Routine and On into 2012...

I miss our routine. My husband got back from deployment in early November and it's been chaotic with a trip and his whole month of leave. He returns to work Monday and we will then hopefully get back into our grove.

There were some financial issues, so I have decided to hold of buying the K curriculum that I listed. Instead I chose a cheaper route for the moment. I want to reinforce certain skills, so we're using Kumon workbooks until I can purchase the other books. I will post as we go along. Last week we did a Rhino Unit study, this week we are doing review. Then next week we will start the Kumon workbooks and read books on Giraffes. Logan is in love with animals, so zoology is a science.

I am sending "Daddy" and Logan to the library to get Giraffe books. The little one is napping and then I am going to attempt to get a workout in. We'll see how that goes. I need to get back to it...and also meal planning. I have my notebook out now..trying to get a list together for pay day. Having my husband home also means, more food in the house..I can say one thing, it sure is going to be fun one day trying to feed him and two teenagers..

No matter what I am blessed. Here's to the New Year, it's coming and I for one am ready for it!

Ending the Year Out..

Well it is official. We're ending 2011.

2011 was a crazy year with my husband being deployed and just life in general. I learned so much about the relationship with God and am thankful my husband has return whole and his usual self.

Shortly after he came home in November he went back to work. It was so that he could take the whole month of December off. In the beginning of December we went to Daytona Beach, FL for a week - over my birthday and just for a family vacation. It was nice and relaxing. Now we're conintuing to enjoy leave at home in NC.

Logan is far enough that we're officially ending preschool and moving onto Kindergarten work starting in January. I haven't wanted to push him, but realized he is bored, so we will move on. We're waiting on some extra money from the Army, so until I am able to get the new curriculum, we're doing unit studies. Personally they are really fun to create for me to create. This week we are studying Rhinos because that's what Logan wanted. He went on a trip to the zoo with his Aunts & cousins and fell in love. We're creating a poster board instead of a lapbook - that's at his level. I will post a picture after we're done on Friday. We went to the library last Friday and got the books. Logan also loves the library and that makes this Mom happy as I am a big reader. Next week he said we wants to study Giraffes so we'll go to the library Friday and get those books before everything shuts down for Christmas. Then we'll do that the week of the 26th and go from there until I get the new materials. I am planning on ordering everything from CBD.com and realized with my list that we are truly an ecclectic homeschool family.

My goal for 2012 is to blog more regularly.

Besides that we're focusing on friends, our little family, and of course Jesus during this Christmas season. I wish each of you the best as we head into 2012!
Blessings,
Ashley

The End of Week 3!

Well schooling Logan has been interesting. We were plugging along on the lesson plan I had created and then I started realizing that the workbook format alone wasn't working. While talking to my Mom she googled something and came up with this site internet4classrooms.com and it has proved invaluable. It has a ton of online resources for K-8 grade. So, I have added computer time to the mix and we're moving along much better now. I highly recommend this site - will take you to other sites, but it has been very helpful to us and so far everything has been FREE!

All is well, just busy with Logan's and my school.

Also still waiting "Daddy's" return!


Blessings,
Ashley

Chugging Along..

It is Tuesday.
Today is Art day, meaning we work on our Art project and nothing else.
Okay, well I did have Logan do a cutting worksheet, but I feel cutting goes along with the whole art thing - as he had to cut stuff out to paste before he did the worksheet.
Anyway, things are going well. I feel that we're finding our grove. It can be overwhelming to try and figure out okay, this is working, add that or take this away, but we are getting there.
I am adding pictures of the art project. I decided we would do one piece a week and then at the end of the book we would have our complete art project.
Book G from Rod and Staff has a Polar theme and so everything that the books uses deals with like count the Seals, How many Polar bears are there, and so on.
So, I printed out polar pictures.
The first one was a boy making a snowman, I know a little off - but I figured show Logan what he can be doing in a couple of months here would be fun. Today was a Penguin, and let's just say my son had an interesting idea for the color of the penguins head.

Here's to Art day, letting the creative juices flow!
Ashley

1 Week of School Complete!

Well I was up at 0500 today. It seems to be the only way I function well and get all that I need done. It is also why I am in bed by 2100 most nights too, but oh well - I have long since given up being cool. ha!

Anyway, so low and behold Logan wakes up at 0535, guess that proves he is my child. And spontaneously I asked if he wanted to do school and he said yes, so I went with it. Loganw as able to complete 6 workbook pages and two cutting worksheets. That means we're offically ahead by one day, so I will be taking Monday to review everything I noted needed to be worked on during this week.

So, I feel good about the way things are doing. Life is chugging along and soon we'll be in November and welcoming my husband home.

Here's to home educating!
Ashley

Somedays Are Better Than Others

Today is day four of the new "school" year. Day one started out so well, two was good, three, and four were a bit chaotic as I was interuppted by IMs' with my Husband. Can't exactly tell him we're doing school, don't wanna talk right now. Ahh the joys of being a military family dealing with deployments.

So, my son needs cutting practice. Decided along with the current workbook he is doing I will print out more cutting activties for him to do. It reminds me that while he excels at some things, he still needs work on others, and most improtantly he is four.

Remember to love them where they are at, that's the thought going through my head right now...don't wish 'em older, because they'll get there sooner than you'll like.

Ashley

We Started

Boy have we been busy running around. Not to mention my oldest's son's birthday was Friday and we did a party with one other family. I made a giant cupcake rather than a cake, it was Cars 2 - the boy made out of course...but kids always do I suppose. He got $, toys and was able to get some toys with some of the money. He has a little ATM - so the rest went in there. It was a great week, and a great day, just busy.

Anyhow, today we started "school," back up. I call us ecclectic. I have basically created my own K4 program. It has some review, but I almost want to say that it is more Kindergarten as Rod & Staff combines a preschool & kindergarten program and Get Ready for the Code books, A,B,C - is phonics - but I am still calling it K4 - until I see how he does and if I need to add or take stuff away. But anyhow, he is very excited to be going and I am very excited to see how this year goes.

Well I have to go, I have chores and my own school work to accomplish,
but life is great!
Blessings,
Ashley