What's going on?

Wow! Talk about slack. Whew! Can't say that I am the most "with it" can you? Well, I guess I can blame it on tons of things - but the main thing is that I just haven't made time to post. Have you ever felt that no matter what, you just can't seem to get your act together? Well, the past few weeks have definitely been that way for me. BUT that's ok. Because as my dear, dear friend, Patti pointed out to me, we homeschool to live not live to homeschool.

The girls are thriving! Absolutely, totally thriving. They love homeschooling. It's so funny to me that I used to be one of those "what about socialization" types of folks. You know the ones I'm talking about. Yep, that was me. My poor, poor girls! I think some days they wouldn't mind going back to public school just so they aren't run to death! Seriously, they really are loving it AND they are still learning!

So, what has been going on? Well, we have been hit with a few medical hic-ups. My MS has flared up big time over the past month. I have a new neurologist (one of the best MS specialists in the area) and he is running tons of baseline tests so we can try to get a handle on everything NOW instead of waiting until it is so bad we are playing catch up. So the past few weeks have been a little nutsy with tests and all. Just to tell you how awesome my girls are though (yes, I am about to brag!): went for an updated MRI which was supposed to only take about an hour. Well, it ended up taking over 2 and 1/2 hours. My baby girls were sitting in the waiting room that entire time, reading, playing their DS, taking naps (ok, so only Taylor slept!) and just chilling. I had so many folks come up to me when I FINALLY got out of the tube telling me how fabulous my girls were. Can you just imagine the pride that overflowed from me that day?

Then Kenne got this mulluscum thing. So we are tea tree oiling her twice daily and it is really helping. (ask me about Tea Tree oil if you don't know what I'm talking about! AMAZING!)

Then Taylor (why is it always Taylor?) got an infected belly button. That's right - her belly button is infected. Looks so nasty. But she may have scratched it while digging in it (you know, lint removal!) and it got all crusty and bloody. So after trying to treat it at home for a week, we ended up having to take her to the doc and get her a topical antibiotic.

So the past few weeks have been a little nutsy. Oh and on top of all that, my darling SBC (sister by choice) Erika felt called to start a soccer league for Northern Wake County homeschoolers. Well, who do you think just had to volunteer to be her admin coordinator? Oh and our co-op starts this upcoming week so I have been preparing for that. And finally, finally I have actually been working. Yay!!!!!! Maybe, just maybe the real estate market IS turning around. I just hope it's not a false turn around - know what I mean? But let's stay positive and that's for another post.

Love to all and may God bless you as richly as He has surely blessed us!

Our Curriculum

So many people have been asking us what curriculum we are using or "where do you get the stuff you teach?" It's so neat to talk about our curriculum choices. We are doing things pretty "normal" around here with the occasional jump "outside of the box."
Our main curriculum is Sonlight. Our history, geography & writing all center around the stories in Sonlight. For math and science we use Switched on Schoolhouse.
We love everything we have tried as of right now. Sonlight allows the girls and I to share in the learning experience and it is all laid out for me - virtually no planning on my part (well, not as much as it would be otherwise!). The SOS makes Kenne read the instructions. Because of that, she is learning to actually follow directions. Imagine that!?!?!?!
We have just started using a FREE (that's right, FREE) lesson plan based on the Book of Virtues. Loving it! Loving FREE! Loving what the girls are learning! For the twins we are using Sing, Spell, Read and Write for their Language Arts. For their math we use Horizons - which I got for FREE from a friend in our co-op.
Anyway, I could go on forever and ever about the FREE resources out there. . . .oh, wait! I think I will go on and on - in another blog post down the road.
Love to all!

May I introduce . . . Kelli, the patient one?

So many of my friends and family have asked me lately how I am managing to stay calm and actually have tons of patience. Well I am going to share my little secret with you. But first, let me tell you a little about the "old Kelli."

Back in the day, you know, back when the girls were NOT homeschooled (It seems like FOREVER ago!) I felt like a chicken running around with its head cut off. It was go, go, go – constantly go!!! After the girls had spent 7 hours in school they then came home to do their chores, then homework, then dinner, then soccer (or karate, or piano, or church, or . . . . . ). Then it was time to go BACK HOME and get their showers and throw them in bed. And Tim wondered why I was short tempered back in those days.

Now, let's meet the NEW KELLI!! Patient? Me? PUHLEASE!! But wait! It's really true! Kenne, my oldest, tells me everyday how wonderful her "new mommy" is. I do NOT feel rushed, I do NOT feel crazy! I do NOT feel like it is go, go, go . . . . .constantly go anymore! It is truly amazing how wonderful I feel by NOT going bonkers trying to fit my life (and that of my family) into the public school schedule. Here is a sample of our new daily schedule:

7:00 – I wake up, take my shower, brush my teeth, you know that kind of stuff.

7:30 – I have my quiet time with God (or QTWG)

8:00 – I wake the girls and they make their beds, get ready and all that jazz.

8:15 – I actually feed the girls. (that's right, breakfast! Before breakfast was a pop-tart or granola bar as we ran out the door! Now it is muffins, sausage biscuits, cinnamon rolls, cheese toast, and yes, bowls of cereal!)

While they are eating, I read the daily bible story to them from Studying God's World from Christian Liberty Press. They even have comprehension questions so I can make sure they are listening.

After they eat, they run and brush their teeth and brush their hair – all that "girly" stuff. By the time they finish, it is normally bout 9:00.

9:00 – 10:00 they do their chores (so do I) like emptying the litter box, dusting, putting clothes away, laundry, bathrooms etc.

10:00 – the school bell rings. No seriously, it really does. I have my computer scheduled to sound the alarm!

From 10:00 until 12:30 we are in class. We have morning announcements where we: Pray, say the Pledge of Allegiance, sing from Sonlight's Wee Sing and then we all get started on our materials for the day.

12:30 – we eat lunch

1:00 – Kenne (my 5^th grader) finishes her math and science and anything else she hasn't finished (like reading etc.) Taylor and Morgan (the twins) take this time to be QUIET!!!!! Ok, ok, so really this is their time to read, color, do some computer work – quiet time type activities.

2:00 – DISMISSAL!! That's right – after only 4 hours in "school" my girls are done. Now, once Kenne hits high school, I expect her hours will get more intense. However, she STILL will not have hours upon hours of homework to do once she gets home so she still comes out on top!

As for me – from 1:00 until 4:00 I get to work. Being a Realtor, business is pretty slow right now. But we are seeing a turn around so maybe it will pick up some and my husband won't have to carry the burden of supporting us all on his own.

So that is why, my dear friends, I am a happier person – there is actually TIME to enjoy my kids, myself, my job, their jobs blah, blah, blah, blah!!! Go ya get me?

Ok – so new Kelli is here, hopefully to stay. Do you know my girls ACTUALLY ask me why I smile all the time? I thought it was a given that I smiled all the time – but evidently I hadn't been smiling so much and now they are just ecstatic that mommy is smiling. Amazing, huh?

Thank you God! Thank you so much!!

The Homeschool Buyer Co-op

Boy oh boy am I slack, right? I may not have been posting like I should but I guarantee I have been far from idle. One of the things I have been researching is The Homeschool Buyer Co-op. And let me just tell you this. . . . IT IS AWESOME!! Take a peek for yourself and you will see why I haven't posted.

The Homeschool Buyer Co-op is a free homeschooling organization for both new and veteran homeschoolers. Co-op membership is free and confidential, and entitles homeschooling families to discounts from over a hundred educational suppliers. They also sponsor "Group Buys" for curriculum packages that save homerschooling families lots of money. On the site you'll find lots of free information, such as databases of free curriculum, field trips, and educational contests and scholarships. Highly recommended. Click here for more information.

Be on the lookout for more "freebie" hints coming your way! Take care!

Newbie Must Have’s #10

Over the next several days I am going to share with you the steps that I passed through (decisions, trials, night sweats, etc) as we begin changing our lifestyle to that of a homeschooling family. These are just my opinions and my experiences. They are not meant to offend anyone with different ideas. If you don't like what you read, move on to another blog.

The desire to take on the responsibility of your child's future. So many times we willingly give the government the responsibility of raising our children and we don't even know that we have done it. The public school system, in theory, is a great thing and it is the right choice for a lot of children. So please do not think this is a bash session against public school. Remember that I am leaving the twins in until I get my ducks in a row because I am too scared to pull them all out together. What I mean is this: until a parent makes the decision to be 100% responsible for their child's future and not rely on the school system (public or private) then the homeschool decision is not the decision for them and before you can decide that homeschool is the right decision for you and your family, you must be willing to take that responsibility away from whatever institution you have entrusted with your child and plant it firmly on your very own shoulders.

This is probably the scariest part of the whole ordeal - assuming the responsibility. That is why it is listed as the #1 on my list.

Tomorrow: #9: The willingness to learn from your child(ren).