Overbooked, hectic, busy...it all means the same!

Oh my gosh, I'm starting to feel swamped!  I like being busy, but I kinda hate being TOO busy.    I made a concentrated effort last fall to NOT sign up for too many scheduled activities, so that we could enjoy life as it comes along.  I tend to want to sign up for everything, it all sounds good, but that leaves us with running all the time (which is common for homeschoolers).   We've been there, done that, in the past, and I wanted to not have that running this year.  Plus, with Chandler attending high school at a public school for the first time, we weren't sure how that would work schedule-wise.    So the only thing we started out on our schedule was a weekly P.E./Art, on the same day, and back to back, so that was one day during school hours we were obligated for.  We had the Cub Scouts, and sports in the evenings, but evenings are not so much a problem, as school work is long over by then.

But since the start of the new year, we've dropped the Art class (using an amazing art curriculum at home, called HomeArt Studio, better then ANY live Art class we've used to date!), signed up for a different P.E. twice a week, dropped Cub Scouts (that's a whole 'nother story).   Max is now taking a once-a-week speech class at our local elementary school.  We've got dentist appointments, well-checks, and a ton of field trips on our calendar.  Add to that Chandler's baseball schedule, which is 4 nights a week, and trying to get to the Y for my own personal health journey as well as just making sure I get my money worth of the membership...life is Overbooked, Hectic, and BUSY!      I'm wishing for more "ain't gotta go no where today" kinda days.  

But even as a  I say that, I am currently mulling over participating in Classical Conversations next year.   I can't believe I just said that.  I had decided that we were done with co-ops.  We've participate in homeschool co-ops for several years, off and on.  I've found they are often a waste of time, never meeting my expectations, my boys complain about having to go, and frankly, it's exhausting.   But in my mind, I've convinced myself that Classical Conversations will be different.  For one, they follow a national curriculum plan, it's very set, unlike local-grown co-ops where moms plan a class, and often the follow through of the planned intentions is not what I am expecting.  So I don't feel that it will have the "not quite what I was expecting" challenge, because I know exactly what to expect.  I love the concept of Classical Conversations, as I'm a big fan of the overall concept of a Classical Education.   I think the theories are valid and work well.   The group I am considering will be new this year, so no pre-formed cliques.   On the other hand, that also means growing pains...people will be new to the CC ways, the teachers will be first-timers.   Does that mean yet again another issue of not meeting my expectations?  The cost is ginormous...twice the amount I've planned for the curriculum I'm wanting to use for next year.   It's going to be a whole day out of the house.   That means only four days of schooling.   Add to that the P.E. class (really want to do this, LOVE the P.E. that my boys are in..so good for them!).   Add to that any field trips, appointments, possible speech class for Max (will be determined in June if he needs to continue in the fall).   So it sounds like life will be Overbooked, Hectic, and BUSY!     Hmmm, what to do, what to do!

Mommy Words Blog Planner Review

My first task as a member of the Mosaic Reviews team was to try out and review a Blog Planner.  We had several to choose from.  At first I was not keen on the idea.  After all, I feel that I am very organized in most aspects of life, and have my life planned in detail on my iPhone calendar which can be accessed from my iPad as well as any computer.  Why go all archaic and go back to paper?   That being said, I have also been a neglectful blogger, going weeks, even months, in between posting on my blog.  As I was going through the different Planner sites we could choose from, it began to dawn on me that there IS something to this blog planning, it COULD help me be a more purposeful blogger, more dedicated, and more scheduled.  But I'm still not keen on doing alot of printing, so I found THE perfect blog planner for me from Mommy Words:
  Weekly Blog Planner by Mommy Words

I love this planner.  It's one page per week.  It has a line for each day, so you can plan out your daily posts that week, and even put what cateogory it goes  under on your blog (if you have categories, which I currently don't).


What I especially love is the To-Do list, which has such topics as Backup, Check Links, Reply to Comments, and several more.  I thought that was brilliant.   It's there and you see it every day and see it needs to be done until you check it off.  Can't get a more visual reminder than that!  Replying to Comments is a big one for me, as I get email notifications when someone leaves a comment on my blog, and I have to actually go in and approve it (keeps away the creeps!).  It'd be nice and friendly if I replied to those kind enough to leave comments :)

The blog planner has Communication-Reach Out section to list who you might need to contact that week regarding blogging. I used this space to remind myself to check out some of my friends blogs and leave comments.  In the blogging world, this is like giving a thumbs-up or pat on the back, for a blogger to know that someone is actually reading their work. 

There is also a Notes box....love this!  Random notes pertaining to my blogging and Mosaic Reviews work that may not fit into another category. 

The Blog Planner from Mommy Words was so good for me, and serves it's purpose well.  Not too much printing, so I didn't feel like I stepped back into the Stone Age, one sheet a week that was very direct and to the point, and not too many graphics/colors to eat up my ink.   Best of all, I've actually used it!  Two thumbs up!!

Compassion.

Hmm, so some updates.

My son did not make his high school baseball team.  That was disappointing for him (and for us!).   But life sometimes works that way, and it's a situation to learn a lesson from.   As we've told him, sometimes that just means you are destined for an alternate journey.   The baseball doors aren't closed for him, as I mentioned prior, he's on a travel team and is currently practicing twice a week with them.  This team will get him exposure to college scouts, in the next few years, if that is a path my son chooses to pursue.  And of course, there's always next year!

I chose to leave my prior contract for work and just focus on my newest client.  That is a huge relief, to be able to just do that one contract, and fulfill my obligations with them, versus having to split between two clients and fulfill neither obligation.  Life is so much better in that aspect.

Cold!  So I'm over the winter!!   I don't want to say it out loud, because I know come about August, I'll be over the heat, but I'm going to say it anyway.  I'm done with the cold, dreary, drizzly days we've had for the last month.  Thankful that we live in an area where winter is relatively short and mild, though, as spring should be peeking out in the next few weeks.  Did that groundhog guy say that?

I've received some new products recently to use and review with my family as a member of the Mosiacs Review team.  Excited to share with you all the juicy tidbits in the next few months!

Last week we celebrated my middle child's 10th birthday!  Can't believe he is ten!  This time of year, all the memories of being pregnant with twins, going into premature labor, having my boys in the NICU, and losing one of my babies come flooding back.   This time of year, more than any, makes me stop and reflect on life and cherish the moments that we have together.  While I would never wish my experience of losing a child on anyone, I do know that overall, it made me a better person.  I know it made me stop the race of life, and focus on the important things.  It made me more compassionate for other people, realizing that we often do not know what others are going through in life when we see them, or meet them for the first time.  I spent the first few years after my twins were born, and losing one, in a fog.  I know I probably handled many situations wrong, and didn't cope well.   Many people didn't know what I was going through after the inital days of losing my baby, didn't see through the surface of pasting a smile to my face, or didn't choose to look.   I used to be like that.  I used to judge based on the surface.  Now, I know there's so much more below that, and that is where I like to focus my attention.   Compassion is what I gained from that traumatic, life-altering experience.

Butterflies!!

I have butterflies!  Things are happening and life is turning wheels.  

This week my oldest son will be trying out for the high school baseball team as a 9th grader.  Four days of try-outs and then a decision is made.  He's calm, as always, and we've pep-talked him to just go out and do your best, play baseball like you always do, and what happens is what happens.  So we're not making a big deal about it on the outside.  He's already tried out and made a travel team, so even if he doesn't make the school team,  he'll still be playing baseball at an advanced level.  BUT all that being said, anytime your loved one is trying out for something, at the mercy of someone else's judgement and decision, it's nerve-wracking!  I just want him to achieve what he wants to achieve, and to hear "no" will be a disheartening moment for him.  Crossing my fingers and toes! 

I'm making a change in my work situation.  I do contract work, at home, with Arise Virtual Solutions.  I've been working with a client for 2 1/2 years  (we're not allowed to divulge client names online).   It's a chat project with a major electronics company, chatting with customers from the client's website, selling their products via the chat.   It's been enjoyable and it's been a paycheck but I've been kinda over it, bored with it, for a while.   In October, I took on another client, went through a month of training, and have been working with that client since.  It's a travel company and I take calls for them, selling their product.  I'm loving this one!  Problem is, both require me to work 20 hours each week, for a total of 40 hours.  I'm only able to work about 20-25 hours a week, with all else I have going on in life, so I'm not able to complete the requirement for EITHER client, instead only doing 10ish hours for each.  I'm hating that, so I've decided to give up my contract with the chat project.  Scary, because I've been doing this for so long and it's comfortable for me.  But I want to be able to focus on the travel company, complete the requested 20 hours, and actually enjoy what I am doing.   Crossing fingers and toes that this is the right choice!

Hoping to release the butterflies and untangle my extremities by the end of this week! 

Interesting details!

Wow, it's been almost 2 1/2 years since my last post.   Life got busy, life changed, and I completely forgot my plans to blog. 

My new goal is to blog at least once a week.   I'm excited to have a place to document our lives, and it's always fun to read back on the past.   I think that Facebook became that place at one point, but  I am kinda over that.  While I still check in on Facebook, I'm not so much inclined to share all of the details there.   I always feel a bit of sadness for those people who have hourly updates, day after day, on Facebook, of what they are doing, what they are thinking, every trivial thing going on.  About a year ago, I decided to cut back on my Facebook.   I still post there, mostly pics of my children, for extended family, but this blog will be my "record", I've decided.   Not to keep the whole world updated on the trivial details, but to keep a journal, of sorts, of the interesting details.

My newest interesting detail:  I have been selected to be a part of the Mosiacs Review team.  So super excited about this! I'll be receiving, using, and reviewing various products that relate not only to homeschooling, but also parenthood, humanhood, and general products used in life.   I'll be posting my reviews here.    Check back for the first review, coming soon!  Details will be interesting!!

Week Three down!

Things are going well! 

As I see family and friends posting on Facebook about their children going off to school this week, especially their Kindergarteners, I am ever so thankful that I do not have to send  my children off to school.  I love that Max will have his first official year of schooling, right here at home!    Although we have our rough days, we have so many more great days.  As my baby starts K5 this year, I also realize that my oldest son only has 5 more years until he is off to college.  I don't want time to stop, but I would like it to sllllooooowww down.

We are on the North America continent for our geography studies, and right now in the U.S.  Since we spent last year studying American history, this has been a bit of review for us.  We did have our American feast at a restaurant here called Liberty, which has a whole Statue of Liberty theme.  That was yummy!

Cooper and Max made an Native American child and teepee, as a project.    They have also been enjoying an online reading game called Reading Eggs.  Normally this would be too pricey for us, especially for two subscriptions, but we got a HUGE deal on the price at the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op. 

Chandler doing school work....not the best picture, but wanted to show he does exist, lol!

Cooper painting his Indian teepee with Watercolor crayon paints.

Max working on his teepee.

Cooper working on Reading Eggs.

Fun things are happening!

We completed our second week, and things are going well.   We worked out some schedule kinks, and the boys are enjoying having their own workspace to call their own.

I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Max working on his math.

Cooper working on some Logic puzzles.

A rare quiet moment.  Each boy diligently working on their assigment.  Love it!!

Max picking out his sticker for doing well on his handwriting.  What 5 year old doesn't love a sticker!?!

Max making the cake part of our World Cake.

Cooper putting the "ocean frosting" on our World Cake.

Chandler adding the continents, made from marshmallow fondant, to our World Cake.

World Cake, yum!

First Week Down!

We completed our first week of school for this new year!  All of the boys fell right into our school habits, and overall the week went really well.   We ramp up lightly, just doing a few subjects the first week and add in more subjects each week until we are full scale by the end of August. 

We all did our Exploring Countries and Cultures together.   We started this week with basic geography terms, learning about North/South Hemisphere, Equator, and how map makers are able to turn a map of Earth, which is a sphere, into a flat map.   Even I learned something!  Did you know that Greenland is actually much smaller than South America?  If you look at a flat map, it appears to be the same size if not bigger.  But if you look on a globe, which is more accurate, you see that Greenland is much smaller!  It never dawned on me, and apparently I had been looking at the large wall map we have had up for a few years.  Huh, ya learn something new every day!  

Cooper and Max had a little art project, creating Children of the World.  They both enjoyed it and I actually had to ask them to finish up and put it to the side so we could move on.  They would have made those children all day long!

Chandler started a literature study with the Bronze Bow.  I am happy with the thought and care he is putting into his answers.

We also signed up for our co-op classes that will be on Fridays, starting  in September.  I was nervous that we wouldn't get the classes we wanted, since we are the newbies this year and had to register after the older members.   But as it turned out, we got all the classes we wanted!

Max will take a class for K5 students for three hours, with lots of different fun activities, and one hour of Art.
Cooper will take Royal Rangers (a type of bible-based Scouts), Magic School Bus Science, Spanish and Pioneer Club (another scout type program).
Chandler will take Apologia Physical Science, IEW B (Composition), Book Club, and Wacky Math.

It should be lots of fun!

We have been busy going back and forth to Chandler's football practice four nights a week.  He is playing with the Anderson Cavaliers, http://andersonfootball.org/, which is about a 50 minute drive for us each way.  Add to that the actual 2 hour practice, and it pretty much eats up our entire evening.  By the time we roll into our garage, the boys are all hot, dirty and tired.   A quick clean-up and everyone jumps into bed.    I am thankful that we found another family who lives about 5 miles from us, and has a son on the same team.  We will start car-pooling this next week, so that will cut down that trek for us a few nights a week.

Children of the World created by Cooper and Max:

Our School Area

I have created a new schooling area this year.  Instead of one large table, each boy now has his own desk and workspace.  Have a look:

When you walk into our house, this room is to the very left, and would normally be considered the formal living room.  What a waste of space for us, as we do just live, nothing formal about it!   Perfect area for our desks! 

When you walk in the front door, this is the room to the right.  Some would call it a formal dining room, but we call it The Library, as that just sounds fancy, lol!  All books and supplies are here. 

And these two rooms are where we will be spending alot of our educational time over this school year.  

Back to School!

We started back to school on August 1st, after taking the month of July off. 
Max started Kindergarten.
Cooper started 3rd grade.
Chandler started 8th grade.

Just some of the books we will be using in our study of Countries and Cultures"



Stay tuned for news and photos about this school year's journey!