Life with the Family O

Tag: blogging

  • The Homeschool Mothers Journal Week 6

    The Homeschool Mother's Journal

    Thanks to the Homeschool Chick and The Kelley Eight I will now be journaling this fantastically crazy journey we are on.  I am thrilled, excited and thankful!

    Week #6:

    In my life this week…

    Back to school after a nice little break to celebrate Spring!  Looking at houses, found one that seems perfect for us.  The only thing that I don’t like is thinking about it too much.  Need to leave with Him.

    In our homeschool this week…

    Preston is getting learn all about life in and around a 13th century European Castle.  I am really enjoying it too.  We are using an awesome Usbourne book called “Time Traveler” and it comes with Sonlights 1st grade core.  Has illustrations, explanations, cross-sections, it is fun!  Did you know Knights are the only ones of the Kings men to ride horses?  The ones without horses are Men at Arms.

    Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

    Hmmmm…. playgr0unds!  Couple of family birthdays too.  We got to see a lot of extended family which is always nice.

    My favorite thing this week was…

    Watching my 1st grader zip through a maze of multiples by 3’s.  I was really surprised at how quick he completed it.   We are doing Horizons Math and he took a unit test and aced it.  So happy that he is learning and I have proof (hint hint – Mom).  :O)

    What’s working/not working for us…

    Space is still an issue.  If we do get into this house, it will provide much needed space for my 1st grader to work, read and build things without his brothers destroying his work.

    Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

    Wondering about Switch on Schoolhouse for Preston when he hits 3rd grade, anyone use it?

    A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

    painting


  • Wordless Wednesday – Afternoon Tea

    Afternoon Tea

    I have always fancied the thought of going to have tea but I have never went.  Of course one of the daily deal sites recently offered Afternoon Tea at a 2 for 1 price.  I bought one and thought it would be perfect to take my sister for her birthday.  It was delightful!

    I have joined Wordless Wednesday from the Resourceful Mommy website to share my pics.

    petit four

    tea cups

    finger sandwiches

    Scone with Jam and coddled cream

    afternoon tea

    We went to the House of Windsor in Lakewood, I recommend!

    (if you go to their site, fair warning, they have a video with audio play automatically)

  • Wordless Wednesday

    This week I joined a  Wordless Wednesday link up sponsored by ResourcefulMommy.com

    My theme this week is food!

    Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuita yummy treat my hubby made

     

    Iced Mochaan iced mocha in the making

     

    crostini toppingsdelicious crostini toppings

  • Super Duper Sweetness

    As you may have seen from an earlier post, my son and I went on a date recently.  We had a really great time.  I wanted to share with you, a sweet, intimate moment between the 2 of us.  While at a restaurant I excused myself to use the restroom.  When I came around the corner to our booth, my son was sitting in my seat, I watched for a second and realized he was taking pictures of himself with the camera.  I sneaked up behind him and joined in the pictures, he never knew I was behind him.

    When I sat down he told me to look at the pics on the camera.  I told him he should look with me.  He was so surprised to see me in some of the pics, he loved it.  BUT THE BEST PART … I had another surprise coming too.  While looking through them I realized that in each picture he is signing a word to form I LOVE YOU, through the succession of pictures.

    Here they are:

    preston warming up

    Preston

    Preston signing I

    Preston signing Love

    Preston signing You

    Loved the date, loved this gesture, love my BOY!

  • The Homeschool Mothers Journal Week 4

    The Homeschool Mother's Journallegos

    Recently I saw a blog post from a Homeschool mom that I follow.  Sam from The Kelley Eight was excited to start a journaling program.  I have always wanted to journal but just felt overwhelmed with starting from scratch.

    Thanks to the Homeschool Chick and The Kelley Eight I will now be journaling this fantastically crazy journey we are on.  I am thrilled, excited and thankful!

    Week #4:

    In my life this week…

    Our van died this week, no so good since we are still making payments, yuck.  I went to a wine ‘n paint class with my mom, sister, aunt and cousins, we had a great time, so relaxing.

    In our homeschool this week…

    Preston is working on Time4learning and loving it.  Oliver started skip counting on his own, I was amazed.  He came up to me and did 1, 3, 5, 7,9 then he followed that with 2,4,6,8.  I have not even started with him formally only Preston.  I was thrilled.  I printed up some of these for him to have for his school desk.  Thanks Homeschool Creations!

    Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

    Without a car we stayed in most of the week.  Preston and I did have a date to see Imagination Movers we took the light rail to downtown.

    We also made it to the playground several times which is always great.

    My favorite thing this week was…

    The entire family sat down and each colored a page for a mini-book about Spring.  That was a fun, creative time.

    We are reading Heidi and the book we are using is full of colorful pictures, we are enjoying it.  There is nothing like shutting out everything, reading and snuggling.

    What’s working/not working for us…

    Not working – staying home so much.  We love to be out, although I am trying to use this time to organize and spring clean, so that has been good.  I look forward to Spring field trips!

    Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

    Time to start thinking about curriculum for next year.  I just got the Alpha Omega catalog in the mail yesterday.  Time to start perusing homeschool forums and researching.  I like Sonlight but want to explore all options.

    A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

    Spring book

  • Wordless Wednesday: Happiness

    Happy Sam

    Seeing_Tangled

    Participating in Wordless Wednesday link up at Our Homeschool Reviews

  • The Homeschool Mother’s Journal Week 2

    The Homeschool Mother's Journal

    Recently I saw a blog post from a Homeschool mom that I follow.  Sam from The Kelley Eight was excited to start a journaling program.  I have always wanted to journal but just felt overwhelmed with starting from scratch.

    Thanks to the Homeschool Chick and The Kelley Eight I will now be journaling this fantastically crazy journey we are on.  I am thrilled, excited and thankful!

    Week #2:

    In my life this week…

    Injured my knee pretty bad, laid up and most of our plans went out the window.  Was going to be our first week with a 2nd car plus great weather.  We didn’t do much outside the home. 

    In our homeschool this week…

     My boys love being on the computer.  I think it may have to do with my husband and I both being techs.  Any chance they can have on it they love.  I decided that I wanted to find more learning programs, not games.  I searched and found one called Time4Learning.  We signed up Monday and the boys love it.  I will be posting on the entire experience soon.

    Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

    We were going to go to the Airplane Museum and the movies but with my injury we did not go anywhere. 

    My favorite thing this week was…

     My injury in definitley NOT my favorite part but what happened as a result is.  The first 2 days I was in bed, with it elevated.  This provided the perfect oppotunity to just cuddle, read and talk to my boys.  With no pressure to “get stuff done”, all I could do was lay there.  It was wonderful for my only task to be to enjoy my boys!!

    What’s working/not working for us…

    I would really like to get my 1st grader to want to read on his own, rather than me force it.  He loves for me to read to him.  But I want him to love it.  I know this will come but I wish it were now.  I love to read.

    Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

    I keep getting the urge to bump my preschooler up to Kindergarten lessons because he gets through the preschool ones so fast.  I really need to resist the urge though, I don’t want to put undue pressure on him.  However, I also do not want to bore him or hold him back.  What is the right answer?

    A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

    Olivers Outfit of the week

     Oliver’s outfit of the week: Hawaiian Shirt and Mike Wazowski pants.

  • The Homeschool Mother’s Journal Week 1

    The Homeschool Mother's Journal

    Recently I saw a blog post from a Homeschool mom that I follow.  Sam from The Kelley Eight was excited to start a journaling program.  I have always wanted to journal but just felt overwhelmed with starting from scratch.

    The cool thing about this journal program is that it has questions for you, that you answer.  This is so much easier for me, whew!

    Thanks to the Homeschool Chick and The Kelley Eight I will now be journaling this fantastically crazy journey we are on.  I am thrilled, excited and thankful!

    Here we go, Week #1

    In my life this week…

    Working my regular part-time, working on websites for others, homeschool, grocery shopping tonight, lots of organizing.

    In our homeschool this week…

    Math, math, math for the 1st grader, word problems and learning about feeding your body for science.  Water experiment will be done with Daddy on Saturday.  My 2 year old is doing centers, matching colors, shapes, baby animals to their mama’s he is doing so well!

    Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

    The past several weeks have been jammed packed this week we took it easy.  The boys did get to go on a field trip with their Aunt to their Butterfly Pavilion.  They held a tarantula, saw turtles, snakes and butterflies.

    My 1st grader also attending his weekly clubs meeting.

    My favorite thing this week was…

    Observing my 1st grader “get it” when it comes to double-digit vertical math.  He was struggling then I saw the light bulb go off right in front of me, it was awesome to see!

    What’s working/not working for us…

    Sitting side-by-side my 1st grader definitely works for us, even better when the 2 little ones are actually out of the room.  Not working – having the little ones around.

    Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

    I am starting to like the more organic approach and not so regimented.  I am realizing it does not have to look exactly like “school”.  Less focus on checking off items… more focus on learning, the fundamentals yes, but really learning.

    A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

    Oliver, my 4 year old said “Mom, look I can count in Spanish with my eyes closed!”.  He was so excited!

    ONE more I am adding.  My 4 year old loves to dress himself and I love his creativity and boldness.  So each week I will show  Oliver’s wardrobe choice of the week:

     

     

  • A Blessing in Disguise

    I guess one thing about blessings in disguise, you don’t always see them right away.

    Last summer and fall my husband was unemployed, looking for work. I had the opportunity to increase my hours at work and my husband became the primary caregiver during the day.

    At the time I never truly stopped to think about what an awesome situation God presented us with, a time for a Dad to bond with his boys. I was steeped in work and admittedly, worried.

    I am thinking about it now and thanking God for that time. I found pictures on the computer of their adventures together. What a time they had!

    Denver Art Museum
    Denver Art Museum

    Museums, parks, mountains, rivers, library, downtown, you name it, they did it! I want to share some pictures and remind you that when you are going thru tough times God is always providing a ray of sunshine. Blessings in disguise. :O)

    Sam checking out the water

    Preston

    water balloons
    water balloons

    fun at the fountain
    summer fun in the water

    kiddie train tracks
    kiddie train tracks

    farmers market
    A Visit to the Farmers Market


    at the pond
    at the pond

    Downtown Denver
    Downtown Denver

    Fun at the Mall
    Fun at the Mall

    on the trail
    on the trail

    Also so very thankful for a camera and a husband who wanted to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.

  • Sweetpea Beauty Giveaway CD+Poster – WINNER ANNOUNCED

    **UPDATE – JANUARY 17th – WINNER ANNOUNCED.**

    Thanks to all who participated, using Random.org, Comment #2 /Robin has won!

    Veggie Tales Songs for Girls

    I  have never held a giveaway and have wanted to because it is so much fun to give stuff away.  I follow several blogs that host giveaways, what a great idea.

    We love Veggie Tales so for my first giveaway I will give away a Veggie Tales CD and a movie poster. It is from the Sweetpea Beauty movie  – Songs for Girls and I will also include a movie poster from the movie.

    How to Enter:

    1.  Leave a comment telling me your favorite veggie tales movie

    2.  Follow me on Twitter – @thefamilyo

    3.  Follow me on Facebook

    4.  Retweet or  Share  the giveaway on Facebook

    You can receive 1 entry per item above.  Leave a comment below for each item you complete.

    The giveaway is open to US residents only. This giveaway will end on Monday, January 17th.  The winners will be chosen by random.org and notified by email shorty after the end of the giveaway. The winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize before a new winner is chosen.

    :O)

    **thanks to couponingfor4 for ideas on holding a giveaway!**