Author: thefamilyo

  • A Prayer for Teachers

    Are you on Pinterest?  WOW!  I have been super inspired since finding it.  While cruising through checking out all the great stuff I came across a Class Rules sign on Pinterest.  I love the sign, I printed it for our Homeschool Room.

    I decided to visit the blog that it originated on and I found this wonderful prayer for any teacher.  I hope to pray this prayer many every morning.  I took the text and redesigned it to be “rainbow-ey”, if you like the prayer, click here to download it.

    Prayer for Teachers

    PS- the font I used for Lord and Amen came from another Pinterest post, ultimately from the eighteen25 blog, thanks ladies!

  • Turning 8

    I am 8 Preston

    My oldest turned 8 this past week and  we did things a little different this year.  Usually we do the whole party thing, but I thought it was time for some more meaningful time with people he loves.  I asked him if he wanted to have each Grandma take him on a date and then we would let him choose a friend to take to our local amusement center.

    He loved the idea and so I let our families know the scoop, they were game!

    The night before his birthday my Mom picked him up and they headed straight for the “toy aisle”.  Preston picked out his favorite toy – building bricks.  He picked out a Star Wars set and a Transformer set.  Then they headed to his favorite restaurant of all time, Country Buffet.  My boy loves steak, potatoes and salad, he is in heaven there.  Next they headed to the shoe store for some new tennies and for one more special treat, they went to her house and built one of his new sets together.  He had a fantastic time!

    The following morning was his birthday so I made him smiley face pancakes complete with M & M eyes.

    Smiley Face Pancake

    After breakfast we headed to his favorite playground for some serious fun.

    I am 8

    Playing with brothers

    My Boy

    me and my boy hanging out

    That evening we had Bible Study and so we took tie-dye cupcakes to share with friends.

    tyed-dyes cupcakes

    Cupcakes

    Happy 8th Birthday My Dear Boy!

  • Stopping to Smell the Roses, Literally!

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    I love flowers, I love gardening.  Before I had kids, most of my time was spent gardening.  I researched, planned, plotted and planted.  Fast forward 8 years and I have no time to garden, I figure I will be able to do it again once my kids are a little older.

    Until then, I get my flower fix at my local public garden, called Hudson Gardens.  30 acres of God’s beauty in nature.  It’s almost heaven!

    I wandered through the Rose Garden and snapped some shots of my favorites.

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    The Rose Garden at Hudson Gardens

    Other Flowers:

    Zinnias at Hudson Gardens

    Hudson Gardens

    Hudson Gardens

    Hudson Gardens

    Hudson Gardens

     Hope you enjoyed!

  • Fun with Shaving Cream

    fun with shaving creamRecently I discovered another amazing blog!  This one is called Meet the Dubiens.  I have seen so many things on this blog that I want to do with my kids.  Very inspiring!

    Our first inspiration we did today.  She mixed food coloring with shaving cream and used it as paint for her kids bath time.

    We did not make it for bathtime, just craft time.  I let them play at their little table and gave them some utensils.

    I do wish I would have had primary colors, Oliver was mixing colors and discovering new colors, would have been more effective with primary colors.

    I am still trying to use up the neon colors I used for Oliver’s Rainbow Cake.

    The boys had fun for about 1 hour, record time for my 3 and 5 year olds.

    Oliver playing

    colored shaving cream

    Woody in the shaving cream

    pretty green shave cream

    Olivers Mixing Tray

    tie dyed shaving cream

    Next time:  More tools and Primary Colors.

    FUN:  YES!

  • 2011 “Not” Back to School Blog Hop!

    Not Back to School Blog Hop

    Last year while I was gearing up for my first year of Homeschool, I came across a Blog Hop. At the time I had no clue what a Blog Hop was… glad I found out. A blog hop is a place where bloggers with common interests can participate in a theme and submit their blog to one place. I poured through so many blogs, I was so inspired.

    Home of the Matter Online is sponsoring another one for August.

    This week’s topic is Curriculum. I am going to share 2 lists with you. My “dream” list and my “real” list! I have 2 simply because of budgetary reasons.

    My Dream List:

    Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing

    Science: Apologia Zoology 1 (Flying Creatures of the 5th Day)

    Character Training:  Positive Action Bible

    Math:  Math U See

    History:  History of Mystery

    Here is what we will be using for my Kindergartner:

    Sonlight Core 1

    Sonlight Core 1

    We used this for Preston this past year.  Oliver is already doing math and reading so I am going to try Core 1 with him this year .  He will probably end up doing the Apologia Science with us.

    For My 2nd Grader and possibly my Kinder – Adventures in my Fathers World.  I have this curriculum and it is for multiple kids.  I am going to work through and may discover that I do not need the Sonlight Core.  I will keep you posted!

    Preston will also be using Horizons, we used it last year and liked it.

    For all 3 boys I am going to use Positive Action for Character Training.

    Thanks for stopping by!  I cannot wait to see all the blogger Mommies and what they are using!

    Next Week:  SCHOOLROOMS!!!  (did I tell you an IKEA just opened up in my city?!?!)

    This looks perfect:

     Love IKEA Inspiration!

  • Summer Centers

    We love centers!  I used them throughout the past school year for all 3 boys.  Some structured some as free-play.  The boys are always happy to pull them out and play with them it is a guaranteed 30 minutes of constructive play.

    For the Summer I reorganized them, rearranged and grouped different things together to get the boys geared up for summer indoor activities.

    I put everything in one cabinet thanks to my sister who gave me a nice white cabinet.  Thanks Tia!

    our Centers cabinet

    Melissa and Doug Pattern Blocks and BoardsMelissa and Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

    Styrofoam shapesStyrofoam shapes – Good for Math, Sorting and Building

    math manipulatives10 Base T  set – great for Math and Building

    Random toolsRandom Tools (thanks Liv for the Magnifying glasses)

    treasure huntColored rice, items are buried, fun!

    Math ManipulativesGreat for Math, Sorting, Building and Art

     Geoboard
    it’s also a Geoboard!

    shape blocksshapes

    shape blocksfor building

    robotsLearning Robots, Phonics and Math

    Concentrationtravel size Concentration game

    Card shufflercard shuffler

    One happy boyOne Happy Boy!

  • 2nd – 3rd Grade Math – Multiplication

    Online Quiz: 2nd – 3rd Grade Math: Multiplication

    Mark your answer then click the Next button to go to the next question. You will be given results immediately following the quiz.

    [QUIZZIN 3]

  • Addition For Kindergarten Quiz 1

    Online Quiz: Addition for kindergarten.

    Mark your answer then click the Next button to go to the next question. You will be given results immediately following the quiz.

     

    [QUIZZIN 4]

  • 1st Grade Math Skills Q1

    Online Quiz – 1st Grade Math Skills:

    Mark your answer then click the Next button to go to the next question. You will be given results immediately following the quiz.

    [QUIZZIN 2]

  • 2nd Grade Math Skills Q1

    Online Quiz – 2nd Grade Math Skills:

    Mark your answer then click the Next button to go to the next question. You will be given results immediately following the quiz.

    [QUIZZIN 1]