Starting School

Life is moving so quickly it seems.  We've been in school now a little over a month.  I intentionally started things simply this year to try to get into a good routine.  So far, that is working pretty well for us.  I still need to get a better routine for Eliana though.  

I am thankful for the opportunity to homeschool my children.  I'm grateful this is an option in our country.  It has worked well and been a blessing for my family.  It has allowed us opportunities to explore so many fun things in our area and around the state.  I love going on field trips and know that it has been a great method of learning for all of us.  

I'm thankful that I can work with my children's strengths and weaknesses.  I pray that those with learning challenges will be strengthened to become all that God has designed them to be and not have a distorted sense of their worth based on their abilities or how they might measure up to someone else.   

I had intended on starting school in mid-August when Christopher went back to State.  I didn't realize that he would go quite so early - or that we would end up in the ER twice in one week.  So we started a little later.  Christopher was home just one day before moving back on campus.  

It really wasn't nearly long enough.  It was made easier by the fact that he is close and hopefully that means we will see him more often.

We helped him move into his new room.

Not a lot of pictures in the chaos of moving a lot of stuff into a small room.  This is the view from in front of his suite.

Love seeing my children hanging out and enjoying being together.  We all miss Christopher being here.    I am the oldest and I think its probably a lot easier on the first child to leave home.  Everything is different and exciting for them.  I think its harder on those at home, missing those who are gone.  I am so thankful he is in a school that he loves with amazing friends!  I'm thankful that he is learning and growing in his faith.  I'm thankful that we get to spend time together and also with some of his friends.  God is good.

My oldest, Christopher, a sophomore at NC State.

He missed going on our back to school night outing.  We had planned to do it when he was here, but then Eliana got sick.  Really, really sick.  That through us off for a week.  Then Daniel stepped on the toothpick.  We did finally make it out a full week later.  First stop ... Wal-Mart.  You are already thinking that this sounds like fun, aren't you?  LOL  It was a beautiful night!

Getting ready to pick out some new school supplies!  Worked well to have a wheelchair for Daniel to get around in.  (You can see his bandaged foot.)

After shopping, we headed over to Moonberries.  Love this place!  They have clearly labelled gluten free options!  I had purchased a "groupon" and it covered treats for all of us and our friends.

Yummy and fun.

Fun having friends join us!

Beautiful girls!

Here are my students for this year.  We do family Bible lessons together and each child does Awana/Scripture memory and their own Bible reading.  I am also doing worldview with all but Eliana.

Eliana is 5 and is doing preschool work.  We are using Handwriting Without Tears, Before Five in a Row and working on alphabet, numbers and sight reading.

Daniel is 8.  He is enjoying Five in a Row, Handwriting without Tears, and Math U See.

This is Isaiah who just turned 11.  He is doing Life of Fred, Math U See (we juggle between the two as needed/desired) and Beyond Five in a Row.

This is Joshua who just turned 13.  (I need to do some birthday posts!)  He is doing Math U See, Beyond Five in a Row, Worldview and Rainbow Science.

Rebecca is 16.  She is doing Worldview, Chemistry, Algebra 2, American History, and American Literature.

These are our main subjects and we will add in a few more things as we go.  For now, this is the basics and it is working well for us.

Love being a mom!

Love being able to homeschool!  This doesn't mean that every day and moment is easy or fun.  Its not.  Its hard work, but worth it.

We started back to school with some new supplies and goodies for everyone.  Eliana's things focusing on reading and writing.

A general stack of art supplies and some books for everyone.

One of the biggest hits that I bought - themed cups.  Yes, I know, not really a school supply, but it makes everyone happy.  They remember their cups too.

Fun notebooks.

Starting the year off with a clean desk/work area.  It doesn't look like that now.  But it can look neat, right?  Just not while we are actually working.

More soon (I hope) on what we have been up to.  For now, we are busy with schooling and other things.  We have fun field trips and co-ops to share with you.  I hope your year is going well too!

Blessings
Leslie

A glimpse of some of our summer ...

Life has just been busy.  I'm sure you can relate.  It seems to swirl around me so fast at times that I can hardly catch my breath.  Other times are slow and sweet.  I like those times best.  Relaxing.  Family and friends.  Laughter.  I'm trying to savor the moments.  Cast my fears and worries on the only One who can carry them.  It isn't always easy though.  Stress settles on me and I can feel it.  Its work to push it off.  (Maybe its because "I'm a girl" as my oldest reminds me.  LOL)

Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7

So looking back a bit on our summer and then hopefully catching up.  It seems to be a theme with me though, doesn't it?  LOL

We ran and played and had fun with friends.

We celebrated graduations.  (Isn't this an adorable gift that Rebecca made for one of her friends?!)

We celebrated a birthday (more on thatHERE in his birthday post which I just wrote).  Happy Birthday my precious Daniel!!!

We worked and had fun at our church's Kids Week (VBS).  I worked with snacks with another sweet  Mom.  We made snacks for 500 that were gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free.  Wanted snacks not to be a stressor for the kids attending.

We said good-bye to someone very dear and precious to us.  Our beloved pediatrician, Dr. Lail.  We met her after Eliana was born and in the NICU at the hospital.  She did not know us but stepped in when we needed someone and started advocating for us.  She has been a God-send on so many occasions.  I know God blessed us with her and I am so very thankful to know her!  She is a truly amazing doctor and Cincinnati Children's is very lucky to be getting her!

We are going to miss you!!!  (Eliana took this picture of us.)

We had our shopping adventure at the consignment sale.  Here is Eliana modeling one of her new outfits.  Isn't she beautiful?  Sorry the pic is blurry.

Christopher came home.  So thankful to have him nearby again!

We went to visit my parents for a day.  Christopher had a tight schedule coming home from NJ and then starting back at State.  We took a day to go to Charlotte to visit.  They have faced a lot of challenges and health issues and its been a more than challenging summer for them.  We were thankful to have some time together even though it was much too short.

Hanging out with one of their cousins.

Not sure if Eliana didn't want her picture taken or if this was to block the sun.  Or maybe it was a premonition of things to come.  While we were there, her eyes started watering and nose running - like an allergic reaction to something.  Then she started crying.  She was inconsolable with things that will typically cheer and distract her.

The ride home was long.  Adding in standstill traffic and construction didn't help things at all.  Eliana cried and cried and then starting getting sick.  Very sick.  Can I just say that Rebecca was amazing during this ride!  After getting sick 5 times, she finally was able to go to sleep.  She continued to get sick at home and it was a long rough night.  She woke up at one point and wandered into the kitchen ... and then fell asleep again.  Isn't this pitiful?

After a rough few days, she began to mend.  We had one trip to the ER which confirmed some infections.  I think all of this stemmed from food poisoning.  We don't know for sure though.  Thankfully she is a tough little girl!

It was so nice to see her back to looking like this!

After our trip to the ER with Eliana, we were back again a few days later with Daniel.  He stepped on a toothpick which impaled his foot.  (No, we don't know how he did it either.)  We tried to pull it out and it wouldn't budge.  They tried in the ER and had the same results.  Brought in some surgeons to remove it.  There was a 1" piece stuck up into his foot!  Eek!  No wonder he screamed so!

Not many pics, but here you can see one after stitches.  (Yes, I know it needs to be cleaned.)

These last few incidents were all happening on the week we were going to start school.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  We are back in the swing of things though and I'll share more on that later.

Through it all, God is there.  The good and bad.  The happy and the frightening.  He is with me through it all and I need to keep my eyes on Him.  So much to learn - always.   Funny, one of my boys the other day told me that he "knew" the Bible.  So confident about how much he knew.  I chuckled.  I realize that the more that I learn about God and His word, the more that I have to learn.  There is so very much I have yet to learn.

This post feels long and rambling and disjointed, but there you have it.  It is kind of reflective of our summer.  Thank you to my family and friends who have been praying for us over the summer.  We appreciate your love and care so very much.  We are thankful and grateful for the many ways that God has blessed us.  Sometimes those blessings are disguised and hard to recognize and other times that are surprising in being more than we could have asked for!  Today was one of those days and we are grateful.

With love
Leslie

Firsts this week

After our failed first attempt at a back to school breakfast, I decided to try something spontaneous the next morning.  It wasn't all that I would have wanted if I had planned it - but everyone was happy and we had a fun time.  When the children got up, I asked them to get dressed and not eat.  Then we went to Chick-fil-a to have biscuits.  I got hash browns for Eliana which were gluten free (though she was fussy later).  She did love them and called them nuggets.  This could be a good compromise.  

The second part of the surprise was heading to Walmart to pick out some new school supplies.  We didn't need much, but its still fun to pick some things.  I enjoy seeing what delights them too!  A picture of my "students" for this year.   

 Our cleaned up school room - ready for a new year!  I haven't finished all of my organizing yet and perhaps I'll post more about that - if it ever gets done!  LOL  You can see my new Ikea shelves on the back wall.  I am loving them!

 Rebecca chose sparkly and pretty folders and a fun pencil sharpener/holder.

 Angry birds folder was popular with a couple of mine.

 An electric pencil sharpener.  He was so excited about this - and has been loving making sure all of our pencils have a nice point.

 Cars notebook was his top choice.

 Eliana chose a new lunchbox - something we can use to keep her GF snacks in when we are out of the house.  I also had things for each of them to enjoy too!

 A better look at my shelves.  Did I mention that I'm loving them?!  LOL  So much more useful than the lovely china hutch that was there before.

We also had our first field trip with our Five in a Row group.  It was so much fun to be together again with friends!  We welcomed some new families to our group as well.  Our first outing is typically just a park day.  A relaxing time to reconnect and have fun.  One of our members also arranged for us to have a class on  

butterflies.  What a great addition to our morning! 

We had a lively and knowledgeable presenter.  She brought with her live caterpillars and butterflies which added to the fun!

We watched the butterflies being released.

  

Afterwards, we had picnic lunches and played.  Eliana and Rebecca both spent time taking pictures.  Rebecca does a great job - and Eliana surprisingly gets some good ones too!  

 Fun days.  A great way to start off our school year!

Blessings
Leslie