The Gang
October 2008 Sweet Potatoe Harvest
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
1:04 PM | 
Posted by
Shirley
Next year will be our first year of homeschooling the entire crew of children! I tried homeschooling Sam and Elizabeth when I was pregnant with Nathan but it wasn't a very good year. I was on bed rest 6 of the 9 months making it a challenging year for school. The past two years the kids have been in public school. We are blessed that we have a good public school here in Pembine. However, we do not like the challenges of peer pressure and the constant world-view that is being fed to our kids 8 hours a day. Also, I am seeing more and more each year that each of my children have different learning styles and abilities which are not being met in the traditional classroom setting. So, next year will be the start of our home schooling journey.
I'm doing a classical approach to learning which will include a hodge podge of curriculum's and learning styles. I thought I had chosen all my curriculum's but was still struggling with wanting to have a relaxed, FUN learning experience for the kids. Today I found a site called edhelper.com. It offers lessons for every topic imaginable. I'm sure that the science is very evolution based, so will not be using it unless I find worksheets that have actual scientific facts instead of evolution theories. I really like the options for worksheets this site offers and am thinking about using it for a lot of our subjects so I can pick and choose what we will do based on the strengths and weaknesses of each child. I think it might give me more flexibility than purchasing a specific curriculum then find that it is too advanced or not advanced enough for the child I chose it for. Anyway, it is $39.98 for a year's subscription which includes an entire section for Special Ed Students! If your a home school mom check it out! It might be a great resource for your family education program!
I'm also really excited about doing the children's history and science as a group. We will be using Story of the World and starting with Ancient Times next year. The older children will have extra reading and assignments whereas the younger children have simple worksheets/coloring pages to do. It is designed for teaching children at all ages which I like. It is one of the few history programs out there possibly the only one that truly goes chronologically. Most history textbooks focus primarily on US history.
For science we are going to do a lot of fun things applicable to what we are doing on the "farm" and in the garden, as well as studying animals by using the book: The Complete Zoo Adventure. My kids really enjoy listening to Jonathan Park Adventure stories. There are 5 different audio packs of stories you can get and each one comes with a study guide that is AMAZING!!! We will be learning about a lot more than dinosaurs, which is the main theme of the Jonathan Park Adventure stories. There are a lot of other scientific truths about human and animal make-up and all with a great Biblical perspective. If you've not heard of this audio series visit JonathanPark.com and listen to one of their stories. You can purchase them from that site or through CBD.
If your a home schooling mom or were a home schooler and have some suggestions I'd love to hear your ideas, leave me a comment!
I'm doing a classical approach to learning which will include a hodge podge of curriculum's and learning styles. I thought I had chosen all my curriculum's but was still struggling with wanting to have a relaxed, FUN learning experience for the kids. Today I found a site called edhelper.com. It offers lessons for every topic imaginable. I'm sure that the science is very evolution based, so will not be using it unless I find worksheets that have actual scientific facts instead of evolution theories. I really like the options for worksheets this site offers and am thinking about using it for a lot of our subjects so I can pick and choose what we will do based on the strengths and weaknesses of each child. I think it might give me more flexibility than purchasing a specific curriculum then find that it is too advanced or not advanced enough for the child I chose it for. Anyway, it is $39.98 for a year's subscription which includes an entire section for Special Ed Students! If your a home school mom check it out! It might be a great resource for your family education program!
I'm also really excited about doing the children's history and science as a group. We will be using Story of the World and starting with Ancient Times next year. The older children will have extra reading and assignments whereas the younger children have simple worksheets/coloring pages to do. It is designed for teaching children at all ages which I like. It is one of the few history programs out there possibly the only one that truly goes chronologically. Most history textbooks focus primarily on US history.
For science we are going to do a lot of fun things applicable to what we are doing on the "farm" and in the garden, as well as studying animals by using the book: The Complete Zoo Adventure. My kids really enjoy listening to Jonathan Park Adventure stories. There are 5 different audio packs of stories you can get and each one comes with a study guide that is AMAZING!!! We will be learning about a lot more than dinosaurs, which is the main theme of the Jonathan Park Adventure stories. There are a lot of other scientific truths about human and animal make-up and all with a great Biblical perspective. If you've not heard of this audio series visit JonathanPark.com and listen to one of their stories. You can purchase them from that site or through CBD.
If your a home schooling mom or were a home schooler and have some suggestions I'd love to hear your ideas, leave me a comment!
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Tuesday, February 26, 2008
As I type it is 14 degrees with a real feel of -2 but yes, I am dreaming of and planning for my summer garden. God has been helping me to prune extra things from my life over these past couple of years so that I can totally focus on the garden He has given me. I know His desire for me is to slow down and focus my attention on being a help meet to my husband and mother to my children. Along with this pruning process the Lord has given me a great desire to discipline myself by providing as many natural whole foods as I can for my family.
Each Year we "try" a garden. Until last year I always left it all to Phil who was working way to many hours and didn't have the time to do it. Gardening simply wasn't my thing! Last year I tried my hand at it with little success. I allowed myself to be doing too many things that I shouldn't have been doing thus my garden fell to weeds and didn't produce as it should have.
Today we will find out if we will be able to get a home in the country near Phil's new job. It already has a very large garden plot that the current family of 10 who is renting the house have been using. When we move I will officially be FULL TIME wife, mom, and homemaker. No more Pampered Chef, no more babysitting for other people, no more spreading myself thin on things that are NOT what is most important to my mission on this earth!
So, I'm getting ready for my summer garden. I'm ordering my seeds from an organic heirloom seed company so that I won't have any GMO chemically, genetically altered nutritionally stripped seeds. I'm going to have over 100 plants started inside from these seeds, and have been working on researching the planting schedule for the area we will be moving too. This garden project will be a family one. The kids will help me each day working in the garden and we hope to put up a lot of veggies and fruit (I'm doing strawberries & raspberries) for the winter months. I think I have chosen over 30 veggies to do in the garden. Ya.... I know.... I'm probably starting out way to big. BUT.... what else will I do with my summer than garden, play with the kids and take care of our new hobby farm animals! Yes, I know I'm crazy but this is a dream come true for me! I've always wanted to step back into the years of Laura Ingalls Wilder and learn how to live off the land while teaching my children how to have a good work ethic. For me this will require that I give up my pride and my selfishness and do what I know God wants me to do rather than ignoring that still small voice.
Next week I'm purchasing the books: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver which is a book about a family who moved from big city life in Arizona to a farm where they went through the process of learning how to live off the land through gardening and raising their own meat. I'll write a review about it and post my comments and thoughts as I read through it. I'm also getting the book: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. I've heard it is a great resource for learning how to eat and cook healthier and it loaded with recipes!
These are the start of my new library on gardening, preserving, and hobby farming. We'll have the summer to work in our garden and play with our new farm animals then.... Home Schooling, another new adventure!
Proverbs. 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Each Year we "try" a garden. Until last year I always left it all to Phil who was working way to many hours and didn't have the time to do it. Gardening simply wasn't my thing! Last year I tried my hand at it with little success. I allowed myself to be doing too many things that I shouldn't have been doing thus my garden fell to weeds and didn't produce as it should have.
Today we will find out if we will be able to get a home in the country near Phil's new job. It already has a very large garden plot that the current family of 10 who is renting the house have been using. When we move I will officially be FULL TIME wife, mom, and homemaker. No more Pampered Chef, no more babysitting for other people, no more spreading myself thin on things that are NOT what is most important to my mission on this earth!
So, I'm getting ready for my summer garden. I'm ordering my seeds from an organic heirloom seed company so that I won't have any GMO chemically, genetically altered nutritionally stripped seeds. I'm going to have over 100 plants started inside from these seeds, and have been working on researching the planting schedule for the area we will be moving too. This garden project will be a family one. The kids will help me each day working in the garden and we hope to put up a lot of veggies and fruit (I'm doing strawberries & raspberries) for the winter months. I think I have chosen over 30 veggies to do in the garden. Ya.... I know.... I'm probably starting out way to big. BUT.... what else will I do with my summer than garden, play with the kids and take care of our new hobby farm animals! Yes, I know I'm crazy but this is a dream come true for me! I've always wanted to step back into the years of Laura Ingalls Wilder and learn how to live off the land while teaching my children how to have a good work ethic. For me this will require that I give up my pride and my selfishness and do what I know God wants me to do rather than ignoring that still small voice.
Next week I'm purchasing the books: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver which is a book about a family who moved from big city life in Arizona to a farm where they went through the process of learning how to live off the land through gardening and raising their own meat. I'll write a review about it and post my comments and thoughts as I read through it. I'm also getting the book: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. I've heard it is a great resource for learning how to eat and cook healthier and it loaded with recipes!
These are the start of my new library on gardening, preserving, and hobby farming. We'll have the summer to work in our garden and play with our new farm animals then.... Home Schooling, another new adventure!
Proverbs. 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Monday, February 25, 2008
I saw a clip today from a Today Show from 2002. I personally have read the book by this author and her compelling scientific data was why we started Thomas on a Casein & Gluten Free Diet. You may want to click on this, view it and save it to pass on to the person you will soon meet who will say, "My son/daughter has been diagnosed with autism". This book gave us hope and a starting point!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EJUsyypI4Y
I'm very thankful that due to the diligence of many thousands of families and doctors that there is so much hope for the child with Autism today!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EJUsyypI4Y
I'm very thankful that due to the diligence of many thousands of families and doctors that there is so much hope for the child with Autism today!!
Friday, February 15, 2008
We are officially out of diapers!! Nathan has not had an accident for a few days and notifies me every time he has to go potty by shouting at the top of his lungs "Ma,I go pee pee!" He has even been waking up in the morning dry. YEAH!! He is quite funny about his bowel movements. He says, "Ma, I go "sniff" "sniff"" Yep He crunches up his nose in a very cute way and sniffs two times. It makes me laugh each time! :-)
I think graduating from Diapers will be much easier than empty nesting. However, it is a strange feeling when one phase of life ends. I've had a child in diapers for the past 11 years 4 months. No more carrying around a diaper bag, I can re arrange my bathroom to get rid of the changing counter, and the diaper pail can be pitched! How fun!!
A few months ago I bought my first purse since about 1998. I bought it just big enough for my stuff and 1 diaper. Now I can have an even slimmer purse!
What's next..... puberty.................. AHHHHHHH!!
I think graduating from Diapers will be much easier than empty nesting. However, it is a strange feeling when one phase of life ends. I've had a child in diapers for the past 11 years 4 months. No more carrying around a diaper bag, I can re arrange my bathroom to get rid of the changing counter, and the diaper pail can be pitched! How fun!!
A few months ago I bought my first purse since about 1998. I bought it just big enough for my stuff and 1 diaper. Now I can have an even slimmer purse!
What's next..... puberty.................. AHHHHHHH!!
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