A Mother's Journal » Homeschooling Links

Math Just Got Even Easier–Khan Academy

Lynn — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:38:48 +0000

Have you heard of this? Just found it this morning in searching.

Working on Hard Times

Lynn — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:38:11 +0000

I was prompted by an e-mail — a very nice e-mail, to get my Hard Times Unit Study polished up. It’s been a long time since we used it and I never finished posting it all.

http://www.thehealthyhomeschool.com/hardtimes.html

Do you have any favorite Charles Dickens resources you’d like to share?

Bring Your Favorite Books

Lynn — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:32:04 +0000

I was recently at a Mom’s Meeting where everyone was invited to bring and share their favorite books. Here are just some of the books shared there.

S is for Story

Anne of Green Gables

Katie and the Mustang

I Love Dirt

History Kid Heroes

5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter

Beyond Survival

The Out-Of-Sync Child Has Fun

The Spell of Words

Charlotte Mason Companion

YouAre Special

Oxford’s A Guide to the Elements

My Many Colored Days (and you thought you’d see all of Dr. Suess’s books!)

Barn Dance

Redeeming Love

I just love the meetings that we are able to have as homeschooling moms. We do a lot of lauging and sharing, besides the talking we do about the actual topic we’re there for.

Regarding the books, many of these I do not have and have never read. I’m looking forward to looking into some of these more closely.

More Coloring Pages

Lynn — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 02:55:04 +0000

Two more coloring pages added: King and Queen and Going A-Maying.

http://www.thehealthyhomeschool.com/coloring-pages.html

~A Good Wednesday Morning~

Lynn — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:34:05 +0000

Just popping in to say hello. My work schedule has me working more days a week now, but fewer hours each day. At first I was resistant, but I think I am going to love it. It brings more balance to my week. It was really hard having three full days off and basicallybecoming a “lady of leisure” and then having to jump back in and do two or three long, full days! This way, I stay more plugged into what’s going on at work but I have spare hours every day. Hopefully it will continue to work out.

Just wanted to share some pictures from around my little goldfish pond, which, by the way, has been built up a bit more around the edges with some inexpensive pavers placed under the nicer rocks. The plastic liner is not so visible now.

I did work on my website last night, adding a page of coloring pages. Want to see how that’s turning out? I would love any feedback. I have a lot more to add. Any suggestions/info that anyone has on copyright would be appreciated as well. I have read the copyright laws and I think I understand what I’m reading. I do search for info on each image. Anyway.

The Healthy Homeschool — coloring pages

By the looks of it, we should have a ton of black swallowtails in the next month or two, unless it gets too cold and they are forced to try overwintering.

In trying to get accustomed to my new schedule, I have not had much time to respond to comments here, but I do plan to! I appreciate all of you and all of your comments. I read each and every one!

That’s all for now. Enjoy this day.

Bug Eyed

admin — Sat, 29 May 2010 15:54:08 +0000

Part of the day yesterday I looked like this:

BIG EYES. As I took in the sights at the NCHE’s 26th annual homeschool conference in Winston-Salem.

And part of the day I felt like this:

Like a TINY LITTLE CREATURE in the midst of hundreds of thousands of delightful things to choose from.

Yes, I took a Friday off to do that. It was a wonderful day and I’m so glad I went.

I’ll be sure and post more about it later, but for now I have to work.

Enjoy this day.

The Grand Bazaar

admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 02:31:02 +0000

Michaela is studying Turkey. We watched this You Tube video yesterday of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

And I get tired in a regular mall. Most interesting!!

The Quiltmaker’s Gift

Lynn — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:15:20 +0000

It’s been about a month ago that I found this book, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, at the thrift store.

Placed in a large stack of yet-to-be-read books, I actually forgot that I had it, until last week. I’m surprised at myself over this, because as soon as I saw it I was in love with the illustrations and couldn’t wait to read the story.

It also made me think of my sister, who is an amazing quilter. I mean. I’m always telling her that she should sell her quilts, and she says she likes to make them for people she loves and give them away. It’s really something.

Imagine my surprise, then, when Michaela and I began to read this story and found it to be about a beautiful, talented quiltmaker who will not sell her quilts. She will only give them to the poor. The quiltmaker is a lovely woman. Her face is soft and gentle, but she is obviously a very strong woman. It was a fabulous story and I thought of my sister through every word. Which brings me to something I’ve been wanting to show you.

At Christmastime, I received a large box marked to “The Wilsons.” The beautiful heart-covered quilt was in it. From my sister. Just look!

Some of the fabric has little paper dolls on it. And the hearts! How does she do it? I cannot imagine. She and I are so much alike, and yet we are so different. She can do this. I cannot. It has always been like we walk to the same beat, but on two different paths. However far apart we are, we are always close together. I look at the squares and appreciate every single stitch.

So many memories…

By the way, the website to The Quiltmaker’s Gift was given in the book and is supposed to have games, stories of compassion, etc. Michaela will be looking at it for school today.

On a final note, my little old man pin found a name. Algernon. Thank you, Audrey! It’s the perfect name. And into the shop this weekend went Old Man Mushroom and his baby.

It’s a work day for me today and I must get busy! Have a lovely Monday.

Graduate ~ Celebrate

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:44:29 +0000

As many of you know, my second son Joseph graduates from our homeschool this year. Is he spelling like I wanted him to? No. But I know that learning does not stop just because someone hands you a diploma. Spelling well is going to be a personal challenge for him his whole life. It’s a challenge that I cannot undertake for him, though I will continue to encourage him to find ways to maneuver around and work with his dyslexia, and in spite of his dyslexia!

As a benefit of being a consistent member of North Carolinians for Home Education (NCHE), we can order a diploma for a graduating child by filling out a form and sending 5 dollars for postage. It’s still up to me to put the transcripts together, but I think it is so nice to have a professional looking diploma for my son’s records. We were all very excited (just like we were for Daniel) when Joseph’s diploma arrived in the mail. Michaela took one look at it and disappeared. I did not think much about it until she reappeared with a homemade “cap” to go with Joseph’s diploma.

It’s made from a column of cardstock, upon which sits a lovely square of cardboard, and (leaving no detail undone) there’s a fancy link of blue beads for Joseph’s graduation tassle. What a graduation ceremony they had in the kitchen! I told Joseph he certainly needed to keep that cap forever! It is indeed one of a kind.

When you have a child with special needs, it’s easy to feel like you failed. You can think of the “what ifs” until you make yourself crazy. I did that for a couple of years, and while I still worry some, in the last year I have seen Joseph begin to find some things in life that he is very interested in. I have watched over the last four years as he read nearly 100 large (500+ pages) books for pleasure. I know that he has what he needs on the inside to work hard and to find a way to make it, and that is more important than anything else.

It’s rainy here today and it’s a work day for me. Michaela will do timed drill sheets for math. I have some of my garden pictures printed out of the butterfly lifecycle and will have her arrange those and label them for her school notebook. She is continuing to read in her Ambleside Year 5 books. She will do a geography word find and some writing today. When you work and homeschool, it’s good to have some easy ideas before you sit down at your desk!

I’m thankful for a cozy little office in which to work, my rain barrel that’s running over, the near-by birdfeeder that I can watch, family, faith, my tea kettle, and so many other little and big things. Have a good Monday.

Lynn

Thankful

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:56:55 +0000

Thankful today, for many things.

a job at home
home — warm and cozy and where I’ve lived with my sweetie since the first year of our marriage
a daughter who homeschools
and has three adoring big brothers
my three sons
an absolutely amazing homeschool group
my favorite tree, our Natchez crepe myrtle, which is dancing in red and gold leaves right now
sweet and spicy chicken in the crockpot
rice and stir fry to go with it
another day

I hope you have many things to be happy about today.

By the way, my friend Leslie maintains an awesome blog and it has been nominated for a Homeschool Blog Award! Her blog, Joyful Mother of Six Children is worth visiting even if you don’t vote. But I voted for her for Best Homeschool Mom for 2009. She’s done a ton of thoughtful and careful mothering and homeschooling this year! Well, actually a bunch of years. Yaay Leslie!

Anyway, I’m not telling you to vote or for whom to vote, but you might enjoy visiting HSBA Get Your Vote On! to see all the blogs out there that keep others inspired.

Lynn