Home school

With 2 weeks under our belt, things are starting to come together as we find what works and doesn't work during our home school days.  My biggest challenge is managing the younger boys while I do J's lessons.  While this is probably going to be an ongoing battle, I have found a few ways to keep the days going smoothly.  It is such a rewarding time to see the learning happen!  I feel so blessed to have found the school that he attends and to be able to cherish this time teaching and training:).

I put together some schedule cards to help stay focused... If I go nurse the baby, it is easy to get right back on schedule ;). 

This week I found some baby sized swimming pools on sale and used them to create an 'activity space' for K & J.  It keeps them contained and lets them do messy preschool explorations. 

 Fun (contained!!!) water play!

I will be shocked if doesn't do something scientific when he grows up! 

 It just so happens that we are reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom this week, so he gets to put his own coconut tree and letters together.  Unsticking the letters kept him busy for a long time...

Dumping the letters out and putting them back away was the name of the game for little J.

 J was busy practicing his numbers and letters using a technique called Wet-Dry-Try using sponges and paper towels to trace the letters & numbers before using chalk.

 Desk work.

 Little C enjoyed the family room to himself!

 Recess

 Weeee!

Playroom fun

This week we took a visit to a local preschool playroom center.  There was play pretend centers of all sorts, what a perfect place to take a 2 and 3 year old!  Big J was at school so it was just the younger ones that got to play pretend! 

First stop was at the diner- pizza, burgers & ice cream were served by Kyle!

 J: "ice cream, please!" K: "coming right up!"

 After a big meal, J headed to the gym...

 more food prep

 I wish I knew exactly what he was thinking!

 There were costumes to go along with the centers!

 There were plenty of animals to care for, good thing Dr. Kyle was there to help!

 Where else would you expect to find J? The ball pit.

 Creativity was sparked at the art center.

 Work was tough at the corner grocery store!

 J enjoyed shopping.

 K was doing some number crunching- very intense thinking requires the use of his tounge!

 Curiosity ran the show at the science center!

Yay for Rain!

It has been awhile, but this week we got some nice little rain falls!  The kids got their boots wet and enjoyed the refreshing shower.

There is something so playful about kids rain boots!  I love all those little eyes looking back at me ;).

Can you tell that K buckled his own jacket?!

Pure fun- I love that face!

I love this baby face too!

The rain dance!

Can you tell this was right before bedtime?

half way there!

Six months... Six months, can you believe it?  Bright eyed and bushy tailed is how this baby rolls!  He is a sweet little ray of sunshine that just pours happiness out with his smiles.  The day he figured out how to roll multiple times, he was across the family room facing the opposite direction... He likes to move.  Grabbing his toes and sucking them is one of his latest accomplishments.  He gets stopped everywhere we go because he gives everyone the flirty eyes.  We love you Carter man!

 Chewing away!

Ahhhs & Owwws...

Yumm, Yumm

He has got to be teething.

But still happy!

Ohhh, Drool!

I Love this little boy!

Carter's Baptism

Little Carter received the gracious gift of baptism this past Sunday, what a Joyful occasion!  It was so precious to see J & K take such interest in it, they asked a lot of questions and watched right up close.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

 This may be the only picture we have of just us and little C.

Family picture after church.

The baptismal gown was made for Mike by his grandmother when he was baptized... All 4 boys wore it too.

Family reception at our house afterwards... Mike's grandma, aunt and mom.

Drawing fun with uncle Adam.

Carter was tired after an exciting morning! 

school days

This day had been rehearsed several times before it actually came.  Books-check, backpack-check, uniform-check, school supplies-check, lunch pack-check, big hug and kiss from mommy-check!  It was officially time to drive to Joshua's new school and start his first day of Kindergarten! 

While home school had been our plan for a few years, I was always a bit timid about knowing exactly how to implement it.  In the back of our minds, Mike and I always spoke about a back up plan for school, but we didn't really want to get away from the benefits that we saw with homeschooling...  We took the plunge when we discovered a school that allowed for both class room time and home learning time.  It was a bit of a last minute decision, but after a family interview, required reading of Christian Classical Education books by both parents, a summer seminar, a week long parent training class and a family BBQ, we feel so blessed to have found this school! 

Big J will attend class 2 days a week and have 2 days a week of home learning (the teacher sends me, the co-teacher, the lesson plan to implement on the home learning days).  In addition to his Kindergarten class, he will have Art, Music & PE.  As of today, he has completed 1 classroom day and 1 home learning class.  Both days went really well :). 

A little bit excited & a little bit nervous... I am talking about myself!

 Bags are packed and he is ready to go!

 Teacher!

 Class time- it is boy heavy, 9 boys and only 3 girls! Bless the teacher's heart!

Since half of his class time will be spent at home & the younger ones have home preschool, we have spent the last year or so slowly converting our home office into a functioning classroom, come see!

Welcome to our school room!



Mostly books, puzzles and activities for the kids.

 Learning corner, this is where we have circle time.

 Big J's work space for now...

 Our 'old office' hides nicely in this cabinet!

 Curriculum shelf.

 Art and crafts gallery display.

 Lots of fun stuff to keep the little ones busy during class time.

This is the start of a new chapter, I am excited!