Homeschool Memoirs~Week 4

We are using Heart of Dakota curriculum this year for 8yr old and 5 yr old. It is a completely new curriculum to us. Rachel (8yr old) is using Bigger Hearts for His Glory and Elisabeth (5yr old) is using Little Hearts for His Glory. We are using Letter of the Week and Before Five in a Row for Sarah (3yr old) with a few other things mixed in (it can be seen on the side bar). We are really enjoying it this year and it has been a life-saver for this time in our lives. Please check it out...it is a breath of fresh air to a sometimes frazzled homeschool mom...at least this one who is 13 days from her due date! lol

Homeschool Memoirs~Week 3

We have a routine...well...kind of. I have a schedule written down but we have strayed from it quite a bit since I have been pregnant. Here is pretty much our routine right now. I am not putting times because EVERYDAY is different...that is not an exaggeration. For some reason a baby brings some sort of order back to the house...isn't that awesome! :-)

• Wake
• Breakfast
• Get dressed, brush teeth, etc.
• Chores (Bedroom, bathroom, table, and back bedroom if need be)
• School
• Play
• Lunch
• Quiet Time
• The rest of the day is pretty much free to play (inside or outside) and help me when I need it.
• Supper
• Chores (Table, back bedroom, bedroom)
• Get ready for bed (pjs, brush teeth, etc.)

That is pretty much our "routine" right now.

A few weeks to a month after the baby is born I have thought about this schedule (think "loose schedule") . Remember, this is just what I am thinking about. The baby could help me think of something TOTALLY different. :-) So, here it is...

Homeschool Memoirs~Week 2

This week's theme is about our agendas in our homeschool. Well, we started this year at the beginning of June. The baby will be here in a few weeks so I thought it would be easier to get some done earlier and take breaks when needed. Since June we have taken 2, 2 week breaks. We just finished a 2 wk break and will begin on Monday again. We are using Heart of Dakota and it is everything I could have asked for in a curriculum. It really doesn't seem like a boxed curriculum. It is more of a curriculum that is bursting with living books and activities but has it laid out for you...which I REALLY need right now. Here is what each child is doing at the moment...some days are more lax than others. I just copied it from my side bar.

Rachel just turned 8yrs old and is doing Bigger Hearts for His Glory from Heart of Dakota, Elisabeth is 5.5yrs old and is doing Little Hearts for His Glory from Heart of Dakota


S's (3yrs old)
Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready

Letter of the Week *Preparatory Curriculum*

A binder of letters, numbers, shapes & colors

Before Five in a Row

Play with manipulatives, puzzles, etc
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E's (5 yrs old)

Heart of Dakota: Little Hearts for His Glory

Math: Singapore Earlybird K Math
and using manipulatives when needed

Language Arts/Phonics: Language Lessons for Little One's: Vol 2 , Starfall & Soft Schools phonics games

Handwriting: taken from Donna Young

Reading: Starfall

History: History for Little Pilgrims

Science: The World God Made

Fine Motor Skills: Doing It Carefully

Bible: Devotions for the Children's Hour & The Beginners Bible
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

R's (8yrs old)

Heart of Dakota: Bigger Hearts for His Glory

Math: Mammoth Math & Singapore Math 2A/2B and using manipulatives when needed

Language Arts: Language Lessons for the Very Young:Vol 2
& Preparing to Build: English 2

Handwriting: taken from Donna Young

Dictation: Taken from BHFHG

Reading: Drawn Into the Heart of Reading

History: A First Book in American History & Journeys in Time

Science: Science in Colonial America

Bible: Little Pillows & The Adventure Bible for Young Readers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Family Learning Time

Art: How Great Thou Art

Scripture Memorization: Awana
and what is in LHFHG & BHFHG


Starting Monday we are only going to be doing Math, reading (aloud and self), Language Lessons, and Home Ec until a few weeks after the baby is born. Oh and believe me, there will be A LOT of outside time! :-)

I am learning that education happens when we least expect it. The more strict I was with their studies, the more I saw how much they will losing that sparkle in their eyes. Over the last few years, I have learned to RELAX when it comes to educating my children. They are making discoveries on their own, they are enjoying the adventures they are reading during their silent reading time and the read aloud times(yes, even the 3yr old...which isn't so silent, makes up stories with the books and it is ADORABLE). When you think they are just playing outside, they are making connections with the world around them and discovering all God has to offer through His creation. We do buckle down on some things like math, learning to read more proficiently, and grammar but for most things we have fun and Heart of Dakota is helping us do that.

I forgot to add that on Mondays and Fridays Rachel has softball practice and on Fridays (ends 40min before Rachel's practice) Elisabeth has ballet.

Our verses:

Ephesians 6:13-18

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Homeschool Memoirs~Week 1

Hi! My name is April. I am 30 years old and married to a wonderful man! We have been married for over 9yrs and have 4 beautiful children. I am due to have our 4th at the end of September. I love to read, sitting outside (when it isn't too hot and mosquitoes aren't eating me alive), spending time with my family and goofing off with my husband.

I grew up in South Carolina. We moved some when I was a child but always in the same town. My husband, on the other hand, was born in Germany. His dad is a retired Master Sgt in the Army. They moved around a lot. But both his mom and dad were from South Carolina as well! My husband and I met when I was 19 and he was 20. We became friends and were friends for 4mths. We started dating and 6mths later we were married! :-) It all started with a Clemson tattoo (he has one)! We were active duty army (Ranger and 82nd) after we were married but got out 2mths before our oldest was born. May of 2007, my husband joined the National Guard. He missed the military so much but loves his civilian job. So now we are a National Guard family and my husband is going to be deployed sometime early next year.

Our first daughter was born a little over 1.5yrs after we were married. I never thought of sending her to school. Since we did a lot of research on quite a few things (and prayfully considered) we knew what was right for us. So we have been homeschooling since the VERY beginning. Not everyone has been supportive but I am at the point where I am a VERY confident mom and nothing anyone says bothers me anymore. It also helps that my husband is and has always been confident in our decisions and backs me up (and down right praises) when people start to question. We don't want our children going to public or private school. We want the best part of our kids. We don't want to miss hearing them read for the first time, counting, adding, the fun projects, etc. They are only young for so long. We feel we are to be their biggest role models, not their peers. We also don't want them to be gone all day and us get them when they are grumpy, cranky and have to do homework. Our kids are to have a Christian world view and we are striving to give that to them. But, of course, none of this can be done without the grace and mercy of OUR Lord Jesus Christ. He has instilled patience in me that I never knew I had.

Our 3 oldest have activities they do also. Rachel has softball practice 2 days a week and Awana, Elisabeth has ballet 1 day a week and Awana and Sarah has Awana. They don't have to worry about getting their homework done or getting up super early to be at school. They are well rested and under no pressure to get that homework done to turn in the next day.

I love our family. Right now, our routine is out of whack but after the baby is born it will be a little more regular. I am almost 35w and it is difficult to tell how I will feel from one day to the next. Plus I am nesting like crazy and soon that will end.

Homeschool is a way of life for us. I am learning right along with our children. We wouldn't have it any other way!

Oh and here is the AWESOME curriculum we are using and it has helped me so much this year. This is the first year that I have used a "curriculum". It really doesn't seem like one, there are so many living books!

Heart of Dakota

Homeschool Memoirs!

I was sent a lovely invitation to participate in Homeschool Memoirs. There is a writing assignment every Wednesday. It is such a wonderful way to get to know other homeschool mothers on the web. Just click on the button above if you would like to see what it's all about. :-)