Been..

Lately things have just been going. I am at finals week, so I am just focused on my schooling. The house showed it and I am cleaning today. Logan is almost done with his last workbook. We should finish no later than August 6th and then get 9 days off before we start on the new "school" year August 15th. I almost cannot believe I am doing this. I never even heard of homeschool until I, myself, was in high school and I never thought I would do it with my own children, but so far I love. I am not niaeve, I know this is the easier part and I won't love doing it everyday, but I am committed to my children and their education. I thought about putting Logan in Fall soccer and basketball, but I think I am going to hold off until Spring. With Lance's homecoming right in the middle of the season I don't think it's really smart to be trying to do too many other things. He did love soccer this past Spring though. Anyhow, so life is just chugging along - still waiting to get the other computer fixed. Gotta have the funds to get it fixed. Something always seems to cost $, guess it's a fact of life.

Blessings,
Ashley

Coming upon the end of Summer

August it is a great month. My oldest son Logan was born this month, my daugher Arianna was born this month, (God rest her soul) and of course school starts for us on the 15th, not that we've really stopped, but at this point learning letters, writing, and basic math doesn't really call for a break - especially when "school" lasts anywhere from 30-45 minutes. I am sure in time I will be more concerned about figuring out whether we're going to be year-roud or more like a typical school calender - another reason to love homeschooling - FLEXIBLE TIME FRAMES.

Having said all of that, we're finishing up Logan's last Kumon workbook, the Lowercase letters one. I had planned on doing no school yesterday since I have bible study, but amazingly we all got up and ready early enough to sit down at the dining room table and do some work. I wasn't planning on much and Logan pushed himself to do 8 pages. It was amazing, he just wanted to keep going so I let him. Well he made up for that gusto today as we only accomplished four today. I should mention it's one page, two sides - so I guess I am counting sides. He did do more Math today, again another positive to homeschool - me following his lead -- to a point. He has gotten a bit bossy telling me I am doing this or I am done, so we do need to work on manners, but he is moving along nicely.

August 15th is a Monday. I am looking forward to seeiing the what Logan and I accomplish this year. I cannot believe what he learned at 2 and now 3, so I know I will be saying the same as he turns five. He is just so eager to grow "big" as he says..although as Mom I am not sure how I feel about that!

Ahh well life goes on!
Blessings,
Ashley

What is up with Monday?

Mondays are typically so hard for this family. We seem a little more tired, drag a little more. I was surprised we got any "school" done yesterday including my own homework for class. I am sure the gray and rainy weather did not help. It was like pulling teeth to get Logan to do the little he did in his workbook. It was not like him at all. Today we go to PWOC (bible study) and then I have a few errands, so if we do any school it will be in the afternoon. I also have my final to work on at some point this week. It is just crazy. I am still trying to get my computer to my friend who said he would fix it. I can't add any pictures or do anything I normally can because the laptop I am on is pretty much an Internet and Microsoft Works computer only. I will be very happy when it is fixed. So, here we are chugging a long. Hopefully there will be a nicer post tomorrow.

Blessings,
Ashley

Super Easy Salsa

My plans for dinner tonight are the crockpot Pineapple Chicken. I am excited about it. The picture looks fantastic. I will have fruit for dessert and so I was thinking of an appetizer I could serve that wouldn't stuff every one. So, of course I thought of chips and dip...but I wanted to do it healthier. So, here is a clean Salsa recipe I found. I taste tested it with Logan, and IT IS AWESOME!! I am very excited to be really cooking again, as always it's fun and YUMMY!

(From clean eating site)

Salsa

4 plum tomatoes
1 onion (1/2 of it)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbspn cilantro
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 lime (juiced)

*Put in process and mix well.* Can eat immediately or refridgerate.*
Makes 10 servings
*Also, you can use other substitutions, like I used minced garlic and cilantro paste according to the directions, as well as lime juice from a bottle. Still tasted awesome. I paired it with Tostitos Artisan Roasted Garlic and Black Bean chips.*

Blessings,
Ashley

And we move on..

Well R&R ended today. We dropped Lance/Daddy off at the airport early this morning. By 0800 I was back home. I think I have a 24 hr. bug or my sinuses are out of whack so I slept a lot today. I am a little down, but I'll get over it -- just hope it is quickly. I did school with Logan today. Lance had been doing it and more recently we couldn't find where he'd placed the alphabet book, so he was doing math with him. Well last night I found the Kumon workbook, so today we started our last book. It is fun watching Logan learn and I was glad for the distraction. He did mention missing Daddy once, but otherwise does not seem to be overly sad or concerned. I also showed him how his Daddy would be flying over the ocean back to his assignment on his blow up globe and he liked that. Then I got the questions of where was I born, Levi, you, and Daddy and the dogs - so I guess I can count that as History. Levi is well Levi and just enjoying being 13 months old. (Yes, today he's 13 months, that floors me!)Having company over tomorrow night. I figured that, that'd help to motivate me to finalize the organizing and cleaning I have after Lance's little interior painting project. I cannot wait to show pictures, but will have to due to the fact my good computer with memory is getting fixed. This is one I got at a pawn shop and I cannot add anything to it. Trust me, I have tried. Anyway, here's to moving on.

I am ready for November now, ha!
Blessings,
Ashley

School and a Good bye

My Husband seemed to misplace the Lowercase book when he took everything out to paint the interior of our house. I am not trying to be overly annoyed about it though. Instead he's been working with Logan on numbers. We're using Hooked on Math the same people who do Hooked on Phonics and it is a decent workbook. So, I need to add that to the side bar. My son seems to really relish Math which is good since I don't. Having said that his Father leaves tomorrow. As he goes we'll have 102 days to get through -- and I know we can with God's strength and lots of prayer. I have enjoyed the last two weeks and it was totally worth it. I am a tad concerned about Logan and his emotions, but I am not going to get upset or show him my feelings and we'll go with how he is and does. Anyway, I may not post tomorrow, but sometime this week I will post pictures and more about the upcoming new year.

Blessings,
Ashley

I may have a new love...

The pawn shop of all places. Normally I am leary of pawn shops. I am married to an MP (Military police) and they typically are not in the best areas or on the best streets, but I took the plunge today because both of our laptops took dumps and I must have one for my school since everything I do, even attendance, is online. So, I stopped at one and found a really inexpensisve laptop. I also got a $20 TV - it was $50 but the owner lowered the price since he could not gaurentee the DVD player. It worked out because I did not want Logan to have cable or DVDs in his room - and this is going in the boys playroom so that Logan can use the Smartcycle bike we got him for Christmas. I am excited to see it in action later as it is educational. I still expect him to go outside and do boy things, but I am hoping this will only help with his mind and provide some exercise as well. Along with that TV I got my husband a TV as well for his sports room. He has been deployed, and on R&R has done house painting and so much more just because he wanted to. He's mentioned a bigger TV for awhile now, and well this is a 42" and was under half price -- we had a bit of extra money and so I bought it. We have been blessed with several luxuries -- God is so faithful and then some. Pictures of the house and more to come!!

Blessings,
Ashley

Seeing An End..

With Daddy's help We have finished the Uppercase Letter Kumon workbook. I know Logan felt good when I filled out that little award they have in the back. He is an easy child to praise. A high five or "award," fuels him well. So, that means we have 6 weeks to finish the Lowercase book and review. We have 1 week of R&R left, so I know Lance will help as he can and that it'll be slower until next Friday after he's gone. I am hoping Logan doesn't hurt too much. He is a Daddy's boy and loves him so -besides that we're planning our day trips, so it's going to be busy, busy, but in that fun way. This is a new way to say "summer-school," -- I sure love homeshcooling!

The key is to remember to always add a little fun in,
Ashley

It's Kinda Nice..

Well "Daddy" has been home for four days and it's kinda nice. I mean I love having my Husband home of course, but it's kinda nice having the "help" too. Especially with schooling. I love that I can say,"Hey would you do school this morning?" And they do it together. It gives me a little time to myself as they do that and my youngest eats his breakfast. We have until the 21st - time of course is seeming to go fast, but isn't that always how it goes? I am enjoying my class. It's five weeks long, so Monday we finish up week two, but it's actually exciting. Guess you're never too old to learn as they say. I love it. This afternoon we're heading up to Raleigh. We're going to the mall - just to look around and then at 5 p.m. - we are headed to a Cars 2 Party at the Marbles Kids Museum. My husband booked it for us. He really wanted to see Cars 2 with Logan, so he did this. It's food, crafts, and fun around the museum - then a showing of Cars 2. It'll be a late night, but it'll be worth it. We're on schedule with the two workbooks I want to finish by August. I am having a little trouble planning for next year. Logan is at the 4 year old stage for Phonics/Writing, but at the Kindergarten level for math. So, I am struggling with what do and use - so we'll see what I figure out.

Here's to the weekend, enjoy yours, we sure will enjoy ours!!

Blessings,
Ashley

Another Day..

We still have no Daddy here. He is still on his way - tomorrow we hope. So, I am not really, really into the 4th of July at the moment. I am finalizing things around the house and trying to really get back into a routine. I took workbooks and the flashcards with us to Colorado, but near the end we took a break which turned into three weeks and it shows as my child is acting like he's forgot everything. I started back a little on Saturday and today we did regular time. We finished the last of the Rod & Staff preschool 3/4 workbooks and I feel that they were worth the money. I think it should be maybe 2/3, but what do I know. The one thing they did show me way Logan does have trouble writing anything with curves. We still have the Kumon Upper/Lowercase books to finish so I think that will help with that and we will be practice name and number (1-5) writing. Logan did not go to Camp Friday because they were swimming and with Camp, VBS, and everything in between he was wore out. I did not make him go -- anyhow, it starts back up tomorrow and now with all the chaos with Daddy trying to get home, I am glad I signed him up for this week even though my Husband was pretty upset with me. Logan needs stability -- glad he'll go there in the morning since I will be all over mentally. It's hard, so close and yet so far.

But God bless those who fought for our Independence and for those who fight today including Lance Logan King!!!
Blessings,
Ashley

PS Photos are of the boys & the workbook we finished!!

Birthday, Home, & Busy, Busy!!

Well haven't posted in awhile. We celebrated Levi's first birthday with family in Colorado. He had a great time eating cake and was all over it..or it was all over him depending on how you look at it. That was Saturday, then Wednesday we flew home to N.C. and then began the crazy week of Camp during the day and VBS at night and preparing for Daddy's R&R which until this point is still pending - yes we're waiting on him still! We had not done any school in three weeks and it shows, but I had Logan do a little last night. We really need to get back on that -- but there's still a lot of summer left for him..so I am not overly concerned. Just wishing there was time to do it all. Anyway, so that is about it around here, busy, busy.Pictures to come later as this site is acting crazy!

Blessings,
Ashley