Sanity in a school planner? I can only hope...

This is the glorious planner that will help keep my sanity for next year. At least, I hope.




This is the Teacher's schedule page where I can keep track of the master school schedule as I plan out my days.



This page is to record the first semester's goals that I want to accomplish with the boys. There is another page to record the second semester's goals also.




There is a section for recording field trips and monthly expenses for each month as well as books you'd like each child to be reading.



This is the student planning page which allows you to record which curriculum you will be using for each child you have. It even allows for space to record books and other items needed to be purchased throughout the year and record when you need to go grab it!



Each month begins with a full month at a glance calendar and then has weekly pages to allow more detailed planning.



There is a page to record weekly grades for each child.



There are even these encouraging articles at the beginning of each month.



This planner includes four cute, card stock quality report cards to make your child's schooling "official", should one desire.




Overall, this planner has got me very excited! Not so much about planning because I LOVE planning! I'm a planner, what can I say?? :) This planner is exciting because of its organization. It allows for space to include all of the most pertinent information in one place. There are even places to record chores for each child, your weekly and monthly cleaning routine, family budget, etc. Despite my fatigue from this year setting in, I'm very excited as I look forward to the next school year! Check it out at www.homeeducatingfamily.com

Food Revolution...revolting against the wrong side?

If you've been following Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, as I have, I'm sure you've seen the atrocities that they call food being served in school ca. It's disgusting! I was appalled at what USDA forces school districts to purchase and serve to our children.

What is more appalling, for me, is the backlash that has occurred against Jamie Oliver. He is bringing awareness and education to a better way of eating and he's condemned for it! Wouldn't the criticism be better aimed at USDA for forcing school districts to 1) purchase food that is unhealthy and over-processed and 2) providing so much red tape that a school who wants to change their food to fresh food that schools give up in defeat rather than fight on through the bureaucracy?

This is America! Our children shouldn't be fed the worst of the worst kind of food simply because an entire case of processed chicken nuggets costs them $3! America's health is spiraling out of control and we are teaching our children poor eating habits. I admire Oliver's persistence in changing how America eats and I hope more people listen to his advice.

Leading a life of simplicity

I don't believe there are words to describe the emotions I am feeling with my home, my organization,my schedule, my life. To put it mildy, I'm frustrated. Stressed even. I feel like my life, things and schedule is in control of me instead of the other way around. I long for the early days of my marriage when simplicity reigned. We may have been poor but our life was so less complicated. With that simplified life, we ate out less which made us healthier; we spent less, which made our home less cluttered and gave us more time because we weren't picking up, cleaning and maintaining things. We had most evenings and weekends free to spend time as a family or have friends over for dinner. More meals were made from scratch which meant we had a ton of opportunities to learn about good foods and how to cook with them. Life was just... well, less, full. And you know what they say, "Less is More".

Simplicity, though, doesn't occur with wishing. It doesn't occur naturally. It requires a proactive guarding of the calendar, bank account, and precious family time. We've had a whirlwind past two years with LOTS of changes. With those changes, we seemed to have lost our grasp on the simple life.

How do we gain it back? I supppose the process is a little different for each family but for us, it is going to start with 1) a strict budget and 2) a more predictable schedule and 3) guarding our calendar better. Adding the word "No" to our vocabulary could be our 4th step in this plan. But I think that is another blog!

So, Project Simplify begins ASAP! I am laying the plans for the changes that are acomin'~

Step 1: Simplify by getting rid of the excess. Read: Garage sales.

Step 2: Set up a budget that reflects our goals as a family and cuts out excess spending.

Step 3: Examine what we participate in and get rid of the excess.

Step 4: Create a predicatable routine and family schedule.

Step 5: Protect our calendar so that family time doesn't get bumped off.

Project Simplify begins today!

Why I Homeschool...

I wasn't always a proponent of homeschooling. I am now ashamed to admit that I once bought in to the commonly held beliefs (albeit misguided beliefs) that homeschooled children 1) have the social skills of a doorknob and 2) teaching is best left to the "professionals". I felt it was sad that homeschooled children were denied the experience that public school offers, after all, my experience wasn't bad. At least, not all of it. I figured homeschooling moms were overprotective, religiously fanatic control freaks that just couldn't handle the variation and "culture" that can be found in public school. I mean, the bullying, snarky comments, choice swear words and the like build character in our kids to some degree, right?!

Luckily, I have seen the error of my ways and my (eh-hem) rather strong opinions on homeschooling have changed. Significantly. Dramatically. Irreversibly. Ok, you get the idea.

What started off as a solution to a problem has become a lifestyle shift for us. In a good way. The problem was the warp speed in which the public school system is desintegrating before our eyes. At least here in California. I mean, a school without a library?! That's like chocolate without peanut butter. Journey without Steve Perry. T.V. without Tivo. It's not natural. It's just not right, people!

Seriously, though, we can't expect our children to take education seriously and make it a priority if the government isn't. That's a lot to ask for grade school kids and apparently, it's a lot to ask of grown adults making decisions for an entire state. Sorry, I digress.

Our journey into homeschooling began 1 1/2 years ago as an exploration into alternative options to public school but has now become our life. I have never been the mom who waited for Monday mornings so I could send my kids back to school and have "me" time from 9-3(although, it is nice every once in awhile). I've never been the mom who panicked when the kids had an extended break from school. I have always enjoyed the company of my children and truly missed them during their school day.

Now, I have the supreme pleasure and honor of spending my days with my children - teaching them, laughing with them, molding their characters and manners and having a positive influence on them.
What I have discovered over this past year and a half is that...
* My children receive far more one-on-one attention with their school work than they ever did in school

*They have far more hands-on learning opportunities and field trips than the State of California's education budget allows. We have several field trips each month as opposed to the one or two a year.

* They are not being taught contradicting values, manners, behaviors, and beliefs of our family

*We are SOOO busy with social activities that we have to really guard our calendar

* The boys are much happier, less stressed and are having their own unique learning style (not the "one type fits all" cookie cutter mold)addressed so that learning becomes interesting

* We've discovered how much they flourish in subjects that are quickly getting the axe in public schools, such as music and art.

* We get to explore topics not offered in grade school (foreign languages; in-depth astronomy,etc.)

* Topics the boys are interested in are incorporated into our day and explored

* Ageism doesn't reign in the heart and mind of my eldest any more (this came from the segregation of ages in school). Gone are the days when little brother is "too young" to play with or it's "uncool" to be seen hanging out with his younger brother. My boys are now good friends and play well together. Most days anyway.

* I get to keep my kids closer for just a little bit longer before they are grown


These are just a few of many "perks" of homeschooling that we've discovered over the past year and a half.

The funny thing is it took me taking a leap of faith to homeschool to realize that I am an expert on my children. I may not have all the answers but I know their idiosyncracies, their temperament, how they grasp information, how they learn best. I am the professional of teaching my own children. I taught them before they ever darkened the doorway of a school. I am capable of continuing this.

The joys of homeschooling have far outweighed the paradyme shift in our life. I get to spend my days with my children. I don't consider it a burden or feel overwhelmed by the fact that I have no where to send them. I do not begrudge the time I get to have them around. I have always wanted to be a mother and when I was told I couldn't have children, I was stunned to think my dream, my goal would never happen. Yet, I've been blessed. Both with two miracle children that, according to the medical community, should not be and with the opportunity to homeschool. Yes, OPPORTUNITY. I am excited to say I am blessed with and on this journey of homeschooling. It's a wonderful thing and I honestly wouldn't want it any other way now.

Break!

We have arrived to the glorious moment in homeschool where we put aside our books, our pencils, our schedule (somewhat) and enjoy a much needed break.

Our life seems to be gaining speed and a full schedule. At times it makes me secretly hyper-ventilate because it feels like I'm drowning in an never-ending to-do list. Other times, it feels as though I can't keep up. There aren't enough hours in my day or week to do all that I need or want to do. It is times like these, when my schedule has gotten the best of me, that I grow concerned. Concerned that I haven't spent enough time with my family; concerned that I haven't spent enough time with my husband; concerned that I am let our homelife slip; concerned that I don't have enough energy to go around for all; concerned that I'm giving up the little time that I have to take care of myself.

Yet, as real as those concerns are, I must remember that there is One that knows my plans for my future and knows the number of my days. There is One that doesn't give me more than I can handle and asks me not to worry for He will take care of my needs and the desires of my heart. If only I will rest in Him and give all my cares to Him.
Not a bad trade off, huh?!? Now, if I can just pry my grubby, white-knuckled hands off of my cares and let them go! That is the key - not wanting to grab and take hold of them again. Not letting my hands close up and grasp to my concerns and *my* plans but lay them down at His feet and walk away.

Here's to keeping my hands open and resisting the urge to grasp and take back today!

New year, new beginnings...

I want to say we survived the Christmas season, as I do most years, but honestly, this year was different. We slowed down. We created nightly family time and turned our focus on the real meaning of the season by choosing intentional activities that would foster both. The DIY family advent calendar was awesome and a definite keeper for our Christmas' to come! Without buying more, baking more, hustling more, we created a very fulfilling Christmas. By buying less, baking less, and hustling less, we left room for family and to reconnect with what Christmas is really about - Christ's birth.

With a week of the new year already under my belt, I've turned my attention to my health. I want this year to be different. I want to be in control of my health not it being in control of me. I want to live without the pain and constant reminder that my body is deteriorating at a faster rate than it should. I want change.

So, now is the time for new beginnings. It's not enough just to talk about change; to long for difference. I have rediscovered this lesson over 2009. I got tired of hearing myself repeatedly say that "I've got to..." or "I wish..." or "I want...". That got me nowhere. So, in the last half of 2009, I stopped talking about what changes I wanted to happen and started making them happen. If I wanted to slow down, then I said "no" to more activities. If I wanted to have more time with my family, then I cut back on my existing commitments and protected family time. If I wanted a more meaningful, peaceful Christmas, then we created that by protecting our time and being intentional about our activities.

What does 2010 hold for me? I don't know. I hope a stronger, healthier body. I hope a less hurried lifestyle. I hope more meaningful moments with my sons and my husband. However, my hopes will only get me so far and the lesson I learned in 2009 must be carried over into 2010. It's not enough for me to hope change will occur. I must be intentional. So, here's to 2010 and all the opportunities for change that it holds!

On the first day of Christmas...

Tomorrow is December 1st and the ushering in of the Christmas season. In an effort to create a more meaningful home life and enforce our family values and the meaning of Christmas, we are beginning our own homemade family advent calendar!

Here's our list of activities for the next 25 days to celebrate Jesus' birth, family and fun memories:

*Snuggle up and watch a Christmas movie together

*Write a letter to a family member expressing your love for them. Tell them why you like them and why you are thankful for them. Say a prayer of thankfulness for our family members.

*Make Christmas cookies and enjoy!

*Read about Jesus' birth in the Bible. Discuss what it must have been like!

*Go Christmas caroling with our Cub scout pack to the convalescent home

*Make paper snowflakes and hang them around the house

*Make a list of 10 things you are thankful for and hang it where you can see it daily

*Family Game night

*Bake batches of cookies and take them to our neighbors

*Read a Christmas story together with some hot chocolate and a cookie!

*Stargaze tonight with the telescope. Learn about the start that led the Wise men to Jesus

*Make special, handmade gifts for Nana and Great Nana

*Check out Christmas lights around town! Don't forget the snacks, Christmas music for the car ride and make sure to wear your jammies!

*It's Christmas Day! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Remember, on this day we celebrate Jesus' birth! His coming to save us is the greatest gift of all!

*Make paper chain decorations! On the back of each slip, write something that you are thankful for.

*Go to Christmas Eve service tonight!

*Bundle up because we're going for a nighttime flashlight walk! Be ready to snuggle and drink hot chocolate when we get home!

*Snuggle up and watch "A Nativity Story" together!

*Go through the kids books and donate the books we no longer want to kids in need.

*Make old-fashioned caramel popcorn and watch another Christmas movie!

*Have a family worship night to celebrate Jesus' birthday! Enjoy a birthday cupcake also!

*Go to the snow today!

*Create handprint in plaster Christmas trees!

*Write another two more letters tonight to the other family members that you didn't write to before. Tell them how much you love them and WHY you love them. Tell them what you like about them. Pray a prayer of thankfulness together.

*Dance and sing to Christmas music!


I can't wait to get started on our celebration nights! I hope you can incorporate this into your home life!