What we've been up to...Home School wise...

For me Home Schooling is a love/hate relationship. I love almost everything about it. I LOVE having the kids home, I love watching them play and learn together, I love knowing what goes on in their day.

On the flip side, I HATE feeling responsible for something so crucial (Oh, wait, everything about parenting is crucial), I hate that I pressure them (and me) too much, I hate that they complain (and I get angry), I hate feeling like they might be doing better in the public school, I hate that on top of all this I still need to fulfill my roll as mother to the babies, and housekeeper, cook, wife, daughter, sister, friend...

Some days I feel like it is way. way. way. too much (and I want someone to rescue me), and sometimes I feel like I wouldn't want it any other way.

I've been reading a Homeschooling book by a lady from my old ward in Philly (Homeschooling Take a Deep Breath-You Can Do This! -Terrie Lynn Bittner). My friend Elaine brought it out for me to borrow, and it's been really great. That little boost that makes you think, "Yes, I can do this, and it could even be fun!".

I've discovered that I have been focusing so much on keeping the kids caught up to the public schools that I've totally stressed Math and Reading while ignoring the things that I enjoy about school. Art, Science, Music, etc... So we've been trying to make more room for those things in our day, and it's been amazing how much more I can fit in. Plus I have that as an incentive "Kids if you finish your math and reading we can do a really cool project."

We've had some projects that were really successful, and some that were less successful (rock candy is a dang tricky thing to create), but we've had fun experimenting none the less!

We made a count down chain today. Only 11 more days till Nana comes to visit, and we can hardly wait!!! Porter was made a link that said "I love Nana" and he said "I know Nana will love this!" He didn't look too excited in the picture, but he was (I promise).

Here is the chain gradually growing, unaware that each person in this house is dying to tear it apart!

Bennett has been a real stinker about getting his picture taken. As soon as I pull out the camera he goes into shy mode and refuses to look at me. When I do get a shot of him looking at me he always looks so serious.

We ventured out to the craft store the other day and stocked up of cheap-o crafts. In my book there is nothing better than craft time. I love it! It's all I can do to not take over and make all the crafts myself. For a buck a craft I ought to just fork over the extra money and get some for me .

I was pretty excited for these little wooden crafts because it would give Porter a chance to use his new tool kit. Little did I know Casey has the 'stick craft hands' as well, and built the wooden projects while I was at church Sunday. As an attempt to, still be able to, claim them as kid projects I let the kids paint them ALL BY THEMSELVES.

Maya's project was a bird house. The other day at the Library she got a book on winter birds in the area. I was really excited, thinking we could build this little bird house, make bird feeders, and spend the day identifying birds. Then reality set in and I realized...we really don't have anywhere to hang them, where we could see them. Oh, to have a back yard *sigh*.

The lack of a yard didn't dampen her enthusiasm for painting something beautiful.

While painting her bird house Maya said "Isn't this so nice? It's a little home for the birds, (pause) then I can take their nest away and have all the baby birdies." Porter said "That's not nice, it's mean."