To Homeschool or not to Homeschool...that is the question.

Recently Casey brought up the thought of homeschooling.  I was immediately scared to death, thinking there was no way.  Sure, I've thought of doing it before.  Every day when I drop off my baby for preschool that begs me to let him stay with me I think about it.  Then I go back to before he started preschool.  I would try to teach him his ABCs, he wouldn't do it for me.  If anyone else asked him what a letter was he almost always could tell them and be right.  How can I teach this kid?

I always wanted to be a teacher.  I even started going to school for a degree in teaching although I never finished.  Apparently I felt I could teach other people's kids, why don't I feel confident in teaching my own kids?

I have worked with kids for 20 years (yikes!  yes, that number is correct, I'm getting old) in church and daycare.  I'm usually patient with other people's kids but mine not so much.  I think it is because I hold my own kids to higher expectations and know what they are capable of.  I don't like when they tell me they can't do something.  I am not raising kids that CAN'T do things.  You can do all things!

Honestly I don't feel smart enough.  I made good grades in school but I had to work hard.  Now I'm going to be teaching history (which I hate and never remember anything) and English (which I'm horrible at) to my kids.  How am I going to teach those things I can't do myself.

I'm not very disciplined.  I get everything done that I need to have done but not necessarily in a timely manner.  I'm very much a procrastinator.  I'm good at starting things but I'm not great at following through.  This will certainly be something that I have to change.

I also don't love schedules.  I like routine to an extent but I also like my freedom to do what I want when I want.  If I want to run to the store, I want to go when I'm ready, not when we finish school work.  I realize though, without a schedule I will never succeed in this venture.

Most people don't know this about me but I have fibromyalgia.  I try very hard not to let it slow me down but it does.  I try not to let it keep me from doing all I do but I have bad days.  Some days I can barely bring myself to get off the couch.  How will I do this?

My house will never be clean again.  LOL! If you know me, you know this is for sure not a reason I wouldn't homeschool.  My house is never clean anyway...at least this way I will have more of an excuse.

I could go on and on about my inadequacies and why I can't do this.  However, I'm going to try and focus on why I should do this.
1.  Although I really respect public school teachers and I know there are some great ones (I have many awesome friends who are amazing teachers), there are so many rules that I don't think teachers get a real chance to do their jobs well.  There is so much "stuff" they have to do that gets in the way.
2.  I don't feel my kids are necessarily able to reach their full potential.  For example, last year Shane had a teacher that taught both K and 1st, so she was able to advance him in reading...this year, he is doing practically the same as all the other kids even though he is capable of more.  And his class is behind others in some things because some of the kids in class just aren't getting it.
3. Public schools do not teach for boys.  There is a lot of sitting and not a lot of moving about.  I realize teachers can only do what they are allowed but most boys don't do well like that.
4.  I don't want my kids learning about evolution and other stuff that goes against our beliefs.
5.  I don't want my boys exposed to all the drugs, bullying, etc.  I realize that is part of growing up but I don't want them to be constantly bombarded by it.

My biggest fear:  Failure!  What if this doesn't work for us?  What if we can't continue and they have to go back to public school?  What if they fall behind?  What if?  What if?  What if?

I can't let the what ifs get in the way.  Although I'm scared, I'm willing to try.  I have been blessed by some amazing encouragement from friends and family.  I'm still praying about it and have set up an appointment to talk with someone from Rocky Bayou Christian School about their umbrella program.  If we do in fact decide homeschooling is for us we will begin this fall.

Gone but not forgotten

I love this time of year.  To me seeing all the Halloween stuff out in stores gets me so excited.  It's not because I like Halloween (I detest it! and we don't have any part in celebrating it).  I get so excited because it means it is time to start decorating for Christmas.  Yes, you read that correctly.  We have already started putting up our outdoor Christmas displays and I've already been listening to some of my favorite Christmas songs.

This time of year also makes me think of my grandpa a lot.  I think of him often anyway, so many things around here remind me of him and bring back memories of him.  I miss him so much.  He LOVED Christmas.  He started this tradition of all these lights so many years ago.  I'm thankful he shared that love with me and my family helps me decorate every year.  I doubt they love it as much as I do but I so appreciate that they at least humor me, there is no way I could ever do it all myself.

One of my favorite moments but also a moment that brings me sadness took place while we were decorating one day the year before he passed away.  I was outside decorating and he was headed to the doctor.  He was so sick.  We knew this was going to be his last Christmas.  We had so much going on that year but it was more important than ever that we got the yard decorated up for him to see one last time.  As he drove by that day, he stopped for a few minutes and admired the yard and all this wonderful life he had built and I saw a tear roll down his face.  He was so proud.  Every time I think of that day, this decorating becomes so much more to me.  It isn't about the lights although they are so beautiful.  It's about the family pulling together to put together something great.  It is about this family that he brought together.

So much of what we do around here is based around family.  Our family is so close and we love to spend time together.  I can't help think how proud he would be of all of us.  He's been gone a few years now but I feel like he is still here sometimes.  His trailer was moved off our property this year (which was so sad, it's been there my whole life).  The things can go away but my memories are as strong as ever.

The other day my sister's friend was asked what it is like to eat dinner with our family (our family of 12-15 and sometimes all 20 of us, eats dinner together daily).  The friend compared our family dinner to the end scene of Duck Dynasty where they are all joined around the table.  I can't help but think how proud my grandpa would be of that comparison.  That is what he always wanted for his family to want to be together.  My grandpa so would have loved that show, he and Phil would be really great friends I think :)

I miss my grandpa so much but I'm so thankful for all the great memories I have of him.  I can't/don't want to imagine what my life would be like if it were not for him taking in my parents all those years ago.  I'm so thankful.  I'm so blessed.

Valentine Game

 I've been working on planning another Parent's Night out for church/daycare.  Every year we do one at Valentine's day and I'm sad to say my games each year are very much the same.  (Thankfully the kids don't seem to care).  So this year I decided it was time to change it up.  Off to Pinterest I went.  I'm still not totally sold on the idea of Pinterest but I've started some pinning...it is growing on me.  I found this idea for a "Bee Mine" game.  Balloons and paddles...sounds totally fun for 2-5 year olds right?  I thought so too.  Our small kids love balloons anyway but I wanted something a bit different.

First I made the paddles...plates from the dollar tree and usually our dollar tree has the large craft sticks but this time they only had foam ones.  So I had to spend a little extra for them at Wal-mart.  They are holding up pretty well with our test run so I expect I will be able to use them again (Yes Kids, you will see this game again I'm sure.) 

 

 

 

Next I made the bees. 

 

Then I let the boys try it out.  Excuse my messy house in the background.  Today is cleaning day but this is way more fun right now.

 

 

 

I hope the kids have at church have as much fun as my kids had with this game.

Christmas Traditions

As the season approached and I started thinking about traditions I thought our family didn't have many Christmas traditions...boy was I wrong.  We have a ton.  Yes, I know Christmas is long gone now but I still want to share some of our Christmas traditions with you. 

Our first Christmas tradition started before I was born probably.  I'm not sure of it's exact start.  We actually start this tradition in October/November.  I know you are thinking really?  But yes, we pull out the outside Christmas decorations in October (only lights until closer to Thanksgiving).  This is a tradition my grandpa started and we have carried it on.  Tons of beautiful lights and wooden decorations fill the yard each year.  I will never forget one of the last times my grandpa saw us putting up the lights, the Christmas before he passed away, my dad was taking him to the doctor, he drove him slowly past the yard and as they stopped where I was working I saw tears in my grandpa's eyes.  Tears of pride and joy.  He loved that we carried it on, I can't help but look at any Christmas thing without thinking of him.  Some of our traditions with the lights have passed with him (no one dresses up as Santa anymore, and we don't build a fire and watch cars pass by) but the lights and decorations remain.

Another tradition we have had for many years now is Christmas tree Hunting.  First Saturday of December we pack stuff for sandwiches and load everyone up for our trip.  The farm we get our tree from is about and hour away.  This year 20 family members were able to attend...awesome.  It is so great having such a large family and everyone living close together.  We were probably a site, 2 vans, 2 trucks, and a suburban :)  The day is filled with running through the trees, picking obnoxiously small trees, or obnoxiously large ones until we finally pick the perfect tree and each kid takes their turn at trying to cut it down.  Then we pile all the kids and grand kids in the back of the truck with the tree for the annual family photo :)  So much fun.  Then we finish the evening off with a Christmas parade.

Too small

Way too big!

All the kids and grandkids (minus Jeremy :( )

Advent calendars are another huge tradition for as long as I can remember.  Each kid has a calendar filled with candy that they get one piece of every night.  Every other night they get a small gift to build excitement for Christmas.  Sometimes the gifts are planned to go along with events like on tree decorating night they get a new ornament.  The gifts are inexpensive, usually things we have picked up here and there on clearance.  Love it!

This year I started a new tradition.  Our countdown to Christmas.  See what inspired me to start this new tradition here.  We did so many great things.  We made special snacks, special crafts, told the story of Jesus birth in many ways and spent a lot of great quality time together.  The kids loved it and I loved it as well (although, I can't tell you how excited I was cleaning up our final activity on Dec. 24...24 days in a row doing big activities...that is a lot).  They asked if we could do it again next year...yes we will.

Face the cookie game from our Minute to Win it party 

Nut stacker game also from our Minute to Win it Party

Scavenger Hunt 

Snowball Fight

Gingerbread Houses

Birthday Cakes for Jesus

Christmas morning has some traditions of its own, some that drive my husband crazy as they are different from his childhood Christmas' but I'm winning this one :)  Most of the family gathers early in the morning to start presents around 730 or 800.  Everyone has their assigned seats complete with trash bags and buckets to put all your gifts in (with 14 people you have to try to keep some sort of order).  All the kids get to pick a Big Daddy Coke (a bottled coke with a hole poked in the top with an ice pick) or a starbucks frappacino (yum!) and we get started.  The number of gifts are kept equal for all attendees.  All the kids get one present at a time and all open it together (this is what drives the hubby crazy, he says it is too slow), then all the adults get a present a the same time.  I don't want to miss anything so yes, it takes a long time but we enjoy it. 

Notice the bucket complete with trash bag :) 

 Each kid getting a present

 All the family eating Christmas Dinner.

Some traditions have faded over the years.  No one shoots Santa any more (that was my grandpa and great grandpa (they would actually fire the shotgun, come in announce that Santa had been shot so we would not be getting presents this year).  We don't sit across the street with my grandpa instructing my parents on how to hang the lights evenly.  I do miss those but new traditions are being made each year.  I love my family so much!  What kind of traditions does your family have?

Why???

Why?  It is a question I've been asking myself a lot lately.  Why is there so much bad stuff happening lately?  Why are there so many hurting people in our world?  Why?  Why?  Why?  I know God has a plan for everything (yes, everything, even horrible stuff...he is going to use that too).  I once heard someone describe life as a puzzle.  Each event in life is like a piece of a giant puzzle (life).  We don't get to see the box, and we don't get all the pieces at once.  Only God knows what that puzzle will look like in the end, but it will always turn out how it is supposed to.  Sometimes the puzzle pieces don't make sense, sometimes we just can't see how they will fit but in the end it will all work out. 

Several years ago when I found myself pregnant again (which we so wanted, he was definitely planned) my excitement quickly changed to guilt as I thought about sharing with my family.  I knew they would be so excited for us but I also knew someone was going to be very sad.   My sister and her husband were trying and wanting a baby so bad.  And here I am having my second baby.  I felt so guilty...why do I get another baby?  Why won't God bless her with a baby?  It is a horrible feeling watching everyone around you have babies and you can't.   I just couldn't see it.  Well, we don't always have to wait until later in life to find out why.  In there situation another child would need them.  One that wouldn't be there's but that would need their love and support.  If God had blessed them with their own child earlier, they might have been too busy for this child that so desperately needed them.  I'm happy to report now that they have their own precious bun in the oven. 

A few years back another tragic thing happened.  My best friend suddenly lost her mom.  A little more than a year later she lost her dad.  She now finds herself raising her brother and sister along with her own little one.  She has lost so much.  Here my guilt comes back.  I don't know why, it isn't my fault I know.  But I feel guilty, I feel guilty that I still get to have my parents.  Sometimes when I'm hanging out with my mom, which I'm blessed to get to do alot I hurt for my friend that will never get those times with her mom again.  When I get frustrated with my dad, I start to feel guilty, why am I frustrated with him?  What wouldn't my friend do to have her dad here one more minute, regardless of how frustrating he might be? 

This week I've heard of another devastating situation with another friend.  In this situation I find myself angry.  Angry at myself, angry for letting a relationship fall through the cracks.  We live in the same town, I have facebook and texting.  Why are we only talking because once again tragedy has struck.  I'm feeling sorry, sorry that I can't change it, I can't help fix it.  And once again I'm feeling guilty.  Guilty that my life seems so good compared to this.  I'm so blessed.  I have a huge family that loves my crazy, abnoxious, sometimes very grumpy self.  My life isn't perfect but I don't need a thing.  I'm hurting for this friend.  I want to help.  All I can do is pray.  Seems like something so insignificant ( I know it isn't, just being real here).  Seems like a cop out to say I'm praying for you.  I really am but can she tell.  Does it give her peace?  Does it take away all her questions?  Does it give her answers?  I doubt it, I know she is full of questions, she is full of hurt.  My heart is broken for her.  Why, God, Why? 

I don't have the answer but I know someone who does.  I don't know how he will work this out for good but I know something good will come from it eventually.  What I do know it that my God is Great!  He will bring my friend through this tragedy.  I'm praying for you my friend.

Christmas Countdown Day 24

Day 24 we will make a birthday cake for Jesus and decorate for his birthday.

A few years ago we started a tradition of having the kids make a birthday cake for Jesus.  As they are getting older I'm thinking of changing it up a bit, I'm thinking about making them individual cakes to decorate (they are getting more creative and sprinkling on some sprinkles isn't going to cut it I'm afraid).  I think it will be a fun time.

 

 

We haven't made birthday decorations before (well they haven't, I decorate for each of their birthdays) so I thought we would do that as a group.  Balloons, streamers, signs and all that. We don't usually do balloons because they are quite abnoxious but they love playing with them so we will make an exception, after all it is for Jesus :)

Christmas Countdown Day 23

Day 23.  Today we will make gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and tell the Christmas story one more time. 

 Every year we make gingerbread houses but I'm going to be honest...we do them after Christmas when I can find the kits for 75% off.  I'm cheap like that.  This year I figured we would make them out of graham crackers.  I'm not sure how it will go.  I've never done it that way before but I'm sure it will be a lot of fun.

 

After Christmas last year I bought a What God Wants for Christmas kit.  We will do that as a family on Day 23.  Again, this is something we haven't done before but I have heard that it is a great way to share the Christmas story.

Christmas Countdown Day 22

Day 22.  Today we will have a minute to win it party.  If you have never seen Minute to Win it, you are totally missing out.  We often use variations of minute to win it games at church with our kids and they are always a big hit. 

There are tons of minute to win it games online (just google Minute to Win It). 

These are the ones we are planning on doing...

 

1.  Face the cookie (this is a fav at church)--need cookies for each player.  When the clock starts, players may put one cookie on their forehead.  The cookie must remain in contact with the face (you may not toss the cookie from your forehead and try to catch it in your mouth.  If the cookie falls, the player may reset a cookie on the forehead and try again.  To complete the game, the player must get a cookie into his/her mouth in 60 seconds (it is harder than you would think.)

 

2.  Can you stack the cups with one hand in one minute.  We will be doing this with 21 green party cups, stacking them in a pyramid shape (6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)

 

3.  Christmas Cliffhanger. need a table and Christmas cards.  Prior to the game start, stand the cards horizontally along the edge of the table.  When the clock starts, contestant may start blowing the first card.  Contestants may not touch any card.  To complete the game, using only your breath, you must blow a card so that one side of the fold hangs over the edge of the table within the 60 second time limit.

 

Marshmallow Toss--Items needed...One wreath, Large Bag of marshmallows, one bucket
Have one person hold the wreath to their side and place the bucket behind the wreath. Players will have one minute to throw marshmallows through the wreath into the bucket. The player with the most marshmallows in the bucket after one minute is the winner!

Jingle Box--items needed--tissue box, 8 ping pong balls
\A player must shake all ping pong balls out of a tissue box that is strapped to the back of their waist. Make the box look decidedly "christmassy" and substitute ping pong balls with plastic Christmas baubles and decorate the box with red Christmas paper.

 

Do you hear what I hear?--items needed--7 gift boxes containing bells varying from 5 bells per box to 35 bells increasing in 5 bell increments, Table for boxes to be placed upon
Players must place boxes with different quantities of jingle bells inside in the correct order.

Snowball Fight--items needed--tape to divide room, paper for snowballs
Place a dividing line in the middle of the room. Players or teams will need to wad up the white paper and have a snowball fight. The player or team who has the least number of “snowballs” on their side after one minute is the winner.

 

The nut stacker--Items Needed:Candy cane, 7 larger sized nuts...as in nuts and bolts (Check the size to make sure a candy cane could fit through the hole)
Hold the candy cane in one hand by the hook. Using the straight end of the candy cane (ONLY), pick up the nuts and place them one on top of another as high as you can. 

Christmas Countdown Day 21

Day 21.  Tonight will be another easy night.  We will have a Christmas movie night.  Sometimes it is just about relaxing and enjoying each other's company. 

 

Happy Watching!

Christmas Countdown Day 20

Day 20...Easy night.  Every year we find one night to drive around town and look at local light displays.  It actually takes a lot of planning ahead with all the crazy busy schedules now days.  I'm sad to say though we will not be able to see my favorite display...the Chrsitmas lady. 

Christmas Countdown Day 19

Day 19 we will be making one of my favorite Christmas snacks to make with kids.  I'm not sure why but I just love it.  And it is so easy.

What you need: 

Ice cream cones

green icing

sprinkles

candies to decorate with

twizzlers

1.  Place a cone on the plate

 2.  Cover the cone with green icing.

3. Add twizzlers (really you could go from here how ever you want, using whatever you want to decorate with.)

 4.  Decorate your tree.

 Eat and enjoy!

Christmas Countdown Day 18

Day 18 we will be reading the story of the Three trees.  If you have never read this story you should read it.  It is about three trees who want to be turned into amazing things.  As they are chopped down and fashioned into a feed box, a boat, and some thrown out beams they find themselves disappointed.  The story goes on to tell how those trees were holding the most amazing thing ever...Jesus.  I love it.  You can find it here

\

 

After reading the story we will do this sticker craft.  I ordered this several years ago from Oriental Trading so I'm not sure if this is still available.  It was supposed to be a 3D stand up tree but they were cut incorrectly so we never used them.  We will this year :)

Christmas Countdown Day 17

Day 17 Christmas Bingo

Several years ago I found these Bingo cards at DLTK-kids.  They have all kinds of themes to print and you can print as many as you want for free.  You can print smaller cards if you want.  I prefer the larger ones.  I printed double the amount we needed and laminated them back to back so I could get more for my laminating money :)  If you want to make some for yourself here is the link to take you there :)

I expect that we will play this several times this night.  I don't think the kids will "win" anything for getting a bingo, if they do it will only be a piece of candy :)

Christmas Countdown Day 16

Day 16...Christmas discussions.  yes, you have seen this activity already.  Tonight we have church again so our activity will be during lunch time again.  (we need our naps :) ). 

When I first began my search of activities to do for the month of December I stumbled upon this site, teaching mom.com, but it is being updated. I still was able to find some fun discussion (and a few serious ones) questions there about Christmas stuff. (You can find the questions here). I put them all in this fun box. We will pass it around and have the kids pick out a question and have several people answer it before moving on. Some of the questions we are using are...

 

1.  If you could make up a new advent or Christmas tradtion for your family to start what would it be?

2.  If you lived in the time of Jesus' birth and heard about him, what gift would you bring to the manger?  Why?

3.  What is your favorite Christmas story?

4.  If you could be any character in a play about the Nativity, who would you be and why?

Christmas Countdown Day 15

Day 15...Snowball fight and a scavenger hunt.  I'm praying it doesn't rain this day.  Both activities can be done inside but would be way better outside.

 

When I was telling someone about this they asked how in Florida are we going to have a snowball fight.  Well...you sometimes just have to get creative.  Awhile back I bought a case of copy paper at Office Max for 1 cent.  Love when they have those sales there.  So we are going to use one pack of the paper and wad it up for snowballs.  Wasteful?  Yes, very.  But also very fun :)

 

We will also do a scavenger hunt.  I love scavenger hunts.  For this particular scavenger hunt I have these puzzles (I have saved these for years, originally I purchased them from Oriental Trading.) 

 I wrapped each individual puzzle piece in a box (I've been saving and having friends and family save boxes for sometime now) and wrapped each of the 15 pieces per kid in their own individual kind of paper.  For example, 1 kid will find 15 boxes wrapped in this red snowman paper.  The boxes will just be hidden around the yard (or the house if it rains).  The kids will search the yard collecting their 15 boxes, open them and assemble their puzzle.  The first one done wins (they don't win anything except bragging rights but they love it). 

Happy Hunting!

Christmas countdown Day 14

Day 14...On the 14th of December we have to be at church at 5:30 for our Live Nativity so we are going to do our activity after school. 

We will be making this shape Christmas tree.  I will have the shapes drawn out on construction paper for them to cut out and glue togehter.  We will then decorate them with glitter (everything is better with glitter right?)  I found the idea for this craft at DLTK kids.  If you would like to make it there are instructions and a template here.

Christmas countdown Day 13

Day 13...easy night.  Tonight we are just going to watch a movie and relax.  We have a super busy weekend ahead.

Christmas Countdown Day 12

Day 12 is a Wednesday.  We have church that night so we will do our countdown activity before after school but before we head to church for dinner.  We are going to be making a special snack.  This is not a creation of my own.  I saw this idea in a magazine but I love it so I'm sharing it.

 

Here is what you will need: 

a plate

toothpicks

pretzel twists

yellow circle gummies (I looked at several stores and couldn't

find yellow ones, I ended up with orange life saver gummies (this is

for the halo))

ice cream cones

a banana

large marshmallows

(this picture shows a bowl of water...according to my recipe

you were supposed to use it to help the pretzels stick to the

marshamallow...it didn't work for me)

 

1.  insert a toothpick into the ice cream cone. 

 

2.  Attach a marshmallow to the toothpick and add another toothpick into the marshmallow.

3.  Add the pretzel "wings".  I just jammed mine in...they stayed long enough. :)

4.  Add a slice of banana for the head.

 

5.  Add a gummy halo.  Enjoy your creation :)