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Fabulous Family Friday–FairSchooling?!

Friday, July 16th, 2010

 

I promise that next week I will return to my regularly scheduled posts!  This week has been a full one, with today being our last day of the 4-H fair.  This was Susannah’s last year–but she’ll be back as a helper next year!  (Are true 4-H-ers ever really “done”?! ;) )

 

I thought you might see how “school” fits into the fair!  :)

 

 

 

How is this educational, you ask?

 

Can’t you see it’s engineering?  Roadbuilding? Dirtmoving? (with your brother’s croc shoe, of course! ;) )  Memory skills?  (Where did I bury that red “woo-woo” truck?!)

Life-skills-learning at its best! LOL!

 

 

 (Close-up of “using your brother’s croc to move dirt”!

Problem solving, you know! ;) )

 

 

 

That’s stretching it a bit, you say?

 

Well, here is one that incorporates spelling, vocabulary, word usage, math and art!

 

 

 

 

 Hangman in the sand!!!

 

 

I’m sure between my girls and I, we will be giving you many glimpses into our time at the fair!

 

Enjoy life with your family!

 

And “ham it up” a little–life’s too short to be serious all the time! :D

 

 

 

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–First of the 3Rs

Friday, July 9th, 2010

 

 

First, I want to thank you all for praying for my dear friend’s 5 year old daughter who had spinal meningitis–PRAISE the LORD it was viral!  She is home and doing well–better and better each day!

 

 

I know you’ve all heard of the “3Rs”–Readin’, wRitin’ and aRithmatic.  (Not good for spelling, but I guess it works! LOL!)

 

I have another “acronym” use for the 3Rs–Relationship, Relationship, Relationship!  ;)

 

(That’s Relationship with God, Relationship with your husband, and Relationship with your children!)

 

So today, I’m going to address the first R on the academic side–or should we call it, First R (a)?!

 

 

First the “Readin” R.

 

 

Teaching your child to read can be one of the most rewarding things in life! 

 

Teaching your child to read can be one of the most frustrating things in life!

 

 

It all depends on your motivation and your approach!  Are you teaching them out of fear of state standards?  What your mother (or neighbor) thinks?  Because all your homeschooling friends are?  Because they’re “supposed to” know how to read by age 6?  (I’m sure it’s stated somewhere in Scripture….maybe one of our pastor friend’s favorite book of 2 Hezekiah! ;) )

 

Why do we teach our children to read?   I mean, really?  

 

  • So they can function in society
  • So they can eventually learn independently, requiring less of mama’s oversight
  •  So they can read and learn God’s Word

 

All of those are really good reasons, but of course you know the third one is the most important.   If you teach your child to read at 6 (or 3 or 10 or whatever) and they function well and successfully in society, but they don’t pick up the Scriptures and read them and allow God to speak to them through Them…..then what good was teaching them to read?

We “reward” the children when they learn to read by buying them a nice Bible with their name imprinted on it.   I buy a large print Bible, making it easier for beginner reading eyes to read.   So far, only one of the 4 older girls has bought a different Bible than the one she started with–and that was after 7 years!

Each little girl excitedly asks, “When will I get my Bible?!”    We usually give it to them for their birthday or Christmas, whichever comes next after they learn to read.    No, they probably can’t understand every word, but they are quite proud to have a Bible of their own to do copywork out of and to read for “quiet time”!

I will confess that so far, 5 of my 7 girls have been later bloomers in reading.   I was worried about the first late bloomer, and one day I thought, “Isn’t this why I homeschool?  To be able to allow them to learn at their pace?”

I relaxed a little and backed off being so intense.  By 8 1/2 she was reading, and by 11 I had to pry her nose out of books!   I remember one season I actually had to limit her reading!!! 

Now, what was I worried about?  :D

I realize there are sometimes issues that make it hard to learn to read and I am not qualified to advise about that. 

So what did I use? 

I started with Writing Road to Reading.  Very thorough.  Very intense.  After 6 weeks, Jessica and I were both tired of it!    I then used a “method” I had heard at a homeschooling conference.   I use the word “method” loosely!  There was no curriculum, no books.  If you have something that has the basic phonics rules in it, that will do.

The lady sharing this used Matthew 5 to teach her child reading.  No kidding!  I started doing that with Jessica, and she delightedly said, “Mommy, I like this so much better than when you stand at the chalkboard and say, ‘old’!”

You take the first part of Matthew 5:1:  “And seeing the multitudes….”

And.  You would help your child sound this out (obviously, you have taught the sounds by now.  Maybe just to these letters plus a few).    Now have your child add a “b”.  Baaaannnnnd.   “h”  Haaaannnnnnd.   Even have them try the ones that don’t make words.  “j” Jannnnnnd.

You get the idea!

You’d teach that in a short word, the vowel usually makes it’s “short” sound. 

You might only do that for one day or several, depending on your child.  Then the next time, drop the “d” at the end and do it all over again!

ban, can, Dan (could quick point out we make “mama letters” for names!), fan, man, pan, ran, tan, van.

Next time, take off the n and put the d back on.  You’re off!

bad, dad (or Dad!), fad, had, lad, mad, pad, sad

Next go to “see”–the first syllable in “seeing”.  You could even spend a “lesson” or two on syllables, having your child clap the names in your family.  Don’t quiz them on it or make a big deal about it.  Have fun!

Okay, so “see” makes the “long e” sound.  Here we go again!

bee, Dee (if you know anyone with that name!), fee, Lee, wee (vocab–tell them it means small!)

Obviously some harder ones you won’t do.  And if they say, “Oh, nee!” you can explain that’s a special one that they’ll learn later.  Commend them for a good try!

Next is “ing”.   You got it!

king, ping, ring, sing, wing

“The” would teach the “th” sound and that vowels at the end of a word say their name (or you could save that for “he” later in the verse!).

“Multitudes” has the CVC as well as the CVCV patterns.  If that is Greek to you, I mean:

Consonant-short Vowel-Consonant (mul) such as “can” or “red”  and

Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Vowel  (tude) such as “cane” or “rope”.

You can have fun teaching “silent e” and change words just by adding “e”!  (Or the “when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking” rule).

can/cane; man/mane; pet/Pete; rob/robe…..

If that is hard to think through or follow, then the next easiest thing for me, and one I also used, was Ruth Beechik’s simple but wonderful (as anything by her is!) “The 3R Series“.   The “readin'” one is “A Home Start in Reading” (although I’d buy all three!).  And here is a review by Cathy Duffy.  (Although I would disagree that they need extra “learning activities” to learn–mine didn’t always need that!)

Here is Cathy’s review of The 3R Series.

Even if you choose to use something more traditional, please read Mrs. Beechik’s A Home Start in Reading to demystify the whole process of reading for you!

Now maybe you need something YET a little more….structured.  (That word is used sparingly around here…..LOL!)  When Anna was learning to read  my dad was falling and ending up at the hospital all the time, had surgery, ended up in a nursing home….so I needed something very simple.  I went with a book that has mixed reviews, but we ended up liking it!  Teach a Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.     Here again is Mrs. Duffy’s review. 

As she states, many people are hesitant because of the distorted alphabet.   But I will tell you that it did not phase Anna.  She took off reading, maybe had a few times I had to remind her of blends (like “sh” and “ch”), but overall did not have any issues with it.  Another criticism of 100 Easy Lessons is that the stories are silly.  Well, I didn’t find any of them bad, and yes, sometimes they were really off the wall, but the kids liked them!  It is scripted and easy to pretty much look over in a day and use the next.  I did NOT repeat everything as often as the book said, unless a child was having a huge problem with something.  Plenty of review built in!

Now Bekah and Charissa didn’t care for it as much, so I invested in something I had been wanting to check out for awhile.  Happy Phonics  from Love to Learn.

I confess we do not do the Explode the Code workbooks with it.  I had a post, “Happy Phonics, Happy Mama!”  awhile back about how we do Happy Phonics.   We ? Happy Phonics!

I would go with the regular set and pay shipping–there is an e-book option, but you get ALL of it already on cardstock for basically the same price!   For busy mamas, it’s worth the extra few $$!

I have taught Rebekah mainly this way, and Charissa is learning.  I’m reinforcing phonics with Anna to help with spelling–she loves it, too!   Noah and Isaiah want to do it with me, too–but I keep it very low-key for them, as I explain in my other post.

Happy Phonics is where we’ll stay, I believe!  And no, I don’t foresee doing the bookwork of Explode the Code–although of all the workbooks out there, I would recommend that series.   Here is Cathy’s review of Explode the Code–one of her Top 100 Picks!

One last resource I would like to recommend, although it is not something you “take out of a box and do”, is Teach a Child to Read with Children’s Books by Mark B. Thogmartin. 

I had one daughter that did not learn the traditional “phonics first” way.  That’s why I love Mr. Thogmartin’s book!  He says it’s not phonics or whole-word but both.  Children really do use both ways to learn, and some lean more heavily on one than the other.  The same daughter learns piano the same way–none of this right hand, then the left hand, then put them together.  It’s put them together from the start!   But that’s the way she learns.

I am editing this to say that the free copy on the internet is not by permission of Mr. Thogmartin and Mrs. Gallagher.  He graciously commented below that he has rewritten his book and it is now available at Teach a Child to Read.  My apologies to Mr. Thogmartin, as I didn’t know he was rewriting his excellent book and that the “free” ones were without his permission! 

Although I have an older copy of his book, I may just spring for this revised version!

Do you know what I like about most of these “methods”?  They don’t require a lot of drill and kill.   And they can be done snuggling together on the couch!  (Well, Happy Phonics is more on the floor! ;) )

And you know me–anything that builds relationships is TOP on my priority list!

I hope something here is helpful to you, and let me tell you that there really is no great mystery or perfect curriculum.  Sometimes you just need to allow time.   But when they”take off”, it is the most thrilling thing to me!!!

Happy teaching, happy reading and happy snuggling!  :-D

 

 

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–Friends Part 2 & The Great Escape!

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

 

First thing–please pray for some dear friends whose 5 year old daughter has meningitis.  She is in the hospital and last I heard with a 104.9 temp.   I also don’t know if it’s bacterial or viral.   Her name is Susannah.  Thank you for your prayers!

 

 

One area of friendships I didn’t address last week was–mama’s friends!

We need to be just as careful to not form closer relationships outside the home than we have with our family (and it goes without saying with the Lord first!).   I have had times where I had to pull back from calling or going to things with friends.   Again, you can both be the most Godly of women, but after awhile…well, we are fleshly and all it takes is one wife who needs to deal with God about her attitude towards her husband, but it’s soooo much easier to talk to her friend(s)….and before you know it, you have devolved into a husband bashing session! 

Oh, we’re quite spiritual about it!  We wouldn’t say, “That no-good bum!  He expects me to do ____ and _____ and all he does is ______……”  

But we can “ask for prayer” even for “my attitude” and still paint our husbands in a less-than-favorable light.   There are times when we may need to bare our hearts to one trusted friend to pray with us.  But not every friend you have in exquisite detail!!!

I challenge you to honor your husband, even when perhaps he is not acting honorably.  Of course there are times to seek counsel–I’m not talking about abuse here.  I’m talking about the usual “he doesn’t pick his socks up” or “he doesn’t lead us in Scripture reading” or “he doesn’t play with the kids enough” or “he doesn’t discipline the kids enough–he’s a big kid himself!”

That’s just about our husbands–we can do this about our mother-in-law, our other friend, our children.  Again, there is nothing wrong with being honest and asking for prayer!  But if around certain people you start griping more than just sharing, and come away feeling more bitter instead of better, and if they “take your side” vs. praying with you and encouraging you, even in a difficult situation, then you might evaluate how much time you spend with those kinds of people (whether in person or on a phone or e-mail).

If our friends aren’t encouraging us in our walk as Godly women, wives and mommies, then those should not be the people we spend the most time with!

Even if you have great friends, you can end up spending lots of time interacting with them, then you  might be less content to “just be with the kids at home” or your husband.   Those are just some warning flags to watch out for!   We can’t expect our children to turn their hearts toward home if ours isn’t also turned toward home!

Of course, friendships can also become a part of something else I’d like to talk about….

THE GREAT ESCAPE!!!

What do I mean?!

Escaping our mundane, routine duties.  Oh, a vacation or little break is quite nice!  But when our heart would rather do something else than train and nurture and face life head on, we might evaluate whether what we are really doing is escaping.

  

The phone (cell or otherwise!).  Facebook.  Twitter.  Blogging. Texting.  Visiting.  Play days at the park.  Homeschool get togethers.  Field trips.  Eating out.  Shopping.  Educational opportunities.

None of the above are sinful actions by any means!  Unless….we are turning to those things to fill the God-shaped vacuum inside.  Many times, especially as mamas at home, homeschooling, training children 24/7, we feel we need a break.  And again, a little break is nice.  But when we’d rather have lots of breaks and very little time at home or taking care of the task at hand….then, we must question where our hearts are.

I heard Marilyn Howshall 10 years ago talk about too much running.  When you have to leave for an activity, you obviously need to quit early enough to get around to go.  Then you go to the activity, then when you get home it’s hard to get everyone corralled again to do chores or school or work on projects (or work on character!  ;) ).   One day of that is one thing, but when every single day is spent running all the time (I’m not talking about a short season of extra craziness!), then we–and the children!–start looking forward to the interruption and only half-heartedly apply ourselves to “doing the next thing” at hand.

I have been guiiiillllttyyyyyyyyy of this one more than I care to admit!   And it starts out so innocently!  “Just checking e-mails really quickly” turns into an hour (there’s a time warp in front of the computer, I’m sure of it!!!).  Or just a quick text to someone, and they reply, and you reply and…..well, you get the idea!

Even books can be an escape!  I’m not talking torrid romance novels, either!  I remember on one Mom’s list I used to be on,  a mom sharing how we can read all these good books about being a good wife, a good mom, a good homemaker, a good homeschooler, etc…..but eventually we need to put the books aside and just go be those things!

I think the hardest “escapes” to nail down are the ones that look so “responsible”.   If you are a very servant-hearted person, you can find yourself “ministering” to a lot of people….but not so much your family.  Or you’re not home to catch the little foxes before they destroy the vines.

With the advent of all our technology, it’s easy to even get caught “ministering” too much via e-mail, texting, etc. 

The best thing to do is to set some limits, allowing of course for emergencies!  Don’t get in bondage over this!   Someone may truly need you right now and other things can be put on hold.  But that should not be the norm!  :)

Another good thing to do is to be accountable.  Either write down how much time you spend on the phone/computer/texting/etc. or maybe a friend at church can ask you from time to time how you are doing in the areas you are most tempted.  Your husband can also hold you accountable, if that works for you.

Be very careful–the enemy may know he’ll never get you to rob a bank or leave your husband, but if he can get you busy “serving” and not realizing you are actually avoiding the character issues and tasks at home–and especially if it can be cloaked under the “serving” category–then he still wins some battles in your heart and home.

This is not something you “outgrow” or overcome once for all!  I still fight it! 

And one of the biggest ways to fight it is to make sure you are keeping intimacy with the Lord–seeking His face and staying close to His heart (vs. checking off your Bible reading list and prayer list).  Truly the “things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”–but we must be meditating on, beholding and pursuing His glory and grace for its light to loosen our hold on earthly things and praise!

If I have thousands of people extolling my virtues and how I helped them, but I lose my own children–what will it profit me?

I’m not naive enough to think my work is done!  I still have some younger children that need nurtured and guided, and to be honest, it’s somewhat harder now because of all this technology tearing us away and apart, if we let it!

My prayer is that we will all stay focused on the most important work–keeping our hearts focused on Him and our families.

 

 

 

 

I believe I have shared about this website before, but I decided to again!

 

Belinda Letchford is from Australia, and she has a wonderful website that really covers a Learning Lifestyle quite well!   I will warn you–you could spend a lot of time there!  ;)

 

I love her “motto”:

 

“Homeschool:  Live Life with Your Kids!”

 

She has a wonderful e-zine that you can get in your inbox, too.   She and I must be kindred spirits!   Like me, she believes their walk with God and character are more important than academics.   Not that academics aren’t important, but they are after the other two! 

 

Click on Lifestyle Homeschool and be prepared to be refreshed!

 

I would just go systematically through the pages you are intersted in.  She has many links on each segment, so again–plan to spend some time or keep track of where you left off!  Easy to navigate and just a wealth of good stuff there!

 

Belinda has also written a few e-books which I’ve ordered and enjoy (need to get them printed off so I can enjoy them more!)

 

Do start by reading the first homepage and then click on the links!  :)

 

Mamas, whether your children are little ones, a mixture, or mostly grown, my best advice to you would be to keep focusing on relationships.   My older daughters and I have a wonderful relationship, and I intend to keep pursuing this with my younger ones, too!  My “middle child” will be 13 in 6 weeks, and I’m so pleased that we are good friends, too!

 

Next week I want to cover something I’m sure every mama does but always wants to do better–praying for our children!

 

Have a blessed weekend and remember to thank the Lord (and all the time!) for the freedom we have in our nation to train our children for Him!

 

 

(A cellist outstanding in her “field”!  :-D )

 

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–What About Friends?

Friday, June 25th, 2010

 

 

It’s been a whirlwind week–well, a few nights ago, literally!  ;)

Susannah and Cassia were at orchestra camp this week, so Monday was taking them there, last night was the concert, and today I went to get them.

Then we practiced for the Relay for Life we’re playing for tomorrow night (and that’s after a graduation open house that is 2 hours away!).

THEN I took them to the llama farm so they could work with their llamas, since they didn’t make the two meetings this week.

Whew!

Oh, and the “literal whirlwind”?  Wednesday night Dallas and I drove home on the edge of a bad storm….well, I’ll post more about that next week!

 

 

What about friends for our children? 

 

Friends are wonderful!   And they can be terrible! 

 

I’m going to share a few nuggets of wisdom, which I’ve learned over the years and now see the fruit in my children.

 

I wish I could give credit where credit is due, but years ago I heard someone advocate being best friends within the family before having friends outside the family.

 

I took that to heart.

 

When Jessica and Leah were small, we had a neighbor girl that would come over a lot.  She was (and is!) a very nice girl, and I honestly had very little problems with her. 

 

But I made it very clear to my girls that if they did not treat each other kindly, that I was willing to send their friend back home, and I would tell her why (so she didn’t think it was something she had done!)!

 

Did I have to follow through on that threat?

 

Yes!  But not very often!

 

My girls knew I was serious when I said, “You must be best friends with each other first.  Friends come and go throughout your life, but your family is forever.”   Unless, of course, you destroy those relationships in childhood (or let them destroy them with each other). 

 

NO friend should ever be more important than a sister or brother.   My children have many good friends.   Some are real kindred spirits.  But their “bestest” friends, as we like to say, are right here at home.

 

That did not happen overnight or easily!

 

With the next two girls, there were times they had to sit next to their daddy or me during a church fellowship time after dinner instead of playing with their friends, because they had not been treating sisters kindly.  They get plenty of warning on this, but at some time, I had to make good my warnings and follow through.

 

You know what?  It is just as hard on me as it is on them!!!

 

And that is really the crux of the matter–

 

Are we willing, as mamas, to sacrifice our fellowship times to help develop this family unity? 

 

Let me tell you, it will be worth every sacrifice!

 

I quit going to a Take a Break for moms when my oldest two were younger.  It wasn’t that the church was a bad influence, or that the other children were so terrible.   No matter how Godly other people are, the fact is, we are all sinners and somehow, “familiarity breeds contempt”, or, “all our bad character will rub off more than the good if we spend too much time together”!

 

We quit taking the girls to a homeschool group’s meetings because the activities they had for the kids always centered around the gym, and my girls were put in awkward positions at times.

 

I don’t tell you this to make it seem like I was so wise and wonderful!!!  I had a hard time letting go of some of the things I had to let go of.  Remember, this was back in the dinosaur age of NO internet, NO e-mail,  NO texting, NO unlimited long distance, and we had the distinct privilege of being a GTE (now Verizon) strip right between two Sprints (now…I don’t know?  Who are they now?!), which meant–everything was long distance!!!

 

It was hard and lonely sometimes.  But of course, on this end of things, it was worth it!

 

That’s the way it is with so many things, isn’t it?  We have a hard time “sacrificing” something we think is for the greater good (and what God wants), but it’s hard.  Does it really matter?  Will it be worth it in the long run?

 

I’m here to tell you that YES!  YES IT IS!!!

 

If there is a common denominator in situations I’m aware of where the young people’s hearts are not with their family, it is they are very attached to their friends.

 

Again, friends can be good.  Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

 

Let’s be honest, though.   The best sharpening will happen through the best friends who know you the best—your family.

 

There are many ways to “run away” from the character lessons God is trying to teach us through our family.   But mark my words that if you do manage to get out of “Family Character Training 101″, you will meet “Roommate Character Training 201″ without the benefit of having passed the first course!  Meaning–it will be harder!

 

Or you  might run into “Tough Professor 301″, or “Neighbor Doesn’t Like Me 401″.   Oh, and don’t forget “Employer Is Tougher Than the Professor 501″!  God will bring those character training opportunities back to you again and again until you learn them. 

 

Only they get harder each time.

 

We have to have a long-term vision for our children. We have to be willing to sacrifice present “peace” for what is best spiritually in the long run.

 

I would encourage you to work on family relationships–even if it means you have to let some activities go.    When you’re always “going”, it’s easy to avoid the character training that “boredom” will bring out of your children.  And you!!! *eek!*

 

I have been at functions where young people are surrounded by friends, but they are texting other friends!   ???

 

I have watched siblings cut each other down in public as if it were a great pasttime (getting a bit too comfortable with doing that privately and apparently caring more that their friends see they don’t care about their siblings so they can be “cool”?)

 

Unfortunately, I’ve also seen wives cut down their husbands in public!  That is NOT a good role-model, mama!  :(

 

What consistently comes out of our mouths shows where our hearts really are.   We might think we’re really not “that way”, but what is the “aroma of the heart”?  The fragrance from our words should be the same as as our Savior’s. 

 

That is really the litmus test, isn’t it?  Would Jesus cut down His brothers and sisters?  Would He rather ditch His siblings for His friends?  (Let’s remember He spent the first 30 years of His life with His family.  He spent 3 years with His disciples!  And His siblings could have been His disciples, too, had they believed.   We know James eventually became a “servant of the Lord Jesus Christ” as did Jude. )

 

Would Jesus be texting His friends while sitting next to His family?

 

Tough questions.  What are we allowing?  Are we avoiding it because it’s just the way it is?   Or it’s too hard to change or say no?

 

It isn’t easy to say no to our children.  Oh, it’s easy when they’re going to get burned on a hot stove to say, “NO!  Don’t touch!”

 

Can we see that they are burning family relationships?  Can we see the long-term “benefit” of saying no to too much time with friends to reap lovely fruit of family relationships?

 

My children are truly each others’ best friends.  Yes, they get on each other’s nerves.  Yes, we yell at each other (well, all but Leah! ;) ) And yes, we ask each other’s forgiveness to restore that relationship.

 

I encourage you to do all you can to keep your children’s hearts, and one thing you must be prayerfully vigilant about is who are your children’s friends, and how much time they spend with them (and with the advent of our technological age, that includes “spending time” with them via texting, e-mailing, on the phone, facebooking, twittering, etc.).

 

And that includes “good friends”, too.

 

Once again, I am NOT saying “Don’t let your children have friends!”  

 

I’m just saying, “Family First”!    Psalm 68:6 says, “God setteth the solitary in families…” not “God setteth the solitary in a circle of friends”!    (And yes, that would include only children!  They still have their parents to develop relationships with first!)

 

We are called the friends of God, true, but we’re even more the family of God.

 

The picture God has of marriage and of our relationship to Him and each other is that of a family.

 

(I think I see a pattern here….. ;) )

 

Let’s start with ourselves, and do the right thing in building relationships at home.

 

For from that platform, we will be better friends to others and better witnesses of His family!

 

Oh, and by the way—-my children are my best friends, too!

 

May God give you wisdom to keep (or get back) your children’s hearts and bless you as you do whatever it takes to be best friends with each other!

 

It will be worth it ALL!

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–Praise the Lord!

Friday, June 11th, 2010

 

 

My, what a week!

 

We picked 134 pounds of strawberries on Monday, and by Wednesday evening all were either in syrup, freezer jam or frozen individually and bagged for the freezer!   

 

Many hands make light the work–indeed!

 

 

 

 

Are you training your littles to help and be a part of what you do? Or do you think, “I can do it faster myself!”?   I’ve said it before, but I will repeat–let them “help” now.  The goal is not always to get it done faster.  I know sometimes we just have to get things done, but I fear too much of the time we (yes I still fight it!) tend to focus on the task vs. the hearts of these don’t-stay-little-long blessings God has entrusted to us.

 

I doubt any of us have great memories of  our phonics workbooks.  Or math.   But we probably all have sweet memories of rolling out pies with a grandmother or maybe working in a garden with a parent.   Think of the way Jesus “discipled”–He simply took the disciples along with Him in His daily life, teaching them by example.  Not by a textbook.  After all, character cannot be learned in a textbook!

 

As you take your children along with you, you are training them to have a servant’s heart.  Especially if you show your delight in them and joy in their presence.  Like you love having them around!   Then believe me, they’ll want to stick around when they’re older!

 

 

I’ve been learning so much about prayer, and more specifically about praise– or intercessory worship as Mike Bickle and Dick Eastman call it.   I’ve been reading a “delightful” series by Dick Eastman called the “Harp and Bowl Series”.   The three books are:

 

 

 

 

 

All are available at Every Home For Christ’s Bookstore.   This is a wonderful ministry, and they will send you a free world prayer map that will cover every country in a month’s time. There is also a kids’ prayer map!  I highly recommend these books and the prayer maps!  (And if you’re requesting those, you might as well request their free book, “Look What God Is Doing!” )

Much of what I’ve been reading, from Mr. Eastman as well as a few other authors, is that praise is the missing ingredient in our prayers.  These books have revolutionized my prayer life and increased my faith greatly!  

How easy is it for us to get our focus on the “problems” or “situations” we pray for, and not our great God Who is Most High and All-Powerful!   I will share more specifically about that next week, but I thought I’d let you know about these books and resources to help you in your prayer life.

As a mama, of course we want to pray for our children as well as instill in them the habit of prayer.  It can become a difficult venture if we are not praying much.  You cannot impart something that is not a part of your own life!   You will find yourself reading these books “as a hart panting after the water brooks”–you’ll want more, MORE, MORE!!!! 

 

I also share these resources, because this week I want to share an idea with you that we have used in the past and are resurrecting to use with our younger set of children.   I heard about this idea at an ATI conference 15 or so years ago!  

Do you find yourself focusing a bit too much on the negatives–the things that you and your children need to improve?  Especially in their character?

Enter Praise Pockets!

 

 

 

Praise Pockets are very easy to make–and very hard to implement!  *smile!*

 

The idea is that you work on praising your children for their character vs. always correcting them.   I pick 1-3 qualities to work on for the week or month, and each child has one they specifically are working on.   You don’t have to do it this way!  If you want to work on one quality a week (or month!), that is fine!

 

We use the character quality list the Institute in Basic Life Principles has.   We have two resources, The Power of True Success for Families and Achieving True Success, that we use a lot (or I should say used–and will use again as we start this!)   I also have the Character Sketches books.  At one time I even made up a little “Character Ant Game” using the 49 character qualities!  (Might have to dig that back out!)

 

You start with very basic, easily available materials.

 

 

 

Colored paper, glue stick and stickers!   Oh, and some scissors and a ruler, or you can use one of those nifty scrapbooking tools that cut the edges neatly–wish they’d been available back when I first made these! 

 

I took one sheet of the paper, and folded it not quite in half.  The goal is to leave a little bit at the top of your pocket:

 

 

 

 

Now you take your glue stick and glue the sides down.

 

 

 

Next you will write the child’s name–or let them do it!   If your children are older, of course they can do this with you.   Younger ones may be able to do some steps–the more they’re involved, the more they’ll love it!

 

 

 

 

This is the FUN part!

 

Picking out stickers!!!!

 

 

I will warn you that most kids will want a gazillion stickers on their pockets!   Give them some leeway, but don’t let them cover the pockets in stickers!  :)  

 

 

 

 

Finshed Pocket!

 

 

Now it’s time to make the “Praise Markers”!

 

 

Basically, they are about 1 1/2 inch by 6 inch strips of paper, various colors, on which you write the character qualities.  I made many per quality–the “big” ones like Obedience have way more markers than, say, Alertness.   How many you make will also depend on how many children are “playing”. 

 

After getting all the markers made, you may want to use a small basket or make a nice “holder” for them all.  One of my daughters made a nice holder to tack up to the bulletin board.  This doesn’t hold ALL the character quality Praise Markers–just several of them we are working on for now.

 

 

 

We tacked the younger children’s up to a bulletin board under the main holder.   (See earlier picture above.)

 

The idea is that as you notice your child showing the particular quality(ies) that you are working on, you put a marker in their pocket.

 

 

I assigned a point system to the markers.  Some are worth 5 points, some 2 and some 1 (after the Parable of the Talents). 

 

You NEVER take markers out.  Even if they are good one day and horrible the next 6, you never take them out.   I had one particular daughter that probably would have been in the negative more than once had I taken any out!!!  *yikes!*

 

When the older girls were younger and doing this, I made up “coupons”.     They could add up their marker points as well as other points for practicing their instruments and doing chores and school,  and the total amount decided which bag of coupons they could draw from.   On the lower end were things like, “Sleep downstairs” or “Pick dessert”.   You know what your kids would like! ;)

 

The next level might have “Mommy will do dishes for you–Advanced Notice Required”.  That way they didn’t spring it on me at an inopportune time!  

 

Another level up would have things like “You don’t have to do school today” or “Mommy will do a craft with you”.

 

Higher levels had even neater things like getting to go out to dessert with Daddy or Mommy, and the top prize was to go out to eat with one of them (fast food restaurants!).

 

I sometimes had a little trinket, but I wanted to emphasize time with us versus “stuff” (and we know that that kind of “stuff” usually ends up on the floor in their rooms for you to step on!).

 

We had a lot of fun with it, and no one was competing with anyone.  It was all about striving for your own personal best.

 

And it helped me, as the mama, to focus on the good things that were happening vs. all that I had to work on!

 

Whether you choose to make Praise Pockets or come up with your own idea, I encourage you to make praise more and more a part of your life!   Believe me, your children will catch it from you and you all might find you have joy-filled hearts that are also full of song!

 

If you want to see how that works…..smile…..head over to the girls’ blog today and see a video of us singing a crazy song called “Fugue for Fast Food”! 

 

Have a blessed weekend–and don’t forget to praise!   (Don’t forget to praise your husband as well! ;) )

 

 

 

 

 

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Fabulous Family Friday–Barn School?!

Friday, June 4th, 2010

 

 

 

Before I tell you about the title (I’m sure you are quite curious!) I wanted to share a wonderful child training tool–I think of it as “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” brought down to where the rubber meets the road!

I think I have reviewed this resource before on my blog, but I thought it fitting, since starting the Fabulous Family Friday posts, to do it again!

It is “Don’t Make Me Count to Three” by Ginger Plowman.   The first section is entitled “Reaching the Heart of Your Child”.  There are definitely some concrete ideas in here, but I love it that it starts with the heart.  After all, that is where it ALL starts, even for us as God’s children!

There is an additional resource that is great for using as you train your children, using Scripture.  Ginger also produces this, and it’s called “Wise Words for Moms“.   It’s in a calendar format, so you can hang it on the wall, or just open it for use.   

Ginger also has a website with some other good materials, although these are the only two I personally own.     (Just click on her name for her website.)

I especially think you younger mamas would love this book, but you know, we older ones can keep it fresh by reviewing and remember what’s most important in life–

Relationships!!!

 

 

 

 

So what is barn school, anyway?!

 

 

Several years ago, when we first started giving music lessons, most of our students were homeschooled.  So while one member of a family was having a lesson, the siblings would play with my girls outside.  The barn is always a fun place to play!  

 

My daughters decided to make a “town” in the barn, and named it “Butterfly” in honor of the wooden Monarchs that perch on the barn (made by a friend’s father). 

 

  

 

Each girl had a “house” area that was hers.  They used whatever old boards (and some not-so-old!) to section off their areas.  Then they added their “shops”.   Of course, all the students and their siblings wanted to participate!   So each one had their “shop”.     The currency was acorns!  

 

Your first visit to Butterfly, you could gather a can full of acorns to spend.  After that, you had to come up with your own business!

 

Two brothers of a student were very resourceful–they were the “water works”.  They would deliver water to your residence or business, and even to the barn loft!   They had quite an ingenious method of pulleys to get it up to the loft so they didn’t have to run up and down the stairs all the time!   Of course, if you lived or worked on the loft, you paid a bit extra for this service!   For an extra fee, they would dump your yucky water! ;)

 

They had all the amenities a small town could offer:

 

Bank

 

Library

 

Grocery Store

 

Tea Room

 

Museum

 

Several restaurants

 

Sign shop

 

Post Office

 

UPS (that was one daughter swinging on the barn swing and throwing your “package” into your area!)

 

Trash Removal

 

Town “Garage” (for all the bikes!)

 

Various interesting shops (one daughter made butterflies out of colored paper clips!)

 

Even a Visitors Center!

 

 

Lots of fun!  But did they learn anything?

 

YES!

 

The library consisted of books bought by the bag at our library sale, as well as revolving racks and the vinyl cushions they used to use for story hour!   We also bought several drawers of the old card catalog system, and the “librarian” just turned the cards around and wrote down what we had!  She also made cards so you could “check out” books.  We even had old encyclopedias out there!  (They’re actually still floating around on the property…..)

 

The museum keeper also catalogued all the interesting artifacts (one being a tooth that a goat lost!). 

 

All the shopkeepers had to keep track of what they sold and their inventory, and of course the banker had to keep records!

 

They decided that there would be no “school” in Butterfly–all students would be homeschooled there!  

 

Once they had a bank robbery!!!  One student’s brother grabbed the “vault” (an old suitcase) and took off!   He was apprehended and caught.   The “residents” first were going to put him in the chicken house, but no one wanted to stand guard!  So they then brought him to the judge (me) and put in jail (sitting in the living room with me while I taught his sister–not his idea of a great time!).   We never did have a jail–that was the one and only crime!  ;)

 

 (Not the bank robber!  Just showing a picture of the swing!)

ALL of this took place with hardly ANY input from me!   I did not “make” them do anything.  I suggested, that’s all.   My oldest daughter decided to do a little “newspaper”, handwritten!   I told her about the newsletter template on Microsoft Works, and she figured it out and started cranking out quite the production!    She had an ongoing story as well as cute quotes….just think what she could do now!  Oh!  She IS!   It’s called Seven Sisters blog!  LOL!

 

That year was not a good year “schoolwise”.  I had had three miscarriages within 9 months, off my feet nearly a month each for two of them.  Not much planned school went on.  At the end of the “schoolyear”, I was reading my daughter’s “newspaper” and her story, and said, “Lord, who taught her to write?!  I didn’t!”  And that is when He spoke to my heart Isaiah 54:13 

 

“And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children.”

 

We had a family reunion later in the fall after this “Barn School Year”.  As I was giving a tour of the girls’ “town”, some of my husband’s aunts were telling me what curriculum their daughters were using to homeschool, and one asked me what curriculum I used.  I waved my hand around and said with a smile, “THIS is my curriculum!”   :)

 

At first they were a bit surprised, but as I explained all the learning that was going on there, they thought it was really neat!

 

 

 

 

I know sometimes we need to guide and have a plan, but I also know that sometimes….no, a LOT of the time–life happens and you can’t do your well-laid plans.  Is the time a loss?  Are you in danger of being “behind”?

 

Well, no!   I don’t believe in being “behind” anymore.  As long as you are:

 

Being faithful

 

Not using it as an excuse to do nothing

 

Putting first things first (“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…”)

 

Focusing on relationships

 

Providing an atmosphere of learning

 

 

Then I believe you are where God wants you to be, and He will see to your children’s education.

 

 

I had found an interesting book through a school called “Sudbury Valley” in Massachusetts.   Sudbury Valley is basically an “Unschooling School”!   Here is the Wikipedia description.  I am not saying that I agree 100% with all they do, and it is not a Christian based school, but I thought it interesting that this school has been in existence for over 40 years now, and has proven out over and over that having a curriculum and schedule does not equate success, and having freedom in learning does not equate chaos. 

 

I was able to get the book, “Free at Last“, from the library.   It was an interesting read!   One boy, “deschooling”, spent two years just fishing!  But the detail and intensity he used to pursue fishing transferred later to computers.  

 

Even if you’re not planning on being an unschooler, or even a “relaxed schooler”, I really think this would free you from thinking, “Oh, Johnny doesn’t know how to read yet!”  or “Susie can’t tell the difference between a noun and a verb!” or how about “Joan’s highschoolers are doing algebra and I know Mary isn’t ready for that.  I guess I’ll have to catch her up!”

 

I personally do think the children need a little guidance, and I do not necessarily think the kids ought to have a democratic vote in a family! :)   But there’s something to be said for going with the flow of their interests vs. trying to fit them into a curriculum.

 

Too many times we think it all depends on us doing the right thing–having the right schedule, using the right curriculum, following the right requirements, training our children just so…..but I’m going to let you in on a secret:

 

 

NOTHING depends on you

 

 

It all depends on YOU depending upon HIM!

 

The place you need to seek guidance is on your face before the Creator of those beautiful children.   This way takes more time.  More of you.  More interaction (you know–relationships!)  

 

But this way brings joy, peace, love….harmony, and faith—faith in your Abba Father Who cares for your children more than even you do!    Yes, even their education! 

 

Be open.  What you hear from Him might go against all you’ve ever thought about education.   But if you really believe He’s spoken, and you have your husband’s blessing, you can be sure you are in His will and you will be amazed at what your children learn.  And even if they don’t learn all the things you thought they should in 4th grade (or 6th or 9th), they will have learned what the Lord wanted them to learn.   You will find these experiences breed a love of learning that you couldn’t stop if you wanted to!

 

 

And someday, you’ll have some graduated and wonder how they learned some things…..and then you’ll remember….

 

 

Oh, yes!  The Lord taught them!

 

 

 

 

(Head over to the girls’ blog and see the new thing they’re doing–a cute “Behind the Scenes” video!)

 

(Special thanks to Anna for her beautiful flower pictures!)

 

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Fabulous Family Friday!

Friday, May 28th, 2010

 

 

 

This Friday, I am going to focus a bit more on the homeschooling end of things.

When people ask “what kind” of schooling I do, I jokingly say we do “Real Life School”!   ;)

We are definitely more on the relaxed end, and I do like some Charlotte Mason things, although I am not good about implementing a full CM schooling style.

Maybe I can say it’s “eclectic”?!  :)

12 years ago I reached a crisis in my homeschooling–only 7 years into it!!!  I had just gotten off bedrest during the first trimester of my pregnancy with daughter #6 (Rebekah) when we found out Anna-Pie (#5 sister) had an autoimmune disorder.   We had to have blood drawn three times a week (at a hospital 1/2 hour away) and go to a hematology clinic at least once a week (1 1/2 hours away)!!!  NOT conducive to “getting life back on track”!!!

In fact, I would say more years of our homeschooling journey have had major interruptions to them than not!

Which is why we went more relaxed!  LOLOL!

Seriously, as things calmed down a bit (only 1 clinic run every other week and one blood draw a week!), I started researching some options on homeschooling.  I was actually researching Charlotte Mason, but got on a side trail into Lifestyle of Learning by Marilyn Howshall.   Through the generous gift of a sister-in-the-Lord, I was able to purchase Marilyn’s 4 book set on Wisdom’s Way of Learning (it used to be one big book).  The booklets were just the right size for reading on the road and in clinics, as well as resting at home.  (Although I was off bedrest, I was exhausted from the emotional roller coaster of Anna’s disorder!)

Those booklet revolutionized my thinking about home education!  

I also found Barb Shelton at that time, and her website has SO much in it!  I was later able to purchase her JumpStart Navigator, and eventually her Guide-A-Log for a season of re-education for me.

Marilyn’s books are available as e-books now.   If you need refreshed, I highly recommend them! 

I will warn you, though, that they will make you think!  I actually read some of them FIVE times!  No kidding!  It’s not that it’s hard to read or understand, but it challenges the “school” paradigm we all have.

Here is a link to Marilyn’s books–WWOL #1 is towards the bottom of page 1, the other three are on the next page.  There is a button to click on for more details under each book.   Homeschool Oasis: Marilyn Howshall’s books.

You could spend a loooooong time reading at Barb Shelton’s site, too!    There is a LOT there, but all worth reading!   You don’t have to buy her Guide-a-Log, (the articles are on the website) but I found it was nice to have it in print so I wasn’t tied to the computer (nor do I like reading books on the computer if I can avoid it!). 

You don’t have to do any of this!  But I found it very helpful in rethinking what education really is. 

It actually helped me go back to why we started homeschooling in the first place–to have our children’s hearts.  A “good education” is a by-product, not the goal.  But when you’re in the throes of actually doing it, it’s so easy to get caught up in scope and sequences!   And it doesn’t help when other homeschoolers (and suspicious parents, relatives, neighbors, total strangers) ask you questions like, “Do they know how to read?” or “Do they know their multiplication tables?” or ” Do they know the capital of Liechtenstein?”  (It’s Vaduz, in case you need to know!  Aren’t we glad we have Wikipedia now?!)

All of a sudden we feel called on the carpet, inadequate, or, if our little darlings know all the above, we might feel a bit superior and prideful!!!

Now, there’s nothing wrong with being proud of your kids, nor of their knowing some basic facts.  

But I remind you–if you are a Christian called to homeschool, those things are NOT your goal.

Remember Matthew 6:33?   “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” 

That applies to home education, too!

How many times do we let Bible stories, hymn and chorus singing, and other wonderful spiritual pursuits go because we are “behind” in math?  or language arts?

I am going to be very, very real with you.  In our now 18 years of homeschooling, we have hardly ever “finished books” by the end of a school year.    We have hardly ever “covered” every single subject in a year’s time.   There have been years that math got left in the dust of chaos.  (It’s always the first to get chucked in a crisis!  :o )

Yet, we are about to graduate daughter #3.   Do they know everything the public school teaches?  No.   But there are some things the public school doesn’t teach, that we have decided are important.  (Like, milking goats!  *smile* )

I have been amazed, especially in light of the past several years of my husband’s serious accident, then my dad’s brain disease that was debilitating him, accelerating to his death 2 1/2 years ago, helping my mom sell her home and move, a miscarriage and then chicken pox and whooping cough (both in one school year!), and now my mom’s death just recently–that my girls have learned so much more than I would have thought!   *I* was not in charge the whole time–I couldn’t be.   But they stepped up to the plate and for the most part, learned everything that was important.

My “homeschool philosophy”, if you will, is this:

“Hear God.  Trust God.  Listen to and obey your husband.”

Too many times, God is asking us to pull back and we, in our fear of what “they” will say (be “they” family, other homeschoolers or the state) say no.  Then we wonder why we hate homeschooling and how can we spend more quality time than just planning lessons.   And grading them.  And managing all the paper!

I do live in a state that doesn’t have oppressive homeschool laws.  But even if I didn’t, I would seek God for a way to focus on Him and His Kingdom, and still meet the state requirements.  We make it too hard on ourselves!   I believe it was Jonathan Lindvall that said we often go waaaay beyond what we really need to.  Yes, we want to be above reproach, but really…..if “being above reproach” means killing your children’s love of learning, having no time to snuggle and read books aloud, or not having “time” to sing hymns each day because of someone else’s agenda…..if it means you feel you spend more time being a “teacher” than a wife, mommy and homemaker…..then perhaps we are doing more than the Lord Himself requires.  And maybe we aren’t doing what He does want us to do. 

I also hear moms say, “Well, my husband requires I do this much.”   That may be true, and you need to be under his authority.  BUT–again, I also know many women who whine and fuss or are very fearful, so the husband may be “requiring” so “much” because of the wife’s fears, to help her have a tangible list to go by, so to speak.

And I can’t think that too many husbands, if a wife were to pray about and then make a gracious appeal, would be unwilling to try something for a season.

Here are some of the BIG things I learned from my “Season of Re-Education”.

One, when life is in chaos, or you don’t know where to start, take each child that is school-age (if you are in a crisis or overwhelmed, you do NOT need to do “pre-school”–get them lots of paper and crayons and colored pencils!), and focus on the #1 need education-wise.  Yes, I know, BOTH math and language arts are important!    But pick just ONE.   It may be different for each child.   My girls were almost 12, 10, 7, 5, 15 months and #6 on the way when I did this.   So the first two, we focused on language arts.   The 7 year old focused on learning to read (she was a later bloomer).  The 5 year old focused on obedience!!!!!  The 15 month old learned to play nearby safely  (with her “bumper buddy”–a seizure helmet to help protect her head from any bumps–she had a platelet disorder which meant she could hemorrhage easily!). 

Did I worry?  Yes!  

But I kept coming back to knowing God had led us into this.  I had the full support of my husband, who has been a big advocate for LIFE learning, anyway! 

Surprise of surprises!  It worked!   As I “deschooled” my thinking, and started to relax, I started seeing how much they really were doing in life that was educational.   The 12 year old was helping me in the kitchen–she told me later that fractions made so much more sense after learning to cook!  Especially when we had to double so many recipes!  

I remember the 7 year old wanting to know what a baby opossum was called.  Now, this was in the early days of the internet, Google was not yet invented, and the search engines didn’t help us much.   Neither did the encyclopedia.   We finally found out they’re called—opossums!!!   Ha!  

But do you see that we learned together?   I showed her how we look things up in the encyclopedia (even though she couldn’t read well yet, I just introduced it to her so she would know why those books were there!).   Guess who is the family researcher today?!  (Oh, and her late blooming didn’t hurt her any–in fact, there was a time I had to limit her reading!)

Those are just a few incidences, but you can bet they gave me confidence to continue pursuing this “Lifestyle of Learning”.   It eventually morphed into what we call a “Real Life Learning” style.  

We have some things we try to do together, but I let them pursue their interests and try to key “subjects” to those interests.   We also have “seasons” of science or history.   True confessions here:  I used to worry because we weren’t “doing” much science.  I guess I forgot that taking care of animals is a whole science by itself!   Animal husbandry!   My guess is my oldest wouldn’t have passed the local school’s biology exam, but she has delivered baby goats (including “stuck” ones!), watched three of her siblings be born, and actually knows waaaaay more than would be on that exam, anyway!  It’s called, “Practical Science”!  

In the past few years, my Language-Artsy-History-Loving daughters have gotten more into—-science!  :D

So, what was it I was so worried about?!  

I hope I haven’t bored you with all this!   I know I basically am only touching on the one topic, but it is near and dear to my heart.   I worried SO much in the early years when “life” kept happening and ruining all my well-laid school plans!    And now I see the fruit of focusing on the important things, and wish I hadn’t wasted so much time worrying and fretting!

Because I hear young mamas, even mamas just a bit behind me, worrying about it, too, I thought I’d share my journey and let you know you can–

STOP WORRYING!!!!!

 

 

I’ve done enough for all of you!  ;)

 

 

 

If you just are scared that your children will grow up illiterate and unable to do basic math, just head over to my girls’ blog, and see what they do—sewing, tatting, crocheting, knitting (much of which they taught themselves!), photography, writing (including Miss Research who did NOT like writing prosey stuff at all for language arts….guess who is one of the two main “bloggers” over there?!  *smile*). 

 

 

 

Here is one other website I can recommend–I’ll be honest–I don’t follow everything there, and you can turn all of it into drudge-work if you focus on “getting it all done”.  The website is Simply Charlotte Mason.  A wonderfully encouraging site, and they even have a forum over there.  I don’t get on as much anymore, but last time I was there it was very helpful and encouraging!

 

 

They have a lot of great resources there, too.  And they’re reasonably priced!

 

I would highly recommend you read through “Making the Transition” before going to all the meat-and-potatoes of the scope and sequence!    And as you make that transition, if you feel that is where the Lord would have you go, please don’t feel rushed to “get onto the next stage”.  

 

I know there are other good CM sites, but most of them scared me!  SCM is totally user-friendly, and to me, much less daunting, especially if you have several children. 

 

 

As in all things–please pray about what the Lord would have you do.   He may have you follow SCM for some things, yet not others.  He may have you just forego science for awhile (remember, they will “catch up”!)    That’s why it’s important, in all the cacaphony of homeschooling voices out there (including mine!), to seek HIS face first and foremost. 

 

I no longer feel it is my job to teach  my children everything–I can’t!   And neither do the schools–we all have our gaps.   There’s always more we wish we could have done.

So my requireds are boiled down to three things:

1. Give them the basics (the 3 Rs)

2. Train their character so they can later apply themselves to learn areas I may have had to let go.

3. Nurture their love of learning so they can go on and learn anything they want to!

A note on #1–we focused on learning to read for the first 2-3 years of “school”.   Oh, we might do some “real life math” (Ruth Beechik’s books are wonderful!), but phonics/reading was/is the main focus.   Then the next few years might be a little more on math, with some writing (expressing themselves) focus.   We typically  have hit the math harder in late elementary/middle school ages.   Yes, believe me, they will catch up!  I remember years ago a young man telling us that his parents bought a 6th grade math text and just had them work slowly through it during “elementary years”.   And he and his siblings went on to do higher math just fine!  

ALL of this is irrelevent if you are not focusing on THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY–Matthew 6:33!   There are many days we “only” get Bible time in.    I am amazed at how He honors us honoring His Word!    My favorite “homeschooling verse” is Isaiah 54:13:

“And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of they children.”   (and of mama, too! )

I know this is long already, but I thought I’d finish with some resources we use that I like.  This is not an exhaustive list!!!!  But just some ideas!

Bible:  Grapevine Studies  

Phonics:  Happy Phonics

I do not use Explode the Code–just the games!   My younger set loves this!  

Language Arts:

My younger girls like Language Lessons  from Queen Homeschool Supply.   My older two who are still in school didn’t care for them as much at the secondary level.   I have friends whose children love them at that level!  Just depends, I guess!    Neither of my oldest two enjoy doing a lot of creative writing, so that might be part of it.   Language Lessons are great for a gentle, doable Charlotte Mason style languge arts program.   I like a lot of stuff from Queen Homeschool Supply!

My other two “likes” for language arts are:

Writing to God’s Glory by Jill Bond

and

Andrew Pudewa’s Excellence in Writing

I am only using the teacher’s syllabus for this one as I am borrowing it from a friend.  Language arts is my “thing” so I get it!    The dvds are great, though, and I am a little familiar with them having borrowed another friend’s awhile back.

Math:   We have used Mastering Mathematics for several years now.   My younger girls want to try Math Makes Sense!  (you have to have the ! at the end or it’s a whole different curriculum!).     We might give it a try–a friend has used it, so I got a chance to look at it, and it looks good!  I have been quite happy with Mastering Mathematics, but I’m willing to try this new one.   We have been through several math programs–especially the first 10 years of homeschooling!   I know what I don’t like!  LOL!

Math Makes Sense!  had a different series that wasn’t segregated into the different operations.  I’m not sure if it’s still available, but I’m going to try to order that one.  It was $32 per level.   If I find out, I’ll post it here! The other website that used to carry them no longer does.  Unfortunately, the website I linked to doesn’t have any samples. 

Simply Charlotte Mason has a wonderful series called “Your Business Math” for applied basic math.  There is a Pet Store, Book Store and a Sports Store.   One of my daughters did the Pet Store and really enjoyed it!  And you can download a free sample!

World History–Diana Waring!   Whether you just listen to her CDs or get the whole curriculum, put out by Answers in Genesis (I sprang for it, even the Teacher’s Edition–you have to know I have an allergy to Teacher Editions!!!), you can’t go wrong!  My children LOVE these!    We call her the female version of Little Bear Wheeler! 

Science:   We love Apologia!     Susannah actually used Jeannie Fulbright’s Botany in 10th grade–I know it’s “supposed” to be elementary, but the detail she added to it qualified for high school in my book!

Disclaimer–only one of my daughters did all the experiments in Exploring Creation with General Science.  Others just read through it.  We have the Biology book (just in case we have to take that local school Biology test ;) ) but I don’t plan to make them do all the labs.   For one, we dissect about 150 chickens every year!   So that should count, right?  HA!

 

Next week I’ll share a “real life”  schooling experience we had several years ago!  (I wanted to share this week, but this has already become a book!)

Enjoy your children, enjoy learning together, and….

ENJOY LIFE!!!!   :D

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Posted in Fabulous Family Friday | 6 Comments »

Fabulous Family Friday!

Friday, May 21st, 2010

I’m sorry about last week–I had a busy Friday, and thought I’d post a late one on Monday, only to find I couldn’t because of the big changeover here at Homeschool Blogger!

I’m learning the ropes here, got some of my “widgets” back on the sidebar, and it’s starting to feel a little bit like “home” again! ;)

Years ago Mary Pride had a wonderful newsletter called “Help for Growing Families”.   I devoured and re-devoured each issue and kept them in a handy place to refer to for years!   Lots of good stuff, and there were some Godly, older “Titus 2″ moms who contributed quite a bit!

One tidbit that I remember was how to avoid one of the pitfalls of a big family.   What usually happens is you train your children to help (out of necessity!), and they become quite good little helpers!  Then they get older, and you have more little ones, and you depend on your older ones.  They’ve become your right hand!  (And left, too!)  

So what’s wrong with that, you ask?  What’s the pitfall?

Well, the tendency is that life is so busy, that you never get around to training the younger up-and-coming ones as well as you did your older ones.  That makes for a double whammy–the older ones are overworked, and the younger ones aren’t contributing as much–which sometimes leads to a triple whammy–too much free time to bicker!

The tip from the older mom (wish I could find that exact article to give her credit!) was as you come to a job, ask yourself,  “Who is the youngest child that could do this job?” 

I confess that it is hard to do this!  After all, the dishes need done NOW and by the time you get Sally to quit playing and back on task, Janie could have had them washed, dried, put away and on to the next thing!

But Mama, if you keep doing that, some day Sally not only won’t be good  help, she won’t want to help!  And Janie won’t like Sally much, either!

I think it is God’s design to get us to slow down and….you know what I’m going to say, don’t you!!!

Focus on the relationship!

 

This isn’t just “train them to work so we can get it all done” (if you do that, let me know how it goes!  :) ).   This is truly character training.

Yours just as much as theirs!

Little ones really do want to help, and yes, you could do it faster yourself, but unless you want to wear yourself out doing it all yourself, I suggest you lower your standards of perfection and train the littles—and try to enjoy the process as you go!  Let them know how much you enjoy their help and their chatter and brag on them!

I remember when our Noah was just a toddler, he would “help” the girls bring in a jar of milk.  They would be hanging onto it at the top, and he’d put his sweet baby hands underneath.  They’d let him carry a bit of the weight so he really felt a part of it, and we’d brag on what a strong boy he was and such good help, too!  

As he got older, he brought in a jar by himself one day and said,   “Look!  I strong boy!”   Oh, how sweet a memory!

So as you think through different chores, think youngest to oldest, and you will avoid one big pitfall of big families—and have good helpers and sweet memories to boot!

Remember, “Life is what happens while you’re trying to get everything back to normal!”  

 

 

Something we and many families I know do is to divide up the house into “areas” 0r “jurisdictions”.   I know the Duggars do this, but we were doing it long before we heard of the Duggars!  (And I had the privilege of hearing Michelle speak back in 2000!)   

 

Our “areas” are library and living room, kitchen and laundry room, entry and main bath, sunroom.    The girls are responsible for their own rooms, and a few older girls now take care of the upstairs bath and stairway (including two landings).

 

They are assigned their area and they stay there for quite awhile.  I used to rotate more, but now they ask to trade out every so often, so they’re basically doing the rotating!  ;)   They are to dust –it’s supposed to be weekly.  Reality:   it gets done every other week and sometimes monthly.  When they were younger, if we were dusting they would ask who is coming over!   Now you know my deep, dark secrets!  (To be fair, dusting was way low on my husband’s priority list–he was made to dust daily and thought it was a major overkill!)   They also sweep/vacuum their area, and they are responsible to straighten it daily.   Whoever is in charge of the library is expected to straighten up the children’s books bookcase as needed!

 

Now whoever has the kitchen is only responsible to sweep and mop—cleaning of the kitchen itself goes to the girl in charge of meals.   When Jessica, our oldest, was around 13, we graduated her out of her area and she helped make supper.  She became responsible for supper all the time, eventually.  So at that time, she did not have to do dishes (we’ve changed some things since then), but she was responsible to clean out the microwave, clean the stove, clean out the refrigerator, etc.

 

Before that, *I* was the one doing it!   But it still was quite helpful to have my helpers all over the house, each doing her part!

 

Bathroom detail is three times a week.  Basics are cleaning the toilet, sinks (we have two in the main bath), and the outside of the tub.   Once a week they are to clean the tub/shower, wipe down cupboard doors, etc. 

 

We clean baths 3 times a week, and we sweep 3 times a week, so Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are bath cleaning days, while Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are sweeping days. 

 

There are times, of course, when we need a little extra cleaning or sweeping on an “off” day.  And yes, I have and still do hear, “But this isn’t sweeping day!”

 

To which I reply, “I just made it sweeping day!” :)

 

The downfall of “jurisdictional areas” is that people become quite possessive and dogmatic about it.  Which means I also hear, “This isn’t my area!”  

 

 

To which I reply, “I just made it your area!” :)

 

 

I explain to my children that this is not just about getting things done.  There are times we need to pull together and help each other because perhaps company is coming and a younger child can’t get their area all cleaned up quickly.  Or someone is sick.   Then there are other times that yes, that person needs to take care of their area.  One thing I have to constantly be on guard is a selfish, “I got mine done, so why should I help her?” attitude.

 

 

I remind them that we are to develop the heart of a servant–Jesus came not to be served, but served others, and He did the job of the lowliest servant of His time!

 

There is a training time, and I’ve had checklists on the back of cupboard doors or on clipboards for them to check off that they did what they are supposed to.   Then when it’s time for them to move to another area, they are responsible to train the next sibling!  (With my oversight, of course!)

 

 

 

What do you do with all those cute cards your children make you?  Or the sweet pictures that you would like to keep?  First of all, put their name and age on it, perhaps the date (have them write their name if possible!), then you can either make a file with that child’s name on it in your filing cabinet or box, OR you can use Ziploc bags!   I write the year on them, and then all the Mother’s Day, birthday, Christmas and whatever cards are put in there.   Pictures I try to put in a folder or box, but I’ve been known to fold it nicely and stick it in a Ziploc, too!   That way, if you don’t have lots of file space, you can keep mementos somewhat together! 

 

I’d like to say that I have a wonderful organizational system for you to keep those Ziploc bags under control….but I don’t!  

 

And of course, after awhile you may need to pare down the file or box where you keep these treasures!  

 

 

 

 

Do you have a difficult child?  One who is on hyperdrive most of the time?   Or just one that seems to always be in the middle of a muddle?

 

Have you ever tried “Hug Therapy”?

 

 

On the T-Tapp Mommy Fitness Forum we were discussing this just a little while ago.   Many of us have found that these children actually need our love the most when we want to give it to them the least!  

 

 

Kind of like our Abba Father, isn’t it?

 

Often, just grabbing them and hugging them or reaching out and tousling their hair, rubbing a back…many times that will do much to diffuse a situation that could escalate into a battle of wills.

 

 

It doesn’t always work (just like it doesn’t always work with us!), but many times we need to diffuse our emotions, too.

 

So try it!  You’ll be amazed what a hug will do! 

 

 

 

 

What do you do when life happens and “school” slams to a halt?

 

 

Well, for awhile you could play Horseopoly!

 

 

Then when you get tired of that, you could make your own game of….

 

 

Alphabetopoly!

 

 

Or how about Muffin-opoly?

 

 

 

Pig-opoly?

 

 

Cat-opoly, maybe?

 

 

I know!

 

 

Cow-opoly!

 

Pie-opoly?

 

 

Well, that’s what my younger girls (Anna, Bekah and Charissa) have been doing these past two weeks!

 

 

If you think about it—there are many skills covered here!

 

 

Critical thinking skills.  Art.   Math.   Problem solving.   Sorting and classifying.   Creativity.   Spelling.  Language arts (for the cards you draw!). 

 

 

I am always amazed at how much “school” they do on their own…..how much they learn when it’s something they are excited about!

 

 

I’ve seen it happen before–chaos hits, “school” stops, they do their own thing, and then I’m amazed at how much they learned in spite of the unplanned crisis!

 

 

Which is why Isaiah 54:13 is a good,  if not THE, homeschooling verse:

 

 

“And all your children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of your children.”

 

 

Because the Lord knows that we don’t live in some sterile bubble.

 

 

We live this thing called “life” and He actually makes sure things don’t always follow our well-laid plans.  Especially if we’re leaving Him out of the planning!

 

 

We’ll get back to whatever “normal” is sometime. 

 

 

Or maybe not . 

 

 

Maybe we’ll just have LIFE!

 

 

 

Posted in Fabulous Family Friday, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Fabulous Family Friday–Love Your Mother!

Friday, May 7th, 2010

I wasn’t going to post today, but I had some thoughts, and thought it was appropriate, in memory of my mom, to share them with you.

 

 

My mom lived just 1/4 mile from me for these past two years.   I am ashamed to say that we really didn’t see each other as much as we’d have liked to.  We did call each other nearly every other day.

 

 

Life is busy, especially for homeschooling mamas of many (or littles–or both!).

 

 

Maybe your mom isn’t a believer or you feel at odds for whatever reason.

 

 

May I offer some hindsight advice?

 

 

I used to stand so strong on "principle" (aka "being right")  that I actually became just as wrong.   I needed to "do right".  Not just "be right".   (That’s a whole ‘nuther post!)

 

 

I’ve mellowed some.  Sometimes, in trying to "protect my children from bad influences", I have gone overboard.   Don’t get me wrong, we do need to be vigilant to protect our children.   But sometimes, we shoot ourselves in the foot doing so.

 

 

 

It’s not "keep relationships at any cost"…but relationships are important and too many of us think we have a good reason to sever it, or even distance ourselves, when we really don’t.

 

 

 

 

I’m thankful that my mom’s and my relationship was very good over the past few years.  We grew much closer. 

 

 

 

But I wish I had acted on some impulses.

 

 

 

If you wait  until school is going well, the dishes and laundry are caught up, and you feel good about life to do some of these things, then you will never do them.

 

 

So, for me, will you please take the time SOON to do one or more of these (or whatever the Lord prompts you to do) with your mom?

 

 

~ Buy her a nice teacup (and a matching one for you) and some tea, and go have tea with her.   If you have littles, bring some little cups for them and give them juice.  Oh, you didn’t get math done?   Don’t worry.  You can catch up when your mom is gone.

 

 

~Pick up a nice bunch of flowers for her.   They have them at Wal-Mart fairly inexpensively.  Or maybe you have lilacs or roses or something blooming at home.  When you cut some for you, take her some, too.  Don’t wait to buy her flowers for her casket spray.

 

 

~Just stop by for a few minutes to give her a hug and see how’s she’s doing.  And if she wants you to sit and visit awhile, do it.  If she leaves the tv on while you’re visiting, pick a time when game shows or Green Acres is on.  You and your children will not die spiritually from a few exposures.  Your kids will not remember the insipid tv, but they will remember going to see Grandma.

 

 

 

~Take your mom out for lunch.   Yes, you pay for it.   I know, money’s tight.  Save your change.  Ask the Lord.  If you really want to do it, He will make a way.   Or don’t you really believe Him when He says, "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS."?   Believe me, you will wish you had made a way later. 

 

 

~Find some little something you think she’d like at a thrift store.   It doesn’t have to be fancy or big.  She probably doesn’t need a lot of knick-knacks, but if you see something and tell her, "Mom, I saw this and it just made me think of you!"  it will probably become quite precious to her.  And when you go through her stuff after she is gone, it will bring a sweet smile to your heart to comfort you.

 

 

~Send her a card just to say "I love you, Mom!"   Again, when you find it among her stuff later, it will comfort your heart.

 

 

And please don’t tell me what a horrible witch your mom is.  I know, there are all kinds of people out there.  Some are really not Godly at all.  But she gave you life.  And God chose to bring you into this world through her, and if for nothing else, you can be grateful for that.

 

 

I have found that, if we look for the good, we will find it.  Even if it’s nearly covered in not-so-good traits. 

 

 

It’s a choice.

 

 

Just like it’s a choice to pick up the phone and say, "I was thinking of you and wanted to say I love you!"   or just "Haven’t talked to you for awhile and wondered how you’re doing?"

 

 

And don’t try to multi-task while on the phone.  Really listen.  Write down the funny things she tells you about or memories.  No, you will NOT remember them later.  Trust me.

 

 

Today, would you be willing to put aside your busyness, your agenda, your schedule, your differences, your "rightness", and just love your mom?

 

 

For me?

 

 

Because I can never do all those things I meant to do.   I’m grateful for the ones I DID do, but there are many that I didn’t, for what are now not very good reasons.

 

 

I know it’s tough, as I said, to live life, and yet make time for relationships.

 

 

But which do you really believe pleases God?

 

 

Again, please, PLEASE do this for me.  

 

 

If God prompts you to do something and you think you’ll do that next week—DO IT NOW.

 

 

I have two mothers-in-law, and I haven’t been with them as much as I should have.

 

 

That will change.   I may not have my mom on earth anymore, but I still have them.

 

 

Thank you for your prayers and Scriptures, they mean so much!

 

 

 

And now……go tell your mom that you love her.

 

 

 

And give her a hug.

 

 

And give her another one for me.

 

 

Thank you, Mom, for giving me life.  Thank you, for the past two years of our relationship.  I wish it could have been longer.  I wish I would have come in more, made you come here more.  You didn’t want to intrude.  I didn’t want to intrude on your independence, either. Weren’t we silly?!

I love you, Mom, and I’m going to miss your calls.  I actually took a picture of the caller id from your last call, the last time you talked to anyone.  I know God is Sovereign and His timing is perfect, so I rest in that.  He has given me assurance that you are with Him, and that comforts my heart.

I’m glad for the hugs and "I love yous" we did have. 

 

Thank you, Lord, for giving me to my mom.  You had a perfect plan.  May I carry her memory always, and thank you for Your love towards me now, too.

I’ll see you again, Mom!  For now, enjoy those grandbabies in Heaven!

 

Posted in Fabulous Family Friday | 8 Comments »

Fabulous Family Friday!

Friday, April 30th, 2010

How about some Bible memorization?    I have tried many different ideas, but one that has worked the best is found at one of my favorite homeschooling sites, Simply Charlotte Mason!

 

Her Scripture Memory System is really easy to set up, and it works!  I confess we are bad about reviewing, but when we use this system, it works, AND it’s a great place to keep things all together rather than in multitudinous notebooks (now which purple notebook had last year’s Scripture memory in it?!).

 

We like to add hand motions to ours.   If you get stuck, ASL Browser  has a lot of words, with a mini-video demonstrating the sign.  You might have to use a different form of a word–maybe you need a noun and the ASL Browser only has the adjective.   Since we’re not trying to make sense to anyone, we just go with what’s there.  None of us really knows sign language, and a hearing-impaired person might really fall on the floor in shock or laughter at us, but it looks neat and helps little ones to remember key words! 

 

I started a post about homeschooling resources and it grew into a book!   Instead I thought maybe each week on Fabulous Family Friday I could share some homeschooling resources that I really like for a particular area.  That way it would just be a pamphlet!        I can also share what we do in that subject area, and if we have done some things without buying curriculum, I’ll share that, too!

 

 

Another great resource for Bible is Grapevine Studies.   We have the Old Testament Overview and really like it!   I don’t have the girls do all the word studies in the higher levels–they do some, but not all of them, because they do some in their own personal study.    We have also done the Birth of Jesus, and really liked it!   We did it right before Christmas a few years ago.   I sprang for the multi-level teacher and student edition, since I have learners at all the levels!!!

 

 

I am also attempting to do a study on the names of God.   I am using a variety of sources, kind of cobbling together my own thing!   I’m using a cute kids’ book called God, What’s Your Name? , a precept study by Kay Arthur.  I’ll be honest—I don’t do ALL of it with the girls!   I’ll read the story, maybe work through some of the activities, and read some of the Scriptures.   My goal is one name of God every two weeks.  

 

My purpose is to acquaint the girls with God’s names and what they mean.   I have my older girls come up with some Bible verses that depict that particular name, a character quality that goes along with it, a hymn….then write a little devotional and prayer to go with it.   There is no "right or wrong" answer–each girl may come up with something different!

 

I’m hoping to help the younger girls do some of this…..obviously I will be doing more of the work!   When we were in ATI, Karin Dent had shared Dinah Zike’s wonderful Big Book of Books one year.   I loved Minit-Booklets!   I think I overdid it with my older girls–they got to where they hated them!!!   We haven’t done them in a long time, but I think I am under control now and can be moderate….. *smile*

 

(It is available at Amazon.com as well as Dinah Zike’s website, but Cathy Duffy’s site in the link above had a review of it!)

 

I thought the little girls and I could make some "Minit-Booklets" with the key info on the names of God.  If we spring for it, I’ll post pictures!

 

I also would like to make a banner for each name—something simple either using felt or what we have on hand.  Again, I’ll post pics as we complete them!  

 

 

Our "Bible Time" consists of:

 

Prayer

 

Singing hymns–we pick one for the week, and we sing through the hymnbook (you find some good ones and some….interesting ones? that way!  We just sing one a day), and whoever has their laundry day picks a hymn.   That usually averages 4 hymns a day!    Don’t stress—it takes about 10 minutes max, and it teaches theology, poetry, hymnology, music appreciation….you get the idea!

 

I just started having Anna and Bekah copy the "Hymn of the Week" and look up any words they don’t know.  They copy a stanza a day.  

 

Then we pray again before reading Scripture.  We are currently reading a Psalm a day, and we share what stood out to us and/or what we are learning in our personal quiet times.  

 

After this we do our Scripture memory, then either Grapevine or Names of God.   Lately those have not been getting done, so I need to get us started earlier!!!

 

This averages about an hour.  Except when we get into some really good discussions!  Then Bible time takes over all of school!   And that’s okay!  

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

 

Here is another good use for those recipe boxes/card files—and a great organizational tip from Donna Otto!!!

 

She shared about her "perfect boxes" in Get More Done in Less Time (Amazon has the updated version–title and cover a bit different!)…..well, I have "perfect Rubbermaid Tubs"–and a LOT of them!!!  We actually call it "Rubbermaid City" out in the shop where they reside!   Things were a mess, as far as which tub had what–sewing stuff, baby stuff, little girl stuff, shoes, my stuff…..so I used Donna’s idea for the card files.   The sewing/craft/etc. tubs have letters.  The clothing/shoe tubs have numbers.  That way when someone is out in Rubbermaid City looking at the skyscrapers, they can at least narrow the field a bit!  

 

 

In the file box, the numbered cards are first, lettered ones afterward.   Here are examples of how they’re listed:

 

1   Girls-

 Sleepers–newborn-6 mo.

 socks–  0-9 months

 blankets   2 heavy

                       1 thermal receiving

 

t-shirts– newborn

newborn hats                        crocheted slippers

bassinette pad and sheets

tights                                        bibs

diaper covers                         bonnets

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’ll like this one!

 

 

15-  Girls’ clothes

   6 mo.–?

     and parts of dresses waiting for the

    matching pants!  

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

From the sewing/craft tubs:

 

G– Fabric–some for matching (all of us or ABC maybe N+I)  [if you

haven’t figured it out, those are the initials of the youngest 5!]

Gingham

Pink check floral and border

4th of July

Daisy (leftover from dresses we made)

Snowman (ABC)

Snowflake (blue and red)

Navy w/apples

07 Easter fabric is in S (as in tub S, not in Susannah!)

 

 

That way we have an idea, before we heft huge and heavy tubs inside, whether it’s even in the ballpark!  (Ask me how I know that that is not the most efficient way to do things!!!       Unless, of course, you want to count it as your weight training program……!)

 

 

This system works great–you write on the index card what is in the tub or box.    That way the tub or box number (or letter) can stay the same.   As your children get older and you don’t need tub #1 to keep baby t-shirts and blankets, etc., you can throw that card away and put a new one in its place.

 

 

I bought mainly tan tubs for the boys’ clothes, so that would make them easier to spot, too.   You have to understand, that we have "lettered" tubs from little a to little e and A through V, including anywhere from 2-4 tubs for each of the oldest four girls!!!!

 

The numbered tubs go from 1-42, and there are 9 "sub cards" for #25–which is our Christmas stuff!!!  (25A, 25B, 25C…..to 25I–that’s a capital {i}–so we are talking over 80 tubs!!!) 

 

 

As you can see, our card system is indispensible.    We do need to go through and weed things out again, especially since the youngest girl is now 9 years old!!!

 

 

This has been the best system for us!  I hope you find it helpful, too!

 

 

And just in case you think I am exaggerating when I say "Rubbermaid City"……

 

 

 

 

You can tell by how high these are stacked

that I have taallllll daughters!  (And yes,

I make them get them down for me, too!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, the ladder doesn’t lead to another level of

Rubbermaid Tubs!!!    

(WHEW!)

 

 

 

 

So now you know why it’s important we have a system for navigation out there!!!!

 

 

I hope this week’s Fabulous Family Friday has been encouraging and helpful for you!   

 

Now, go get some index cards, a few filecard boxes, several Rubbermaid Tubs (or Sterlite or whateverite) and—

 

 

 

LET’S GET ORGANIZED!!!!

 

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