We Moved!

So, um... yeeeeaaaahhhhh-- It's been a minute hasn't it?! Ah, yes, we have had a lot going on since I once desired blogging, and maybe I was in my own little world when I thought I could be that "Super Mom" who could handle it all. I just couldn't. I admit it. (just today, though)

BUT! Here I am, giving an update! YAY!!! It's a start, yes?

Oh! And then, we MOVED! My husband's job gave us an opportunity to a different position in the company. In that opportunity, it meant moving. To. Another. State. Goodbye Texas! Hello, Oklahoma.) Move went as our good Lord had planned for us, and SO many blessings along the way between seeing family AND being placed in the paths of some really great people! #thankful


Bare with me, I have a lot to share, tons of pictures, and it is going to take some time. :)

Our Move

So here we are.

Faced with this wonderful opportunity that we can clearly see God's hand and plan.

The next chapter.

My husband has been with a company for 2 years. His 2 year anniversary technically is in two days; It's time for celebration! Well-- in a BIG way, I might add.

He's been in the collision business since 2007, but have ALWAYS had a love for cars, trucks, or just plain anything that has an engine and wheels since he was -well- a wee lil' tot! After the long hours and torturous rollercoaster -happy -then mad -then happy -then mad customers and 'each man for his own' -- 'dog eat dog' industry he finally got an opportunity to GROW.

It all began when the job was becoming more and family less. Sure, I am a SAHM and us women can sure carry a lot on our shoulders. BUT-- should we really? And for how long?

Maybe for a season or two-- certainly our gracious Father gives us the unmeasurable strength and agility. And that is exactly what He has done.

My husband had been seeking different locations, {to be closer to home} and different promotions (because he is a go getter) and as simple as that, the doors were always a close. He called it the dangling carrot. So many changes so quickly, maybe, just maybe he fell through the cracks. And ALAS! An opportunity.

After 2 hard years of learning the ropes and open for growth and opportunity, it has FINALLY began. Let me just add that this shift in our lives is not one for a measley transfer to another location in the city. No, but of course it's not that calm, easy, effortless or painless. This would be the opportunity of a lifetime... for just one season.

This new chapter in our lives is welcomed and has been prayed for endlessly.

Never did we know that a relocation package could be so satisfying or realistic for that matter.
Never did we imagine the location would be in another state. Side by side, no less, but this would mean to give up everything we know and a home we have enjoyed together and raised our olders and started with the youngers --yet find something even better on the other side.

God is good!

So, you ask, "What does this have to do with your homeschool blog? Why not add it to your family personal blog?"

Oh, sweet reading eyes, I will. Do both. Because each go hand in hand. Join us on our journey to find wisdom, laughter, mistakes, frustrations and {a not so general detail} of the location change.

We will get back to regular homeschool programming in just a bit! ;)

Happy 2013!

And here we are, a new year! 2013. Who knew? Not even the Mayans apparently! (lol)

I usually don't get too excited about New Years, and I don't become super festive about it, although inside I really am glad to have reached a new year. I suppose it is mainly because every day to me is a new day, and  I am not a big fan of new year's resolutions -{sets me up (and 99.9% of others) for failure every time!!}

On another note, as you can tell from the posts {or rather the lack there of} I have been a bit busy! I have to apologize because I have come across so many new and interesting resourceful homeschool information and I just haven't had the opportunity to share.

So far so good. We have had a very busy schedule due to church/choir/holiday/sicknesses/school/organizing 3 bedrooms and other events since October! SO-- for the next few weeks we SHOULD be pretty laid back until I need to travel for family surgery/recovery to help with that, and then Spring Break in March.

Thank you for your patience. :)

First Field Trip! UNOFFICIAL

Today we went on our first official field trip! Well, It all began as a trip to our local nursery so that I could get some pricing on a tree as our died back in June. It's taken us this long to get it removed and finally go shopping for one. So, as we were walking through the tree's I think the best one for us is going to be a Chinese Pistache! They grow easily in our area which is a good thing because I am not that good, focused or diligent enough to care for a needy tree! Ha! 

Here is a Chinese Pistache that is 4 years old, (The one we are buying is actually 2 years old) It's a great shade tree, too!

While we were there, they happen to have two bounce houses! The first one was a fire engine one that had like a "rock climbing" wall in it, which lead into a slide to the other side. The boys were excited! Well, at least ONE of them was... 

 Here is my daring Kien who loves anything climbing! He got all the way to the top! 

And of course, he had to stop and pose from the other side. Meanwhile, Gabriel was waiting next to me as I was taking pictures.

And WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! No fear = lots of fun! (safely of course) 

Now mind you, Gabe is a very observant -watchful one. He doesn't like to just get out there without evaluating first. He saw brother do it, and was very skeptical! He refused to go in the first time around. Finally, when he saw Kien having a great time (and my encouraging him a few times) he finally decided that it was OK to go inside! Kien even came over to help him in! What a helpful brother!

Of course, Kien totally ditched Gabe ad went straight up and down the slide, leaving his brother to himself. He got up and was trying to walk to me FRIGHTENED saying, "I want you, I want out, I want youuuuuuuu!" Looking at the photo don't be deceived. If you zoom in, you might realize that look in his eye is actually being scared and unsure. :( I was hoping he would have had the courage to go through to the slide, but no go. So, of course, I came to the rescue to help him know in his heart that he didn't have to be afraid.

Off to the second bounce house... This one had Toy Story Characters on the outside, so Gabe clearly stated he would, "like to "try" the Toy Story one." We put shoes on and went over to the 2nd one. Kien jumped in straight away! He loved this one as well and tried to jump as high as he could, but I just couldn't catch a very good shot of him in the air!

And as for Gabe? Well, this is about as far as he got. On the step outside the bounce house. Yeah, again, he didn't want to go inside. There was a little boy who joined Kien, and even then Gabe wanted NOTHING to do with it. And that is OK!

Once we put our shoes on we went over to the area designated for photo ops with tons of pumpkins, decor and hay bails. The boys were very interested in going around this "mini maze."

They were shaking hands with this welcoming scarecrow! Gabriel didn't know what to think at first, but then be realized it wasn't real and wanted to hold his hand also!

I loved this one because it was just their size! They even liked it! Kien, as my inquisitive acrobat could only hold it in for a couple shots and then just HAD to climb the fence behind!

As he was climbing up, I thought I should be the good parent who controls their child from going wild all over the property when I noticed that there was running water behind them and realized THAT is what he was looking at. So, walking over the little bridge, look at what we found! Ornamental Koi fish! So we learned that Koi is "carp" in Japanese! Very pretty domesticated fish!

I couldn't resist this perfect "brothers" photo. They were checking out the fish together! And then I had to ask them for a huggy photo as well :)   

Gabe wanted to go back to the hay and look at the pumpkins. This one was GINORMOUS! They couldn't even roll it over! :) 

After their efforts, we decided to go over the bridge again and look at fish. 

This time around I was assuming that it was feeding time, because either side of the bridge we walked over the fish would follow with their lips coming above the water as if it was that time! I giggled and told the boys to look, they are so hungry they are kissing each other! Ha!

I asked the woman standing by the register if she would happen to let children feed the fish, and she smiled and handed us a paper cup 1/2 full of fish food! Oh, the boys were EXCITED! Even GABE wanted some of this action! And it was FUN! They giggled as the fish were trying to beat one another to the food. :)

So, once we purchased the bail of hay, we went home and had some jello in an orange for a snack. It was a great trip to the nursery! We will be going back very soon! 

9 Weeks In!

I have to say that we have been SO busy -and not just with homeschooling. We have had a full 1 1/2 week of nothing but construction around here! Our fence has been re-done. We finally have gutters on the back half of the house, two new back doors, one being a sliding door and our garage doors are re-framed and caulked! WHEW! Another near 2 weeks of being sick (mainly due to weather/stomach/allergy bug)!

I am finally sitting up at 10:27 PM typing this and am extremely tired!! So, instead of going on I will just say that I'll catch up soon! Ha!

Week 3, and moving right along...

We have officially completed week three, and I am so encouraged because I am having such a great time with my lil guy. He is so open to learn, and just soaks everything up. Sure, there are days he still wants to play and not do the work, and he is realizing {slowly but surly} that the longer he has attitude, the longer he has to sit there -the longer it will be before we can complete our lessons. Once he gets out of his funk, he really gets into it and has a great time. My prayers are going to be focused on asking God to give me the positive encouragement to speak over him in these times. So far, maybe about 3-4 times he has done this. It's also only the 3rd week!

We actually had to double up lessons due to doctor's appointments and a mishap with hubby's tires. No biggy because it was well worth the time!

I was concerned that he was having issues with the short vowel "e" because he would mix it up with the "i" sound and missed it in some words. I definitely took the time to really focus more on phonics and even became a bit creative, and WHHHAAAALLAAAHHH! He got it!

Today was basically Oral exams (non -graded, just notes on his ability to follow directions and see if he is struggling in any of the taught lessons) and he did FANTASTIC! YAY!!

So, I have found that instead of letting either of the boys watch pointless movies, Super Why and Leap Frog have had a bigger and better impact! Even my 3 year old is somewhat learning along side his big brother!
YAY!

Now, with the hubby out of town for the weekend, I am going to take advantage and get some lesson planning completed for the next couple of weeks!

Second Week Complete!

Yes! Another successful week!

We worked on vowels Ii, Ee, Uu and just introduced Aa today! He does ok with naming that vowel in small three letter words, although he has a little trouble remembering the Ee. He did manage to write it correctly this week, though! I found that he was a bit more "in tune" with naming them when there was a bunny cracker for a treat ;)

Here is our typical home school day as of right now. {I think the first six weeks are not as much work}

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday we begin no later than 9 AM. I want to use the mornings for getting up, dressed and basic tidying up completed so I am not thinking about all the things that need to be done and I can be focused as well. ;) We start with prayer by asking God to help us learn so we can be trained and used for His glory! Then Kien tells me the months of the year, days of the week and then tells me what day of the month it is. Then we will say the full date, IE: Friday, September 7th, 2012. Then he gets to share the weather report! Sunny, cloudy, rainy etc...

Once this is completed we move on to counting one to ten then ten to one. I then will continue with the Numbers curriculum. Then we move on to writing, phonics, social studies, science, bible activity & Awana's verse of the week. Kien is in Sparks this year and Gabe is in Cubbies. I work with Gabe as well (after Kien is finished with his daily lessons).

So far Kien has been learning about the 7 days of creation and his scripture for the last week was: John 3:16 For God so loved the world....
This week he is at -John 3:16 for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son...

I love how they break it up to make it easier to remember!

Well, there ya have it. That's all for now, I am about to start planning for lesson week 3 before I have to get dinner in the oven! Every little open window helps! I cannot even imagine what it is like to home school more than TWO! I am glad Gabe doesn't really "start" for 2 more years!

Until next week!
Cathi~