Long Time, No See!

So it's been a while since my last post.  Ok, maybe a "while" isn't exactly the best way to describe my absence.  But if you know me at all, you know that my blogging is sporatic at best.  I envy those who are able to blog every day or week like clockwork.  My schedule just doesn't allow me to be a routine blogger, as much as I'd like to be.  Maybe one day I'll get with the program and make myself find the time.  Until then.......

I've had a lot going on in the last 5 months!  I started babysitting a little boy, 2 years old.  He's been a funny little addition to our already wacky homeschool!  It was a challenge at first to figure out how to work our schedule, but I really think it's working out well.  I like having a little extra money at the end of the week.  I'm losing weight still, and I like to have clothes that fit!  : D

Also....we converted our shop into a school room!  The hubs and I spent many hours sweeping, building, scouring, scrubbing, rearranging, moving, unpacking, climbing ladders, and decorating.  But I think our work paid off!  It looks really, really good!  I'm proud of our work! 




This is my faux wall!  The hubs built the bookcases, and attached foam insulation boards to make walls/bulletin boards.



Another faux wall.  This is our Reading Center/Play area.  There is a tall bookshelf on the left wall that holds all their books.  We also have a sofa, perfect for naptime!  :D  Behind the walls/bulletin boards, is our fitness room.  We keep it separated from the young-uns.  You can also see my horrible garage door covering.  It looks like something straight out of the 80's, but I couldn't figure out a way to cover it so the little ones wouldn't scratch themselves on the metal bars. Any suggestions are appreciated!!



Another view.  From here, you can see the kids work area and my desk.  The little shelf in front of my desk holds plastic bins where I store their work after it's graded.  That's why it's looking a little full over there!  :D



A good view of my shelves and bulletin board.  I've got the shelves divided into centers.  There's math, science, and art, as well as cubby space for their books and supplies. 

The only downside to our school room being out there is that there is no water.  Translation....no bathroom!  We have to go inside everytime someone has to take a bathroom break.  That's been the only challenge, and it's actually starting to work itself out by way of simple scheduling maneuvers, so it's not that big of a deal. 

I like being outside of the house for the majority of our day.  No kids in my kitchen smearing strawberry jam all over my freshly mopped floors....no kids in their rooms changing clothes 25 times a day - adding to the size of  "Clothing Mountain" growing in my laundry room.  It's nice to walk into a clean house at the end of our school day.  And since I've been utilizing the crockpot even more, I also find it nice to come home to dinner waiting for us! 

As far as school is concerned, the kids have been more engaged because I'm back to a more scheduled day.  They have my undivided attention - I'm not constantly sidetracked with various chores that I try to sneak in while they're finishing up their spelling words, etc. (So they were the ones that ended up waiting on ME). 

I also started using a new computer program to help me start tracking our lessons, assignments, chores, grades, etc.  It's called Homeschool Tracker Plus.  I actually bought it last year, and gave up on trying to figure it out.  I was so upset because here I am looking at a 4 year college degree hanging on my wall and I couldn't for the life of me figure this program out!  The tutorial thing was of no use. I had just chalked it up to a wasted $50 and a lesson learned....until I found a friend in our homeschool group that was using it successfully and LOVING it. 

I asked her if she'd come over and help me with it and she did.   She said she also had trouble figuring it out, but she called and spoke with a customer service representative several times and they helped her figure it out and make it work for her.  She came over and showed me the ropes, and I have to say...this thing is AMAZING!!  I'm totally in love with this program!  It does everything!  I enter in their lesson plans, and then I am able to print out assignment lists for the kids.  Not only can I track their attendance, finished assignments, and grades, but I can also print out transcripts, report cards, a list of all the books they've read (taken from my lesson plans), and even daily supply lists!  I'm super excited about this program (can you tell?!)!!  And I'm not even a paid spokesperson!

Before I started this program, I was kind of floating through my day (focusing most of it on 5th grade lessons, and shamefully sacrificing some of Lindsay's Kindergarten lessons when we were running short of time).  Now, I'm able to print out the 5th grade assignments, the order in which they are to be completed, and spend the rest of my time actually teaching those lessons!  I've found that I now have so much more time to spend with Lindsay's Kindergarten lessons, and I am much less stressed!

Yesterday, she and I spent some time with our math manipulatives (I call them Linky Dinkies for some reason, but I'm sure there's a more appropriate name for them).  

She loves these things and usually spends her extra time just playing with them as long colorful chains.  But I love them for teaching addition and subtraction.  If you have a young-un and you're teaching math....you should really consider adding something like this to your arsenal of sneaky learning "toys".  They are super cheap, super versatile and lots of fun for Lindsay (again, not getting paid for these rave reviews....weird, I know).   

So that's about it....I'm starting to look more like myself instead of the decapitated poultry I was starting to resemble, and that's a good thing!!  :D  Hope everyone has a great weekend!!  :D 

Gearing up for Fire Safety Month & Our New Art Class

So I'm combining two posts into one...I'm just plain lazy like that! 

This week was filled with a lot of learning and some really fun activities.  On Tuesday, we took a field trip to the New Boston Fire Department...about 20-30 minutes from our house.  This is a Volunteer Fire Department, but we learned that they still have to follow the same state/federal guidelines and regulations as paid fire departments.  I have a new respect for Volunteer Firefighters!  They don't get paid one penny for all time they spend training or fighting fires.  All of the men and women from this department (save the one paid Fire Marshall position) maintain full-time jobs in order to provide for their families....which means that they have to use up their vacation time (if they even get that) in order to attend training functions, etc. 

In addition to all of the typical Fire Safety stuff they teach kids, we also got to see what a firefighter looks like when he/she's all dressed up and ready for firefighting, which is very different from the little cartoon-looking guys in the red overcoats and cute little red hats.  Two of the firemen got dressed up (we learned that the State of Texas requires them to be able to don their suits and gear and be ready to go in under 60 seconds...I don't see how on earth they do it!!) and walked around and talked to the kids and let the kids touch their suits and ask questions.  By doing this, they helped the younger kids see that they were just regular guys dressed up in a suit and not to be afraid of their Darth Vader-like appearance and sound. 

Here are some pics of our trip:



First, the boots and pants, then the coat.



Next the gear on his back - looks heavy!!

Then comes the "Darth Vader" mask...

And the head gear, helmet, and gloves are last!

They said lots of kids hide from them because they look scary in all their gear. 
But we learned "Don't Hide!  Go Outside!!"

My kids were a little reluctant to touch him - but I later found out that it wasn't because
they were scared of him, it was because they didn't like invading his personal space.  Lol...
My thoughtful kiddos!  : )

A very special thank you goes out to these firefighters,
and to all who risk their lives to make our communities a safer place!  : )

So when we finished up at the New Boston Fire Department, we drove home for a quick 20 minute snack/bathroom break, and hopped back into the car and made our way to Old Washington State Park (about 10 min. outside of Hope, AR - a good 45 minute drive from our house).   The homeschoolers of Old Washington and the surrounding areas were hosting an Art Class.  It was GREAT!  One of the local artists / teachers was on hand to show the kids how to do Pointillism and Storyboards.  This class was a God-send!  I've been pricing art lessons locally, because I know how very NON-artistic I am, and was flabbergasted (genuine southern word!!) at the cost for lessons!!  We just can't afford $75 / month per child!!  That's outrageous!!  Holy Smokes!  (See I'm still flabbergasted!)  Anyway, I was very relieved that this class was only $5 per child!!!!  I can hear the angels singing "Hallelujah!" in the background even now!!

So here are our pictures of our first Art Class - a bit of a drive, but CHEAP and soooo worth it!!! 

Starting with Pointillism

Getting those creative juices flowing!

After Art Class on Tuesday, we made a mad dash home and made it just in time for Addie's cheerleader practice at 5pm, and my weigh in at my weight loss challenge at 6pm!  It was such a busy day, but so worth every minute!!  The rest of the week was spent recuperating from Tuesdays activities and doing our normal homeschool lessons.  I did begin a new program with Lindsay, which seems VERY promising - I think she may be reading soon!!!  :)  I want to be sure it's working before I make my mind up about it though - stay tuned for updates on that front!  : ) 

Hope everyone has a marvelous weekend!!!  :) 

Happy Fall, Y'all!!

Last week was really fun - our homeschool group got to attend Kids Day at the Fair...it's nice for parents because the rides aren't open, so we didn't have to compete for our children's attention during fun lessons of dairy farming (we got to watch a farmer milk a live cow!), agriculture, and farm animals.  We also got to attend a rodeo that featured kids of all ages from 5 - 17!  They had the cutest little 5 year old barrel racer!!!

But of course, no trip to the fair would be complete without some rides, so we splurged and took them back the next night to ride the rides and take in as much fair food as their tummies could hold!  We also went back for the "real" rodeo.   It was a really fun week last week!! 

Kind of sad our little fair is over, but today made my year!!  I woke up to the most beautiful surprise this morning:  crisp air flowing through my open windows and beautiful autumn sunshine!!!  I just couldn't fathom the idea of being cooped up in the house all day, so for the kid's lunch break, I surprised them with a picnic in the park.  We brought along bread to feed the geese (sorry no pictures - my phone's battery was almost dead), and then played until it was time to go home and finish our schoolwork.

Lindsay (right) with a park friend

Getting ready to go ZOOM!!

You can do it, Addie!!!

 

My little Monkey Man!

 They had a BLAST!  Hope everyone was able to get outside and enjoy this beautiful day like we did!!

Back to School Time!!

Ok, so we've technically been "Back to School" since August 2nd.  I'm such a blogging slacker!!  I really do have good intentions - I really do.  I have these visions of including lesson plans followed by pictures of happy children doing cool and exciting projects.  But unfortunately for me (or should I say "fortunately for you?"), I just can't seem to find the time that I had last year!  I know this sounds really stupid, but did you know that it takes a LOT more time out of your day to homeschool 3 children than it does 1 child??  Ha! 

So to fill you in on the happenings of our first month of school.........

Addison had a GREAT first day!  She was really excited to find that she no longer has to raise her hand to ask a question.  She was even more excited to find that Mom will go back over a math problem as many times as needed until she catches on - before we move ahead.  She loves the NO HOMEWORK rule!!  (The only time they have homework is if - for whatever reason - the work doesn't get done during the day.)  But she especially loves all the math games we play - she and Trey actually tied in this multiplication review game that tested speed and knowledge.  :)  For the purpose of our Game Time, we change our names.  Addie is known as "Bob," and Trey is "Eugene."  It helps get them in Game Show Mode!  LOL!  :) 

We took a few days of our second week of school to visit the great folks of Washington, AR, as they had Craft Days at the Old Washington Fire Station/Community Center/Library.  (LOL - gotta love small towns!)  I've got to tell you - I've always loved small towns.  I grew up in a small town, and I miss it like crazy.  But the people in this tiny little town are just tooooo amazing!!  They didn't know us - we just showed up.  We weren't in their homeschool group, nor had we ever attended a function like this in their town.  But they welcomed us with open arms, treated my children as if they were their own, and taught them things like drawing and sewing.  My kids had the absolute BEST time ever while we were there, and developed what I hope to be lasting friendships with GREAT kids!  

Addie and Lindsay each sewed a stocking, and on our way home we stopped by Hancocks and bought fabric that they used to make baby doll blankets and pillows. 

Trey wasn't really into the sewing class, so I brought along my camera for him to play around with.  He took pictures of various buildings and other sights all over town, and I think they turned out pretty great!!  I might have a little photographer on my hands!!  Here are some of my favorites!

As far as lessons are concerned, we've been doing an in-depth study of Native Americans, which was not originally supposed to take as long as it is.  But once we got started, I became acutely aware that I was moving too fast to fully explain the complexities of the subject - of their heritage.  So I slowed down, and now we are learning about our Native American heritage with more excitement and interest than before.  :)  We even did our own petroglyphs during our discussion of the Anasazi.  We have moved through the Maya, Inca, and Aztecs, through the Hopewell Mound Builders, and are now starting a focus on the Iroquois. 

(Our Petroglyphs)

As previously stated, I've got a new schedule that I'm using, and it seems to be working really well.  I'm doing group lessons (Science, Bible, and History) in the morning, snacktime while I read aloud to them, and then I do 5th grade lessons until  lunch while Lindsay works on workboxes.  After an hour lunchbreak, I start Lindsay's Kindergarten "lessons" - phonics, math, reading aloud, etc.  Her "fun stuff" is reserved for the workboxes in the morning time.  We're usually done by 2:30 or 3pm.  One of her favorite math activities is the using the Logic Blocks - she sorts by thickness, color, shape, and size.  These were given to us by a family friend, and WE LOVE THEM!! 

So I guess now you're all caught up - and it is my sincere intention to keep you that way.  We have lots of plans for our school year, and can't wait for it all!!  :)

PS....YAY FOR FALL WEATHER!!!  WE'RE LOVING IT!!!  :) 

Ready to Get Started!

So it's really no secret that I've always wanted to homeschool ALL of my children.  The hubs really didn't like the idea of pulling Addison out of her advanced Math and Engineering school.  And honestly, I was not totally confident in my abilities as a teacher to keep up with her.  She's very bright.  Very.  And Lindsay - well, he had mixed feelings about not allowing her to attend Kindergarten, which would undoubtedly be a lot of fun for our little socialite. 

But over the past 2 years of homeschooling Trey, I've gained the confidence I needed and I approached my husband again about homeschooling Addison and Lindsay.  I couldn't believe my ears when he said, "Do it!"  I was so excited!  Since I had already purchased Trey's curriculum for next year, I went and bought duplicates for Addison.  She's 13 months younger than Trey, and would be in 4th grade next year in public school.  But that school works at least 1 year (sometimes 2 years) ahead than other public schools.  So she's totally ready for 5th grade.  So I've decided to put them in the same grade, and teach them together!!  Lindsay will be moving to Kindergarten a year early.  A good friend of mine (a Kindergarten teacher) urged me a couple of years ago to just let her be little while she still can.  "Don't rush things," she said.  Well, that was 2 years ago, and she had just turned 3.  I was trying to push a Kindergarten curriculum on her way too early.  She wanted to play school with us, but she wasn't really interested in DOING school.  Ya know?  So I decided to let her go play.  For Pre-K, I did some stuff with her, but I mostly let her call the shots.  When she wanted to learn, I would teach her.  When she wanted to play, I would play with her. 

But that was last year, when I was only seriously homeschooling one child.  My schedule was more relaxed because Trey was able to work more independently for a lot of subjects.  But this year, I'm going to have 2 in 5th grade, and I really want Lindsay to have a little more structure in her day.  So I've designed a daily schedule that will allow us all to have group time, independent time, and one-on-one time with Mom.  :)  I am really excited.  Take a look and see what you think. 

https://acrobat.com/#d=-zHw9LLoqSAaeCPSkk3i*A

I've been working diligently on my lesson plans all Summer.  I think I've finally got most of it done.  I still have some of my special classes to think about - like Cooking, and other fun stuff, but for the most part, all that's left to do is organize everything into my final lesson planning pages, and shop for supplies. 

Mayflower to Mayhem!

I absolutely love homeschooling!  On those rare occasions that Addie is out of public school, she joins us for a day of FUNschooling! 

As you can see, it started out as a simple little reading lesson about a family aboard the Mayflower.  They would take turns reading in Trey's book.

Addie kept mispronouncing a word - and Trey kept correcting her (it's usually the other way around, so he was having a little fun with her!)  And once Addie gets tickled.......

You just might as well......

HANG IT UP!!!

A Purplicious Tea Party!

Our Smith Family Book Club is BACK!  And what Smith Family function is complete without a snack?  So Lindsay and I made PurpleBerry muffins to go along with her book selection, "Purplicious."  Trey usually joins us, but since today's festivities were a little too "girly" for him (GASP!), he decided to work on a writing project instead. 

But when the muffins came out of the oven, all of a sudden he decided that it would be rude of him not to participate "for Lindsay's sake."  Hmmm....

The "S" Word - Socialization!

We've all been there.  It's inevitable..you're on a field trip, having a picnic at the park on a sunny afternoon, or, if you're like me, just running errands around town and somebody asks your child (probably because they're too chicken to confront the adult in charge) why they're not in school.  When you explain that you happen to be homeschoolers, you get the big, "OHhhh...I see," accompanied by the disapproving head nod.  These are the people who believe that homeschooling is inherently wrong because of the "lack of socialization." 

I call it the "S" Word because it's such a source of discontention for me.  I'll admit that I THOUGHT the original reason I began homeschooling was because of my son's ADD and learning disabilities.  But when I look back on the events that led up to our decision, it's clear that the real reason we made the decision to homeschool was based primarily on the negative socialization that was going on. 

When my son was medicated (which I now realize was a HUGE mistake), he was every teacher's favorite student.  He was loved on the playground and in the classroom.  He had more friends than he could count, and he made excellent grades.  He was accepted into a Math and Engineering school which is like a magnet school, only they work a year ahead of other schools, and they have direct ties to Texas A&M University.  It really is an excellent school (for "normal" kids, that is).

However, the minute that we took him off the medication, his grades started slipping.  The teacher started to single him out in the classroom, and guess what happened on the playground?!  You guessed it!  My son became the victim of 3 little bullies.  I spoke with the teacher and was told that I should tell my son to "just stay away from them."  Thankfully, the principal had more sense than the teacher and talked with the bullies and their parents.  And that stopped the outward attacks on him. 

But we all know that's not the end of the story.  My son went from having many friends to having NO friends.  His grades were falling fast, and there was talk from the school of shipping him back to our home campus because this school does not make accomodations for children with disabilities (I know - sounds wrong to me too - but these were their exact words, I swear!).  He was ostracized by the same people he used to play with...and we're talking about 3rd Graders, here!  It only gets worse with age.  I was at a total loss.  I attended a public school, and was in the "popular" crowd.  I honestly had no idea what he was going through.  I had never been part of any bullying, and I had never been bullied.  So I really had no idea how to help my son. 

One day he came to me with tears in his eyes and asked me if I would consider homeschooling him.  HE asked ME!  Tell me that he's better off in public school!  Tell me that he's going to be totally unsocialized if I homeschool him, and I'll tell you, "If that's the type of socialization he will encounter at public school, NO THANKS!!!" 

In fact, I can't see where there's a whole lot of POSITIVE socialization that goes on in public school at all.  I can say this with 100% confidence because one of my daughters still attends the same public school as my son once did. While Trey seems to pick up more positive social behaviors, Addison seems to pick up those of her peers at school.

I don't normally compare my children to one another, but for illustration purposes, I'll give you a couple of examples of how Trey is more socially mature than Addison.  Trey, at 10 years old, has no problem speaking in public, giving presentations, taking a message on the phone, ordering with confidence in a restaurant, or looking an adult in the eye and having an intelligent conversation about current and/or historical events.  He completes his chores without being reminded, and uses proper etiquette at home and in public.  Addison isn't there yet, despite being only 1 year younger than him, extremely well-behaved (and always has been), and lest we not forget - socialized! 

And it makes sense when you look at it from the perspective of Janine Cate, at Why Homeschool.  She contends that it all depends on what you value the most.  She referenced a conversation she had with a friend who works at a public school,in which the issue of socialization was brought up. Playground popularity was more valued by the friend because of where she works, and the nature of her job.  Ms. Cate writes, "When I define socialization, its end goal is not transitory popularity on the playground. I grade socialization by how well a child interacts in adult society and takes upon adult roles."  I encourage you to read her entire post, as it addresses this in more detail. 

And I'll take it a step further and say that the folks who believe that homeschooled children are missing out on the socialization aspect of public schools, obviously aren't taking into account the negative aspects of that socialization and what they can do to a child's sense of self-worth.  I've seen my son go from being happy to miserable in a matter of months.  But today...he is truly happy. 

Today, he came to me and put his arms around me and said, "Mom, I just wanted to say 'thank you' for quitting your job so you could homeschool me.  I love you so much!"  It brought tears to my eyes and I knew that despite the nay-sayers, I was doing the right thing.  Thank God we live in a land where we're free to raise our children the way WE see fit.  Thank God we're not forced into the public education system where our kids are so well-socialized that they are miserable.