New Adventure in Homeschooling

So we're off to a great start with homeschooling!  I have to MAKE Kory take days off. I spent some time earlier this week getting us more organized. I didn't have a chance to get everything set up the way I wanted before she started since she was so eager to begin & insisted on beginning before public schools. I'm kind of glad I didn't organize it before we began because I changed up some things from how I originally wanted to keep track of things now that we know more about how our day & the lessons flow. 

On Thursday morning we packed up & headed to our first time meeting with our Co-op. The kids are each taking 2 classes & then we eat a picnic lunch with everyone before taking Kory to her piano lessons. I help with 2 classes while the kids are in their groups. Kory was soooo excited to get started. Kip was most excited about the picnic...food & knowing that's when he'll be back with mommy are at the top of his priorities. After a small breakdown in the car, Kip actually did really well with me leaving him in his class & staying with his group without a meltdown when he saw me throughout the morning. 

Kory is taking Geography & PE. Kip's classes are outside play & playtime (inside). 

I help with the 4's & 5's, then older kids (preteens/teens) in a logic class. 

It was such a fun experience for us!  It felt so great to be around people that love learning & education without all the fuss of grades/testing/politics/etc.  Just a bunch of mommas loving on & teaching their kids & other's kids!

While Kory was in piano, Kip got to play with some kittens. I didn't get a very good picture, but he was really sweet with them. 

From 'fro to No (hair that is)...

Well, the kid still does have hair, but it's considerably less than before. 

Giving Kip a haircut is bittersweet for me because it takes him from looking like my baby to a big boy in just a matter of minutes.  Eric knows if it was up to me, we'd go forever before trimming it up. So he always just starts cutting away, while I'm occupied & don't have a clue what he's up to. I'm thankful for that :)

Kip came running into the kitchen while I cleaned up from breakfast & looked like this...

I crack up everytime I look at this pic!

Then he disappeared for a while. When I went to find the guys, this is what I found...

Between a recent growth spurt & this haircut, he looks like such a big kid. I can't believe he'll be 3 in a little over a week!

What momma wants...

Momma gets!!  Well, sometimes anyway. And it doesn't hurt when you've got 2 little cuties in your corner begging for the same thing. What did we talk daddy into??  MEXICAN food!!  You're right, it wasn't very hard to convince him.  

The kids enjoying the complimentary ice cream...

We stopped by the store on the way home and Kip fell & busted his lip. He may or may not have been behaving insanely & momma may or may not have just been getting ready to snatch him up when BOOM!  Mouth met concrete floor. We were lucky it was just a busted lip & no missing or loose teeth. 

Don't worry...he was back to jumping around & being crazy in no time!

Just Our Day

I bought a Trunk Organizer from Bed, Bath & Beyond that I was eager to put to use!  There's some things that we keep in our trunk for convenience (or an emergency!) and I'm tired of 1) arranging them a bazillion times each week just to have them roll around as soon as I'm in 'Drive' & 2) the trunk looking like a mess.  I have a feeling that this little organization tool is one of those things that is so simple, but is going to make my life just a little nicer and bring a smile to my face.  One such thing is our divided hamper...everyone sorts their own clothes as they go into the hamper so when I'm ready to do laundry, I literally grab the load and go without having to sort.  It really is so fun to find simple little things like that to help make maintaining order just a tad easier!! :)

Anyway, I wanted to get out in the driveway tonight to clean the car out & get it organized.  Most of the time I do this at the carwash & the kids are right there 'helping me.'  You know, putting finger prints on the review mirror so I have one more surface to wipe down, checking the hazard light button to be sure the lights still blink, testing out the horn & scaring all the other carwashers half out of their skin, looking through every single book in the car that I'd just put back in the seat pocket for the 100th time...you know 'helping'. :)  Oh, and I have to love that when I turn the car back on, the radio is blaring to who knows what station, the lights are on bright, and the wipers are roughly & noisily swiping back and forth, back and forth, leaving nice smudgy streaks on my newly washed windshield.  Ahhhh...love having help!

Today I wanted to be strong & brave and just take on the whole task of cleaning and organizing the car by myself.  Which meant I needed to find something VERY interesting to keep the kids (mainly Kip) fully occupied.  Usually every time I think, "Oh, he's really gonna love this activity" or "Ewwww...this'll keep his attention", it's an epic fail.  He's over whatever it was in 2.5 seconds leaving me with a mess to clean up, nothing to show for my effort, and disappointed that I planned yet another boring activity for my little firecracker.  

Sooooo, we set his easel up outside, pulled out some new paint, and they went to town.  Kip painted for probably about 30 minutes...that's amazing!!  I got my stuff done, they had fun, and all were happy :)

Kip's first work of art...

Kory takes her artwork very seriously (seriously!) 

Explaining her picture...fire, a tent, sun, sky, clouds (she wasn't finished yet). 

So Kip had to explain, too!  He said while he was painting that he was painting baby Jesus. So of course, now he's pointing out baby Jesus...see?? ;). Then he said 'here's fire (copycat), the number 'K' (which I painted & he got mad about it), the number '1', & the number 'i'. 

Besides painting his pictures, he enjoyed dumping the water onto the tray multiple times, decorating his painting shirt, & mixing all the paint colors together.  

Just a fun, laid back summer evening...I love it!!

First Day of [HOME] School!

Today we began a new adventure for our family...we began homeschooling!  Saying "we began" is kind of funny to me, because isn't 'home' a 'school' from day one of a child's life?  Whether it's ABC's, team work, responsibilities, manners, character traits, life skills, or 1,2,3's, each day is filled with 100's of teachable moments...for kiddos & parents!

We reached the decision to homeschool after much time in prayer, looking @ pros & cons for our family circumstances, and LOTS of FAITH!

The fact that this is becoming a reality for our family RIGHT NOW, THIS year, is crazy to me. Not because I always dreamed of homeschooling & longed for the days where I had the opportunity to do so.  No.  In fact, the complete opposite!  You know how they say, "Never say never"?  Well, *gulp*, I'm pretty sure, at some point in my life, I uttered these words..."I would never homeschool."  But at some point, about a year or so ago, I began to think differently...that maybe, at some point in the not-so-near future, it might be something we'd consider. You know, like YEARS down the road so I'm not anywhere near having to make a decision about it.  But I found myself dropping the idea of homeschooling into conversation here & there. Then, when I met strangers that homeschooled, I'd ask them what curriculum they use, what they like about homeschooling, just investigating it a bit. 

As I look back on those conversations & encounters, I know that God was softening my heart to the idea. Because this summer, something that started as a quiet whisper & a 'I'm just thinking about it' soon became a burning desire that couldn't be ignored. I continued to be in prayer about it, talked with a few important people about the idea (mainly Eric & my momma, but some others too!), read & researched about it, and waited. Kory was actually super-pumped about the idea of being homeschooled. Once we mentioned it, she went on & on about 'IF we homeschool this...', 'IF we homeschool that...'  Her enthusiasm excited me! She has a love of learning that I want to nurture. I pray she never loses that love & I pray that we don't let her down in her search for knowledge. 

So today, in pj's & crazy hair, on a Friday, before her public school would start, we 'began' homeschooling.  

Kip wanted to 'do school' to, & did so well with the times Kory needed my attention & leaving Kory alone to work. That's going to be the hardest part of all of this I think...when sissy is around, Kip wants to play, play, play. Annnndddd...he gets *kinda* (read REALLY) jealous when the attention is focussed on Kory, not him.

Soon after beginning & doing just a little letter 'work' (games), Kip was done with school & wanted to do some 'farm work'. Which was perfectly fine! :)

When Kory finished her lessons, she was sad school was over for the day.  She's gone on & on all day about how much she LOVES HOMESCHOOL!!

If you feel so inclined, please be in prayer for our family as we embark on this journey!

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3 NIV)

A manly stroller...

We have missed so much church the last few weeks because of the flu and nasty colds. I can't wait to be back worshipping with our Creekside family Sunday, Lord willing.

Last Sunday, Kip was a few days into treating his flu with Tamiflu & was feeling a little better. So we headed outside to stave off cabin fever. I got Kip bundled up, even though it wasn't cold, and sent him out with Eric. I headed out front a little later and didn't see them right away. I looked up the street and saw Eric pushing the wheel barrel with Kip loaded inside. It was so cute, I started chuckling right away. I told Eric we have a stroller. He was like this is more fun & it's pretty good exercise too. :)

Oh, and I *finally* got Eric to take the outdoor Christmas lights down...yes, I KNOW it's Feb.  Please don't judge...*sigh*

Kory, the make up artist...

Has a few things to learn.

The other day after homework & chores were done, Kory asked if she could put make up on. This is what emerged from her room a while later. Teeheehee. :)