Thursday, August 8, 2013

Taking the Unwired Mom 2 Week Challenge

I have joined Sarah Mae's Unwired Mom 2 Week Challenge.  While I don't feel addicted to the internet, I have jumped down the "rabbit hole" and watched 5 minutes turn into an hour or more.  I want my children to have memories of me interacting with them - not seeing me hunched over a laptop or racing to answer a text.

When I worked outside the home, I was tethered to my work phone - 24 hours a day.  I really noticed the impact after I was done working.  I no longer needed to be tethered to my phone and I had the luxury of answering calls and messages as desired.  But it took my family over 6 months to get used to this new found freedom.  The phone would "beep" and one of my children would go running for my phone and rush it to me - "here Mommy!"  I felt so sad, and a little angry.  What had I done to them?  What was I teaching them?



Fast forward a year or two, and they have calmed down on the phone.  But now there is the internet and Facebook - good tools if used wisely.  A plethera of information is literally at our fingertips - recipes, crafts, birthday ideas, answers to questions.... But do I really need to know what Susy fed her cat for dinner?  (Okay, I am exaggerating here....slightly)  There is SO MUCH information it can quickly become TMI - TOO MUCH INFORMATION - and overwhelm and muddle our minds with needless input.

Over the past few weeks I have been sensing the need to stream line and guard more carefully what information "goes in".  The Holy Spirit knows exactly what I need to know.  If I will listen, He is always faithful to guide and help me (and you).  I am reminded to go to Him first, not the internet where I can easily slip down into that rabbit hole and emerge an hour later thinking "where did I just go?"

When I saw Sarah Mae's challenge, I jumped in.  I think my children will enjoy this challenge with me.  And what a great way to gear up for the new school year - spending 2 weeks practicing being present with my most cherished blessings - creating a new habit of enjoying the moment WITH them.

So, ready or not, here I go!

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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Our Curriculum for 2013-2014

More than ever, it is burning in my heart that my children (and my husband and I) come to an ever deeper heart knowledge of God, so that we can be strong and boldly carry out all that He has for us to do.

Daniel 11:32b NKJV
but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.

With that in mind (and deep in my heart), I am endeavoring to tailor our "school" around our theme of "Knowing God".... We may get to everything on list list, but probably not.  We will endeavor to be led daily by the Holy Spirit - delightfully discovering God, His amazing creation and His purpose for us through our studies this year.

Bible
Family Devotions: daily Proverb, prayer & time of worship (we have our favorites that we sing together)
Bible Memory  (also handwriting/copywork) - something I am putting together that will focus on our relationship with God.
Child Virtue Bible
The Beginner's Bible
We Choose Virtues
It Couldn't Just Happen - Fascinating Facts About God's World

Language Arts
All About Spelling 2
All About Reading 2
AOP LifePac Language Arts 5th grade
Institute for Excellence In Writing - Student Writing Intensive B, Bible Based Writing Lessons, Rockets & Radar Writing Lessons
IEW's Fix-It Grammar
IEW's Phonetic Zoo
www.spellingcity.com
Bob Jones Explorations in Literature

Math
Singapore Primary Math - 1B, 2A
Singapore Primary Math - 5A & 5B
Math-U-See Zeta
Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
Right Start Math Games

Science
Christian Kids Explore Creation Science
Neosho Chemistry I & II
Apologia General Science

History
The Mystery of History III

Extras
Mango Languages - free through our library
Home Economics using AOP LifePac
Health (5th grade) using Abeka
Art and science experiments provided at our local children's and city museum
Free online typing lessons - Dance Mat
Soccer and dance

Broken down by grade -

2nd grade
Family devotions & Bible memory
The Begnner's Bible
We Choose Virtues
Calendar Time
All About Spelling 2
All About Reading 2
Singapore Primary Math 1B through 2B
Noeo Chemistry I
The Mystery of History III
Art, science experiments, and soccer

5th grade
Family devotions & Bible memory
Virtue Training Bible
It Couldn't Just Happen
AOP LifePac Language Arts 5
Adventures in GrammarLand
Singapore Primary Math 5A-B
Christian Kids Explore Creation Science
Noeo Chemistry II
The Mystery of History III
Health
Art, science experiments, and soccer

6th grade
Family devotions & Bible memory
Virtue Training Bible
It Couldn't Just Happen
IEW Student Intensive B, Rockets & Radar
Adventures in GrammarLand
Fix-It Grammar
Phonetic Zoo, Spelling City
Math-U-See Zeta
Christian Kids Explore Creation Science
Noeo Chemistry II
The Mystery of History III
Health
Art, science experiments, and soccer
Typing

8th grade
Family devotions & Bible memory
Virtue Training Bible
It Couldn't Just Happen
IEW Student Intensive B, Bible Based Writing Lessons
Fix-It Grammar
Bob Jones Explorations in Literature
Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
Christian Kids Explore Creation Science
Apologia General Science (2nd half of book)
They Mystery of History III
AOP Home Economics
Dance
Typing
Mango Languages



I have linked up with the ihomeschoolnetwork.com 5th Annual Not Back To School Blog Hop - to see what others are doing, click here.