This time of year flies by so quickly! I love the beautiful blossoms of white and pink adorning the beautiful trees everywhere! For FHE this week, we have had two Praying Mantis egg sacks waiting to hatch on our kitchen counter for a few weeks. Monday morning something was moving in the container! Each sack can hold up to 200 praying mantises. That is a lot of little crawling insects all at once! I would be surprised if there were really 400 in that little container, but it was fun to watch them emerge! They were very light, even transparent when they first emerged, and less than 1/4" long. By the evening when B got home to see them so we could release them, they were nearly 1/2" long and dark. We walked around the yard, observing all the flowers on the fruit trees, the buds coming out on the vines. C had us color pictures of the song "I Wonder When He Comes Again" and J just kept saying, "Sing it again!" Cute memories! I wonder when He will come, will I be ready there? I hope my family and I can be together, but I believe when He comes, travel will somehow change, and it won't matter where J is, he will be able to join us! We live in a beautiful place... that is when we can see through the swollen eyes from allergies :). Seriously I love spring! Visited Sister B yesterday with the card we made for her last week. She shared about China and her experiences there. She was so excited to hear of J's call to go there. She says the people are ready, and that he will LOVE it! She was anxious to set up a time to come teach us about her mission experience in China. She served there as an example, single sister. She is a brave, valiant soul. I have special memories with her when she was really sick and I took dinner in to her. Praying with her, I know angels were there! She is an angel!
Currently we are seriously entrenched in projects... up to our noses! We have had the McNeill family here for the weekend, and if I could figure out how to upload the pictures on my camera, I have cute shots of darling cousins on red rock! (Ugh! New Printer means I can't just plug in the card! Oh, well!) We hiked Marble Mountain, played at the spin park. We took them jeeping/4-wheeling at Sand Hollow and went out for ice cream. We swam at the Green Valley pool, and the new Washington Community Center. Sunday we enjoyed having cousins to read stories with on Sunday afternoon, hiked Porcupine Canyon, and went frog hunting (no success... a bit too early yet!). Monday we got up early to play Ultimate frisbee at the park, then to go swimming one more time before they had to leave. We loved having cousins here. Thanks McNeills for coming our way! We loved having family to play with!
Upcoming projects requiring time right now... Teen Easter Egg hunt on the 3rd, Scout Expo on the 10th. B was elected County Delegate last night at caucus meeting, that means county convention on the 17th. Dad's BSA Spring Camporee on the 24th, and wow! Can we make it that far? I have been asked to co-chair a Centennial Celebration for Cubs on September 18th for the Sector. We are talking about 2500 cub scouts and their leaders! That is taking a bit of time lately...:) like ALL day yesterday! In the mean time, medical bills are demanding attention from December now the insurance has had their fun with them. Office accounting projects are due, and calling especially with Tax day just around the bend. Wow! The list is long! But most importantly, I get to homeschool my little ones! Wrote this letter yesterday to a new to homeschooling Mom, I feel I should post here:
Celeste:
Yea! You are in my prayers! Go carefully. This is exactly how I have homeschooled for 15 years! One little bite at a time. At first we said, we can do this for 6 months, then we will evaluate. Then we committed for the rest of the school year. The next year we committed for the year. I make sure to include my kids in the decision. It is a three-way (really four-way with God being a very important part) partnership between parents and child. If everyone in that equation commits to this trial run, then when the going gets a bit tough, the struggling party just has to be asked, did you commit to this trial with us? Are you unwilling to continue, or is there something that needs to change? There will be issues, attitudes, activities, etc. but when everyone committed, it helps to remind them they chose this road too! Robert Frost comes to mind . I encourage beginning homeschoolers to write themselves a note about what their goals are, their vision of what they hope to accomplish, and a record of how they came to this decision. There will be times when the going isn’t easy. It is when this happens, you need to be able to look to something to remind you why you wanted this. Kind of like a treasured baby picture when you are dealing with a struggling teen!
What ages are your kids?
The number one problem I see with new homeschoolers is they try to duplicate the public school experience. Realize that you don't have to live by a bell.:) You are in charge of your education, and further, your kids are in charge of their education! Laws say you must homeschool 180 days for at least 6 hours per day. Include lots of fun especially while others are in school! We have a party on the first day of school when everyone else goes back to the stuffy classroom! We like to be outside playing! We only have to commit to 180 days so we can play lots Together!!!
When you live a life of education, you are learning everyday! Start with what is most important to you! We say religious study is most important! It happens everyday in my home! Then we have basics for junior schoolers that must happen everyday. I don't have a bell, schedule, or even an outline really. It is up to them to get their assignments done. I provide the books, guidelines, and assistance when they are ready to learn. What ages are your kids? My juniors know if they don't get their basics done... reading, math, spelling, handwriting, piano, and job done, they don't get dinner. They take their time doing it or not, if they get done, they can play. If they don't, they don't go to soccer practice, scouts, etc. further, they don’t get dinner. Missing dinner or activities once stays in a memory bank for a long time! This is the only life they have known, but they are motivated to learn themselves, and in charge. They don't have to fight me, I don't have to rant at them to do their work. I do remind, check on how they are doing, and offer assistance where ever see them struggle. I do reading with them, and usually they are waiting for me. They report what they have done, and with gleeful pleasure surely come to report when they are done so they can engage in what they want to!
I choose extras every week, something for history, a book I want to read together, something about science (Praying Mantises were born yesterday in my home, guess what we did yesterday - fun memories releasing them in the trees in the backyard talking about the beauty of new life in the spring time!) My Senior team is a bit different, every home will be! I often say I wish I could be a fly on the wall at ____ house, I could learn so much! This is just my philosophy, really unsolicited advice, sorry. I hope it encourages or helps someone out there.
I started homeschooling because I was sooo impressed with teenage boys who took my little ones (little, ages 5, 2, 1) at a skating party and skated with them, engaged them in fun with politeness, kindness, like I had not seen in any other teens! I was so impressed with their gentleness, compassion, kindness, I wanted that for my children! That was in Memphis Tennessee many years ago. Today I am grateful to have those kinds of teens here next to me studying for their college classes at age 15, 16, and one at college in Virginia on scholarship, now a Junior in College with an Associate Degree at the age of 18! He will leave soon to serve an LDS mission to Taiwan.
I am indebted to so many on this list and others who inspired, offered realistic looks into their daily life through the years! When I feel overwhelmed, I often think of a good friend, and a volcano erupting in her kitchen, just as someone rang the bell at the front door, and the telephone rang, all to hear the commotion and thrill when the volcano erupted high enough it hit the ceiling! I heard her share with loving reflection her gratitude for experiences such as this at a support group meeting in SLC. She became my hero immediately! I wanted my home to be filled with that kind of adventure, freedom, camaraderie! I love you Karen! Thanks for inspiring me, and many of my friends who now homeschool because of your example!
Love them! Relationships are the BEST and most important! Tears. Sorry to share. Thanks for letting me. Love your time with your little ones!
Currently we are seriously entrenched in projects... up to our noses! We have had the McNeill family here for the weekend, and if I could figure out how to upload the pictures on my camera, I have cute shots of darling cousins on red rock! (Ugh! New Printer means I can't just plug in the card! Oh, well!) We hiked Marble Mountain, played at the spin park. We took them jeeping/4-wheeling at Sand Hollow and went out for ice cream. We swam at the Green Valley pool, and the new Washington Community Center. Sunday we enjoyed having cousins to read stories with on Sunday afternoon, hiked Porcupine Canyon, and went frog hunting (no success... a bit too early yet!). Monday we got up early to play Ultimate frisbee at the park, then to go swimming one more time before they had to leave. We loved having cousins here. Thanks McNeills for coming our way! We loved having family to play with!
Upcoming projects requiring time right now... Teen Easter Egg hunt on the 3rd, Scout Expo on the 10th. B was elected County Delegate last night at caucus meeting, that means county convention on the 17th. Dad's BSA Spring Camporee on the 24th, and wow! Can we make it that far? I have been asked to co-chair a Centennial Celebration for Cubs on September 18th for the Sector. We are talking about 2500 cub scouts and their leaders! That is taking a bit of time lately...:) like ALL day yesterday! In the mean time, medical bills are demanding attention from December now the insurance has had their fun with them. Office accounting projects are due, and calling especially with Tax day just around the bend. Wow! The list is long! But most importantly, I get to homeschool my little ones! Wrote this letter yesterday to a new to homeschooling Mom, I feel I should post here:
Celeste:
Yea! You are in my prayers! Go carefully. This is exactly how I have homeschooled for 15 years! One little bite at a time. At first we said, we can do this for 6 months, then we will evaluate. Then we committed for the rest of the school year. The next year we committed for the year. I make sure to include my kids in the decision. It is a three-way (really four-way with God being a very important part) partnership between parents and child. If everyone in that equation commits to this trial run, then when the going gets a bit tough, the struggling party just has to be asked, did you commit to this trial with us? Are you unwilling to continue, or is there something that needs to change? There will be issues, attitudes, activities, etc. but when everyone committed, it helps to remind them they chose this road too! Robert Frost comes to mind . I encourage beginning homeschoolers to write themselves a note about what their goals are, their vision of what they hope to accomplish, and a record of how they came to this decision. There will be times when the going isn’t easy. It is when this happens, you need to be able to look to something to remind you why you wanted this. Kind of like a treasured baby picture when you are dealing with a struggling teen!
What ages are your kids?
The number one problem I see with new homeschoolers is they try to duplicate the public school experience. Realize that you don't have to live by a bell.:) You are in charge of your education, and further, your kids are in charge of their education! Laws say you must homeschool 180 days for at least 6 hours per day. Include lots of fun especially while others are in school! We have a party on the first day of school when everyone else goes back to the stuffy classroom! We like to be outside playing! We only have to commit to 180 days so we can play lots Together!!!
When you live a life of education, you are learning everyday! Start with what is most important to you! We say religious study is most important! It happens everyday in my home! Then we have basics for junior schoolers that must happen everyday. I don't have a bell, schedule, or even an outline really. It is up to them to get their assignments done. I provide the books, guidelines, and assistance when they are ready to learn. What ages are your kids? My juniors know if they don't get their basics done... reading, math, spelling, handwriting, piano, and job done, they don't get dinner. They take their time doing it or not, if they get done, they can play. If they don't, they don't go to soccer practice, scouts, etc. further, they don’t get dinner. Missing dinner or activities once stays in a memory bank for a long time! This is the only life they have known, but they are motivated to learn themselves, and in charge. They don't have to fight me, I don't have to rant at them to do their work. I do remind, check on how they are doing, and offer assistance where ever see them struggle. I do reading with them, and usually they are waiting for me. They report what they have done, and with gleeful pleasure surely come to report when they are done so they can engage in what they want to!
I choose extras every week, something for history, a book I want to read together, something about science (Praying Mantises were born yesterday in my home, guess what we did yesterday - fun memories releasing them in the trees in the backyard talking about the beauty of new life in the spring time!) My Senior team is a bit different, every home will be! I often say I wish I could be a fly on the wall at ____ house, I could learn so much! This is just my philosophy, really unsolicited advice, sorry. I hope it encourages or helps someone out there.
I started homeschooling because I was sooo impressed with teenage boys who took my little ones (little, ages 5, 2, 1) at a skating party and skated with them, engaged them in fun with politeness, kindness, like I had not seen in any other teens! I was so impressed with their gentleness, compassion, kindness, I wanted that for my children! That was in Memphis Tennessee many years ago. Today I am grateful to have those kinds of teens here next to me studying for their college classes at age 15, 16, and one at college in Virginia on scholarship, now a Junior in College with an Associate Degree at the age of 18! He will leave soon to serve an LDS mission to Taiwan.
I am indebted to so many on this list and others who inspired, offered realistic looks into their daily life through the years! When I feel overwhelmed, I often think of a good friend, and a volcano erupting in her kitchen, just as someone rang the bell at the front door, and the telephone rang, all to hear the commotion and thrill when the volcano erupted high enough it hit the ceiling! I heard her share with loving reflection her gratitude for experiences such as this at a support group meeting in SLC. She became my hero immediately! I wanted my home to be filled with that kind of adventure, freedom, camaraderie! I love you Karen! Thanks for inspiring me, and many of my friends who now homeschool because of your example!
Love them! Relationships are the BEST and most important! Tears. Sorry to share. Thanks for letting me. Love your time with your little ones!