Friday, January 28, 2011

Science Time!

 We did a fun little science experiment yesterday with a balloon, soda bottle, and water.  Our lesson was about air molecules, and what happens when they heat up and cool down.

 We had a pot of hot water and one of cold. The kids took turns moving the bottle back and forth, checking out what would happen.  In the hot water the balloon expands, in the cold it quickly shrinks!

Snow!

We've gotten some snow over the past few days.  Definitely not anywhere close to what we were getting this time last year, but it's definitely enough to make the kids very happy!



 Below is my ash bucket for the wood stove :)
 

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

How We Do It!

The #1 comment I get as a homeschool mom is "I don't know how you do it!?!".  I always say "oh, it's hard but worth it".
 Last semester we joined a co-op that meets one day a week.  I felt like it would be good for the kids and myself--and it has been!
We don't have to leave the house until 9:15 in the morning and we are on the road home at 1pm.  I spend my time at co-op with the toddlers while Wyatt and Natalie are in their classes (Weather, Art, Creative Writing for Natalie; Weather, Life Skills, Creative Writing for Wyatt).

Can just tell you that this one day Wears. Us. Out!!!!  I have now turned the tables and find myself asking public school parents -- How do you do it???  
I just can't imagine doing that every day and then spending our evening with homework and other activities!   Maybe we're just wimps (or spoiled) but we have to take a day off to recover...mainly because we're all a bit grouchy so schoolwork would be pure torture!

Our days are so laid back.  We wake when we wake, usually stay in our pj's for a while, and take our time getting dressed.  We read, color, and play computer games.  We take time to do book work, usually when the little one is down for a nap, and fortunately that doesn't take more than an hour or so.  

I've often heard that homeschoolers run on their own time....I'm starting to believe it.  I also enjoy it :)

Friday, January 21, 2011

When I turn my back...

this is what happens...
 See the cereal loaded into the back of his pickup?

 He helped himself to a box of cereal from the cabinet and had a good ole time playing with it.  Sad thing is that I was sitting in the same room but was still half asleep and didn't even notice!

Monday, January 17, 2011

See that beautiful lady to the left of this post?  Click on her picture, read her story, and take time to pray for a miracle for her.  Pray for peace and strength for her husband and daughters.  
She has been a wonderful encouragement to many, many women and I think you'll enjoy reading a lot of what she had to say before her stroke.

Friday, January 7, 2011

A New Year--A New Me??

Probably not, but it sounds good, doesn't it?  It's the theme for January everywhere I turn so I feel myself falling into the pressure to make lots of 'resolutions' to change.  
Personally I find myself wanting to make changes all year long, yet I have a very hard time breaking bad habits.  It drives me crazy.
Here is a list of things that I want to change....most I have wanted to "fix" for a while now.  If I actually accomplish any of them then I will be back to blog about it.  Don't hold your breath for it, though :)

*Lose weight.  Top of everyone's list, right?  Either that or just to "get in shape".  I've come to accept that I'll never be the fit and active person that I used to be.  I'm starting a 3 month weight loss challenge on Monday...my initial goal is to lose 20lbs.  If I do that in the 3 months then Ben and I are going to do something really special...not sure what, and I'm not making any plans yet.

*Get organized.  Yep, that one is least likely to happen. 
moving on...
*Get up before my kids each morning.  With my (still) sleep issues this isn't easy, but I'm working on it.

*Clean my kitchen every night before bed.  Sounds easy, doesn't it?
*Keep my van cleaned out.

*Keep my coupons under control.  Along with that one comes keeping my stockpile under control.
*Plan ahead for homeschool.  Again, sounds easy.

 *Date night once a month with Ben.  This one is my favorite.

These are just a few...a starting point, maybe?
Do you make resolutions?