Home school Week 65: Beaver Holes, Effort Tests, and Ill-Fitting Shoes

It was an unusual week of home schooling, mostly because Alan insisted I spend a large part of it teaching standardized test-taking skills. I made a go of it, but you can’t teach someone how to have a type-A go-getter personality. Either you have it or you don’t. My second child does not. “Caleb, you missed every single question about this story. You did not read the story. You absolutely did not.” Caleb replied, “Well, it had a picture, so […]

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Classical Conversations, Basketball, Busy Bags, and Other Mom Stuff

These are the kinds of fun things we get to do in Classical Conversations, our home school tutoring service and curriculum. Look closely at his picture to see if you can find the eel coming out of the coral. (Hint: middle-left, It’s a profile with an eye.) Classical Conversations is a rigorous way to approach home schooling, but it is also fun. It has definitely raised the educational bar for us. ******** If you felt like you were reading the […]

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Our Favorite Books from Homeschool Year 2

There is a time of day that is my absolute favorite. It’s the hour at the end of the day when I read to the big boys. The children love it too because it means spending time with Mom. Do you think Joshua and Caleb would ever, in a million billion years, have chosen to read the entire Little House on the Prairie series? This is a series of books that takes the time to describe the common things that […]

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My Eight Parenting Mottos, For Which I Make No Apologies

There are a few parenting mottos I’ve adopted, for which I do not apologize, not even a little, not even at all: #1. I’m difficult to communicate with/get a hold of. It doesn’t matter whether you email or call. I’m difficult. I’m maybe a little sorry for this one, but what can be done? If JD’s awake, taking care of him is a full-time job in and of itself. When he’s not awake, I must recover from the time that he […]

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The Power of Far-away Friends

Did everyone have a great Martin Luther King, Jr. Day? We did! I mean, we just went to school, but that’s fun for us because we get to see and talk to people there. We love people. No, I mean we truly love people. I’ve had hermit phases that were incredibly sad, when I forgot how much I need others. My children and my husband are the same as me. We thrive off of social interaction. Home school families sometimes […]

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Can Open, Worms Everywhere: The Back Pain, The Stress, and The Home Schooling

Can Open, Worms Everywhere: Why We Decided Home Schooling Isn't for Us

Such an anti-climactic couple of days around here. Do any of you have chronic back pain? I sure do. Upper back, lower back. It goes down the side of my right leg. It pops up in my wrist. I’m always hurting, some days worse than others. When I want to pretend like I feel fine, I pop an Advil 800 and head out into the world. When I want to sleep, I take Tylenol PM. I lay on hot packs. […]

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A Quiet House, Thankfulness, and Sweet Relief

My house is quiet! My house is quiet! Did I mention my house is quiet?? The oldest children are off on a play date. JD is taking his nap, and the house is quiet. Can you feel the excitement??  I’m so excited; I could dance around and make carpet angels……if I had more energy. However, I’m old, and I spent all of my energy on teaching them and making their lunch, so instead I’m going to throw a VIRTUAL party, sitting […]

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Homeschool Year 2, Day 18

Errand Day I am going to attempt to take 4 children on a MEGA grocery shopping trip. If I do not return, you all now know why….. The day is actually off to a good start. A plumber installed a new faucet. It doesn’t leak into the cabinet, it doesn’t leak into the sink, it doesn’t spray water off to the side, it has no hole shooting out water from the handle. It’s all very EXCITING.  We went on our […]

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Church Hair and the Susanna Wesley Book Review

The countdown is on. Tomorrow is my Teacher Work Day, and the boys go back to school on Tuesday. I still feel behind, but I’m not panicking at the moment. Why? Because today is Sunday, and Sunday is a peaceful day. I slept in, I went to church, I napped, and I planned this week’s lunch and dinner menus. Easy. Breezy. This morning, Daniel looked so nice and well groomed. Alan always combs his hair and parts it really sweetly. […]

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Back to School Stress and a Free Seatwork Printable for Your Home School

I’m flipping out today. I’m a little bit stress paralyzed. I thought I would start school on August 17th, but that’s not going to work. My grade book is set up for school to start on the 10th. The entire school calendar and all of my plans are set up for the 10th as the start date. How did I get my plan so confused? I’ve got most of the learning materials ready, but I don’t have the cleaning and […]

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