Easter Eggs Games

Some fun learning games I made this weekend only cost $2 at the dollar store! :-) They have packs of 24 mini eggs which I prefer so they do not take up so much room ;-)

Today Caleb worked on matching his lower and upper case letters. For later this week I made 1-10 matching dots with the number (this game is more for Gabriel since Caleb already has 1-10 down pat.) The third game in the egg cartoon is numbers 11-22 which Caleb can use more practice on. These I will hide around the house or outside if it warms up and Caleb can place them in the right order in the carton.

Our 2014-2015 Year at a glance

I have had several friends ask what curriculum we are going to use and what our plans are for next year. I decided to build a bit more on my last post and our choice to home school. Here is a peak into what our upcoming year will look like. It was easier to explain via a video than write it all out.:-) The video is quite long! sorry about that,  I wanted to go into detail so I can show some friends that are interested in homeschooling how we are breaking things down. :-) The camera cut out towards the end and it repeats a bit sorry about that. Researching and finding a curriculum for Caleb has been a lot of fun for me! I am excited to share with you what our plans are and what we have chosen! I can't wait to dive into it with him! If you have any questions about the books or curriculum please feel free ask. As we go along next year I will post more about our days so you can see everything in action!

Our Decision

I am sure this upcoming year you will see quite a few post about our days and how homeschooling is a part of it. So I thought I would write and explain a little bit about our decision. 

Never, ever had I planned on homeschooling my children. In fact I ran the exact opposite way, and made many statements like, “oh I will never home school my kids!” I did not want to be known as one of those “homeschooling” moms, nor have my children labeled “homeschoolers.”  A main reason for this is because I had always been labeled as a “home schooled kid”. People always assumed I lacked in the social department, or would have a hard time relating to friends that “were in the world.” Far from the truth; I do not feel I ever lacked at the ability to socialize. I do not get uncomfortable in a room full of people I do not know, and I never felt sheltered in any way. No more than any other person I know, homeschooled or not. I do tend to be more of an introvert but I don’t feel I am that way due to the lack of social skills or feeling uncomfortable around my peers. In fact….it is sometimes the “homeschoolers” and “homeschool moms” that actually make me feel the most uncomfortable. Being a homeschooler sometimes others assume that I agree and understand that many believers choose homeschooling as a way to protect their children from things of the world. When in fact I am a strong believer in letting my children be a light in darkness and in the world and learning how to follow Christ even when it is hard. This being said I have no problem with children attending the public school system. My home is also far from the perfect Godly place. We too struggle and have to be on our knees daily. Every day is a day to try harder and become more Christ like in our home but we fail, and we fall, but by God’s grace we get up and try again! I have come to find many families in my generation choose homeschooling not because of their desire to keep their kids away from the world but because they are unsatisfied with the current public school system (especially in our area), and are unable to afford a private education. 

After much prayer and thought Jacob and I have decided to home school Caleb again this year for Kindergarten. We are not sure what God’s plans are for Caleb’s education long term or where He will take us. But, as of now we both are uncomfortable sending him to the school we are currently zoned for, many reasons of which I will not go in detail about right now. We have considered and thought through moving our family to a better school zone, even looked into purchasing a house that would be zoned for a better school. Sadly in the Hampton Roads area there are very few good public schools to choose from. We both are not convinced at this time that the Lord wants us to put down our roots here in the area. Which means purchasing a house would not be the best decision at this time. Jacob and I have decided to take things one day at a time and see where the Lord leads us, and what doors He opens up for us as far as our long term plans. 

I have come to the understanding and realization that choosing to home school Caleb now or for next year does not necessarily mean that it is what God’s long term plan is but for now that is the direction He has led us; despite my original fears of messing my child up or being labeled a “homeschooler”.  I feel 100% at peace about the choice and am even excited about the upcoming school year and what God is going to do in Caleb and I, and how He will use it for His glory! My eyes are being opened up to the idea that where ever God takes or leads our family, even if it’s to another country, we will be ready and able to make that move if the doors are open! The sky is the limit! I have found so much joy and excitement in researching curriculums and things for next year. How awesome, and what a privilege, it is to be able to tailor exactly what Caleb will learn, how he will learn, and have the flexibility to tailor it exactly to his needs. I know we are going to have a lot of fun in the upcoming year and I am truly looking forward to it! It is a blessing that I have the ability to stay home and do this with Caleb and I will embrace it with a good attitude and not one of worry. I am trusting God that He is the one in control and will help me to make it a successful year and not to have fear of the unknown.

The start

I bit the bullet and decided to go for it! So many people have encouraged me to start a blog and I mostly laughed at their suggestions. I love to read blogs but I myself do not think I have anything interesting enough to write a blog about! 

After thinking about it some more and trying to figure out what a blog would even look like for me, if I wrote one, I realized it could be an awesome way for me to keep track of our family’s memories along the way! I am horrible at keeping baby books and tracking the milestones in our boy’s lives, and I regret not having tracked more from the baby stages. But, it’s better late than never! With pictures being digital, and I spending more time behind a computer screen than at a craft table, I am hoping I will remember more often to record the memories. Another benefit of the blog will be that family and friends from all over will be able to keep up with us a little easier and see what is going on in our lives. For others it may not be interesting at all! I am in no way an author as you will see with the many grammatical errors, those who do read please forgive me! I hope this will one day be a great thing to look back on remember and share in our joyful chaotic journey along the way.

Caleb is 4 and half years old. He loves to talk and ask many questions! He always has me on my toes to what he will say or ask next! He is extremely passionate ;-) He is very very loyal with a strong desire to learn and know more about everything around him. His desire to learn more about the Lord and remind everyone about His word encourages my heart that the Lord will use him as a great leader!

Gabriel is 2 years and 8months old. He is my sweet and very loving boy! Never turns down a snuggle…at least not yet! He is very compassionate, and LOVES to make every one laugh! He is mischievous and can be sneaky at times ;-) He loves to keep up with his big brother but lets his opinions be known. I know God is going to use his loving compassionate heart to reach out to many!