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Homeschooling is just a part of life!

The last few weeks have been full of fun things….

Things I wish at times I could share with my friends in SC. Some of these things I have gotten to share with them. You see, I have this one friend, Lisa, who knows everything about every living thing. I swear! She grew up on a horse farm in NY and somehow that has taught her everything you’d every hope to have in a homeschool mom friend.

We recently traveled to one of my favorite places together….Hendersonville, NC. The apple orchard is there and one of my favorite places, Hands On Childrens’ Gallery. This trip presented us with a surprise though. Right outside the entrance to Hands On is the most fascinating woman, Brenda Ramer of Team Ecco. Team Ecco is apparently a group of divers for she seemed to have traveled everywhere I’ve only dreamed. And the next few shots are from her shop.

Can you guess what this guy is called?

She even fed him for us. We learned that starfish digest or ingest their food by pushing their stomachs out of their bodies, wrapping it around the food, digesting it and then pulling their stomach back into their bodies. Bet you didn’t know that did you?

Yes, it’s a starfish but it’s a special type of starfish. Any guesses?

We also saw this guy swimming around in a nearby tank.

And two different types of water turtles. I remember part of the explanation but not all of it. Look how different they are…

They have pointed little noses as to breath when they surface. She even has names for them all. They are very tame and love being handled. You could just tell how much she loved them all.

Here is Brenda and my sweet friend, Lisa, and all the kiddos.

Next it was on to Hands On where the master artist Sethman drew two of my boys with startling likeness. Is this amazing or what?

That’s my oldest on your left and my youngest son on your right with the artist behind them. Let me see if I can find the picture of my youngest behind his image. It’s spooky close to exactly the way he looks.

Here’s baby girl painting a rainbow.

Here are some of the girls playing grocery store. I think of the four hours we were there they stayed there for three of them. Something about girls and shopping!!!

The entire day was amazing. I think it was about three field trips tied up into one. We had just as much fun as the kids did and hope to get to see Brenda again soon.

These guys are definitely BFF!!!!

And because I know Lisa will read this at some point….look what we found yesterday!!!

We have never seen an anole shedding its skin before. We were amazed. To add to the difference between Fla and SC here are what acorns look like here. At home they are huge but here they have friends….fuzzballs and they are tiny.

Oh, and for those of you who were unlucky enough to see our “critter” we found in SC I finally found out what it was…..check this blog out…http://monstersandmanuals.blogspot.com/2008/07/giant-maneating-flatworms.html

I’m just glad I didn’t know what that thing was when I picked it up. Cold chills!!!

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Posted: November 18, 2010 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Tags: anole, chocolate chip starfish, field trips, flatworms, Hands On Childrens Gallery, hendersonville NC, homeschooling

Ramblings…

Since I began this post several weeks ago I’ve traveled home to SC for a week long visit leaving left my new user name and password in Fla. So there was no blogging while I was gone. But I was personally able to touch and druel over The Scooper’s classroom nook.

Then we came back to our last soccer game and began a 5 day battle with the upper respiratory crud. It’s been rough on my oldest who has had a fever for 4 days.

I’m thrilled to have a new blog site all my own. I’ve loved HSB but it was time to move on. Time to spread my wings and fly. I hope some of you will still drop by to see me. I can’t wait to see how the new blog design will end up.

Back to Soccer…here’s my baby…my 6.5 year old, size 3 shoe wearing baby…

I don’t know why I love this picture of her. Maybe it’s the look of concentration on her face as well as the signs of the young woman I see her becoming. She’s a mess, this last born of ours. I love the way her hair curls around her face when she’s hot. She can put her pony tail in all by herself now. Quite an accomplishment until the day we visited the Super Cuts. Now she’s sporting a sweet bob again and a trophy.

She was so excited to have her first trophy and toted it around everywhere before we convinced her it belonged on a shelf.

Baby girl and I are diligently learning how to read, my least favorite schoolish thing to do. She’s doing very well I might say but because I find it grueling so does she.

Coming home to FLA has been a bit of a smack in the face. REAL school instead of fun field trips. No friends instead of terrific friends and then a bought of sickness. But SC soothed our souls with 38 degree nights, campfires and lots of visits with my sweet friends.

We’ve made our own little campfire set up since returning. It’s not our big pit we had in SC but it’s a nice iron looking thing that fits a little better in our gated FLA neighborhood. But I wonder still at the house God has for us here. After my hubbie left SC to return to FLA my boys kept the campfire burning in the back yard for three more days. My second-born loves the woods, chopping down limbs and fanning the flames of the campfire. My heart wants him to have those things here too. He’s a boy after all!!!

So we continue to wait and watch…keeping our hands out of what belongs to God…our lives.

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Posted: November 14, 2010 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: moving. Florida, Soccer, South Carolina

Homeschooling….what a day!

Yep, my last post was about wonderful field trips.

But today I’m feeling like we homeschool moms sure do tackle a lot in one day. Tuesdays are especially busy for us. Today it was up at 6:45 which is way to early in anyone’s world, if you ask me. Especially that of a homeschool mom. Maybe not Pioneer Woman’s world but it is in mine. Then breakfast, teeth brushed, hair fixed, clothes on (foregoing our beloved PJ’s for the day), makeup for me and hair in a clip. We have to leave for Classical Conversations by 8:00-8:15 and that’s if I’ve gone to set up my classroom the night before. If not, we are up an hour earlier and leave an hour earlier.

Then I teach a classroom full of 4 and 5 year olds

English Grammar (reflexive pronouns today)
Math (skip counting by 14s), History
History Timeline
Latin (present perfect tense of the verb “to love”)
Science (parts of the sun)
Geography (today the parts of the MidAtlantic World and our geography lines including the Prime Meridian, the Equator…..you get the idea)
the Tin Whistle and a little about music theory
then we do a Science Experiment (today about planets)
and each child presents something to the class to work on Presentation Skills. All this is done in 3 hours.

You teachers out there in the world….my hat goes off to you. You have an incredibly difficult and underpaid job.

I do this for 3 hours one day a week. You guys do it for 5 days a week for 8 hours! And it’s enough to make my skin crawl. The spidery kind of crawl. YIKES.

I love my kids. They are a challenge to keep on track at the pace we go for 3 hours but they are fun. They wear me out.

After the morning I’m exhausted and my older boys still have three more hours of school. The younger two have PE and are watched by one of the moms afterwards. We leave “school” about 4:00 and head home. Thank goodness there was a roast in the crock pot for supper tonight. We unload the car, put back packs away and unload the cooler. It’s at this time I consider crashing on the couch………….actually lying there with a pillow under my head for several minutes…………….. but the mom radar goes off and I realize if I stay there the rest of the night will be history. Therefore I get up to start the sprinkler system because the yard guy put down weed and feed yesterday (we rent less you think us wealthy in things other than the things of God) and told me I needed to water it in. Parts of the yard were not getting wet so of course that needed investigating. The cat box needed scooping (somehow my job), the sunporch aka 3rd born’s bedroom and cat’s…..um….bathroom needed sweeping and mopping.

My 3rd born’s birthday is tomorrow. He will be nine. For the next two months out of the year I have an 11, 10, 9 and 6 year old. Sounds impressive huh? Like I gave birth every year for three years. There is actually 13 months between my first two and 20 months between my second two but for a few months I pretend to be superwoman.

Maybe that’s why this post is emerging from a day of feeling like a homeschool mom with a full time job. It seems like just yesterday I was birthing that sweet child.

Happy birthday my little baby boy!

If any of you guys want to know more about the Classical approach to education or CC just click on the link above. I know many moms out there giving their time to tutor such precious little ones. Oh, and big ones too!

So what did you do today?

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Posted: October 19, 2010 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: Classical Conversations, classical education, homeschooling, mothering

Oh how I love field trips…

While visiting in SC we took the time to spend part of our day in Greenville. Downtown Greenville is such a fun place. Whether you are on a date or with the kids there is something to do! Reedy River Park is a favorite spot of ours. The lack of rain caused the normally gigantic waterfall to appear to be a trickling faucet. But we had fun exploring the creek bed, looking for critters and jumping on rocks.

They even had the fountains a beautiful pink color in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Baby girl thought this was awesome.

Not a lot to say tonight. Just wanted to share some pictures and to tell you that I squished an extremely large angel named Ronnie last night. I fell off the ledge around our hot tub and landed almost exactly the way I did when I broke my left foot. This time it was the right but thankfully there was no tell-tale snap. It’s a wonder too. Hard wood vs concrete. The hard wood won. I’m sore and bruised but am without a even a sprained ankle.

For those of you who are wondering I named my guardian angel long ago. I don’t want to get to heaven and not have a name for him. Do you have a name for yours?

Thanks Ronnie, for taking the hit for me.

2 Comments

Posted: October 17, 2010 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Our Family, Our Lives | Tags:

Not a pretty post…

Today’s post is not one of those pretty, fluffy ones….so be forewarned.

I am still, to this day, amazed at the ugliness of man’s heart. I am not so sure I should be, but I am. If man hung the Savior of the world on a cross why would we not act ugly when our feelings are hurt and our emotions are running high?

Someone once told me when emotions run high intellect runs low. I believe that statement.

Why do we choose anger and discord instead of love and understanding?

Manipulation instead of Trust?

Why do we choose to accuse instead of listen?

Why did we look into the face of God and puts nails in his hands, thorns on his head, and a sword in his side? I know he came to earth to do the one thing he could not do in heaven…die. But we are the ones who killed him.

As amazed as I am at God’s provision, God’s love and His miracles I am also bewildered at man’s desire for revenge, accusation and discord. When we can choose peace why do we choose war among ourselves and among the ones we said we loved? Why do we choose hate? Is it because it’s easier? I know in my own life I SOOoooo want to give into my flesh at times.

I am astounded at the capacity we have for love and for hate. We can kill or give birth. We can speak life or death. We can pray or we can seek revenge.

The natural man vs the spiritual man.

Flesh vs Spirit.

It’s a lifelong battle, has been since the beginning of time. How is LIFE lived out in my own life? Do I act in love as I say I love? Am I humble when others need something I can give? Do I give and then give some more? And then give until it hurts?

Sometimes I don’t know the answer to such deep questions. I want to be “Jesus with feet” but am I? I want to show the love that was shown to me on the cross.

And so my journey with life and with my Lord continues as it will until I meet Him face to face. Through the pain and the joy I look for His face. It’s there if I only look hard enough. And when my heart can not see Him I stand on the faith of knowing He is there even if I can’t see Him.

On one of our recent school mornings I read my kids Philippians 2:14-15. Do EVERYTHING without complaining or arguing. I did this to help them understand that God tells us this so that no one can criticize us. And I realize that not only did this apply to a situation in my own life recently where I watched arguing at it’s ugliest, but it also applies to me when I interact with my kids. Since that day I have refused to argue with them. It’s changing our lives. It’s changing mine. I’m amazed at the words our Father chooses to use. Words like EVERYTHING.

“Everything, Father?”

“Yes, everything my child.”

And that is where my trust comes in. Do I trust Him to handle the situation? Do I trust Him to look out for my best interests? Do I know He is working all things for the good of those (me) who love Him?

A work in progress…julie

3 Comments

Posted: October 7, 2010 by Julie |Category: God Breathed | Parenting | Tags: Bible, God, Living as Jesus, Loving, Phillipians 2

Field Trip Day! Yippee!

We had a wonderful visit to the Jacksonville Zoo on Monday.

I didn’t take my camera because I wanted to enjoy the day but here are a few photos from AUSTRALIA I took with my phone.

The kids loved the birds. They are called lorikeets. You can check them out here. I have to admit it was a lot of fun.

“Hello beautiful bird we’ve never seen before……”

We bought nectar to feed them. It was amazing to watch their tongues scoop it up much like a dog laps water.

Our second born was a bird favorite!!

Baby girl was not sure of them at first. All the flying around scared her but by the time the nectar was gone she was over her screaming every time one moved.

It was nice to have a day away from the class room! Go have a field trip and send me some apples if you live near the NC mountains.

Football and Other Things

The three point stance! Our lives described in four little words and all they encompass.

September and October are traditionally my family’s favorite months. College football (Go Auburn!), cooler temperatures, camp fires and looking forward to the holidays all role into one pumpkin of a good time. My youngest son turns 9 in October, we traditionally watch Saturday football around the backyard camp fire and friends come to enjoy the fellowship and belly laughing that surrounds us like smoke.

But this year with a first grader at hand I’m struggling through teaching her to read. I truly dread that part of school. I really do. I’m not good at it. Someone please come help! I want to run away!

And we’re still looking for a permanent home, separating from the one we had and grieving a home church struggling through growing pains. I’m thankful for our heavenly coach.

Lots of things are up in the air with our family, but football keeps us grounded at times. It’s consistent in an earthly sense. Like my Jesus, it’s a part of our lives. It’s what we do.

God has done some incredible things to release us from our former home where we felt nice and comfortable, as if wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket. We’ve missed it, that favorite pair of jeans feeling, but He’s leading us into the lives He has planned for us now. Not all of the experiences have been pleasant. Life has been a white knuckled struggle, emotions running high at times, energy running low, patience is lacking and a sense of home is desperately needed. God is teaching us to rest in today and today only. Like a sweet smelling flower we breath in the essence of today, of the here and now.

Sometimes I feel as if I need the pads my son wears….the helmet too. Spiritual warfare is tough work, even when resting in Him who fights for us.

Ready for action we sometimes crouch to pounce upon any earthly opponent, then remembering we fight not against any earthly object but an opponent ancient as the days themselves, we relax. There are days the peace is overwhelming and other days it’s as fleeting as a shooting star.

Today we worked on school until 4:30.

I didn’t choose to homeschool to work that long. As the boys get ready for football practice I am so thankful I made two pot roasts last night instead of one. That and some organic mac and cheese and off we go again.

When ever does life slow down?

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Posted: September 29, 2010 by Julie |Category: Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: Football, God, moving

MOSH

MOSH?

Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville, FL.

Our field trip last week. It was wonderful. They have the Narnia exhibit which was so fascinating. It felt as if we’d stepped into the movie. The lamp post, the wardrobe, the clothes…..all combined to usher us into The Land of Narnia.

We were not allowed to take photos of the exhibit since the clothes were the original ones worn on the set of the movie but it was beautiful. You’ll have to take my word for it.

I did get to take some other photos.

This is the entrance to the museum area with baby girl clinging to the lower jaw….

This is my baby girl in the life size replica of a whale who has given birth to something like 6 calves. So sweet. My womb hurts.

This is some of the sea life we got to wonder over God and his magnificant creation…….

We had a wonderful presentation about weather.

The kids loved it when our teacher made a storm cloud.

This is life at my house (yea right).

And there was a wonderful exhibit all about Jacksonville. The St Johns River is just a few miles from where we live. From Wikipedia:

The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At 310 miles (500 km) long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state’s largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than 30 feet (9.1 m); like most Florida waterways, the St. Johns has a very slow flow rate at a third of a mile an hour (0.2 km/h), and is often described as “lazy”.^[2] It is one of a small number of rivers in the United States to run north. Numerous lakes are formed by the river or flow into it, but as a river its widest point is 3 miles (4.8 km) across, spanning several miles between Palatka and Jacksonville, the latter being the largest urban area on the river. The narrowest point is in the headwaters, an unnavigable marsh in Indian River County. In all, 3.5 million people live within the various watersheds that feed into the St. Johns River.^[3]

It was a wonderful “out of the classroom” day and we had such a wonderful time. I’m so thankful for field trips!

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Posted: September 17, 2010 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Our Family, Our Lives | Tags: field trip, MOSH

Not just a football family any more!

We’ve been a football family for a long time. Whether it has been flag football or the thump of pads during fall football season, we’ve been a football family since my oldest two were able to play.

Football, football, football.

But just as having our fourth-born being born as a girl has changed our lives from trucks, bodily function noises and wrestling, she is changing the face of sports in our family too.

Today, without a single practice because we signed up late, baby girl (sniff, sniff) played her first soccer game.

She sweated. She ran. And she was a trooper in 98 degree weather.

She played as a team. She overcame her shyness very quickly. She’d never met her coach or any of her team mates.

She cheered her team on!

She waved at me from the game and grinned when she did well.

We bought pink and black cleats, pink shin guards and a pink and black bag for it all to go in. She was so proud…..her own bag of sports stuff!!

And while I missed the older boys game today there was one big brother there to support her!

I bought him a Frog Togg for the hot weather. I think he’s in love!

It was so much fun to see her trying something new, being a little scared but overcoming that fear, and enjoying herself and her team. She kept telling me she wanted to stay in the game to help her team win. I think my heart broke a little. What character God is developing in her.

And after the game? The tunnel!!! The best part for all the kids!