Some Things About Sonlight

Today I have a post over at The Homeschool Classroom.  It is called, "Five Things You May Not Know About Sonlight".

I share a few things that I have learned along the way as well as how we use Sonlight in our homeschool

Enjoy!

Running Errands With Small Children

Today I have a post over at The Homeschool Classroom.  I talk about running errands with small children.  While I don't have to do that anymore, I did run all over town with up to 5 children in tow for many, many years.  The hardest years for me were when Olivia, Julie, and Clay were little.

Click here to read all about it!

Happy Friday---it really is a happy Friday for us, because Olivia is coming home tonight for Spring Break!

Occupying Older Homeschooled Students

I have an article today at The Homeschool Classroom.  It's about what to do with older students while you are working with your younger ones.

Click here to read it.

Happy Friday!

Preparing Your Homeschooler For College

I have a post today at The Homeschool Classroom entitled, Preparing Your Homeschooler For College.  You can click here to read this post.

Since writing this post, I have thought of one more item that I would like to mention.

Using an alarm clock.
In our home I either wake up my children when I want them to be up, or more commonly, I just let them sleep until they wake up naturally.  This is not a problem for my early risers, Clay and Julie.  Nor does it seem to be much of a problem for Sam who is usually up at a reasonable time as well.  But my other girls, Leah and Olivia, have always been night owls and later than normal sleepers.  I just work with it.  Our home school schedule has Clay doing algebra with me at 8:00, but does not have Leah or Sam beginning school until 9:00 (our morning Bible time).

However, I do see the need for my high school aged children to begin using an alarm clock and being held accountable for being up and ready to begin school at a certain time.  Like I said, this is not an issue for my current high schoolers, but I predict that my younger two will be learning to set their alarm clocks in a few years.

Just one more way to prepare them to get to class on time when they are in college.

Of course, I could just call or text them every morning to make sure they are up!  (Like I am doing with my current college student!)  :)

Click here to read the other ways I am preparing my remaining students for college.

Using Apologia Science

Today I have a blog post at The Homeschool Classroom.  I described in detail how I organize my Apologia Science materials for grades 7-12.  This method has worked for me for many years, so I though I would share it!

I am learning A LOT about transitioning from homeschooler to full-time college student.  When I can get my thoughts together, I plan to blog some of the lessons Olivia and I have learned--and how I can better prepare my other children for this transition.  Poor Olivia!  Someone has to be the oldest though!

But for now, please click here if you want some high school homeschool organization advice!

Summer Scheduling

I had a post on The Homeschool Classroom last Monday, but since I was at Rustic Youth Camp with basically no free time, I failed to share the link.

You can click here to read about planning and scheduling your summer.  Since we have been out of town with only a day or two here and there at home since our last day of school, today or tomorrow is the day that my children and I will sit down and plan our summer.  I can't wait!

What kinds of fun and productive things do you have planned for your summer?

Are You a Mom of Young Children?

Are you overwhelmed by the laundry, cooking, cleaning, teaching, and training?

Today I have a post at The Homeschool Classroom offering encouragement to moms of young children.  You can click here to read the article.

We had a fantastic weekend!  Olivia graduated, and all four of my children set a PR (personal record) in the Coke 10K.

About two weeks ago, I joined Lynn for her last CrossFit Boot Camp session--the WOD (workout of the day) was 200 Burpees for Boston. We were put in pairs to complete the WOD.  So, Lynn and I simultaneously did 100 burpees in just over 10 minutes!  This picture was taken after the workout.  It was a fun event, but I could barely use my arms for days!  It was even hard to iron!  That was the first upper body workout that I have done in over a year.  My legs were even sore!

Happy Monday to everyone!

My Homeschool Classroom Post

I wrote a post for The Homeschool Classroom a few weeks ago that was published yesterday.  I was so busy doing my last long run before the marathon---yay!!!, making my weekly grocery list and shopping at Sam's and Kroger, cleaning our our linen closet (that really needed to be done), and then taking Leah to her Keepers At Home Meeting, that I never even used my laptop yesterday.

So this morning, I am sharing the link.  11 Ways to Help A Sick Homeschool Mom.  While I shared my personal experience of receiving compassion last year, these same ideas could be used for any mother or friend going through some hard times.  We need to look for ways to be compassionate.  We are all so busy with our hectic daily lives (myself included), that I think that we sometimes feel like we don't have the time or resources to help someone in need.  But we do.  And, as the person extending the helping hand, you will be blessed too!

I am reading a book called Margin right now.  Well, I am trying to read it.....I am so tired when I get in bed at night that I usually just want to play spider solitaire on my iPad until I fall asleep instead of reading something intellectually stimulating!  In this book the author (I can't think of his name right now) has spent over a hundred pages telling the reader why we need margin, why our society experiences so much stress because we don't have margin in our lives, how people who lived 100 years ago did not have many of the modern conveniences that we enjoy, yet they had overall less stress in their lives, because they had margin.  I understand my lack of margin.  I need margin.  If anything out of ordinary comes up in my day, I sometimes panic!  Where will I fit it in??  So, I am telling this book that I am reading.....I get your point about the detriments of living a life without margin---I am living that life!  Please tell me how to create margin in my life.  I am hoping that the author will answer my questions soon.  Have any of you read this book?  Do I need to continue reading it?  Did it help you create margin in your life?

Have a good Tuesday!

Language Arts Ideas

Today I have post at The Homeschool Classroom featuring spelling and creative writing ideas for elementary students.  These are not fancy or difficult to implement--just ideas that I have used for my children over the past several years.  Click here to read the article.

Have a super day!  And stay warm!  (It is so cold here!)