{from the garden today}
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| strawberries! |
| {these are just the ones the kids did not eat, that I was able to set aside for Mark} |
Two good books
Mark and I just spent 6 whole days away together (!) I know (!) for our 15-year anniversary. We went to the ocean. I love Mark and I love the ocean, so it was pretty much perfect.
I had lots of time to read, too. Which reminded me that I know there are some of you-- okay, well... TWO of you: (Hi Carolynn! Hi Jessica O!) who actually like it when I recommend books I've read and enjoyed... so this post is for you:
Here are two books you should read:
HT: Amy @ Hope is the Word for the recommendation. (When she said her favorite book last year was Unbroken, (um- because YES! Mine, too!) and this one was her favorite for this year?... she had me.)
Secondly, this one:
Left Neglected
Fascinating.
I know I've linked to Amazon, but I checked them both out at the library. You two probably already know about Charles Martin's latest, right? Thunder and Rain. I read it. And. It was my least favorite of his books, so that's why I haven't raved about it here on the blog.
Okay. Back to the reorganization of our laundry room!
And then, soon- I'm hoping to get back on here and post some books Ella and Isaac have enjoyed lately, too.
Blessings to you and yours,
~Stacy
Here are two books you should read:
First, this one: City of Tranquil Light
Trust me. It's SO good. A missionary story.HT: Amy @ Hope is the Word for the recommendation. (When she said her favorite book last year was Unbroken, (um- because YES! Mine, too!) and this one was her favorite for this year?... she had me.)
Secondly, this one:
Left Neglected
Fascinating.I know I've linked to Amazon, but I checked them both out at the library. You two probably already know about Charles Martin's latest, right? Thunder and Rain. I read it. And. It was my least favorite of his books, so that's why I haven't raved about it here on the blog.
Okay. Back to the reorganization of our laundry room!
And then, soon- I'm hoping to get back on here and post some books Ella and Isaac have enjoyed lately, too.
Blessings to you and yours,
~Stacy
Daybook: June 11, 2012
Outside... sunshine. warm, beautiful sunshine. and we're fully enjoying it today!
In the kitchen... toast, eggs, and smoothies for breakfast (today's smoothie featured frozen blueberries, strawberries, bananas, lots of spinach, yogurt, honey, carrot juice, and coconut water. and ice. YUM.) leftovers for lunch. no plans yet for dinner. (homemade pizza, maybe?)
I am thankful for... a new (to us) swing set. Free! It is so much sturdier than our old one and providing hours of fun for the kids.
I am wearing... a gray floral tank top from Target, gray shorts.
I am looking forward to... going away with Mark for our 15-year anniversary. SOON. Can't wait! I like him so much and am so excited to have uninterrupted time with my man.
In the vegetable garden... things are growing! Strawberries are on their way, our rhubarb is flourishing and we've enjoyed rhubarb crisp several times already. Also growing happily: butter lettuce, romaine, spinach, chard, arugula, zucchini, carrots, beans, peas and cucumbers. Raspberries and blueberries. Also: pumpkins and squash and lots of basil. This morning I was able to thin some rows of lettuce, and I divvied up what I pulled between us- resulting in a bag of baby greens in the fridge, and our ducks and chickens, resulting in happy poultry!
In the flower beds... the peonies are in bloom. I have three bouquets in my house and they make me very happy. And the hydrangeas are happy I yanked the naughty morning glories off of them yesterday afternoon. Now they can grow in peace.
I am reading... 1 Peter. Still memorizing. I finished memorizing chapter 1 and now I'm on to chapter 2. Also in 2 Corinthians- chapter 10-- where it talks about taking "captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ". How's that for a tall order? I am so thankful that God is helping me to do that... that in His kindness He pulls me up and out of sinful thoughts and behaviors and sets me in the way of triumphing over sin, and choosing obedience to Christ!
In the schoolroom... it's perfectly quiet. We finished testing last week and now we are truly DONE. I've got my list going of school planning for next year, and I'm slowly checking things off. A couple of fun things I'm looking forward to, schoolwise... I think I've decided to pair up the kids for chores next year (they're going to love that!) , and I'm going to make "bedroom mailboxes" (giant envelopes to hang on the outside of their doors) so that we can all slip in notes of encouragement to each other. I'm waiting to unveil these ideas until we begin, and they are going to LOVE these changes. I'm also looking forward to Ella beginning a Book of Centuries in the fall-- I've been waiting until her 5th grade year--, and I think I'm going to do one of my own, too!
A favorite quote for today... hm. Here's one that's been on a sticky on my desktop for a long while:
"Celebrate the commonplace since days comprise more of that than anything else."
~a blogger but I forgot to make note of WHICH blogger. but I loved this and jotted it down.
Organizing Homeschooling Ideas
The whole process can feel a little daunting: there are so many resources available and it's hard to know where to begin.
As I scoured my shelves the other day to look for some Kindergarten materials to lend out to a friend, I found an index-card box I used when we were beginning our own homeschool journey.
At that time I was doing a lot of reading: I checked out several books on homeschooling from the library and I borrowed copies of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine from a friend. I was gathering a lot of ideas and taking notes. Eventually I decided to organize those notes and to write the ideas down on an index card and file them by subject. I would read an article about a particular curriculum or way of teaching and I'd jot it down and file it. I'd hear about a math game, and I'd file it in my box. I'd hear of a book recommendation from a trusted friend and I'd write it down and file it.
This might seem a little outdated to some of you, but I am much more a pen-and-paper kind of a girl than a computer girl, so this worked for me. And it gave me a way to file ideas that weren't from the computer. (Actually, I think this was before I even started reading homeschooling blogs.)
As I pulled this out the other day I began looking through it and it was fun to see how many of these ideas I have implemented over the past four years. Others I had forgotten, but still want to do. And I realized that I should still be using this little box. Often I'll be reading a homeschooling blog and come across an idea (or book or curriculum) and don't necessarily want to bookmark the whole page: I just want a single title or a name. So I end up grabbing my journal and jotting it down there (my journal is sort of my catch-all). But then that idea gets lost in the pages of my journal and it's hard for me to track it down later (IF I can even remember that I wrote it down!) One of my new goals is to start using this again in order to organize homeschooling ideas.
So as I thought this week of some of you newer moms starting out, I thought this might be a good way to start organizing some of your ideas!
Blessings to you and yours,
~Stacy
Examining our school year
It's Tuesday of our last week of the school year.
Ella's 4th grade year... almost over.
Isaac's 2nd grade year... almost over.
Isaias's 1st grade year... almost over.
Wow.
This makes me reflective of this past year and I'm asking myself these questions: What worked well for us? What didn't work? What was lacking? What are the things we need to change or enhance; add or take away? What were our favorite times, all together? Why? What parts of our schooling did the kids like or respond to? How can we add to those things or do other things similarly?
My journal right now has a list going down the left-hand side of the page- of the elements of our days (listing each subject but also elements like chores and our routine), then three columns following, for general thoughts, pros and cons. I'm trying to evaluate each thing while it's still fresh (versus two months from now when things might be foggy) and have that perspective with me when I go into planning for our NEXT year.
I've also asked the kids for their input: What were their favorite things? What did they like? What didn't they like or what didn't work well?
For any other homeschoolers reading: How do you evaluate your school year? What's one thing that stands out to you as working really well for you this year? Or something that just... didn't?
I'll answer, too:
One thing that worked: (There are many! I think every year we figure out more what does work and filter out what doesn't, so that each year feels better in that regard than the one before it.) But: one thing new-to-us this year that really worked was to have a break-out one-on-one time with one of my kids each day (so... this year Isaias and I had about 20-30 minutes on Mondays, Ella and I had about 20-30 minutes Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Isaac and I had about 20-30 minutes on Wednesdays and Fridays (while the other four had buddy time.) This was one of Mark's suggestions during our planning last summer when he examined my proposed flow of our days and all that I wanted to accomplish, and it was brilliant!
Other things that are firmly planted in the "worked for us" category: dictation with Ella, copywork, new-to-us history, Bible, picture study, Nature Study w/ daddy, video for the little girls while the older kids do table work
One thing that did not work: Memory work. Each year prior to this one I have planned out our memory work. For whatever reason, this year I focused more on our overall plan for the year and neglected to hash out the finer points of what we would actually be MEMORIZING during that point in our day. Which is not to say that we didn't memorize-- we did. But I felt like any memorizing we did do was more randomly selected by me at the moment when I saw it on our schedule for the day and when we were behind, that was the thing I would skip. That is not the thing I want to skip, so: lesson learned.
Other things in the "did not work for us" category: the kids doing an English lesson with Mark on his days off (we think this happened twice all year. And he generally has one day off per week!), narrations (for the second half of the year), me not taking the time to work with Ella prior to her Math lesson (I'm learning that she needs lots of one-on-one time and lots of patience and affirmation from me to avoid tears during this time.)
One last thing I've learned: what works for our family is likely different from what will work for your family! Each family is different. We all have our different strengths. Also, what works for us one year may fall apart the next year. There are different seasons in the life of our family and flexibility is key. For instance, these past few years I've moved towards shorter readings and fewer transitions during our day due to the little girls-- it just makes things more manageable. But during another year when the girls are older, we might be able to tackle those things again. :) That's why it's so important to pray over the planning of our school year-- because God already knows what we can and should handle. He is faithful to gently lead us to the places where we'll flourish.
Ella's 4th grade year... almost over.
Isaac's 2nd grade year... almost over.
Isaias's 1st grade year... almost over.
 |
| :: in the tulip fields :: |
Wow.
This makes me reflective of this past year and I'm asking myself these questions: What worked well for us? What didn't work? What was lacking? What are the things we need to change or enhance; add or take away? What were our favorite times, all together? Why? What parts of our schooling did the kids like or respond to? How can we add to those things or do other things similarly?
My journal right now has a list going down the left-hand side of the page- of the elements of our days (listing each subject but also elements like chores and our routine), then three columns following, for general thoughts, pros and cons. I'm trying to evaluate each thing while it's still fresh (versus two months from now when things might be foggy) and have that perspective with me when I go into planning for our NEXT year.
I've also asked the kids for their input: What were their favorite things? What did they like? What didn't they like or what didn't work well?
* * *
For any other homeschoolers reading: How do you evaluate your school year? What's one thing that stands out to you as working really well for you this year? Or something that just... didn't?
I'll answer, too:
One thing that worked: (There are many! I think every year we figure out more what does work and filter out what doesn't, so that each year feels better in that regard than the one before it.) But: one thing new-to-us this year that really worked was to have a break-out one-on-one time with one of my kids each day (so... this year Isaias and I had about 20-30 minutes on Mondays, Ella and I had about 20-30 minutes Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Isaac and I had about 20-30 minutes on Wednesdays and Fridays (while the other four had buddy time.) This was one of Mark's suggestions during our planning last summer when he examined my proposed flow of our days and all that I wanted to accomplish, and it was brilliant!
Other things that are firmly planted in the "worked for us" category: dictation with Ella, copywork, new-to-us history, Bible, picture study, Nature Study w/ daddy, video for the little girls while the older kids do table work
One thing that did not work: Memory work. Each year prior to this one I have planned out our memory work. For whatever reason, this year I focused more on our overall plan for the year and neglected to hash out the finer points of what we would actually be MEMORIZING during that point in our day. Which is not to say that we didn't memorize-- we did. But I felt like any memorizing we did do was more randomly selected by me at the moment when I saw it on our schedule for the day and when we were behind, that was the thing I would skip. That is not the thing I want to skip, so: lesson learned.
Other things in the "did not work for us" category: the kids doing an English lesson with Mark on his days off (we think this happened twice all year. And he generally has one day off per week!), narrations (for the second half of the year), me not taking the time to work with Ella prior to her Math lesson (I'm learning that she needs lots of one-on-one time and lots of patience and affirmation from me to avoid tears during this time.)
One last thing I've learned: what works for our family is likely different from what will work for your family! Each family is different. We all have our different strengths. Also, what works for us one year may fall apart the next year. There are different seasons in the life of our family and flexibility is key. For instance, these past few years I've moved towards shorter readings and fewer transitions during our day due to the little girls-- it just makes things more manageable. But during another year when the girls are older, we might be able to tackle those things again. :) That's why it's so important to pray over the planning of our school year-- because God already knows what we can and should handle. He is faithful to gently lead us to the places where we'll flourish.
{from my journal today}
rain. praying for Camee and the boys. for Mark's mom, in the hospital today. Audra is sick (ear ache, sniffly, lethargic, clingy and whiny). the kitchen is a mess. dirty dishes sitting there still from saturday morning. school for today: finished. Mark is working today, on what was supposed to be his day off. he has a full 6-day work week instead.
but: my heart is thankful.
2146 | Mark, encouraging me not to fret after I told him of my anxiousness over today, and this week ahead (not even knowing at that point that Audra was sick!)
2147 | praying this morning in bed together: for his day, for mine; that we would each be strengthened for it.
2148 | heading into this day feeling "behind" on rest-- coming off of a busier-than-usual Sabbath, and seeing how God has provided rest for me with Audra sick, wanting to be in my arms.
2149 | the grace to let her; to sit and rest with her, to leave the kitchen messy, dirty dishes piling up, to stay put and hold her and take care of her.
2153 | remembering this, today, from Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
(This is the day He has made/given/ordained for me today. May I be glad in it.)
2157 | Mark, home for lunch, taking the time to wash some dishes
2158 | Mark, telling me not to worry about the messy kitchen, or dinner, that he would take care of them when he gets home. And telling me that I am a good mother.
2163 | Audra, sleeping soundly.
but: my heart is thankful.
2146 | Mark, encouraging me not to fret after I told him of my anxiousness over today, and this week ahead (not even knowing at that point that Audra was sick!)
2147 | praying this morning in bed together: for his day, for mine; that we would each be strengthened for it.
2148 | heading into this day feeling "behind" on rest-- coming off of a busier-than-usual Sabbath, and seeing how God has provided rest for me with Audra sick, wanting to be in my arms.
2149 | the grace to let her; to sit and rest with her, to leave the kitchen messy, dirty dishes piling up, to stay put and hold her and take care of her.
2153 | remembering this, today, from Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
(This is the day He has made/given/ordained for me today. May I be glad in it.)
2157 | Mark, home for lunch, taking the time to wash some dishes
2158 | Mark, telling me not to worry about the messy kitchen, or dinner, that he would take care of them when he gets home. And telling me that I am a good mother.
2163 | Audra, sleeping soundly.
