Homeschooling - It's Official!

I have the paperwork ready to fill out to register our intent to homeschool Eddie.  I'm a bit nervous about it because I have heard some horror stories about the difficulties with the department, but I believe it is best for us and so will proceed.  I guess if we have too much trouble with red tape we can always move to Victoria!  Just kidding (kind of).

Homeschooling really is a great fit for our family and the decision just keeps being confirmed to us as I see our kids blossom.  I guess if I was to label our homeschooling style, it would be Classical with Charlotte Mason leanings.  We are mostly following the plan laid out in Susan Wise Bauer's 'A Well-Trained Mind'.  It is going so well and I love the flexibility and creativity it brings out in the boys. 

Some things we love about homeschooling:

You can be Thor or

Captain America one day...

And wear your dressing gown the next.



Little ones are eager to learn from a young age.



The local hangout for the neighbourhood kids is directly across the road, so we can meet up with friends anytime.



We can interrupt lessons to watch the rubbish truck.  Seriously, this man is so well loved here that he needs to be on the Christmas Card list.


So, my homeschooling friends, any thoughts or advice?  Do you have any troubles with your state department?  Any tips you would like to offer?

Blessings,

Picture Update

Birthday twins

The boys enjoying the circus - part of the birthday celebrations.



The boys were invited to a Garden Tea Party for a sweet 5 year old friend.




Complete with balloon animals...




and yummy treats.



The bush telegraph at work - news spread that Cameron could play the guitar and sing.  Here he is performing at the Wowan/Dululu Mother's Day morning tea!!



Me and my boys, Mother's Day 2012.



Holidays for us now.  Looking forward to 3 weeks of family time and visiting friends.


Blessings,

Seasons

I'd like to be consistent with this blog but it is amazing how time gets away from you.  I completely relate to this post from the Grace Full Mama.  So if I am not on the blog, all is well but I am just living life.

Just a few quick links that have interested or inspired me this past week.  Some free stuff, some things I already know, but it is great to have a reminder. 

* The Confident Mom - this blog also has a free 5 day mini-parenting series that had a few good tips.
* Women Living Well - this blog has a great series on discipline.  I'm in.
* Free Homeschool Deals - some great downloads appear on this site.


Blessings,

And Sasha turns 5

I have been wanting to post pictures of Sasha's birthday celebrations since we returned from holidays, but it feels like we hit the ground running so I never had time.  I decided it must be done before the month changes, because April brings two more birthdays to celebrate.

Sasha's birthday fell near the end of our holidays but we made a special trip to Maryborough and threw him a ten-pin bowling party with friends and family.  He had a blast.

How cute are those little shoes?

We had a great time as a family during the holidays.  We went on three separate trips and home for just a day or so to wash in between.  I was a bit worried at first that it would be too much travelling but I tried to stay positive and it went really smoothly.  It was so wonderful that during these holidays we were able to see all members of both sides of our family (even if just briefly, Uncle Berty!).

The last day of holidays was our 8th wedding anniversary.  Cameron took one of the boys grocery shopping, brought dinner home for us and a surprise present as well (which was just what I wanted, so someone was listening!!!).  It's funny, I have two photos on our fridge of Cameron and I.  The first one was taken when we were first dating and the next one was taken close to 8 years later.  Check it out - we still have the same pose.

Anyway, here's to us.  May there be many more happy years together.

Hopefully I won't be a stranger to my own blog.  I'm working on it.

Blessings,

February!!!

It has been such a busy season for visitors.  We love having visitors and I think we counted about 10 overnight visitors in the 6 months we have lived here!!  That's amazing.  It got to the stage where the boys would wake up and say "who is coming today Mum?"  Funny.  It has been a bit of a struggle to get back to routine though but now we are back to no visitors and obviously we miss everyone and want them to come again.  Such is life.

It's been a while since I posted, so I am thinking this will turn out to be a long post that rambles from one topic to the next and includes heaps of photos!!  Here goes:

School is back in full swing for us.  We are finishing off "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons".  The boys are reading well now but we still have about 15 lessons to go before we complete the book.  After that we will move onto First Language Lessons and Writing With Ease. 

We are pressing through with our Math curriculum but we may well switch before too long.  One of my boys really needs manipulatives to help him along a bit.  We've heard great things about Math-U-See so that may be where we go next.  My boys are still so young so I am really letting them set the pace and not expecting them to complete pages and pages of worksheets each day. 

I need to focus on Character Study for my boys also.  We've noticed a few behaviour issues that I really don't want to become a habit, so I really want to focus on working with the boys regarding patience, obedience, not arguing, and also having a good work ethic.  They are old enough now to be able to remember simple chores.  The laziness habit is trying to show its ugly head ("it's too hard", "I'm tired") so we are going to nip that quickly also.

Anyway, on a personal note, I've been reading some great books lately and one which really made an impact on me was 'Reshaping it All' by Candace Cameron Bure.  It's not that I had lots of weight to lose or anything like that but I find that I eat out of habit.  I am not conscious of the things I am putting in my mouth sometimes.  I'm not being religious about it but I am just noticing my decisions and using will power.  For instance I will stop half way through a meal and check whether I am satisfied (not full, but satisfied).  Most of the things in the book I knew already, but for some reason it just clicked with me and it has been the tool for me to change the way I approach food.  I am already noticing a change in the way my clothes fit, so that is a nice extra.  I want to keep this up!!!  So I probably should put some encouraging verses and quotes from the book around the house for me to remember and apply.

Ok, so let the photo deluge begin.

Yay to be able to tick things off the plan!!

Note to self - do not turn your back when a 3 year old has a marker.





So amazed that Eddie was able to complete this.  He had no help whatsoever.

Eddie and Sasha won prizes for the library's summer reading competition.  So proud.

And the mobile librarian knew we had three boys, so asked the library for another prize for Isaac.  Showing off his watch.  Sorry about the scary eyes!!!

Our excitement for the day.  Rescue chopper lands across the road.  Always attracts a crowd.

Cameron has a couple of weeks off after this rotation.  During this time we will be able to celebrate his sister's birthday, Sasha's birthday and our anniversary.  Good times.

Belated Happy New Year greetings to you all,

The Sweetness of Boys

Raising boys is tough work.  They are loud, rough, full-on, loud!!!  But you know what?  There is such a sweetness and tenderness about these boys that makes it all worth it.


I sent Eddie downstairs to draw a picture for me with chalk and I'd come down to check it once my cuppa was made.  This is what I found.

Follow the arrows

... Down the path

Round the bend ...

Awwwww.    Sweet!

Sasha sped past me down the driveway, calling out "I'm just getting something".  When we arrived in Wowan there was a large pot at the driveway filled with dirt.  For six months it has just sat there, filled with dirt.  A few days of heavy rain and what do you know ... colourful blooms.

My bouquet from Sasha!   Sweet.

As Isaac has been toilet training (and now is all done!), he has obviously been spending lots of time in the bathroom undressing and dressing again.  As I help him put his pants back on, he leans on my shoulder and whispers "Mummy, you are lovely".  Sweet.

And my man?  Took the boys on some errands and encouraged me to meet a friend for a pedicure (my first ever pedicure) on the day we were to travel back home from a week away.  Sweet.



Check out my flip-flop tan!


Counting my blessings,

Ending of an Era?

I feel it every time I look at my baby boy, who is so evidently not a baby anymore.  I'm not used to not having a baby around and although these are milestones you look forward to as they grow, I don't know if you are every ready for it.

Even though we are open to the possibility of having more children at some stage, it is something I am aware can never be taken for a given!!

So, as we are fast approaching Isaac's 3rd birthday, and since he is toilet training and gaining more and more independence, I am savouring my little boy's last signs of baby-ness.  Check out this cutie-patootie!!

Chubby cheeks and a bucket hat - gets me every time.

Chubby fingers and toes - a sign he's my baby for just a bit longer!!!

I will post holiday pics soon - I will!

Blessings,