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Sunday, April 15, 2012

I know I posted an entry a short bit ago, but I have been trying to the point of a short mental break down to add a google badge to my blog. I finally seem to have succeeded, but my former entries seem to have disappeared from my blog. I knew I was technologically inept, but trying to figure out the whole badge thing about sent me over the edge. I know we teach our children patients and understanding, but I seemed to have lost all that while trying to learn some new computer skills.
In my last entry I tried to add photos of my daughter and granddaughter doing their lapbooks, but deleted them because I couldn't figure out how to line them up in rows. I managed to lay one pic on top of another, had them scattered in no discernible order, or in a big long row taking up unnecessary room. Googling "how-to's" only managed to add to my frustration. Google even has a whole FAQ's on their blogs. Only for some of it you need an engineering degree to figure it out. I may as well have been reading in Swahili.
Well I have ranted long enough. Hopefully this will get easier, and I won't feel so inadequate.
God Bless!!!!!
Well I have given my blog a face lift. Looking at so many others online, mine looked so pitiful. My goal is to hopefully be more disciplined to write more consistently, and in doing so my blog will become more professional.
I have to admit my jealously over the creative genius behind so many of the wonderful blogs I visit in my quest to to gain knowledge in my homeschool journey. Among my favorites are those blog moms and dads who incorporate notebooking and lapbooking into their homeschool curriculum. I have become a huge fan and advocate of these two methods. I have learned in my research that notebooking is directly related to the Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling. (PLEASE correct me if I am wrong on that last statement)
My daughter Bridget has graciously accepted these as part of our curriculum. She finds learning more fun and exciting. It also allows for more freedom in content for individual projects or unit studies. My 2 year old granddaughter Kaya also loves to do lapbook projects as well. I watch her occasionally during the day when her mom is at school. Kaya's mom, my oldest daughter Kady, was very interested and excited over the very first one I did with my granddaughter. Kaya had lots of fun as well. (Her favorite part was using the glue stick.) We have since done 3 more with her. Bridget has done several lapbooks on her own as well. We are getting reay to do a huge unit study on Ancient Greece and Greek mythology. Inspired by what is one of my favorite blogs, jimmiescollage.com.
I found lots of great websites that offer free printables for this unit study from jimmie's Squidoo page.I got free printables from homeschoolshare.com, I also am a member of notebookingpages.com, which offers 1,000's of printable notebooking and some lapbook templates on just about anything you can think of. There is a section that offers free printables, or you can buy by the subject or topic, I paid for a treasury membership. That is usually $74.00, but I found a code online and got it for around $63.00. I realize that this may seem like a lot, I went back and forth for a few months, but I have a lifetime access to all the printables, I just lose access to updates after a year, and renewal is only $29.95.
Well I I hope you enjoy the facelift. Hoping this finds you well.
God Bless!!!!







Monday, March 26, 2012

Free Printable Graphic Organizers - Freeology

I am still trying to get my feet firmly planted in this homeschool journey. Lately it seems as though I live in front of my computer. I have discovered 2 very amazing activities that I think I am more excited about than my daughter, Notebooking and Lapbooking.
I wish that I could have used these when I was in school!!! In my quest to find fabulous ideas, the most informative sites for FREE templates and pages to use, I came across this site. So I thought I'd share. I'd I also like to share how I came across this site. I was on jimmiescollage.com. The amazingly talented mom who developed this site also has another called notebookingfairy.com. Both very informative, and some great free printables. So PLEASE go check out these sites. I hope you enjoy them as much I do.







http://jimmiescollage.com/

http://notebookingfairy.com/

Free Printable Graphic Organizers - Freeology

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Well I haven't written since my first post. I was going to write daily, but then decided that I'm essentially writing to myself right now. I am still on the hunt for the "right" curriculum for my DD. I am not having a rigid, or mirrored image of school, but I do feel having a math curriculum and I am looking at 2 language curriculum's and a music curriculum to supplement with lessons for Violin/Fiddle.
I like the Eclectic/"UN"Schooling type style, it suites me and my daughter, but I can't waiver on Math. I am not a mathematical wonder and I need to know she's learning so she can get through College Algebra one day. She is only in the 6th grade, but watching her 4 older siblings grow, she'll be in college in the blink of an eye.
I have name my school a Prep and Arts School, so I want her to have a more laid back approach to learning. She is learning higher level material as apposed to her PS brethren, but her dad isn't quite that on board. I had a heck of a time to convince him that she'd become a more confident young women by being taught by me than going to school and being made to feel bad about herself by her peers and yes some teachers on an almost daily basis. I can't tolerate or accept a 11/12 yr old coming home crying and feeling inferior. She is actually quite the opposite... she is funny, kind, loyal to a fault, caring, and an amazing Irish Dancer. She also has a gifted ear for music. Unfortunately whether these kids learn it at home or on the tv or from other siblings or peers, she was continually made fun of because of her glasses, which she has to wear whenever awake, she has a condition called Amblyopia in her L eye, that is an underdevelopment of her muscle in her eye which causes the eye to look lazy and making her legally blind in that eye. She has thick beautiful wavy/curly hair, something kids think is as messy and fuzzy, and she is a dancer so she has very muscular calves and she isn't the size of my pinky so that also screams to other girls call me names. I couldn't tolerate my child feeling emotionally bullied anymore. She is now happier than ever, she actually attended her first home school dance tonite and looked beautiful and had an awesome time. Not one kid t that danced looked at my DD and saw what her public school peers saw. Tonite she felt as welcome and belonging as if she were at a family function. I love her friends she met that home school, they are great role models and examples of what is right and good in this world. Home school parents rock!!!!! My DD is also realizing she also ROCKS!!!!
So should anyone read this, please feel free to comment and throw any suggestions my way. I know I have to build my own path to SUCCESS, but some advice never hurts. Thanks for reading.......
May the road rise up to meet you and May God be with you and bless you.....

Chuckles