September 12, 2014

Fall is around the corner! Today has been cool and drizzly, and I'm half-way pretending that we're in the Pacific NorthWest, instead of Texas. Texas, the state of half-way seasons and constant teasing. 

We're three weeks into the school year and Lily seems to have really embraced this whole 'learning' experience. She's sounding out words, insisting on doing math, loves to have me spell words for her to try out... much easier than I thought it would be! She's still very resistant and stubborn in other areas but it's quite a relief not to be fighting her every moment of our (short) school day. 

The history curriculum we went with this year is taking a bit of getting used to. It's so involved! So many different resources to use and I'm never quite prepared. I guess it would help if I looked at the lessons the weekend before... haha. I can only blame myself. Maybe I should have a parent-teacher meeting and voice my concerns. 

The girls are looking forward to cooler weather. They're convinced that it means playing outside, right up until Izzy (my little memory bank) recalls every time they've ever played outside in the cold. "Oh, I don't think it'll be so much fun after all. Remember last winter? We went outside for like 5 minutes and our hands started to hurt and we came in. I don't think it'll be fun this time either." So I guess we're really looking forward to the same things: NOT going outside too much, sitting inside in front of the fireplace. :) 

Here's something else from last year: rats. Yep. Our neighbor likes to over-feed the birds and squirrels, so since last winter we have been inundated with... wildlife. Rodent wildlife. The dogs took care of several but since they dislike being out in the yard during summer, the vermin have managed to make themselves at home under our shed and *ugh* in our garage. The garage thing is a recent occurrence and the final straw. I called a pest control company, they came, set out bait stations. and told us to expect rodent corpses. Unfortunately, these #)$)* do not believe in dying conveniently located. One has lodged itself in the wall by our fireplace and is currently off-gassing. Blech. 

February 13, 2014

Last year and the year before that, I thought, "This is the year we'll get a real budget figured out. This is the year we'll really SAVE money again." I THINK I tried to be more mindful of my spending. I THINK I tried to donate things we didn't use, rather than hold on to them for possible future purposes.

But this year, I found the Living Well, Spending Less site. More specifically, I found the 31 day challenge. Guys, this really shook things up for me. I actually printed out and signed the 'commitment' page, I cleaned out my pantry and inventoried the contents. I made the freezer list, the meal idea list, and wrote down what I would NOT be spending money on.

Comparing this January to January of 2013, I spent about $1,000 less. I cleaned out my closet, I donated a pretty sizable pile of clothes, books, kitchen items, toys, and unused decor. We still have more than we need but it's getting better.

As a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, it's FAR too easy to use the "we need to get out of the house" excuse. Yes, we sometimes need to just be away from these walls but we can just walk outside when the weather is decent. We can get out of the house and go drop off donation items. We can get out of the house and go see a friend or cousin.

Lists are important these days. A list of tasks makes it easier to feel like I'm accomplishing something, even if the list just breaks an assignment down into its most basic components. A list of what we need at the store is essential, if we're going to stop impulse buys. It's hard. There's always something that I think "Oh, I'm sure I can work that into this week's menu" or "I don't have that yet..." about. But those things cost money and if I REALLY need them, they'll be available next week or next month or whenever.

What I discovered last month is that the things I talked myself out of by saying I'd fit it into THIS month's budget, I didn't remember to fit into this budget. I don't even remember what those needs or wants were, honestly. It's humbling to realize that I think of things as needs that aren't and even the "wants" disappear if I just walk away from them for long enough.

February is nearly 2 weeks in and so far, we're on track to spend half the amount we spent in February of last year. We might manage to actually set money aside this year to pay off the smaller house mortgage.

December 5th, 2013

Yesterday it was 80 degrees and we went to the park. Today, it's 34 degrees and looks absolutely miserable outside. No rain yet but I hear it's coming. Texas weather is so bizarre! While we were getting back in the car after playing in the park, Lily was telling me how sweaty and hot she was. I told her that it would be cold today and that if we ended up having to go anywhere, she'd probably get to go in her warm pajamas. I love her sweet response "Really, Mommy? In my pajamas?? Well, you're very nice. And you're very sweet." That sort of reaction more than makes up for all the times she says "You're not fair. That's very rude of you."

I thought Izzy would find it interesting to know we can make our own vanilla extract by putting vanilla beans in vodka. Apparently, tho, vanilla smells weird and it looks gross once it's in vodka. Who knew? I'm almost tempted to take a sip of the concoction to see if the vanilla makes vodka more palatable but... no. I'm not that brave. I'll just wait for it to turn a deep shade of brown and then I'll put it in everything I bake. :)

December 3, 2013

I used to think that I was fairly adept at multi-tasking. After all, how can a mother NOT end up with more than one project requiring attention at any given time? Lately, tho, it seems that I cannot get anything done. I start clearing a counter and before I'm done, my attention has been redirected to making a meal, starting someone on their school work, switching out a load of laundry, or fending off a dog's attentions. Briefly, I considered getting up at 6 every morning just to have time to start a project and get it well under-way before having to make breakfast/beds/school-plans/everything else. Pretty sure I abandoned that thought somewhere between "I could get up at 6" and "that would mean I should get to bed by 10pm." Neither one is going to happen. 

There's no way I'm going back to look but I'm fairly confident that I start every blog-year with lofty goals of decluttering, organizing, and becoming more thrifty. And I end each year with "well, that didn't work". This year will be no different. hahah! Oy...

School is going well. I'm not sure how many days into the year we are but it feels like FOREVER. haha! Reading is still slow-going but I feel like there's steady progress so I'm not discouraged. Lily still has her days when she doesn't want to co-operate at ALL but for the most part, she's learning something every day. She's just about abandoned her monster drawings for spelling words on every surface to which she has access. Today, she was far too quiet while I was reading aloud and I discovered her writing her name and ABCs on the leg of my antique table. Ugh. Thank goodness for magic erasers, right?

Adolescence: A modern plague, but there is a cure | The Matt Walsh Blog

Adolescence: A modern plague, but there is a cure | The Matt Walsh Blog

I've come across this topic a few times lately. I'm sure it's just coincidence but it hasn't escaped me that, 2-3 times a month, we have an opportunity to help one of these 'teenagers' grow into the adult he's meant to be. It's quite the challenge...

September 17, 2013

We're in our second week of school and, taxing as it is, I feel so lucky to be able to home educate. I don't have a rigorous schedule of tests, reports, standards, or levels to administer/file/adhere to or otherwise get bogged down by. I know some 1st graders are already doing things we're not and some are still reviewing things we covered in pre-k "classes". There's such a range, depending on region, district, teacher preference that it amazes me. I'm so glad I can skip things that are too repetitive, introduce new things when the opportunity arises, and move at a pace that suits us. Lily can join Izzy for nature study, spelling, science, and reading time, moving along to other things when necessary.

Here's where we stand on subjects: (So I can look back at the end of the year and see if anything has changed)

Math - Izzy still doesn't care much for the repetitive nature of it, Lily has a pretty firm grasp of numerical value
Science - I think this is Izzy's favorite. She loves drawing pictures representing whatever we've just read about. Lily listens pretty closely.
Spelling - Izzy still hesitates to READ words but seems to like all the word/letter games. Lily likes to yell out the letter sounds.
Literature - We're reading "All of a kind family" right now. I think the chapters are a bit long for the girls but we'll move on to something else when it's done. Izzy has already requested more "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle". I think she likes to hear about kids getting outsmarted.
Nature Study - We're coloring pictures of birds, reading about what they eat and where they live. Lily likes to color all her birds jet black.
History - We're moving right along with "A Child's History of the World". I really like the way it's written and it sparks some great conversations and artwork. Lily just thinks it's about The Croods so far. haha. We're not doing an official geography class but we look at the globe/maps when we read our history chapter and try to make note of what part of the world is being discussed and how it differs from other regions.
Bible - We started our kid Torah over again and we're trying to memorize verses each week. Might have to change that to a verse every 2 weeks.
Handwriting - I think Izzy prefers HWOT to the SCM copybook but that's probably because the script is different. My bad. Lily is working really hard at her letter/number writing and is becoming more strongly left-handed every day. :)
French - We're watching the Little Pim dvds. I think I like them more than the kids do but we'll just keep using them and see how it goes. I kind of wish I had saved the money I've spent on little things like picture dictionaries, music cds, etc. and just put it into Rosetta Stone. Then the girls would have been able to use the computer and would have thought they'd hit the jackpot. haha

Here's something that is perpetually frustrating to me: we have no designated class/work area. I hesitate to take over the playroom bc it would mean getting rid of a lot of toys or having to brainstorm a new storage system. I am always considering both of those things but I just don't feel up to the challenge right now.

A Google search just makes me feel worse. I mean, really...

From Confessions of a Homeschooler

From Christian Homeschool Moms

From Those Crazy Homeschoolers

August 22nd, 2013

In 2 weeks, we start school again. I don't remember now exactly why I picked the 9th as a good starting point. I think some of it was just waiting till after Daddy's birthday/Rosh Hashanah but now I feel like we should have started this week. I've got 3 weeks of lesson plans done and I just want to START ALREADY. It occurred to me today that I could at least start with Torah reading, hand writing, and craft work. Ease into it a bit, I suppose. Maybe they won't rebel this way... haha

My brain is tired. I am tired. I am ready for summer to be over so we can start school and get back into a routine but I'm still a little resentful that we had no time off as a family this summer. At least with home schooling, we might be able to take a long weekend at some point and road trip somewhere.