Is it 2013 Yet?

                                              
It is hard to believe that 2012 is almost over. Is it just me, or is it that the older we get, the faster the years seem to pass by? O'well, on the bright side 2013 is almost here and with a new year brings new possibilities! For me, it is a time to reflect on the previous year and think about what I want the new year to be. This past year has brought so many good things that I hope will continue on next year.
For instants, my own personal education. I have only 2 more classes to complete in the Spring and my AS degree will be complete. Yay! Other good things is the new Co-op we are now a part of. We all love it! In addition, we have taken a few family vacations ( been years since we had been able to do this). Traveling is one of my favorite things to do and I hope to do more in 2013.

When it comes to my children's education, this past year, both of them have really made some improvements. My oldest has developed a love for reading and is always asking to buy/check out new books. My youngest has mastered his ABC's and is doing some addition. He is in Kindergarten and is in the process of learning to read. I am hoping by this time next year I will have him putting words in ABC order and even doing some spelling printables. Of course I believe in allowing children to work and learn at their own pace. So, if it takes more or less time to reach this goal that will be okay with me. My homeschooling goal is always to make learning as relaxed and enjoyable and FUN as possible. So, I guess my New Year Resolutions are to just keep up the Good work ;)

 I hope everyone had a Wonderful and Merry Christmas. Wishing everyone a 2013 filled with all you hope for!

Until Next time...
 

Affordable Gift Ideas for 2012 Rv’ers

                  With Christmas only a week away

Check out my Top 12 Affordable Gift Ideas for 2012 Rv’ers!

1) Gift Cards (Ranges)-

 They are simply the easiest, sure fire way to go.

2) Collapsible vases ($10)-

These collapsible vases solve all those problems that traditional bulky vases cause while traveling. They’re light, unbreakable, store flat and can be reused.

3) Roll-up puzzle mat ( $10)-

 






4) Weather alert pocket size radio ($15)-

Having a radio that links to National Weather Bureau alerts is a Great gift for anyone, not just a Rv’er. A Gift of Safety is Priceless!

5) Collapsible Prep Bowl Set ($15)-  

A must have for any Rv kitchen!

6) Bath dispenser ($20)-

A great space saver for any bathroom.

7) Toy Motorhome ($20)

Lots of Fun for the kids.




8) RoadTrip Board Game ($25)-

This family fun RV inspired board game makes the perfect gift for the whole family.



9) Kindle  "E-Reader"(Ranges)


10) Hot Wheels Wall Tracks (ranges)-

Kids will have hours of fun and the best part is, it does not take up as much space, at least not on the floor. All you need is a wall ;)  

11) Air purifier ($150) -

The Portable Breathe Easy air purifier from Dometic reduces odors of tobacco smoke, mildew, mustiness, chemical vapors, and toilets in your RV, so you can enjoy fresher, cleaner, healthier air.

12) Foldable Bike ($150)






~> In  Homeschooling news! If you are looking for an Online writing tutor then you should Check out "Online homework help". It is a Wonderful resource  :)


Until Next Time....

Thursday Thievery

Stealing - to take something unlawfully: to take something that belongs to somebody else, illegally or without the owner's permission.

I think most people would agree with the above definition of what it means to steal. For those who do not, well you probably fall in the same mind set as the person who stole my Droid razor max phone yesterday. As you can imagine I am pretty upset. Yes, it is just a phone that can be replaced, but the feeling of my privacy being violated by a stranger, looking through all my photos etc.. just unsettling!
My story is as followed, rented a movie at Red box, left phone on top to get credit card, for got phone was there, left. Person was waiting behind me. Returned  an hour later after realizing I lost it, phone not there. Chances that the person behind me took it are high. Yes, it was my fault I was forget full, careless even, but that does not mean it is okay to keep my phone. What boggles my mind even more is that the phone is practically useless. I called Verizon and now it is turned off and is tagged to not be allowed to be turned on in the future. So, unless the person is a tech savvy genius, the phone is nothing more than a camera to them.

So, this has been my rant for the day. I hope anyone reading this will be better than the person who took my phone. Remember it's called being  a good person, karma even. Also please download a tracking program in your phone. I didn't and now I wish I had!

On the school front we have been working on learning Synonyms!

A synonym is a word or expression that has nearly the same meaning as another word or expression.

Check out these Synonym games to help you with the task of homeschooling. I know my kids Love it when I use games to teach ;)

Until next time....

Your Homeschooling Style

We all have discovered, eventually, that every one's homeschool learning style can differ. What works for one, may or may not work for another. Let's also not forget that, what works for Mom/Dad, unfortunately,  may or may not work for child(ren).

 

There are three learning styles:

 1) visual (seeing)
2)  auditory (hearing)
3) kinesthetic (doing). 

Learning style characteristics tend to overlap. Many will notice that their children experience characteristics from each learning style. 
(Information taken from this website, click to read more) 

There are so many different approaches to Homeschooling you can try. To name a few: Unschooling, Charlotte Mason, online programs, Roadschooling,  Traditional textbooks, Unit Studies, hiring tutors, and enlisting friends, family, community (Co-op's) to help. You can choose one ore a combination, but what matters is finding what works for your family. Sometimes it can take awhile, sometimes it doesn't, but when ever it does, it is always worth it!

Personal stories:
Recently a friend was having trouble with her child learning to write . I do not mean her ABC's either.  So, since I just finish my English Comp. 1 class, this area was fresh for me. So, I happily offered to help. Another example, my daughter is a visual learner. When she was younger, she had a hard time learning to read with traditional textbook method. However, when I switched her to an online program (Time4Learning) at the age of 8 years old, she went from barely reading to being able to complete whole books within her first year. Figuring out that I needed to change the way I was teaching,  to fit her learning style, made all the difference.

So, today I urge anyone stressing to just rethink what else you could do, change , etc to make Homeschooling work better for you!


Until next time...







 

Free ebook Giveaway

Today I came across a Homeschooling Blog that is offering a  Giveaway for a chance to Win a FREE ebook called, Truth in the Tinsel by Amanda White.  This ebook includes 24 days of Scriptures, crafts, discussion, and activities !

 

 

 

 

 To Enter to Win ~> Click Here <~ to find out how, Good Luck ;)

 

Can’t wait?

Use coupon code: CONFESSIONS to get 20% off your order!

Click here to order now!

 

 

 

Thought for the day: Don't allow Learning Disabilities to get you or your child down. Every child learns differently and at their own pace. Homeschooling isn't about how fast or how much you learn, but about developing a Love for Learning that will last a lifetime.

Until Next Time...

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Most people around the world know exactly what tomorrow is ~> Thanksgiving!!!
Depending on what your family traditions are, many may be traveling to visit loved ones, or preparing for visitors them selves. Or some may be busy shopping for a wonderful feast made just for their own immediate families:  Mom, Dad, and children. No matter how you celebrate this Holiday, the one thing that we all have in common is wanting to be together. To be around a beautiful table, filled with food,  made with loving care and enjoying one another's company.

In my family we will be celebrating just by ourselves: myself, husband and children. I will be preparing a wonderful dinner and with plenty of help from my Lil chef's I am sure ;) There will be Turkey, dressing, rolls, plenty of vegis, and deserts galore! Yummy!
We eat early, around 2pm. I love this because it gives all of us a chance to enjoy the Thanksgiving dinner all over again, with left overs, later that evening.




We have a few traditions that we like to do every year. Besides the dinner, we play nature games, like pin the feather on the turkey. Of course being a homeschooling family, we also love taking the time to do a brief discussion about how Thanksgiving began.






After all is done for the day and children are getting ready for bed, another tradition that I sometimes do, is Black Friday Shopping!!!! Last year was a nightmare. I always say I will never do it again, but the lure of awesome deals are hard to pass up. I am trying to refrain this year, not sure if I can stop myself though . Wish me Luck!


Until Next time ~> Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

What I am Thankful for...

My top 5 reasons why I am Happy, Thankful, and will forever be a Homeschooling parent!

1) Getting to be with my children! Watching them learn and grow everyday before my own eyes, instead of through someone else's.

2) Everyone loves getting things for Free! Especially Free homeschooling stuff! Whether it be Free online games, Free word search, Free printables, Free Unit Studies, etc... I am so Thankful for Free resources that allow me to be able to afford to Homeschool my children. 

3) Homeschooling Tips, Tricks, and ADVICE!
That is why I love reading and joining in the fun of : Blogs, facebook pages, message boards/forums, Co-ops, books, etc..

~We have all been there from time to time. Lost, aggravated, not sure if we are doing something right... I know I have and there is nothing like a fellow homeschooling parent to help give me some much needed insight, support, and a little kick in the "you know what" to get me back on track.

4) Watching my child's face as they finally grasp a concept that they have been struggling with. Be able to be there for those moments, they really do make it all worth while.

5) Freedom! Freedom to choose what my children learn, when, and where! To have the freedom to travel and live life to the fullest. Having the freedom to nurture my child's love of learning and allow their interest to help guide me to choose area's of in depth study. Being apart of helping to develop creativeness and individualism in my children.


             Now that I have shared my top 5, Please feel Free to share yours as well!

Until Next time...

Homeschooling someone else's child?!

We all know what it is like to homeschool our own children, but what about when you are asked to homeschool some one else's? Some may cringe at the thought, while someone else would be more than happy to help out a friend or a family member with this task.

Why would someone ask another person to help them homeschool their child? Some of you may be thinking, well if they do not want to, then that is what private/public school is for. Well, sometimes people love the idea of homeschooling, but because of reasons that can not be helped, are unable to fulfill this dream for their own child. For other people, maybe it is not that they need your help educating their child in all area's, but a certain subject that they are not able to teach themselves.

I am sure we can all relate to an area of school that we have or are dreading to teach. For instants, homeschool math! Online Algebra programs can help, but as someone who just went through learning Algebra for my College education requirements, it can be a hard subject for some to understand, teach, and learn.

At the moment, I am personally helping someone homeschool their child. She is in 8th grade and is struggling in Math. Since, I just finished this myself, I am more than happy to help.  It is great feeling to help out a fellow homeschooler ;)


Until next time...

Is it that Time already?

So, I am hoping everyone had a Fun & Safe Halloween! Our family had a Great time! We do dress up and Trick or Treat. My daughter was a Pirate and my son a Power Ranger. I was a chauffeur lol ;)



I can hardly believe it is already November ?! We have already had the first of many cold snaps, Bbbbrrrrrr!!! isn't even the word! I know depending on where you live, snow may already be in your area or the lucky few that are still in shorts. Still, no matter where you live the climate is changing for all of us. Of course there are some who love traveling, some who homeschool while doing so. We call this Roadschooling. I am one of those. However, I am not really mobile at the moment due to a class I had to take on campus. Still, I like to share this link with you to help get you ready to Winterize your Rv travels ~> http://www.beckleysrvs.com/blog/post/Winter-RV-Tips.aspx

Also here is a Great Website for anyone who is already, or fixing to, or just preparing to homeschool highshool child(ren).


Until next time...

Starting a Blog

 

I know many of my readers are wondering how to go about startinga blog; or maybe you already have one, but have a hard time figuring out what to say. Today I am going to share with you a few tips to get you started.

First things first! You have to decide what you are going to talk about. What is your blog going to be about? Are you going to have a specific topic like, homeschooling; or are you going to talk about all kinds of different things. Either way it is okay, as long as you are enjoying your blog, then you are doing it correctly.

Be consistent! People like to know that their favorite blog is going to post updates regularly.  Now I do not think it needs to be daily, or even weekly, but at least once a month. If your readers are being disappointed when they visit your blog, because there is never nothing new to read, they will eventually stop visiting.

 Pictures! They really help add that extra something to your posts. Don't want to share your personal photos? Well, that is okay because there are so many free photos you can use on the web to get your message across.

 

Be honest! There is no need to exaggerate, or create stories (Unless you have created some sort of blog about stories you have created) for your blog. In my opinion, blogs are to share your life, your adventures, whatever they may be. Life isn't always exciting, but there is still a lot to share and learn from even the dullest day.

 Finally your blog layout, I know you’re thinking that this should be at the top of my list, but really the decor of your page is the least important. If the content in your blog is not there, than your page is nothing more than Art. Yes! I think making it pleasing to the eye is good and taking the time to do so is something I recommend, but even if your page is a bit plain, I promise that as long as you put your Heart into your words, your blog will be far from well, plain!

 Until next time...

Reading Roller Coaster

As Homeschooling parents we all know the importants of teaching our children how to read. We spend countless hours singing the ABC song, sounding words out, showing them how to write their letters, etc. However, once we get past the initial learning curve and your child starts to actually read words ,getting them to practice their new found skill, depending on the child, can be hard sometimes. What I like to do with my children is offer a reward system. Depending on how many books they read they get a reward. What I use for rewards are things like desserts of their choice after dinner, choosing the game for family game night, watching a movie, or getting to buy a new book ;) 


Now, if you think this is a neat idea I have learned recently about an even better incentive that is 100% Free. Now I am not sure if you have learned about the Pizza Hut "Book it" program, if not you should really check it out. Today, however, I am going to talk about an even better reading incentive program out there being offered.

 It is called, "Read to Succeed"! It is an exciting program that encourages students in grades K through 6 to read for fun. Students who complete six hours of recreational reading earn Free Tickets to Six Flags! The program is available to teachers and schools (yes! Home-schools too!) at no cost to participate. It is a great way to motivate kids to read :)  All you have to do is register, have your children read, and presto Fun Day at Six Flags!  Now if only that could make Elementary online writing incentive programs ;)

 

News Flash

I just love when my children's homeschooling stuff inspires my College stuff and vise versa. Recently I came across this great website that offered a flashcard maker . With my Fall classes I am taking I think I might be making me some flashcards ;)



On another note my family has the Flu! Yep, it's the Flu :(  Went to the doctor today and they tested us and we were positive. I am just starting to show signs. I am so hoping not to get real bad, but my hubby and children are still pretty sick.


So, on that not I am gonna end and get some much needed rest.

Until next time...

Did you hear? Cold's are here!

 Don't you just love the end of summer? Love the fact that it is time for Fall? The Holiday's, Cool weather, changing of the leaves, and of course illness! Yep! I said it ILLNESS!
With all the wonderful things that Fall brings, Colds are unfortunately on that list.





The past 10 days have been a miserable one, for my daughter, she has been ill with a nasty cold. Coughing, Coughing, and Coughing! She of course has went through all the phases: stuffed nose, sneezing, running nose, etc... ~> I will be so very Happy when all is finally Well!

 On the homeschooling front, I attended the Co-op again last week. My daughter was ill so she stayed home, but my son was well, so I took him. In his class they were learning the 5 senses. The Ear was that days sense. Honestly, the fact I am in Anatomy & Physiology class made this very interesting for m,e as I will soon be learning about the ear in class myself. It was nice to have a brief preview of what I will be learning. The kids really enjoyed learning about the ear as well. We had noise makers and had children look in a real ear. After Co-op, I took my son to the local Library where he got his very 1st Library Card! He was so excited and loved checking out his books on his own card.
Since my daughter has been ill, school lessons have paused this past couple of weeks. However, I have been working on what we will be focusing on later. I think Spelling will be an area I will be hitting on the next couple of months. I will be putting together spelling lists by grade, for each child.


Until next time...
 

Fill in the Blank

I joined a Homeschooling ... - ....!  <~fill in the blank

Any guesses? Anyone?! Okay, Okay I'll tell you lol :)  I joined a Homeschooling Co-op!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since I have started going back to school (College) on campus for my most recent class, we have been staying in one area. So, this has given me the ability to really get involved in the local homeschooling community in this area. I decided that even though I won't be here next year, that it did not mean I should not allow my children to enjoy the local Co-op's. We started yesterday! They had it at a local church and it was wonderful! All the people were so nice and they had different groups for the different age levels. It lasted for a couple of hours and then afterwards they all went outside to eat lunch and let the children play. We all really enjoyed it!
 So, my advice to all of you is to check out your area's local homeschooling groups. See who gets together and where. Even if your only going to be there in that area a short while don't think you can't get involved. Just join and make those lifelong memories  ;)

Until next time....
 

Dancing Bones

So, today I had my first Anatomy & Physiology Exam. I was pretty worried as I had not had enough time IMO to study properly. This of course means I need to figure a way to make more time so that my next exam, I will feel better prepared. However, even with my worries I managed to get a decent grade Whew! ;)

Other news ~>I signed up my daughter for dance this Fall! Hip-hop! She is really having a good time and making a bunch of new friends. Watching her makes me wish I could have taken dance as a child. Love living vicariously through my children lol <3 p="p">
On the Homeschooling front ~> I Love this word search maker! <~Check it out!

Until Next time...

Lazy Day!

Today has been such a Lazy, Lazy, did I say Lazy? Homeschooling day for me... Thank Goodness for educational videos!!!!  If it were not for them, on days like today, my kids would not learn anything.  For me today I am just feeling a little off. I have super anxiety ( my mom is having surgery today) and I just can not concentrate. So, I decided to give myself some much needed "Blog Therapy".

What else has been on my mind today? Fall! I can not believe Summer is almost over. Feels like it just began. Last night I was outside and dare I say it, but yep! It felt a lil chilly. Not cold chilly, but you could feel a definite difference. Part of me is looking forward to pants and sweaters and all of those Holidays. In fact I bought a Halloween decoration today (From Avon) It is the table top Haunted house for $25. So cool! In my small space I have to be careful, but this was perfect :)

Anyways, I guess I am gonna end here for now. Until next time...

Homeschooling!

Over the years, I have been asked many times if I am an accidental homeschooler. I know many homeschooling families out there are, which is perfectly okay, but for my family we have always known we would homeschool. Why you might ask? Well, for many reasons: For starters I just never wanted to miss those moments of watching them learn. I also love being with my kids all the time (LOL! I know it sounds crazy, but it's true). I also wanted them to have a better educational experience then I did. Plus, schools today can be unsafe on top of bully issues. In addition, I love the fact that they can get ahead start by starting college early, etc, ect, etc...
Anyways, I have also been so Super busy this past week with MY college education. I am taking two classes this semester ~>  Anatomy & Physiology 1( which my instructor can barely speak English ugh!) and an Online American Literature class ( Which has me reading so much and the stories have been less then interesting ugh! again!) Makes me wish I could be reading some of the homeschool fiction books my kids read. It would be lot more interesting I am sure! O'well at least they are enjoying their education at the moment :)


Until Next Time...

Internet Safety

    

 With so many people having computer's and Internet in their home, on top of the fact many family's have more than one computer, it can be hard to monitor every website your child visits. This is why I think it is very important to think about how you will provide Internet Safety for kids, your kids obviously ;) In our home, I require my children to ask before they get on their computer. This way I can monitor what they are doing. However, I know that as they get older this may not work as well. I think putting parental controls on your computer is another smart idea. This way if they get on with out your knowledge it may help keep them out of age inappropriate areas. Of course websites are not the only thing to be aware of. Even though many of us use the computer for just homeschooling purposes, many also like those My space, Face book, etc sites! We are one of those families :) In fact one of my favorite homeschooling places is on Face book ~>  FB Roadschooling page! Even with so many innocent, safe, social places on the web, there will always be ones they are not and people that will try and take advantage of place like these to prey on unsuspecting people.
So, first I NEVER post photographs of myself or my children. I just see no reason to allow strangers to see what I or my children look like. Second, my children's Face book pages do not have their real names ( First are okay, but I Last names I feel are unsafe to post). This way they can play games and talk to their friends and maybe make new online friends with out me worrying about predator's. Of course no matter how many barriers we put in place the only way to truly keep kids safe is to talk with them about the dangers and what you expect of them.  My children know to only go to websites I have approved and to ask before going to new ones. They know not to give out their real name or phone number or location to anyone or post pictures.

I hope these ideas have helped inspire you to make the Internet a bit safer for you family as well :)

Creative Writing & more...

Lately, I have been encouraging my oldest to be more creative in her writing. I know many children need creative writing help whether they are in elementary grades, middle or high-school ( of course many high-schoolers need more help with high-school essay writing so to prepare themselves for college). She has always had a wonderful imagination, but I have always felt that it never hurts to push themselves to be the best they can be.

On the home front, I spent a lovely day with my family: husband, children, mother, sister, step-father, & Grand-mother :)  It had been a long time since we had all been together and we enjoyed a nice dinner and some much needed catching up!



Well, don't Forget that there are only a few days left to get FREE haircuts through JCPenney!

Until next time...

Teaching Resources I love

As a homeschooling parent, teacher resources are so very important. Regardless what you want to teach or how you want your child to learn, you still need the tools to accomplish your goals.
I would like to share with you my favorite teaching tools ~>





First off it would have to be my computer! Without it I would not be able to type this blog, but my children would also not be able to use their online program called Time4Learning, which BTW is my second favorite on my list. I also love those free online programs like SpellingCity.com & Learninggamesforkids.com not to mention the  hundreds of other educational resources available on the Internet. In addition I love those schoolzone.com books you can buy get from walmart. They are just big enough to add a little extra sheet work and they are so cheap compared to other work books that it is okay that they are just "extra". Last but not least is Clipboards!!!!! I recently bought them for my kids at Walmart, you know the ones that come with a storage compartment underneath for papers, pencils, etc. Well, I found that these are wonderful, especially if you live in a small space like we do. My kids use those in place of a table and instead of me having to give them their assignments daily, I have separate folder inside labeled with each day of the week. Inside those folders, I have school lessons filled out, so everyday they grab the correct folder and do their lessons and put the finished sheet work back inside to be graded. We have been doing this for about a month now and so far it has been working wonderfully ;)

Until next time....

Back to School Time

Well, for many of us it is back to school time. Whether you attend public school, private school, home-school or a college, many are getting ready for a brand new year.
Even though we school year-round we are also preparing to begin another year as we just completed our yearly school evaluations. Not only are my children starting on their next year's schooling material, I am also preparing for my new semester of college.




On our home-school front, for anyone who is curious about our plans~>

For my youngest who is at a Kindergarten level, we are focusing on learning to read this year. We will also be focusing on adding and maybe some subtraction, etc. My oldest, who is going into the 5th Grade, will be doing some review of her multiplication and division and will be focusing on reading chapter books and writing book reports this year. She also will continue to learn about the president and the US states, etc. We will also be using Time4learning online program for both of our children's core and adding some great unit studies that I am learning how to create on my own (they will be interest based)

Until next time...

Is it August already?

~ Above cartoon is Funny, but also very true! ~

Is it August already?! Can not believe my Summer semester is almost over. For anyone who is new to my Blog, I have been taking some college classes. Sometimes I have a hard time believing I have been in college for a year now. Seems like just yesterday I began. What is more unbelievable is I still have about 2 more years left!!!! Still, nothing life worth having is every easy, now is it?


On the "Home" school front ~> My daughter has really been doing wonderfully with her online math. She keeps asking me, "Mom! Can I just do Math today?"  I just love that :)
I also have started focusing on teaching her the Presidents and the United States. I bought these great flash cards from Office Max. They were about $4 a piece. Every day I give her a president and the state he was born in ( When I have done all the states that go with the presidents I plan to move on to the the rest of the states). We have been doing this a week and so far it has been going great! I also found these learning games to go with it called Place the State. It is a really a neat free game to help reinforce what I am already doing.




~>Don't forget to take your kids to get their free haircuts at JCPenney this month (K-6th) and of course the Tax free weekend if that applys to your state.








Until next time...