Inspiring Jibberjabber

Online Story Links

2012-01-31T14:42:00.002-06:00

Online storybooks are a great way to entertain your kids and enhance their learning. My kids love to read and listen to stories about far away lands, animals, and just about anything else. We try to find the ones that are free, of course. Here are some good online story websites. Please use your discretion and make sure stories are appropriate for your kids.
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In our Lives...

2012-01-27T11:45:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe January is nearly over. It seems like this month has been hard. We have had a hard time getting back on track after the holidays with our daily schedule. So, we are trying to make some changes, and just not stress out about it. I realize how quickly our school year will end, and since this is Jellyfish' 5th grade year, I feel even more pressure to make sure he's getting what he needs.
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Mystery Of History Timeline

2012-01-26T11:16:00.002-06:00

If you've never heard of the Mystery of History....it is a comprehensive history curriculum that covers history from a Biblical standpoint. It is full of activities, information, activities, and worksheets that contribute to learning. We began last year with the first volume which starts at the Creation. This year we are doing the second volume, and we still love it. We are
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Blog How-to's

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

I started this blog with NO experience in website design. I just knew I wanted my blog to look good, and be organized where people could easily access information. Although I'm sure my blog would look better with a professional designer, I have learned a lot in the past few years, and changed my blog around a million times. It can be very frustrating at times, but there are lots of tutorials out there on the web that are pretty easy to follow. Here are some of the tutorials that I like to keep handy.

What kind of Learner are You?

2012-01-17T11:30:00.003-06:00

If you're not sure about the difference between left brain thinkers and right brain thinkers, then this graphic may help you out. As a homeschool family, it is good to understand how each of your children think, as well as yourself. It not only effects how you learn, but also how you teach. Take a look!

More Changes: Part 2

2011-12-01T11:59:00.000-06:00

I told you about our schedule change last week. Our second change was our schoolroom. When its pretty outside, you will find us at the table on our deck most of the time. Sometimes we curl up in the recliner...my kids are still small enough to fit one on each chair arm. But you may remember our schoolroom with our large white table....well, I asked my husband to cut it in half last Saturday...and this is what we came up with.
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Thanksgiving Units

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is seemingly forgotten by the media, swallowed up by Halloween, and overtaken by Christmas decorations, but I love Thanksgiving because it simple, and reminds us of our Christian heritage!

Making Changes: Part 1

2011-11-21T10:48:00.001-06:00

No matter how much you plan, pray, and organize, change takes place constantly when you're homeschooling. There's comes a point where you have to realize things are not working as they should, and admit CHANGE is necessary.
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Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond

2011-11-04T10:56:00.001-05:00

Spring for Susannah is a simple, romantic story that begins with trouble. Susannah is sent across the country to live with a man she doesn’t know. The story takes place in the 1800s in the Dakota Territory. Her life on the prairie is much different than her delicate lifestyle back in the city. Read more »

Planet Explorers: Chicago

2011-11-03T11:36:00.000-05:00

Laura Schaefer, an accomplished author, has written a series of books called Planet Explorers. These books highlight some attractions and facts about the city you choose, and are geared toward kids ages 8 through 12. The books are available for download for only $2.99 each. We were excited to get the Chicago book to review.
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Our new schedule: 2011-12

2011-10-14T11:32:00.000-05:00

Yes, we made some changes....about two months into the school year! We're going to a four day week, with special classes on Friday. Here's a sample of our week:
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Potluck Recipe

2011-10-01T17:38:00.001-05:00

We had a family reunion today...which is always fun and exciting! I came away with a new recipe that would be great for a potluck. I'm actually making it for our "Friend Day" potluck at church tomorrow. It's a Taste of Home recipe...always good! It's easy and only takes a few ingredients.

It's called Cheesy Creamed Corn.

Happy cooking!

5 Reasons I Blog

2011-09-17T14:11:00.000-05:00

I have been contemplating the reasons for my blogging adventures. I have no computer skills really. Everything I've learned about blogging has been totally painful and learned through trial and error. I love to write, but can't really imagine that I have anything to offer in the way of wisdom. I have sooooo much going on in life, sometimes my blog gets left on the back burner. Why do I keep blogging?
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A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers: Review

2011-09-15T14:47:00.000-05:00

We are musical people in our house. I play the piano, and I'm teaching Jellyfish to play also (although he never lets me forget how badly he wants to play the violin). My little one sits at the piano and "plays" and sings to the top of her lungs. Still, we've never done a true music history curriculum . I've always wondered if there was a curriculum out there to introduce kids to composers.

Art History Timeline

2011-09-05T17:45:00.010-05:00

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS (3000 BC - 331 BC) Egyptian Art 3200 - 1070 BC
Amarna Art 1370 - 1340 BC
Mesopotamian Art 3500 - 331 BC
Sumerian/Akkadian 3500 - 1750 BC
Assyrian/Neo-Babylonian 1000 - 539 BC
Persian 539 - 331 BC
Aegean Art 3000 - 1100 BC
Minoan (Crete) 3000 - 1475 BC
Mycenean (Greece) 1650 - 1100 BC
Greek Art 800 - 323 BC

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Time to Hop

2011-09-02T17:19:00.008-05:00

I'm hopping around from one blog to the next today....

Art Lessons: Elements

2011-09-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

I posted earlier in the summer about my dilemma over teaching Jellyfish Art lessons. I found this Art curriculum called

Homeschool Physical Education Ideas

2011-09-01T15:39:00.000-05:00

For most of our homeschool subjects, I keep a plan book with a daily record of our activities. I also use Homeschool Tracker to keep track of our hours, resources, and subjects. But, what about Physical Education?
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Goodbye August

2011-08-30T15:59:00.000-05:00

August has been a hot and busy month. Early in the month we saw temps over 100 with heat indexes near 120! That's way too hot for me! Things are starting to cool off (a little) and prove that fall is just around the corner.

Toddlers: Letter A, week 1

2011-08-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

We started tot school last week and Millie loves playing the "games", as she calls it. We started with letter Aa. Since they are laminated, I let her hold them and play momma/baby with them. We will add more things to our board as she progresses. I got the idea over at 1+1+1=1. You can also print off the weather cards there. The rectangular color poster in the middle came in a package from the Dollar Tree.

This was our activity/skill plan for the week.

Need Some Encouragement?

2011-08-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Do you need some encouragement as fall approaches? As a parent, we often feel inadequate when dealing with our kids. Here are some places of encouragement that have helped me this week.
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The History of Homeschooling

2011-08-19T10:11:00.007-05:00

Homeschool is not a new thing! It's been around for many years. More and more people are choosing to homeschool for a variety of reasons, many out of disgust with our current school system.
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First Day of School: pics and more!

2011-08-15T15:50:00.002-05:00

Today was our FIRST day of school for the 2011-12 school year. It's always exciting the first day, and I wish I could somehow unleash that excitement throughout the year, as the days get longer and longer.
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How to Homeschool in 5 Easy Steps

2011-08-13T17:22:00.002-05:00

Homeschool-To provide educational instruction in the home, outside the institutional setting.

It’s so simple, yet so complicated at times. Education begins at birth and seems to come naturally as a mother encourages her baby to suck the bottle, respond to cooing, reach for a toy, and eventually sleep through the night. Babies DEMAND our time. As a child gets older, they slowly become more

Tot School Planning

2011-08-09T14:53:00.002-05:00

I am starting this year with a little one who is ready to learn. I've been reading lots of preschool blogs and trying to come up with a "plan" about how to handle a two year old learner. So, being my usual organized self, I finally have a plan...we'll see how it works.

I bought a couple of these cool (6.2 quart) totes from Wal-mart....