Schedule for the 2007-2008 school year

	Mommy	R	E	S
6:00 am	Wake/grooming	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
6:15	Straighten bathroom	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
6:30	Straighten bedroom	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
6:45	Devotional (protein shake)	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
7:00	Exercise	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
7:15	Exercise	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
7:30	Exercise	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
7:45	Exercise	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
8:00	Exercise	Wake	Wake	Sleep
8:15	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Wake/breakfast
8:30	Straighten kitchen	Table chores	Table chores	Table chores
8:45	Laundry	Brush teeth/straighten bathroom	Brush teeth/straighten bathroom	Laundry w/Mommy
9:00	Start school (devotional,pledge, prayer)	Start school	Start school	Play
9:15	Laundry	Handwriting	Handwriting	Laundry w/Mommy
9:30	Read Aloud	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy
9:45	Narration	Narration	Narration	Listening/play
10:00	Laundry	Straighten bedroom	Straighten bedroom	Laundry w/Mommy
10:15	Light snack	Light snack	Light snack	Light snack
10:30	Math	Math	Math	Play
10:45	Math (manipulatives)	Math (manipulatives)	Math (manipulatives)	Play w/math
11:00	History	History	History	Listen (play)
11:15	History	History	History	Listen (play)
11:30	Science	Science	Science	Listen (play)
11:45	Science	Science	Science	Listen (play)
12:00 pm	Prepare for lunch	Prepare for lunch	Prepare for lunch	Prepare for lunch
12:15	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
12:30	Bible reading	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy
12:45	Get S ready for nap	Quiet time (read pgs for DIHR)	Quiet time/quiet activities	Ready for nap
1:00	Quiet time	Quiet time	Quiet time or nap	Nap
1:15	Quiet time	Quiet time	Quiet time or nap	Nap
1:30	Quiet time	Quiet time	Quiet time or nap	Nap
1:45	Quiet time	Quiet time	Quiet time or nap	Nap
2:00	Go over DIHR w/ R	DIHR	Color	Nap
2:15	Language lessons	Language lessons	Language lessons	Nap
2:30	Motivated Mom schedule	Chores/help mommy	Chores/help mommy	Nap
2:45	MM schedule	Chores/help mommy	Chores/help mommy	Nap
3:00	MM schedule	Chores/help mommy	Chores/help mommy	wake
3:15	Read Aloud	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy
3:30	Read Aloud	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy
3:45	Vacuum (or mop)	Vacuum	Vacuum	Vacuum w/her’s
4:00	Vacuum (or mop)	Vacuum	Vacuum	Play
4:15	Light snack	Light snack	Light snack	Light snack
4:30	Specific day duties	Straighten living room/dining room	Straighten living room/dining room	Help Mommy
4:45	Specific day duties	Straighten living room/dining room	Straighten living room/dining room	With Mommy
5:00 pm	Dinner prep	TV/video time	TV/video time	Play
5:15	Start dinner	Dinner helper (mwf)	Dinner helper (tths)	Play w/other
5:30	School makeup time	School makeup time	School makeup time	Play
5:45	School makeup time	School makeup time	School makeup time	Play
6:00	Look over cooking	TV/video time	TV/video time	Play
6:15	Look over cooking
6:30	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
6:45	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
7:00	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
7:15	School makeup	School makeup	School makeup	Play
7:30	School makeup	School makeup	School makeup	Play
7:45	School makeup	School makeup	School makeup	Play
8:00	Devotional	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy
8:15	Devotional	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy
8:30	Help w/back bedroom	Straighten back bedroom	Straighten back bedroom	Help w/back bedroom
8:45	Baths	Time w/Daddy or reading	Bath	Bath
9:00	Help w/ getting ready for bed	Shower	Get ready for bed	Get ready for bed
9:15	Read Aloud	Get ready for bed/listen	Listen to Mommy	Listen to Mommy
9:30	Get S ready for bed	Lights out	Lights out	Ready for bed
9:45	Put S down	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
10:00	Alone time w/Mike or pc or reading	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
10:15	Alone time w/Mike or pc or reading	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
10:30	Get ready for bed	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
10:45	Bed time	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep
11:00	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep	Sleep

Charlotte Mason

I have been reading more and more about this extraordinary woman! I bought her 6 vol set on home education for about $22 on ebay and I can't wait to get it! Along with other things with our home school, we are going to be studying hymns, composers & artists. We were thinking about going to a guild once a week that would teach those and many other wonderful things but we thought it would be too much right now. Monday afternoons are going to be ATL Multisport and Wednesday's is Awana...those classes would have been on Tuesday's and I thought it may have been too much. I am co-director of Cubbies now and I have a lot more responsibility. I am also lead teacher, so that is something else. So the beginning of the week is already super busy.

Anyway, I am just so intrigued with www.amblesideonline.org , Penny Gardner's website, & this blog I recently discovered www.higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com -it has such a wealth of information! I can't wait to get this year started!

Well...I think I will stick to this

Many times I have changed my mind about what to use for our homeschool. I have quite a few links over on the left there and I thought I would be using them (not all the math-one of those). But under Heart of Dakota and the math I have changed my mind yet again. I don't like wasting anything that could be useful. We have a lot of books and useful curriculum here at our house. I still want to buy from Queen Homeschool though. I will not be using Bigger Hearts For His Glory. I will be using Drawn Into The Heart of Reading from Heart of Dakota. I have 1st and 3rd grade Science and History texts from BJ, and I will be using them. But we will use them as a backbone not stand alone. We will do projects and get additional books for those "units". I do need to get a math for R, I am thinking about a 3-4th grade workbook from Rainbow Resource. I also will incorporate Simply Grammar. We will do notebooking, copywork, and narration. We will enjoy God's creation. We will have an enjoyable school year! :)

Praying for a terrific Tuesday!

Mike is at work. I am praying that he is feeling ok. He forgot his lunch. I should have remembered to hand it to him. He said that he slept pretty good last night. He took 3 Goody's night time powders. I am praying that he gets a full check on Friday. This mess with the doctor's not calling Metlife back and giving the info they need is ridiculous. Those doctors have caused so many problems. Usually you hear about the insurance company causing problems but our experience has always been the doctors. But this is in God's hands now. We can do nothing about it. We have done all we can...at the moment. I have been stressed too the last few days. I don't want to fuss or yell at the children. I love them. God has entrusted me this precious, beautiful girls to teach them about Him. With all my heart, I want to do just that. God gives me peace when I am stressed. Reading His Word provides hope within my soul. I will not and cannot give in to temptation.

Today R is starting a new workbook. She has been wanting to start this workbook for a while now. It is very colorful...she likes those types of workbooks. I think Singapore Math is colorful. Maybe I should look closer at them. I will put that link up too. Mike likes MUS and R likes that they used the rods but it is so expensive. He doesn't want her to be discouraged in math like we were. We haven't looked too much at Singapore and maybe we could use some cuisenare rods with it. It would be a lot cheaper. I am really excited about Bigger Hearts for His Glory and Drawn Into the Heart of Reading. I just think that maybe I need something written out for me so I won't be stressed if I am doing it right. I know she will only be 7 this year but I think I am going to do it pretty relaxed this coming year and still get what needs to be done, done. I just need to get a phonics/reading program for E and maybe a math...she loves workbooks. But we will use a lot of manipulatives for that.

I am also really excited about this summer. It will be training time!! I will look at the habits list for Charlotte Mason. I believe I have found 2 sites of those and I will post the links. I am really optomistic. After all that has happened this year, sometimes it can be a struggle to be optomistic, but I am praying continually for that.

May this day and my life bring glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus!

Today is Monday!

Mike called in this morning. He hasn't been sleeping well at all. I bought some melatonin yesterday but it doesn't seem to be working. I am starting to think that this is strictly spiritual. The only time he has gone to church is when we were at his parent's house. That was to see their Easter play. We went without him yesterday, so it has been 3 wks of no fellowship/worship for him. He hasn't been reading his bible. The only thing he has been doing is watching UFC stuff. My heart is tired. I want my husband back. I want Satan to release his hand from him. I went and got a few groceries this morning before everyone woke up. It is 9:05 am and Mike and the baby are laying in the bed together asleep. At least I think Mike is asleep. We still have our chores to do and school to get done. I need to think like a better wife. This stuff with the withdrawal is really annoying me. I want to say, "Be a man, get over it." But I know that is from Satan and not the mind of a wife that loves the Lord. R will be done with her math book today. I have been really lax on Science and History this year. I mean, we have been reading but the activities have been by the wayside since the computer was down between October and March. I really want to do Heart of Dakota this year. I believe it will help a lot. I am buying a little at a time so the money isn't overwhelming to me. We still haven't decided on a math. I want to go to a homeschool bookstore and have R pick out a math she likes. I want to pick something for E too. We are going to do math and grammar/phonics separate and everything else together. Ooooh and I really want to implement the Language Lessons from the Queen Homeschool website. They look awesome! Sandy Queen did a great job! I am looking forward to next year...maybe my family will be like it is supposed to be. My soul longs for that. I want my husband to be the spiritual leader again. Everything is on me...everything. It is tiring. I know what it is supposed to be like to be a keeper at home (which I don't really do a good job of at the moment) but a married woman is NOT supposed to be the head of the household (spiritually or financially). Lord, guide me...show me what is supposed to be done, be silent about, and be prayed for. In Your most precious and Holy Name...Jesus...I give You all the praise and the glory.

AWANA Cubbies

I love being a leader in Cubbies! It is so amazing what makes a child light up. Yesterday we did our Special Day 4: Easter. We talked about the tomb being empty and that Jesus was alive. I believe that it is good we had the Easter day yesterday and not before Easter because a lot of children would have forgotten the REAL reason for celebrating Easter. Some of them had forgotten but we brought it back around to our Savior and what He did for us. I did the Total Teaching Time and we went over the verse Matthew 28:6 and I told a short story of when Mary Magdelene went to the tomb and that Jesus wasn't there. Then we played a game. The game was taking Easter eggs out of one bucket and put them in another. I told the children the one's who are quiet will be picked to pick an egg. They were so quiet! Their faces lit up so much when their name was called to put an egg in the bucket. Then after the bucket was empty we talked about the tomb being empty. Then I gave them each one of the eggs and told them to open them. They were empty as well and I asked them what that reminded them of and they all yelled, "The tomb!". I asked them, "Who wasn't in the tomb anymore?" They said, "Jesus!" Then I asked, "Is Jesus dead or is He alive?" They all said, "Alive!" It was a good night and I wish E was there to share it. She loves Cubbies so much. I can't wait until R & E come home!

At home with just the baby...

On Sunday, R & E went with my inlaws to their house about 5hrs away. Now, those two are my big helpers that keep the baby occupied when I am doing something. So I was a little apprehensive about them leaving...just a little. It has been a little difficult without them here but we are managing. I haven't started the MASSIVE cleaning projects I wanted to start but I am getting there. The one thing that is REALLY difficult to get used to is that it is sooo QUIET! We will pick them up on Friday so I won't get too used to it. I miss hearing their voices.

The Birth of Sarah Nicole

The Birth of Sarah Nicole

For a few weeks I had been having bhc and they were getting a little more closer together, harder, and uncomfortable. The Thursday before I was 37wks I was 3cm, 75ffaced and soft, so we thought labor would start soon. Over the next few weeks, the contrax didnt start hurting at all, so I thought they were still bhc. At about 38-39wks, Mike and I tried everything to stimulate labor. We had sex, I ate VERY spicy food, and I walked A LOT! I still went to church and did all of my normal activities. The last week before my due date Mike didnt want me going anywhere alone (without him) in case labor started. On June 19th, Fathers Day, we still went to church, both Sunday school and worship. Everyone was amazed I felt good enough to be there, I was too and that was starting to really frustrate me. I thought that if I started feeling more miserable then that meant SOMETHING was happening. The day before (on Saturday) I was praying to God and asking Him why nothing was happening and to please give me a sign that labor was starting, pain, water breaking, SOMETHING. All He told me was that something was happening and that I wouldnt feel any pain until she was about to be born. All I thought was Yeah right! Ok back to Sunday, Fathers Day. I was feeling great! Mike and I had sex to see if that jump started anything. Well, night came and nothing. We put Elisabeth to bed and Mike and Rachel fell asleep on the couch while we watched a movie. I went to bed about 10:30pm. At about 1:30am on June 20th, my due date, a contraction woke me up. All I thought was, Ooh, that didnt feel too good. I went to the bathroom to see if that helped, I saw streaks of blood when I wiped and after that on the way to the living room to wake Mike up I had another one. I woke him up and asked him to come to bed in case another one woke me up and he could massage my back. We both laid down but I popped back up, there was another contraction. Mike told me to come back to bed to sleep during the contractions but I told him I couldnt right then. I tried leaning on my birth ball but that lasted for about 15 sec. I asked Mike if we should call my parents (who wanted to be there for the birth) and my midwife but Mike said that he thought we still had some time. I went to the bathroom again and I peed A LOT(it was just pee) and I started having diarrhea. So I thought we still had some time. . I came out of the bathroom and went to hands and knees position because I was having another one. This was about 1:45am. I started moaning pretty loud and I was right beside Elisabeth, who was sleeping on the floor by our bed. I got up right away and peed and had diarrhea again, plus another contrax and more bleeding. I dont really remember getting on the floor in the bathroom but I did. I was on my side, perpendicular to the tub. I was using the tub and hamper as counter pressure for my legs. I started moaning pretty loud and Mike said VERY stern to me, Do you want to go to the hospital?! He thought I was overreacting and we didnt know I was as close as I was. He has since apologized. I just told him to call my midwife and get me something to drink. Actually I yelled it. That was the last time I remember feeling pain. I started singing Trading My Sorrows and Victory Chant. I was also reciting Phil 4:13. I did all of that over and over again. All of a sudden, I decided to try to feel her head and I could! I told Mike, who was on the phone with my midwife, that I could feel her head. But when he came in, the contrax had ended and she went back up. So he left the bathroom to get more chux pads (Thank the Lord we got them Friday). My midwife was still about 45min away. I called him back in and said I felt her head. He looked at me and said to my midwife, Well, her head is out. I wasnt even really pushing, I dont even remember pushing, but I do remember coughing. This is what Mike told me that he and my midwife were talking about. She told him to check for a cord and when he did her chin popped out, then she cried, then her shoulder and then all of her @ 2:12am, 42 min after my first contraction. Mike wrapped her in a towel and handed her to me. She looked just like Rachel but with dark hair. Well, I thought the placenta was coming and I pushed but it was a large blood clot. I passed 2 of those. My midwife wanted us to call 911 because she couldnt assess the bleeding over the phone and she was still about 30min away. Before she and Mike got off the phone I delivered the placenta. Mike hung up with 911 when the EMTs got there. He got back on the phone with my midwife. The EMTs asked me which hospital and I looked at Mike and asked, Do I have to? and he said yeah. The ONLY picture we got at home was when they were about to wheel me and Sarah out of the bedroom on the stretcher. We wish the birth environment in Georgia was better because then we could have asked the EMTs to look and check my bleeding and if it was ok I would have just waited for my midwife. My midwife would have to double back to get to the hospital so Mike told her to go home and get some rest and come see me later that day. Our neighbors were walking over as I was about to get in the ambulance. They knew we were having a homebirth. They looked scared and I told them everything was ok, that I just had her REALLY fast. This was the first time I had been in an ambulance. Sarah started nursing on the way to the hospital and nursed for about 45min. The EMTs were great and so were the L&D nurses. I did have a 2nd degree tear, but just bottom one (had top and bottom with Elisabeth). Everyone in L&D called me their hero and everyone in the hospital kneweven the janitors! While the L&D nurses were cleaning me up, they asked if I knew how much Sarah weighed. I said no and they told me that she weighed 9 lbs 11 oz! I couldnt believe it! They just said wow and with no meds. I thought they were lying. They measured her too and she is 21 in long. We just cant believe how big she is. I didnt stay at the hospital 24hrs. I signed an AMA and was released about 15hrs after I was admitted. Which to Mike, my midwife and me we that it was too long considering Sarah and I were doing great! The ped released her at 10am but she still stayed with me.

It makes me feel a little weird that they called me their hero and that I am some woman because I didnt do anything on my own. I could not have done this without Jesus. Mike was so calm and that helped me a lot too. Well, thats about it. Mikes entire vision about labor and birth has changed so much. He wouldnt change the birth for anything and neither would I (except the tearing part). It is still so surreal. Mike wasnt too excited about this pregnancy and we believe this was the Lords way of bring excitement and bonding with our 3rd child. We are truly blessed and praise God everyday.