adventure

As you already know if you know me at all, and for those who may not, we've been mostly really relaxed in our *schooling* methods around here thus far in our homeschooling journey, and as many of you know from reading my posts lately, I've recently been going through a time of re-evaluation, per the Holy Spirit's leading. Well, since our kids are getting older, and we've so many wonderful books and studies Chris and I want to be sure the kids get to read and receive, I've been wanting to add more structure into our days again... it's that time.

We had one year (a couple of years back now) when I had a consistant routine (ie; not a schedule per say, a routine) and it was really nice, it was the year I used Sonlight with Nathan for first grade (never could stick to SL's IG schedule either! but we read the great books and did Singapore EB and copywork). I felt productive and the kids I think liked the comfort of Mom's reliability... But, having had 3 interstate moves in less than a few years' time, I feel like I'm just now beginning to find an equilibrium again...

I've begun again to seek the Lord FIRST, rather than relying upon my own strength to get through my days... This, I'm sure, is contributing to my renewed sense of purpose as well. And so, full of zeal, I made a schedule, which I'm now about to here post an addendum to. LOL! So, here's the mid-week update...and the new and improved, rearranged, livable, DOABLE version of our routine (basicly a *schedule* without the regiment of time-slots, right?)... hehehehe.

Well, I think I've re-confirmed that we are NOT able to go by a schedule! Remember? That's one of my 7 things I canNOT do, stick to a schedule very well... not for long periods of time anyways. LOL! Life just happens around here, all of our days take on a flavor and a purpose of their own, which I usually am not entirely (often even remotely) privy to until we're in the midst of it! Thus my reason for calling our schedule a "tentative schedule" when I'd posted it the other day... I know me, and our life. But the times I'd listed are still there for a reason, as they give me a goal and accountability, and something to refer to when I awaken. Otherwise, without having something to refer to visually, I'm finding that I lose alot of time/focus with the kids, and for myself... dawdling. :^) ...or reading and getting entrenched in something before I've gotten the kids on task, or covered what I need to with them first.

So, I've been planning out my weeks, and though we're not doing everything according to plan, or necessarily in the order I've arranged them on my little sheet, they are getting done! This I can live with, and everyone else can live with too. Just seeing my goals written out like that has helped me to get my days back in order, and re-establishing a routine has helped me to keep my priorities straight, ie; OFF the computer in the mornings, putting kids first instead of laundry and housework, etc.(which I tend to get bogged down in easily).

Therefore, NO, we're not keeping to the schedule that well... but YES, we're getting our AO and TQ readings, phonics and math lessons, art, music, dance, copy and memory work all done in an orderly fashion! Yipppeee....

So, what have our days been looking like? Well, here's a peek so far this week;

• Chores, breakfast
• "Family couch time" (Bible readings and discussion/prayer/journaling time) each day, morning and/or evening (Taba really likes to journal so does it 2x+ each day, whereas Nathan merely does it once)
• ~ we're just finishing reading through Genesis (Dad reading aloud in evenings), Proverbs 3, Psalms 5-8 (kids reading aloud to me during mornings;"couch time"), and we have all enjoyed the visual Matthew tremendously (while folding laundry)!
• Math games (we've been playing with a Quik Pix money game, PrestO-ChangeO and time-telling flashcards)
• Phonics ~ Rod & Staff wb's & McGuffey Speller
• Read Alouds
  
• kids reading to themselves each day ~ Nathan; Usborne Children's Encyclopedia & Eragon, Tabitha; The Black Stallion, Dr. Seuss books, and misc. Berenstain Bears books.
  
• Astronomy
• Notebooking what we're learning/doing
• We went to the library Tuesday morning with Dad (a totally spontaneous suggestion from him since he had no appointments and we had movies due back too. I found some great books for sale there, cheap!)
• Worked on Bible memory verses for AWANAS, which was tonight.
• Discussed lots of various topics the past few days, have really had some significant talks and prayers. Nathan is very eager to be baptized as soon as it warms up here (he's quite the naturalist, and insists that he must be baptized *outside* in REAL/living water, like a local lake...hey, that's kosher! And Chris, the head of our home, will be baptizing him. :^)
  

Another homeschooling friend and I drop our kids off with eachother every other Thursday. So, last Thursday I had her 4 here all afternoon, and tomorrow is her day to have my kids from noon until our boys' tap lesson from 4-5, which she'll be taking them to since it's her day. This means I have 5 hours of undivided focus time to spend doing whatever I want. I'll be painting our doors and some trim, so I'm looking forward to getting that done finally (Chris is ecstatic that I'll be working on this)!

Welp, that's about it I think...
How's your week been? You gettin' back into the swing of things?