Wow. It's been over a year since my last post! Both my husband, and my dear friend, asked me not too long ago if I was still posting because they haven't been getting anything. King Bee even steered me away from a page I was on one day over to my shortcut to the blog. I figured that must be a clue to get back to buzzing. Honestly, so much has happened in the past year that I totally forgot about blogging most days. I mean, when you are trying to help your #1 daughter plan a wedding, well, all other things get put on the back-burner.

Yes, you heard me right, I'm a mother-in-law now! We are parents in-law!! I'm happy for our girl. Even though Jessica is18 and young, I feel she was sent a blessing in her husband. Jacob is currently serving in the military as a Marine and we're very proud of his accomplishments so far. He and I totally get punny jokes and have help Jessica to understand them better! LOL

I'll post an update soon on the events surrounding our oldest getting married and how it changed me as a mother. Things like these always do and there isn't a thing you can do except embrace it (don't worry, no little Jessica or Jacobs yet! 😉)

Oh, and BTW, I still feel the same way as I did in the last post. The beginning of the school year brought out all of those people who jump up and down and yell out to the world that the kids are back in school and out of their hair. I get it though, sometimes you want to eat your young, or put them in military school. You just have to weight whether or not you want to wear an orange jumpsuit for the rest of your life, or if you want to sell all of your belongings on military school tuition!!!! Seriously, when you start to feel like it is a constant battle to keep a civil relationship with your kids, it probably means you are needing a break, or you are pushing the kid against the grain and will just end up ripping a whole in the fabric of your relationship with said child. Don't neglect these situations, pray over it, meditate about it, go get your hair and nails done, then go get yourself the biggest pumpkin spice latte you can find!!!! You cannot refill your kids skippy cups if your own pitcher is empty.

Are We Fostering A Bad Attitude?

I hate this time of year.  Not because Summer has decided it has had enough of the heat (like me), and will be making an exit soon.  Not because Fall is peeking their pretty eyes through the trees at me reminding me that Winter is on the way.  Oh and certainly not because my brood , and the King Bee, have already started reminding me how many days until Christmas there are (a bunch of meanie heads I tell you!) The thing that gets me is this "YIPPEEEEEE my kids are no longer in my hair" mentality that comes from so many moms on social media.

As you know my dears, we HOMESCHOOL.  So we don't have to do the Back-to-School shopping, meetings and paperwork with the school, or the consoling the kid who is anxious over a new teacher or a notorious "bad" teacher.  But what I do have to deal with is this:

Today, while thumbing through my Facebook, the picture above came across from a friend who liked and shared it. Now looking at this, you can understand that the Mom is VERY excited about something. At a second glance, you see the kids are not partaking in Mom's enthusiasm. This is a picture of normalcy that many parents in the world are taking this month.

Not me. I'm relishing in the fact that I get to spend so much time with my kids. It's a opportunity that not many families can choose to have and I'm thankful that ours can. I try to not judge parents who express this type of joy, but it is very very difficult some days...like today. I hear so many parents say they can't wait to get their kids out of their hair when they know school starts in 3 days! I often think to myself, "Self, I bet those kids can't wait to get her out of their hair too!" But then I feel a teensy bit of remorse for my judgmental ways and go eat some chocolate.

It's not rocket science though to understand that many of our children's bad attitudes toward their parents come from attitudes like what we see above. I know that when I see a change in my kids behaviors I eventually start looking to myself and usually find that my attitude toward them (or life in general) is the cause of whatever issue we are having with each other. And believe me, being in the house with your kids, and sometimes the husband, can cause some major attitude failures for Mom. It's a tough Love situation everyday of a mom's life if she is doing it right. I guess that is one of the reasons we see so many pictures like the one above. Tough Love is hard to deal with and trying to do it on a day-in and day-out basis is exhausting for public school and homeschooling moms alike.

I encourage all moms to take a look at your attitude, and your heart, when you see that your kids are having some respect and attitude issues toward you...or toward life too! It may just be that you (and me) are fostering this environment and we need to check our self before we wreck our self! You are the BOMB cause you are the MOM!

Joy is a weapon we use to fight life's battles!

-Margaret Feinberg

(I mean seriously...look at the oldest child in that picture. Does she not have that look on her face that says, "I'm just as excited to get away from her as she is from me!") 

Homeschool rule #2: Have fun

In order for the kids to start lessons back after lunch today, I was asked to play a round of hide-and-seek. Homeschool rule #2: Have fun.

There is nothing wrong with having a little fun while doing your homeschool thang! It not only helps to let off steam that you or the kids have built up over the course of the day, it also helps to create memories! How many kids do you know who will remember how their parent played hide-and-seek with them right before Grammar lessons!?

I realize you are just starting out your year and your new "school" schedule, and it probably doesn't include "fun time". Well my advice to you is don't put it in there! Wake up every day and tell that task master in your head that fun will happen even if she tries to schedule around it!

You are a unique Mom with a unique opportunity to make unique memories! Do it and have fun!

Taming the Math Monster with Teaching Textbooks

Math. Need I say more? That prickly, icky, stinky monster called Math has a arch rival, and it's name is Teaching Textbooks. Years ago, when I was just getting into the realm of homeschooling Middle School, I ran upon this beastie called Math. Up until that time I really didn't have any issues in dealing with Math. IT had always behaved quite well.

Then it happened. I went out and bought a used edition of a well known Math curriculum. It even had it's own tutorial CD with it. I had been warned to not purchase the CD-Rom that was not produced by the publishing company of the Math I had just bought. I was told it was just the answers and no extra help. So I listened. The first year was a pretty good one. My 8th grader was doing well at working independently on half of an Algebra (those who have researched math curricula, as well as used this math will understand my wording completely.)  The lady on the tutorial was helpful...except for going back and pointing out common mistakes made on particular processes that can be easily forgotten. I'm no expert on mathematics, but the materials we had used up until this point always had tips and helpful advice for the student who would forget to remember these steps and concepts.

The next year I found that even though I had purchased the next level of the same curriculum, the lady in the CD-Rom was totally different in how she worked Algebraic equations; and didn't bother to go over what step you may have missed if  you got the problem wrong. She basically wrote out what was already in the teacher's solutions manual, which I already had!.

Even though I got A's and B's in Alg I & II, it had been 25 years or better since sitting in a classroom and stuff in my brain has disappeared since then! King Bee, however, was a great help at teaching things that I got stumped on cause he is a brainiac when it comes to how to handle the Math beastie.

Once I realized this particular curriculum was not all that and a bag of fries, I started researching and complaining to friends. I was told of a thing called Teaching Textbooks. I went to the website many many times. The price was the one thing holding me back because I'd already put out good money for a book with a CD-Rom and regretted it. I really didn't want to go that route again; always looking over my shoulder at that Monster wondering when IT was going to wreck mine and my child's brain.

So in the past two years I've taken this beast by the horns and purchased the one thing that has tamed our Math Monster. TEACHING TEXTBOOKS!!!  I can not say enough good things about this curriculum. The student hears the same instructors voice throughout all grade levels. His style is inviting and clear. The student book is like a typical textbook, except the key concepts and information is highlighted for the student. This is a great help for the student who is just not good at taking notes or recognizing important info to make note of. The book is a little daunting though because of it's massive size, and so far this has been the case for Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 & 2, and Geometry. Geometry....UGH. A beast of a different breed entirely. However, my child is doing way better at it than I ever ever ever ever did. You will see once you start combing through the pages that they have given the student plenty of room to make extra notes, as well as room for working the problems. So don't let the size of the book throw you for a loop when you open the shipping box.

The process that they suggest using is to watch the lesson, do the problem, watch the tutorial for the problems missed. My process is a little different, which includes having my child read the lecture and lesson before in the actual book before doing any work on the laptop. To me this just helps the student to comprehend the concepts better.

I'm not even going to give you a list of pros for TT. You just need to hope on over to their site and check out what they have to offer for yourself. They've just updated their website and it's easier as ever to surf through their very organized information on their product.

Teaching Textbooks

*there are no affiliate links.
**Europeans need to beware of cookies...

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Weird, Unsocialized Homeschool Cat Named Buster

I was zombiefied this morning. That 8 hour drive yesterday from Jacksonville, NC yesterday has really played tricks on my mind and eyes. As I sat there at the dinning room table, enjoying being back at home and sinking in to my first cup of coffee, I see out of the corner of my eye our cat, Buster Bob, do the unthinkable. PLUCK A CAYENNE PEPPER FROM THEIR DRYING SPOT!

As you can see, the door on the side of our island (which needs a good painting) fell off months and months ago. I decided it was a great place to store and dry the peppers; never even thinking that Buster would entertain the idea of playing a game of cat and...peppermouse...?

He wasn't just bopping it around showing it who's boss. Noooo, he actually gnawed on the poor unsuspecting thing before he spit it out and slapped it away as if IT was the one who brought an offense to him; causing his hair to stand straight up!

Coffee nearly exited my nose when I saw this madness. Then I realized he's just a misunderstood, weird, unsocialized homeschool cat who has a passion that no other brick and mortar feline understands. And that's OK. One day he and his misunderstood, weird, unsocialized homeschool feline friends will rule the world and we'll all be better off for it.

I wonder what would have happened if he had decided to pick on the Habanero......

Never a dull moment. 

Thursday Thoughts

The picky eater will be the death of me.

I love hearing the oldest talk to the younger ones about her experiences in classes that she takes on Wednesday. Especially the funny stories.

I'm hearing the brood laugh at each other while they eat lunch. It's all worth it, whatever it is.

I need chocolate.

I wonder how I would do as an Virtual Administrative Assistant?

Why is the picky eater picky? She's just like the oldest child when she was that age.

Don't forget to put your make-up on before you go to the dentist to have your teeth drilled on.

Wonder what King Bee wants for dinner tonight?

See Queen Bee, this is the state of mind you get yourself into when you don't write stuff down on the calendar....why don't you trust your little android to help you with the stuff....if you're gonna be a VA you need to learn how....just don't destroy your phone again.

Don't forget to load new Math program onto laptop for B2!!  Did you put that in your planner?

I need wine, too.

So what if it's almost Friday.......

The crunches are paying off again. :)

Yesterday was very busy.

Remember chocolate and wine.

This Might Just Be The One!

This second semester is starting off well so far. I'm a little shocked and keep looking over my shoulder to see if a train is coming to wreck it all! I shouldn't feel that way though. I'm all prayed up about it and know that is the ONLY reason it's going smoothly. That and the fact that I have got to get my head out of the dirt and focus! So when I came across this beauty I thought to myself, "Self, This Might Just Be The One!!" A perfect planner for this homeschooling mama of four!

However, when it comes to homeschooling I don't believe with one ounce of my being that there is a perfect planner. Every single mom that I know always has questions as to how to plan their days and weeks of homeschooling. I read about it every day, and with 4 kids I've been asked how I do it many many times. I always stumble to answer that question because I'm not sure how I do it either!! Our schedule has slowed down greatly in the past few months, but I know that very soon it will get busy as bees on a warm Spring day!!

So let me tell you about this gem that I found, at Wal-Mart of all places. Not sure why I was even looking at planners cause I was pretty happy with the one I was using. Except for the fact that I had to tweek each month and week to reflect all the non-related homeschooling tasks that we have going on. What I'm using now is also a big chunk of a book and I am not comfortable carrying it with me when I need to. There were only two left and they were this shiny hot pink. I had looked at this same layout before in a smaller version but decided there just wasn't enough room for me. I don't write that small and when I look at the big picture, I want to see the flight plan of the brood when the busy season gets here.

   

The Day-timer website shows a purple and a green planner as well and there may have been a blue, which makes sense because the months are divided up into one color per quarter using the pink, purple, green, and blue. I was able to find the same colors in removable tabs and put the first letter of each month on the monthly calendar, using the coordinating colors for each quarter. There is something about putting together a planner that helps me to get my mind in the game. Maybe I'm a little OCD as well because coordinating colors makes me feel like the world is going to be ok! 

Here is the view for a blank slate each week. Look at the possibilities in which you could keep track of the many aspects of your life on this! You know you are a planner junkie when you see this and your heart skips a beat! 

Now feast your eyes on the filled in version that is specific to a homeschooling family. Well, mine at least. As you can see I have added subjects to the first shaded column which I believe was intended for Mom. I use the spaces above the grids for my area instead. I do not list all subjects everyday, but there is plenty of room to list the core subjects each day if I so desired. Being the first of the 2nd Semester, I didn't plan for each subject everyday to give more time for review and getting back into the routine again. I'll explain in an upcoming post more about how I'm approaching our current grade levels.

Believe me when I tell you that these pages do not reflect what is coming in the Spring with sports and all the activities that we hope to be doing with our support group. I'll have to add times for sports practices for 3 of the kids, piano lessons and classes on Wednesday for one, as well as fill up Saturday with game times for the 3 sports. Whew! I'm sure there is something I'm forgetting though.............

When you look at these pictures above you can see page numbers and notes on lessons. No, I did not pre-plan these page numbers and write them in before the work was done. I have for years tried to write out what my kids will be doing months from now, only to end up re-doing EVERYTHING I had written out in my planner, or completely wasting the space. I whittled it down to writing out only a couple of weeks, only to have to re-do those plans as well! Thank God someone invented the eraser and white-out. 

I guess our life is just too pliable like play-doh. Push in too hard on one side of the ball and you've changed the entire shape and look of it. That use to make me go red with frustration, but wisdom has taught me that it's all good and I need to chill out. My kids are learning and I see it everyday. 

I'll be talking more about that in the future as well.

I always felt jealous of the journal approach of homeschool planning that I would read about on other blogs, and now I know why. Because that is the method for me! I no longer plan ahead, I write down what they have done each day. That way the next time I open their book to see where they are at, all I have to do it look at the last thing I wrote down.

 When I plan a subject, however, I do go over it and make notes on a large sticky note and post it inside or outside the book to help me remember what needs to be done and when. Now, having said all this and giving you a glimpse into how I plan for lessons, I want you to realize that all this TAKES TIME and a little creative thinking on your part.. I've preached those words too many times to count to my friends and to myself. In my mind, Sunday was the perfect day to plan for next weeks lessons. And each Sunday I would crash or get distracted with hanging with the family or my crochet projects. Do you have a day that you always want to do your planning but it ALWAYS BACKFIRES?! If you do, trash the notion of that day being your planning day and pick another one.

Some families tend to do better flying by the seat of their pants and that is perfectly fine if it works. On the other hand, if you are thinking that maybe you need to start writing things down and keeping track of your family's chaos, I highly recommend this planner. Give me a month though and I'll give you an update on how it is working / or not working to contain our chaos. 

And yes, I've put this in a category of habits. If you want to feel like you have it all under control (don't laugh), then a habit this must become. 

They Are Cold Too

In light of yesterday's deep subject of quitting, I decided to give us stressed out homeschooling Mommas something funny to laugh at. Seriously though, these pets of ours can be quite warm when we are feeling down. :)

B# 4 is 8

Our littlest brood turned 8 years old this past Sunday....wait, what did I just say? 

That can't be correct!? WE BLINKED!!!! 

As he was sitting on my lap on Saturday night (picture of him giving the peace sign), I realized he would never ever be 7 years old again. He is my last 7 year old child. I took a long look at him, and while fighting back tears, realized he is growing up so fast! I use to think there were no differences in boys and girls but I have been proven wrong and I'll openly admit it! Boys are so much fun for a Mom who has tomboy genes! 

He is a answer to prayer because when I found out I was pregnant with him I knew that would be my last child. We already had 3 girls and I knew deep down my King Bee wanted and needed a boy. I'll never forget the day I asked God to give us a boy, and I'll never forget the day that my prayer was answered.

We are so thankful for this spirited bundle of boyishness and I know he will make someone a awesome husband one day (or else!) 

French Breakfast Muffins (a tradition for each birthday at our hive)

The recipe can be found on our From the Kitchen page.

Talking About Quitting

It's January...already. Another year flew right by and I don't think anyone caught a good glimpse at it. I know it sure seems that way to me. Time sure flies when you are having fun doesn't it?? However that picture above sure doesn't look like much fun is happening. For most homeschooling families, we are smack dab in the middle of the 2014/2015 school calendar. Many of us are taking this time to change things up and tweek curriculum (which many times means throwing it out the window.) Many of us are also struggling EVERYDAY with the chaos that Heidi St. John (click here to visit her post) describes in the titled post above. 

Hot tears began streaming down my face as I thought about all that I had on my plate besides homeschooling. “Why am I even doing this? Does it really matter? I hate this! I want to QUIT!” Not sure about you, but I've been there and have the t-shirt!

I have a bad habit of subscribing to all sorts of e-newsletters and never ever read them. All except for Heidi. I relate to so many of her posts and always come away from reading them feeling a lot better about myself. If you are in the middle of a storm in your homeschooling, keep on going because Heidi is right, it is ALL worth it. 

I lead a local homeschool group and have contact with a good number of families. I've had so many Mom's come to me lately talking of putting their children in public school because they are just so stressed and feel they can't take it anymore. I always get a sinking feeling when approached about that topic. I know from experience though that most of the time it is a Mom who just needs to vent about the current wave of chaos ensuing upon her home. I've had two Mom's in just as many days come to me with frustrating words of discouragement about the beginning of this next semester for their family.

Hey, Mom!!! We are going to have moments of extreme chaos run rampant through our home and set us so far back that we can no longer see the finish line. But don't stop. Take a breather. Take a long breather if you need to. If a problem area is your kids deceiving you about the work they finished (like what was going on in Heidi's schoolroom; as well as a dear friend of mine who just happened to message me about the same issue with one of her kids), take a disciplinary action to your kids. A public school teacher wouldn't put up with that, why should you? As a matter of fact you would be working with that teacher to correct the matter!  Deceit is a character issue that needs addressed and I have found that whatever issue I am having with my kids, whether it be not doing their work or not doing a task that has been given, is directly linked to me not making them accountable for their actions. 

My house will turn into a war zone if I don't hold my kids accountable for what I ask them to do. Many times I just do the task myself or put it on the back-burner, which then causes the house to become unrecognizable as a home, or the kids getting behind in school work or worse yet, me turning into a MOMSTER! 

If you are feeling like quitting...DON'T. Unless there are family circumstances that require you to put your children into public or private school, then you know that is the best option. Instead, take a big step back and re-assign family priorities. Design a cleaning routine that helps to manage the clutter and dust bunnies because no one lives in a museum 24/7. Look at how you homeschool and totally do it differently (especially if you are mimicking standards and methods of public school.) Look, I'm not here to tell you how to run your homeschool or how to raise your family. But from experience I can tell you that the way I manage anything related to my family is the cause of any chaos that takes over our space. Yes, that hurts. But quitting because of my lacking would hurt worse. 

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.
Philippians 3:12-13

Awesome Mashup!!

Y'all know how much I love Star Wars and to be all mashed up with Calvin and Hobbes is just phenomenal! I really must get my comic books out and encourage the little brood to read them. Well..... maybe not B#4. I can see him trying to do all the "fun" stuff that Calvin does!

Have a fantastic Friday and remember to try and not act like a Grinch during the last few days before Christmas!!!

TOS Summber Celebration Bundle

To celebrate the coming of Summer, TOS has offered a great bundle to keep your little, and big, minds active while having some fun too! I just ordered mine and can't wait to download the free files and get started. I'm really looking forward to the Zombie Ants in the Curiosity Files!

You don't want to miss out on this great deal!!!

HAPPY HAPPY SUMMER!!!!! 

What happened!???

Did ya miss me? Have you wondered what happened to me and where I went??  Well, here is the buzz. A while back I logged on to my blog to start on a post, and a lot ( I mean A LOT) of my pictures are gone!!!!!!!!!  Talk about being ill. I have never been so physically ill over something like that before and it put a big 'ol damper on my enthusiasm to continue this blog. But I did put a lot of effort into the posts and I guess that didn't register with me until I saw all the empty spots where pictures use to be.....

Live and learn I guess...just never link, then delete your Picasa back up photos to your blog....at least I think that is what happened. So, I am starting to search for the missing pics on my hard drive, my flash drives, and might even go back into some old floppy drives (yes, I am that old!!)  Do you know how many pictures there are to go through....do you!!!!????  At least I have the what, where, when, and who's of the posts saved here so I can do some sort of process of elimination. So be patient as you scroll, I am trying to fix this mess as well as add new stuff!!

The Power of Moms

It's been a crazy several weeks.  B1 is piecing together her musical talents with the piano and recently played a song for our church. B2 is a typical 11 year old where everything bores her; however she has been a adamant defender of stray kittens convincing me of the possibility of her being a veterinarian one day. B3 is off and running with soccer, and doing quite well at defense, I will add. B4 is tackling football head on and playing a few positions to his coaches (his dads) satisfaction.

Along with all the above is the up and running homeschooling support group that I help organize. We took an intentional low key approach to last year and we are better for it. There are now quite a few families attending functions ranging from Spanish classes each week, field trips (two this month!), and some good ole' fashioned fellowship. Oh how we love to fellowship with each other like we did today at the park!!

There is power in the fellowship we share. It is a surge of contentment at the end of each week to see those pretty faces (adults face other than my own and my King Bee's) and to hear about their current struggles and praises that they share with the group. It's refreshing to be with like minded Moms. One might get a little bored with seeing the same faces each week. No Not I. It is an honor to have the opportunity to learn and grow with these Moms. I always come away from our meetings knowing that it was time well spent. If you don't have a group that you feel comfortable with, I encourage you to find one. There is power in a good group of Moms!!

Work Day Wednesday

What day is it?? Yes you silly camel I know it is hump day!!!!! In this homeschooling home, however, it is Work Day Wednesday. On the first Wednesday of the month I make it a fun day ;) and have the brood work around the house to straighten up areas (THEIR ROOMS) that need attention. 

B 1, 2 & 3 working in 2 & 3's room

I also use that day to work on re-organizing projects that I've had floating around my head. I'm in the process of cleaning out the downstairs Kitchen/Sewing Room/Craft Room/Canning Room/Sometimes School Room. I know how that room feels having to wear so many hats. So I'm in the planning stages of cutting back on the duties I expect that room to accomplish.  I feel that we sometimes try to overuse a space just like we overuse people, and ourselves! We think that if it (we) can hold and handle all the stuff that we can stack into it, that it is functioning at normal capacity. I've minimized a lot of duties that I use to have stacked on top of me, and I'm a much better homeschooling Mamma for it. It's liberating having all this extra space in my brain! 

So if you walk into a room in your house and walk right back out of it because it overwhelms you and you don't know where to begin, dive in head first! Set aside a day that you (AND YOUR KIDS) can work together to create a more relaxed environment. When you are done you will have the satisfaction of getting a job done that was stressing you out, as well as teaching your kids life skills. 

Happy Work Day Wednesday!!!

Why not?!

Today during my daily "Hey how you doing?" phone call from the King Bee/Principle, he told me to take the kids swimming. His logic was that we will be shutting it down soon anyway, better enjoy it!!

After hearing all the honey-do items he was requesting of me as well, I jokingly replied "I guess school won't get done today (chuckle.)" There was no grumble or frantic buzzing from him after my reply, so here we are!  So, Who said we can't do school by the pool?? What better classroom do we have than the great outdoors around us???

Take a day this week to have "school" in a different place than usual. Watch a fresh perspective of learning cross their face. I assure you it will be worth it. :)

USS North Carolina Part 2