Homeschool: Week Three

It's been a great week. Everyone's stress levels are way down! Taking the leap to homeschool again was the best decision we could of made as a family.. We are learning a lot about our children that we were missing out on. Their learning styles and interest vary drastically. We are learning a whole new routine which is working out pretty good so far. Getting the Tiny Tornado to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time has posed a challenge, but I'm working on new strategies to keep his attention focused. I  found some really wonderful FREE websites via Blogs, Google, and Pinterest we have been testing out with the boys. We are making up our own curriculum, Hackschooling I believe is the new term. We are checking out a great local co op and hope to begin the next class session. We've got some field trips planned out. Projects to build. Science Projects. Plants to grow. Things to discover. Books to read. Piano Lessons and Art.
I love it that they are so eager to learn.
It's a much more relaxed atmosphere now. The hostility is gone.
Chores and even most of my housework is getting completed. That was a huge concern taking on schooling the boys full time. I actually find the kids helping more. Seems they are finally taking a little responsibility and understand that it takes everyone pitching in to get the job done.
I'm not as stressed. There's not as much yelling and fighting between the boys. I find them sitting quiet together in one anothers room playing and working together.  

I have to say these last few weeks have really been great!  

These years are flying by...savor every minute.

♥♪♫•.•°*°•.¸¸♥. PEACE and LOVE .•°*° ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ 

 Wendy

The Secret of a Good Day

The Secret of a Good Day

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years...
Is that the secret of a good day is … me.
I try to keep in mind this quote by German writer Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe:

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized.

If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

♥♪♫•.•°*°•.¸¸♥. PEACE and LOVE .•°*° ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ Wendy

Back to "School"

We decided after Christmas break from school that we would go back to homeschooling the boys. It was the very best decision our family could of made. I'll spare ya all of the gory details, but at some point I thought things were going to get ugly. I was NOT sending them back to public school and that's all there was to it!
We actually started "school" last week, but yesterday was the first day back at PS. So we really hit the books hard yesterday and tried to cover our "core" subjects. They greatest feeling yesterday was NOT having to wake 3 grumpy boys up at 6 am and deal with the screaming and fighting for an hour and a half...waddling through the muddy drive to get to the bus only to be bullied, kicked, hit, and spit on. Then the massive after school meltdowns and fighting. I do believe they were acting out what was being done to them.
The kids all behaved themselves. We got EVERY subject done with down time. I even got 2 visitors yesterday!
We figured out one needs harder Math and one needs harder reading. That is GREAT!!! 

Tiny tornado wrote his name FINALLY!!! It was such a productive and exciting day!
 I know not everyday will go this smooth, but life def isn't as stressful anymore and that makes this Momma HAPPY and in return EVERYONE will be happy ;0)
! I am in LOVE with this slower paced life we have just recreated for ourselves. The kids are getting along!!! (((KNOCK ON WOOD)))) Chores are getting done! and they are all picking things THEY want to learn more about. We are "hackschooling". They are so eager to learn! I'm doing my Happy Mommy dance!



♥♪♫•.•°*°•.¸¸♥. PEACE and LOVE .•°*° ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ Wendy

2013 A Year to Remember

The start of November folks everywhere online were posting the daily "What I am Thankful for". I was trying to avoid Facebook and going out of the house. The leaves have mostly all died off and fallen, hibernation mode was kicking in.  I started to reflect on the past year. The good, bad, and the ugly. It was a major struggle at times to find peace within myself and see the light at the end of tunnel. I had to remind myself over and over that this too will soon pass. And it always did. The dark clouds didn't stay for long, but at the moment in time seemed forever.
 Looking back through my Facebook photo albums from the past year, I'd have to say with all the things that went wrong, deaths, and even a family misunderstanding with no communication for months, this year has been a  pretty good year. I'm trying to count my Blessings, even the ones in disguise. To learn, and grow from each life  experiences.
We always seem to have a great time together as a family. It's a little crazy and loud, and anything can and will happen. That is what makes our life special. The quality time spent together as a family. Family means everything to me.  Both my parents come from a large family, each being one of eight. I always knew I wanted a big family myself. The memories of the holidays, celebrations, and large family gatherings, were the best ones of my childhood. The laughter, the cheers, the closeness. I loved everything about it.

After a wonderful New Years eve with friend and family on the farm we had a relaxing casual New Year's Day. 

We started a memory jar to read on News Year's eve 2013. 

January started off cold, blustery, and busy. I took my mother to see Wicked at the beautifully historical  Fox Theater in St. Louis, Mo.

 My first grandchild was born (my son was able to be there via Skype while deployed as we were stuck waiting on our flight due to storms), we flew out for her birth (my 1st time ever flying)

We missed Monster Jam this year for the first time in a decade. We missed our flight back  to St. Louis.  Lots of wood chopping, exploring, lounging ,learning,  baking, and staying warm.

 In February GI Joe came back from a 9 month deployment from Afghanistan.

I had a very special Valentine's date with all my guys.

 March we started getting our Nursery order and organic seeds in mail.

The garden planning and planting started.

April the got the gardens tilled, planted and ready to grow. We got spring chicks to raise, even got some bad storms,  house damage, and flooding.  Easter dinner on the farm spent with family.

 We did some much needed minor home  improvements and put up fencing around the farm. We got a new goat to keep Skittles company, five pigs to raise for food. Built an outdoor range for the chickens. BUSY BUSY BUSY.

We homeschooled through the Summer learned alot about Ancient Egypt, did some awesome science experiments, and  took a few fun and exciting short trips.

Big Daddy and I even got a WHOLE day to ourselves! DATE!!! We went to the Illinois State Fair for the day did some wine tasting, shopping, sight seeing, and pigging out!  Seen John Mayer and Philip Phillips. GREAT show!

Coops and pig pens

Father's Day

Family pics

Annual Luau Party

We even managed to take a few camping/float trips through out the summer on Dad's long weekends.

4th of July we went camping


July visit with the kids

Football... Football... Football... Poor Daddy ran and ran with virtually no sleep it seemed for months.


The boys decided they wanted to go to public school...so off they went. They have since decided that after the holidays they are going back to homeschooling after some issues at school.

Nate's Pirate Party ~ This was such a fun party to plan and host

It seems the craziness really got crazier in September. Most days I felt like I was loosing my mind. I went back to work and we had two September Birthdays. I got to do a really COOL Pirate party and an Airsoft battle/camp out with an outdoor movie and bonfire.

Football and Soccer games and practice. We were passing ourselves coming and going.



Oh October baby...I thought the deaths were never going to end. One right after another, each so young. I didn't even get out of bed most days. That was a really ruff month for me personally. I had a terrible bought of depression hit and hit hard.

Pat and Gabe had their Birthdays. Gabey turned 6.He got a pot belly pig, Wilbur and we had a "Minecraft" party with a few of his friends. (I didn't get to make most things I had planned because of my work schedule.)  I lost my job.
Halloween

Jaxon's Apple picking field trip

Apple picking with the Family

Jaxon's Pumpkin Farm field trip

Canning Apple sauce

 The hubby and I got a nice night out for anniversary with a great group of friend to see a Burlesque show.
Christmas was pretty good. All of the kids were home =0)

Happy new Year!

A lot took place. A lot of things changed. We grew. We learned. We laughed. We cried, but
♥ Although we may not have it all together...together we have it all. ♥

♥♪♫•.•°*°•.¸¸♥. PEACE and LOVE .•°*° ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥

 Wendy