tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87431741370567592802024-03-13T21:21:36.270-07:00Natural Homeschooling MamaI'm a stay at home, homeschooling mama to two beautiful girls- one preschooler and one in her middle years. I take it one day at a time, learning through life's experiences.Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-55374307161336252322012-09-28T18:23:00.004-07:002013-06-12T15:47:50.319-07:00This blog has MOVED!!!!!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
Okay, guys...I suppose this will be my very last post here.</div>
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We have officially MOVED!!</div>
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Please redirect your subscription to my newest blog:</div>
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<a href="http://www.christianhomeschoolmoms.com/">Christian Homeschool Moms</a>- <a href="http://www.christianhomeschoolmoms.com./">http://www.christianhomeschoolmoms.com.</a></div>
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This is where I will be posting from now on...so to stay updated on my family life, plus info and news on homeschooling, homeschool videos, book and curriculum reviews, and a podcast just for Christian homeschool moms, you'll want to go there...<br />
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And <a href="http://momzest.com/">MomZest.com</a>!</h2>
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Hope to see you over there!</div>
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God bless.</div>
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000;">--Demetria</span></i></div>
Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-34515742524480282712012-08-02T10:24:00.003-07:002012-08-02T10:24:48.053-07:00Christian Homeschool MomsWhen I looked back on the last date I've posted to this blog I could hardly believe I've let that much time lapse, and yet I don't feel that I have really. Mainly, I've been busy uploading loads of videos on YouTube which has kept me pretty busy...and I started a new website for <a href="http://www.christianhomeschoolmoms.com/" target="_blank">Christian Homeschool Moms</a>- an info and encouragement website for homeschoolers. <br />
I'll most likely be posting there more often, so <a href="http://www.christianhomeschoolmoms.com/" target="_blank">come check it out </a>when you can.<br />
I haven't decided if I'll keep posting here from time to time or not...but I do know for sure that most of my energy will go toward the new web project. <br />
There, I plan to host a podcast (let me know if you'd like to be interviewed), send out encouragement newsletters, and just pretty much be as much of a positive resource as a I can to the homeschooling community.<br />
So I hope to see you over there?Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-53146002989905070102012-06-25T10:28:00.000-07:002012-08-02T10:28:42.924-07:00Absence Explained...and A New Project!Oh my word!!! Has it really been since JANUARY since I last posted????<br />
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Okay, I have an excuse. Actually, many excuses. :-)<br />
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First of all, I FINALLY got to go back to Alabama and visit my family for a few days. I'm so glad we went. It's definitely helped with the homesickness and now I'm definitely glad to be back in California and moving forward with the new life God has for us here. I still miss my friends and fam back home but I feel so much better having gotten to see them again, even if just for a few days. That first year was just especially tough because it was my first time away from them with thousands of miles in between. My parents and I were very close. We were not only great friends, but we were neighbors. That said, I am finally at this new place in my life here where it feels okay to be here. West coast life is beginning to feel very much so like home, but a "new" kind of home, and it feels right.<br />
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After our trip down South, we had Easter/Resurrection Day. And boy do I have loads of pics but just haven't gotten around to it. Sorry!!!!!<br />
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Here's my other excuse for not being around lately: I've been YouTubing a good bit about our homeschool.<br />
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And while busy with that I'd been praying about an outlet besides blogging (and as if YouTubing wasn't enough) to keep me happily busy helping others with home education. So, the Lord gave me an idea about starting a community-based website for christian homeschooling moms.<br />
Still working on the site, but I hope to have it up by mid-summer.<br />
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And I am SOOO excited about this project! I loved podcasting back in '05-'09 and I miss it. I enjoy people- talking to other women, encouraging women to keep on going through life...that sort of thing. I also love learning about other cultures or even just other lifestyle within a similar culture. My quest for learning about people really helps when it comes to podcasting because I LOVE asking questions!!!<br />
On the new homeschooling website I plan to create a podcast, and I'm hoping to find some candidates to interview. If you're a homeschooling mama and love to talk (or answer questions about your lifestyle with homeschooling), I'd absolutely love to have you be my guest on the show.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIdVkvLurVA&feature=plcp" target="_blank">More about that on this vid</a>...<br />
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<br />Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-3580411248552357702012-01-26T09:44:00.000-08:002012-01-26T09:44:02.533-08:00Letter C and muffin tins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This week in our preschool we are learning about the letter "C".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We read the book <u>"<strong>C</strong>aillou Tidies His Toys"</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mv1brTOKu0s/TyGQMlfwDgI/AAAAAAAABBs/BzrXV3WcHUo/s1600/cailloutidies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mv1brTOKu0s/TyGQMlfwDgI/AAAAAAAABBs/BzrXV3WcHUo/s1600/cailloutidies.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's a fun little, cute book and encourages my preschooler to clean up. OH yeah...clean (starts with a little C).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you see, we're getting some good use out of our cookie sheet for our projects. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All I did was draw the letters on construction paper. Then my daughter is using cotton balls to glue along the outline of the letters.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFTZ36FPm_8/TyGMheyT6AI/AAAAAAAABBU/s4JHIzm-q5E/s1600/IMG_1292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFTZ36FPm_8/TyGMheyT6AI/AAAAAAAABBU/s4JHIzm-q5E/s320/IMG_1292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We could have used beans or glitter or any number of items to glue on it, but when I realized "cotton" started with "C"...bingo!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NC8beB_1Wro/TyGMktR_WjI/AAAAAAAABBc/Enji3ohCGkg/s1600/IMG_1293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NC8beB_1Wro/TyGMktR_WjI/AAAAAAAABBc/Enji3ohCGkg/s320/IMG_1293.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also, I got the idea of using muffin trays for my kids' lunch from two of my favorite bloggers, <a href="http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Muffin Tin Mom</a> and<a href="http://www.amommysadventures.com/" target="_blank"> A Mommy's Adventures</a>. Muffin Tin Mom has tons of different meals and tutorials.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This particular meal idea is purely- whatever was in our fridge at the moment. So, we have ramen noodles, carrots and dip, and grapes.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-0rE-Ewwz8/TyGMyHSfzkI/AAAAAAAABBk/UNNRJQLYObw/s1600/IMG_1314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-0rE-Ewwz8/TyGMyHSfzkI/AAAAAAAABBk/UNNRJQLYObw/s320/IMG_1314.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm also working on a student binder for my preschooler so she can proud of all her work this year. I'll share that with you once I've got it together.</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's it for now!</div>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-88927279848794551352012-01-21T19:52:00.000-08:002012-01-21T19:52:05.226-08:00Creative storage bin and preschool flannel board ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This week has been full of changes in our home school. I feel that I am finally (after months of throwing my hands up in the air) beginning to make sense of our home life and start to rebuild (after the moving). Settling in has taken time and I am so glad that I didn't put the kids in school like I was tempted to a few months back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I am really starting to catch the zeal for teaching my kids, investing in my family, and raising up Princesses for God. It is actually an exciting journey (this homeschooling one), though it is a LOT of work to plan and prepare. But the work I have put into preparation is worth every minute of the fruit I am beginning to see in my kids. SO I love my job as a homeschool teacher.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M92JyiPNVGc/TxuBez5GYDI/AAAAAAAAA_8/2iigfm2BQDA/s1600/IMG_1271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M92JyiPNVGc/TxuBez5GYDI/AAAAAAAAA_8/2iigfm2BQDA/s320/IMG_1271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cubbies I made out of 6 storage crates I got from Walmart</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Those crates above were purchased at about $4/crate. I tied them together with yarn and stacked them on their sides to create a locker/cubby storage area for the girls' school work. Here's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBRiblYFLy4&feature=plcp&context=C32ec092UDOEgsToPDskLarHavBqmOt_cOqCzBbwDs" target="_blank">YouTube video</a> I filmed to show exactly how I did it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've also been busy creating a flannel board for what I hope will be the beginning of a new experience for my preschooler in our home - complete with "centers" and a "flannel board". I have that all in quotes just so you know that this is not something that came natural for me in the beginning. Over the past few weeks, though, I have really been turning it up on making our school at home something my kids can be proud of. I think the flannel board will be loads of fun for my little Z. Just so you know, I am planning to print out the pieces on card stock, laminate them, and put velcro on the back for pieces. I am definitely not cutting out and creating individual pieces out of felt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So here's a brief look at what I did.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All I needed to create my flannel board is:</div><ol><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">a poster board (from the Dollar Store)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">felt material (from WalMart)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">a hot glue gun</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">scissors</div></li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Basically, all I did was:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D7ln25rI2Mw/TxuBwv1Ta-I/AAAAAAAABAM/QYvZqmrezmU/s1600/IMG_1276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D7ln25rI2Mw/TxuBwv1Ta-I/AAAAAAAABAM/QYvZqmrezmU/s320/IMG_1276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut out the flannel to fit around the poster board</td></tr>
</tbody></table><ol></ol><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o8SFUduZPK0/TxuBp6gz4KI/AAAAAAAABAE/O26EFRxGJHE/s1600/IMG_1273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o8SFUduZPK0/TxuBp6gz4KI/AAAAAAAABAE/O26EFRxGJHE/s320/IMG_1273.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot glue the flannel onto the board's corners</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1RtkN_Yttj4/TxuBzCSVhnI/AAAAAAAABAU/0bD8oYGJiug/s1600/IMG_1277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1RtkN_Yttj4/TxuBzCSVhnI/AAAAAAAABAU/0bD8oYGJiug/s320/IMG_1277.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Secure and dry</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-8E7PfsD8s/TxuB2HkhEeI/AAAAAAAABAc/nUeW5uD5stg/s1600/IMG_1278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-8E7PfsD8s/TxuB2HkhEeI/AAAAAAAABAc/nUeW5uD5stg/s320/IMG_1278.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voila!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>You can also watch my video tutorial on<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NNGAQxfZj8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL" target="_blank"> how to create a preschool flannel board</a> on YouTube.<br />
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Lastly, this week has been a growing experience for me as I am tapping into my past work with preschoolers and learning to apply it to my own kiddo! Here we are doing magnet letters on a cookie sheet, learning to piece letters together to make words.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1m0FL63vqfE/TxuCDeVb0HI/AAAAAAAABAk/EDZGjJ7lj_o/s1600/IMG_1282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1m0FL63vqfE/TxuCDeVb0HI/AAAAAAAABAk/EDZGjJ7lj_o/s320/IMG_1282.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sV6TL0Dml_Q/TxuCI8HHogI/AAAAAAAABAs/TTTAWWG8VM8/s1600/IMG_1283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sV6TL0Dml_Q/TxuCI8HHogI/AAAAAAAABAs/TTTAWWG8VM8/s320/IMG_1283.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loves her Curious George puzzle</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tgOqJZaKtKc/TxuCLyaBPXI/AAAAAAAABA0/LodEE4NjuP4/s1600/IMG_1286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tgOqJZaKtKc/TxuCLyaBPXI/AAAAAAAABA0/LodEE4NjuP4/s320/IMG_1286.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bible Memory was loads of fun, and we got this for $1 at the Dollar Store too!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDQC_8hndj4/TxuCNq9IIlI/AAAAAAAABA8/MXNQUT9R2zs/s1600/IMG_1287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDQC_8hndj4/TxuCNq9IIlI/AAAAAAAABA8/MXNQUT9R2zs/s320/IMG_1287.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Evan Moor consonant sounds folder game</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4re7ssOzWeI/TxuCTCn7LlI/AAAAAAAABBE/YSusHydgYWg/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4re7ssOzWeI/TxuCTCn7LlI/AAAAAAAABBE/YSusHydgYWg/s320/IMG_1265.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CandyLand- more fun! Colors and counting.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kUBqf-d_ujg/TxuCYhBI9zI/AAAAAAAABBM/hhdEbtaf3CM/s1600/IMG_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kUBqf-d_ujg/TxuCYhBI9zI/AAAAAAAABBM/hhdEbtaf3CM/s320/IMG_1258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've also been doing more music together. Ny loves to practice piano and wants to get better at playing. I'm doing my best to help her until she passes Level 3 or so in the John Thompson's. In my next post, I'll show you a clip of Ny and I singing a song together...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Until then...</div>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-56246393563796722102012-01-13T15:59:00.000-08:002012-01-13T15:59:09.734-08:00Preschool Story Starter Cards and Spinner Wheel- Free downloadI just created some story starter cards and a spinner wheel for preschoolers. Feel free to download and use for your own students! Enjoy :-)<br />
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/78199160/Story-Wheel" style="display: inline !important; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 12px;" title="View Story Wheel on Scribd">Story Wheel</a><br />
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="1.2938689217759" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_1120" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/78199160/content?start_page=1&view_mode=slideshow&access_key=key-2mbwxgpb9nzoviownt8r" width="100%"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">
(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();
</script>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-34283327746290133692012-01-12T16:20:00.000-08:002012-01-12T16:20:46.844-08:00A is for "Apple"<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today's <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">preschool unit</span> is the <strong>letter "A".</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Book we used</strong>: <u> <span style="background-color: white;">"Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie"</span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BrsXcoA7JBE/Tw9zZZD0wnI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/DffmLMgx-tk/s1600/AmeliaBEdeliasFirstApplePie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BrsXcoA7JBE/Tw9zZZD0wnI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/DffmLMgx-tk/s320/AmeliaBEdeliasFirstApplePie.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I let my daughter point out the letter A's in the book and we talked about how apple has the short A sound. We also talked about other A words, like Alligator, Adam (as in Adam and Eve), and Ant. But today's focus was the apple.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Our craft project</strong> was really simple. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's <strong><em>what we used</em></strong>:</div><ol><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 popsickle sticks</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">construction paper - red, green, and one other color of choice</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">glue</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dot A Dot Art Makers</div></li>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><em> What we did</em>:</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just take one of the popsicle sticks and cut in half. Have child form the letter A on the construction paper using all 3 popsicle sticks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then glue onto paper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Using the Dot A Dot Art maker, have child dot-paint the letter A. Then using the red and green construction paper, cut out an apple and stem. Have child glue it onto the paper beside the letter A.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYFX9RHPVQM/Tw9yFQ2EqLI/AAAAAAAAA-w/cpkT_AAmtxw/s1600/IMG_1246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYFX9RHPVQM/Tw9yFQ2EqLI/AAAAAAAAA-w/cpkT_AAmtxw/s320/IMG_1246.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gluing the popsicle sticks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I1E9A1XUblo/Tw9yH66I5sI/AAAAAAAAA-4/BsY5xVPDpPo/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I1E9A1XUblo/Tw9yH66I5sI/AAAAAAAAA-4/BsY5xVPDpPo/s320/IMG_1245.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Z" forms her letter A. She is very pleased with her creation!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4miWfcCNCZ8/Tw9yBbjq4JI/AAAAAAAAA-o/qLypkxfB93A/s1600/IMG_1244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4miWfcCNCZ8/Tw9yBbjq4JI/AAAAAAAAA-o/qLypkxfB93A/s320/IMG_1244.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zvEF3LgJnyY/Tw9yKRogbDI/AAAAAAAAA_A/b8bm2fv0lpE/s1600/IMG_1248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zvEF3LgJnyY/Tw9yKRogbDI/AAAAAAAAA_A/b8bm2fv0lpE/s320/IMG_1248.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dot-painting her letter A</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mjzGiDbZ9Eg/Tw9yYb4ndrI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/YvF1OFXBKZc/s1600/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mjzGiDbZ9Eg/Tw9yYb4ndrI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/YvF1OFXBKZc/s320/IMG_1249.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple and stem already glued and more dot-painting.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUQNrzKzpow/Tw9yTBkxiaI/AAAAAAAAA_I/5xbw6ekYS2A/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUQNrzKzpow/Tw9yTBkxiaI/AAAAAAAAA_I/5xbw6ekYS2A/s320/IMG_1251.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our A was a little sidways but we thought it just had character! "Z" proudly displays her work of art.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We continued with the theme of "A" by attempting to bake an apple pie.<br />
We got this far:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r7YMU2qxXuA/Tw93hR-ltZI/AAAAAAAAA_w/U9yfNGzMI2I/s1600/IMG_1257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r7YMU2qxXuA/Tw93hR-ltZI/AAAAAAAAA_w/U9yfNGzMI2I/s320/IMG_1257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jWEsbFsf1dA/Tw93eQxmjCI/AAAAAAAAA_g/485YBkkwwk8/s1600/IMG_1256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jWEsbFsf1dA/Tw93eQxmjCI/AAAAAAAAA_g/485YBkkwwk8/s320/IMG_1256.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-66EPGnU_16k/Tw93f-pXKVI/AAAAAAAAA_o/qr8CeYX8NG4/s1600/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-66EPGnU_16k/Tw93f-pXKVI/AAAAAAAAA_o/qr8CeYX8NG4/s320/IMG_1255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Ok, so we did bake a pie--- BUT let's just say it wasn't perfect. But oh, was it fun! :-)Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-31399743019218111282012-01-12T15:50:00.000-08:002012-01-12T15:50:45.436-08:00OmeletteYesterday was a day of wonders in our home. Why? Because my kids are finally learning to help me around the house! Yay.<br />
<br />
Right before breakfast, my 9 year old decided she wanted an egg omelette and that she could very well cook it herself. And I agreed.<br />
<br />
So she did.<br />
<br />
And here it is:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sFnW6Jb9eaM/Tw9u3YsZHuI/AAAAAAAAA-I/jo7fYu7aenU/s1600/IMG_1231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sFnW6Jb9eaM/Tw9u3YsZHuI/AAAAAAAAA-I/jo7fYu7aenU/s320/IMG_1231.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 9 year old's first omelette (made by her!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Need I say how DELICIOUS it was???? Good stuff.<br />
<br />
Then she just kept right on helping me around the house. I told her she was my assitant trainee and that she would learn how to run the entire home on her own one of these days.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt55yDZXxFY/Tw9u6eM1UVI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/H3GhgmOgi9c/s1600/IMG_1233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt55yDZXxFY/Tw9u6eM1UVI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/H3GhgmOgi9c/s320/IMG_1233.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loading the dishwasher</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Z6U9NvvGW4/Tw9u-3AFdqI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/0HKcXU-g-MU/s1600/IMG_1236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Z6U9NvvGW4/Tw9u-3AFdqI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/0HKcXU-g-MU/s320/IMG_1236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wiping down counters</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BJCyGIbvITI/Tw9vBXwn_mI/AAAAAAAAA-g/aKRugh5eDuE/s1600/IMG_1237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BJCyGIbvITI/Tw9vBXwn_mI/AAAAAAAAA-g/aKRugh5eDuE/s320/IMG_1237.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cleaning the garbage can</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I think we might be moving towards an increase in allowance. She never asked for one, which makes it all the nicer.<br />
I am working on creating systems within my home so that everyone knows what is where and how to pitch in. It's something that I have been working on all my married life but has just now become a necessity and the sooner I can pull this together the better. I have willing and helpful family (as you can see) but I am working on getting organized so that it's easier for them to help me.<br />
<br />
I accrued a pretty large library fine a few days ago *gasp* and I vowed to never let it happen again. The thing is, I know that it's simply the result of my not staying on top of things- system wise. I am thinking of a few different ways to keep organized with our libary books. My hubby gave me some good advice (using my cell phone calendar alerts). I also like to see something visual on my wall, too, but not take up too much space. And I most definitely cannot fit the titles of 15+ books (yes, we do need that many) into the small calendar spaces alotted.<br />
<br />
So...any ideas?<br />
<br />
For now, I'm going to use the cell phone idea from my husband, and keep on coming up with systems that help us run our home better.Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-73871646548920995902012-01-12T07:30:00.000-08:002012-01-12T07:30:46.893-08:00A free color gradient printableI just created a color gradient preschool printable.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Simply print it out on cardstock and cut the "color chips". (You can also laminate them if you prefer).</li>
<li>Then have your child arrange each gradient row <u>from dark to light or from light to dark.</u></li>
</ol><div>It's free to print out and use.</div><div>Thanks for stopping by!</div><div><br />
</div><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/78041407/Shape-Gradient-1" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto; text-decoration: underline;" title="View Shape Gradient 1 on Scribd">Shape Gradient 1</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="1.2938689217759" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_20352" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/78041407/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-1b500rejqqu5nvo3uqq8" width="100%"></iframe>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-81591370232405700622012-01-11T08:14:00.000-08:002012-01-11T08:14:26.169-08:00Our first day of school, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday was our first "official" day back in school for 2012. It was a FULL day, to say the least...but felt really productive. Maybe because I'm getting out of bed a little earlier? Or actually have a <i>plan</i> this week? Maybe that's it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we start our morning with Ny helping with breakfast. Here she is scrambling eggs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NXQ-lM9UzkQ/Tw2vIHL5_wI/AAAAAAAAA6s/Y0APMA7kyHI/s1600/IMG_1201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NXQ-lM9UzkQ/Tw2vIHL5_wI/AAAAAAAAA6s/Y0APMA7kyHI/s320/IMG_1201.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Right after breakfast we had "chapel". We are learning one old hymnal per week, plus doing a bit of worship with "<b>Shout Praises Kids</b>". Our hymnal for the week is "Just As I Am". We do this right after breakfast- me on piano, the girls singing with me. Ny likes to harmonize, which makes it all the better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And for our modern worship session, here is the DVD we use:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wXXwFpWgSSU/Tw2wMmAlVrI/AAAAAAAAA84/RIZ6d1DMZVE/s1600/shoutpraiseskids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wXXwFpWgSSU/Tw2wMmAlVrI/AAAAAAAAA84/RIZ6d1DMZVE/s320/shoutpraiseskids.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next we head upstairs for our remaining school time. We start with reviewing our Classical Conversations work from our Monday meeting days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u69orLdk7xM/Tw2vIi5GvII/AAAAAAAAA68/WcORqaNrJPw/s1600/IMG_1207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u69orLdk7xM/Tw2vIi5GvII/AAAAAAAAA68/WcORqaNrJPw/s320/IMG_1207.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've learned that putting everything on the board for the entire week helps her memorize the material better.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Next: card memory... </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jTqE5fI_R-Q/Tw2vIV9EZaI/AAAAAAAAA60/EdQi3jgbn7U/s1600/IMG_1204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jTqE5fI_R-Q/Tw2vIV9EZaI/AAAAAAAAA60/EdQi3jgbn7U/s320/IMG_1204.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Z learns her numbers using Dollar Store cards. Ny learns her CC material.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b0jpHBE46p0/Tw2vJA_AsMI/AAAAAAAAA7E/-8NKalNFF_c/s1600/IMG_1210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b0jpHBE46p0/Tw2vJA_AsMI/AAAAAAAAA7E/-8NKalNFF_c/s320/IMG_1210.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geography is next. We are working on states and capitals.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I do a bit of Abeka Health with Ny, and then send her off to do her Saxon math lesson. Meanwhile, I work with Z.<br />
Z is officially a "Preschooler", and now at 4 years old I am reminded of how much more she could do if I will just work with her on certain skills a bit. So I decided this year to set up a preschool type area in our office/classroom with centers and lots of manipulatives, story nook, things of that nature. We just needed the change and I felt she would embrace the hour(s) of learning with a more organized and attractive room, geared just for her interests.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hJQBzQar72Q/Tw2vJZk3tQI/AAAAAAAAA7M/G_gbNYbUMGE/s1600/IMG_1211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hJQBzQar72Q/Tw2vJZk3tQI/AAAAAAAAA7M/G_gbNYbUMGE/s320/IMG_1211.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our block center</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dI4JPYe0OAA/Tw2vJxgndpI/AAAAAAAAA7U/rNDQmmeY1ok/s1600/IMG_1212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dI4JPYe0OAA/Tw2vJxgndpI/AAAAAAAAA7U/rNDQmmeY1ok/s320/IMG_1212.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During centers (free) time, she chooses a rhyming game.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VdBmD_wiih4/Tw2vKXEFkMI/AAAAAAAAA7c/bN4NYmAOaRs/s1600/IMG_1214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VdBmD_wiih4/Tw2vKXEFkMI/AAAAAAAAA7c/bN4NYmAOaRs/s320/IMG_1214.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made these little sorting cubes. It teaches arrangement in color gradient order - high to low/low to high.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5ywbGBO1ggo/Tw2vKiM3p_I/AAAAAAAAA7k/bCkEdG2-h7I/s1600/IMG_1215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5ywbGBO1ggo/Tw2vKiM3p_I/AAAAAAAAA7k/bCkEdG2-h7I/s320/IMG_1215.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One to one number correspondence. She finds the number "2" card and adds two paperclips.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09eSgByHggE/Tw2vK5d1l_I/AAAAAAAAA7s/BV6oDVp9QHU/s1600/IMG_1216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09eSgByHggE/Tw2vK5d1l_I/AAAAAAAAA7s/BV6oDVp9QHU/s320/IMG_1216.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1kB6w9ZF9s/Tw2vLF8gwvI/AAAAAAAAA70/Gk5m1ymuf5I/s1600/IMG_1218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1kB6w9ZF9s/Tw2vLF8gwvI/AAAAAAAAA70/Gk5m1ymuf5I/s320/IMG_1218.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Labeling her "Centers" bins helps her with word recognition. I just made these in MS Word and cut them out with cute scissors.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pX8kGsn8lW8/Tw2vLgvd7GI/AAAAAAAAA78/B4Q_UGvVFmk/s1600/IMG_1220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pX8kGsn8lW8/Tw2vLgvd7GI/AAAAAAAAA78/B4Q_UGvVFmk/s320/IMG_1220.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More labels.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJ-o03w7n_c/Tw2vL7MIvxI/AAAAAAAAA8E/kpbsukYzLCU/s1600/IMG_1223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJ-o03w7n_c/Tw2vL7MIvxI/AAAAAAAAA8E/kpbsukYzLCU/s320/IMG_1223.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made this pattern game in Word. Z enjoyed this one a lot so I'll probably be making more.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqHDj9bPV1w/Tw2vMRw8u9I/AAAAAAAAA8M/E0NVT_PAA0w/s1600/IMG_1226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqHDj9bPV1w/Tw2vMRw8u9I/AAAAAAAAA8M/E0NVT_PAA0w/s320/IMG_1226.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YazH6c5ybZc/Tw2vM-W1KQI/AAAAAAAAA8U/O8Rr9DKsFko/s1600/IMG_1228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YazH6c5ybZc/Tw2vM-W1KQI/AAAAAAAAA8U/O8Rr9DKsFko/s320/IMG_1228.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Z loves to cut. We like to use Kumon workbooks for this. Here is a cheeseburger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NC1KbsQULj0/Tw2vNC7b1zI/AAAAAAAAA8c/t6O91UqDx_g/s1600/IMG_1230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NC1KbsQULj0/Tw2vNC7b1zI/AAAAAAAAA8c/t6O91UqDx_g/s320/IMG_1230.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ny concentrates on math.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Then we got a surprise visit from a neighborhood friend- an awesome homeschooling family whom we've spending a lot of time with over the holidays. They were heading over to a ranch and invited us to come with them. <div>So we spent the afternoon on a farm! </div><div>That was our surprise science and some P.E too...</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mbobDPhjZbQ/Tw2zuqwPOQI/AAAAAAAAA9A/g5bS2UAiPrc/s1600/IMG_0442%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mbobDPhjZbQ/Tw2zuqwPOQI/AAAAAAAAA9A/g5bS2UAiPrc/s320/IMG_0442%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zYYpReYuCF0/Tw20igfIS-I/AAAAAAAAA9I/WqtUNdJJJis/s1600/IMG_0437%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zYYpReYuCF0/Tw20igfIS-I/AAAAAAAAA9I/WqtUNdJJJis/s320/IMG_0437%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mpWXTkr50Xw/Tw207pdNrpI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/GSM-uot2g_Q/s1600/IMG_0434%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mpWXTkr50Xw/Tw207pdNrpI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/GSM-uot2g_Q/s320/IMG_0434%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, I'd say we had a pretty good first day of school! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I look forward to 2012...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy homeschooling!</div><br />
</div>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-72210445560718748612012-01-06T21:53:00.000-08:002012-01-06T21:53:00.158-08:00Hair days- play days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I spent the morning doing my youngest daughter's hair so we could go out and have fun at our local homeschool playgroup.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's what I used:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uhlkXov9ESs/TwfZA3jQvuI/AAAAAAAAAu8/t1e28nEG9k0/s1600/IMG_1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uhlkXov9ESs/TwfZA3jQvuI/AAAAAAAAAu8/t1e28nEG9k0/s320/IMG_1142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> After washing, I made big parts. Total time so far: about 30 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJVm_JwYC2Q/TwfZFPgf41I/AAAAAAAAAvE/Q3P4Q980UUc/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJVm_JwYC2Q/TwfZFPgf41I/AAAAAAAAAvE/Q3P4Q980UUc/s320/IMG_1133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ_s63qSjGg/TwfZN_Up_dI/AAAAAAAAAvM/O9OEWSKTO8k/s1600/IMG_1136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ_s63qSjGg/TwfZN_Up_dI/AAAAAAAAAvM/O9OEWSKTO8k/s320/IMG_1136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I applied a thick, white cream moisturizer and combed it through before parting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D3LrNiFPrxw/TwfZPmSPq1I/AAAAAAAAAvU/LM2-7BsRQMA/s1600/IMG_1140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D3LrNiFPrxw/TwfZPmSPq1I/AAAAAAAAAvU/LM2-7BsRQMA/s320/IMG_1140.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clipped into three sections</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cYXcRSrCbQ/TwfbFvxloWI/AAAAAAAAAvk/6UEjrCdKAcQ/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cYXcRSrCbQ/TwfbFvxloWI/AAAAAAAAAvk/6UEjrCdKAcQ/s320/IMG_1146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I parted small sections in the back to make cornrows</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K6fZqcYVbac/TwfaXf-2MZI/AAAAAAAAAvc/tb-klNU3nvw/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K6fZqcYVbac/TwfaXf-2MZI/AAAAAAAAAvc/tb-klNU3nvw/s320/IMG_1154.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lastly, I bead each braid.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Total time: about 1 hour. Whew!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PiPbV-ov13s/TwfbnHI3ELI/AAAAAAAAAvs/729yFScxVHI/s1600/IMG_1177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PiPbV-ov13s/TwfbnHI3ELI/AAAAAAAAAvs/729yFScxVHI/s320/IMG_1177.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now, she is free to play!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our Homeschool Play Group:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rau7De4xLCM/TwfbrJFH7rI/AAAAAAAAAv0/-M_MMKcr5Yw/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rau7De4xLCM/TwfbrJFH7rI/AAAAAAAAAv0/-M_MMKcr5Yw/s320/IMG_1173.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet and make new friends- and learn Spanish too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7q1smCJj5uo/TwfbvXiQSlI/AAAAAAAAAv8/aSDjng_gKqo/s1600/IMG_1175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7q1smCJj5uo/TwfbvXiQSlI/AAAAAAAAAv8/aSDjng_gKqo/s320/IMG_1175.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climb, climb, climb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NG_JOIQ6rkw/TwfbzYYsGdI/AAAAAAAAAwE/HiseKD3mgso/s1600/IMG_1188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NG_JOIQ6rkw/TwfbzYYsGdI/AAAAAAAAAwE/HiseKD3mgso/s320/IMG_1188.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toss a ball.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jpuLI5gVhaw/Twfb7qz6sVI/AAAAAAAAAwM/aygMp-6JMmA/s1600/IMG_1183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jpuLI5gVhaw/Twfb7qz6sVI/AAAAAAAAAwM/aygMp-6JMmA/s320/IMG_1183.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the big kids have fun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-20395106690499798592012-01-06T21:31:00.000-08:002012-01-06T21:56:11.621-08:00Sew fun!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIlh1wshgkg/TwfXDnj2hxI/AAAAAAAAAuk/nZf-MhLHDF0/s1600/IMG_1108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIlh1wshgkg/TwfXDnj2hxI/AAAAAAAAAuk/nZf-MhLHDF0/s320/IMG_1108.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ny is learning to sew!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRp09cWxGZk/TwfXJtLNsSI/AAAAAAAAAus/Q0ZL-zVDh0I/s1600/IMG_1109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRp09cWxGZk/TwfXJtLNsSI/AAAAAAAAAus/Q0ZL-zVDh0I/s320/IMG_1109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After much hard work, Ny reveals her handsewn apron- all done from scratch - no machine.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-su9QCJ6swQc/TwfXLli2XeI/AAAAAAAAAu0/NeD1TFZWNZo/s1600/IMG_1111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-su9QCJ6swQc/TwfXLli2XeI/AAAAAAAAAu0/NeD1TFZWNZo/s320/IMG_1111.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks to our precious new neighbors/friends, Ny has taken up sewing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-53723601778665906642012-01-03T12:48:00.000-08:002012-01-04T13:38:41.041-08:00Gardening, Menu Planning, and Grocery Lists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This post will mostly be about how I do my meal planning- something that has taken me years to figure out what works for us. Finally I think I have it down to a semi-science, at least until or until something throws me off routine. For now I am just really excited that with a new year beginning I can finally clear up the clutter, the dust of moving is settling, and I can begin again in our new home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A lot of my posts from here on out will focus on my home routines- what I'm doing with my kids, homeschooling, household management, cooking...that kind of stuff. As I grow up into my role as a wife and mama I am learning each day how to better serve my family. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, welcome to my home...2012.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This morning the kids ate breakfast and asked to go out and check on their garden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5An-iBsJO8U/TwNcStKTv3I/AAAAAAAAAWw/oCq5BtzjLUI/s1600/IMG_1091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5An-iBsJO8U/TwNcStKTv3I/AAAAAAAAAWw/oCq5BtzjLUI/s320/IMG_1091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vRH3SwTFDDc/TwNcaYvXdAI/AAAAAAAAAW4/-Lc9GzzfP10/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vRH3SwTFDDc/TwNcaYvXdAI/AAAAAAAAAW4/-Lc9GzzfP10/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We planted these way back in September...I don't remember if they are radishes or grean beans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQiKAsSHN-o/TwNcg8GAorI/AAAAAAAAAXA/AHf6GRoIrsA/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQiKAsSHN-o/TwNcg8GAorI/AAAAAAAAAXA/AHf6GRoIrsA/s320/IMG_1098.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pulling up weeds</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I go back inside and look up some recipes from the San Francisco Chronicle cookbook. I promised myself that in 2012 I would try new recipes- more soups and salads- and try my hands at more upscale cooking and cuisine. I will<em> try</em>- the operative word. Beyond that, I'm happy just finding fun and simple recipes the kids will enjoy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ich8ipDD5Bw/TwNcvsBav_I/AAAAAAAAAXI/bhJQmqul55w/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ich8ipDD5Bw/TwNcvsBav_I/AAAAAAAAAXI/bhJQmqul55w/s320/IMG_1101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I did find a recipe I liked. So it's time to do my grocery shopping today.<br />
<br />
I don't know <strong>why</strong> it took me so long to figure out how to do menu-planning for my family, but I think I'm about 4 years down the road of the lightbulb going off in my head and finally realizing I needed a system that worked before I drove myself up the wall. <br />
So- here's my little system.<br />
I buy these little blank calendar pads and grocery/to-do list pads from Wal-Mart. I create a menu by the week, usually based on a bit of the prior week's menu- just juggle up the days. I only focus on dinner and lunch. Breakfast in our home is a cinch.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMK6RhX5I1s/TwNc3Y9xf5I/AAAAAAAAAXg/wil6MwrMbGA/s1600/IMG_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMK6RhX5I1s/TwNc3Y9xf5I/AAAAAAAAAXg/wil6MwrMbGA/s320/IMG_1104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Now with my week's menu all done, I need to fill in the gaps, make sure I have all the ingredients for each meal.<br />
I check in my freezer to be sure I'm well stocked on the meats and veggies I need this week. And I am except for another bag of peas.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--iQgwK75Ijg/TwNcx7pxSdI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/kbMz0H8q-24/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--iQgwK75Ijg/TwNcx7pxSdI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/kbMz0H8q-24/s320/IMG_1102.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
My cabinet is stocked with pastas and all the canned goods I need for my chili on Friday.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EF3Faa03JN0/TwNczvaMSrI/AAAAAAAAAXY/S1ju4DBEu9E/s1600/IMG_1103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EF3Faa03JN0/TwNczvaMSrI/AAAAAAAAAXY/S1ju4DBEu9E/s320/IMG_1103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div> The rest of my grocery list consists of checking each room in the home for reminders of things to add like toiletries or cleaning products. In the future I plan to add a clipboard list for each room- haven't gotten to that yet.<br />
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Next step, comparing my grocery list beside my coupon binder, making sure I haven't missed any coupons for what's on my list.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NMF7VnJeaZU/TwNc5ZGhSwI/AAAAAAAAAXo/5sxkbBzZEzU/s1600/IMG_1107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NMF7VnJeaZU/TwNc5ZGhSwI/AAAAAAAAAXo/5sxkbBzZEzU/s320/IMG_1107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't know about you, but I sometimes I have an issue with staying on budget. It's not that I don't carefully plan to stay under a certain amount- it's just that sometimes you never know from week to week if prices may fluctuate or not. I mostly do my shopping at the Commissary (for military personnel- where prices can go up and down especially on meats), and I also shop a bit at Wal-Mart and Target. There is no Publix in this part of California (bummer).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyhow, to combat the budgeting issue, my husband and I have worked it out that I will only shop with cash. It gives me a fixed and concrete way of staying on track. Once I run out of cash, that's it. I calculate my groceries to the cent <em>while</em> I'm shopping and we've been able to stay on $120/week for a family of four (including food, toiletries, cleaning products, basic household and personal hygiene needs, etc.). And of course, couponing helps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, I'm off to do my grocery shopping and pick up some photos from the 1-hour photo center to send to friends.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll try to do more posts about household management and how I'm <em>trying</em> to manage around here :-)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will also attempt to do some fun kiddie activity and recipe posts this year to.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Additionally, I will be rearranging the blog so that it makes more sense about the direction I'm going in. (Unlike Wordpress it's a little messy and adding categories in a drop down menu doesn't seem to be an option- if you have any ideas on this please let me know).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Until the next post...</div>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-6820663286895790882011-12-31T22:31:00.000-08:002012-01-04T13:15:45.274-08:00Christmas Fun and New Years in San FranciscoOkay, so the Christmas bit is over by a week and in a few hours it will be 2012!!! Whoo-hooo! I'm quite looking forward to some exciting months ahead.<br />
But I thought I should backtrack and share a bit of our recent excitements:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VjlN94Dt2wo/Tv_sJfU7ssI/AAAAAAAAAWE/6kW6p3hlDUI/s1600/IMG_0916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VjlN94Dt2wo/Tv_sJfU7ssI/AAAAAAAAAWE/6kW6p3hlDUI/s320/IMG_0916.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids help put up the Christmas tree</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OFF-r-3H-oQ/Tv_tChRI2EI/AAAAAAAAAWM/W86-rGn_XmE/s1600/IMG_0914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OFF-r-3H-oQ/Tv_tChRI2EI/AAAAAAAAAWM/W86-rGn_XmE/s320/IMG_0914.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-995DQGSNZ3A/Tv_tDtDtgeI/AAAAAAAAAWU/aNBhBHpDyY0/s1600/IMG_0959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-995DQGSNZ3A/Tv_tDtDtgeI/AAAAAAAAAWU/aNBhBHpDyY0/s320/IMG_0959.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids do a Christmas craft</td></tr>
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Here's a YouTube video I made on how to create the craft above:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="315" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/A3c9P087-DY?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/A3c9P087-DY?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9yI1VLcOH0/Tv_tE4Qw2_I/AAAAAAAAAWc/z8aKoq7lLHE/s1600/IMG_0963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9yI1VLcOH0/Tv_tE4Qw2_I/AAAAAAAAAWc/z8aKoq7lLHE/s320/IMG_0963.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We enjoy our first Christmas in California</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5qnVM38ikbY/Tv_tFrHmDFI/AAAAAAAAAWk/DLeLIXJdxeU/s1600/IMG_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5qnVM38ikbY/Tv_tFrHmDFI/AAAAAAAAAWk/DLeLIXJdxeU/s320/IMG_0964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Fast forward a few days and we spend some time in <b>San Francisco </b>this weekend. Can we say FIELDTRIP??<br />
It's been a fun weekend. Here are a few places we saw...<br />
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</div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/deeva58/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Demetria</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br />
<div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/162411130281725255/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="415" src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/162411130281725255_YoBGlSDD_c.jpg" width="554" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/deeva58/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Demetria</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br />
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<div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/162411130281725258/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="415" src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/162411130281725258_zdnDDyTC_c.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/deeva58/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Demetria</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br />
<div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/162411130281725192/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="415" src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/162411130281725192_M6Rx7vBi_c.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/deeva58/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Demetria</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br />
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You can see the rest of my SF pics at my <a href="http://pinterest.com/deeva58/" target="_blank">Pinterest account</a>- it's all uploaded there.<br />
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Wow...it's been quite a year. I cannot believe for the life of me that in exactly two hours it will be a brand new year. I am ready.<br />
Happy New Year everyone!!Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-42296247800917596752011-12-27T09:58:00.000-08:002012-01-05T09:56:14.501-08:00A Wonderful Christmas!Christmas was boatloads of fun. We got new family pics made by a wonderful neighbor and friend- a budding photographer, sent out our Christmas cards, purchased a few gifts (limit 3 per child), and enjoyed a cozy Christmas Eve with new friends and Christmas morning caroling service.<br />
Then back at home we passed out presents, drank hot cocoa with marshmallows and peppermint sticks, and lit our first ever fireplace in our first ever California home. <br />
It was beautiful. Cozy. Warm.<br />
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Later in the evening we called my parents back home in Alabama and Skyped with them for a while. It was so very cool to see them on the living room flat screen- it felt like they were really a part of our home and we were a part of theirs. The grandkids got to show their presents and see grandma and grandpa. <br />
I had intended to cook a huge Christmas meal like I did for Thanksgiving, but hubby told me to take a break. We did the unusual for a Christmas night- ate at IHop. That was fun, and different to say the least.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9U7Kg0SqKm4/TwXj9WhZ_LI/AAAAAAAAAYA/UNihlRdmDzA/s1600/christmaspic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9U7Kg0SqKm4/TwXj9WhZ_LI/AAAAAAAAAYA/UNihlRdmDzA/s200/christmaspic.jpg" width="175" /></a>Where are pictures when I need them? I'll get them off my other camera soon and show our Christmas pics.<br />
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<em><strong><span style="color: #e06666;"><--*Update-January 4, 2012-- here is one of the pics our friend and neighbor took for us this Christmas.</span></strong></em>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-12760627323224479922011-12-16T09:35:00.000-08:002011-12-16T09:35:32.950-08:00A second wind to continue...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LD_bKMqINPI/Tut_aEfWVyI/AAAAAAAAAVk/y33DdjiVtbA/s1600/windmill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LD_bKMqINPI/Tut_aEfWVyI/AAAAAAAAAVk/y33DdjiVtbA/s200/windmill.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Okay, okay, okay. <a href="http://naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com/2011/12/tis-season.html" target="_blank">Maybe I jumped the gun a bit too fast in a recent post about not doing as much homeschool blogging any longer.</a><br />
Yeah...homeschooling does feel a bit private- cuz it is!! It's my family.<br />
<br />
But thinking about it all, I realize that the reason I began blogging about this stuff to begin with is because I wanted to be transparent in the first place, and open up my home to you guys- invite you in my living room, school room, kitchen...<i>my home</i>...and see what our homeschool looks like. <br />
It's easy to become discouraged and think "well, nobody's reading my blog anyhow and who am I really helping?" <br />
Sometimes as we rediscover ourselves in a different ways (i.e.- find new interests), we like to ditch the old. <br />
But I think that may be one of my old self-sabotaging habits that I need to learn to kick.<br />
I also feel that I need to realize that no matter who responds (or not) to my blog, that somehow in some way I am helping some one. The only way I can really feel good about continuing something is to know that at least one person is being encouraged or helped in some way by what I've written. I want to be an encouragement, a support system, a buddy along the journey and homeschooling path. Though I'm no expert, perhaps someone out there can take from my experiences and feel helped.<br />
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So I've decided that I'm going to hang in there for the longer haul and keep posting here at this blog as well as my <a href="http://healthymomhappyfamily.blogspot.com/">newest blog about health</a>. And that means...(drum roll)....<br />
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My <a href="http://www.youtube.com/easyhomeschooler/" target="_blank">homeschool YouTube channel</a> has been resurrected! I can't believe I'm finally back up and fully functional on this web 2.0 stuff again :-) You have no idea how excited I feel about this. It has been so long since I've given myself permission to do the videos, or to create info sites and blog about everything under the sun that I love.<br />
Holding myself back is part of a really bad habit I've adopted over the months (years even)...and it's probably a topic I might like to address at my <a href="http://healthymomhappyfamily.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">health blog.</a> <br />
Just thought I'd share about my second wind of energy and fresh ammunition to continue.<br />
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And yes...I do realize that I have some major missing pics and images throughout this side. Many of my pictures were uploaded to an old server that is down now. *sad* But it's ok. More work for me to get the pics back up to a new server and replace all the broken links, but little by little I will fix this issue.<br />
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So I'll be kinda busy at both blogs and YouTube channels (I have a health channel too, which I'll post a little later).<br />
This is a season of my life of experimenting, trying new things and learning to find my comfort zone. Hope you'll join me on this journey in some way or fashion.Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-88014537883890906982011-12-16T01:42:00.000-08:002012-01-04T13:40:43.466-08:00Fun and Fieldtrips wrapup- Fall 2011<b><span style="font-size: large;">A wrap up of some of our fun this school year:</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Z does art. She loves finger painting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lzc46g8M2dk/TusKEcMwTJI/AAAAAAAAAQE/ik73aHcVlN0/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lzc46g8M2dk/TusKEcMwTJI/AAAAAAAAAQE/ik73aHcVlN0/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Homeschool fieldtrip to the Apple Store.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ERGQhhkufvQ/TusKbdgFUCI/AAAAAAAAAQM/BRLet653FcQ/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ERGQhhkufvQ/TusKbdgFUCI/AAAAAAAAAQM/BRLet653FcQ/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm7wbCvYCAQ/TusK6148CLI/AAAAAAAAAQc/B28tRAtA_1w/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm7wbCvYCAQ/TusK6148CLI/AAAAAAAAAQc/B28tRAtA_1w/s320/IMG_0070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Lunchbreaks with my darling hubby and kids at the beach. Chilly, but beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qCJeQnRX0y0/TusK9Lfg0FI/AAAAAAAAAQk/-22nOt_DU-w/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qCJeQnRX0y0/TusK9Lfg0FI/AAAAAAAAAQk/-22nOt_DU-w/s320/IMG_0082.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TWfznEAM6hI/TusK_KiJklI/AAAAAAAAAQs/KWp70ON6siE/s1600/IMG_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TWfznEAM6hI/TusK_KiJklI/AAAAAAAAAQs/KWp70ON6siE/s320/IMG_0085.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QMGDqvsTYA/TusLBU85OyI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/RLoVRHxD9zA/s1600/IMG_0090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QMGDqvsTYA/TusLBU85OyI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/RLoVRHxD9zA/s320/IMG_0090.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wM-_ie89LfA/TusLDCgVYCI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/L7MPF1EDM_M/s1600/IMG_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wM-_ie89LfA/TusLDCgVYCI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/L7MPF1EDM_M/s320/IMG_0092.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Trips to the Aquarium</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjGdOq23R8E/TusLFYuahzI/AAAAAAAAARE/SMi7xfqJD-M/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjGdOq23R8E/TusLFYuahzI/AAAAAAAAARE/SMi7xfqJD-M/s320/IMG_0095.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Z's 4th birthday!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rup1C7b-tEU/TusL6LAzjzI/AAAAAAAAARU/SNG599YS7xw/s1600/IMG_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rup1C7b-tEU/TusL6LAzjzI/AAAAAAAAARU/SNG599YS7xw/s320/IMG_0203.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-By1sHe5CJtk/TusMusB5I-I/AAAAAAAAAR0/YkyNt3vuX_A/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-By1sHe5CJtk/TusMusB5I-I/AAAAAAAAAR0/YkyNt3vuX_A/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="240" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t3lwU2tNM2c/TusMtJTXprI/AAAAAAAAARs/GJZ6oq2Eiic/s1600/IMG_0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t3lwU2tNM2c/TusMtJTXprI/AAAAAAAAARs/GJZ6oq2Eiic/s320/IMG_0199.JPG" width="240" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Donating our home-made turkey sandwiches to the food pantry over Thanksgiving.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IilTW6ThCwg/TusMpz4lf7I/AAAAAAAAARc/34-LvMOvu6E/s1600/IMG_0159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IilTW6ThCwg/TusMpz4lf7I/AAAAAAAAARc/34-LvMOvu6E/s320/IMG_0159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Catching awesome sunsets on Thanksgiving</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p3TqexV-LcM/TusMrQYHg5I/AAAAAAAAARk/pmOwt1WhvCI/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p3TqexV-LcM/TusMrQYHg5I/AAAAAAAAARk/pmOwt1WhvCI/s320/IMG_0176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> Preparing our family presentation on Africa- the Congo- for Classical Conversations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wMw8Itf7Vw/TusMw3zeHgI/AAAAAAAAAR8/CpFspLIZkyM/s1600/IMG_0216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wMw8Itf7Vw/TusMw3zeHgI/AAAAAAAAAR8/CpFspLIZkyM/s320/IMG_0216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Another trip to the Aquarium</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3vf4aUSblA/TusMy_84isI/AAAAAAAAASE/ApHQXcBeSSI/s1600/IMG_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3vf4aUSblA/TusMy_84isI/AAAAAAAAASE/ApHQXcBeSSI/s320/IMG_0224.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Z enjoys "Joyful Noise"- a sweet program for preschoolers at our local church. I love to see her worshipping!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3PudclkZiKk/TusOxD_JgTI/AAAAAAAAATc/ttZ-9nsb8rw/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3PudclkZiKk/TusOxD_JgTI/AAAAAAAAATc/ttZ-9nsb8rw/s320/IMG_0284.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">More fun at the beach.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQ8roN9U23c/TusO3FDDRII/AAAAAAAAAT0/3JA1Q0__Y3U/s1600/IMG_0300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQ8roN9U23c/TusO3FDDRII/AAAAAAAAAT0/3JA1Q0__Y3U/s320/IMG_0300.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ORx3w7Y6z4E/TusO9dgSm-I/AAAAAAAAAUM/17YkzbI0gPA/s1600/IMG_0304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ORx3w7Y6z4E/TusO9dgSm-I/AAAAAAAAAUM/17YkzbI0gPA/s320/IMG_0304.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2RuSYzI_as/TusO_r3m0bI/AAAAAAAAAUU/oW6_espNBJg/s1600/IMG_0307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2RuSYzI_as/TusO_r3m0bI/AAAAAAAAAUU/oW6_espNBJg/s320/IMG_0307.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> (Ny draws Fetch from "Fetch with Ruff Ruffman)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TUujd-3-fQ/TusPCC0xG2I/AAAAAAAAAUc/5oEvc6hnp3w/s1600/IMG_0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TUujd-3-fQ/TusPCC0xG2I/AAAAAAAAAUc/5oEvc6hnp3w/s320/IMG_0310.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">A trip to the Natural History Museum, Pacific Grove</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUSDWxdD9Ys/TusPD4rG18I/AAAAAAAAAUk/hCE-t1G_n4g/s1600/IMG_0318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUSDWxdD9Ys/TusPD4rG18I/AAAAAAAAAUk/hCE-t1G_n4g/s320/IMG_0318.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Me- enjoying downtown Monterey before church service.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hddligQDWIA/TusPNDfXHjI/AAAAAAAAAVE/RjtrbSipqVY/s1600/IMG_0340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hddligQDWIA/TusPNDfXHjI/AAAAAAAAAVE/RjtrbSipqVY/s320/IMG_0340.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">A trip to the My Museum. The girls are enjoying the "Imagination Station"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D_Plb-T8lpA/TusPPLgzCuI/AAAAAAAAAVM/pxlyUX-SUFw/s1600/IMG_0344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D_Plb-T8lpA/TusPPLgzCuI/AAAAAAAAAVM/pxlyUX-SUFw/s320/IMG_0344.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> (Enjoying theatrical productions. Fun!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyKFqs0-ydw/TusPRaHb5vI/AAAAAAAAAVU/aMeQSk3FGWM/s1600/IMG_0355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyKFqs0-ydw/TusPRaHb5vI/AAAAAAAAAVU/aMeQSk3FGWM/s320/IMG_0355.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> (my sweet little giraffe)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XL7yvtXhhtQ/TusPTlSzkII/AAAAAAAAAVc/MS6InM1yRqo/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XL7yvtXhhtQ/TusPTlSzkII/AAAAAAAAAVc/MS6InM1yRqo/s320/IMG_0356.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wow, I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner. We've had a full semester of field trips and outings. It's been a blast. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Can't wait to see what else is in store... :-)</div>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-49661851649952212502011-12-12T14:22:00.000-08:002011-12-14T14:28:18.989-08:00Newest blogI just started a new health blog that I hope you'll come check out:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://healthymomhappyfamily.blogspot.com/"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Healthy Mom, Happy Family</span></i></a><br />
<br />
I am going to be in a for a ride. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-USQT69IW7Fk/TuZ-cDM_6kI/AAAAAAAAAOU/KxmH6DRa5gw/s1600/healthdrink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-USQT69IW7Fk/TuZ-cDM_6kI/AAAAAAAAAOU/KxmH6DRa5gw/s200/healthdrink.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>One:</b> I've never disclosed my health status to the whole wide world before, and <b>two:</b> I'm putting myself on the spot (which is a good thing, actually) by almost tricking myself into getting healthier (after all, the whole world is watching). Or at least I like to think so.<br />
<br />
Remember that post about<a href="http://naturalhomeschoolingmama.blogspot.com/2011/04/ramblings-on-transparency.html"> being transparent</a>?<br />
Well, here goes.<br />
<br />
To my health!Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-2636639170212859952011-12-11T09:02:00.000-08:002011-12-11T09:02:18.313-08:00Tis the Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dw8tpz0JRvo/TuTiA7IBRAI/AAAAAAAAAOE/it_rvUo8dw8/s1600/starbucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dw8tpz0JRvo/TuTiA7IBRAI/AAAAAAAAAOE/it_rvUo8dw8/s320/starbucks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Right now-- it's a brisk and chilly Saturday morning in Monterey and I'm at Starbucks sipping a tall Caffe Mocha...wondering about my journey for the upcoming year. <br />
My first full year in California with my hubby and kids (remember, I lived here for 3 years with my parents when I was younger) will reach its full anniversary this upcoming February. And now that we've overcome the initial culture shock, climate shock, sticker shock (house-hunting), and the kids are no longer out of sync with their surroundings and making new friends...I can finally say that we feel at home here. For now.<br />
And I can also say this: no matter where we move and live, we will always learn to adapt and be "at home". Although my husband is military (a navy reservist), we have never had to move in our full 10 years of marriage. So this cross-country excursion gives me a true perspective of honor and respect for active duty military families who receive their post orders every 2-3 years or so. And they're not just adapting to a new state even. Many are shifting their lives clear on the other side of the world- in Spain, Guam, Germany, England, Japan, and the likes.<br />
I'm just sayin'...it makes me all the more grateful.<br />
Moving to California I guess was not that big of a deal. Yeah, things are definitely different around here out on the west coast, but after a bit of adjustment, you just begin to realize that people are people everywhere you go...and for the most part, basic issues are the same.<br />
I am definitely learning a lot about the world, about people, about nature, about myself, about my family, about God.<br />
Which leads me to the idea that I mentioned in another post, about finding my true niche in life.<br />
This is the season. I remind myself constantly that yet another has flown by and I haven't begun writing that book, or writing those songs, yada yada yada. But it's not a guilty feeling I have. Instead, it's more of a wistful wish-I-hadn't-procrastinated feeling. And now more than ever I feel the necessity of tapping into those interests I once enjoyed more often (yeah, before the kids). But who says I can't keep loving my life just because I have kids?<br />
So this year I am planning to redirect my focus a bit. Not away from my kids, of course! But maybe away from this blog. The whole idea of "natural homeschooling" didn't quite take shape the way I'd envisioned. Actually, the reason I started this blog was to chronicle my days as a homeschooling mom and my ideas about natural parenting. Um...you tell me how many blog posts you can find here about the latter.<br />
This blog is kind of a culmination of my homeschooling journey since 2007.<br />
It's been fun.<br />
And it has served as a creative outlet for me during the move to Cali. <br />
But...tis the season for change.<br />
What kind of change?<br />
Hmmm...not really sure. I have a few other blog ideas up my sleeve (as always!), and I hate to abandon this one. Except, I'm just not sure if I want to journal so much about our homeschool (believe me, our thoughts about what homeschooling is and how it works for our family have changed dramatically since we've relocated). Now, what our homeschool looks and feels like seems more of a <i>personal family choice </i>that I don't wish to blog so much about (with the exception of pics to our fun field trips).<br />
There's really no easy way to explain that except that homeschooling for us has just become a really personal and natural extension of our family these past few months...and I'm becoming hesitant to share it all. It feels so sacred, so "family-ish". :-) I know that's not a word.<br />
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Anyhoo. Just thought I'd give you guys a heads-up.<br />
I'll try to remember to post some pics of our first California Thanksgiving, and a community project the kids and I worked on. Oh yeah, and some of our most recent fieldtrips out and about town.<br />
I'm sure there'll be at least a few more posts before I shift my focus...so until next time!Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-91808223490213839502011-11-08T15:44:00.000-08:002012-01-04T13:24:25.158-08:00The spirit of thankfulnessWe are finally getting settled in. The kids have been enjoying their weekly Classical Conversations, we've found a few homeschool groups to plug into and we've made some real connections and friendships. We found out that one of our homeschool family buddies lives only a block away from us, so we've been able to visit with them quite often!<br />
Well...I'm glad we've gotten through October. It was a month of decisions and I got off the rail a time or two. Just a few weeks ago we were still struggling with the newbie syndrome, not knowing anybody in our new city and feeling completely unplugged. The kids were complaining about being bored and I was seriously considering taking them to school. That is until I visited a few schools during the season of "La Dia De Los Muertos" and realized the heavy influence Halloween would play on a given school day in October, given the Mexican cultural influence in our town. Maybe we're a little peculiar, but in our family we don't like to observe the occasion at all, and in fact, my kids find it offensive. Even a simple trip to Walmart when all the Halloween decorations are out in the open bothers my 9 year old-- she'll run to the other side of the cart just to avoid having to pass the decoration. Sounds extreme, but you never realize how spiritually sensitive younger (and even some older) children are until you expose them when they haven't been exposed. I prayed for peace about continuing to homeschool, and what can I say. I have all the peace and the strength I need to keep going in that direction for now...and the kids are back to a new norm.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lvJ-_MVd0IQ/Trm-10lqaRI/AAAAAAAAAN4/Ypbz2cNMZx4/s1600/BLOG+-+thankful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lvJ-_MVd0IQ/Trm-10lqaRI/AAAAAAAAAN4/Ypbz2cNMZx4/s320/BLOG+-+thankful.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Needless to say, November brought a breath of fresh air to our entire family...only four days in and I sense a beautiful seasonal change happening both in the natural weather and in the "spirit". It's a great time of the year to focus on being thankful.<br />
I looked at my daughter's Christmas list the other day and realized how extravagantly LONG it was (and how expensive most of the items were). And my ears have been more attuned to the sound of complaining from the kids about what they <i>don't</i> have...and it makes my skin crawl. It's to the point that I will not let it slide again. So we're doing something about it.<br />
After a talk about thankfulness I realized that my kids probably have never truly been exposed to those in need (besides our distant relationship with a Compassion International child Ny supports).<br />
It also came as a shock to my own system to walk out of the bagel store a few days ago with bagels for me and my kids...and walk right past a homeless guy in downtown Monterey who was digging through the garbage can to find a MYO yogurt someone had just finished off and tossed in. He took it out and finished off the rest. I kept walking to my car. I looked back. I kept walking. Then I looked in my own hands, realizing fully that I had just purchased three toasted bagels topped with yummy cream cheese. Yeah, I was hungry and my stomach growled. I had to get my daughter to a doc appointment and needed a bite before we settled in a for a long wait and the bagel was my plan . It was MINE. And God said, "No. You give to those in need and I will provide for yours." So we did. We backtracked our steps, gave him the bagel...and I will never forget the look in his eyes. He said "thank you". Simple transaction, but powerful, because as I walked back to my car I kept thinking how good it felt to do the right thing. And I also couldn't help but to wonder how in the world any society could solve a problem as complicated as homelessness.<br />
From that moment forward, I have been thinking of ways our family can help our cities on the Peninsula...just contributing however we can.<br />
We have a homeless shelter/soup kitchen nearby and I'm hoping to carve out a plan for our family to get plugged in with that soon.<br />
Meanwhile, we have Thanksgiving coming up soon-- and I can't help but to wonder what this year will be like- not being with my parents and brother back home in Alabama - celebrating the holidays for the first time ever without them. It will be different for sure, but trusting God that it won't be a lonely one. He's sent us some great friends in the past 6 months who have really reached out to us in so many ways.<br />
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So I'm grateful for so much this season- new friends and old friends, family nearby and family far away, and the fact that God has blessed us with so much to be thankful for- like a new home and neighborhood, new educational opportunities for the kids (Classical Conversations), and mainly just the stability of family life together and the love we share with one another.<br />
We've had some tough times these past 8 months or so, just trying to figure out our new identity in two new cities (and in a different region of the U.S. at that!)...but it's finally beginning to feel a bit like home. Not the old home, but a new one. The dust is settling, the hardest part of the transition is over, and we can finally breathe. The kids are starting to feel more at home, and things are getting better. And I am thankful.Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-9292661111967915802011-10-18T22:24:00.000-07:002011-11-08T15:21:39.634-08:00We MOVED!Okay, so we finally moved ...AGAIN. And the mere fact that I am just now getting around to updating this blog should give you a clue as to how super busy and crazy it's been around here.<br />
But things are settling down a bit now.<br />
I'm done with <i>most </i>of my painting.<br />
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Oh, and here is a pic of our new California home (it's a bit hard to see the entire home from the angle I snapped the photo)...but it's a typical, modest California-style home in a pretty decent neighborhood about 25 minutes out from the ocean (which means it's warmer!!! Yippee!!) <br />
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<strike>(uh....ok...pic coming soon)</strike><br />
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The girls are super happy about the climate change. There are quite a few neighborhood and community parks, so that's always nice...not to mention I'm only a short 4 minutes away from Target, Walmart, Kohls, and the mall.<br />
The local schools, on the other hand, are questionable (I'm sure the teachers are working really hard to get the delayed English learners up to par), but there is only so much a school can do within one academic year.<br />
Private schools are decently priced compared to Alabama (can you believe it???), but we have chosen to homeschool yet another year. Mainly because our constant moving is interrupting, and also because Ny has requested to continue homeschooling.<br />
We found a Classical Conversations group in Monterey and quite happily paid the fee (one time fee of about $400, plus materials)...with the the idea that it was cheaper than paying that same amount monthly for private school. We meet with the group once a week and Ny gets several classes (art, science, history, Latin, math) rolled into a period of about 3 1/2 hours with a specially trained CC tutor who is paid to teach the class. We parents have to be present in the class to observe the methods and repeat them at home, and we participate by assisting the tutors in any way they need help. I like it a lot and it is Ny and Z's one time during the week where they connect with friends for a few hours.<br />
On Fridays we have a local play group too...I just haven't attended the one closer to our new town yet...so we'll check that out and see how it goes.<br />
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At this point, our biggest needs are meeting up with friends on a more consistent basis (Ny is at the age where forming and keeping relationships is really important...and it's tough when you keep moving...so that's one of her main needs right now), and getting some form of a consistent home + school routine together in our new house. You know the drill- new environment, new rules, new routines to learn. It's like starting all over again- leaving your former comfort zone of what to expect and creating and learning new ones. So that's what we're working on - even simple things, like getting our kids back onto consistent bed time routines, and...ditching curriculum that doesn't work!<br />
Yep.<br />
We found that the Steck Vaughn spelling wasn't going so well. Ny was giving the output, understood the concepts, but it bored her to tears. She has finally asked me to not make her do it anymore. After reviewing the book one last time, I agree. So we're trying something new with that (we got these spelling bee flashcards and are just learning around 20 a week- definitions, roots, and spelling). So far that is all I've got planned for spelling. But that's another topic for another blog post.<br />
How did Z take the move?<br />
You know what? All of the withdrawal she's been through this summer turned out to be one of those phases where she perceived another major change was upon the family- and she was, of course, upset and didn't know how to express her feelings. Well, thankfully, her silence has been broken, she's not as moody (in fact she's gotten pretty happy since she moved here and enjoyed all those days of sunshine and NO FOG!) But now we're working on the 3 year old tantrum issues...but getting through that too.<br />
I was talking to a friend this weekend who reminded how much children need consistency and how to tap into their best mode of learning (so for me, it's visual, and perhaps so for my kids too). Meaning, if I have visual learners they are far more likely to respond to chore charts with visual cues than to my constant derailing and nagging about what they need to do next or haven't already done. So I'm working on that bit.<br />
Yeah. Being a mom is a process.<br />
I'll, of course, have more updates soon...<br />
I've been thinking about plucking out a new blog that comes from a different angle other than home schooling.I haven't been able to quite give that much thought yet, though, considering how tied up I am mentally right now with just sorting through life.<br />
For now, though, school is in full swing and I've got my hands full enough already,<br />
Till later...<br />
<span id="goog_1691957686"></span><span id="goog_1691957687"></span>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-34818192224969570212011-08-17T14:23:00.000-07:002012-01-04T13:21:24.160-08:00School Has ArrivedAs much as I'd like to post pics of our school days, there is just not a lot to post right now considering we're mostly boxed up and ready to move any day now. But I can definitely give you an idea of what our school days have been looking like so far.<br />
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We officially started up our homeschool two weeks ago. The first week was probably the most difficult as we needed to sort out methods for making everything run smoothly. At this point I think I have a reasonable system that works, at least until the move, and even then, it's versatile enough where we should be able to easily get to our things and keep our system running without needing an elaborate school set up. Sure, it would be nice to have everything in place and be comfortably learning at a decent, well-lit desk with bookshelves for our material...but it's a no-can-do for now, and we've found that two medium sized cardboard boxes and a kitchen table work just as good! At least until we move.<br />
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I'll post a page soon of our curriculum picks for this school year, but here's what our basic schedule looks like:<br />
8:00- up, shower, breakfast, devotional with Daily Audio Bible for Kids<br />
Block 1: Language Arts (Grammar, Spelling, Writing Workshop, Handwriting, Literature)<br />
Block 2: Math<br />
Block 3: History or Science<br />
Block 4: Art, French, or Music (music appreciation or piano lesson)<br />
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Once a week we introduce a "hymnal of the week". I realized just how important it is for my kids to understand their roots and to learn many of the hymnals that were commonplace to me in my upbringing. I don't want my kids to lose out on that. Simple hymns such as "Just As I Am" aren't ever sung at most of the churches we've attended because we generally don't attend traditional services. As much as we like the contemporary style worship, there is absolutely nothing that can replace the beauty of simple hymnals and I find it kind of...well...(<strike>shameful?</strike>) sad that my kids have never heard of "What A Friend We Have in Jesus". Know what I mean? So we started to introduce this concept of a "hymnal a week" to reinforce that. Mainly I just have Ny write down the words to the first verse only in her notebook, have her listen to the song online and learn it. Then we sing it together. Each week we learn a new one and review the older ones from previous weeks.<br />
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This year we're also studying California History...which I'm a bit nostalgic about it because I also studied California History in 4th grade! (We lived in Atwater back in the late 80's). A friend is going to sell me her "My Golden California" curriculum which she says I can adapt to Ny's level. Until then, we're using the plenteous resources available to us at our local libraries.<br />
You wouldn't believe the TONS of info on your own state until actually deem it important to go looking for it...and boy is it everywhere. Between the libraries' avid "state" collections and resources, the local museums and aquariums, and welcome centers, I think we have enough resources at our disposal to keep us on California history for more than a year...but we're going to only plan on studying it until December. We'll see where our interest leads us into the new semester.<br />
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For literature, we're reading classics and doing book reports. Right now we're reading "The Secret Garden". I wanted to place more focus this year on teaching Ny to practice writing, writing, writing, and learning the elements of literature. This means I've decided to go back to some curriculum which in the past I totally disliked (Shurley English) but with time I've learned to adapt to our needs (in other words, I don't follow the curriculum word for word!) We're currently finishing up Level 2 with that. Yep, the same level 2 we started two years ago! But that's okay, it's definitely on target for her now.<br />
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I dunno...what else should I say...<br />
Oh! Almost forgot...we are starting Classical Conversations in a few days- a total excitement hub for our kids since they haven't been in a "co-op" of any sorts since our move to Cali. While CC isn't necessarily a co-op, it definitely will feel somewhat familiar to us (morning assembly and prayer) and it is Christian which helps me feel more at ease that we'll meet and befriend other families of faith. The kids are just super excited! And we'll go clothes shopping this weekend for a few more items (didn't I just buy Ny some bluejeans two MONTHS ago??!!!)<br />
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Anyhoo...<br />
One more thing I wanted to add...<br />
Probably even more than Ny, I am really excited about galloping around town to learn about California so if I ever sound super nerdy and start spouting off some facts about the history of Monterey, just know that I can tend to really GET INTO things. Maybe overkill. But I will be SURE to share with you EVERYTHING I learn about this state. Yep. Just thought you may want to be sure to stay tuned for the upcoming history lessons ahead.<br />
All joking aside, I am seriously REALLY looking forward to this upcoming homeschool year (or months or whatever). I have learned long ago to never plan too far in advance so the week and months that I have <i>today</i> with my kids in home education, I appreciate them all the more. And if ever/whenever they do go off to some private school or what not, I can at least say "remember back in the days when we homeschooled?"<br />
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So, I want to make the most of the days ahead.<br />
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Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-13983093644270365992011-08-17T13:49:00.000-07:002011-08-17T13:49:14.171-07:00Bye bye summer break...I can't believe school has started back already...but here we are. I've been thinking about how quickly our summer flew. Brief recap:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hfTYQGLJuGE/Tkv2qw2F7BI/AAAAAAAAAMk/KIacRUYMudg/s1600/IMG_0543%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hfTYQGLJuGE/Tkv2qw2F7BI/AAAAAAAAAMk/KIacRUYMudg/s320/IMG_0543%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My birthday- yay 34!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qSGP61Ve3WM/Tkv5hMV899I/AAAAAAAAAMo/7CLuKYa9W7w/s1600/IMG_0317%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qSGP61Ve3WM/Tkv5hMV899I/AAAAAAAAAMo/7CLuKYa9W7w/s320/IMG_0317%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visits to the Aquarium</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pwi5MeHlIqU/Tkv5_pj1ClI/AAAAAAAAAMs/IjWsO5BcE7I/s1600/IMG_0352%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pwi5MeHlIqU/Tkv5_pj1ClI/AAAAAAAAAMs/IjWsO5BcE7I/s320/IMG_0352%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our local library's 100th birthday party</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AQjMZULJnIk/Tkv6LheAFsI/AAAAAAAAAMw/KaRQg96zsaQ/s1600/IMG_0332%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AQjMZULJnIk/Tkv6LheAFsI/AAAAAAAAAMw/KaRQg96zsaQ/s320/IMG_0332%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hubby's birthday @ Bubba Gump Shrimp Company</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rBH0lGFN9to/Tkv6SJhyMbI/AAAAAAAAAM0/Nd0F1q_nvOM/s1600/IMG_0273%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rBH0lGFN9to/Tkv6SJhyMbI/AAAAAAAAAM0/Nd0F1q_nvOM/s320/IMG_0273%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful sunset on the beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EvIBKft0ezw/Tkv6b3vL2dI/AAAAAAAAAM4/XIsWskeBFzk/s1600/IMG_0722%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EvIBKft0ezw/Tkv6b3vL2dI/AAAAAAAAAM4/XIsWskeBFzk/s320/IMG_0722%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun on the coast</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aO5blIsze5o/Tkv8Pszdl5I/AAAAAAAAAM8/vT7HoPWmJRo/s1600/IMG_0479%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aO5blIsze5o/Tkv8Pszdl5I/AAAAAAAAAM8/vT7HoPWmJRo/s320/IMG_0479%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My daughter's birthday at Chuck E Cheese</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then there was Disneyland and American Girls and Ny's brief stints at ballet and Z's sudden realization that we were here in Cali to stay for awhile and her transitional probs. (Glad to say things have settled down with her and she's back to her normal self again- talking, laughing, and amazing me more each day!)<br />
Amazing how the summer quickly came and went. <br />
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But Back To School we are.<br />
Next post, what our school is looking like these days.<br />
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Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-2651469088603588472011-08-05T02:47:00.000-07:002011-08-05T02:47:49.419-07:00Moving again.Well, <i>goodbye summer.</i><br />
Didn't I just write a post only a while back entitled "Hello Summer?"<br />
We started our homeschool back up this week and, yep, school's back in full swing for the Zinga clan. I'm planning to write up a post soon on our curriculum for this year.<br />
Anyhow, things are still constantly evolving in our home. As you know, we just moved to Monterey (well, Pacific Grove really) about 5 1/2 months ago. We've been living in an apartment right by the ocean and acclimating ourselves to the new climate, culture, and community (the 3 c's!)...BUT...there has been some missing elements to our family life here.<br />
<ol><li><u>We suffer from sticker shock</u>. A growing family of 4 with kids living in a tourist-enabled city doesn't quite equal to "family friendly" in my book. (Imagine no Target...but you do have a Macy's. No Chick-Fil-A...but you have a nice mom and pop shop that will charge you 3 times the amount for a chicken burger). Time to relocate.</li>
<li><u>We miss the warm weather</u>. It's the middle of summer. I am happy, ReALLY happy, if we can shed our sweaters because the temp hit 67 degrees. A far cry from last summer's 107. Can you tell I'm slightly homesick? Okay, not to the point of desperation...just a twang of "ahhh...remember the days".</li>
<li><u>Space.</u> Need I say more?</li>
</ol><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jigySVAKXnQ/Tju4vBNAWrI/AAAAAAAAAL4/pE1pcwBAMD4/s1600/moving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jigySVAKXnQ/Tju4vBNAWrI/AAAAAAAAAL4/pE1pcwBAMD4/s320/moving.jpg" width="320" /></a>So, okay, I have an aggressive house hunter hubby, and he's really been wheelin' and dealin' to get us a home a few miles inland from the coast. It's about a 20 minute drive from his work here and really, I feel it's the best of both worlds. God is so good (and no, I didn't always feel so positively about this move at first, but I've worked it through it). We'll still be an active part of the community here - because, hey, let's face it, it's a BEAUTIFUL place to work and visit and have a lot of fun in- but we'll definitely lower our living costs and have more space at what will be our new place of residence. Did I mention that we'll have a Target and Walmart? Okay that's a big deal for me. Not that I don't appreciate what makes Monterey unique (kayaking and surfing on the beach, scuba-diving, surfing, paddle-boating, fishing, upscale shopping if you got the moolah, cycling, riding surreys, a good city transit, ethnic restaurants of all types, and if you're into wine - which I'm not- you can have a field day as each restaurant thinks their selections are better than the next)...so there are a lot of good things about this place. But on to why we're moving...<br />
Did I mention that it's warmer? Plus we'll have more space. And we'll be in a house and I won't need to use the community laundromat anymore.<br />
I'm a sight to behold- 5'0" woman lugging backloads of laundry in my husband's military bag up and down a flight of stairs every week- oh, you better believe I'm looking forward to having my own washer and dryer again!!!! (You never what you're missing until you miss it. The next time I see my own washer/dryer unit, I won't be complaining about how much laundry I have-- I'll be breathing thanks to God that I don't have to go up and down a flight of stairs for 3-4 hours each week, waiting on my turn for the dryers which never dry properly and cost a pretty penny). So I'm excited. :-)<br />
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As for our moving prep, at this moment our apartment is nearly boxed up. We've been living on temporary mode these past few months anyhow since we knew we'd be moving again...so I didn't unpack everything to begin with...but I'm really surprised at how much I DID unpack. Thankfully I kept all my boxes. <br />
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As for homeschool, like I mentioned earlier, we started this week with Ny's 4th grade year, and Z is officially our preschooler. Ny is really excited because she'll be starting Classical Conversations here in Monterey in a few weeks, and the cool thing is that there are a few families there who also live in the community we're moving to- so maybe we'll connect?<br />
Connecting is still a major activity on my list of must-do's...I think because it's the only way I feel anyone can truly survive a move- whether it's to a new city or out of country. I'm finding that on days we don't go anywhere the whole family is cranky. Really. It's just not our cup of tea...and I really do like being out a lot- exploring the sights and sound of the world beyond "home". There's so much history and culture to learn about here that we've decided for Ny's first semester we are studying California History.<br />
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However, Z has been having a really tough time lately with all the sights and sounds of Cali. After 5 months of what in her 3 year old mind was one big vacation, she finally woke up to the understanding that we are here for a long time. When it dawned on her that our apartment is not a hotel and that we haven't seen her grandparents and her favorite friends back home in a really long time, she suddenly coiled into a shell and became our baby all over again. Lots of tears, not wanting to sleep alone, not wanting to feed herself or dress herself, and even lost interest in play...I tell ya, it's been a rough few weeks. Then...she up and decided that she just didn't feel like speaking anymore either. And that was the hardest of all of her symptoms for us to deal with. The day we quit hearing her voice, we knew there was a major problem and it hurt beyond hurt. A friend of mine suggested that what she was going through may be very similar to grief. Z was experiencing separation anxiety mixed with some fear and probably a dose of anger too, because she just didn't have it all sorted out yet. My friend reminded me that in her small world, everything is larger than large, and her perception of the move was completely different than ours. Whereas my 9 year old has come to terms with leaving her friends behind and is now making new friends and attempting to make the necessary adjustments to move forward, it doesn't quite work that way when you're just 3, and all you know is all you know. And suddenly everything you see now doesn't add up in any way, shape, or form to the home you once knew. Like the sights of ocean water on a beach and the smell of salt water in the air. Or the sound of sea gulls, the feeling of cool, gusty breezes against your skin in the middle of summer. What used to be your lone house surrounded by a huge yard to romp and play, collect rocks, and dig dirt has suddenly turned into a 100+ resident apartment complex featuring neatly numbered carports neighboring restaurants, businesses, hotels,and other apartments. Looking at life through her lenses, I am able to better understand what Z might be going through right now.<br />
Granted, she is now talking to us again and eating just fine (praising GOD!!!!)-- although she still comes to sleep in our room some nights, and that's okay. My main thing for her transition right now is just to help her to feel safe and to try to develop some form of routine for her. Which is pretty hard right now (the routine part, that is), considering things won't be the same a few weeks from now after our 2nd move. But we'll just have to take it one day at a time, one week at a time.<br />
So, please keep us (and all our moving) in your prayers...and next time you think about us shoot out a small prayer on behalf of my kiddos and their transition into our new school year.<br />
Hope you and yours are doing great!<br />
Til next time...Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743174137056759280.post-90789473212864600812011-06-28T11:19:00.000-07:002012-01-04T07:42:08.082-08:00Breaking through the fogI simply can NOT believe my daughter is going to the 4th grade. Just can't believe it. When did she get so tall? When did she stop being a preschooler? 1st grader? 3rd grader?<br />
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While the latter part of my blog posts here have been about transition, I've not mentioned how <i>more</i> shocked I am at how fast my kiddos are growing than about the physical changes around us (i.e.- the move). And now that we are finally settling into the west coast and starting to really get into life here, my focus has shifted from attempting to help my children adjust to the move as much as possible, to the reality shock that they have just grown up megalots in the past 3 months.<br />
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I'm not sure if I mentioned this in my last post or not, but a few weeks ago Ny started to really get into cooking with me. Every time I'm in the kitchen she wants to help. I just didn't realize she'd start taking over so soon! She cooked up a whole batch of pancakes on her own and made my coffee. Wow. Can she really be nine already?<br />
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I'm also finding that the less cluttered I feel about everyday life and the more streamlined I am on the homefront, the more I have time to notice the smallest changes in my kids. Changes like the fact that Z is 3 and a half, but going through a "baby stage" (requesting baby food, wanting to watch "Potty Power" even though she's been potty trained for nearly two years now, suddenly not wanting to sleep on her own). And I've been noticing more how patient Ny is with her little sister, but how she so desperately needs space of her own (maybe her own room? We shall see). These little things I'm noticing are so small they barely seem to make a difference...but oh, they really do!<br />
I dunno...how do I explain this?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w1HyGml4bcA/TgobDCv9SXI/AAAAAAAAAL0/e78qRpkAlQs/s1600/centralcoast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w1HyGml4bcA/TgobDCv9SXI/AAAAAAAAAL0/e78qRpkAlQs/s1600/centralcoast.jpg" /></a></div>Out here on the Central Coast, we have this little climate issue that translates to lots of FOG for us. The fog usually comes in early in the morning and burns off close to noon. But in the Pacific Grove area, sometimes the fog rarely seems to lift and most of our summer days are not only on the side of chilly but overcast and foggy.<br />
So, I say all that to say this: it's as if I've spent the last 8 years or so in a fog. Not the kind of fog where you literally don't know where you're going, but a different kind. The kind of fog where you have plans and ambitions and goals and desires, and you are trying so hard to get there. I mean, after all, it's for you and your family's benefit so it must be okay right? Only it's<i> not </i>so okay when the ambitions fog up your path and you can't see where you're going anymore for the lack of clarity.<br />
I feel as though these last four months in California have been a time of clarity for me. The fog has been lifting and I've been able to see past my own desires and finally for once, <i>really see</i> the people around me. Like my own family. Like my kids and their significant growth. Like my husband and his needs. Like people down the street. Like people at the grocery stores. People at church. People on the bus. People everywhere. I see people every day who are angry and bitter or lonely...sad...or even simply lost. Lost in a world where it seems nobody cares. The weird thing is that it's like an experience where I feel that I get a 2 second glimpse into their lives and I am drawn into their emotional world. I feel it, but then only for a second or two. I'm sure God has a plan and He wants me to pray. So I say a silent prayer for them. But maybe there is more?<br />
I don't know...but I am sensing a wind of change for God's people all over the world. Something significant is about to happen in the lives of Believers...and God is going to use us to bring hope and joy and peace...and the Answer. But we just have to be willing to allow the fog of everyday life to clear up a bit so that we have the clarity and peace we need to minister to others.<br />
I want that so badly! Every true-at-heart mama in the universe knows the pressures of every day life, because now we don't live for ourselves anymore. I was talking to my own mother the other night, about how having children has made me less selfish. We give and give and give to our kids until we have nothing left...and we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. There is just something very special about a mother's heart. She'll do anything (even neglect her own needs/deprive herself) to ensure her own children have what they need.<br />
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Sometimes in the midst of giving and doing, planning our weeks, shuttling the kids to activities, grocery shopping and meal planning, cleaning house, cooking meals, caring FOR the kids, (and then if you homeschool...well...there goes more energy, time and effort), we can find ourselves utterly lost in that same "fog" I mentioned earlier. I mean, it's amazing to me how that even doing the right things sometimes can result in overload and burnout. But is that ever God's intention- for us to be burnt out while doing good? So this scripture I was reading answered that one for me:<br />
<blockquote> <a class="reference" href="http://www.youversion.com/bible/nkjv/gal/6/9">Galatians 6:9 NKJV</a> <i><b>"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" </b></i></blockquote>So, the thing is not to become weary (or caught up) in our daily activities to the point where we get spun out of shape, confused, or in just a great big fog of life. The "fog" robs us of being able to clearly see the people around us and their needs because we're so super busy. I think even we mamas can use that reminder from time to time...and to remember to stay encouraged. If you're in the "foggy" season where you feel that, well to be quite blunt, there is no end to the mound of diapers surrounding you- well, in a nutshell, don't give up! This too will pass. It's just a season, a phase of life, and the Lord has promised to strengthen you through it. But keep on doing good for your family. And if you feel that you don't have the clarity you need to see the roses from the trees, ask the Lord to lift the fog away from you so that you can better <i>connect </i>with your loved ones (and not only<i> serve </i>them). There is a difference. Once the fog is lifted, it's as if after all the years of doing so much for a child (changing their diapers, kissing their scraped knees, dressing them, feeding them, teaching them, shuttling them about town) suddenly comes to a momentary halt as you look at this child you created and realize they are a person waiting to <i>connect </i>with you on a level beyond rudimentary needs. Here is this complex being- a social, emotional, psychological, spiritual being staring back at you with deep, meaningful eyes, waiting on you to connect with her soul and lead her spiritually.<br />
That goes way deeper than figuring out which summer camps in which to place your kids. When the fog lifts, suddenly so much of what we've been doing with our children seems so extravagantly superficial.<br />
Fun, yes! But not of ultimate importance.<br />
By all means, have FUN with your kids! Go places with them, do stuff together. I would never trade in a million years the Disney trip we took a few weeks ago. We created beautiful memories together. But my point is...once all the planning is over and you're back at home looking at each other again, now's the time to connect soul to soul. And I do think that in our busy world it's so easy to neglect the smallest things.<br />
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I hope I remember to always take time to breathe, relax, and connect with my family. And keep that fog away.<br />
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<div class="sidebar"></div>Demetria @ Christian Homeschool Momshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04981553254241353847noreply@blogger.com2