Home Schooling & Such...

Home schooling is going as well as can be expected...

I am trying my best to stick to my schedule and if I get behind, I just do the next thing that my schedule tells me to do. Although if it doesn't all get done, I stop at 3:00 p.m. regardless...

My schedule has stayed the same as it is below with the exception of having a singing time with our Bible time every morning and a "homework" time from 1 - 3 p.m.

I am also using Fridays to "catch up" on any incomplete lessons and such...that is if we have a lesson from English that we didn't finish on Thursday, we just finish it Friday and we are done with that subject for the day.

And if you are wondering, "WHY DO I HAVE SOOO MANY SUBJECTS ON MY SCHEDULE???"....it is the state law here...

We are REQUIRED to do Reading (Comprehension?/Phonics?), Literature (Reading the Classics?), Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Art, Language Arts (which lists a whole realm of things that we must try to teach), Music, Health & P.E. and twice a year submit a portfolio to the public school system for documentation of home schooling...ugh.

I am just wondering here...I am up at 5:30 a.m. every morning and I don't often go to bed super early AND MY HOUSE...oh, my house....IT IS AWFUL!!!

Does anyone have any tips here? I mean, I CAN'T skip home schooling for any length of time!!!

I really try to get things done, but they just get messy again. And money is pretty tight right now, so buying paper plates, paper napkins... and other helps, like a pizza delivery is out of the question...

I keep thinking, if I could just stay up super late and clean, but by the end of the day I am beat!!! And I am an energetic person. I know that my house is going to HAVE to be cleaned super well soon as my sister's family is coming to stay for visit...

An emergency cleaning would be somewhat helpful, but it takes a long time as we live in a large house... I remember the days of cleaning a much smaller place...I only had four children then...and my house stayed clean! What is the matter with me now?? (with the exception of living in a home 3 to 4 times that size?)

Oh well...I do it someday...it will be here for me tomorrow if I don't get it done today, right?

I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel SOMEWHERE!!! I just need to find it and run toward the light! (with prayer, of course)

Blessings!
Heather

BTW... Mrs. C, I am SOOO glad that my schedule was helpful to you!!! That made my day!!!

Gardening & Homeschooling

Sorry, Amity....the only thing I have to show for my garden this year is tomatoes...tried to post a picture, but blogger wasn't cooperating.

My tomato varieties are:
green zebra stripe tomatoes (heirloom), hillbilly tomatoes (heirloom red & orange tomato), celebrity, early girl, grape & Roma tomatoes....

Although I was digging up a section (a very large section) last week by hand and planting some other things that may not come up...we'll see. I also dug up another section of my "secret garden" by hand that I plan to plant peas, broccoli, cauliflower & cabbage in.

Then once Saturday gets here, or later today, I will be planting my mesclun (lettuces), spinach, carrots, beets & possibly peas in my herb garden (in the "secret garden").

And here it is....an official, trying to make it work, Daily School Schedule for 5 homeschooling children.

NOTE: In order for me to get ready for the day, I am rising at 5:30 a.m. every morning (except Saturday).

Daily School Schedule (times may vary)

Monday

¨ Bible (Proverb corresponding w/date; 8:00)

¨ Next Lesson in Math (9:00 – 9:45 boys; 9:45 – 10:15 girls)

¨ History / Social Studies (Group Lesson—10:15 – 10:45)

¨ Spelling (Write spelling words; 9:45-10:15)

¨ Penmanship (9:00 – 9:45 girls; 9:45 – 10:15 boys)

¨ English (10:45 – 11:15 older children; learning nouns & verbs with girls)

¨ Reading/Phonics (11:15 – 11:45)

¨ P.E. (11:45 – lunchtime; bicycles)

Tuesday

¨ Bible (Proverb corresponding w/date; 8:00)

¨ Next Lesson in Math (9:00 – 9:45 boys; 9:45 – 10:15 girls)

¨ Science (Group Lesson—10:15 – 10:45)

¨ Spelling (Write spelling words; 9:45-10:15 boys)

¨ Penmanship (9:00 – 9:45 girls; 9:45 – 10:15 boys)

¨ English (10:45 – 11:15 older children; learning nouns & verbs with girls)

¨ Reading/Phonics (11:15 – 11:45)

¨ P.E. (11:45 – lunchtime; free play)

Wednesday

¨ Bible (Proverb corresponding w/date; 8:00)

¨ Next Lesson in Math (9:00 – 9:45 boys; 9:45 – 10:15 girls)

¨ History / Social Studies (Group Lesson—10:15 – 10:45)

¨ Spelling (Write spelling words; 9:45-10:15 boys)

¨ Penmanship (9:00 – 9:45 girls; 9:45 – 10:15 boys)

¨ English (10:45 – 11:15 older children; learning nouns & verbs with girls)

¨ Reading/Phonics (11:15 – 11:45)

¨ P.E. (11:45 – lunchtime; rules/team sports)

Thursday

¨ Bible (Proverb corresponding w/date; 8:00)

¨ Next Lesson in Math (9:00 – 9:45 boys; 9:45 – 10:15 girls)

¨ Science (Group Lesson—10:15 – 10:45)

¨ Spelling (Write spelling words; 9:45-10:15 boys)

¨ Penmanship (9:00 – 9:45 girls; 9:45 – 10:15 boys)

¨ English (10:45 – 11:15 older children; learning nouns & verbs with girls)

¨ Reading/Phonics (11:15 – 11:45)

¨ P.E. (11:45 – lunchtime; free play)

Friday

¨ Bible/Music starting 2^nd wk (Proverb corresponding w/date; 8:00)

¨ Spelling Test (9:00-9:15 boys)

¨ Next Lesson in Math (9:15 – 9:45 boys; 9:45 – 10:15 girls)

¨ Art (Group Lesson—10:15 – 10:45)

¨ Penmanship (9:00 – 9:45 girls; 9:45 – 10:15 boys)

¨ English (10:45 – 11:15 older children; learning nouns & verbs with girls)

¨ Reading/Phonics (11:15 – 11:30)

¨ Health (starting 2^nd wk)/P.E. (11:30 – lunchtime; health lesson then endurance training)

What I've been up to....

Gardening...
Gardening...
Gardening...
Entertaining...
Gardening...
Church...
Gardening & Home Schooling...

Need I say more?

I'm really too tired to write...been up since 5:30 a.m. est. I'm tired...

Have a blessed day in the LORD!!!
Heather

Another addition to my "Thought of the Day"

Where there's water, there's children, and where there's water and children, there is mischief and MUD!!!

Yes, Mrs. C, we have discovered MUD...not to mention holes in the ground, dug by my dear sweet children...

Directions: Dig BIG hole...fill with water...mix well...and play...get really dirty with the mud that you have made...add Mom to the mix...she's frantic by the way...get hose & turn on water...spray dirty children well...run really warm bath (because by now we have goosebumps, shivers, and blue lips)...put children in bath...2 at a time...wash WELL...provide children with clean, dry clothes, turn movie on, lock in house....take wet muddy clothes (that have been rinsed out well...outside)...put in washer...wash on extra dirty cycle with detergent & oxyclean...dry in dryer (to get sand completely out of clothes)...now, MOM...sit down and enjoy movie with children...by now they are snuggling in blankets and don't EVER want to touch mud again!!! until they dig the next hole!!!

When children have all gone to bed, write your story in your journal and remember it forever...don't forget to share it with your children when they are grown!

Blessings!
Heather