Decisions, Decisions

So, it is that time of year.  We are wrapping up one homeschool year and I am starting to plan the next one. This first year of homeschooling went pretty well but being the curriculum junkie that I am I am looking at switching some subjects up for next year.  We will still be doing Classical Conversations. I will have kids in Foundations, Essentials, and Challenge A. Challenge is pretty much self contained so there is not as much planning to do for that one.   My younger two are a whole different story. I am not satisfied with the amount of literature we did this past year so I am looking to add in a curriculum that incorporates more literature and that makes me do more science and history.  My Father's World is appealing to me but I just can't make up my mind.  I need someone to tell me exactly what to do.

Homeschool Swapping Adventures

I have found what looks to be an amazing opportunity to put a little fun in our homeschool while learning about other states and countries.  There is a group on Facebook called Homeschool Swapping adventures that looks to be oh so much fun. They have a variety of different swaps going on all the time ranging from a simple postcard swap to a Geo-Swap or even a Flat Stanley type of swap along with other swaps for different holidays and such. We just sent out our first postcards and are gathering items for our first Geo-Swap.  I got the kids state and country fact books so that each time we receive a new piece of mail we can study the state or country and color it in on our map. I will be sure to post some pictures as our items come rolling in.

Life

      So, we are coming upon the end of our first year of our new homeschooling adventure.  This has been such a learning experience for all of us. The kids have had to learn how to be at school while at home and I have had to relearn how to be with my kids all day every day.  Add to that being in a new place thousands of miles from family and you have our last 8 months.  All in all it has been great. We have learned so many many things about being a family....together.
       Hawaii is AMAZING. I can not even express how much we love it here.  We love the weather. Who wouldn't love spring year around?  We love the scenery.  I have seen so many amazing places since we arrived.  We love the people.  The people here are so welcoming and I truly admire their sense of family and community.  The only thing I can think of that we don't love is being so far from our families.
      Homeschooling has been such a great experience for us. There have been some really rough days when I have felt like there was no way I could keep doing this or that I was scarring my kids for life.  However, most days have been a time of learning for both the kids and I.  It has been eye opening in regards to how I now see our public education system. I have always felt that my kids received a good education and were at good schools. Also, I held tight to the old standby, "I went to public school and I am just fine". Now I see things a bit differently.  While I still think my kids went to good schools I have also realized that one teacher can never teach 28 kids as thoroughly as I can teach three. I know my kids and their strengths and weaknesses much better than any teacher could no matter how good they are.  I also don't have to teach to a prescribed standard. I can teach them what I think they should learn (within reason) and let them dwell in the areas they love (within reason).  I am also seeing the gaps left in being taught within the confines of a test for so many years.  Will we homeschool (I prefer home educate) all the way through high school?  I don't know.  I do know that I plan to make the best of these years I have left to teach and learn with my kids.
       Next up in the chaos of my life is making decisions concerning next year.  What curriculum? What supplies? What records?  What field trips? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

Starting Over

So, I have obviously dropped the ball on my 365 yet again this year. I am going to take this as a sign that it is just not meant to happen and that I am meant to take this blog in a different direction.  With homeschooling, baseball, and just life in general there are many days I forget to eat much less take a picture.  I still love photography and plan to share my favorites here but not every day.  I am going to just play it by ear and see how this evolves. There is no telling what you may read about in the coming days.

1-4-2013 Day 4

Sorry about the quality of this picture. It was taken with my phone. In the last year or two I have been teaching myself how to crochet.  Since we have moved here we have discovered many locally made soaps but I hated losing the last little slivers or chasing it around the tub when I dropped it.  I saw a pattern for a soap saver so I decided to try it. It turned out pretty good.  I made it for my husband but he wasn't too impressed. His comment was, "I prefer washcloths," so I guess this one will go to a lucky friend or child. His loss :)

1-3-2013. Day 3.

When we moved to Hawaii we learned that pineapples are actually really easy to grow so now anytime we eat one we replant the top.  The first two we did in planters and the rest we just plant in the landscaping somewhere.  This was the first one we planted.  Pineapples take as long as 18 months to mature so we are at least 11 months from seeing a pineapple but are enjoying watching it grow.

1-2-2013 Day 2

Moss grows on everything here. I think its the dampness and constant humidity.  It's always so cool looking if you look closely. 

1-1-2013 Day 1

This is the Makapu'u Lighthouse. We hiked up here New Years Day.  Even on a cloudy and dreary day it was still beautiful from the top. This is the time of year when the whales arrive and this is one of the best places to see them. We didn't see any today but are planning on returning another day with some binoculars and hopefully more luck.

It's a new day....

Well, I totally failed at my 365 last year so I am going to give it one final go this year.  Living in Hawaii, I have a plethora of subject matter and amazing weather year around so let's see if I can finish a year out for once.  Welcome back to my life and I hope you enjoy the show.

Day 19

I love lone trees. There is something about seeing them that makes me want to sit underneath them and ponder deep thoughts.  This one is in a new part of my subdivision where is is mostly just bulldozed lots so it really is out there all alone.  My kids miss trees and really wish this was in our backyard.

Day 18

This is me and yes, I know it a completely horrible picture.  I made a rant the other night about all the duck/ kissy face pictures that women post of themselves on Facebook.  I decided to dare my friends to post their kissy face pictures on Facebook in the hopes of underlining just how ridiculous they look.  So here is mine.

Day 17

This is my newest crochet project.  I just finished this hat and am now working on the scarf.  The yarn is a bamboo yarn and it is amazingly soft.  I keep making things with it just so I can hold it in my hands.

Day 16

The kids were out of school today and Darrell didn't have to work so we went hiking.  We went Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park in Burnet, Texas.  It was wonderful. They have bald eagles nesting so we were hoping to get lucky and see one but we didn't. They had however been sighted the day before and so had a mountain lion.  We can't wait to go back again.  There is actually a nice resort there that we are hoping to try.

Day 15

The weather has beautiful lately so we decided to make a stop at our favorite ice cream place, Waffle Cone, in Copperas Cove.  Caleb would eat ice cream all day every day if I let him.

Day 14

Eli has chosen to play soccer this year and is having an absolute blast.  I love it cause he is getting rid of some of his excess energy.

Day 13

Darrell is the one that reads to the kids every night.  Although I am an avid reader, I hate to read out loud.  I think that is one of the things they missed most when he was deployed.

Day 12

Twister is one of our favorite family games to play.  This picture cracks me up because Darrell is sitting on Caleb's head.  Zoey looks very mischievous cause she is about ready to hit Darrell in the butt and knock him over.

Day 11

This is Caleb at his awards ceremony.  He has had a rough time this year and has gone from a A/B student to an A/B/C student. Part of it had to do with my husband being deployed but I think part of it is/was because 5th grade is just harder and he was moved into a more advanced class.  Caleb is super smart but is not a motivated learner.  He is like his momma and only does the bare minimum.  Hopefully this next semester will be better.  He did get a certificate for perfect attendance though.

Day 10

This is what the passenger seat of my car looks like right now.  There is the package that needs to be mailed to my mom, my purse, medicine I picked up at Walgreens for Ranger,  our brain damaged (literally) dog, and Zoey's guitar.  We have been so busy lately that I have felt like I have been living out of my car.

Day 9

This Zoey receiving her award for all As and perfect attendance for the semester.  Zoey is my perfectionist. She works hard at everything she does and does it very well.