We have successfully completed our 1st two days of planned learning.  Planned learning is now my new favorite word.  I have grown tired of my overuse of the word homeschool.

I feel that we are off to a better start than we were last year.  If things didn't go as planned or the kids weren't understanding, I would get low grade frustrated.  Nothing crazy, just sighs and eye rolling.  I told Ray that I needed him to pray along with me.  (which he has been fervently praying)  God has delivered!  Our attitudes are much better!  I want to share an excerpt from a book God used to reveal to me an area that I was not up to par in. 

It's so hard to see our pride sometimes - especially when we sacrifice so much for our families, and our goals are for their own good.  Look a little deeper, however, and see if there are some mixed motives driving you.

During your school day when you react impatiently toward your kids, ask yourself why.  Whose agenda was interrupted?  Who was offended?  Whose time was encroached upon?  Whose tranquility was shattered?  Whose goals weren't reached?  Whose schedule was derailed?  Whose expectations weren't met?  Have you ever thought,  "I'm sick of their attitudes and waste of time.  I have better things to do with my time!"  Let me ask:  can you think of a higher, holier calling or a better way to steward 'your' time than to joyfully and patiently train your children?
       -take from Homeschool Supermom ...Not! by Susan Kemmerer p.36

I realized that I had all these set plans and ideas of how school was going to be and look and feel.  When these plans were thwarted, I became frustrated.  Through my frustration, I somehow amazingly made my kids and my homeschool life miserable.  Good thing I read that chapter last week, huh!!  I'm going to blame it on God's perfect timing. :)  So, to keep it short, I am holding my attitude accountable instead of excusing it on unruly children.  Then we all can REACT less.  I am thankful that I realized I was fueling the problem before getting fed up and placing them back in public school.  Just being real here.

SO BACK TO THE FUN STUFF!
Again, we are using My Father's World - Exploring Countries and Cultures.  I think the only area we deviate from that plan is that we continue to use Abeka math.  We use lots of supplemental type materials, but I will cover these as the year goes on.  (example: etiquette factory, lifepac drawing basics, a reason for handwriting, Sonlight readers for reading comprehension, stossel in the classroom, learning our history, etc)

We have been super flexible in our time schedule because I totally forgot I was providing childcare for the neighbor girl this week.  Normally, we would be learning in the morning but the girls are outside playing.  Yesterday, we did social studies and science before bed.

I went ahead and printed out the DAILY LESSON PLAN from Homeschool tracker basic.  I intended to just use the daily plan as a cheat sheet on Monday but quickly realized I like using it VERY much!  So, I am going to use them regularly so that I am less tied to the computer schedule for guidance.  I placed them in a handy dandy notebook, separated by child.  Not recording the work complete that day will require me to make an extra step for each lesson to enter the correct completion date rather than it automatically entering the current date.  So, I will need to be diligent if I want to avoid that inconvenience.

Another tidbit I wanted to share is that I save all the workbook material the kids complete until the end of the year.  I put them in binders and separate them by subject.  At the end of the year, I will decide what I want to keep permanently and discard the remainder.

I keep records in totes that have the scope and sequence, worksheets, any tests given, etc. for previous school years.

Here is where and how I keep my paper records.  Since I use a laptop I don't need to use this area for the CPU.  The folders you see on the top shelf are just a ton of extras.  I always buy folders and I NEVER use them.  As I have said before, I keep ALL my records online.  That make printing transcripts so much easier!  Homeschool Tracker Basic is my application of choice.

I don't by any means mean to imply that my way is the only way to organize.  This is just what works for me.  I work with the resources that I have and are within my budget.

This is how I organize my curriculum.  It is separated by subject.  It is only the bottom 3 shelves.  Science is in the black magazine holder to the right.  Math manipulatives and writing instruments are in the tote to the left.  We use different bookshelves for the books we read.  However, now that I live in town and interlibrary loan exists, I am trying to borrow more, purchase less, and give away books we no longer read.  I did force myself to get rid of all the unused curriculum from last year that I will not use this year.  "What if...", says the borderline hoarder.  Just keepin it real.

And Last But Not Least -
I want to show A.J.'s beautiful artwork!

I am getting closer to the finish line!  The finish line this time happens to be the beginning of our school year.  I am still trying to work out the kinks!  I have learned quite a few things that I want to do differently this year.  I covered a vacation at work last week and part of this week, so I have a lot done at home in preparation for our 1st week but I haven't had time to post about it.

So here is what I have been doing for this year:

Planners
Last year I tried an electronic planner, half way into the year, because I wouldn't keep up with my written planner and it was tedious when I had to do massive amounts at once.  My friend, A, uses a handwritten planner and it looks amazing.  I tried to mimic her but I just couldn't handle it not looking picture perfect.  OCD??  So in July, I subscribed to the Well Planned Day Digital Planner.  I ended up not like it and have since cancelled, and received my refund.  This planner is beautiful and seems user friendly and would be great for someone that would like to organize the whole household online.  I don't want to organize my whole life online and it felt congested with all the other options and I felt obligated to use them since I paid for this digital planner.  I have since went with the FREE VERSION of Homeschool Tracker that my friend, and experienced hs mom suggested.  I am very pleased, but I feel the program would be frustrating if you don't know how to use generic computer programs.  I do wish it had an app that I could update on my phone because we often go places to learn and then I could document immediately instead of 8 months later when I can't even remember where we went.  The online version can be easily accessed but I want to try to document for free.  It's not the end of the world... I know.  I used Sked-Trak last year but it was even a little too dinosaur tech to me.

Curriculum Organization Changes I've Made
I've been working on getting rid of the last of the old curriculum and organizing the current curriculum.  I tend to want to hoard it, so I'd better get rid of it while I'm in the mood. LOL!  I sold some on ebay.  The rest I am going to just give away or take to the thrift store.  I purchased a label maker this spring and it has made organizing more enjoyable.  ha ha!  I even labeled it. (i have arrived, huh)  I've gone a little overboard, but, whatever!  Last year, our 1st full year, it was almost like I was in survival mode.  I didn't give the kids as much responsibility as I should have.  Because of the lack of responsibility, the school room/office was always disorganized.  That disorganization cause frustration and confusion and I honestly feel that if I repeat that behavior I am setting us up for failure.  So, I have put labels (cha ching) on the bookshelf and I will allow the kids to properly manage their workbooks.  I also used binder clips on consumable workbooks by terms.  Last year we did 2 semesters.  That was a bad idea.  It made any goal we had unattainable and non existent!  Rather that looking at a workbook and seeing that we only have 5 pages each week, it was more like seeing that we had 157 lessons left.  It was SO discouraging. :(  To correct this behavior we are going to have 4- 9 week terms.  It was quite encouraging to see the curriculum in more bite size pieces.  Plus it took off the pressure to have "every lesson ever" already typed into my planner.  OCD again.  I did the 1st 9 weeks.  Once we have completed those assignment, hopefully by the planned date, then I will take a FREE day and do the next 9 weeks.

Reality... the good with the bad
This is the time of year that I always want to give up on homeschooling.(obviously years 1-3 I did since they attended pub school)  It starts the last few weeks of July and last... well, I can't remember how long it lasts.  I feel really good today so maybe it lasts until today.  LOL!  I see everybody else signing up their kids for public school and I want to bail on mine, too.  I am just being real here.  My job (I'm a registered nurse and I work in a doctor's office) is rewarding.  Who doesn't like short term gratification?  Instantly helping 200 appreciative people a day is a lot different than your child challenging you when you sacrifice everything for them.  It seems like it would be just so much easier to let someone else educate my kids and then I can do what I want and I can make a bunch of money and buy whatever I want.  (I hope that sounds to you as selfish and disgusting as it does to me).  Honestly, experience and devotion are the only things that get me through this time.  I am a believer in Jesus and only though blessings from Him does it come easy.  During depression cycles I just pray and wait on the Lord to deliver me.  He always does!  (when I speak about depression cycle this is what i am referring to--  I am super social and used to working so when it is school time, I have a hard time adjusting to being home alone all the time.  Through lots of prayer and analyzing I came to the realization that the reason I get this way is because when I am home there isn't a routine and preset expectations so basically... I'M BORED.  This totally clicked to me last Sunday during the pastor's sermon when he was taking about how his dad retired but after 6 months he got a job because he needed something to do.  It totally paralleled.  I just need something to look forward to... goals basically.)

Survival ;)
It is imperative for your spouse to be 100% on board.  Proceed with caution if this is not the case.  I have the most supportive husband in the world and I still have the throw in the towel days.  Also,  start the year with a great attitude.  If you are excited then they will be excited.  If you aren't feeling it then really really really seek out God.  He is sufficient :)  and He loves you and is not going to leave you in the cold.  If he is delaying then ask Him to show you why.  Refocus and think for eternity and not for this short life.  And finally,  have firm in your mind the reasons you want to homeschool.  When you know WHY you are doing it then it makes the job that much easier!  God will supply everything you need. :)  He promises :)  What you need isn't necessarily material.  Let God give you wisdom.  Find it in His Word <3

Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
    she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall she cries out,
    at the city gate she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse to listen when I call
    and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
    I will mock when calamity overtakes you --
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
    they will look for me but will not find me,
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Proverbs 1_