My own worst enemy.

I am my own worst enemy. Lol. No really, I am. I have always been a goal setter, always set expectations for my self, push myself. All good qualities right? Well, yeah, except when you fail your own expectations, slip up a little or don't meet a certain goal. I critique myself constantly. If I get frustrated and raise my voice at one of my boys. I could probably just slap a big ole' worst mom of the year award on my chest and cry. In my own opinion of course. My intentions are always better than my actions. I was singing this last Sunday in the church choir and as I'm looking out in the congregation, I see my oldest sitting with and older lady who has alzheimers sharing a hymn book, my middle son befriending two little girls who were new, but a little to shy to go into the nursery. (Now, this might be slightly because he really wants a little sister. Another day, another story.) Now I didn't tell him too befriend those little girls, or my oldest to comfort that elderly woman. Truth is when the oldest realized our head usher was absent they motioned to each other and he stepped up to help take the offerring. What a sweet spirit and a willingness to serve, all the things I want them to do, if I sit back and watch they really are getting it. So, in that I had a small revelation. I really need to get over the few bad days I have had as compared to the multiple good days. I need to realize, I'm human, I make mistakes just like everyone else. I need to focus on the accomplishments more than the negative. Like, everytime I hear my Nolan read I delight in the fact that I taught him how to do that! No school, me and to top that, he is my best reader! I made a sort of bucket list of things I wanted teach the boys over the summer. Well, I have accomplished every goal except them learning how to ride their bikes without training wheels. (We live on a highway, with a gravel driveway, so we have to load up bikes and go elsewhere) As, Im thinking about all the positive things our greastest feat, was me teaching my boys to swim! Again, no swim school, me, my hubby and a little hard work and dedication. We bought a small 3ft pool and the boys have been working at it all summer. My oldest and middle son are swimming, like head down in the water swimming! My youngest isn't swimming yet but hes kicking and now putting his face in the water and holding his breathfor three seconds, super proud of that for my three year old. To top it off, we go out to eat at a local resturaunt, where we are well remembered. Lol. In talking the cashier ask my oldest about homeschooling. He is steady answering her questions, when she gets to the one about Do you like being homeschooled? (of course I'm all ears, especially with him. He has been in both public school too) He tells her, his words, he loves it and then starts listing what all he has learned about, all the field trips we have taken. You, know at that moment I could'nt be more happy. My boys are happy, healthy, and thriving. What do I possibly have to beat my self up about? Nothing but small matters that are probably just Satan getting in the way and trying to steal my joy!  Happy reading yall hope I am of some encouragement to you all too.

Why do I do what I do??

Just this week I went to get my haircut, and of course small talk always leads to questions about the boys then on to homeschooling. You, know that famous question we all get asked, You homeschool? How does that work? Do you actually have books and stuff? Then after answering these questions, you always get the, you must be really patient, or that's hard work, followed by the Oh, I could never do that. Lol. Well, truth is I'm not always patient, I lose my cool sometimes, I am by no means perfect. I am just simply doing what I feel is best for my family just like any other mother. Is it hard work, yes absolutely. I am with my boys 24/7 (exception being work) More than hard work in the schooling aspect of it. I believe it's a tremendous weight we carry as homeschooling mothers. I don't know about you, but I have constant concerns, am I doing the right thing, teaching the right way, what about high school, can I do that too? Can they still go to college? Truth is we have really good public schools here. We live in the "Bible belt" of America, so our little town still holds good morals and values, as of right now at least. (Im not kidding myself by any means) It would be so easy to send my boys to school. Easy isn't always right. So, after the small talk with the hair dresser and being down on myself last year, I'm started thinking, why do I homeschool. Why do I think it's best? So here are my handful of reasons...(not in any specific order)
1. More family time.
2. Teaching them about God in their studies.
3. One on one teaching. (had a struggling reader,huge benefit.)
4. Implementing morals, values, manners, etc...
5. I can teach better than the school system. (Let me clarify, not the teachers, the system. I know my children's strenghts and weaknesses better than anyone else)
6. Probably one of my most important, I want my boys to have a real love for learning.
7. I know exactly what they are learning, choices they are making, struggles they are having...and can better guide them thru lifes obstacles.

I'm sure I could go on and on, but ultimately God laid it on my heart to homeschool, and opened up doors for my husband and I to do his will. My boys are trying at times but I would'nt trade being able to be with them, watch them learn and grow and develop into well rounded little men. What are your reasons for homeschooling? What else can you add to my list?

Quack Attack!

Tried posting this last week and for whatever reason it didn't go. So, here Iam again. Lol. Well, last week we finally had a nice luke warm day with the hubby off work, and three little boys cooped up in the house due to excess rain in the middle of July. The rain was a real blessing. My husband said he had been praying for rain the whole week before. ( His job is determined by the weather, so rain means more work, more play money. :) At, least in my eyes.) It's a little crazy to think God would make it rain for just one person. Infact we both snickered at that idea at first, but really why do we limit God. If he can do all things like the Bible says, and he hears all prayers and knows each one of us and the exact number of hairs on our head, then isn't he perfectly capable of hearing one man's prayer and doing something as incredible as making it rain just for them? I believe so, I believe it's no accident that it rained for three days on and off, with the down pours directly over our area and the surrounding cities my husband works. The storms would grow and then immeadiately dissapate. Think what you want, but I think God did that. When we ourselves limit God's abilites I believe we miss out on some of what could be our greastest blessings. Anyway back to our nice day out with the fam we took a little road trip to the neighboring town and shopped a little, and went to the park ready to feed the ducks and play. Well, the ducks were hungry and waiting that's for sure. We barely got out of the car before they were really gaining on us. Lol. My oldest jumped uptop a post, (smarty pants) Nolan, was tossing bread as he was running so they could'nt catch up and my youngest was next to my hubby backed up to the car. Me, well standing in the middle of ducks in an ant pile, no bread, and trying to take pics. Man, sometimes I wish I could just be a bystander to my own crazy family. It'd be worth a laugh for sure. Oh well memories made.

Curriculum woes...

This is now going to be our fourth year homeschooling, so I'm starting to feel a little more confident venturing out to new curriculum and even creating my own lesson plans. Since we have started we have only ever used Abeka. I love Abeka (especially for beginning readers) but, it is also getting very expensive and tedious. I am still a working mom too, so I sometimes need them to be able to be more independent in their studies while I need sleep and am in my zombie sleep deprived mode from working night shift. Lol. With Abeka, if you get behind even a little it is to hard to catch up and leaves us all frustrated. I am also having to re-evaluate our math. My oldest is great in math but he moves so quickly grasping the concept he doesn't remember later what he's learned and we have to go back in remaster them again. It's time consuming and frustrating. my other child math is not his strong subject so he needs more help in this area. He is also a very hands on learner so the workbooks don't work for him as well as manipulatives do. I am leaning toward Christian Liberty for most of their stuff this year. Keeping Abeka for phonics, language, and extra readers.  I also still need to do Texas history with the both of them as its not in our general curriculum. I did find a website that has many units studies for free I'm going to start with that and go from there, and probably just utilize our library. Any ideas, What did you use to teach your kids your States history?
On another note the plants that we planted are now sprouting so I guess the boys have a better green thumb than I do. Haha. We are just having some summer fun taking it easy, I've been working with the three year old on learning letters and sounds because he is just now starting to show some interest he finally knows how to write his name, super proud of that! Going to try to incorporate more things for him to do this year. This is where it gets tricky because now I'm starting to have to teach 3 instead of 2, and the youngest always need more hands-on learning. Thats the joy of homeschooling though, you have all day to accomplish something and when the days done there's always tomorrow. I've also been trying to plan field trips for this year I have several ideas that I would like to do with them. Super pumped this year. Last year after January we kind of all got in a slump and we're just doing what we needed to do to get by. It happens. I finally found my renergized spirit and I'm ready to go! Leave me a comment, so I know you stopped by.

Green thumbs and lice oh my...

Well, we are full swing into summer, with a little schooling here and there, reading, and some hands on projects. This week we planted some veggies and painted our flower pots, a liitle late but still we planted cucumber, peppers and tomatoes. Now I definietly have no green thumb so this is all about the boys! Lol. Love how homeschooling is alot of trial and error as you go and sometimes I learn just as much as they do. After the three yr old waschecking his plant for the fourth time in one day to see if it was growing, we had a good lesson on patience. Lol. So I have to add this, it's worth laughing at my expense. I know we all have moments where our kids do the most humiliating things to us in public. Well my Nolan has been real into wearing baseball hats, so here we are in the middle of a very crowded McDonald's I took a seat with the boys while hubby is ordering food, my Nolan ask if he can take his ball cap off and of course I say yes, he then proceeds to put it on the table. No biggie right? Little brother grabs his hat and puts it on, Nolan freaks grabs it back and yells "No, Timmmy I have lice." Other people turn and look at us, so I gently but loud enough for others to hear explain, No you don't have lice, it's not like germs or cooties .I tell you don't put on other people's hats so you don't get lice! Lol. I could have died. Nothing like a spur of the moment lesson on lice at the dinner table!

Freedom and Fireworks

Howdy again, hope you all have had a great fourth of July. We most certainly did. I was a little bummed at first, I was finally off this holiday and yet it seemed everyone was doing fireworks over the weekend, which I had to work. Fortunately we found a fireworks show near by. So, we started our afternoon with my hubby grilling out at his grandparents for the fam, then later that night we took the boys to see some fireworks. Lets just say they loved it. Maybe a little too much. My three year old informed us that the crackling sound some fireworks make sounds like there farting. lol. So the whole time were watching the show the boys are cracking up and giggling, ohh, that one farted, ohh that one too. Geez, can't help but wonder what any innocent bystanders thought? Oh, that's my life. So thankful to God for my freedom to worship him, to live in America, to homeschool my boys, or better yet my freedom to just laugh with them over the small humorous things like "farting fireworks.". I am blessed more than I can imagine. Ps: I know my spelling and punctuation is off, it's early in the morning, been up all night and typing from my phone, I promise I teach my kids better than my typing. lol. Sorry y'all. Peace for now.

Vbs 2013 "Fruity Farms"

A little late, ok like two weeks late posting, but hey at least I'm here right? Well vbs turned out great. For those of you who don't know, we belong to a very small church. It is steady growing but still small. This is the first vbs held at this church in quite sometime, so a blessing in itself that we even managed to pull off a vbs sucessfully. We had six children total. Not alot but hey you have to start somewhere right? I was blessed with the oppurtunity to coordinate the whole thing. We themed it "Fruity Farms" and taught the fruits of the spirit. My boys are still singing the songs. Yes, and my hubby too. The other day were stuck in a traffic jam when my hubby breaks out in tune "be patient, be patient, don't be in such a hurry, God says be patient there's no reason to worry..." lol. So we all learned something, like when my hubbys's mower broke in the middle of mowing and lets just say he was a little frustrated when he got home, so he slammed the door, kicked off his shoes and vented to me about it. As he calmed down and sat on the couch next two Timothy (the 3 yr old) Timothy says, "Daddy, you need some self control!" lol. Gotta love when your own children put things in perspective for you. Lesson learned for us adults, the little ones watch our actions more than I sometimes realize, so the more I teach them about how to be good little men of God, Hubby and I better model that same behavior. Wow.