Free Printable Home Organizing Sheets

Just found this wonderful site for free printable home organizing sheets!  I'm always looking for simple printouts to use.  I like this site A LOT!

Mom Agenda

iHeart Organizing

Enjoy!

Busy Learning Brood

This school year has been a very busy one, and I guess that is a big reason I've neglected my blog!  But I wanted to fill you in on what we have been using this year for our curriculum.  I changed it up this year and actually went back to a selection that I said I would never go back to.  Below is a breakdown of what the brood is studying this year with a brief "review" of sorts to explain why I like it.  I hope it helps those of you who may be starting to plan for next years homeschool curriculum.

All brood:
My Father's World-Exploring Countries & Cultures (Geography/Science Unit Study)

B1 (14 year old, 8th grd)
Learning Language Arts Through Literature ~B2 is also using this and I love it!  It give a dose of all concepts of Language Arts in one lesson.  Each lesson can be done in 5 days or less and the teacher guide is very user friendly.  I love how it uses classical selections of literature to study grammar.~
Apologia-Exploring Creation with Physical Science ~This is a great science textbook! So far I am pleased with it because my 14 yo picks it up when she is bored because it is "good reading"!!  Mr. Wile has written these books to the student and makes it fun and enjoyable to read.  If you want a lesson plan for it, go to Donna Young where she has put in countless hours to create a easy plan to follow...and it's free (bless her heart)!~
Saxon-Algrebra 1/5 w/Saxon tutorial CDs ~This is a great Maths textbook!!  The best thing about Saxon is its tutorial CDs. Oh how I would have loved to have these when I was in school. :)~
Spanish (through our homeschool group)

B2 (9 year old, 4th grd)
Learning Language Arts Through Literature ~This is also the curriculum that I decided to go back to. There are many personal reasons that I abandoned this years ago when B1 was using it.  One day I'll tell you about it.  This time though, when I reviewed it, I found it to not be as daunting as I thought it to be! I'm actually ordering the Blue edition (1st grd) for B3 & B4 because they are ready to move on!~
Alpha Omega-Horizons Math ~B2 loves Math and she never complains when it is time to get this book out.  The Teacher Guide is a handy tool and has extra worksheets that can be copied for additional practice.  I am also ordering the 1st grd books for B3 & B4 because they are ready for more math~
Spanish (through our homeschool group)

B3 (6 year old, K grd) & B4 (5 year old, K5)
Learn at Home Grade K ~This is pretty neat because it has the entire week laid out for you on a two page grid.  The overview of the subjects at the beginning is helpful as well. However, it has a very Montessori flavor to it and some of the hands on activities are, in my view, not necessary and can be done with less mess. LOL  I do like the worksheets though and the kids have really enjoyed the work.~
Scholastic Success with Kindergarten ~This is a really good workbook for extra work and review.  I actually ripped this book apart and turned it into smaller sections, i.e., ABCs/Writing/Numbers/Basic Concepts, and so on.  I did this because it is a very thick book and it seemed to overwhelm my kids because they thought they had to do the whole book at once!~

Planning for B3 & B4 was a little tricky this year because I didn't think that B4 would be able to keep up with B3, but he has done an awesome job!  I'll admit that at the beginning of the school year, he didn't want to cooperate and his motor skills were lacking for writing.  Now, he gets his work done faster than B3 sometimes and is a little more motivated than her too!  Even though he is not really 1st grade age, I think he will be able to keep up, and if he doesn't, he can always slow down and review. I just love how each child is different and how I've been able to help them all find their own way of learning things!

I'm really glad I've posted this for you, because it has also helped me to do a little review and map out in my mind the rest of the year and plan for the next school semester!  I'm sure I'm missing some books that I really like and want to tell you about, but for now thit is the core of what we are using.

Thanks for stopping by to hear the buzz!

So, to catch you up on what has been happening around the hives, I thought I would post some pictures.  They are worth 1,000 words you know!  Enjoy :)

Seeking shelter during a storm...aaawwww. Taking this picture reminded me 

of how badly the front porch needs cleaning and painting!

B4 breaking a move during play practice!!

B 2,3,& 4 during one of the practices for the Christmas play!!

B3 turns 6!!!!

B4 turns 5!!!!

And this is when I realized that the last 

of my brood have now turned 5.

B2 in a tree.

B1 turns 14 (don't remind me how close she is to driving...please)!!!!!!!!!

B4 survived the first year of playing football.  He did an awesome job 

considering he is just a wee thing!!

B3 & B4 are WIPED OUT!!!  For those who homeschool...you know 

what a day at classes are like!!!  Today was BUSY BUSY BUSY!!!!

He's going to be so mad at me when he gets older. ;)

So!  Hope you enjoyed the pictures and all the 1,000's of words they used to tell you about the buzz going on here at the hive.  Visit again soon! :)

It has been so long since I've done ANYTHING with this blog, so I've decided to do some construction on it. So if you come to a link that is no longer active...you know why.  There is so much that I want to share...but can't figure out where to start...so in a way I'm starting over!  Be on the lookout for the buzz on what's happening (and has been happening) at the hive to be posted soon.  Until then, have a sweet as honey day!!!

My big teenage baby bee

This past Wednesday, February 9th, was the 13th birthday of my first baby bee.  So, I now know what it feels like to see your brood grow up, right in front of your eyes.  All I did was blink.  I'm still trying to focus on how fast these years have flown by us...and all I can see right now is a wonderful sight.

She is a beautiful young lady now and becomes more beautiful each day.  Not just on the outside, but on the inside so much more.  She has a mental maturity that surpasses her age and a compassionate heart for all walks of life.  She says she wants to be a Medical Assistant/Nurse, and I think that would suit her just fine.  She has time though to search for what she really is, and I'm not rushing her at all.  I've learned just how fast my brood is growing, and before long, this hive will be empty.  So, enjoy your busy bees, and surround yourself with their laughter, their silliness, their teachable moments, their tantrums, their messes, their attitudes, their finger prints on your walls, and most of all, their sweet sticky love.  Hold on tight.

I couldn't find the #1 candle (from YEARS ago), so I used a patriotic candle

with a star on the top...for the star of the day! 

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY, B1!

B4 Turns 4!

Our little B4 turned 4 on Tuesday!  I asked him on Monday night what he wanted for his birthday breakfast, and of course he wanted "those muffins with the sugar on top"! That seems to be a tradition around here these days. 

Making a wish with big sister by his side!  These two are a mess lately. 

Can't let them out of my sight for two seconds!!!

Getting a call from daddy on his big day. :)

Papaw was even there asking him if he wanted to go to Tractor Supply...he said "No, I have to many tractors and toys already". ?????  What boy has too many toys or tractors?  I believe he thought he was going to miss something if he didn't stay home and play all day. LOL

All my babies are growing up...but they'll always be my baby. :)

Happy Birthday B4!!!

From our home to yours...