Thrifty Thursday

It is possible to be thrifty without feeling deprived and I'm sharing ideas in this summer series. If you have an money-saving idea on any topic, consider sharing it on your blog and leaving your link at the bottom of this post. The only rule? Share what you know. If I've never personally tried an idea, I won't write about it. The same goes for you, but don't assume an idea is too simplistic. It could be new to someone or it could re-inspire someone else!  

Feel free to add the Thrifty Thursday button to your post or blog by copying and pasting the html code (found under the Thrifty Thursday button in my sidebar).

Summer is winding down.  After a summer of 100+ degree days, I am relishing in the milder temperatures this week.  When the children ask to go out a play, I can enthusiastically agree without worrying about keeping them cool.  They still come in with red faces and black feet, but at least I don't fear heat stroke. During these long summer months, though, when drinking cups were being filled hourly, what did we do to keep hydrated inexpensively?  Serve mostly water.  At breakfast, I offer juice (actually a mixture of 3/4 juice, 1/4 water) or milk.  Otherwise, we drink water all day long, even with dinner.  It is a policy we've had since Gavin was a baby so no one complains.  It is just a way of life.  (I am sure to give the children their calcium and fruit requirement through their diets so no one suffers nutritionally.)  The kids get an occasional treat of chocolate milk or lemonade (maybe once a week) and Brian drinks a can of soda in the evening, but otherwise, water it is!

Five Birthday Parties in a Row

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite picture books was Raggedy Ann and Andy: Five Birthday Parties in a Row.  My mom saved the book and when I had children of my own, she gave it to me to read to them.  It is currently one of Owen's favorites, perhaps because it rings a chord of truth this summer! 

In this vintage Little Golden Book, the dolls throw a party for Boy Doll.  When he blows out his candles, he makes a wish for five birthday parties in a row.  All of nursery dolls make the effort to bring his wish to life, but soon discover that one birthday a year is quite enough for anyone. 

Our extended family has many, many birthday to celebrate in the summer months, and with my sister, the official birthday cake baker away for the summer, the job fell to me.  And though I love to bake, too, and was more than delighted to get the job, perhaps you can have too many birthdays. 

My first cake came at the end of July when Maddie turned six.  She requested "a quiet party" with only a few guests and absolutely no games "because games can get out of hand."  She also requested a banana layer cake with whipped cream from the Kit cookbook. 

Raggedy Ann baked another birthday cake, a yellow one this time.

Then it was my dad's turn for a cake.  I made a basic vanilla layer cake but jazzed it up with  peanut butter buttercream frosting since he is a big peanut butter fan.  At the last minute I decided to experiment and added a generous sprinkle of cocoa powder on top to form a star. 

"It's strange,"  [Boy Doll] said.  "I still like birthday cake, but I don't seem to like it as much as I used to."

The birthdays continued.  Owen's fourth birthday came next.  He had no desire for the quiet of Maddie's special day.  He wanted balloons and games and loud little boys and a very rich chocolate cake with chocolate frosting!  Since Owen has always been too intimidated to have much of a birthday celebration at all, we obliged.   

Raggedy Ann was frosting the fourth-in-a-row birthday cake. 

The last celebration of the summer was a joint party for my 30th birthday, my mom's 50th, and my grandmother's birthday which is sandwiched between the other two.  Being 36 weeks pregnant and not being able to stay on my feet for long periods of time, I questioned my own sanity, but I really wanted to make this last cake an extra special birthday cake grand finale!  Throughout the summer, I had tossed over ideas in my head and searched online for recipes.  I finally settled on a three layer cake with raspberry buttercream frosting. 

And with that, the parties were over.  The cake is not quite over since I have about a quarter of the last cake still sitting on my counter and bit of leftover frosting being stored in my refrigerator, but I'll be content to let the fifth birthday party be for the new little one whose arrival is due in a handful of weeks because...

Maybe five birthday parties in a row are too many. 

Thrifty Thursday

It is possible to be thrifty without feeling deprived and I'm sharing ideas in this summer series.  If you have an money-saving idea on any topic, consider sharing it on your blog and leaving your link at the bottom of this post. The only rule? Share what you know. If I've never personally tried an idea, I won't write about it. The same goes for you, but don't assume an idea is too simplistic. It could be new to someone or it could re-inspire someone else! 

Feel free to add the Thrifty Thursday button to your post or blog by copying and pasting the html code (found under the Thrifty Thursday button in my sidebar).

Continuing to dwell on the topic of learning, this week's tip is teach various ages from the same material.  Instead of teaching three different topics in history, incorporate everyone into the same topic.  Find books that interest all or read the difficult books to the older ones while the younger ones color a related picture.  Or have the older ones read an easier book to the younger ones.  Same goes for Bible and science and art and music.  There is no reason to spend money on multiple grade levels.  Math and English are a little trickier, but just having a younger child in the same room during an older child's lessons can be money-saving.  Having listened to me teach math to Gavin and Maddie, we will not need to purchase kindergarten math for Owen because he has already learned the concepts! 

Thy Word Have I Hid In My Heart

One of the joys of homeschooling is the privilege of spending part of the morning with my children learning about the Lord together.  Whether we are reading from the Bible, reading a Bible story book, memorizing scripture, coloring a picture, or praying together, this is a precious time. 

This is our fourth year of homeschooling and we've discovered a few gems in those years.  I tend to stay away from devotional-type books or watered-down Bible stories so the resources I've included are rich and meaningful and yet perfect for little ones.  But as always, use your own discernment and choose what is best for your family.

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We begin each morning (often while we are still at the breakfast table with a Bible story.  Depending on the length, we read one or two stories a day until the book is complete.  Our two favorites books both had short simple stories, making it easy for the children to do their required narration (telling back the story) at the end of each passage. 

Last year we read through The Step-By-Step Bible.  I loved that the stories were included in chronological order, not necessarily the order they appear in the Bible. 

We moved on to 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories at the end of last year and are continuing this year.  This book also moves in chronological order and has only simple black and white illustrations that do not detract from the stories.  With both books, I rarely finished reading that someone did not beg for more! 

In our first and second year of homeschooling, we read directly from the Bible and then colored the corresponding page from Bible Pictures to Color (published by Rod and Staff and part of their Preschool ABC series). 

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We also spend a chunk of time on Mondays and little bits of time on the remaining days of the week memorizing scripture.  Our favorite book was the precious Sammy and His Shepherd which we read through last year.  It told the story of a sheep (Sammy) and of his personal relationship with his shepherd.   At the top of each page the author included a line from the 23rd Psalm so each Monday when we returned to Sammy's story, we also memorized part of the passage.  This is a can't-miss book!  (I also found it very interesting to read through A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 on my own during this same time.)

Another fun resource for Bible memory was My ABC Bible Verses.  On each double-page spread was a Bible verse for one letter of the alphabet and a simple story to illustrate the point.    Each week we learned a new scripture and then tried to see how many of the previous weeks' scriptures we could remember. 

We have also used our trusty Rod and Staff for Bible memory, too.  They have excellent and cheap coloring books for several passages of the Bible.  We plan to use them again this spring when we memorize Psalm 1.  (Though the are places to order Rod and Staff materials online, because they are a conservative Mennonite publisher, they do not have their own website.  To order their catalog directly and see a complete list of what they offer, call 1-606-522-4348) 

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Another element we added to our homeschool last year was the study of missionaries.  I wanted to find simple, easy tellings of the lives of various missionaries and we found the perfect resource:  the Heroes For Young Readers series, published by YWAM (Youth With a Mission).  Each 32-page biography tells a different missionary's story through poem.   Last year, we read about five or six missionaries and we plan to do the same this year.  Using a small cross sticker, we mark the missionary's location on our map to illustrate how God's word is reaching all parts of the world. 

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Over the years, Brian has faithfully led a short devotional time for the kids one night a week.  He has begun a few books and later abandoned them (for being too difficult or too shallow or too boring), but they've found a few great ones, too. 

My Bible Coloring Book

Leading Little Ones to God

Lest this long list seem daunting, remember that we have discovered these books over many years, not all at once.  Some were given to us, some were purchased, some were borrowed.  Don't forget to check your library and Ebay, too!

I'd love to hear about your Bible time treasures, too!

Thrifty Thursday

It is possible to be thrifty without feeling deprived and I'm sharing ideas in this summer series. If you have an money-saving idea on any topic, consider sharing it on your blog and leaving your link at the bottom of this post. The only rule? Share what you know. If I've never personally tried an idea, I won't write about it. The same goes for you, but don't assume an idea is too simplistic. It could be new to someone or it could re-inspire someone else! 

Feel free to add the Thrifty Thursday button to your post or blog by copying and pasting the html code (found under the Thrifty Thursday button in my sidebar).

My tip for this week is also inspired by our return to formal schooling for the year:  Fully utilize your library.  Though we practice this tip year-round, I am especially reminded of it during the school year.  We use the library to find books for history reading, books for read-aloud time, books for early readers to phone their skills, CDs for music/composition study, and books of paintings for artist study.  We use the library to preview books before we buy.  (Before I committed to using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for Maddie, I first checked it out from the library.)   We read magazines from the library.  We borrow movies from the library.  As long as we remember to return our materials on time, the library is a totally free source of much of our entertainment and many of our school needs!

The Before-Kindergarten Days

I admit that I cringe when I hear people say that they are sending thier children to preschool to prepare for "real" school.  School is school.  I wonder, why go to school to learn how to go to school?  I also try to stay away from planning a formal preschool curriculum, but I'm weird like that.  Personally,  I believe that learning begins at birth and that natural learning in a natural environment is best.  However, as my children reach a certain maturity, they begin to want to delve into a little more formal learning.  It makes them feel big to be doing as the older ones and a little structure is good for us all. 

Mostly the pre-school (notice the subtle difference of preschool and pre-school) days consist of learning colors and letters and shapes  and numbers.   We also hang maps and a calendar on the wall for a bit of natural discussion if the child is interested.  (I have written about these basic topics before.  Click on the colored links for a few fun ideas.)  We also read lots and lots of books.  (After a reading session with Benjamin last night, I counted the stack out of curiosity and realized we had read seventeen board books!)

Aside from the hands-on activities, we have also found a few gems in the workbook department: 

Rod and Staff's Preschool ABC series

This is probably our most-favorite source for early school days.  Gavin used several of the books in kindergarten.  Maddie used a few different ones when she was four and Owen started them this year (at age four).  Though this series consists of six books, neither of my children has ever completed all six.  Through these books, children can learn colors and Bible stories and matching and how to write their names and to recongize letters and sounds.  We start with the one whose description seems most appropriate (the first books in the series are very basic)  and work from there.  I love that these books are so fun and yet so simple.  The children love that every black and white page is an opportunity to color, once their work is done. 

Get Ready For the Code series

  (includes Get Ready For the Code, Get Set For the Code, and Go For the Code)

This is a beginning phonics series.  Gavin knew his letter sounds very well at a young age so I never used it for him, but we gave it a try with Maddie when she was four and she loved it!  Each books teaches seven or eight letters through a variety of fun activities.  She flew through these books and I often had to tell her to stop for the day just so we would have something left to do tomorrow.  (As a side note, when she moved on to the Explode the Code series in kindergarten, the format was different and she hated it.  As in "tears and frustration" hated it!) 

Before Five in a Row

Before Five in a Row is not a workbook at all, but more of a book of ideas for mom.  I used it a lot when Gavin was four and Maddie was two, and I used it a bit when Maddie was four and Owen was two.  Each week, we focused on a different storybook.  After reading the book each day, we chose from a large list of activities to help reinforce the book and help us remember the story.  Depending on time and interest, we did easy activities or complicated activities or simply discussed something we read. 

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Regardless of what you choose for your child, remember that what works for one may not work for another.  Consider how many other children are in the home, the maturity of your child, and  the length of his attention span.  After praying about it, make your choices and have fun!  These are the easy years.

(If anyone would like to hear about some of the great resources we've found for Bible study with little ones or a list of read-alouds to engage young children, leave me a comment!)

Simplicity

With the dawn of this new school year, I feel a jumble of emotions.  Granted, some could be blamed on my very pregnant state.  Some could be blamed on the fact in addition to the expected babe, I have a third grader and a first grader and a sort-of kindergartner and a toddler.  Some could be blamed on the fact that despite being homeschooled myself and teaching my own children for the past three years, I still feel so clueless about this whole process. 

Yet I proceed, knowing He guides our steps. 

Each year I crave more simplicity.  Craziness already abounds with six people, including three active boys, living in a tiny space so school time needs to be simple.  I often fear that we won't do enough-- that in my efforts to make things plain and straightforward and uncomplicated, I will somehow dumb down our learning.  And then when I gather papers and print pictures and make lists to compile the children's end-of-the-year portfolios, I am amazed at the great variety of all we have accomplished. 

I had decided not to share our school choices for this year, thinking it may make a boring read or even be a discouragement to some overwhelmed soul just starting the homeschool journey, but I had a change of heart.  Here's hoping this is a help, not a hindrance. 

This year, I plan to continue reading aloud from our Bible story book and having the children take turns telling the stories back to me (narration).  For Bible memory, we will together memorize Ecclesiastes 3 in the fall, pick up memorizing the Christmas story in December (we made great progress last year!) and work on Psalm 1 in the spring.  The little ones are included in this, too.  In fact, the younger ones seem to memorize the verses easier than anyone!

We plan to continue using Making Math Meaningful because the hands-on use of manipulatives has been a great fit for our family.   

Gavin has been a slow learner in the reading department, mainly because it doesn't interest him like math does.  But he can read well when he wants to.  He delights in the silly lessons of Explode the Code so he will continue working through the series.  Maddie despised Explode the Code so this summer, she and I worked through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  We are not quite finished with it, but she is thriving.  It is an especially good fit for her because many of the stories she has to read aloud involve animals.  About once a week, we plan to take a break from the routine and work on copywork or poetry, too. 

We will continue using TruthQuest for history.  It looks to be a very boy-ish, adventurous year, as we will be studying mountain men and the Sante Fe Trail  and the Gold Rush and the Pony Express and the Civil War.  I love TruthQuest because it is basically just a tremendous list of books for many chronological events in history.  It takes some discipline not to want to read it all, but it is a fabulous resource.  We read great literature and never have to touch a textbook!

Science is Gavin's favorite subject and also so very simple.  Each child keeps a nature journal.  They include drawings of things they see on nature walks or color copies of leaves they've collected or brief descriptions of animals they are interested in.  I've found that they do their best work when they are under no pressure. 

Art consists of displaying a different art print each month and taking a few minutes a week to study it and discuss it.  (We plan to study the works of Mary Cassatt and Norman Rockwell and Leonardo daVinci throughout the year.)  Music is listening quietly  to a great composition and learning a bit about the composer.  (We plan to listen to Johannes Brahms and John Philip Sousa and Handel's Messiah and several hymns.) 

Lest the lengthy paragraphs seem daunting or un-simple, let me reassure you that our days are short and uncomplicated.  We begin the morning with Bible and prayer.  We work on new memory verses on Monday and then review throughout the week-- no rushing.  Then we do what we call our "extra subject."  We spend anywhere from ten to thirty minutes on either art or music or nature study.  Though I would like to do more, it does not fit with this season on life. 

Next the littlest ones are released to go play while the older ones concentrate on phonics.  We set the timer for fifteen minutes and as long as there is no dilly-dallying, they can stop when they hear the beep.  Then it is on to math for about thirty minutes. 

Next we reconvene and everyone gathers on the couch for our history read aloud.  Since our reading consists of living books and much historical fiction, the little ones are required to at least sit nearby.  This often leads to a bit of non-school reading, too.  And then our day is done.  We are always done by lunchtime, and often before. 

Of course, learning is never done.  The children have had the opportunity over the years to participate in soccer and ballet and Christmas caroling and bird watches and the list goes on. Each opportunity is an opportunity to learn. 

What does your coming homeschool year look like?  I'd love to hear new ideas...and old ones, too!

Thrifty Thursday

It is possible to be thrifty without feeling deprived and I'm sharing ideas in this summer series. If you have an money-saving idea on any topic, consider sharing it on your blog and leaving your link at the bottom of this post. The only rule? Share what you know. If I've never personally tried an idea, I won't write about it. The same goes for you, but don't assume an idea is too simplistic. It could be new to someone or it could re-inspire someone else!  

Feel free to add the Thrifty Thursday button to your post or blog by copying and pasting the html code (found under the Thrifty Thursday button in my sidebar).

The school year begins at our house on Monday.  The books have been purchased or borrowed and the supplies gathered.  Some of us are looking forward to the day more than others, but anticipation fills the air nonetheless.  With learning on my mind, this week's tip is teach children with real-life resources.  This is especially true in the younger years.   Instead of spending major dollars on an expensive preschool curriculum or even workbooks, use the resources found around you:  books, a wall calendar, the clock, maps...

We have been amazed at what Owen (almost 4) has learned by putting a calendar at his eye level.  It hangs near his seat at the table and he begins each morning by pointing out the day on the calendar and often counts how many days until an anticipated event.  (He does this on his own.  It is not required of him.)  The maps work the same way.  A United States map and a world map are pinned to the wall on the children's eye level near the table.  We have many, many opportunities each week to point out locations and often attach something to the map to help remember.   A few weeks ago when Gavin was eating a Hershey Kiss, we talked about the Hershey Chocolate Factory in Pennsylvania and he ended up taping the paper ribbon to the map over the city of Hershey.   Free learning can be a lot of fun! 

The Fruits of My Labor

Seven weeks to go and I still crave sugar.  So rather than fight it, I've taken advantage of the school-free and baby-free days and the bounty of summer fruit to make a few sweet delights.  The fruit makes the desserts slightly healthy or at least I've tried to tell myself that. 

And somehow, no matter how many melons come through the house, we never tire of bowls of cubed cantaloupe, whether it is for breakfast or a snack or an after-dinner dessert. 

And sometimes, we indulge in treats that just have no nutrional value at all, not even in my imagination. 

Pictured:

Brownie Bites with Whipped Chocolate Frosting and Strawberries

Banana Cake with Whipped Cream

Blueberry Apple Crisp

Creamy Rice Pudding

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies