Curriculum Fever

I have it... curriculum fever. I am thinking of next year, and I am planning all these great things for my dds to do. We are going to be schooling through most of the summer, but I want to be ahead of things for fall. Okay, so do you want to know what I am considering? I don't care if you do or don't, I want to write it all down anyway...

Science:
NOEO. It is this really cool program that uses living books, and The Young Scientist Club experiments. It works great with a Classical or Charlotte Mason style education, a combination of which I am patterning Shade Tree Academy after. I am debating on whether to buy all the books, or use the library. I have found most of the books at the library, but many would have to be ordered from another library, and that can take a long time... sometimes weeks. And there is a limited amount of time that I can use the book, especially if there is a hold on it. I would still have to buy a few of the books, the teacher's manual, and the experiments. Not sure I will be saving enough money to make it worth my while. Humph! ($173.38 max)

Grammar:
I love the grammar component of Spell to Write and Read. It has served us well so far, but I fear that older dd needs a little more for 3rd grade, so I am considering "A First Book of Sentence Diagramming". It looks like it would cover the basics of sentence structure, and parts of speech. Once that has been mastered we might look into a writing program for the future, but that's down the road, so I better slow down. ($15)

Arithmetic:
Of course we will continue to use Math U See. It is working well for us, as I am learning how to teach one of my weaker subjects. Empowering, this job of mothering is.($28)

History:
I need to find the next book in The Story of the World Series. We are only half way through Ancient History. I would like to be able to start The Middle Ages in the fall. Better get on the stick, as they say here in the south.($45)

Discipline:
I would like to purchase some posters from Doorposts. They offer scriptural based posters that will help me to be consistent, and the kids will know what to expect for certain offenses. Cool stuff and a cool website.($18-24 depending on how many I buy)

Bible:
Of course we will continue to read the Bible, and memorize Scripture. I haven't really looked for a Bible Study for the girls. We have several resources at home. I might like to find something, though that would be good for the 3rd grader. Please comment with recommendations!

Yikes! I have spent $285 in my wish list. Maybe I should share this post with all the relatives who would like to help our little homeschool out ;-) I am sure there's more that I haven't mentioned... Anyway, I have some goals to work toward. It feels good to have this all in one place.

Birds, and Squirrels, and Little Girls

Blue Jays, like humans, care for their young with a watchful eye. We both like to keep our babies safe, and provide comfortable homes in which they can grow up until they are ready to leave the nest. Of course as they grow we must give them more freedom, and space in which to learn. They can't be confined to the nest forever!

We are fortunate enough to have a blue jay family for neighbors. Their nest is high in a tree in the front yard. I have seen the busy parents flying about the yard. The girls and I like to watch them and all the other birds in the yard. They are all so beautiful.

A few days ago, my oldest DD came running in. I heard her tell her sister, "Don't touch it!" as she approached the door. I was already on my way to meet her and see what kind of creature they had found in our yard. I needed to make sure they were safe from this wild animal (Copper heads have been found in our yard in the past).

So I ran after her across the yard to find a small, partially feathered blue jay, covered mostly with down sitting on a thin branch of the azalea hedge that borders our yard. It looked lonesome and pitiful. My first concern were the cats that live outside and eat in our barn. They could be a threat to this baby. But some of them are wild, and I can't bring them all into the house anyway. DH is allergic. So we left the bird for a while. Later I decided we should do some research to see if we should bring this baby in and watch after it.

We learned from the internet that Blue Jays, Robins, and other bird species finish the training of their fledglings at ground level. This bird would be just fine where he was, and would be flying off very soon. We did not want to take it from the care of its parents who were still bringing it food. So we just watched it. Every time we heard a clamor from that direction, one of the girls would run out to make sure there was no cat attacking. The noise was usually the mother bird feeding the baby.

But yesterday it was one of the cats going to check out the situation. Both DDs promptly shooed the cat away to protect the bird. But then, last night there was a noise on the patio. It was the sound of an injured animal. I jumped up to check, and youngest DD was in tears at the thought that a cat had gotten to "our" baby bird. I ran out to stop the murder; but the cat, Firecracker, snatched up the critter, and shot out into the yard.

I came in and told the girls that Firecracker had the baby bird. They were devastated. I went out again to find the cat and its prey not expecting to find anything good. This time I was able to separate the cat from the injured animal. It was not a bird! It was a young mammal, maybe a squirrel. I snatched up the cat. (Fortunately, Firecracker wishes he were a house cat, so there was no trouble getting him in my arms and into the house.) The girls were overjoyed to find that the cat had not hurt the baby bird.

I went back out to check on the squirrel, but it was not to be found. Hopefully it will be able to recover. (I dreamed last night that one of the other cats was playing with a stiff squirrel in the yard. Argh!) As for Firecracker, he was confined to the safety of the laundry room. He did not hurt any other creatures last night. And of course this morning he didn't want to leave the laundry room to go back outside either. Hope that bird learns to fly soon. Our nerves can't take this!

Organizing Myself

Okay, this is what is on my mind today. I am sleeping too late everyday, therefore, I am unable to get my morning chores done before I have to start breakfast and school. This is a real problem. I am seeking The Lord for help, but I am so weak. I am not showing respect to husband who has to get up early every day and begin his work day. Oh, I know all the excuses and I've used them. It is a matter of will power. I have faced all the natural consequences, and for some reason they are not enough. Better days follow early mornings. The house is cleaner, the kids are better tended and finished with school earlier. I am a more pleasant person. Maybe sharing this here will make it more real to me. How do I find the will power to do this?

Maybe I think too big. I start planning all these things that I want to do or that need to be done and it is overwhelming. Baby steps is what the FlyLady recommends. This is all well and good, but I am so detail oriented. I am looking too closely, and thinking too hard about everything.

So here's my plan. Wake up when DH leaves around 6:00. Do my morning routine, plus walking the dog, and unloading the dishwasher. Then we can start school around 8:00. This has been a goal that I have reached occasionally and then backslid from. (Anyone who reads this please pray that I will resist the temptation to stay in bed, and be obedient to the leading of Our Father in Heaven. Yes, He has been telling me to do this.) After a couple of weeks of this, I would like to add something like a weekly routine after school. I must remember to take some time for myself to read, or talk on the phone, or blog; but it must be limited by a timer!! So much could be accomplished in the afternoon if I will only apply myself.

Now I get to re-read this post in a month and see how much closer I am to meeting my goals. Oh, I hope to be much closer!

The Birthday Girl

My smiling angel, rose in hand.

Her new fish named Blue Tail.

Bitter Sweet

The real birthday has happened. She is six years old now. She can ride her bike, daringly might I add, sound out words, and speak most intelligently. Her personality is more and more evident as she grows. Of course I love her whole heartedly.

Freedom reigns with an older child; for her and for her parents. She no longer needs my full attention at every moment, but thank God, she still comes for a hug and a kiss, or to snuggle up and read a book. She can make more choices, and I can do more than just care for children. I can begin to exercise my own interests again, and she can find hers... and then change her mind.

So why do I want to cry? I feel like I am saying goodbye to my babies. Change is inevitable, this I know. We are entering a wonderful new phase of our lives, yet I mourn the loss of the old one. A part of me wants to hold and nurse a baby again; to be needed at every moment of my days and nights; to hold that tiny little, needy body that loves me so purely. But our goal is to grow them up. So I must let go of the past and nurture my 'baby' in a new way. May God help me.

Party Time

I just want to say how glad I am when your friends are the kind who truly enjoy doing things for one another. I really enjoyed sweeping Captola's floor the other day, and she and my mom seemed to be so happy to be able to help me get laundry off the line yesterday when the storm blew in. Good friends are hard to find, and I am so blessed to have them!

Good family is a great blessing, too. We had a birthday party here for my youngest DD. Most of our family was here; mine and my hubby's. Our families are so different. His is very religious, and a bit strict about what should and should not be done. My family also believes is Christ and Salvation through faith, but are much more relaxed about things. Some of my baby brothers will bring a cooler full of beer, and, as one would say, "Throw down." DH's family has learned to deal with this, and we all get a long amazingly well. Funny thing is that when all of our families, including all exes, and step parents, and all their kids and grandkids, we have about 35 people at our house. My divorced and re-married parents are actually friends. My step-mom and my Mom call each other to talk on the phone, and visit one another because they like each other. I am terrifically blessed! DH's divorced family gets along great as well. No one is mean at our birthday parties, thank The Lord!

Needless to say we received lots of complements from those wonderful family members (and the friends we adopt as family). What else would good people do? Everyone loved the Nathan's Hot dogs we bought at Sam's Club. They tasted very good for a hot dog! My MIL made an awesome blueberry ice-cream cake. (Of which, I happily report, there are remnants in my freezer) We all had a happy birthday party. Now I must go clean up.

Busy, Busy, Busy

It seems that grocery day is always too long. I know the problem and the cure. The menu and list must be made ahead of time, so that errand day is only that, a day for errands, not planning. I know this in the early part of the week, but I procrastinate. Here is a part of my life where I really want to learn to rely on The Lord. I am again reminded of 2 Timothy 1:7. God has given us a spirit of power and self-discipline. I need to seek the Holy Spirit to provide those to me. I know that they exist, and I have seen Him put them to work in my life, but I must surrender to His guidance. The days I love best are the ones where there is nowhere to go, and we can just stay home and follow our little school routine. Those days I feel like we've accomplished something. At the end of a long grocery day, I am short with the kids, and too tired to do the things that are my specialties (ie. cook supper, tidy up, or do something other than sleep with hubby.) And all I have done is spent too much money! God wants to bless me, I just have to let him.

Its a Mother's Day

Tonight we are going to the Japanese Steak House to celebrate Mothers' Day with my hubby's mom and family. I do love her, and am thankful God has blessed me with good family. The girls are excited about the place where they cook in front of you and make volcanoes with onions. DH loves to eat the fried rice, and we will be with family, which is one of my favorite things. Never mind the money...

Today has been good. I would like to get out to the library, but have become addicted to this blogging thing. Spent a few minutes reading my friend's blog( captola.blogspot.com ). I thoroughly enjoyed it. She is so cool! A comment there sent me to yet another blog, and the world of blogging grows for me. I even found a cool blog this morning when looking for a recipe for grilled Cornish game hens. It was informative and entertaining as well. (Check it out: A Man Crush(ing a brick) Wonder if anyone will ever find my ranting interesting. Wonder if I really care?

MIL wants me to make her a crochet cell phone holder. I have made two of them for myself (The dog ate the first one) If I want to make it for her, I need to do that before tonight's celebration. It will only take about half an hour, but finding that half hour when blogging is so important.... Maybe I can write the pattern for this thing down and share it if anyone is interested.

Must... close...
finding... motivation...
to... stop... blogging. . .

Life Feels Good

Life feels good. I hope it doesn't start to feel bad anytime soon. Hubby and I are getting along very well. The kids are enjoying plenty of good story time. Math is going great. I love SWR (Spell to Write and Read). Cloe is doing reading comprehension tests that put her in a mid-third grade level. Her reading ability is better than that of some of my fourth through sixth grade Sunday School students. Lila is beginning to read and break up new words. She is progressing quickly, all of a sudden, through her words. It is clicking!!! I love to see little ones light bulbs come on.
On a separate note, we are watching the neighbors dogs. Since they left for Disney Land, their dogs have figured out a new way to escape from their fence. One is in heat. And my barely six month-old male puppy is having fits to get outside to her. He is not behaving normally. It is time to make that fateful appointment. Poor little fella is gonna loose his manhood, and soon!

Great Day

For my first post I will be glad to report a beautiful day. The promise of rain is hanging in the dry air. Hope is blossoming and growing in my heart. Relationships are healing, and I am learning.
Teaching my kids math and science is fun and easy; it's the simple habits of respect and politeness that challenge the home-teacher. Surely they challenge all mothers. Red flags go up when we see our little ones respond and react in the same negative, emotional manner as their mother. But God has given us a spirit of power, love and self-discipline(2Tim 1:7). So where is it? Not always easy to find that last one there! Sure, as mom we show our power all day long, but do we discipline ourselves to use it properly? And of course we love our children, but do they feel loved even when being corrected? Ah, it's the self-discipline that's key to the success of the first two God given gifts.
Today, I found it. Yes it took a whole week's worth of prayer, but I found it. Rather, it was given me. DD and I were having a moment about proper paper position. It was a power struggle. Past days I have reacted emotionally, as she did today. But for me, it was different today. I took her by the hand and we stormed into another room. Then something happened, and I did not react emotionally to her opposition of my power. I think the Holy Spirit took over. I spoke gently, and gave her a firm boundary. I stated the consequence for crossing said boundary, and we hugged. Her tears did not anger me, and we went back to work, successfully.
I cannot express how relieving this was. I truly believe it was because I have finally given my personal shortcomings to The Lord, and he is making the changes I was previously unable to make in my life. He has a lot more work to do, because I have made a mess of things!