the beginning of our Homeschool adventures...

WoWzA........it's been a whole seven months since I've blogged!!! :) Those of you that know me well understand.
So the biggest adventure I've been preparing for lately is starting homeschool with the kiddos.  I wish I had a picture of my curriculum to share, but I don't. Sorry, maybe next time! :) But I will share a detailed list with you guys of what I'm using. So here goes:
Math U See: I will be using the primer package and the manipulatives.
Character First: this is a sweet curriculum that I am super excited about!!!  It builds the childs character by teaching them, for example, how to be attentive like a deer and so forth.
Rod and Staff Publishers: my plan (I can't believe I'm using the "P" word) is to do a bit of reading from some sweet books published by Rod and Staff.......and hopefully next year Blythe will be reading them to me! I really am growing to love this publisher and am excited to use their stuff!
Christian Liberty Press: which I am super excited about also, love their work too!  I will be using several things from them:  the Nature Reader, for science and some other little sweet books that I will be reading from during my reading time to the boys.  Then also History for Little Pilgrims, for History obviously! :)
Copybook 1:  for some handwriting skills.
Language and Thinking for Young Children
The Llama who had no Pajama: for some poetry.  We will be working on memorizing some stuff!!
Three Tales of My Fathers Dragon and The Story of the World:  for History and Geography.  These will be used as supplements.  They are cute stories we will read occasionally.
The Nature Connection:  for Science, this will be a supplement as well.  I plan (there's that "P" word again, :)) to create a nature journal for each of the boys......when we take nature walks we will record our findings! :)
Nature Friend Magazine:  for Science as well.  This is a sweet creation based magazine!  I'm super excited to start using this!
ESV Illustrated Family Bible:  for our bible time.  I'm also going to use as a supplement the booklet I got from the church with all the lessons from Blythes disciple hour.
Bible alive, dramatized NLT:  I got the audio version so we can start listening to this while riding around in the car.  Instead of listening to the radio all the time!  I desire to feed my children with TRUTH wherever I can and as much as I can......I don't want to miss any opportunities!!!
Well, I didn't go into as much detail as I thought I might and I didn't do any links......lack of time, sorry!  But I either borrowed, or bought most from amazon and christian book.  Please ask if you have any questions about anything or need any help, I would love to help where I can.
Also, I will add that I obviously won't be using all of this every day.  I do also plan to add some music, activity time, and craft time into this on some days as well. I don't have a specific schedule laid out yet but I do know we will only do about 2 hours a day, possibly only four days a week.  And of course, I will also be adding in a few field trips for the year.  The first one is already in place, I'm surprising the boys with a trip to Burnet, Tx for Day Out With Thomas........they are going to be SOOO excited!!!!!!  Beyond that, most of our field trips will be more local and more educational based.
Before I end this post I must say I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to homeschool my sweet children and I am so excited about this next adventure that God is taking us on!  The first memory verse I will be working on memorizing with the boys is, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7.


  

The Valley of Vision

Lord, High and Holy, Meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
     where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
     hemmed in by the mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
     that the way down is the way up,
     that to be low is to be high,
     that the broken heart is the healed heart,
     that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
     that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
     that to have nothing is to possess all,
     that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
     that to give is to receive,
     that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
     and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
     thy life in my death,
     thy joy in my sorrow,
     thy grace in my sin,
     thy riches in my poverty
     thy glory in my valley.

All be to the Glory of God Alone!

Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
(John 16:20-24 ESV)

                 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33 ESV)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

(Romans 8:18 ESV)

Praise God for wonderful encouragement from His Word!

Verity Emmaus

My baby girl has been here for four months already!  I can't hardly believe it.

Our sweet bundle of joy is three days old in this picture.

She was a tiny little thing, weighing in at 6lbs 1oz at birth.  My smallest baby yet.  And it's been SO much fun having a girl after 2 rambunctious boys!  All of my children have been unique in their own way (which I love), and have all been such fun blessings from our Great God!

So our little ladybug has been doing quite a bit of growing since the three day old picture!

This picture was taken at about 3 1/2 months old.

Notice the quilt in the second picture, I owe a thanks to my sweet grandma for that.  I love it!

Now just for fun!

Not to be confused with nap time, their just playing!

I just love these guys!

Well, that's all I have for today.  I've got to get busy, I'm hosting a baby shower for my sister in law who is having twins!  I love doing stuff like this, so much fun!  :-)

the joy of home: the great book giveaway!!

the joy of home: the great book giveaway!!: "I've encountered a problem: I can't store all these books I review! They're taking over our house! I have to say adios to them, and the..."

every stitch.......

Well today I am working on my sewing!  I love it!  There is so much I want to work on.  So today I am going to try to accomplish sewing the boys some pants from kojodesigns and some shorts.  I will also be making the baby girl some of the same pants and a skirt (or maybe two)!  :-)  And why y'all are over at kojodesigns you should also link up to homemade by jill.  Her blog is awesome too, and isn't the tutorial for the maternity pencil skirt just adorable!  This is only a remnant of the stuff I've been working on, so hopefully I will be able to share more soon!  And yes, I know, PICTURES!  They will come, I promise!  :-)  I will admit it may have to be after the move because while I am doing all of this I am also having to pack!  So wish me luck!

Oh. My. Word.

Today I took on a new adventure.......making homemade fried pies.  They were absolutely scrumptious!  They took a little time to make, but overall I would label as easy.  Sorry I don't have any pictures, but go to southernplate.com and you'll find plenty of pictures along with the recipe! Seriously, you won't be disappointed!

The recipe is under Lela's Fried Peach Pies.  I actually made apple pies.  SO YUMMY!