Coloring pages for the kids :)

Great site to find all your coloring needs.
http://www.coloring-fun.com/index.html

Home Schooling in the news!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/38721323#38721323

Curriculm

Here are some links to some current curriculum my sons are using. All books so far have been taken from The well trained mind book here is the website I highly recommend the book it gives hundreds of references: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/

http://www.zaner-bloser.com/

http://www.dorbooks.com/


http://www.greenleafpress.com/index.php




Here are a few to start with. I would love for anyone to share any links that they really like using for their kids.. There is so much out there that you can spend hours searching.

I use this website for Keynan and also to occupy one while I teach the other :)
http://www.starfall.com/

The Study of the Human Heart.

Part of our Science curriculum this year is learning the anatomy of the human body and all it's complex functions. While you might think that this concept is to full for a 7 year old to grasp you probably are right. What is cool is they will be learning about human anatomy until they know it very well. I remember having to learm human anatomy in college for 8 weeks, what a nightmare!lol
They truly will have the time to really memorize the way the human body functions and how important it is to take care of your heart by eating right, exercising and sleeping!

I found a great site online with more free print outs! With over 2 million families homeschooling in America the resources are free and abundant!

http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/ProjH/cvheart.cfm

Progress isn't Perfection.

As the first year of Homeschooling came to end it gave me a lot of time to reflect. Now that I am home full time with the boys it is much easier to stick to a schedule. While the schedule still gets interrupted during the week it is progress that is important to me and not perfection. I have realized things will come up during the week and you can't help to stop what the plan is and accomplish whatever comes up. Last week the neighbor lady came by and brought me some books and some plants. That is okay that people stop by but it cut into the day and before you know it the neighbor lady is leaving at 3:00 p.m. and the kids are totally done with trying to finish their work at this point.
My point to all this that it is okay if the schedule gets off kilter a few days a week. I've learned that it will never be perfect so get over it being that way. So even though some weeks I really wish we could stay right on track we honestly don't. I am always trying to delve up ways to make my life simpler but the fact is that simple is as simple does. Make the most of what you have at the time and each week strive to at least accomplish a few time frames exactly like the schedule reads.
Here attached is our current schedule we so aimlessly try to stick to:

6:00-9:00- Mom to cook breakfast, clean up kitchen and get ready to teach.

9:00-10:00 a.m. Math

10:00-10:30 BREAK

10-30-11:15-SNACK

11:15-11:45- Grammar

Spelling-10-15 min Phonics Pathways & (spelling work book A)

Writing- 5-20 min.

Reading-60 min.

Grammar 15-20 min. finish Book A (English for the thoughtful child)

11:45-12:15- Reading and notebook page creation.

12:15-1:00-BREAK

1:00-1:30- LUNCH

1:30-2:30- History (Keynan’s nap)

2:30-3:30- Reading on Sofa & Activity

3:30 Class dismissed.

4:00-5:00 – Art Project or picture study or listening to music or coloring (Mon& Fri)

Repeat for 4 months, 4 days of each week start date :

One day out of the week being a free day. Library Trips, Field Trips, Trips to people’s houses. Card or Craft Day and Baking.

No Electronics M-TH. Friday movie night stay up until 10:30 p.m.

Video Game Day Saturday

San Luis Children's Muesum

As some know I am always scouting things to do during the week. As Part of our homeschooling we take two field trips a week. Sometimes our field trips consist of story time at the library or hiking a recreational park, two weeks ago we went to the Children Museum in SlO. This is a newer museum just opened about a year ago, which includes 4 floors of fun activity's for the kids. Another one of my quests in scouting is to find free events. So we packed up and headed down for a free night at the museum. For all the locals here you can visit the children museum every third Thursday of any month from 5-8 p.m. FREE. You can check out the museums website at SLOCM.org

The Homeschool Journey

As most of you know Zachary and I have decided to homeschool our boys. This will embark the first year of the kids schooling. Or I should say a structured year where I have a lesson plan,lol. Thayne and Ayden will be six in Novemeber. According to the Public Schools they would be going into 1st grade.

To my suprise they learn very quickly at home, or more quickly then I expected and I am really knowing now after 2 months that this is really the best decision for us. I never thought I would be a home school Mom but reading The Thomas Jefferson Education when the twins were small, I have now changed my mind. Here I am though and I am embracing every moment. One thing about me is I put my heart into anything and everything I do. I don't half it, I know that each year, I will become better at learning the skills that will require me to teach them how to teach themselves. I will embrace each moment as an oppurtunity of a lifetime and I will tell you I am doing just that. I think homeschooling is fun, exciting, exhausting and worry some at times but it also takes sacrifice,dedication and a willingness to lose alot of yourself in the process. What I mean by losing yourself is, taking risks in all aspects of one self and of course letting the kids take risks too. Trusting yourself and following your heart(as corny as that sounds).

Years ago when I graduated High School, I was not thrilled about school and I was suprised I even stuck it out as long as I did. I knew I wanted to go to College hoping it was different then High School. When I was 15 I got my first job waiting tables and I knew then I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. I enrolled myself into College and only took classes I loved, Photograhy and Music. I spent 2 years not fulfiling any of my general requirements. I did this to regain a sense of love for learning because I felt that i had lost that when I was in school. I wanted to explore my passions and become better at them. I am fortunate, I had passions because I certianly didn't gain them from school but from outside of school. I later went on to fulfill my requirements for a A.S. Degree and enjoyed every minuete of it! I can tell you it was a struggle though working full time and going to night school but I got it done:)I have about 1 1/2 years left to finish my B.F.A.. I have decided to apply to BYU when the kids get older.

I was going to start my own homeschooling website but I have decided to just do a blog for now. It will have good resources of books and links and also resources of what we are learning. I plan on doing an event calander of the field trips and educational places we will visit throughout the year. I will aslo be teaching some workshops next year on photography and other artistic endeavors.

I hope you will enjoy keeping up with our love of learning as we find more ways to yearn to learn in this ever so fast paced society.