Homeschooling | One Thankful Mom

homeschooling

Time for Beauty

By OneThankfulMom Wednesday August 17, 2011

I’ve become aware that in the midst of my daily life, I miss so much beauty. As I relaxed more on our trip, I was able to enjoy the subtle details of shells, pause to watch hummingbirds, laugh over clever sentences in a book, and delight in a colorful display in a store window. Every day life is so full that I hardly pause to listen to my daughter tell me a story of her day, take a moment to put flowers on the table, or stand looking out the window for a quiet moment. Vacation has reminded me that even a minute here and there to take in God’s goodness adds joy to my days.

Setting the Bar Low for a Family Photo

By OneThankfulMom Friday June 17, 2011

I’ve had this photo in a folder waiting to post it since Easter and today seemed like the right time. I have three things to say about it. First, Honeybee was cold and wanted Samuel to keep her warm – she only looks miserable. Second, and more importantly, notice Eby’s bare upper body. It was Easter Sunday and as we came home from church I told everyone to keep their nice clothes on long enough for me to take a quick photo. Apparently I wasn’t quick enough and Eby ran upstairs to change. When he heard us calling everyone to the porch to take a photo, he came down wearing only underwear.

For the Joy of it!

By OneThankfulMom Thursday February 3, 2011

I love this picture of Jonah about to be swallowed by a very big fish, surrounded by all of that water. Which reminds me, we have water again at our house! I am very thankful to report that the problem with our well was relatively minor and was repaired in one day. That certainly made my life easier.

I’ve been thinking about our Tuesday Topic, How We Help our Children Feel Safe, and I have some thoughts, a few of which have actually been typed into a draft. Hopefully I’ll have enough quiet to get it done soon. I have several writing projects in the works for Empowered to Connect that I need to get working on too.

My favorite time in our homeschool day is when we sit down to read the Bible, followed by a science/nature book, and other stories. I end our time with reading lessons for Eby and Little Man in my super-simple, tried-and-true, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I know I just wrote that I had decided to continue using the One Year Bible for Children, which I love, but then I ordered just one more children’s Bible from Amazon and fell in love.

Twenty Real-Life Tools for Gifts

By OneThankfulMom Saturday December 11, 2010

As I was writing the post of our Top Twenty Toys, I realized there is another category of favorite gifts worth mentioning. Many times rather than buying our children toys, we give them useful tools. These aren’t necessarily tools in the sense of hammers and screwdrivers, although we’ve given those too, but something that can be used to accomplish a task or purpose.

Here are some of our favorites.

Ruby and the Booker Boys

By OneThankfulMom Thursday November 4, 2010

The top of Dimples' dresser this morning.

One of Dimples’ favorite birthday gifts was a set of Ruby and the Booker Boys books. She won a copy of Brand New School, Brave New Ruby in the library reading contest this summer and loved it. Imagine my delight when she asked for more Ruby books for her birthday!

Ruby is a spunky African American third grader who has a loving family and lives in a friendly neighborhood. Today I read Ruby Flips for Attention. There was warm interaction between extended family members and loving older brothers (the Booker Boys) and parents. The overall message was that it is more important to love and serve others than to strive for your own self-importance. Very nice.

Books, Brianna, Babies

By OneThankfulMom Wednesday October 20, 2010

Yes, I stole this from Brianna's blog. They just look so cute.

Yesterday brought the stomach flu and today brought recovery. Sunshine greeted me with a big smile this morning and said, “Mommy, I’m all better!” The day has been filled with warmth, sunshine, playing outside, two phone calls from friends, a visit from another, and some especially encouraging words. I also thoroughly cleaned my kitchen (while talking to a friend), put laundry away, and tidied up my room. It feels good, very good.

I also have happy news to share. My friend, and co-worker at From HIV to Home, Brianna, is in the process of adopting two little sweethearts from Ethiopia. Both of the little girls have Down Syndrome.

Love Home

By OneThankfulMom Monday October 18, 2010

It is absolutely lovely to be home today after traveling to and from Seattle. I look about my house and there is so much to be done. I don’t know about you, but when I’m gone, my work does not stop. I come home and my greatest temptation is to either begin dashing about trying to quickly set everything right, or criticize my family for not doing things the way I want them done. Neither of these responses is loving to the children, who have not seen me in a few days, or to Russ who has not only been doing his job, but carrying much of my load too.

SpellQuizzer One Day Sale

By OneThankfulMom Wednesday October 6, 2010

Last year I wrote about the great success we had using SpellQuizzer with our kids. It has been especially helpful for Honeybee and Dimples who find spelling to be a challenge since English is not their first language.

I got an email from the company earlier this week that TOMORROW, Thursday, October 7th, is a one day sale on SpellQuizzer. It usually sells for $29.95, but for 24 hours it will be on sale for $11.95! It really is a great deal.

You can read my review: SpellQuizzer: It Makes Dimples Smile, but if time is tight, here is an excerpt.

Books, Blankets, and Random Bits

By OneThankfulMom Friday September 24, 2010

I'm a sucker for math manipulatives, especially pattern blocks.

It’s Friday and the end of a long week with Russ out of town. There isn’t much that is harder for me than having Russ away for an extended period of time. We’ve had lots of prayers and my big kids helped me as they could; I’m happy to say that we made it through without too many challenges.

Here are some bits of randomness for Friday:

I have some give-aways coming up courtesy of Empowered to Connect! Keep watching for a chance to win a copy of The Connected Child and the companion book, Created to Connect: A Christian’s Guide to The Connected Child.

Loving Nature Study

By OneThankfulMom Wednesday September 22, 2010

Years ago when I was a young mom and homeschooling novice, I was introduced to Charlotte Mason and Nature Study. At the time we lived on the campus of Cornell University where Russ was doing his graduate work, so we were especially attached to the Handbook of Nature Study written by Anna Comstock. Anna was the first woman ever appointed to the Cornell faculty and the head of the Department of Nature Study. She wrote this book for elementary school teachers in 1911.

Nature Study is not just for homeschoolers, but for anybody who wants to enhance their ability to see nature and understand it better. It allows for those “teachable moments” when a child finds a snail in the garden and wants to know what it eats or why it has a shell. This is the delightful kind of teaching that I love.

One Thankful Mom
I'm the mother of twelve by birth and adoption. Twenty-seven years ago I married my true love. Once lost and now found, I've been brought to my knees by grace. I am passionately devoted to healing my children who came to me with broken hearts. Join me on the journey.

I am One Thankful Mom.
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