Keeping It Simple

I do love to organize! Don't confuse that with actually being organized! :)  Life has gotten crazy, so I had to find a way to make our school transportable. These file boxes were just the answer I was looking for.  I love the that the lid has room for supplies.  Pencils, pens, eraser, and sticky tape are ready to go!   Similar to our workboxes, each file has a number. The front file has a schedule for the week. Each number has a subject (the boys just look at the schedule to see which subject is in each number). Not all numbers are assigned each day.   The last file in the box has additional supplies (color pencils, ruler, scissors)- my goal, just like with workboxes, is to avoid searching for supplies. Having them at the ready makes the day run much more smoothly. 

Because I trust in that each choice we make is what is best for the moment... I am revamping our school year to include more workbooks! Yes, I love hands-on learning and am thankful for all the opportunities that come our way, but sometimes workbooks are good enough. I also trust that my children have enough curiosity and initiative to make their learning hands-on in their own way. Just to show me that He has got it covered, God has sent me this very dear friend who has come over to do some hands-on type learning with my boys already!! :) I am not all that sure what it was even all about but it had to do with "states of matter" and making Oobleck (and other gooey substances ;)). Today, the same friend took my two youngest boys on an awesome field trip to visit an old cemetery (where graves of Union AND Confederate soldiers were seen) and explore the waters of Santa Cruz (and play a bit). So, I am trusting that God has a plan for this year that is be...

NOT BLOG HOP I love to participate in the Not Back To School Blog Hops. August was just not having it though! So here is our "Not Back to School All in One" post. Meet the students: Our oldest student at home is Paul. He is 15. He LOVES volleyball! If there is a kid around, he/she will usually find Paul. He is always willing to give a ride, read a book, or have a good wrestling match with the little ones in his life. He loves to be doing- biking, boarding, snow boarding, long boarding... School, he does not love so much, but always mostly keeps a great attitude. Mark is "the middle child" in our homeschool. Mark loves football (playing flag and watching the Raiders), anything to do with the Civil War, dogs (that's his dog Fozzie up there), drawing, and generally being a goof ball. If there is a fussy baby in the crowd, Mark is your man. He has patience galore with the little ones. As far as studies go, he is an interest led man- if he ...

To be honest, I don't always plan. Sometimes I am a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of girl. Other times, I plan my brains out. I can't say that one method has been more successful than the other. Just different. This year, I feel like planning. Usually that is a sign that things are going to get crazy and I am going to need a plan to be able to fall back on! We'll see. Phase 1::History Plans  I have wavered all year trying to decide on what to do next year. When it came down to it, it needed to be affordable and doable. Following another blogger's lead, I am making this video series the base or guide to our history study. Step one was to print up the teacher guide for each episode through the Civil War. (Look down the left hand column to find the guides.) UPDATE- the above link is broken. You should be able to get the guides this way: By searching "American The Story of Us Episode ___" (fill in numbers 1-10 one at a time...

  I am not a good "resolution keeper" so we are keeping a journal for ongoing resolutions, planning, and as sort of a wish list. I love sitting down with the kids and seeing what is important to them- what activities do they want to participate in... what would they like to do as a family.     At one point, Mark said that we couldn't put what he was thinking on the list because it was "too big". I told him we could start a "dreams" list. It never hurts to put it in writing: I am also looking at and reevaluating our schedule: What things we are going to use to meet our academic goals. And keeping a journal of sorts- I am writing down some of the most mundane of stuff to try and form the habit. I have tried to jot down highlights from our day for a while, but I would like to expand on that. I also hope to get the boys involved in writing or drawing pictures in our journal. I have seen a few family journal ideas f...

Working on it! This grid below is just a help to me keep things straight. Galloping the Globe has very nice plans, but I do better when I can see everything at a glance. The top section is the guideline for me to follow. The next section will change with each new country we "gallop" through. It gives me the specific lesson that we will do having to with a country. The bottom section is a place for me to fill in notes from Trail Guide to World Geography . I have not quite figured it out yet, but I plan to supplement with that for Paul as he is a bit older.  This little box is our geography resource box. The books that I have on hand to use, and the books we check out from the library will stay in the box. And, yes, below is a dish rack. First spotted on Pinterest, I have seen it all over the web. I have to say that it works... well, okay. It is not made for folders, so the low divider makes it so the files bend. I purchased some new files folders and they are not mak...

This week, I am linking up on time! I should have put that on last week's goal list. :) This week's goals are: #1  Themes and Plans continued from last week. I have gathered the materials that I need to get started. Now I just need to do it. #2 Organize school room. This seems to be a never ending project. I would like to get to a point where things are manageable and regular maintenance is all that is needed. One can hope! I actually did complete my #2 goal last week in spite of waiting until Friday to post it! You can link up to This Week's Goals at LLRhomeschoolmom if you want to join in! :)

I had meant to link up to "This Week's Goals" at LLRHomeschoolmom , but I forgot to check in on Monday.  Better late than never- I hope. :) So, here goes. This week's (and next) goals are: Themes & Plans - I have been saving some posts from By Sun and Candlelight on monthly planning. I really love these ideas! There is a "how to" seasonal plan post here . And, there is an example of October plans here . Maybe if I put it in writing, I will actually do it! Living Room Organization- Take items displaced from removing TV cabinet and find new homes for them. My goals are in writing for all to see. Now I have to do them! :) Fixed the links if anyone tried and wondered "what in the world?". :)

The thing that strikes me most is how different my "day in the life" looks now than it ever has. I am homeschooling with no littles!! Sad, but true! While browsing through the other posts  (on the not back to school blog hop), I read many by those who are still in "that phase" of schooling, and I honestly do forget how exhausting and challenging those days were!! Our days are a bit more predictable now. This is our "plan", so to speak. It is known to change at the drop of a hat (or an invitation to the beach--- as the case may be!)                                                 Our Morning Routine Wake Make breakfast (helper assigned), boys eat while I read to them Family prayer time Chores- I find that starting the day with the h...