Thoughtful Musings
Thoughtful musings about raising boys, homeschooling, and everything else.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Peer Potter Pressure...
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Starting School & our Workboxes
We are excited to start this week and Getting into our workboxes!
The boxes are loaded!
1) Calender/Weather Log box
I found a printable calendar with
wheels held on with brads on Scholastic printables that they
change the day, month and season each day)
2) Grammar box (Daily Grams/Easy Grammar/Magnetic Poetry)
I have a nice size list of Magnetic poetry ideas and
they each have a small magnetic white board ($2 walmart)
3) Spelling/Vocabulary/Dictionary box
4) 2 yo brother Teaching Time (colors, Shapes, ect., read book)
(15 minutes)
5) Writing/Copy work
6) Math
(Typing/Spanish/Nature/Geography/Health/Music/Art/
cooking)
9) Activity/Fun/Game box (see below)
10) Reading/Scholastic News box (love Scholastic news!)
Group time (Science or History)
the Activity fun box I made cards for each and stick them on the box.
The Toymaker website paper toys to print and make
Rory's story cubes
Wrap-ups
Word shout
Bananagrams
magnetic mosaic tiles kit
Usborne science and brain puzzle activity cards
oragami books w/paper
I found some silly science madlib type things at Target last week ($1)
flashcards (us presidents, geography)
Math dice
little dover coloring books
Learning resources addition/subtraction slide rule,
Educational multiplication key board (small world toys)
jump rope
Leap Frog TAG Land Animals and Bird cards
Fandex
Scripps spelling bee Nintendo ds game
Active life wii game
Silly Putty/Play dough (sculpt a story or make a specific thing)
Lap harp w/music sheets
recorder with book
Harmonica w/ small learning book
Games- Create a story, and Made for Trade
easy recipe cards
Blessings to you in your upcoming year!!!!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
THE Talk
Friday, April 8, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
An Attitude Adjustment...my Confession
I almost died when I paid the bills last night.... of a nervous heart attack that is. We are BROKE this month!!! I way over spent and have tried to creatively figure out a way to get through the next 11 days until we have a few more dollars to spend! But, with that said, I spent the morning running around town on a quest to buy the perfect pair of pajamas for the boys. You see they are having their first real sleepover guest this weekend and begged me for cooler pajamas (their current ones truly ARE dorky!!!!!). Now... even though I could not afford them, against my better judgement, I spent the morning doing anything it took to make them happy with money.
I have never been poor... I grew up in a middle class family. As an only child I was given everything that I needed and wanted. My husband the same...we lived very comfortably. Now in our married life, we live the same, WAY too comfortably. Even though we live with a poverty level income, somehow we make it. We have no real debt, and a low mortgage. God has provided for us all the way and I am thankful, I owe it all to HIM.
I do live creatively, I have become an extreme couponer, I work very hard to get stuff for free. I buy and sell things, and as times have changed and things have become more expensive I do try to cut back. I do think about what goes into the cart now and just today, before we checked out, I stopped and said to the boys, "Now... let's look at what we have put in the cart and take out the things that we don't really need," and we did just that. We do not eat out more than a pizza here and there, or go to movies, or spend money foolishly. I buy used clothes and shoes a lot.
What bothers me is that I don't really KNOW deep down how to live as the poor person that I am. I really want to learn how to live with less. To know that I can't just have everything I think we need. Not that I am talking about a big flat screen t.v. or a beautiful bedroom set, but that bottle of face cream, or the better brand of yogurt. I want to understand that I just can't run to Walmart and fill my cart with things that I think I need. I want to better understand the value of a dollar, and how hard my husband works to make each and every one.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Independence Day
While I have many other reasons...it is primarily why I homeschool too. Now do not get me wrong, we have a very active healthy life, full of fun, field trips and exciting every day adventures.
My husband and I have been away twice since we had kids... and that was before baby. This weekend I am taking a big step. I am going away for a night to a homeschool conference with a friend. I will be travelling a whole hour and a half outside of my comfort zone. I am excited to get away and I think it will be good for the kiddos too.
Hopefully this weekend will be a time of learning how to do my job better... and maybe I will have some fun too! Hopefully the kids will feel a little independence for a day or two and not forget about me in all the fun they will have with Grandma and Grandpa!