Thursday, December 29, 2016

Bullet Journal for Homeschool

Last year I heard about the Bullet Journal system for the first time and was immediately intrigued.  If you haven't heard about it yet click on the link and watch the how to video.  It is pretty awesome.

The only issue?  I ran into problems when I tried to merge the bullet journal system with my homeschool planner this past summer/early fall.  It just didn't work well with the preplanned/preformed planner.  To top that off, this year my planner that I buy (and have absolutely loved for the past five years) was full of all kinds of printing errors and calendar mishaps, missing pages and forms.  I was really disappointed.  I typically do not spend very much on calendar/planners because I just am so bad about sticking to anything, but when I discovered this planner in 2010, I made an exception.  It worked so well for us.  

Until this year.  

I am hesitant to order it again, so I spent some time googling homeschool bullet journaling and was so excited to find that many, many momma's have successfully adapted bullet journaling for their homeschool planner.  So I am going to give it a shot.  Here are some pictures I found that I really liked - link included under picture *these are not mine, I found them when I googled homeschool bullet journaling*


Image result for homeschool bullet journal   

Image result for homeschool bullet journal

 Image result for homeschool bullet journal


Image result for homeschool bullet journal

Thursday, December 22, 2016

what we are (not) reading right now

We hit a stagnate pace with our read alouds last month and it has dragged on.  I have a list of books I want to be reading (for myself and out loud) and it isn't happening and that makes me feel sad...so here is my list where we are going to pick back up with...today at the latest.  I choose a lot of books for us to pack into piles and baskets around the house, so that wherever we are, we can plop down and enjoy.  This list doesn't include all of them, just the ones I would really like to get to first.

Read Alouds
Mary Poppins (were half way through when the never ending virus hit)
Mary Poppins Comes Home
Pilgrim's Progress - we are on Christiana's story now
Ember Falls (listening to this one)
The One and Only Ivan
Gladys Alward (then and now series)
Heidi (also a few chapters in when the never ending virus hit)
The Book of Virtues for Young People
Magic Treehouse series with my youngest
AA Milne books
*almost forgot The Best Christmas Pageant Ever & Ranger In Time

For Me
Little Women (again) and Little Men
The Broken Way
Trust Without Borders by Arabah Joy (LOVE her, have you heard of her?)
Believe  by Randy Frazee
Simply Classical (again)
Give Your Child the World
The Book of Memory by Mary Carruthers

In just a few weeks we are going to embark on a deep dive into Shakespeare.  My road map?  How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig.  I am nervous, my kids dreading it...I hope we meet somewhere in the middle and surprise ourselves by enjoying it.

I am also dwelling in the book of Ephesians using this method.  Inspired by this post.

What are you reading right now?

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Aleppo

I am having a hard time watching the headlines about Syria.  I feel helpless as I see and hear of the unimaginable suffering that is and has taken place.

As a parent, I try to imagine what it would be like to have children and be in the midst of hell raining down on you.

I cannot imagine.

I cannot wrap my mind around it.

I feel helpless.

I read this post from Ann Voskamp and wanted to pass the link on in case you haven't already read it.

We are debating here at my house what we can do to help, please read Ann's post and let's gather together and be a tangible hand to those that are broken and hopeless.

My prayers are with Aleppo.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Hymns and Music

It is so hard not to get discouraged.  Reading the latest headlines alone in and of itself is enough to bring you to your knees.

On a more personal level, we have had a hard month, it actually started at the beginning of November and has spilled over into December.  It is easy to get overwhelmed and to start to feel anxious, frustrated, sad, and hopeless.  It is so hard for someone who has not parented a special needs child to understand how hard and unpredictable the days can be.  I know it is frustrating for family and friends when we continually have to decline invitations or change our plans at the last minute, but that is our reality.  I know it sounds negative when I am asked how are things and I once again have to reply, "not good, or we are having a hard day or today sucked", but unfortunately that is our reality.

It is hard for the child, it is hard for the parent, it is hard for the siblings.

Not every day.  And not every moment.  And for those moments or those days when it is good even awesome, we do not take those for granted, we savor the laughter, we soak it up and store it away and pull it out to treasure and help remind us that it will (eventually) get better.

But still, we battle discouragement.  What do you do when you cannot honestly promise that tomorrow will be better than today?  What do you do when a hug or an encouraging comment doesn't help?  What do you do to convey to the heart of everyone involved that you understand, you are sorry it is what it is, that God is still good and He has a plan, and that it is ok to be where you are right now and that I am here with you - in the good, the bad, and the ugly.

As I listen, I pray silently.  That God would carry us through this.  I brush hair, rub backs, make mixes out of beans and flour and rice.  We play in water.  We dig in the mud.  I google parenting fails or people falling and we watch or look at some funny things people have done.  Oh and I learned the hard way to make sure you type in clean when you are googling those, because if not, some of the returns can be pretty bad.  We read good stories.  Getting lost in someone else's adventure is sometimes such a great gift.  We go for walks.  We drive.  I get a hot chocolate :), they get shakes.  But lately the best thing?  MUSIC.  Hymns, Christmas Carols, worship songs, instrumental.  The piano guys.  David Archuleta.  Peter Hollens, Kristene Dimarco.  These songs, these artists have become so integral to our days, as important as the fuzzy, furry socks we pull on our freezing toes in the mornings.