, he's growing and growing...he weighed about 18lbs when we weighed him the other day. We'll probably move him up to Stage 2 baby foods really soon being as he's eating really well. He is quite the character, and he loves to hear himself babble. The sweetest moments are when I go and get him in the morning. If he happens to wake up before everyone is ready to get up for the day, I go get him out of his crib and take him into Caleb's bed with me. We then attempt to get some more sleep, but he'll usually start by babbling away. It is the sweetest thing. He's just so serious, and I feel like he's trying to tell me sooooo much. This babbling continues throughout the day. He also likes to scream...he doesn't scream because he's in pain...nope, he screams just to hear himself scream. It is sooooo funny and soooo loud. We all get a kick out of it. He is a wonderful addition to our family.

Well, there you have it. Just a little bragging on my boys. I truly am proud of all 3 of them, and I am blessed to call them my husband and sons!

Homeschool Week 10 In Review

Another week has come and gone at Childress Academy. Caleb continues to excel and surprise us daily. Here's how this week went:

Beginnings: We discussed nursery rhymes. We were able to read lots of different nursery rhymes and learn a little about the history of nursery rhymes as well. They also allowed us to discuss merry and sad, hard/soft items, and real and fanciful characters. Caleb reviewed the letter "d." The "-ck" sound was also introduced. "Has" was added to our list of service words. He added "-id", "-ick", "-ed", "-uck", and "-eck" to his list of word families, and we added the initial "d" sound to words in our existing word familes. He read a new book called Numbers which reinforced all of his word family and service words.

Math: We continued our discussion on measurement by talking about shorter and longer. Caleb used paper clip chains and an inch ruler to measure objects.

Bible: We added questions 11-12 to the First Catechism study. His memory verses for the week were Hebrews 4:13a and John 1:18a.

Music: We discussed long and short sounds by listening to and playing long and short sounds using rhythm instruments.

Damage to our van

As some of you already know, our van was recently damaged somehow. We noticed it this past Wednesday. Honestly, we don't know when or where it happened. But -- we think someone must have hit us as they were backing out of a parking space next to us. They hit the passenger sliding door. So, we are a bit peturbed. Obviously, they didn't bother to leave a note or anything apologizing, much less leaving insurance information.

I spent Wednesday of last week talking to our insurance agency to find out what we needed to do. Luckily, this falls under our uninsured motorist's coverage. But -- I had to file a police report as one more step. So, I called the local PD to file the report.

This week, I talked to a local agent to set up the repair for the van. Brian is scheduled to drop it off at a local collision center tomorrow morning. With that being said, I then had to arrange for us to have a rental car. Luckily (well, kinda), we have a rental car stipulation on our policy. But -- they only cover $20/day. Now, tell me...do you think there's actually a car that rents for that cheap? DUH...NO! So, we'll have to fork over the difference for that...which will be about $10-12/day. Top this off with the $250 deductible we have for our uninsured motorist's policy, and you have a couple of upset car owners.

So, we'll find out tomorrow how long our van will be out of commission. We wish we could rent another van, but that's another $25/day, and I'm not up for paying that much. So, we'll stick with a four-door sedan. Do you know how long it's been since I owned a 4-door sedan? A LONG time! I'm so spoiled by our van, and I pray that it's out of the shop quickly and in good repair!

Here are a few pictures of the damage...I'm not very happy right now. And Brian isn't either.

view of the damage

notice how the door isn't even fully closed now...lovely!

Central Georgia Christian Home Educators

I attended the first meeting of the school year for Central Georgia Christian Home Educators (CGCHE) tonight. For those of you who are not from this area or may not know, this is a local organization just for homeschooling families. They get together to do field trips, kindergarten graduation, yearbooks, family picnics, etc during the school year. It's a great outlet for homeschooling families to get together with others who share in their homeschooling beliefs. It's also a GREAT social outlet for everyone involved.

With homeschooling, I find that socialization is the BIGGEST concern of those who are against it. Let me just reassure you, homeschooling is not what it used to be. True, back in earlier times of homeschooling, there weren't as many social opportunities as there are now. But -- with the increase in families who choose to homeschool, there are more and more social events for all those involved. So, don't worry...Caleb will get lots of social interaction, and so will we, as his parents.

We're really excited to be a part of this organization, and we look forward to sharing about all the fun things we get to do. For those who are local and are homeschooling, here's the link (http://www.cgche.com).

Caleb's Bowling "End of the Year" Party

Caleb had his bowling "end-of-the-year" party today. It was held at Starcadia in Macon. This was our first venture there with him, and he had a blast. He was able to ride some kiddie rides, play putt-putt, play arcade games, ride go-carts, and drive bumper boats (where he got SOAKED).

After all the fun playing was done, we all gathered for a huge cookout to culminate this past season of bowling. The food was delicious, and the weather was cooperative. It was hot, but not unbearable. After the eating, Caleb received his trophy and medal. The trophy has his high average on it, and for his first year, his high average was 81. So, not too shabby for a little boy. We're looking forward to the new season which begins September 6th. Here are a few pictures of the event (disclaimer -- our Canon camera is permanently broken thanks to a little accident. It got knocked off the desk when someone was playing in the office. Luckily, we still have our Fuji, but I truly miss my Canon. These aren't nearly as good as they would have been with the Canon. Oh well...now it's time to get a new camera at some point):

Caleb on the swings

Caleb and Brian getting ready to go for a ride

Caleb and Brian coming down the hill

Caleb driving the bumper boat...he had so much fun

Brian looks a bit cramped...Caleb is soaking him

Brian's height got in the way...LOL!

One soaked Caleb

Sweet little Micah with his new toy

Look how big he's gotten...5 months old now

Caleb's bobble-head trophy and medal

Homeschool Week 9 In Review

Whew!!! It's taken some time, but we are officially all caught up with our homeschooling. Now, we can go back to our 4-day week and just relax a bit more. Caleb is still going strong, and here's what he learned this week:

Beginnings: He reviewed the letters "u", "k", and "c". The word "his" was added to his list of service words. The "-un", "-ub", "-up", and "-ut" word families were added to our list. We studied song books. We were able to sing lots of songs and talk about how different types of songs originated. He read a new book called Good Night which reinforced the words he has learned thus far.

Math: He learned about measurement. Lighter, heavier, capacity (which holds more/less), and different measurement terms (quart, gallon, cup, pound) were all introduced. He practiced writing his numbers in order to improve his penmanship.

Bible: First Catechism question 10 was added. His Bible verse for the week was Genesis 28:15a.

Art: We used a book Caleb received for his birthday in order to practice lots of different drawing strokes. He's doing really well with this, and we're so proud of him. He's quite the little artist, and he LOVES to draw and color with crayons and markers.

Extra Stuff: I forgot to mention last week that I started giving Caleb piano lessons. So, we continued to work on that this week. He's learned about his left/right hands, the #s for his fingers, and we've talked about sets of two black keys. He's really eager to learn to play the piano (as well as the guitar, trumpet, flute, and drums). Can you tell that he's REALLY into music? Wonder where he gets that from?!!?

Thanks for continuing to read up on our homeschool adventures. We're really enjoying ourselves, and we love sharing it with all of you!

Homeschool Week 8 In Review

Another week at Childress Academy has passed. While everyone else was entering the first day of school here in our county, we are already 8 weeks in. Whew! But -- all is going well. Caleb is an excellent student (for the most part), and he's really learning a lot. He continues to amaze us daily. Here's how this week went:

Beginnings: We learned about different types of books. We talked about how-to books, cookbooks, science books, and the library. By studying these books we were able to make a graham cracker cookie snack (using a recipe) and talk about magnets (using the science book). He reviewed the letters "b" and "p." The exclamation point (!) was also introduced. We added "love" and "orange" to our service words, and "bit", "web", "Ben", "pen", "pet", "pit", and "pen" to our word families. We also added the
"-ip" family with "tip" and "sip" to our list of word families. Caleb read his new book, My Pet, as well. He's doing an awesome job with reading. He loves to sit down and read with us...what a great thing!

Math: Caleb reviewed the numbers "9" and "10", and we talked about ordinal positions first-tenth.

Music: We talked about fast and slow by listening to different music. We also used instruments to play fast and slow rhythms.

Art: We used coffee filters to make fish. Caleb covered an entire filter with washable markers. Then, we sprayed it with water and let it dry. Next, we cut out a fish pattern, and I laminated them. Caleb had so much fun that instead of making just ONE fish, we ended up making 10. We hung 6 in office/schoolroom, and the other 4 will be hung in his bathroom. It was a fun project, and Brian and I also colored a few fish. It's a simple and easy art project for anyone.

Bible: Caleb reviewed First Catechism questions 1-9. His Bible verse for the week was 2 Corinthians 3:17. He continues to do a wonderful job in his Bible studies.