Growing Flowers

Planting paper mixed with flower seeds.

A week ago, we planted the paper the kids made at their homeschool science center class.  The paper was made from shredded newspaper and mixed with flower seeds. 

The flowers are coming up nicely!

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Preparing for Spring

Filling flower pots with soil even though it's cold outside!

 

A couple weeks ago at a homeschool class at the Science Center, the kids made paper.  They loved

 

it!  The instructor helped the kids mix seeds in with the paper before it was pressed and dried.  Today,

 

we planted our paper. 



 

 

Putting plantable paper filled with seeds in the pots.

This past fall, we dug up two flowers from one of our flower beds and brought them inside to use for

our science discussion about how plants grow.  The kids have loved watching the flowers all

winter.  We are looking forward to seeing the new plants come up this spring.  I'm so thankful for

the spring season that God chose to follow winter. 

Homeschool Life

Science experiment from A Reason for Science.

Well, we've made it so far!  We officially started homeschooling in August and we've made it half way through our year.  At first, it was a little rough, but the last few weeks I feel like we have made a change.  Dasia is flying through her work with a lot less complaining which makes it so much nicer for both of us.

After Christmas, we added a few new subjects.  We are now also using "A Reason for Spelling", "History for Little Pilgrims" and "Grammar & Punctuation".  Although we added a few additional subjects, she is doing great! 

I was thrilled earlier this week when Dylan started showing more interest in writing letters!  I think I've been a little concerned for no reason.  I often forget he is only three.  He is the same size as Dasia who is two years older. 

Homeschooling is a wonderful blessing to our family.  I am thankful to the Lord for opening up the door to allow me to teach my two little ones and spend so much time with them.

Back to School!

After taking a week off for Christmas break and being sick for the entire week and part of the next, we slowly started back to school.  I admit, it was rough.  Not only were the kids used to playing all day, but I was not used to moving very fast either in the mornings.  Praying that this next week will be much smoother as we go back to our normal routine. 

I was very excited to find a Discovery Kids World Map today for only $5!  The kids and I enjoyed putting all the labels and animals on the map.  It was a nice addition to our school area for the new year.  Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Learning to Read - Hooked on Phonics

Are you looking for a solution to teach your child to read?  Dasia has been reading simple books for several months, but was needing help moving on to more difficult words.  I purchased the Hooked on Phonics 1st grade set.  We tried out the program for the first time yesterday. 

The first lesson consisted of a short dvd lesson followed by a list of words to practice and a short book to read.  Although we are just beginning the program, I think that it will be very good due the repetition of sounds and words in each lesson.  Click here for Hooked on Phonics.

Freedom

We officially started our first homeschool year on Monday.  Since I was still feeling a little uneasy about how to schedule our days, I decided to jump in this week with the curriculum that we had purchased for this year and just see what happened.  We were already doing school work a couple days a week mostly in the afternoon time.  But, we were just using the school books sold by Wal-Mart and other retail stores.  Actually, this haphazard style of learning that I had been doing with Dasia for the past year and a half had worked fairly well for us.  She learned to read, tell time to the hour, recognize coins, and simple addition.  So, with the success that we have already had, you would think that officially starting homeschool would not really feel any different.

But, it did.  I think all three of us felt strange.  Afer today, the feeling is starting to fade from me.  It might just be the fact that "offically" starting school created emotional pressure that just wasn't there before.  I just want God to lead us and this to be a wonderful experience (although there will be frustrations, because I don't think any child always wants to do school work every time it is presented).  I realize that it is perfectly fine to make changes as needed and to add or remove any curriculum that we are using in order to find out what works best for us.  Can you say FREEDOM?  As I'm writing, I'm being renewed by the Lord that this is a wonderful opportunity for Him to change me and teach Dale and I how to raise our children to love the Lord!

As I've learned to walk with God in every day life over the last several years, I have noticed that FREEDOM is very important. 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  Galatians 5:1

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.  Romans 6:18

God wants all of us to be free to love Him, ourselves and others!  As you choose to walk with God and let Him change you, freedom becomes more evident in your life.  God can give you freedom from jealousy, self-hatred, addiction, debt...whatever you are facing, God wants His people FREE!

First Homeschool Outing - Family Fun Friday

Dasia playing with magnets.

Yesterday, we went to the Science Center in Carbondale.  The Science Center has a homeschool class once each month.  We attended the class for kindergarten through 8 years old.  The class was about dry ice.  The instructor did several experiments that the kids enjoyed.  Dasia paid attention the whole time.  Dylan did really good, but did get a little bored.  My mom went with us.  We all enjoyed the experience.  After the class was over, the kids played on the exhibits in the center.



Dylan attempting a skeleton puzzle.

Dylan loves puzzles.  He spent a lot of time with the one above.


Digging for dinosaur bones.

Dasia enjoyed looking for dinosaur bones.  She has played at an exhibit similar to this before, but she still had a good time.  I believe we will try to do this again.  It was a great experience for our first homeschool event.

Getting Ready for the School Year

Our Homeschool Area

As the days of summer are quickly passing by, I still have to decide what home school resources we are going to use for Dasia, who will be starting Kindergarten.  I have a few things in mind, but haven't purchased anything yet. 

However, I do have our "school space" set up and ready.  I bought a 4 ft table from Wal-Mart which adjusts in height.  It's perfect for both of my children to use.  There's just enough room for them to do their school work at the same time and room for me to squeeze in between them.  I also bought a few posters at the Dollar Tree for decoration and to help Dylan with letters and numbers.  I moved a large dry erase board from our kitchen to the area near the kids' table.  They enjoy drawing and writing on the board with dry erase crayons. 

The kids and I made a trip to Staples this past week to take advantage of the beginning of the school supply sales.  I purchased a few things for us to use and some items to use to fill shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  I love this time of year for picking up school items to give away!  The prices are great! 

Other than buying our curriculum, I think we are ready for our first home school year to begin. 

The Home

I recently happened upon (I think God intended for me to have this book) a book about home schooling.  However, I wanted to share a little from the book that applies to anyone with children.  The book is titled "What Your Child Needs to Know When".  I thought it was a book that just had checklists of what your child needed to know at each grade level.  It's much more than that.  Following is an excerpt that I wanted to share with you.

Today's Christians have it backwards.  The primary sphere of religious activity should be in the home, not the church.  The dinner table was a place to gather-not just for food (Deuteronomy 8:3)-but also to study God's Word, pray, praise, and worship.  The home was more important than the synagogue.  The center of all training-religious, education, and family-was the home. 

Awhile back, a friend had told me that her church was focusing on teaching families how to teach their children about God at home.  Basically, her church is following what the author was saying above.  The center of your family's faith in God should come from your home. 

While this is not a new idea, it is something that we must be intentional about.  Pray!  Ask God how to teach your children to walk with God.  Don't just walk with God alone, walk together as a family!