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homeschooling plans changing just bit..

Written by Joy
10 Comments

I am sure you are all just about tired of hearing about us moving to Colorado.  I know I am!  I am so ready to be there!  So I thought I would talk a little about how our homeschooling will look for us when we first get to Golden, CO.  You see, we will be living in a vacation rental for a month, or until we can find us a more permanent place to live.  That means that the majority of our school books are boxed up and in a storage unit until then.  So what will we be doing for school until then? Well, I am so glad you asked!  {grin}

Thanks to an awesome homeschooling blogging buddy of mine, we will be approaching the first 4-6 weeks slightly different.  To begin with, we will be covering the state history of Colorado and the town history of Golden, CO.  It will be good to learn all about the place that we will be calling home.  We will be taking field trips to local historical places in town, as well as finding the library, police and fire stations and any science or history museums in the area.  We will also be covering geography and science by learning all we can about the Rocky Mountains.

I have packed a couple of small boxes with our math, spelling and bible study books.  For math, my oldest daughter will finish up her Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra, while the younger two kids will finish up their Bob Jones math books.

We will be using a new spelling book this year for the younger two kids.  The Natural Speller is recommended with the Illuminations program that I will be using by Bright Ideas Press.

As for the bible study, we will finish up the Esther book we started last year.  We got side-tracked and I never finished it with the kids.  They loved doing this study, so I am excited to begin it once again.

I also packed up the See The Light art curriculum DVD’s.  My youngest son just asked me the other day when we could begin this again.  I am so happy that we have found an art curriculum they love!

So as you can tell, we do have some great ideas to get us started.  While it isn’t everything that we will eventually be using, I am happy that we will be able to do something not long after we arrive.  My kids thrive on a routine and we have been out of one for far too long.

I was so excited when Honey mentioned those ideas to me about studying the state and local history with the kids once we arrived.  It will help us get acquainted with the area, as well as get one some sort of routine with our schooling.  A win-win for all of us!

We will also be meeting up with a new homeschool group that I have been in contact with.  They will have their first park day on August 9th.  We will also be checking into the extra-curricular activities that the kids want to be involved with.  This includes finding a new dance studio, musical theater company and a recreation league for sports.  I don’t know why I was so worried about jumping right into school, we will have plenty to keep us busy the first couple of weeks!

Once we get settled next week in our temporary rental, I plan on sharing with you all the rest of the curriculum we will be using.  I am truly excited about it this year as I am stepping away from a lot of the traditional textbooks and workbooks.  This is truly going to be an interesting year with all the new adventures that we will have!

Do you have any special studies planned to begin your new school year with?

2012, homeschooling, , , , , , , , , , , ,

blessing bags and boxes

Written by Joy
blessing bags and boxes

As you know, moving can be rough one the family, especially the children.  There is so much to do, that sometimes the kids can get looked over when you start going through the belongings in the house.  I have 4 children and they are all at different stages on their lives at this moment.  Our oldest son is 19, oldest daughter 14 and then the youngest two are 6 and soon to be 8 in just a couple of weeks.  The oldest two do understand why we are moving and are handling things pretty well, considering.  However, the younger two kids are having a little more difficult time with the move.  They  do not understand why we have to leave our home, their friends and this area.  They have especially become a little clingy to things as we have been trying to purge and lighten the load before packing everything up.  This is how the blessings bags and boxes have come in handy!

So what is a blessings bag or box?  It is just a simple garbage bag or a cardboard box filled with items that we no longer need and want to bless others with.  My youngest daughter is a girly girl and loves her clothes.  However, we just had way too many of them.  Once I explained that we would be giving the clothes to other little girls in need, she had no problem with sharing her clothes.  The same happened with her shoes and toys.  Our youngest son would have given everything of his away if we had let him!

So far, the kids and I have given away 7 boxes of books, 6-7 bags of clothing, a box of shoes and a couple of boxes of toys.  We have felt good unloading the items we no longer need, in hopes of someone else possibly needing them for their children.  This has also been a good way to include the kids in the move.  It is tough to begin with, with so many changes going on, yet when you let them help, it helps them feel good about themselves.

How do you help your children with a major change in their life, like moving?  I would love for you to share your ideas with us.

2012, family, , , , ,

so thankful and blessed… #942-950

Written by Joy
so thankful and blessed… #942-950

As our official move date quickly approaches and we continue to purge and pack, I have been so thankful and blessed by the outpouring of love, support and help, as we prepare for the next step in our journey.  God has truly blessed us with so many wonderful friends.  From the offers of helping us pack, to the offers of play dates and sleepovers, to all the many prayers that they have lifted on our behalf.  I thank God daily for you all!  You have truly helped ease my mind and heart with all of your thoughtful offers.

Proverbs 20:6

6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?

I have found many faithful friends and I just pray that I can return all of the love, help and support that has been given to our family.  Yes, I am thankful and blessed for you all.

942. friends who will pray with you and for you.

943. friends who offer to keep my kids for the day.

944. friends who have allowed my children to have a sleepover.

945. friends who have given us money/gift cards for our traveling.

946. friends who have given us cards, written with words of love and encouragement for our family.

947. the wonderful going away ice cream social that they church held for our family.

948. friends who come to say goodbye, but then stay and help me purge and pack.

949. friends who call to make sure you are doing okay.

950. friends who won’t say goodbye, but say, “Until we meet again!”

I would love for you to join me and the others linking up at A Holy Experience. We would love to see how God has blessed you and your family.

2012, multitude Mondays, , , , ,

saying goodbye is never easy…

Written by Joy
6 Comments

We moved to North Carolina just 7 1/2 short years ago.  In this time we added a 4th child, bought a house, graduated a son from high school and made many wonderful friends.  We helped organize a homeschool support group and joined an amazing church that has become like family to us.  Now it has come time for us to say goodbye and move on to a new season in our life.

Ecclesiastes 3

3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

The kids have been busy having play dates and sleepovers.  I have pretty much been a yes mom the whole month of July.  I have just wanted the kids to know that their friends do love them and will miss them.  It isn’t easy saying bye.  However, it is a part of life that we sometimes have to go through.  Change can be good, even if you don’t see it at the time.  The kids are having the biggest problem with this, especially the younger two.  They don’t understand why we have to move.  We just keep being upbeat and positive about all the new adventures that we will be having.

Saying goodbye has been hard for me, too.  I have come to love this area and the people in it.  Yes, I know that God has a plan for us.  It is meant for us to go to Colorado.  We will listen to Him and obey, no matter how hard it is.  God is in control and will take care of us.  In the mean time, I will cry when I give hugs and say goodbye. I will hold my kids, love on them and tell them that it is okay to be sad and okay to cry.

I will also tell the kids that God is holding them.  That it is important to listen to God and not only listen, but to obey Him.  God will send us new friends and new activities to do.  As long as we keep listening, obeying and glorifying Him, He will give us comfort and peace. I know that God has great plans for our family.  We may not know 100% sure what they are just yet, but we have our ears, minds and hearts opened, ready to do His will.

Jeremiah 29:11

11  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

In the meantime, I am clinging to His holy words. We still have some purging and packing to do, but will be ready to pull out this next Wednesday morning.   So as our family takes this next step in our journey, please keep us in your prayers.  Prayers for peace, comfort and safe travels.  Blessings.

 

2012, family, , ,

an early birthday party…

Written by Joy
4 Comments
an early birthday party…

Our youngest son will be turning 8 in a few weeks.  When he found out we would be moving, he was sad that we wouldn’t be here to celebrate his birthday with his friends.  So what is a mom to do?  We had an early birthday party!

Singing happy birthday to him! He was so shy and was trying to hide his face.

Thrown together in less than a week, we had cake, ice cream, chips and drink at a local park.  Our son had been sick the week before and still wasn’t feeling all that great.  He didn’t even eat any of his cake or even go to the playground to play, but that didn’t stop his wonderful friends from hanging around the pavilion and talking with him.

He will miss this group of friends.  He has grown and been homeschooled with this kids for the past 7 years.  However, we will always have these precious memories of days like this.

Sammy and friends.

2012, family, Uncategorized, , ,