MY Preschool/Homeschool 101 (WIP) Learning together

Have you ever thought about Homeschooling?

Did you entertain the idea long before your little one was even old enough?

I have considered the idea for quite awhile. I have 3 daughters. They are quite spread out in age. 

19 years, 14 years and my littlest will be 4 next week!

Wow! 4 years old...NEXT WEEK!

I've been a stay at home momma and have always tried to do the basics, as most parents do. A,B,Cs..1,2,3s, write their name, know the colors and shapes, etc but I always feared they would be behind every other 5/6year old starting out in Kindergarten.

Can she count as high as Susie?

Does she read as well as Hailey?

Sure, I'll get daily or weekly reports from teachers and hopefully will be notified of any concerns throughout but, I'm not there to monitor their every lesson progress. Do we really know what they are being taught??? Or how they average out. I know here in Ohio there are crazy tests and requirements. Dates and data. Black and white score sheets to tell you and your government just how your child is fairing in the oh so wonderful public school systems.

I mean everything is based off of these scores. Teachers salaries, grant money, school supplies, etc.

Every day, every year this world gets crazier...scarier!

I honestly worry about whether my child will be taught based off of how much money and help her school receives! How sad is that?

And so many more concerns...

peer pressure, exposure, bullying..

Not that they live under a rock or won't have to live in the "real world" but I would like a good chance to explain and really teach them...My way? I don't know, just maybe give them a fighting chance before we throw them to the wolves!

I'm am an admitted control freak so maybe this is a somewhat selfish choice(I know I will hear it anyway). I do plan on educating myself before I jump in with both feet, but while I do still have almost 2 years(before Kindergarten) to figure this out; I am dipping my foot in the puddle to see how we do.

So, here is my pre-journey...

I am trying to find, research, save, pin, print and read anything and everything I can to get a good idea of what will be required of me, as a preschool/homeschool teacher!

There are so many wonderful resources out there today. This is one of the great uses of the internet!

Before, I jump into that, here is my super enthusiastic three year old, ready to learn!

Isn't she the cutest?

And she already has her own desk!!

My wonderful Mamaw has given us an antique desk. It is in wonderful condition!

I'm talking Laura Ingalls looking(ink well holder included) and it is amazing! She loves it!

Recourses:

I am trying to get started with a few free and basic printables and there are TONS on the web!

You can find whole lesson plans, themed plans(Christmas, Fall, Animals, etc), even personaliz-able worksheets to practice writing their name.

I'm telling you the free resources are endless!

Here are a few of my favorites that I have found.

From Pinterest:

Mommy Is My Teacher

Kingdom First Homeschool(Christian based)

Preschool Mom (great flash cards)

I also love these:

The Relaxed Homeschool

The Measured Mom

So, here we go on our homeschool journey.

I hope we can learn and thrive together. I will likely try to do a weekly update and continue to share any new resources that I find. 

Please!!!

Share any and all that you know of or come across. Mommas need all the help we can get!

I hope we can support and encourage each other!

Keep the coffee hot and the minds open!

This is my Work In Progress...Homeschooling

Happy Wednesday

I am "Vacation" cursed!

I'm not even kidding.

It happens every time without fail!

I'm to the point that I don't know if I need a Re-Vacation, like a do over or if I should just give up any traveling over a two hour drive because that seems to be our "trigger point"! Two freakin' hours and after that it is doomed!

Under the circumstances of our living arrangements, you would think a two hour away trip would be like going to Disneyland! Well, so did I!

Before I get into this last weekend get away let me re-cap the South Point, Ohio softball tournament trip at the end of July.
Originally, we(ME) were planning a weekend stay-cation to a little lake resort about...you guessed it, two hours away in Lathem, Ohio.
We were trying to plan dates, save money, make sure EVERYONE had those days off, etc.
Well, then our Dynasty girls kept winning, and won all the way to a place at state...the SAME weekend we had pre-planned our trip.
So, re arrange to a trip to a different spot...two hours away!
Now, one kid doesn't want to go because that is boyfriend's birthday weekend.
So, down 1 kid + boyfriend...
We head out to State tournament...
Nightmare from the beginning!
Our hotel SUCKED!!!
I'm talking middle of demo/rehab, no pool, no continental breakfast, no clean towels...I could go on and on.
Then due to a huge lack of communication and us being at a different hotel as the rest of the team(another story), we didn't know D #2 had to be to the field 3 hours before her game, so when we do find out, and we are already late! Sean decides to get us there...faster, going 83 in a 55mph zone!
So, that cost us $216!!!!! Obviously, we(ME) hadn't put THAT in the budget! So, everyone is stressed, tired, aggravated. The rest of the trip was spent either giving each other the silent treatment or just being snarky at each other and hating everything! Not to mention I had had the WORST toothache in history all weekend and lived off of liquids, Orajel and ibuprofen.

Now, on to this weekend!
I thought finally! FINALLY!
We are going to Kentucky! Oh my glorious Kentucky!
My little cousin turned 3 years old and I ALWAYS try to make it this ONE weekend out of the year!

So, we ALL get to go. All 3 of my kiddies with us!! Super YEA!
I've got the plan, I've got the budget, I've got it all packed, loaded. Car gassed up, hotel ready!
On the road!!!
Sweet Bliss...or as blissful as it gets with Sean driving and me navigating.
Friday we head out!
Traffic wasn't horrible, everyone is rested, fed and content!
Hotel was great(other than pool down for maintenance).
Saturday we head out early enough to run by the store , head over to cousin house. Visit awhile before party, see/play with chickens, etc. then follow everyone to the party...
Go to leave hotel...
Our car won't start...OUR CAR WON'T START!
Nope, just a click...
Nothing.
Get a jump, good to go...
Get to store, run in and spend $24 on nonsense!
Come out...
Click, click....
Car won't start
So, Sis to the rescue, new battery...
We're out $120
$120  for a battery to our 2008 Dodge mini van...
This ain't no joke y'all

So, no visit with family, no family lunch, no quality time...no extra time/money to do much of anything.
Except!! LOL, of course!
Check out early and rush back home for....
A double header today! Yup, 2 games, back to back! Lovely! #softballislife

I AM VACATION CURSED!

Expectation..I could've stayed here all day! Heck, I could live here.

Reality!

I'm not saying we didn't have some good times. And I'm always blessed. No matter how crazy and unexpected this life gets. I wouldn't trade time with my family for anything.

But, seriously?!?!!?

What's a girl gotta do to get a decent VACATION??? If I don't laugh, I'd just curl up and cry!

Lol, Love and blessings always!

Too blessed to stay stressed.

Thursday. This, That, and the other...

Where did Wednesday go???

Hello, 

 I guess I should be totally bummed that I missed my weekly Wednesday(WIP) post and I do apologize. I hate missing anything planned or scheduled. I'm sure you all are devastated there wasn't anything new to read on here. Again, I apologize. 

Yesterday kind of started out lazy and relaxing(which was super nice) but then as usual, got crazy busy and time just flew. I finally decided, no post was better than a crappy one written in my exhausted state with a three year old who didn't settle down until around 1 am...Which technically means I would have missed Wednesday anyway.

Although I did get a few things accomplished yesterday.

First off, I wanted to share in my excitement! I received my very first international mail!!

I didn't actually receive it yesterday, but I did manage to grab a few pics, get them loaded, edited and reread my letter and enjoy my "fun mail". 

As, I've told y'all before one of my dear friends lives over in England and we have decided to also rekindle the lost art of pen palling! It is so wonderful to get real letters! Sure, we chat online, do video chats and IM but it isn't the same. I love having a letter I can cherish and look back on years from now. And her penmanship is AMAZING! It is quite an inspiration. We definitely need to bring back real handwriting classes here folks. This girl is putting our school system to shame in one 4 page letter!

I also managed a trip to the store to add to my "stash". I admit, I am addicted to yarn/wool! I have become the "one more skein" girl every time I go out. Although I am actually using it and learning a lot of new tricks and "patterns". I have a craft fair that I will be participating in coming up in November at a local church so I do actually need things to sell! 

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

These are my newest project. They are super cute and so easy to make!(And, they actually work!) Even I got the whole pattern figured out, start to finish and have about 6 of them made up!

Here is where I found this quick and free pattern! >>Bath Scrubby Pattern

And as usual... You know I have been reading something!

This is book #1 in a trilogy and so far I'm liking it, not love but it is a nice easy read.with a good bit of history(my fave).

Accidentally Amish: Valley of Choice #1

Hope y'all have a blessed weekend. Happy blogging and happy reading!