PrIorItIes

Recently, I read from a post of Paige at Elemental Science about things she didn't predict as she conducted her work-at-home-mom life.  Number three on her countdown of things she wished she'd known was about remembering priorities. Well, around here, we all have differing priorities, but a few things unite us.  Music is very important here.  Reading is essential here, whether you listen on the text-to-voice kindle or read word-for-word from the screen/page.  Outside time with the lawn mower or gardening is a wonderful escape and exercise.  Lego time is, dare I say, "Holy" here.  There's a room dedicated to it, or mostly because the guest couch and sewing machine also live there.

The Mommy on the other hand continues to aim at doing the best she can with what she has. So many lessons I learned about life from My Grams who was born in 1914.  That was a tough time to be a little kid, especially one in rural Iowa amongst 8 brothers and sisters.  Their parents were first generation in the United States and the Old Folks still spoke lots of harsh Swedish over their heads. The Great War and the Depression were R-E-A-L to them and she shared so much of that with me as I was the only one of my siblings to go to get my bachelor's degree back then (since then my sister who came 20 years later has done the same as me).  I lived with My Grams in order to go to teacher's college.  And so much of that time is very evident in how I teach, guide, cook, clean, organize, drive, all of it. Waste not, want not, so don't even think you are going to get away with dawdling.

But mostly, TRAVEL IS ESSENTIAL AND NECESSARY.  It's how we think about all of our studies and church events and purchases and chores (frugal living-stewardship affords us to plan our errands to save fuel).  Band participation, science lessons each week (this can fall thru the cracks if spelling seems more important) and Bible study are those hills I'm willing to die on here at Paisley Classical Academy.  What would my kids say is the priority in their lives? Why is that what they classify as a priority? Take a minute to visit with them or a nature walk to discuss it.

Considering Virtues

As our CBS ended with the final lesson on Philippians, I have implemented plans for the summer Bible study.  I received a tremendous resource years ago that employed The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett.  The book in of itself is not the Bible, but as we mull E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G over in this Dialectic stage, I want the challenge to take the stories and tall tales collected in the Bennett book and relate (debate, compare, contrast) them to the verses in the Bible concordance (I'm teaching them to use the reference tools too).  I, of course, will attempt to bring my children along for the challenge as well. The Mom at Shiver Academy already did so much of the work, I just have to get the kid copies of the books and my adult collection of the stories AND the Bible out each day of this summer to bridge the gap in what could be a lull in their maturing growth.  We've read the Bible in 90 days and we've read The Story version of the Bible by Max Lucado, so why not delve further into virtues... these three people with be paying taxes soon, so they need to know what is virtuous or not and why it is or isn't.

AND IT IS ALL TIED TO GRATITUDE.  How you ask? Well, this is where I bring in the Ann Voskamp resources that I've acquired since reading her book, One Thousand Gifts several years ago. I've followed her blog ever since.  There are monthly challenges with prompts each day to record three things we are thankful for in our lives.  This exercise combined with the reading and consideration of virtues in each story sited in the Bennett source along with Bible verses from the concordance or biblegateway.com search engine help us to practice the presence of God even when there isn't an active Bible study group over the summer.

Curriculum Choice: Bible Study Decisions

We've participated in a Community Bible Study for four years now. I've relished the fellowship with other moms, women of faith and kids.  I really know the value of well-written study questions.  I enjoy studying the same Bible chapters that my kids are reading and studying each week.

Our CBS teaching leader's graphic last week to teach about Philippians 1.

As we move forward, I'm torn between continuing with the kids in a lower level study (for their ages and knowledge) and the alternatives. But, what are those alternatives?  I'm anxious to know more about what's available beyond.  Yet another question to answer in prayer and the next homeschool conference (GHC-CVG).  

Church Drama Production includes all 3Gs

"New Testament Rewind" is a wonderful way to learn about the Bible.
G1 ran lights and G2 had various parts throughout the play as well.

Beginning New Summer Study

Our Community Bible Study is complete for the school year, so we are beginning to read aloud and discuss this book by Lee Strobel and Rob Suggs called The Case for Christ.  One of my Gs noticed immediately the nail hole in the hand print. I've been looking at this book for several years waiting to discuss it with the kids and didn't notice that in the image.

It's been a wonderful year of study in the books of Daniel, 1 & 2 Peter and Colossians.  I never dreamt how applicable Colossians would be in my life. Have you read it lately?

Less Refereeing (sp?)

We are one child less of a set since I sent the little girl with Gramma yesterday. The loads on planes this Thursday are quite full as everyone is anxious to ski Utah, so, the Gramma (and Grampa) agreed to take on a first grader for the week if she could travel Monday instead of a larger, more-difficult-to-load Thursday. 3 people trying for one flight beats 4 people trying because stand-by is not ideal. This will be the children's 3rd year to ski with Uncle Jerry and we look forward to this next adventure. I might even try my hand at a few projects while away from where we live now. If we can get on the plane, that is...
This is a picture of our attempts to blast off home-made rockets on the sunny Saturday morning in conjunction with study on Saturn. The study was weeks ago, but the alka selsor rockets couldn't be set off inside, so we enjoyed blasting each, except for G#3 who was upset that his didn't go higher which led to discussions about fuel and more "wheels" turned.

Less school, but more life lessons in tree trimming and disposal as well as garden preparation. Still, the schooling continues. We're finishing the astronomy book this week and beginning the flying creatures book next week. I compiled a Lenten study for children that was taken wonderfully this morning by the boys. I know it's a bit early, as I was reminded by the engineer of the group, but we won't get to school constantly through all 40 days of Lent and I believe there is too much to miss if we don't finish it before Resurrection Sunday. Spelling, penmanship, grammar and reading lessons, math, history, geography, and music study keep going even though there is travel and breaks.

This is a picture of the AWANA grand prix cars and base coat painting tonight.

Phenomenon...

The children have been rising with the Daddy at 6AM for breakfix ever since G#1 was 3 years old. There is a consistent attempt made every work day that they rise and eat a serving of cereal while the Daddy reads morning devotions for them aloud and for himself silently. Then there is prayer time and generally they quietly return to their rooms to play until I go downstairs to begin my morning routine. I am far less consistent than their father however.

All this is to say that, for the last 2 mornings, I've left Bible study sheets on the counter with the Bible open to the reference for that study. I've left the binders where the sheets go once completed and the weather collecting calendar also. There has been no reason for them not to start at their school checklist before I'm there to "wrangle" them.

So, with the cooperation of the Daddy, as he leaves for work a little before 7AM he encourages our reader to lead in the Bible study and weather recording of the day. I've found the children working at the next things on their checklist, whether it be math, explode the code, state bird study or handwriting for a reason.

Yesterday was a big day because we had so much to do in catching up with a few things on the checklist that weren't thoroughly accomplished last week during a loosely organized 4 days of school. There was also the introduction and completion of chapter 10 in Story of the World 2 about the "Bottom of the world." That chapter discusses aborigines and the maori. But all was completed in addition to math test and G#3 final tests from Math-U-See Alpha level.

Today, I was able to go through the entire checklist with the children, mind you less intense because spelling can be done more independently on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, before 10AM. That also included all three reading/listening to their books on tape. Those are The Magician's Nephew for G#1, Through the Looking Glass for G#2 and Julie of the Wolves for G#3. We reviewed SOTW2 chapters 8-10 and now are ready to attack Jupiter during the remainder of this week. Next week we continue with Jupiter and move onto history chapter 11 about the "Kingdom of the Franks."

So, obviously I have diligent children who are thrilled to serve, but I'm no newbie here. Nothing lasts forever except for God's eternal love for us. And, I did only have my own classroom for a year and those were 7th, 8th and 9th graders in rural Iowa, and my experience substitute teaching for sport is very different. What I do know is that we are weak and heavy laden most often and we all need a Savior. I'm praising God for making the last two days a blessing to homeschool my kids. And I'm grateful to be able to teach my kids about the Creator and his Son each and every day by example all day, 24/7 is the job. I just keep trying to enjoy what I've seen them do here and remember that "Mommy is my name - praying is my aim."

Rambling...

G#1 and G#2 got well-kid checkups and immunization shots Thursday. It was the first time they had seen a doctor since leaving Kansas 2 years ago. I can't help that they are very good at eating right, drinking plenty of water and escaping peril at every turn. That's God's job to keep them safe. They enjoyed the introduction to our family doctor that I've seen and Daddy has seen since in Illinois. The daddy was actually working from home Thursday and Friday after returning from his business travel to SFO with a sinus infection. G#3 got to stay home with Daddy while the other 2 got shots.

I returned from the doctor's office to find that the blue bathroom toilet was dead and it was removed later that night. Actually, it almost took my left index finger with it when I extracted the toilet tank from the 30 year old bolts that barely grasped it. So, now I've finished painting that wall and we've purchased a new white toilet to update that bathroom a little.

On the h-s news, everyone enjoyed sand art several times more this week. We learned about islam and how the story goes that Muhammad was visited by an angel with what he was supposed to recite. We've worked a ways through the study of Mars and all three children are subtracting and adding without great pain.

I took them to the grocery store to buy food pantry items for their AWANA assignment. Each gave 2 or 3 dollars so that we could take in food, but I made them add up the totals of each item in order not to go over their budget. I actually made them use cash at the drug store and hardware store for things that Daddy needed. I've fallen into the trap of demonstrating that all things can be paid for by some credit card Jeannie.

We'll continue to dress warmly and prepare for the attempt to get to Munich for Thanksgiving. We're practicing our common German phrases and I'm trying to get familiar with the geography of Bavaria. It'll be quite a trip to get all five of us and the two grands on stand-by, but it'll be worth it if we can accomplish the mission.

Don't be discouraged by inconveniences

Yes, it's cold and rainy in chicagoland, but it isn't that inconvenient. Not like what a CM&A missionary named Lisa spoke about at women's Bible study today. I was surrounded by women who visited warmly. My kids were just fine in the "nursery" with other kids their ages because of the national holiday today, that is Veteran's Day. Lisa spoke of her role in Gabon West Africa. She is a nurse who grew up in New Church and is here on a break from the field. She spoke of eating bush meat (i.e. porcupine), termites eating everything (including her clothes), and constant car or motion sickness/ nausea. She is a strong, young lady who works to stay healthy even when she is in the field a world away from her mom and caring family/friends. Something she relayed from her supervisor there in Africa for CM&A struck me profoundly. He claims that the goal is not so much to bring the west to the rest, but for the local reached to be used to witness to the unreached. Sure it's a tough job if you consider the mom home schooling her kids right here in suburbia, but imagine the horrible work it takes for locals there in the witchcraft run west African jungles to share hope to people with AIDS/HIV+ and all kinds of other life-threatening, painful ailments.

True Women Galore!

While attending the True Woman conference in Schaumburg Illinois this week, I made some observations about the 6000+ mommys in the room. 99.9% believe you when you say that comfy shoes are better than heals while attending a conference. There were so many women and so little room on the conference hall chairs. I will be more exact and say that the conference chairs were not built for child-bearing hips sitting in a row. Simple as that...

I enjoyed hearing Dr Piper, Nancy Leigh Demoss, Mary Kassain, Karen Loritts, Holly Elliff, Devi Titus, and to some extent, Janet Parshall. I'd heard everything Mrs. Parshall said while listening to the Revive Our Hearts podcasts, so it wasn't that earth shaking. I met ladies from California, Chicago, Kansas, Missouri, Maryland and everywhere (except Vermont and Hawaii). There was a huge group from the Dominican Republic. I needed this time and now...

I have to pack for the attempt to get to SFO with Daddy and the kids. Take care :-)

Tell tale signs of autumn

Pumpkin spice latte is back, but it just didn't taste the same. It's nippy and moist in Chicagoland and I'm still drinking coffee, but maybe not a 5$ calorie laden cup of spiced latte anymore. Maybe it's my affair with my favorite tea, but maybe I've out grown the pumpkin latte. I'm anxious to save money for the Thanksgiving trip to Europe/ Asia Minor, but you'd think I could justify how much I deserve a decent latte. I went on a date to a new mom/pop Italian place on Friday night for a few hours with a stop at the bookstore to put my hands on travel books for Bavaria and Cappadocia, but waited to buy my choices on Amazon today. I'm even saving money for the trip by reading a kids' mystery series from the library instead of buying them or renting movies to fill my entertainment budget.

The series, btw, is called The Roman Mysteries, and I love it! I found it by searching for juvenile Roman fiction at the library. I made the kids listen to one of the books on the drive back and forth from Iowa. I started reading another book in the series to them out loud, because the library doesn't have the audio for it. But now I've read ahead and am on the next book. I made the Daddy read some to the kids (he's the expert in Latin btw). The story discusses a time period that I'm very interested in about the early church. The sermon today at New Church started a series on The Acts of the Apostles, which of course, delves into my favorite part of the world apart from Central Texas and western Iowa, that is Turkiye.

So, the rain stopped and the temperature is dropped. I've added a blanket to the beds and pulled out the cold weather clothes. I'm busy ripping up the carpet in the living room as the dining room is finished. The wood flooring is available for pickup anytime I'm ready to go up there and pay for it. I've contacted some people who are experts with power nailers, but in the mean time I'm set to prep the floors with black paper and the insulation level with a staple nailer. Soon the 17 boxes of flooring with arrive to set for 3 days and be power nailed by someone. Pray. Yep, I'm not big on asking for help and locating day labor. I will wait on the Lord according to His plan, but in the meantime to prepared for whatever He delivers.

And, btw, home school my kids, be a soccer mom, a gymnast mom, a piano lesson mom AND an AWANA mom all at the same time.

Almost without seams...

A few snags, but nobody got hurt (squirted with a water bottle though). We didn't sit at desks at all, but the kitchen table and library room floor. It was a reduced workload and we finished before lunch after doing Bible journey journal, prayer/pledge/ weather observations (stormy Mondays seem to be my first day of school destiny), described familiar curriculum materials and durations. We read a portion and narrated a fiction story that describes the Olympics to kids. We listened to a few stories of the world pertaining to ancient China and then finally accomplished a devotion draw/write from "Right Choices." We will be sitting in the green reading chairs soon. It was way too overwhelming to begin the first day of school without help from the Daddy (who flew for work to SFO) in the storm waking everyone for a super early breakfix. I didn't loose any of the materials I needed. We will watch an old version of Tom Sawyer before box pizza for dinner, but right now the students are building an imaginary legoland.
PRAISE GOD!

I've registered!

I'm set to be at the Revive Our Hearts True Woman conference October 9-11th. I'm thrilled! I've even scheduled the "first quarter" of home schooling to end that week, so there is a natural break when my kids won't wig out that mom isn't around to corral them. You can register too and join me for a carpool.

A year older & a month wiser

Well, we've finished day camp (new name for VBS) at new church and I actually didn't hate being a shepherd to my 11-3rd graders. 8 boys all with names starting with J. I have enough trouble with 3 kids and G names. So, I had a few moments of brain dead adult. It was even more difficult to not be dimwitted as I turned 41 on Saturday after VBS (it's just what I call it and I'm not about to get politically correct here). I planned to show my kids and husband the immenseness of a rock quarry and then proceed to dig for fossils of the Ordovician Period. Now, for me the historical geologist just peeked around the corner of my personality until we drove the almost 2 hours (at over 4$ a gallon to fill the nasty minivan) only to find the quarry flooded.

You know, you can't always get what you want, but you generally get what you need (I'm a closet '70s music fan- yeah Z92). I got a beautiful drive with the family to Rockford IL and a tour in order to get more familiar with a very nice town (high water, but nice place). I was able to enjoy Indian food for my birthday dinner and a slow Monday morning to follow-up a not-so-brilliant birthday weekend. Well, compared to last year when I turned 40 in Istanbul, this was a bit of a let down, but to be with my family was essential this year.

Tomorrow we get to wander on a nature hike. I've also put the color-coded, weekly school schedule on a spreadsheet and I'm working on my to-do list in order to be ready for the August 4th beginning of 2nd grade for the oldest and 1st grade for my twins. I'm planned out for 176 days of school spread out over approximately 35 weeks for materials and curriculum. This year we don't have to fly by the seat of our pants. Yippeee

Snow and snot, but let's read a book

Hey, Alice in Wonderland was fun/ weird, but done and now it's Black Beauty. Got the idea while in Chick Fil a TN where the kid's meal included a condensed version of the same. Number One enjoyed it so much. And I'm a sucker for a horse story anytime any place. It's that whole farm girl thing... So, we're more than half way done with reading for the year and will broach the precipice of same with math. Discussion of reptiles is underway and listening to a kid's story about a private eye named Chet Gecko reinforces my attempts in two ways. A trip to the aquarium is still on the calendar soon. We are getting to some lessons in Story of the World that I'm looking forward to; i.e. Phoenicians, Assyrians and Babylon again. Once we get to Greeks it's all down hill toward summer.

Speaking of summer, Dora gardener in the house helped me plant globe amaranth and two colors of alyssum 2 weeks ago. Those are now ready to transplant into plugs which all three junior gardeners roled from uncolored newsprint. Many other seeds were started yesterday while the three were working on AWANA Pinewood derby entries. AND prior to shopping for the superbowl gorge, Daddy registered little boys for park district soccer.

Tomorrow is a visit to the dentist for a field trip. I keep praying for a kid-friendly family dentist on our dental plan. I've already tried 2 different dentists. This third one should be the charmer. Then a playdate for our little girl. I get to visit with the mom too, so that's cool. More piano lessons for Number One who isn't hating it completely. Doesn't hurt that the family where he takes piano also has a drummer and a huge drum set to mess with each week. Plans are in the works for a late February trip to Utah and a national park or two. We'll see how the wind blows.

Van wrecks over Thanksgiving travels, a wee bit of cold weather in Chicagoland, Christmas decor digout, listening to "A Christmas Carol," "Treasure Island," "Just so Stories" on audio book AND these books about precocious children enjoying art fill our past week.

Yes, there's been history, English reading, grammar and spelling lessons along with cleaning and cookie making, but math lessons make their way in the mix too.
Another children's book character to explore lately is Nate the Great. These three scholars love those stories. Soon, we may know all the books of the Bible Old Testament. Only time will tell. But we especially enjoyed discussing sleepy grammas with our Utah gramma today. We looked up the origin of "dead as a doornail" from the expressions in "A Christmas Carol" and drew a picture of Scrooge and a door knocker. Even more tomorrow...

Another Good Week

Well, what a week. I admitted that a trip to the doctor was in order and I even told them exactly what I wanted and where to send the prescription. If only I could raise such decisive children. Hmmm, maybe I have. The kids enjoyed the nature hike in a prairie today. An original prairie, we were told with ant hills and a variety of native grasses. There were non-native species as well and the children did a brilliant job paying respectful attention even though it was a bit brisk for the two hour hike. We saw a wooly bear caterpillar, a horsetail rush, goldenrod wasp gall, mink scat, grassy burrows, a vernal pond and played hide and seek in the tall grass (which nearly scared #1 out of his shoes). All the while today, our life science journals expanded with entries and sketches of each prairie item we encountered.

Treasure Island is catching on and the drawings these three drew of Long John Silver were priceless. We may finish the audio book tomorrow, but we'll never eat fish and chips the same way again. Each visit on Friday night dinners out must always include the durge, "fifteen years on a dead man's ship, ho ho ho and a bottle of rum." HA!

Spanish vocabulary is expanding as well as English reading skills, so we may start #1 soon on his Latin curriculum. It's an eight hour drive to Thanksgiving Dinner, so that'd be as good a time as any. Van gogh's Starry Night is done quite differently by each of my three artists, but still equally as fascinating. Addition is very important these days, because these three can do it outside while climbing the crabapple tree :- ) Geography study was enhanced as we discussed the story "Make Way for Ducklings" and identified some physical features of the Boston area (from satellite images and simple maps) as well as habits of ducks to molt etc. Finally, we may soon get a handle on the order of books in the OT and #1 may recite the Apostle's Creed by the end of the year (because he's a bright one he is - the pirate accent is difficult to translate in writing). ;- )

Johnson County Trip a Success!

We traveled on a half empty flight to MCI and found our friends to pick us up. I was enchanted by the little ones on this trip who I hadn't the opportunity to visit with on previous trips. We played with old friends. We visited the kindergarten teachers and had recess with the classmates who are now in first grade. I enjoyed BBQ and PK's pizza. Some school was entow with math, geography, and copywork of verses, but the hit of the week was the introduction to AWANA with our friends. We traveled back to ORD on a little more full plane. We may not be able to fly again until January because of holiday full loads, so we'll enjoy our earthbound expeditions until then.

Truly all three

Well, it's done. The first day of h-s all three children is complete. They studied the books of the BIBLE and the oldest is reviewing the Apostle's Creed. I'm trying to catch up on how far his math skills are and he is responsively patient. Reading, math and the difference between dolphins and sharks were covered. Finally, we listened to chapters 3-7 of Treasure Island while coloring Van Gogh's "Starry Night" outline from Enchanted Learning. Now it's time to pack - for we attempt to fly tomorrow :- )

We've been busy...

Yes, no excuse except that life keeps us busy. Old news: twins finished their soccer season in fine form, much improved; I painted in Iowa City for a weekend; twins go their school pictures taken; our first field trip about pumpkins; #1 got a trip to Laser Quest for a friend's birthday party; the guest/ kids' bathroom is painted; the laundry room is revamped and painted; the 1st grade curriculum is ordered and on it's way for a beginning date of November 1st; "new church" is welcoming, sincere, vulnerable and becoming "home;" and summer clothes are going into storage. This week is a nature hike with the county nature preserve organization and a trip to the mall to meet a Turkish friend and her son. #1 has a field trip about pumpkins this week and his last soccer match. We appreciate his coach and the style of instruction so very much as #1's skills and responses continue to improve on the pitch. Since I wrote last, I've given away the Incil that I've carried around for over ten years to a lady whose Turkish dad may want to read the New Testament in Turkish - whoohooo! Now, I've got to find new Bibles in Turkish b/c I keep meeting Turks in Chicagoland.

First full week of November, barring all bad weather and ill health, we're on our way to ORD for a trip to MCI. #1 will be homeschooling by then and is anxious to visit Kansas friends after being gone since last December. I've got other plans too, but we'll see how it works out.