Wonderfully Chaotic

Get Busy Living

2012-05-23T13:51:00.001-04:00

Things that make me smile: fresh picked flowers from my hubby and cards from my kiddos.

I know I've been sparsely blogging recently and there are a few reasons for that. I was feeling kind of glum and down in the dumps after all the stress we went through towards the end of April. I just didn't really feel like blogging. I've been sick - well, if you want to get technical I'm not actually sick, just having trouble with my ears but I almost think I'd rather have a cold or the flu or something else...but I'm on the mend so I can't complain. We've also been having problems with our internet so I wasn't able to get online at all for awhile but those are all fixed now. (And hopefully they'll stay fixed!) I also *may* have went a little overboard on our schedule...

Although we're no longer babysitting, we're still doing our regular schoolwork and chores (of course!) and Zeke also has baseball games and practices three to four nights a week. I've enrolled him in swimming lessons for two weeks and then Mini 4-H Camp, which is a week long day camp, for the week after that. On top of that, we have a graduation open house we're hosting, my step-daughter and other family staying with us, the upcoming wedding of my cousin and his fiancee where Ellie will have her first stint as flower girl, a giant garden to attend to, and the state Republican convention hubby & I will be attending. Plus church, the random other things I've probably forgotten about, and something else I'll talk more about later. At least no one can say we're unsocialized homeschoolers, right?!

On a more serious note: Even though I am feeling a wee bit overwhelmed, I wouldn't have it any other way. All of these events and activities are things we'll enjoy. They'll be good memories made and time spent with family and friends. Plus, I just can't help but feel like I need to get busy living. I don't know why that is - maybe because of all the stress I had been feeling? For whatever reason, I just want to grab life by the horns and go. I feel like the changes I've made over the past few weeks have really helped me. I've cut out all pop, am eating less, and am making sure to get all the water I need every day. I reached a goal of losing five pounds - not a huge step for most people but I was happy. I've been putting down the phone & computer and getting in more good physical exercise every day...but I'm not pushing myself so much that I can't walk the next day. I have a tendency to do that when I start an exercise regimen - so I've not been focusing on "exercise." I've just been thinking of it as physical activity - the garden needs weeded, I'm going to run laps in the pool, the kids and I are going on a long walk, etc. I'm also trying not to focus on making myself tiny or skinny (which I'll never be) but just on feeling better and being healthier. School is going pretty well - we have our "off" days but we're progressing right along. Hubby is doing good and keeping busy. The kiddos are growing like weeds and learning new things every day. I'm feeling happy about this place I'm at right now. So bear with me over the next few weeks as my blogging may still be sparse...I'm still here, I'm just busy living.

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 5 - Conclusion

2012-05-18T10:31:00.000-04:00

I hope I've been able to share some things this week that have helped you in regard to Chaotic Homeschooling. We've discussed what it is, embracing the chaos and other solutions, personal stories, and some sanity savers. You can never really "plan" for the chaotic things that come our way in life but you can think ahead a little - and you alone can choose the attitude you have about it. Just this week alone, we've had a couple things happen that threw us a little out of our loop...but we press on!

My most favorite Bible verse sums up how we should strive to live our lives:

"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:11-13

Although it can be hard to do, we are to be content in all circumstances - chaotic, peaceful, or just average. I myself struggle with this and I imagine a lot of you do too because well, it's hard to feel good when things are falling down around you! I like that the verse says "content." That doesn't mean I have to say, "Yay! We're going through a crazy scary situation! Woohooo!" Instead, it makes me think more along the lines of, "Wow, this is a scary/bad situation...but it'll be okay. I have faith." Paul goes on to say in Philippians that, "...God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." God will give us the strength to persevere, even through the tough times. We're not promised an easy, chaos-free life - instead we are given hope and strength from the Lord!

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling is part of 5 Days of Blogging with The Homeschool Crew!

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 4 - Sanity Savers

2012-05-17T09:13:00.001-04:00

So far we've discussed what Chaotic Homeschooling is, different ways you can embrace it, and heard some personal stories about people who've dealt with it. On this fourth day of Chaotic Homeschooling, we're discussing those things that help you keep sane when you're at the end of your rope. Here's some of my favorite tips and tricks:

Pinterest - It's not only a good place to find recipes and craft ideas, it also has tons of great educational ideas. I have a whole board of homeschool resources that I've been slowly integrating into our homeschool. I also have another board called "Stuff for the Kiddos" that is full of easy crafts, projects, and other entertaining things that I dig into when they need a change or want something fun to do. If we've been having a particularly chaotic week, sometimes it's nice for the kids to relax and play with a fun craft.
Music - This might sound simple to some but music is one thing that helps me to keep calm in the midst of chaos. I love listening to classical music especially. I've also noticed that music can have an effect on my children as well - if we listen to something that's upbeat, they're more likely to be dancing around and jumping. On the other hand, if we listen to a ballad that's slow and lilting they often want to sit and listen, and it sometimes helps them to calm down.
"Dadddyyyyyy!" - My hubby is my biggest helper. He contributes to our homeschooling by reading aloud to the kids, teaching them life skills, and through history lessons. He also supports me in all my different endeavors and is glad to help out when I need a break, even if it's just for a little bit. He's never been one to complain about minding the kids. Okay, well I won't say he's NEVER complained but he's told me before they're his kids, it's not like he's babysitting - he's the Dad! :)
"Everybody elseeeee!" - In addition to my hubby, I also have family members who are ready and willing to help as needed. Since we spend so much time together, the kids sometimes get tired of me - they see me all the time and they need somebody different to hang out with for awhile! I don't mean every other day or anything like that but every once in awhile, it's nice for them to be able to spend the day having fun with their Aunt or to spend a night at Gramma & Papa's. It's also a nice refresher for Momma as well! :)
Prayer/Scripture - Daily prayers are a part of my routine but sometimes God gets an extra special prayer from me that's just a sentence or two, and I think he totally understands that. :) They're usually something along the lines of - "I'm not sure how I'm going to make it through the rest of this day...Lord, please help me!" Reading my Bible is also a *huge* help to me because God so often speaks directly to my troubled heart, such as when he impressed these verses upon my heart after I prayed one of those prayers: "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all..." (Psalms 34:17-19)

So now that you've heard my sanity savers, I'd like to hear about yours! What is your saving grace when everything is chaotic? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling is part of 5 Days of Blogging with The Homeschool Crew!

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 3 - Personal Stories

2012-05-16T07:55:00.000-04:00

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 3 - Personal Stories of Chaotic Homeschooling
On Monday, I gave you a brief overview of Chaotic Homeschooling and on Tuesday, I gave you some simple solutions. Today, I'm going to share some personal stories from my own life and from homeschool moms I've met that have experienced some pretty stressful situations.
In my own life, we've been through unemployment twice. (If you're interested, you can read more about that HERE.) My husband lost his job along with almost 30 other people at a job he'd been at for eight years, he was then unemployed for a year, got a new job and worked there almost a year, then was laid off as part of a reorganization/the economy, was unemployed again for several months, and then got a new job! So through that all we've experienced many different types of schedules and have really had to adapt at times. Whenever he's started a new job, I've tried to give us all a little slack until we start getting into our new groove. I go ahead and figure into my plan some "off" days where things may not go as planned.
A friend of mine is a whiz at managing her homeschool through pregnancy and new babies. She has multiple children, a super busy household, and is still very organized. She has a family binder & homeschool planner that she uses to keep up with everything - and let me tell you, she makes it look effortless! I know that she does have things that get her down but planning ahead really seems to help her keep it all together. When preparing for pregnancy, she also prepares things for her other children - busy bags, lesson plans, unit studies - that she'll have at the ready for those days when morning sickness overwhelms her. Once her baby is born, she figures in sometime for everyone to get adjusted and then starts back slowly. Her older children are a big help but she also baby wears and practices breastfeeding so she'll be a little bit more available to her other children - to listen to them read, to watch them as they work, etc.
A family I know have for several years now had to deal with a child's crippling illness - the child is very ill and wheelchair bound. They've spent months at hospitals and are constantly running to doctor appointments and specialist visits. In addition to that, they're also homeschooling and they have several other children that are involved in their own activities and sports. They've also had to completely redo most of their home and have gained considerable debt. When the child was first diagnosed, it really turned their life upside down. However, they continually amaze me with their organization and faith. One thing that is a giant help to them is that they have a wonderful network of family, friends, and church members that support them, and assist them when needed - chauffeuring kids around, cooking meals, running errands, etc. Another thing that helps them is that they use online homeschooling programs that grade the children's work for them and emails them progress reports.
Do you have any personal Chaotic Homeschooling stories? How did (or do) you manage? Feel free to share your stories and thoughts in the comments! :)

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling is part of 5 Days of Blogging with The Homeschool Crew!

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 2 - Embrace the Chaos

2012-05-15T07:45:00.000-04:00

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 2 - Embrace the Chaos...and other solutions!

Yesterday, we briefly covered some of the situations that can add chaos to your life. I was going to do a post today that discussed the way stress and chaos can affect us but I imagine you all know how those kinds of things make you feel - fatigued, sad, negative, angry, or even physically sick. So what is a homeschool mom to do when she feels like everything's falling down around her but there are still children that need taught and lesson plans that need made? Here are some ideas:

Take a step back. There's nothing wrong with taking a temporary break. Illness, the death of a loved one, or a brand new work schedule can be so stressful that sometimes you just need to remove yourself from "homeschool momma mode" and refocus. I've done this myself before. Sometimes a day (or even a week!) of recharging is just what the doctor ordered. And that doesn't mean you have to just "quit school cold turkey" either! Just do a light day of work or a small unit study. Even if you're just read a book together, do a puzzle, and then send them outdoors to play - give your mind a little break and then get back on track.
Ask for help. Easier said than done, right? Perhaps. Asking for help can be hard because it's kind of like admitting that you've messed up or that you're not perfect - but hey, guess what? That's okay! None of us are perfect and we're all going to require help at some point in time. Telling someone how you feel or that you need advice can do wonders for your stressed self. Not only does it relieve your mind, but just hearing someone tell you "It's okay" or "I'm listening" can make a world of difference. Talk it out with your husband, mom or dad, best friend, aunt, whoever you know you can talk to about homeschooling. No one comes to mind? How about the internet? There are many websites, blogs and Facebook pages that are chock full of experienced homeschool mommas that you can ask for advice or just commiserate with, like Hip Homeschool Moms, The Homeschool Lounge, The Busy Homeschool Mom, and The Old Schoolhouse.
Embrace the chaos. One of the absolutely wonderful benefits of homeschooling is that you can do what works for your family. If you're not morning people, you don't have to do school in the morning! If you want to do chores before schoolwork, then by all means do it! Some children work better by working for short sessions (10, 15, or 20 minutes at a time) with breaks in between while others would rather get all their work done in a few hours. Go with what works best for your family's schedule and lifestyle! It's also good to remember that a lot of different life skills or practical lessons can be learned through chaotic times - I'm always looking for ways I can bring "school" into our everyday life, like when we go on walks, when we're running errands, etc. That applies to chaotic times too! Have a new baby in the house? Why not give some practical lessons on how to take care of a baby, conduct "experiments" on which toys the baby responds to, or read books with your older children on how babies grow, develop, and learn?

So to sum up, what can you do when you're faced with a period of chaotic homeschooling? It's okay to take a step back and regroup for a bit. If you need to ask for help or confide in someone that you're struggling, that's okay too! And most importantly, don't feel that you have to follow a cookie cutter mold of what a homeschooling family should or shouldn't do - do what works best for you and your family!

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling is part of 5 Days of Blogging with The Homeschool Crew!

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 1 - What Is It?!

2012-05-14T09:01:00.000-04:00

All this week I will be participating in The Old Schoolhouse Crew's 5 Days of... Blog Hop! 60+ crew members will be writing on all different types of topics - home management, discipline, cooking, different types of homeschooling, gardening, crafts, preschool, hints on homeschooling subjects like history and science - and so much more! There's something for everyone to enjoy. Be sure to check out the *BIG* post HERE on the Crew Blog that links you to all the individual blogs! (You can also click the button at the top of this post to get there!)

5 Days of Chaotic Homeschooling: Day 1 - What Is It?! As the name of my blog suggests, things are often chaotic here in our household! When this blog hop was announced I tried to think of something I had authority on and could write about with ease - this was the first thing that came to my mind! I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, though...oh well! :)
Chaotic Homeschooling is schooling - and surviving! - through life's unexpected ups & downs and chaotic situations. Homeschooling just by it's self can be a challenge but when you add to it the curve balls life sometimes throws at us, it can be downright crazy! What types of situations do I mean exactly? Well, each family has it's own set of life challenges but here are some that can throw your homeschool (and life!) into turmoil:

Job loss, unemployment or a new job
Death or an extended illness
Financial difficulties
Pregnancy, a new baby and/or the adoption process
Other new family members or pets
Moving
Erratic schedules (because of work, activities or otherwise)
Any other types of unexpected situations or changes

We have experienced several of these situations ourselves and have learned a lot from them. Over the next few days, I will be sharing my insights on them and the wisdom I've gleaned from other homeschool moms that have been through some really tough times. I'll also be sharing what our Heavenly Father has to say about them and how we can survive and even thrive in tough times!

TOS Review: Homeschool Library Builder

2012-05-09T09:26:00.000-04:00

Our family loves books. When we go to the library, we usually check out at least seven books. Usually more! And that's just for a week or so! Everybody in our house is always reading something. And as homeschoolers, we use many different kinds of books for our schooling - for history read alouds, pleasure reading, learning to read practice/readers, reference books...the list goes on. When the library doesn't have the books we require, it can be expensive to purchase them - so a website who's tagline is: "Fill your bookshelves without emptying your wallet!" sounds a-ok to me! :)

Homeschool Library Builder is a website that offers tons of different kinds of books at cheap prices. Their website is very easy to navigate. You can search for books by curriculum (such as Heart of Dakota, Five in a Row, Sonlight, etc.), by your child's age or just by genre. They also have a Vintage/Hard to Find category which is good for those difficult to locate living books. I browsed through the website for quite awhile and they did have really low prices, compared to other places I have looked at.

When you subscribe to their free newsletter, you'll gain access to a free e-book, children's activities, and a note of encouragement. If you choose to become a member of their website (it's free also!), you then have the opportunity to earn book points (each dollar you spend earns you a book point & 15 book points = $1) through a variety of ways, and you'll receive emails about their specials and sales before they happen. Be sure to check out their website - during the month of May all items are 25% off their already low prices!

Disclosure: This is an informational review as part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew. If you'd like to see what other Crew members thought of this, please go here.

Casting All My Cares

2012-05-01T01:13:00.000-04:00

Whenever I'm sad or mad or frustrated, I write. (Assuming I have something to write with or on.) I feel that I'm much more adept at getting out what I truly want to say by typing or writing. The actual speaking of words doesn't always come so easily to me. I much prefer writing - and such is the case right now. I haven't done an update in about a week or so and there's a good reason for that. I've been putting it off for several days because we've been so busy but now I have some spare moments to actually share some thoughts. Please excuse them if they're disjointed - it's been a long weekend. I got a bit long winded so click "read more" below to do just that.

My Grandpa passed away Thursday in the early afternoon. I wrote on here about when he first got cancer (I Hate You, Cancer) and I wrote an update about him at Christmas time. I even have a recent draft of an update on him entitled, "I Still Hate You, Cancer." But I guess I'll never get to finish my thoughts on that now. I do still hate cancer, in case you're wondering. I think it's a horrible, terrible disease. It strikes and it seems like whatever can happen, will happen to the person who is affected by it. I hate how it chips away at a person until they're a hollow shell of their former self. My Grandpa's started out as bladder cancer but progressively got worse and worse until it eventually worked it's way into his entire body, even within his bones.

When I was younger, I imagined my Grandpa as the Marlboro Man. That seems silly to me now because I don't ever remember seeing my Grandpa smoking (I don't know that he ever did?) and I don't recall him wearing cowboy hats. He was a trucker for many years and wore all sorts of hats from different trucking companies but never a cowboy hat. I suppose it's possible that he might have at some point in time. Regardless, I think that connection came from the Westerns he loved to read and the stoic, stern nature he had. When Grandpa spoke up, you listened. And if he yelled, you better knock it off.
As I grew up though, I realized that my Grandpa had a very soft and caring side - he just showed it in a different way. People often told me about how he bragged on me when I wasn't around. When I was a preteen/teenager and would come over to visit, he would go get the four-wheeler out without my asking because he knew I wanted to ride it. And when I had my son, the first great-grandchild, Grandpa and Grandma had just left to go camping in Southern Indiana...so he turned right around and headed back. That was a big deal because my Grandpa loved camping and traveling with his RV.
I admire my Grandpa for staying very alert and with it until the very end. Every time we went up to visit, he knew who was there visiting with him. The last time in fact, he insisted the kids take some things he wanted them to have - balloons and a little Gideon's Bible for Zeke. When we left, I had a horrible feeling that we would not see him again this side of heaven but brushed it off as an overreaction. Just a few short days later he was gone.
I have been dealing with a lot of emotions this past weekend. Of course I'm sad that he's gone. I knew that it would happen eventually, but that still doesn't make it any easier. And I worry about my Grandma and how she will cope.
Mostly though, I've just felt mad. It seems strange to me, almost irrational in a way...but I've just felt this overwhelming feeling of anger at the world. I'm angry that Grandpa was taken away from his kids - even though they're grown, they're still his kids - and that my Dad no longer has a "Daddy". Although I know it'll happen someday, I can't even begin to imagine losing my Dad. I'm angry that my Grandpa's wife of 57 years is now without the person who probably knew the most about her and that she now has an empty spot at the table, in the bed...probably everywhere she turns. I'm angry that the cancer made him suffer so and that he, the man who was always cold his whole life, couldn't get comfortable no matter what he did and that he was burning up at the end.
I'm angry that my sweet boy's heart is hurting and that there is no magic salve that I can use to fix it. My six year old son, who always enjoyed taking walks with Grandpa and helping him feed the animals before he got sick, asked to "just sit a bit longer next to Grandpa" after the visitation was over, and then sat quietly observing the casket. As we prepared to leave, he began to weep and told me repeatedly, "I'm just so sad that he's gone!" Oh, how it brings back memories to me of being his age when my Grandpa was killed in an automobile accident.
And selfishly, I'm angry that I missed out on The 2:1 Conference. That's a very stupid reason and I'm not proud to admit it but it's true. I was so looking forward to getting a refreshing look at homeschooling, blogging, my Christian walk, motherhood...the whole shebang. Obviously, I'm not mad at my family or my Grandpa. Nobody made this happen so my weekend would be ruined - it just happened. My sponsors for the conference and all of my #2to1Conf friends on Twitter have been so very understanding and I'm eternally grateful to them for their support. I am positive that this is where I needed to be, especially with all the different questions my son has been asking. And not to mention that my husband's grandmother took a spill and ended up having to have surgery on her broken hip! With all that going on, I know I would not have been able to concentrate at all at the conference.
The funeral home did a wonderful job on my Grandpa, which I suppose is weird to say, but he had lost so much weight & had so many problems that I wasn't sure what he would look like. But he looked just like my Grandpa did before he got cancer. The services were beautiful and I'm proud of myself that I was able to play the piano, something that my grandparents have always enjoyed. My family is doing well and I think we're going all going to come through this okay. I am glad for the time on Earth that my Grandpa had and that he got to know my children. I know that he is at peace now and that he's no longer in pain or suffering. I know all that.
So why do I still feel so angry? Trying to channel anger into something good is so hard. You just want to scream at the world. I had been praying and searching my Bible but my heavy heart has been weighing me down. I just want to take a break from everything for a little bit! But unfortunately the world doesn't stop turning just because I want it to. There are baseball practices and games I must ferry Zeke to and chores I've left unfinished for days, homeschooling and lesson plans that need made, emails that need answered, meetings and groups to go to, food that needs made, errands that need run...the life of a busy family must go on. These past few days I've found myself crying out to God to just show me what to do to get rid of this terrible anger that's been eating away at me. And in the quiet moments of this evening, with everyone else asleep, I meditated over the past few days & God's Word and realized several things. One verse in particular stood out to me: "In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." - Ephesians 4:26-27 In allowing this anger to continue, I'm allowing the devil a foothold into my life. I have wonderful memories to hold on to and family members to take care of - I can choose joy over sadness, happiness over anger, peace over turmoil. I don't have all the answers or know the reasons why, but that's okay - I know who does. And to have peace, I need to turn everything over to him: all of my anger, my sadness and even my confusion. The words of the song I played at Grandpa's funeral ran through my mind:

"I cast all my cares upon you,

I lay all of my burdens down at your feet,

And anytime, that I don't know, what to do,

I will cast all my cares upon you."

Top 10 Reasons I'm Excited for #2to1Conf

2012-04-24T09:48:00.000-04:00

So you've heard about The 2:1 Conference right? I may have mentioned it in passing! ;) It's a homeschool blogging conference that I'm going to be attending THIS WEEK! (Eeeeeee! That was my very rarely heard girly squeal of excitement!) I've been thinking about all the reasons I'm excited to be going and I'm sharing them in today's Top Ten Tuesday!

The Top Ten Reasons I'm Excited for The 2:1 Conference

10. I'm going to be flying!! Big giant thanks go to my mother-in-law who bought me the ticket as an early birthday present! :) I'm still a wee bit nervous because I haven't flown since...7th or 8th grade, I think? I've gotten a lot of advice though and I'm sure it'll be okay. I'm going to miss my hubby a lot (he was originally going to travel with me) but I think it'll be okay because...

9. I'm going to be traveling with some really cool ladies! My new friend Connie emailed me to let me know that several of the ladies from Indiana will be traveling together and that I was welcome to join them. They are all Hoosier homeschool blogging mommas just like me! With all that in common how could we *not* have a good time? :) I'm also looking forward to traveling with them because...

8. I love to travel! I was blessed with parents who loved to travel too, so I've visited quite a few places in my twenty-some years. I love people watching, seeing new places, and trying new things. I won't get to visit much of the area while I'm there but still...

7. It's going to be like a mini-vacation for me! No hubby, no kiddos, no messes to clean up, dishes to finish, or laundry to do. I'm excited about that for sure...but I'm also glad it's not more than a few days because I'd really start to miss the Mister and Munchkins. And it's not like I'm just going to be lying in the lap of leisure...

6. I'm going to be listening to a lot of really great speakers, taking notes, and learning! They all sound great and I'm having a hard time deciding which sessions to attend. I especially can't wait to hear Amy from Raising Arrows - she was the first homeschool blogger I started following when I started exploring homeschooling. And in addition the speakers...

5. I'm also going to be meeting, seeing, and hearing from the different sponsors of the convention - Apologia, Bright Ideas Press, All About Learning Press, The Homeschool Lounge, and many others - and seeing what all they have to offer! I'm looking forward to Apologia's pajama party! I made sure to pack good pajamas! :) And speaking of sponsors...

4. The whole reason I'm able to go is because I was blessed with a ticket from my personal sponsor, WriteShop! Kim, the Creative Director, has been great to work with and so helpful, not only with the review & giveaway I did but also with homeschooling tips too! (Go check out the WriteShop blog - SO many good things there!) WriteShop is also sponsoring two other ladies - Stephanie from Bowmania and Maureen from Spell Outloud. We recently hosted a Twitter party for WriteShop that was LOTS of fun and it reminded me of...

3. All the new friends and connections I'll be making at the conference! I'm usually a little bit shy when first getting to know people but I know that all the ladies attending are going to have at least two things in common with me - homeschooling and blogging! And those are two things I love to talk about. :) I won't be just talking though because...

2. I'm using this trip as a time of refreshment. Even though we've only been homeschooling a few years, I have experienced some times where I felt totally discouraged or burnt out. I'm looking forward to "recharging my batteries" and being reminded why I do what I do. And not only that...

1. I'm going to be learning things to better myself, my marriage and family, my children's education and my relationship with God! I can't wait!! :)

TOS Review: Amazing Science!

2012-04-23T10:47:00.000-04:00

We recently got the opportunity through the TOS Crew to review a set of DVDs from ScienceandMath.com. The DVDs were a two disc set called Amazing Science! Here's some more information about it from their website:

"Learn fundamental principles of science through Amazing Science Experiments! You’ll learn about electricity, magnetism, heat, temperature, pressure, surface tension, buoyancy, and much more. For every demonstration, a complete materials list is given, and each experiment features multiple camera views so you can see exactly what happens. Most importantly, every concept is explained in a step-by-step fashion. You’ll not only be amazed – you’ll understand the science behind every experiment!"

These DVDs were fascinating! Zeke thought the Color Changing Milk and Keep Paper Dry Under Water experiments were just awesome. A lot of the experiments use simple household objects but there is a complete list shown at the beginning of each experiment. The person doing the experiment talks about every step they take which is good if you're going to try and recreate it. The explanations are very thorough which is also good, especially for Momma who is not so hot in the Math & Science departments...but I did see some squirming from my busy little guy as it went on. For the next couple experiments after that, we didn't watch the whole explanation, just got the gist of it.
These DVDs would be excellent for a Science class in a co-op or small group - you could watch the DVD with the group and then practice the experiment yourself. This DVD set is available from ScienceandMath.com for $19.95. They also offer other different Science and Math DVDs. You can even sign up on their email list and get free Science & Math videos delivered right to your email!

** To see what other Crew Members thought of this, please go HERE and read their reviews.

Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for my honest review as part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew.

Country Words & Grammar

2012-04-18T08:17:00.002-04:00

As a writer, I try and communicate things that are coherent and understandable to most people. Regardless of where you're from, most text comes across pretty much the same way. However, talking is a whole different story. I met one of my online friends for the first time awhile back and was confused when she said, "Your accent is so cute!" I'm from the Midwest, born & raised in the (mostly) country and I didn't think that we had much of an accent...but after visiting other places and talking with people from different states and countries, I've come to realize that we do. We're just so used to hearing it every day that we don't usually notice it. Here's a few of my favorite Midwestern country slang words or grammar mishaps:

Hoosier - Someone from Indiana. (Wikipedia claims it's comparable to redneck but to us, or me anyway, it really just means somebody that lives in Indiana. A word that's comparable to redneck would more likely be a hick.)
slickery - A type of weather (common in the winter) when it's cold, rainy and icy.
Example: "Be careful! The roads are slickery today!"
ain't - Contraction for "am not" or "are not."
Example: "We ain't going there today."
ya-all, or y'all - "You all." Refers to a group of people.
Example: "Are y'all going to town today?"
pictcher - A portrait or photograph.
Example: "Let me get my camera and take a pitcher of y'all."
crick - A creek or stream, very small river.
Example: "It's been raining so much that the crick is flooding."
pop - A soda or soft drink. This is not really a Indiana/country thing, more a regional thing. My Aunt & her children who grew up in New Mexico & Utah and then moved here say soda. We constantly remind them it's pop. ;)
yonder, a piece, a ways - Common directions and distance measurements.
Examples - "The house is just up the road a piece." "You go up yonder to the post office and turn right." "Go a ways up this road until you come to a red barn."
worsh, or warsh - To clean or wash something
Example: "I'm gonna worsh my car today."
holler - A valley between two or more hills.
Example - "There's a bunch of white flowers growing in that holler in the woods."
done - More commonly referred to as "did."
Example - "I already done that."

I don't say all of these and I suppose some of them do sound pretty backwater or hillbilly...but I know many people who do speak this way - some in my own family - and I don't think any less of them for it. They're country and that's just the way they talk! And I'll be the first to admit - I do refer to soda as pop, I talk about the crick at my Aunt's farm and I even slip the occasional y'all into my conversation. But for the record, I *can* properly say picture! ;) I do however want to be understood by my readers and not leave them scratching their heads, so I always try to edit and recheck my blog posts by scanning them for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and words that aren't words! If you're looking for a good way to spell check or grammar check your blog posts or writing, why not check out Grammarly's grammar checker? I'm going to be trying it out for myself soon and I'll let you know how it goes!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Grammarly.

10 Things #2to1Conf Attendees Should Know About Me

2012-04-17T09:59:00.001-04:00

There are only ten days until The 2:1 Conference!! Time has flown by! I should probably start figuring out what I'm going to pack and all that jazz. ;-) I'm linking up with Stephanie from Bowmania today & Angie's Top Ten Tuesday and am sharing...*drum roll please*

The Top Ten Things the #2to1Conf Attendees Should Know About Me

1. I'm Shay! My first name is Shalynne (pronounced Shay-Lynn) and people are always saying it wrong or mispronouncing it and getting flustered, so I sometimes will just introduce myself as Shay. It's easier! :)

2. I've been married for seven years to a really great guy. He was going to come with me to the conference but unfortunately and fortunately, he got a job! It was truly a blessing but we were both a little bit bummed that he wouldn't get to come with me.

3. I'm a stay at home/homeschooling momma to my two kiddos. My son Zeke is six years old and my daughter Ellie is three. I'm also step-momma to a 10 year old girl.

4. By day a momma, by night a writer! I've been blogging for...well, quite a few years actually, in a variety of different places. I first started in 2004 but I've moved around a couple times. I made my permanent home here at Wonderfully Chaotic in 2009.

5. We've been homeschooling for about two and a half years. I started exploring the idea in 2009 and soaking up all the information I could. We started officially in August 2010 with Zeke doing Kindergarten.

6. I'm usually a little quiet when first meeting people...but I think with all the things we'll have in common that it'll probably actually be hard to stop talking at this conference! :)

7. I really long to be a better homeschool momma and blogger so I'm hoping to learn and absorb a lot at this conference. The sessions all sound so good that it's going to be hard to pick what to go to!

8. I'm really excited for a little trip all by myself but am also wondering if I'm going to feel a little bit lost. I'm VERY rarely ever alone - there's always somebody hanging on me or needing something - so it'll definitely be a change. And of course, I'm going to be traveling with some mommas from Indiana so I won't *technically* be alone! :)

9. I am being sponsored by WriteShop so be sure to ask me about them! I've had great experiences with their products and am very thankful that they have helped me go to the conference.

10. I can't wait to see what all's going to happen at this conference! I know it's going to be a good time! :)

TOS Review: AIMS Education Foundation

2012-04-16T10:36:00.001-04:00

AIMS Education Foundation was created on the idea that kids should have a solid foundation in math and science through hands-on learning. It's a non-profit organization because they believe in educating kids rather than making money. They offer Kindergarten through 9th grade math and science books, resources, and hands-on materials at their online store HERE. We were given our choice of one of six books and we chose "What on Earth?" It introduces Kindergarten and First Grade students to water, rocks, and soil. It also helps them to learn that everything comes from something. Included with the book is a CD with printable student pages. It sells for $21.95.
I really agree with the Chinese proverb they had in the back of the book - "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." Although I often remember things better by hearing them, I know my kiddos are very hands-on and enjoy things they can actually feel & touch. And that's something we really liked about this book. It is chock full of lots of activities and experiments for the kids to really get active with. In the picture below, my kiddos were doing the lesson called "My Rock." They picked one rock from a group (we used Zeke's rock collection) and filled out a worksheet with a drawing of the rock and answered several questions about their rock. They also measured it. Then we submerged the rocks in water and wrote about the differences when the rock was wet versus it being dry. I also read the "Extension" questions that asked the kids to find different kinds of rocks (shiny, round, bumpy, etc.) and they sorted through the big pile to find what I described.

This book would be great for a homeschool group or co-op as well since it has printable pages on the CD - the activity we did above for instance, could easily be done with a group of kids. The teacher prompts are easy to follow and give you step by step instructions on what to do. To read what other Crew Members thought of this, please go HERE!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book as a part of the TOS Homeschool Crew where I write product reviews. Thoughts & opinions are my own.

Addison Academy Update

2012-04-13T10:22:00.000-04:00

In my life this week…
Well it's actually been several weeks since I did an update like this and a *lot* has happened. Hubby has a new job and I have a new babysitting job so we're getting adjusted to our new normal. The new job isn't too difficult and he's enjoying it. It's actually working out really well with him getting up early in the morning. Since hubby's on a new schedule, we've adjusted our homeschool/homestead schedule as well. He's finally on days - at all his previous jobs he worked nights - so we're all getting up earlier and getting our schoolwork and chores accomplished, then spending the afternoons playing and babysitting. The little boy I babysit attends public school so he gets off the school bus in the afternoon and stays here for a few hours until his family gets home. Hubby gets home and usually works in the yard while I start on dinner and then we actually get to sit down and eat together! :)

In our homeschool this week…
Zeke is progressing right along with his Little Books. He's on Book 10 now and shows no signs of slowing down. He's already asking me when I'm going to buy the next set! ;) He's also flying through his Math curriculum - it really makes me happy that he's good at Math because I stink at it! It's honestly been a good refresher for me to go through some of this beginning Math. Perhaps I'll get better? We can hope.
He's still super interested in the Presidents so I've been searching out ideas to go along with that. We've been checking out book after book from the library about the different Presidents and just recently hubby has been reading to him almost every night from a book about Abraham Lincoln.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
Pinterest has been helping me to find lots of neat activities for the kids. I have a whole board of homeschool resources and things I want to try with the kids. One activity we tried recently was something we'd done before, but with a twist: baking soda and vinegar volcanoes...with an eye dropper! The kids loved it.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
We spent all day Easter at church and then with family. Our church had an early service, breakfast and then a regular service. Hubby & some of the other men from the church made a delicious breakfast and several people were baptized or joined the church. The kids had an egg hunt at my Aunt's house and came home with way too much candy - that's still lingering around my house! We also got to visit my Grandpa who's currently in the nursing home. We haven't gotten to do much with our homeschool groups or friends recently because of the crazy schedules/adjustments but hopefully that will change now that we're more settled.
It's also baseball season already! Zeke's baseball kickoff is this weekend and he couldn't be more thrilled. Now let's just hope the weather cooperates...

My favorite thing this week was…Zeke lost his first tooth! I was beginning to wonder when that would happen - I wasn't worried about it but he has had a lot of friends lose teeth already so he's been asking about it a lot.

What’s working/not working for us…
I love how homeschooling gives us the option to have Zeke be at different levels in different subjects - he can take more time on the things he's struggling with and fly ahead in the things he's excelling at. I was looking over his curriculum in planning for the rest of the year and it made me chuckle a little. He's currently doing Kindergarten Reading, First Grade Math, Second Grade Science, and Third Grade History! That makes it a bit difficult when people ask what grade he's in - I usually just say, "He's six!" :)

Things I’m working on…
I made a household binder for myself to (hopefully) keep up with things better. This year I have really stunk at follow through. I don't like being a person that doesn't follow through and I'm now making a conscious effort to do what I say. So hopefully this household binder will help to keep me on track - I made spots for my daily to-do list & cleaning, homeschool schedule, my woefully neglected clutter calendar, blogging, Bible Study and menu planning/groceries.

I’m reading…
Ummm...a lot of books. :) Hubby got me a Kindle Touch for our anniversary and I really like it. I've been downloading tons of free books on Amazon but I've also been discovering that "free" does not always necessarily mean "good." It's very hard for me to put down a book without finishing it but I'm trying to remind myself that I CAN do that, that I don't have to finish it if it stinks.

I’m cooking…
Eggs! The chickens here at Addison Ranch have been working overtime!

I’m grateful for…
God's grace.

I’m praying for…
My family. I'll be writing more about this later but the cancer doctor told my family this week that they will not do any more treatments on my Grandpa and that we need to make final arrangements. I'm praying that my Grandpa and all of us can accept this with peace and reassurance.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
Look at this little fashionista! :)

Wordless Wednesday: #MadMenParty

2012-04-11T12:02:00.001-04:00

We were chosen by HouseParty.com to host a #MadMenParty for the premiere episode - we got this awesome box of goodies in exchange for hosting a party!

We had dinner fit for a Mad Man...

There was some #Draping going on...

and a fun time was had by all!

#WriteShopParty Interview, Giveaway and Twitter Party

2012-04-10T08:51:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned, WriteShop is my wonderful sponsor for The 2:1 Conference. I've got a lot of great stuff to share with you today in this blog post so please read it all the way through! :) First up, I did an interview with a super nice lady - Kim Kautzer, the creative director at WriteShop!

Hi Kim! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your family, and your love of writing? Thanks so much for having me, Shay! My husband Jim and I have been married 36 years. We raised our three children here in Southern California, where we began homeschooling in 1988 (our youngest graduated in 2003). Now they're all grown up and married, and we're blessed with seven grandchildren ages newborn to almost 12.
As the creative director at WriteShop, I oversee all our writing projects. That means I spend my days with bum glued to chair, fingers poised over keys, and eyes fixed on a screen. When the opportunity strikes, I bake, read, and hang out with my crazy-pickle grandkids. I really should exercise...but I don't. I'm still trying to figure out Twitter. And I'm the only one in my family who doesn't like coffee, no matter how good it smells or how much you try to disguise it in those fancy caramel frappamajiggies. English breakfast tea, anyone?
As a child, I always loved writing. It came easily for me, though I'm grateful for several teachers who especially nurtured that gift. I journaled often, wrote tons of letters to friends and grandparents, and was fond of writing poetry. Today, my writing is very different. I write to educate, so my blog and other writing projects are mostly expository. While I enjoy it, I do miss having the time to write for sheer pleasure.

How did the creation of WriteShop come about? It became clear early on that our son learned differently from his sisters. While they were voracious readers who loved to write, Ben didn't read till age 7, couldn't read chapter books till he was 11, and dictated most of his "writing" to me because it was such a struggle to put pencil to paper.
In 1997, after teaching "fun" homeschool classes like geography, art, and California history, my friend Debbie and I decided it was time to really concentrate on our 12-year-old boys' dismal writing skills, so we offered a writing class for middle schoolers. Our first meeting was a disaster—none of the students could write a decent paragraph. It was too late to bail, so we had to come up with something! That's when we started writing our own lessons—and student writing began to blossom! Eventually, we stepped out in faith and published WriteShop I and II. Years later, God brought the amazing Nancy Sanders into our lives. Nancy is the author of our younger levels, WriteShop Primary and WriteShop Junior.

What makes WriteShop different from other writing programs? Writing is a partnership between parent and child, yet most parents confess they don't know how to teach writing. WriteShop equips parents so everyone feels successful. Especially at the elementary levels, fun is the order of the day!
WriteShop includes engaging activities, brainstorming worksheets, and impressive projects that equip kids to become confident writers. I love that they can learn creatively and have a blast doing so! What better way to learn a new skill or tool than with a non-threatening writing game? Even our older levels incorporate a measure of fun through various activities.
WriteShop's emphasis on editing is one of our greatest strengths. Editing is a battleground in most homes, but armed with self-editing tools and checklists, kids can approach their papers with a real sense of purpose. I think they’re surprised to discover that editing can actually be fun! Parent consistency during the editing stage goes a long way toward building trust. For teens, both the student and parent checklists hold students accountable to meet lesson expectations. Because the checklists are objective, they keep emotional battles and power struggles at bay.

What is your favorite WriteShop product? If you can narrow it down to one! :) Wow! Only one? Since you’re forcing me to choose, I'd have to say WriteShop Junior. It wins parents and kids over with a fun assortment of writing genres, games, and powerful brainstorming and editing tools. Plus, I absolutely love the Fold-N-Go Grammar component!

Do you have a favorite genre of writing? I'm especially fond of reading rich, descriptive historical fiction. As far as my own writing goes, it's mostly expository, which I really enjoy, but I wish I also had time for a personal blog. Someday...

What do you feel is the hardest part of the writing process? Editing and revising, hands down! For one thing, most parents don't have a clue how to edit or grade their children's writing. Meanwhile, the kids think their writing is perfect just the way it is and don't want to make changes. Their writing is so much a part of them that they feel picked on or rejected at the slightest suggestion for improvement. That's why so many writing projects never make it past the first draft. It's also why parents appreciate WriteShop’s unique approach to teaching editing skills.

What advice do you have for homeschooling moms? At every age, your children need your involvement in the writing process, not just to give editing feedback, but to instruct, guide, prompt, and model. Whether teaching them to make a bed, knit a scarf, or write a narrative, it's important to remain involved until they're confident and successful. So stay connected. It's crucial to your child's writing success!

Anything else you'd like to share? Thank you for having me as a guest. I've enjoyed sharing with your readers!

A big thank you to Kim for sharing with us! If you're interested in hearing more from Kim or learning more about WriteShop, check out the WriteShop blog, In Our Write Minds and the WriteShop Facebook page!

If all this talk of WriteShop has piqued your interest, why not join us for a super fun Twitter party? Not only will we be discussing their products and strategies for teaching writing, but WriteShop is also giving away a bunch of cool prizes! Check out the Facebook event to see the whole list of goodies!

The party is going to be held a week from today - Tuesday April 17th at 9 PM (EST) on Twitter. Follow the hashtag #WriteShopParty and (optionally) the hosts (@WriteShop, @Bowmania, @SpellOutLoud, & @mrsaddison) to make sure you don't miss out on the fun. You can also enter below to win a pre-party prize - your choice of WriteShop Book A, B, or C!

And of course, what would a party be without favors?! Here's a fun writing prompt ~ you can check out the four blogs listed below to collect them all!

You can download the prompt here: http://www.hsprintables.com/files/WriteShopsnowcone.pdf

Visit the other #WriteShopParty coordinators party posts for party favors, reviews & more!
www.writeshop.com
www.bowmania.net
www.wonderfullychaotic.com --> You're currently here!
www.spelloutloud.com a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOS Review: TruthQuest History

2012-04-09T07:24:00.000-04:00

My husband and son love history - it's one of their favorite subjects and an area that he (my hubby) can help out with in our homeschool. And while Zeke enjoys the history curriculum I've gotten for him so far over the past couple years, he prefers to read (or be read to) history books about different subjects. So this book I was chosen to review for the TOS Crew goes right along with his love of history books. It's called TruthQuest History and we were given our choice of books from different time periods. Our current history book ends around 1800-ish so we went ahead and chose American History for Young Students II (1800-1865).
TruthQuest History is a literature based history study - it's not a curriculum in the sense of a textbook that gives you facts to teach, instead it introduces topics of study with a short commentary and a vast book list for each topic. And when I say vast I mean it! Abraham Lincoln has a six page book list alone! Grade levels are listed next to each book as well and writing prompts are scattered throughout. This is a book-centric curriculum so you will need to utilize your local library. And while our library didn't have every book listed, we could also use our library's network borrowing system to borrow from other libraries throughout the state - it just takes a little time, so if you were going to do that you would need to plan ahead. Another good place to look is Amazon. (If you're struggling to find books, TruthQuest also offers some suggestions here.)
I think this is a great addition to a regular history curriculum, especially if your children like reading real or living history books. I find them to be more interesting than textbooks, personally and more memorable. Zeke is the same way - he really likes the presidents so that's something we've been studying for the past few months. He can already recall various facts and anecdotes from different presidents lives from the living books we've read. If I were to sit him down and make him memorize facts & dates from a dry textbook, I don't think he'd be as interested.
This is also a good addition if you are a Christian homeschooler as it is a God focused look at history and shows his handiwork throughout. Another plus is that you could buy one and use it for all your children - the book I have is for grades 1 - 5 but listed books for grades K - 12. You can purchase a spiral bound book for $24.95 or a PDF eBook for $19.95. Along with American History, TruthQuest also offers several books on World History, along with notebooking pages, timelines, maps and more. You can also find samples of all their material and a "how to choose where to begin" page on their website.

To see what other crew members thought of this, please go HERE!

Disclosure: As a member of the TOS Crew, I received this product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

We Apologize For The Interruption...

2012-04-01T21:27:00.001-04:00

I will be getting back to regularly scheduled blogging soon - I know it's been kind of sporadic recently and I apologize! We're all going through some life changes here - hubby's new job, my new babysitting gig and the everyday stuff of life - and trying to get into a schedule that works for us. So bear with me! I have some review posts coming up, a catch-up post on what we've been doing at Addison Academy, and a post about our "Mad Men" party!

Answered Prayers

2012-03-27T16:03:00.003-04:00

Since Christmas time my hubby has been unemployed. We've had some rough times but through it all God has provided for us. Last week he had some interviews and we found today that he got one! He's now gainfully employed again! Woohoo! He's very much looking forward to working again. It's something different than what he'd been doing, but in a similar environment so it will be interesting. The hours are great but there are some kinks we're still trying to figure out - I have confidence it'll all work out okay, though. We're all really excited! I am a little sad about him not being around here all the time but he's going to working almost literally right down the road...so that's okay. :)

Spring Cleaning Simplicity: Taming the Toys

2012-03-26T22:09:00.000-04:00

I've begun a Spring Cleaning Simplicity program I'm going to be writing about for the next week or so. It's just something I've made up to help my household run smoother. I feel like we've gotten bogged down in clutter, junk and stuff! I've been reading some different books on simplicity and I guess it's inspired me to really focus on what's truly important and to try and better simplify my family's life. I was so greatly inspired by an article from The Old Schoolhouse magazine called "Taming the Toys" that I decided to try and apply the ideas in it to our own lives.
The first item on my agenda for Spring Cleaning Simplicity was the children's rooms. My kiddos have been very blessed by loving family members in the area of toys - but they've become so numerous that the kids can no longer keep track of them and they end up all over the floor and in every room. Both of my children have specific things that they collect and I hate to see them spread out all over, broken from being left on the floor or even lost somewhere within the house. I've tried lots of different things - getting storage containers, storing things in different ways, making chore lists for them, threatening to throw things away if they didn't keep it picked up...nothing really seemed to work! The kids were just overwhelmed and didn't know where to start and I hated having to get on them about it so I'd usually end up helping them or doing it for them...but then just a few days later, the floor of their rooms would be covered with toys.
So I thought it over and decided to try what the author in the magazine article did. I asked the kids to pick out a few of their favorite toys to keep in their rooms. I told them the rest we would box up in storage boxes and store in one of the closets. If they want to exchange a toy for a different one sometime later, they're more than welcome - they just need to take one from their room and put it into the storage box.
Zeke has a little collection of Batman toys - a Batcave, figurines of good guys and bad guys, a Batmobile, etc. I didn't tell him, "Okay, you can only keep one of those!" I just counted all the Batman toys together as one thing. He has the Batmobile on top of a table and all the figurines are in a plastic storage container. So Zeke ended up choosing his Batman stuff, his Star Wars stuff and his Legos. All his other toys were bagged/boxed up and will be going in the closet tomorrow. Ellie chose her ponies/horses, babies and kitchen set.
I've also implemented a quick pick-up before bed each evening - granted I only started it today, but I'm feeling good about it. Doing a little bit of cleaning each night helps to stomp out the giant mess it could become. I don't expect them to just magically keep their rooms spotless every day - they are my children after all! - but since everything has a specific place and they aren't completely overwhelmed with piles of toys, I think they're more likely to pick up & keep things neat.
So what am I tackling next? Later on this week and next I'll be writing about going through my guest bedroom (A.K.A. the junk room!), spring cleaning tactics & tricks and easy ways to sort through junk! :)

TOS Review: Academic Success for All Learners Little Books

2012-03-23T15:33:00.000-04:00

I have been sooooooo excited to do this review that I started writing it almost two weeks before the due date! (Which is a big deal since I'm a *wee* bit of a procrastinator, hehe.) We were blessed to get to review the I See Sam Little Books from Academic Success for All Learners. Here's some more information about the curriculum from their website:

The Reading for All Learners “Little Books” program is a sequence of 141 color coded books. There are 8 sets of books from Kindergarten to 3.6 reading level. The Little Books are used successfully around the globe in a variety of settings. Schools use them in small group instruction and for individual needs. The instruction can come from teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, parent helpers, older peers, anyone! They are inexpensive, easy to use and the research is solid. They work!! The sets are favorite materials for teachers because of their easy-to-use format, embedded cues, and assessment tests located throughout each set. The students enjoy the fun characters, group interaction, reward certificates, and coloring sheets. Each set of Little Books contains 27 books and costs $30.

I cannot say enough good things about the Little Books - and if that's not enough, you can ask my hubby and family. They and I both are blown away by how Zeke's reading skills have improved over the last month. I've written on my blog several times about Zeke's struggles with reading - we tried many different things but it just wasn't clicking for him. He started using these books and it's like a switch was flipped. I wanted to run around yelling, "He's got it! He's got it!" I restrained myself, though. :)
We started out with Set 1 and Set 2 of the Little Books and Zeke is flying through them like there's no tomorrow. They're simple enough that a busy boy can keep focused and be interested in them but not so simple that they're boring. Zeke loves the characters and stories - even my three year old is picking up on the phrases and sentences from hearing us read aloud! Check out this video to see Zeke reading the "I See Sam" book. (If you can hear him over Ellie saying, "Take my picture, Mom!" LOL!) When we finish these sets, we're planning on continuing with all the sets until we finish. I am so very happy we've found something that will work for my busy little guy!
Academic Success for All Learners has many free resources on their webpage including a tool to create your own instructor guide & lesson planner, tailored just for your child. I did this and it was spot on for where Zeke was currently at in his reading levels. Also on their webpage you can see the Scope and Sequence (PDF) that shows the skills covered at each level. I would highly recommend Little Books - they're the best reading program we've found!

Disclosure: I was given two sets of Little Books as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew where I review homeschool products in exchange for my honest review. If you'd like to see what other crew members thought of the Little Books, please go HERE!

"Lessons from the Hen House" Review

2012-03-20T07:30:00.000-04:00

I recently stumbled upon a really neat resource that will interest you homeschooling homesteaders and backyard chicken farm families! I was surfing around on Twitter and I came upon Carol J. Alexander, who was promoting a new e-booklet she just recently published called "Lessons from the Hen House." It's part of a “learning by living” curriculum series that is centered around life on the homestead. She wrote "Lessons from the Seed Catalog" last spring and is currently at work on "Lessons from the Tree House." She's also planning on Dairy Barn, Pig Sty, Bee Hive, Garden, Kitchen...and perhaps more! How neat is that?
Anyway, as you may know (or may not, if you're new to these parts) we have a flock of chickens that provide us with food, entertainment and life lessons so I was super excited to review "Lessons from the Hen House." Here's a little bit more info about the book, from the author herself:

This is an ebooklet. I'm working on a series of them under the title of Lessons from the Homestead. Each one covers a different area of the farm. Each booklet has over 50 lessons for teaching your children math, language, science, art, home economics, and more. This ebooklet is not meant to teach you to keep chickens. Many wonderful books have been written on that subject and they are mentioned throughout and listed in the appendix. Rather, the purpose of this booklet is to show you ways to use your chickens as curriculum for your homeschooling. The booklet sells for $3.99.

This booklet was great! It is arranged by grade level and then grouped by subject which is handy - since my children are smaller we didn't do much of the upper level activities. The lessons didn't require anything that we didn't already have in our house. Zeke's favorite part was the Elementary Language activities. We did some research on different kinds of chickens by searching the internet and printing out some information & pictures, and also by checking out some books from the library. We then made a list of the different breeds, wrote a paragraph about our favorite types, talked about the kinds we have, wrote some short stories about chickens, and ordered some hatchery catalogs. Some of the other activities we tried were:
~ Math: How many black chickens do we have? Brown ones? How many roosters? How many in all? Also, we looked at some different hatchery websites, pretended to order chickens and figured up our totals.
~ Science: Experimented to see if an egg is good or bad by putting it in a bowl of water. (Luckily they were good!) We also researched why it sinks if it's good and floats if it's bad.
~ Reading: We read several books from the library on chickens and also flipped through one of my hubby's favorite books "Back to Basics" which has a section on chickens. (We're still waiting on our hatchery catalogs!)
I would highly suggest this ebooklet! It is affordable, educational and very easy to use! You can get more information about it and the other booklets from Carol's new website ~ http://LessonsFromTheHomestead.com. She also has a free monthly newsletter by that title that offers additional lesson ideas, interviews, and encouragement for those of you that are trying to homeschool and homestead at the same time!

Disclosure: I received this ebooklet for free in exchange for my honest review.

Another Year, Another Anniversary

2012-03-19T20:53:00.000-04:00

And I mean the title of this post in a NICE way! :) It has been another year and we are celebrating another anniversary - seven years! I probably say it every year but I'm still amazed that we've been through so much in such a short period of time. We've had some challenging, trying times but we've come through everything stronger. We learned a LOT through our whirlwind courtship/engagement/wedding and on becoming parents not long there after. We also had some deaths in the family and moved a few months after that - talk about going through everything in the first year! Through his unemployment (and lots of prayers) we've gotten to know each other better and been able to understand better what roles we each play in this little family. I am proud to be his wife and I look forward to writing about this again next year. :)

What We've Been Up To

2012-03-16T22:26:00.000-04:00

It's been over a week since I last posted and for that I apologize...but I do have some good reasons!

~ We celebrated Miss Ellie's third birthday with a small (well, it was supposed to be small) party with our family and close friends. It's funny how they never quite turn out the way I plan...I had PLANNED on cleaning & preparing the last two nights before the party was scheduled. What I didn't plan on was my back going out! After carrying Ellie around quite a bit last Friday evening and on my way to take her to the van and I felt something in my back pop. I felt sharp waves of pain in my lower back but just figured it would go away after I sat down for awhile...nope! When we got home, I could barely walk in the house! So I basically laid flat on the couch for the next day while hubby did the majority of the work that needed done around the house. (I'm so very lucky to have him.) I was able to hobble around the day of the party but really had to rest that evening. Regardless, Ellie had a very nice party, was able to play with friends/family and got lots of neat presents. (I'm still trying to find places for everything!)

~ I am on the mend and am feeling loads better than I was, thank goodness...and that's good because the weather has been GORGEOUS this past week! Sunny skies, breezy winds and fluffy-clouded skies have made these kiddos of mine want to be outside every day for most of the day - and who am I to object? So we've been playing, eating, and schooling outside. We're hopefully going to finish up the new chicken coop this weekend - the chickens are outgrowing the old one and it's getting run down - and we're in the planning stages of our garden for this year.

~ My grandparents are home from Texas! My Grandma was able to come to Ellie's party which I was very excited about...but I was also sad because my grandpa couldn't. My Grandpa has cancer and he isn't doing very well. He's lost 30 pounds (and he was pretty darn thin to begin with) and is in a lot of pain because the cancer has metastasized into his spine. He was briefly hospitalized after they got back but is now at home again. He's having to go for radiation treatments a few times a week.

~ Our family would really covet your prayers. Not only for my Grandpa and his health but for other things going on in our life - prayers for wisdom, guidance and God's will. I'll write more about it all when I can. I know, I know, I'm leaving you in suspense...sorry!

So that's basically what we've been up to! I'll be back this coming week with a few different reviews of some curriculum we've been using and some other posts. Leave me a comment & let me know what you've been up to recently - feel free to link me to your posts as well!

Birthday Interview - Ellie, Age 3

2012-03-06T10:54:00.001-05:00

My baby girl is three! (sniff, sniff) I thought it would be fun to do a little birthday interview with her today. My questions are in bold with her answers following - translations and my thoughts are in italics.

What's your name? Ellie!

Ellie, how old are you today? Free! (Three)

How has your day been? Pwetty good.

What's your brother's name? ZEKE!

Who’s your best friend? Donah! (Her little buddy, Jonah)

What's your favorite song? We Will Wockin (We Will Rock You - Queen)

What's your favorite food? Mac 'n roni. (Macaroni, obviously.)

Who's your favorite baby? ABBY! (I'm not sure if she means my bestie's little girl Abby or the baby doll she owns that she named after her. Either way, she likes them both.)

What's your favorite color? Purple

Who's your favorite stuffed animal? Hosie. (Beanie baby horse)

What's your favorite TV show? My 'Ittle Pony

Who's your favorite Pony? Pinkie Pie

What kind of birthday party are you having? I'm gonna be that tea one. (A tea party.)

What do you want to be when you grow up? A fox. (LOL)

What's your favorite drink? Och juice! (Orange juice)

What's your favorite place to go? Lookin' at stuff at town.

What's your favorite thing to wear? I yike hats. An' my yewoah boots! (She loves wearing hats. And she just got some new bright yellow rain boots.)

Is there anything you're scared of? I don' like wasps.

Anything else you'd like to say? (shakes head yes)

What? (points at ceiling) MOMMMMMMMMY! (Your guess is as good as mine.)