This week’s theme at Homeschool Memoirs is snacks: “There are so many different kinds of snack foods, store-bought and homemade, and I would like to invite you to share what snack foods your family usually snacks on throughout the week.”

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Snacking. Yummy. Here is a list of some of our family favorites!

* Tortilla Chips & Salsa

* Raw veggies & dip

* Strawberries & whipped cream

* Popcorn

* Most fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, pears, peaches, berries, etc)

* Jalepeno Cheetos

* Pretzels

* Yogurt

* Smoothies

* CHOCOLATE

Hmmm… I am quite sure there are others…

For Today…

Outside my Window… the night sky has arrived and with it a gorgeous clear night with many bright stars shining

I am thinking… that it is time to get some pumpkins this week. I want them on my porch and also cannot wait to get some pumpkin seeds to munch on. Yum!

From the learning rooms… things are going pretty well. Need to print more stuff out for the kids this week. Really need to focus on handwriting as Hannah’s is as messy as a doctor’s, lol

I am thankful for… my family and getting to spend Mondays with them (hubby included).

From the kitchen… the smell of cleanliness ! I scrubbed down counters and cabinets, did the dishes, and swept and mopped this evening.

I am wearing… my pajamas

I am reading… Just finished a book last night and have not decided on which one to start on yet.

I am hoping… to get some things mailed this week and to work on some projects for Christmas.

I am creating… cards for Christmas this week and hoping to also work on Christmas gifts.

I am hearing… the wonderful sound of the family sleeping, my fan going, and my iTunes are playing music

Around the house… we mowed the lawn, trimmed the last of the roses, did some cleaning outside and put the trash out for tonight… cleaned downstairs and worked on laundry. Other than that, we just relaxed today

One of my favorite things… is the smell of fall in the air, the smell of people canning and baking and watching kids jump around in piles of colorful crunchy leaves.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… work on my bible study, have Awana & bible study on Wednesday; need to call the troop leader about Girl Scouts; have a playdate on Thursday with some friends; schooling and just working around the house this week.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…

I found this picture on my camera when I unloaded it last week. I somehow took this at the zoo a couple weeks back but I have no idea how I glitched a picture that badly… I don’t even know what the picture was supposed to be, lol. Any ideas???

Today has been such a nice beautiful day. Warm, but not too warm. John doesn’t work on Mondays so we hung out around the house. Went to Jade Garden in Nampa for lunch (Chinese buffet). Came home stuffed and took a siesta. (hangs head in shame). I probably will not sleep well tonight because of that ! Then we mowed the lawn and trimmed outside. Kids played and we just enjoyed the day. I love the beginning of fall… *sigh*

Okay, here is my menu for this week!

M - Pizza & salad
(I’ve been on a pizza kick lately)

T- Leftover Stew, homemade bread

W - Tuna Casserole

T - Stir Fry pork & veggies, rice

F - Burritos

S - Grilled chicken, veggies

S - Ribs, beans, veggies

I think I have fixed the issue with my wordpress. Let me know if anyone sees any problems. It is late and I’m going to bed. I don’t normally try to stay up this late… lol. G’nite

I updated my graphics on here tonight. Not sure I like it though. Hubby looked at it and said it was nice but looked springy to him… HUH??? What do you think? springy or fall ? And is my background showing right? I checked it out on Google Chrome and I get only a white background but Firefox, Opera, and Explorer all show it just fine… maybe a glitch? Not sure. Hmmm

Now we were not able to get tickets at our church for this. And we really couldn’t afford it this weekend. However, we have heard sooo many awesome things about this movie. We are going to try to go next weekend and if we do, I’ll write more about it.

If you have it in your area, make it a date… hire a babysitter, and go out with your spouse to see this movie !!! Then come back here and let me know what you think !

This week I want to invite you to take a moment and post a Summer Photo Essay memoir. Starting from around the official date of Summer to this past week - just give a basic summary of your summer as I know someone of you are photoholics! Haha! Make sure you jot down your memoirs about each photo so everyone can read about your summer. You can do the essay however you want. You can journal a lot of just caption the photo! Can’t wait to see what you all do!

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This was a fun assignment. I wanted to get it posted but it took me a couple of days to get the pictures together. I do take quite a few, but many of them are similar, lol… and they almost always showcase my kiddos. (typical MOM, huh?)

These are in no typical order. I fought the urge to add my stuff from my son’s bday party… his birthday is kind of the beginning of summer for us even though it’s not Summertime yet, lol. Anyhooo, most people have already seen those photos anyways (what am I sayin’? You have probably seen most of the ones I’m about to post as well!)

This summer we…

went to the parks in the area…

Went to the parks with Cousins…

Drove around the area …

Saw some baby chicks…

And some butterflies…

Enjoyed the sunsets from our back patio…

And saw a rainbow from the neighbor’s front porch…

Enjoyed the zoo…

And Chuck E. Cheese’s…

Went walking through the Flag Memorials…

And enjoyed Cousin Lucas’s Fourth Birthday celebration…

Picked flowers, daydreamed outdoors, and went on picnics …

Oh and Momma finally took some photos of Ben’s birthday quilt from Gramma M…

Roasted marshmallows on the patio…

and even camped outside in the backyard…

Visited Lake Lowell…

And went over to our state Capital…

Sight seeing in Boise …

Back to the zoo with cousins this time …

And while there I took photos of my favorite animal (this is NOT zoomed in, by the way)…

Oh and last but not least, had some delicious munchies throughout it all…

Memory Verse: 1 Timothy 4:15 (NIV)

Assignment: How do you keep energized so you can get it all done? bouncy music? treat it like a workout? Do you use a schedule?, a housekeeping binder system? luck of the draw system?.. or is this an area where you need encouragement? Do you need God’s help to keep order and beauty in your dwelling place? Take this week to tell us how You diligently keep going with your housekeeping chores.

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I do have a home manager binder. I took notes from various bloggers and from the MOTH books by Teri Maxwell. MY HMB helps me in so many ways; I absolutely love it. Our schedule is very basic, and we do not adhere to it 100%.

As for how I stay energized… I’ll tell ya. Caffeine, dance music, and praising God. Not necessarily in that order and not always all three being needed. LOL.

In order for me to really get the house clean, I will most definitely have music blasting. Neighbors can probably tell that I’m on a cleaning frenzy too, ha ha. I just love music and I love it loud and it helps keep me moving when I need it to.

My children are also a part of the chores. They have their own list of stuff that has to be done daily, weekly, and monthly. They do gripe and complain at times but I think it will help them later on in life AND hey, it definitely helps me… he he.

M - Spinach Lasagna

T- Baked Chicken, rice, stir fry veggies

W- Eggs in a Hole sandwiches

T- Tex Mex Chicken Soup

F- Pizza

S- Eat out

S- Stew

Yep, so I’m cheating a little by posting this early. Can’t help myself. I wrote out my list tongiht and wanted to get it posted before I forgot about it.

(Books with a strike through are those that I’ve already finished SINCE typing this up) <~~~ I will try to keep my list updated as much as possible. I may even end up adding to it. Ya never can tell.

( * denotes nonfiction books)

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer

Summer of the Midnight Sun - Tracie Peterson

True Devotion : Book One - Dee Henderson

*Lies Women Believe - Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Brisingr - Christopher Paolini

InkDeath - Cornelia Funke (not released yet)

Mark’s Story - Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

Circle of Honor - Carol Umberger

Price of Freedom - Carol Umberger

Mark of Salvation - Carol Umberger

Private Justice - Terri Blackstock

Shadow of Doubt - Terri Blackstock

Word of Honor - Terri Blackstock

*Writings to Young Women from Laura Ingalls Wilder Volume One

*Writings to Young Women from Laura Ingalls Wilder Volume Two

*Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible - Liz Curtis Higgs

The Time Quartet - Madeleine L’Engle (Wrinkle in Time 4 book set)

And the Shofar Blew - Francine Rivers

The Preacher’s Daughter (Annie’s People # 1) - Beverly Lewis

The Englisher (Annie’s People # 2) - Beverly Lewis

The Brethren (Annie’s People # 3) - Beverly Lewis

What She Left For Me - Tracie Peterson

*The Love Dare - Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick

Artemis Fowl : The Time Paradox (book 6) - Eoin Colfer

The Case AGAINST Barack Obama - David Freddoso

Okay… and yeah, I will probably add more as time goes on. This is just what I could remember from my short list here. LOL… Don’t laugh. I know I’m a nerd that likes to read… he he.

Yeah, we are going to be heading over to the Cousins in Kuna tomorrow to hang out. Stephanie & I are hoping to get some crafting done, the kids will play, and the boys will probably veg in front of the telly. ha ha. Both Steph and I bought some of the new papers and kits from Stampin’ Up and are splitting them so that we have more papers to work with without going broke. I’m looking forward to getting those papers too. We are only waiiting on one kit, the I Wish kit (Christmas themed which is on backorder). Arrrgghhh…

So anyways, just thought I’d share my little tidbit I’m excited. . . she is so talented and gives me so many great ideas ! Okay, gonna go to bed now… !

THEME:

Since I’ve been making you work really hard on the previous Memoir themes I decided to take a little break, and do something fun! This week I want to invite you to share a few of your favourite things - er - sites. I know the list of favourite things could be never-ending, but I’ve made a list for you to do regarding your favourite homeschool things. Just copy this list and add your favourites underneath the appropriate category. BUT by all means you’re welcome to add your other favourite things on the post as well!

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• Magazines/Carnivals
• Growing in Grace
• Above Rubies
• No Greater Joy
• Christian Women Online
• 
  
• Freebie sites
• Homeschool Freebie of the Day
• Currclick
• 
  
• Homeschool news/informative
• The Homeschool Lounge
• 
  
• Organizing/crafts
• Splitcoast Stampers
• Faith Sisters
• OrgJunkie

There truly are so many. My blog reader has over 300 different blogs. Time is just not on my side to add my favorites here and all that. Wish I could though. I need to at some point… I have a few people wanting my list of blogs, lol.

Memory Verse: Psalms 26:2 NIV
Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.

Please try to learn our memory verse this week. We will be sharing a new verse every week and hope that you will store them in your hearts and find a special joy in His words.

Intro: Try it, you’ll like it! (Life Cereal)
When everyone else was afraid to try Life Cereal, they called on Mikey. Sometimes stepping out of our comfort zone is just too scary. Have you felt God gently (or maybe not so gently) nudging you to do something for someone else? You know that it needs to be done, but you keep putting it off because it is outside of your comfort zone? Well ladies, this week we are taking a step outside of our comfort zones.

Assignment: This week I want you to do something for someone else. Do you have a neighbor that needs you? Do you know an elderly person or single mom that could use you? What about the homeless? Pack even one single sack lunch and give it to someone in need. Do you know someone in blogland that is struggling right now and could use a note from you about how much you care? Pray about this. Let God put on your heart the perfect thing for you to do for another. Now, here is the kicker…I DO NOT want you to post about what you do. Whatever you choose to do is between you and God. Our rewards are in heaven, not here on earth, Mathew 6:1. I want you to post about how doing this “act” made you feel. Was stepping out of your comfort zone in this area as hard as you thought it might be? Could you see the gratefulness in their eyes? Hear it in their voice? Tell it from their typing? Do you think you might make doing things like this a more regular part of your time? If this is an area that you are already active in, tell us how you feel this has impacted your life.

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Well, I can share something I am currently working on. Not the photos though because I don’t even know where my camera is these days! Hubby used it last and I’ve not seen it.

The Idaho Scrappers that I am a part of is doing a Cards 4 the Troops for the holiday season. We make up handmade cards and then they are boxed up and shipped to the troops that are stationed overseas. I have been doing this off and on for several years now although this is the first time with the IS group. I love finding ways to bless the Men & Women in Uniform that stand ready to protect my freedom. This is the least I can do for them!

Good morning dear ones! The sun is shining and it is gonna be a beautiful day!!! My Mondays are usually pretty busy so this is quick as usual. Just want to post my dinner menu for the week!

M- Hamburgers, baked beans, salad

T- Soup n sandwich

W- Tuna Mac

T- Spicy Peanut Chicken Kabobs and salad

F- Baked Spaghetti, garlic bread

S- Tofu Stir Fry

S- Beef Stroganoff

Wow, can’t recall the last time this happened. I have the day all to myself. Yippee ! My boys are at the air show at Mountain Home Air Force base and Hannah was supposed to meet up with them (she stayed the night at her cousins last night and is driving to meet them with Uncle Tim & cousin Lucas). John and Benjamin were out the door a little after 7am. I cleaned a bit, crafted a bit, watched tv a bit, danced around the house like a crazy woman for quite a bit, (ha ha … bet you wish you had a video of that huh?), biked a bit, chatted on the phone and online for a bit, and had Subway for food. Yep, life is good.

Okay, so I got bored a bit too. I’m not used to being alone all day long !!! LOL.

THEME

Planning your homeschool is a lot of fun, especially if you’re going to be trying something new. Just like finding a shiny new penny you’re excited to use it. This week I hope you’ll share something new you’re using, why you’ve decided to use it, and if you have used it how you like it. Make sure to include the publishing information and where you got it from so others can look into if they like.

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Well, this one is somewhat easy. LOL. Everything in our curriculum this year is new ! We are finally using a set curriculum instead of me just finding stuff from the internet to work with.

I think my personal favorites are Math-U-See and Doorposts.

First off is the Math program. We love it! It has really helped get both kids on target with numbers. It is also visual which it turns out BOTH of my kids are and that also helps TREMENDOUSLY!

For Instruction in Righteousness

This book is by Doorposts

It is considered a topical reference guide for biblical child training… but it’s so much more as well. It’s fantastic for most ages and both kids are involved in this book. It covers over 50 different areas of sin, has ideas for discipline, objects lessons, memory verses, and much more. I highly encourage others to check this book out!

Polished Cornerstones (also by Doorposts)

This book is focused on daughters and training them to become A Woman of God. There is also a companion manual for boys called Plants Grown Up but it is recommended for 1st grade and up so I will buy that next year for Benjamin!

Polished Cornerstones is a 575 page book that helps teach girls the skills and attitudes that God wants from us. There are projects included, memory verses, and each project is labeled with school subjects making it easy to incorporate the projects into the school day. Hannah and I are really enjoying this book as well.

Good evening. The kids and I are finally back from church. Tonight was the first night for Awana. Wowsers! I cannot believe the amount of children from our church that are involved in Awana. That place was a zoo. Hannah was very excited to be a part of it and Benjamin is slightly terrified and says he’d rather stay home with Dad. Hmmm… hopefully in a couple of weeks that attitude will change. This is their first year doing Awana.

As for me, I joined one of the Women’s Bible studies that started up for the fall season. They’ve done this one before but I’ve never gotten in on it. It’s called “Believing God” and its done by Beth Moore. I am sure most of you know who she is. We received our workbooks and I’m anxious to get started with it. I seem to learn so much every time I do a Beth Moor study so I’m very excited to be a part of this one. I’ll keep ya updated on how it goes!

Memory Verse: Psalms 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Intro: Plop, plop, Fizz, fizz; Oh, What a Relief It Is! (Marketing Credit: Alka Seltzer)

Hello Ladies! Last weeks assignment was so great, wasn’t it! This week I thought since we all shared about our educational background and our feeling about homeschooling, the trials and tribulations, and how we got our start I thought we’d share about some of the burdens we’ve felt.

Assignment: This would be a good week to tell about your worst struggles with a lifestyle of homeschooling. Tell about something you’ve struggled with and how God’s mercies gave us the strength to get past it. Also, share any curriculum/homeschool methods that have been a relief to you, i.e., a particular Teacher’s Manual or Homeschooling method that’s been easier for your family. Talk about how you felt when the burden was lifted and Oh, What a Relief it is!

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Wow, where to start here? First would be the battle with hubby. Even though in California we were both all for this lifestyle, once we moved to Idaho… his thoughts changed. That and we had some personal / marital / financial struggles in 2007 and on into 2008. We are still working through stuff in those areas. So my first challenge was praying that God would shine the light in John’s heart and help him to know that homeschooling was the best option for us.

After that hurdle, we endured the family. No one seemed to be 100% for it. Not my parents, not my inlaws, not cousins, aunts/uncles, no one. Few have argued with us, but we both felt pressure from all sides that we were doing the wrong thing. I do know that as time has gone on, most of them are fine by it. I mean, honestly, it’s not like they have a choice. It’s not their children, it’s not their lifestyle. And we are okay with that. We choose differently that’s all. It was a bit of an adjustment though.

The other hurdles I have faced are either with hubby or within me. For one, hubby wants a strict, structured school. I am a relaxed homeschooler… I mean hello! I am a creative genius, lol… you can’t expect that kind of person to be stuck with rigid schedules. Secondly, I do struggle some with disciplining myself. There are definitely days where I could just say “nah, let’s not do school… let’s craft or let’s play … or let’s all take a nap.” LOL.

The plus side to all this … I know in my heart I am doing what God wants. He did not call us as Christians to live a passive lifestyle. We are not here to live like the rest of the world. This is not our home. I don’t want my children going to a school and learning about evolution (as fact), homosexuality (as being okay), violence, gossip, etc (as if they are okay things and to be expected). They are not to be expected. We want our kids to grow up knowing the Lord, knowing the Bible, having His Truth hidden in their heart so that when things do happen, they will have Him and His shield to protect them.

One day we will all stand before the Lord and we will give an account for our lives and for how we raised our children, those precious gifts God loaned to us. I do not want to stand in front of the Lord and shamefully tell Him I have no clue what they were being taught. He gave us a manual (the Bible) and that is what we are raising our children by.

It’s nice to write out my menu each week. Normally it helps us quite a bit. Last week, however, was not one of those times. We were deathly ill at this house! Four of those days we all barely scarfed down chicken broth, some bread and crackers, and drink. Sooo, we are getting back into gear here this week! Here is my dinner menu.

M- Spaghetti (that we didn’t have last week)

T- Chicken, rice, and stir fry veggies (didn’t have last week)

W- Hamburger Helper (church night so it’s gonna be quick n easy)

T- Burritos

F- Leftovers

S- Pizza night (gonna veg and watch some movies together)

S- Steak, potatoe, veggies

Let’s hope and pray that this week works out better than last week! God bless!!!

I cannot ever remember being that sick before in my life. It was horrible. And you know what? It totally lasted a full 24 hours! Crazy. I used to think putting a time frame on an illness was funny. Well, it is true. Today I feel so tired. My body aches. My sides / ribs ache so badly from all of the gut wrenching. I have a headache; I’m probably dehydrated although I have maintained drinking fluids. I just feel so out of it and tired though. I do not for see going to church in the morning. That’s sad too b/c I’m supposed to work in the nursery but I cannot do it now after having gone through that. I wouldn’t want to share it with anyone at all, and especially not little babies!

*sigh* I am thinking I am going to take a little nap. Tootles for now.

Well, I feel like I am anyways. Kids and John ended up with some stomache bug. Some horrible 24 hour bug that makes you wish for death. I thought I would be passed by. I was wrong. Me and the white throne have been in deep conversations all night long… my tummy is writhing in pain, and I feel unbelievably horrid. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. Pray for me. I’m a gonna need it. I’m only on hour number 9………… I sure hope it is gone in 24 hours

This week please post what your planned homeschool routine is. The theme banner should give you some ideas on how to do that. I had fun making that and adding in real info (except for the times! lol).

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Hmmm… well, I sort of touched on this one last week!

We do not set ourselves with an actual routine. Tried that. Does not work. I do not enjoy routines in the least. Hubby thinks we should be more structured but I believe it messes with the creative flow, lol. However… this is what a typical day may be like for us.

6am : Me up, bike ride/walk / shower / dress

7am : Me bible time / computer time

8am : kids up / breakfast / kids dress / tidy rooms

9am : School starts

Bible & Math are usually first

10:30am : Snack break / laundry change / email / phone calls / etc

11am : Language Arts

Noon : Lunch

12:30pm : Ben computer; Hannah school

Try to finish by 2pm if possible.

Note that this is NOT what usually ends up happening. Life happens. LOL. I am very relaxed. I like my kids to learn but on their own time. I’m not going to force it; I want them to love to learn and I don’t believe that happens by structuring their every moment of every day. Some days we finish early; some days we will be working on stuff in the evening time. It’s okay! There is no rule that says school has to be from this time to that time and it all must be completed. That’s not life. And I want my children to experience the fullness of life that God has so graciously blessed us with!

BFS Assignment #100 - Oh What a Feeling!

Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:19 KJV
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Please try to learn our memory verse this week. We will be sharing a new verse every week and hope that you will store them in your hearts and find a special joy in His words.

Intro: Oh What a Feeling! (Marketing credit: Toyota)
Wow! As many of us enter into another school year, the feelings that we have permeate in setting the tone for the upcoming school year. Box Day!– ahhh….the new books and the sound of cracking the binding and smelling the freshly printed pages….Can you FEEL the freshness? Wiping the slate clean, and learning from past experiences! It’s all very exciting; just as we are here at Blogger Friend School! We have a very fun year planned around popular marketing slogans to share with you. Our assignment this week is going to focus on sharing your feelings about being a homeschool mom! Dig deep within and pour out your emotions!

Assignment: Take time this week to write about YOU and your feelings of trials and triumphs with homeschooling. Touch on when you first heard about the concept of home schooling and whether you tip-toed into the idea or just jumped in and never looked back. Share your schooling as a child and how you compare it to what your goals are for your children.

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Well, I guess I always knew about homeschooling. I grew up in rural Ohio (right by the Ohio River and across from both WV & KY). What I thought of it though was very wrong… guess it was just because I didn’t know any better. As a child, I thought those that were homeschooled were weird, off base, eccentric, etc. Not the kinds of people *normal* people would want to be around. HA. Well I know better NOW

I really started considering homeschooling more once I met John. His closest friends (John & Janette) raised their three sons and homeschooled them from birth to graduation. Those three young men are so wonderful and were raised with such loving care. They are bright young men that love the Lord fiercely. After seeing that up close and personal, I realized that is exactly what I want for my children.

Well the beginning of a brand new month… the ninth month of 2008. Amazing how time just flies, huh? Here is my menu plan for this week (dinners only).

M- Bbq ribs, potatoe salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, and peach pie

T- Burritos made from the leftover rib meat

W- Spaghetti, salad

T- Eat out

F-Chicken & rice, stir fry veggies

S- Stew, cornbread

S- Leftover day

This week’s theme is about sharing your 2008-09 homeschool agendas and plans. Share the different curriculum you’re using. You can also include what age/grade you’re using it for, how long you’ve been using it, and why you like it.

Please share a Bible verse that has encouraged you or inspired you during this planning-process, and how.

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I should have known this one would be coming, LOL. This is our first full year of homeschooling and we definitely learned quite a bit last year about what does and does not work. Our biggest issue last year was that we did not have a set curriculum. We need that. It helps. I fumbled around so much last year it’s a wonder we made it through… but we did ONLY by the grace of God!

Here is this years curriculum.

Hannah (Grade 2)

Bible : Doorposts Polished Cornerstones & Instructions in Righteousness

Handwriting : Bible copywork (NKJV)

Math : Math-U-See Alpha

Reading : Bob Jones Reading Grade 2

English : Bob Jones English Grade 2

Science : Different things right now. Waiting on funds to buy Bob Jones Science Grade 2

Health : AOP Horizons Health Grade 2

History / Geography : Bob Jones Heritage Studies Grade 2

Benjamin (Grade Kindergarten)

Bible : Instructions in Righteousness

Math : Math-U-See Primer

Language Arts : AOP Horizons Phonics & Reading Kindergarten

Health : AOP Horizons Health Kindergarten

We also have several unit studies planned for this year. Short ones that do not take a whole lot of time. Both kids like to make lapbooks as well so we will incorporate those into our unit studies.

Our schedule is basic. I do not set it with time limits. We try to start between 8 & 9am. We break around 10:30 for snack/chores. 11am we school some more. Noon is lunch. After lunch, Benjamin is usually finished and I focus more on where Hannah needs more help, etc. Ben will often be on the computer at that time. Most days we are completely done before 2pm. Just depends on the work load.

My verse… it would be 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”

The first theme begins today, August 20th, 2008. This week, we want to hear about YOU. The author behind the words. The Momma behind all the homeschooling kiddos. Just write up something about you, your family, and your home. How long you’ve been homeschooling and why you decided to homeschool. It doesn’t have to be anything lengthy at all, but we’d love to hear it! You might include a family photo too!

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Alrighty, I am joining a new meme for homeschooling Mommas. If you have not joined yet then what are ya waiting for? LOL. Get on over there!

To begin… a little about me.

My name is Connie Jean. We live in the great state of Idaho and have for over two years. I’m married to John (8+ years now) and we have two kiddos. Hannah Cheyenne is 7yrs old and in the 2nd grade and Benjamin Andrew is 5yrs old and in Kindergarten. We live in a small town, in a subdivision, with little to no acreage (wahh!), and we currently have no pets.

I love to do crafts (have a craft blog and linkage is on the sidebar)… and am also a Stampin’ Up demonstrator. We are a Christian family and attend a baptist church in Meridian called Central Valley.

John and I had talked about homeschooling our kids shortly after the birth of our first. We lived in California at the time and the public school system is a very scary place there! (and everywhere but it terrified this small town gal, lol). There really was never a question of us putting our children into any public school system. Then in the summer of 2006, we moved out of California and into Idaho. So with a small town like this, we talked it over and decided to go ahead and enroll our daughter into kindergarten at the local school…

Well, she did make it through kindergarten but she struggled a lot. The class was comprised of 28 students and the teacher (of course) was unable to give each child one on one time. Hannah needs that. She’s not a “sit back and listen and get this” sort of kid. She’s more of the “explain it, demonstrate it, now watch me do it” kiddo. Very hands on but also needs to have things shown to her. Anyways, we continued with the public school and 1st grade came upon us. We did not like her teacher which was problem number one. This teacher sent Hannah home daily with a huge workload of ten - fifteen sheets of homework along with spelling words and books to read. I’m sorry but for a six year old, after spending six plus hours in a classroom… does anyone really blame her for not wanting to then sit with her parents for anywhere from 1 - 3 hours doing homework??? I think not! We talked with the teacher and we talked with the principal. We did not get anywhere and we became frustrated. So after the first quarter was up we took her out of school. . . and never looked back.

So here we are in the 2008 / 2009 year. This is our first full year homeschooling and we are enjoying it immensely. Is it easy? No. Does it take time? Yes. Commitment? Yes. But are we doing what the Lord wants? YES! Is she learning Scripture? You betcha… they both are. We want to hide the Word in their hearts!!!

Anyways, so I guess this sums up my All about me… he he he…

I haven’t done a meme or anything in ages so I thought I’d post one this morning.
Found this song by Kellie Coffey this week and it has just blessed me tremendously. It is called “I Would Die For That” and really has to deal with the issues of having a child… teen pregnancies, abortions, infertility, miscarriages, etc. As one that has had miscarriages, this song really cuts deep. I love it and I wanted to share it with all of you !

Thought I would show some updated photos of the kids that I took at one of the parks in Boise during July. I know, I’m so slow at getting things posted!