2014/2015 School is in full swing... we've all survived day two

We officially started our school year Friday 8/1 as far as the books go. However, when planning this I failed to realize that we had already planned to do our SAM's run that same day. That being said, Angel and Sunshine did theirs Wednesday and Thursday and Princess did hers Friday morning so we could leave as early as possible.

Today, Monday August 4, therefore was our first real day of school. I had a little trouble sleeping in the wee hours of the night, and was able to plan out a "in a perfect day" schedule. We did start off a little late, which may or may not have had anything to do with my sleep issue during the night *wink, wink*.

I think I mentioned before my discovery of Evernote. I am actually head over heels loving it so far. Due to the level of completion last year, matched with we actually took placement guides this year Princess and Angel are scattered all over the place. I can't imagine the looks on their faces if they actually knew how much they are all over the place. Using Evernote, I can place the different assignments into one neat and tidy list for them, and I have it saved in both computers so all they have to do is pull it up and read their assignments made special for them for that day. I discovered today while typing up tomorrows assignments, that there is a check list option. So, starting tomorrow they will be able to click the check box when done with an assignment and keep it easier to follow what's left to be done.

Another thing we tried today, which to work for the most part for two of the girls, and somewhat, but not as much for the other, was to work in 45 minute rotations. Forty-Five minutes on school work, then forty-five minutes on either chores or whatever else needs to be done at the time, then repeat.  Sunshine will actually have more than double the work starting tomorrow than she's had today and Friday, but a lot of it will be verbal, and discussion being that she's just in first grade.

If the only problems we face this coming year are the ones we faced today, I think we've got this. Although, I wish it could have been smoother, I am not to naive to know there also won't be worse days.

Today being day one of the first full week, and everyone was done before 4, I think the incentive to have the fourth week have Friday's off is looking good.
Blessings,
Erin :)

A new school year is approaching.

I hope to do a better job of keeping up with this blog this year. We are starting our school year this coming Friday, August 1. 

I am excited to have found out about a free online journal per se to help organize and document the daily work, and hope to use this blog to hit the highlights. The site I've found is www.evernote.com. It's neat because (until Easy Peasy changes format-will explain later) I can just put what they are to do in a day under a heading with that day's date and email it to them, or print it out and they can just go by it. 

I mentioned Easy Peasy is changing formats. There is no launch date announced as it's still in the working it out phase, but I'm very excited about the changes they are making. Currently the curriculum is written in a blog format with links to the appropriate locations. There isn't a problem with this other than it's hard to keep up with what's been done at times. They are transitioning it into a webpage format where you will be able to customize the student's curriculum by mixing up the different courses to fit their educational needs. The new setup will also allow you to know where you left off. I'm excited about the new changes, and hope that it's ready soon, although I'm not expecting it too soon. 

Our plan for this school year is that for every three weeks of solid work with all coursework getting completed on time the fourth week they will get Friday off. 

I have decided to call the children by their nicknames online (some given by their Grammy, some by us, and some by themselves) from here on out. 

Tentatively our new school year schedule is:

7:30- Boy and Sunshine- morning routine and small breakfast
8am-10:30- Boy (preschool) and Sunshine (first grade)
8am-9am- Angel and Princess- morning routine and small breakfast
9am-10am- Princess kitchen chores
9am-until- Angel (fifth grade)
10am-until-Princess (seventh grade) 

We will see how well these schedules work out the first few weeks then will tweak to fit our/their needs best. 

I have backtracked them all a bit to about a week before where  we finished last year to start off easy and confident. I hope this ends up benefiting and not setting them back. 

Looking forward to a great 2014/2015 school year!

Erin

I have been MIA for awhile

I have been MIA for awhile and hopefully that will change before too long. I am waiting on getting my computer fixed and hopefully that will happen sooner than later. I have been able to get my computer repair parts by earning points on swagbucks (if you aren't a swagbuck member you can join here).

Fundraising for a huge field trip/mini vacation

We have decided that we cannot pass up the wonderful opportunity that the Creation Museum is offering for the 2014 year. They are offering FREE children tickets for the entire year. Due to the distance between here and there, and Travis' not being able to ride for long without breaks, and the fact that a ticket is good for two consecutive days, we have decided that we need a minimum of $215.00 per month to be able to go late August or early September.

That being said, we knew we would need to raise the money, as we don't have that left over at the end of each month for sure! We have decided that each month we will have a different charity we will donate to alongside our field trip money. We have been trying to come up with several things to do to come up with the money, and have already gotten started making some, and even opened an Etsy store. The girls are making things as well as myself. 

Although this is far from a complete list, here are some of the charities we hope to be able to help donate to while raising money for our trip: 

*Food Bank

*March of Dimes

*American Heart Association

*American Cancer Society

*Humane Society

*Gardens Club

*Literacy Council

*Susan G. Komen

*Red Cross

*Wounded Warriors program

* Hospice

*A Place for Us Ministries

*Frontline Ministries

* Samaritan's Purse

*Make a Wish Foundation

As it stands right now, each dollar raised will be split 3 ways. 1-To go back into the item that made the money to be able to do it again, 2- To help us make it to the Creation Museum, and 3-To the charity of our choice. I would be absolutely beyond thrilled if I could send each one of these charities a check for $100+ 

Depending on how well this goes, this may become an ongoing project for the girls to work on each year. If it goes as plans, it will help them with setting goals, financial planning, compassion for others, and the importance of giving. 

***SIDE NOTE*** I'm not able to get on the "real computer" much anymore as mine is in the "shop" and it's difficult to get computer time with everything they have to get done for school so it's been quite on the blog, and I'm aware of that, but (although this one is being finished via the "real computer") most of my blog time is via my cell or tablet, and it's not quite as easy (read---fast) to type a letter at a time as it is to type it out (wpm difference is drastic, lol)

 Two of the necklaces I'm making.

 My most recent bow.

 The girls' Christmas bows.

  Our family Christmas pic.

 We have also started reading our first Dear America series book, and so far love it. 

Be blessed, 

Erin

No school on birthdays

Today is Becca's 6th birthday. I have decided that we won't have school on birthdays. I really don't like that I am still sick on her birthday. The other day I made cinnamon buns, and she said she wanted some for her birthday so I guess I will go make them for her. Becca, Jon-Ira, and Melissa all having January were given gift cards to Old Navy over Christmas break. Becca and I went shopping the other night while in Anderson, and I can't wait to see her in her birthday outfit. She was already "missing being 5" last night before today even got here.  I think Travis will have to take her to Firehouse Sub's for her free birthday sub if I don't feel better soon. I am so proud of my baby girl for how far she pushes herself in her schoolwork.

This was the second time I'd made these cinnamon buns, and this time I made them in a larger skillet. I have purchased the plastic canvas for the kiddos recipe boxes, but have to go get the yarn and plastic needles so they can start putting their recipes in them. I know that THIS recipe will definitely be in mine. I don't do it exactly as listed, because I do it by hand.

It's been quiet...

I know it has been quiet on here, but trust me it hasn't been quiet at home. We chose to curriculum free life school the kiddos from Thanksgiving through New Years. That being said, the girls (hopefully) have been learning that there are reasons that go beyond because I said so to clean and organize. I do plan to continue the life schooling once we resume our curriculum. My favorite thing I plan to work on as an ongoing project that spans through the years is to have them create recipe boxes that they add to every time they help with any cooking.
I really enjoyed taking them to the dollar store to buy each others gifts, it really lit me up inside.

I look forward to a great Christmas with my family, and wish any/everbody reading this to have a very Merry Christmas too!

Thanksgiving is approaching

I found this picture that I actually thought I had already posted. This is Lydia's modeling clay version of the Spinx and pyramids in the background. 

It sure has been busy around here the past few weeks. We decided to work on getting Jon-Ira into his room (his room has been our "indoor storage room" if you will) and there were several things that were left in the living room to go through that have been ever so slowly being gone through and so we have been having to work around them to do schoolwork. My step-father broke some ribs so Travis decided we should go up there and help cut up firewood. At first it would have been way to much to bring 5 children to their house as he dealt with the hardest of the recovery stage, so since they had a little bit to last a short while and then we had a slight warm spell, we were able to wait a few weeks before going. We went and were there for a very fast 2 days. It rained the first day which made it hard to do firewood, and I forgot my wrap so I wasn't very helpful at first, but ended up being able to help some when I was able to allow my Mom to enter Grammy mode and tote and love on Melissa while walking around with the other kiddos. 

Being that this is always a tight time of year with mine and Travis' anniversary, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years, and then three kiddo birthdays and then right behind them are mine and Travis'  birthdays we have been trying very hard to minimize the amount of power we are using, so instead of 74 for our A/C on warmer days we bumped it up a degree to 75, and on the cooler days we just haven't turned the heat on at all, and was just using the fireplace. Well, last night it got down in the low 20's so we turned the heat on to 55 and I woke up to it on as the fire had long been out. I am so proud of my Katie Grace and Lydia, but most especially Katie Grace. Yesterday Travis was cutting firewood and she was really busting tail bringing it down to the house and stacking it up! I just hope and pray she doesn't get sick, she wouldn't listen and put on a long sleeve shirt, she had a short sleeve shirt on under her jacket and every time she would get warm would do a few runs without her jacket, and it was quite chilly yesterday. 

This morning I got up and started the fire back up and am already in just about an hours time about out of the wood that was brought in, so I guess I need to go out and get some more to bring in. Hmmmm, maybe I should make some coffee first, so my hands can warm up when I get back in. We have decided that today is going to be the only school day this week before Thanksgiving. I have too many things that I need their assistance in, and/or need my attention to be on to make sure Thanksgiving goes at least half way smoothly. We do however plan on having school Friday and Saturday. I plan on continuing the semi laid back approach to school through the first of the year and then hit it back hard after the new year. I think after how the end of our k12 times were, and for that matter how it started, lol, they deserved not quite a "deschooling" but a relaxed transition period if you will in between the k12 and our homeschooling experience. 

The girls did help me make our menu the other day. I will post it soon, and hope to have them make either a menu or cookbook to journal this years Thanksgiving dinner. I had planned on making a thankful tree on the back of my door, but I can't seem to get my ideas to make sense on paper for the trunk of the tree, I was going to use construction paper, but then you have the limbs and I'm not really thinking that I have the time to cut out limbs out of construction paper, so I may either do just a "pile of thankful leaves" or a tree with no branches, lol.