Mother's Day 2014

I'll love you forever, 

like you for always,

as long as I am living,

forever my babies you will be!

Homeschooling Thoughts

Ever since moving to Mississippi I have been homeschooling.  Our first year at Keesler AFB I homeschooled Avery, while Amelia attended a Montessori school in Ocean Springs.  This past year I homeschooled both Avery and Amelia, while Audrey started her first year of Montessori pre-school.  This next year my plan is to homeschool all three kiddos during our one year tour in San Antonio.  I have felt a strong calling to pursue this type of education, due to our military lifestyle, something I most likely would not have considered if our lives were more stationary.  However, life sometimes asks us to make choices when unexpected situations are present, and that occasionally involves leaving our comfort zone and trying something new.  Lucky for me lots of military families homeschool!  I have met some super women with super kids who have served as mentors for the past two years.  I have learned that homeschooling is like mothering, it is a labor of love that involves good days and bad days.  Additionally, I have learned a lot about my kiddos personalities, their strengths and weaknesses, and what makes them tick.  This includes being forced to learn about my own strengths and weaknesses and identifying what I am willing to do and not do.  At times homeschooling feels like a full time job that never goes away.  Initially this might sound totally undesirable, especially if trying to  replicate traditional school at home.  However, when done well, homeschooling and everyday life begin to intertwine seamlessly.  I strive for this seamless integration, but most days fall short.  I'm OK with falling short, knowing improvements are on the horizon, as I make tweaks and changes to our homeschool lifestyle.  As our school year comes to a close I look forward to a relaxing summer and another year of homeschooling come fall.  The best part about this journey is doing it together with my kids.

2013-2014 School Year

Avery and Amelia listened to all the Harry Potter books while driving Audrey to and from school.  This series of books is by far their favorite  Avery is hooked and now reading Harry Potter for pleasure.  

Avery

Math - Right Start D/Challenging Word Problems 2

Spelling/Grammar - The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading 2

History - Story of the World 2

Writing -  Writing with Ease 2 & Cursive Penmanship

Geography - Montessori 

Reading - Weekly trips to the library

Extras:

Sports (Football, Basketball, Soccer, Coach-Pitch)

FIRST Lego League

Library Class

Art Class

Piano

Horse Riding

Amelia cried tears at the beginning of our school year because the thought of learning over 70 phonograms seemed too overwhelming.  She learned all 70 and more!


Amelia

Math - Right Start B

Spelling - The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading 1

History - Story of the World 2

Writing - Writing with Ease 1 & Cursive Penmanship

Geography - Montessori

Reading - Weekly trips to the library

Extras:

Sports (Basketball, Soccer, T-ball)

FIRST Lego League

Library Class

Art Class

Piano

Horse Riding

Easter at Sea Side Florida

This Easter we made a return trip to Seaside, Florida.  Seaside is such a fun little place with great beaches, quaint cottages, good eats, and a fabulous coastal vibe.  The best part about heading to Seaside is the relaxed atmosphere minus a touristy feel.  We stayed in "Starry Night" just steps away from the beach and had a great time with Meme and Papa.  On our second day at the beach we spotted Vince Vaughn just 100 yards from our beach chairs, hanging out with his wife and kiddos (my first official celebrity sighting).  We celebrated Easter with an inside Easter Egg Hunt, due to the rainy weather, and a trip to a local church.  I was a little worried about having an Easter Egg Hunt inside a cottage, but the kids loved looking for special surprises in a new house.  We just adore Seaside and can't wait to go back.  

Horse Riding with Ms. Olivia

Horse riding has been such a special activity for my homeschool duo.  They have truly enjoyed their time with Ms. Olivia, who is a fantastic teacher.  All the horses, Half-Pint, Flight, and Chaps, have been so good with the kids and even Audrey has had an occasional chance to catch a short ride.  They have learned about horse care, horse characteristics, empathy and encouragment for an animal, and English Riding techniques.  We are going to miss our time with Ms. Olivia.  She will be a hard act to follow.