1st Grade Curriculum Choices

Abiah started 1st grade this year and I am excited and nervous at the same time. We have decided to homeschool for many reasons. Since I get asked often I thought I'd list a few of the main reasons here.

1. Because of Nathan's work schedule (swing shift) he would only see Abiah on the weekends.
2. Because "we" hunt it gives us the flexibility to start school when it works best for our family.
3. We want to protect Abiah from being exposed to "mature" information before it is time.
4. I used to homeschool other people's children for a living and so I have lots of experience and very little reason not to.

Because of our recent hunting trip we started school this week. At the beginning of the week I felt like I was trying to find my footing. I was not as prepared as I hoped to be, but by the end of the week I felt more sure about my daily plan.

I get all my curriculum from Exodus Books (see link to the right). Aside from the fact that I know the owner, I like the variety and prices as well as the honesty and eagerness to help homeschooling families. Exodus Books also has a great website with helpful tips and tools. Check it out! (I am not getting paid to say this. I just like their store.) So, here's my choices for 1st grade curriculum.

Math:

Horizon's Math Book 1&2 Grade 1
I chose this math book for it's colorful pictures, repetitive content and easy teaching. I don't purchase the teacher's guide because of the skill level and because right now Abiah still needs me to sit with him and help him stay on task. So I am correcting as we go. We used this curriculum for his kindergarten math and it seemed to challenge him and keep his attention (as well as a five year old's attention span can be kept). I plan to use this math curriculum through third grade. At fourth grade we will switch to Saxon.

Grammar:

Grammar Practice
I am usually an Easy Grammar and Daily Grams kinda gal but they don't have books until 2nd grade. After looking through Grammar Practice I decided it is a book that is easy to use without a teacher's manual (and an answer key is in the back) and it should only take us about 10 minutes every day to work through a section. There are 22 lessons that contain 5 sections each. We can do one lesson a week and be right on track with our other school work. I feel like it will give Abiah a good exposure to grammar in preparation for the books I plan to use next year.

Bible

Bible Truth's: A Father's Care Grade 1 BJU
Abiah has been asking for more information about the Bible and his interest moved me to choose a Bible curriculum for our schooling. Although there are many activities available to go with this curriculum I am just using the basics. I did need the teacher's manual for this subject but because Exodus Books carries used books I was able to get one in good but used condition for a lower price. One of the drawing points for me was that it teaches the Catechism. Now, I wasn't raised in churches that taught the Catechism but I have always wanted to know it and I figured I can teach it to myself while I teach it to my kids.

Handwriting:

Startwrite 5.0
I LOVE this program! Startwrite 5.0 is a computer software that allows you to create your own handwriting worksheets. You choose from multiple fonts, letter sizes, character guides and much more. I have used this program since last year to teach Abiah to write his name and alphabet. This year we are incorporating it with his Bible course. I created a worksheet for his weekly Bible memory verse and he uses it for handwriting practice and memorization.

Science:
Science 1 BJU
History:
My America and My World A Beka Book

I enjoy both Bob Jones and A Beka for science and history curriculum. For this year we are just slowly reading through the books and I ask Abiah a few questions about what we have read. My goal is exposure to science and history without the weight of tests and experiments. This is not to say that we won't do any experiments but I am trying to keep our school time at the table to a minimum. So we talk about and included what we read about into our daily lives. Another plus for this choice is that I found used books in great condition for three and four dollars. At Exodus Books of course.

Reading/Spelling:

Spell to Write and Read BHI

I am a huge fan of Spell to Write and Read. The program can feel weighty and really involved but I think that every family that uses it can find what works for them and make it their own. I used this program when I was tutoring ESL students and I had great results. The repetition and flash cards make memorizing the rules for phonics easy and fun. We also read together every night and I am hoping that Abiah will be reading to me by the end of the year.

Well, that's it. Even with choosing to do 8 different subjects we are done with school in 2-3 hours. I love it! What are some of your favorite curriculum choices. And if you don't homeschool, what are some of your favorite books to read with your kids. I'm always looking for new ideas.

No Place Like Home...click...click...

We've been home for a week and so this seems late, but I have had a hard time putting our trip into words. Well, words that didn't sound negative and complainy (I can make up words). When people ask me if we had a fun trip I have a hard time answering because it was mostly work. It was much better than it could have been. But it was hard and a LOT of work. Abiah loved it and so did Nathan. I had a nice time with the family but being out in the woods with a 20 months old and a 7 month old is a lot of work. Have I mentioned that it was a lot of work yet?

This was my 5th year of hunting with Nathan's family. Usually we camp out in the woods where there are no eminities. We brought up water, my father-in-law dug a hole and put up the "crapper"tent, we took two minute showers every other day, and when the guys were out hunting we women spent most of our time in the trailer hiding from the many noises outside. It worked well. We had it figured out and it was "roughing it" but it worked. This year we would have seven adults and six kids ages 7 months to 6 years.... we decided to try out the local camp ground.

My in-laws still brought the trailer and we ended up in sights that only had water but we loved it. The camp hostess cleaned the bathroom 8 times a day. She tried to clean the showers after every use. The kids could run around and play and we didn't have to worry too much about wild animals. There was a play ground with "wings" as Hazel called them and our camp sites were close together and close to the bathrooms. This made our trip easier and I'm so glad we went there. We are going back next year, too.

While we were camping I started compiling a list of lessons learned on this trip.

Lessons Learned Hunting 2009

• Reading The Shack isn't a good idea if you ever plan to camp with your children.
• Synchronizing kids nap schedules with other camping family members is a must.
• Synchronizing nap schedules does not mean that all kids will actually be asleep at the same time.
• Bringing a fan to drown out noises is a great idea....when you have electricity.
• Swapping dinner for lunch makes for an easier clean up/bed time/relaxing evening.
• It takes a whole village to raise six children, a dog and a praying mantis.
• Four women is not a village.
• Finding food for Lucinda the Mantis is a great activity for bored kids.
• Finding a male mantis "friend" for Lucinda the Mantis leads to uncomfortable questions from kids about why bugs give piggy back rides to each other.
• A five hour kids free trip to a podunk town to do laundry for almost three hours and browse a few shops makes for a refreshed and happy momma.
• When every step you take causes a dust storm expect everything to be covered in dust. Kids, clothes, camping gear, food, vehicles, mantises...
• When you return home from an 11 day trip there is more laundry to do than you knew existed in your house.
• When the hubby washes his USED game bags in YOUR washing machine there will be remnants of things that God and the Maytag Man never meant to be in there.
• Hubby will clean these remnants out of washing machine OR ELSE!
• Scheduling a pedicure for the day after you get back is crucial to returning to a "normal" state of womanliness.
• I can live 11 days without Facebook, my blog and email....it just takes a while for the shaking to stop.

Also, we had a very successful hunt. My FIL got a 4x4 bull elk at the beginning of the trip. Nathan went back up this last weekend and also got a 4x4 bull elk. And then Nathan's childhood best friend, Jesse, was here from Texas and got a 6x5 bull elk and gave the meat to Nathan's sister and brother-in-law. So we all will have freezers full of meat for this year. I'm very proud of Nathan and his accomplishment. And I do like being out there with him. I just have to remember it will get easier.

Pictures coming soon!

Gone Huntin'

We'll be back in about ten days. Pray for a successful and safe hunt. I'm hoping to find a place with WFI up there so I can post some pictures but ya'll might just have to wait 'till we get back. See you later!

An Adult Like Momma

Today Abiah was explaining to Hazel the cycle of life. Well, what he knows about it. He said, "Everyone starts out as a baby. Then they are a kid. Then they are an adult. Like Momma." Inside I'm thinking, "Huh! An adult? Momma doesn't feel like an adult." But, you see, he and I have two very different definitions of that word.

To him that means:

• Staying up late.
• Eating chocolate and candy.
• Drinking soda.
• Drinking coffee.
• Driving a car and going wherever you want.
• Watching adult movies (In our house that means movies he can't watch. Not "Behind The Big Red Curtain" movies.).
• Eating nachos for lunch instead of burritos (burritos are, in theory, cleaner).

To me that means:

• Staying up late to regain sanity and finish cleaning up from the day.
• Feeling guilty over the candy and chocolate consumed an hour after my morning walk.
• Full responsibility for three kids, one husband, one house and three vehicles .
• A constantly dirty right shoulder and thigh which, today, is compliments of the a fore mentioned theoretically cleaner burrito and the toddler who sits next to me at the table and uses me as a napkin.
• Slug like snot trails on my shoulders and legs from children.
• Loving nap time and bedtime way more than the kids.
• Missing the kids as soon as they are down for nap time or bed time.
• Eating nachos instead of burritos because I like the spicy nacho sauce that's too hot for the kids.

Are there split definition words in your house?

I Married A Hunter So I Wouldn't Have To Be One

We have kittens. Five of them. The thing is, we don't own a cat. Well, we didn't. But we might now. Saturday Nathan went out to the wood shed to pull a bunch of scraps out so he could fix the roof and promptly came back to share the news.

Now, I'm not much of an animal person. I can do fish or hermit crabs. You know, tiny things in cages that require very little of you. But cats? No. And DEFINITELY not in my house. But I am a sucker for cute little kitten faces. It doesn't mean I'll own one but I get all mushy and start talking in a baby voice. It's rather silly really.

So, we grabbed all the kids and ran out to see the little tiny kitties and OMG! They are adorable. And skittish. There are two that are black and white, two that are calico and white, and one gray and white (my favorite). We watched them for awhile and then realized that in order to fix the wood shed roof we would need to make sure that all the kittens were safe. This means catching all the kittens. And this is where the point of this story comes in.

Remember how I said I'm not much of an animal person? Well, that is especially applicable when animals are running at me or jumping at me or trying to scratch and bite me. So, we found a box that would fit the kittens and, hopefully, keep them contained. We taped a few of it's holes to make it sturdier and made a plan. I was to stand at the back of the shed with the box laying on it's side up against the hole the kittens were using for their escape. Nathan was in the wood shed trying to catch those that didn't use the hole to escape and Abiah was in the wood shed doorway. Nathan spooked them out of their hiding spot and three came out the hole in the wall and into the box I was watching and Nathan had the other two. And then.....

I forgot that I needed to pick the box up to keep the kittens in ( I blame mommy brain). And Nathan's kittens were scratching and biting so he ended up dropping one. I quickly ran the box over to him and we had one kitten. Out of five. We chased another one down and then found a third one under one of the many piles of scrap wood and brush in our backyard. All this was happening while we were trying to keep our 22 months old toddler, Hazel, contained and happy and the 7 month old baby, Amelia, happy.

So, being the ever-susceptible-to-her-big-brown-eyes parents that we are, we couldn't refuse when Hazel begged us to see the kitties. As Nathan slowly tilted the box over for Hazel to peer inside the feistiest of the five kittens started hissing and scratching and jumping. It jumped out of the box. Towards me. AT ME!

I want to take this moment to say I am unashamed-ish of my behavior because I feel justified by my (to me) understandable fear.

So, as this kitten, deranged as it was, comes jumping out of the box at me I start screaming. And jumping. And waving my arms like a crazy person. My heart was racing and my hands were shaking, I kid you not. I'm sure I looked crazy. Especially to my husband who was growing more and more frustrated by the minute by his incompetent wife. Nathan yelled, "What are you doing?!?" And in my fragile state I tried to explain my "condition" but he, being the skilled archery hunter that he is, would have none of it. To him it was ridiculous to be afraid of a tiny little kitten. And he kept telling me that.

So, we chase said kitten around the huge intheway shrubs that are taking over the backyard and I spot him. He's crouched down on his belly in the whole wide worldly known cat attack stance. Looking at me. No. AIMED at me. As I get closer I yell to Nathan to come quick because, "he's in fighting mode!" Nathan, in his frustration, yelled, "It's just a kitten!" and came over and picked the kitten up and took him to the box. While the kitten was scratching and clawing and shrieking.

Shortly after this Nathan's parents arrived. Nathan and his dad took over and we ended finding four out of five kittens and later found the fifth kitty with the uptothispoint missing momma. Great. Kitties are safe with momma. Shed roof never got fixed, but there' always next Saturday. We had a delicious dinner with the in-laws and a nice evening visiting. In-laws went home. Mommy's behavior during kitten fiasco is brought up almost instantly. I defend my position as a frightened, fragile mommy. Nathan doesn't buy it. He says kittens are tiny and practically harmless. I remind him of the fact that he was bitten and scratched and hissed and shrieked at. Practically is not completely! He says he wanted to laugh when I said the kitten was in fighting mode. I giggle because it was kinda funny. Then I remind him that, including many other wonderful reasons, I married him so he would fight my battles for me. Whether it's taking out the garbage, defending me against naughty children, fixing things that aren't supposed to be broken or catching the scary little kittens threatening my life. And he does a great job.

PS.
This fear also applies to any and all sports where something is flying at me.

Public Notice: No kittens were harmed in the making or retelling of this story.

What about you? What battles does your hubby fight for you? Comment below.

Why He Needs His Daddy

The other day Abiah was in a goofy mood. You could see all over his face that his main goal was to get his dad to attack him so they could wrestle. At one point I was entering receipts into the computer and asked him to go get my wallet for me. I went back to focusing on the computer and didn't hear him when he said, "I'm just gonna sit here until you forget that you asked me to get you something." But his dad heard. And as he went to get my wallet we sat on the couch stifling our laughter and shaking our heads in disbelief. And then, as Abiah would say, he got "pounded."Which is what he wanted in the first place.

After that wrestling match was over, I was asking Nathan about our plans for Sunday's church potluck and he jokingly asked me, "Can I shoot my bow at the potluck?" (he is preparing for archery hunting) And Abiah replied, "No. You have to listen to God's words." And then he was chased down and he and his dad had yet another wrestling match.

Then Abiah got his sister's pink sunglasses and was running through the house laughing as he tried to do his best "girl" impersonation. When Nathan saw him he told Abiah to, "Get those off right now!" To which Abiah replied, "No. They're pretty!" And, you guessed it, another wrestling match ensued.

Half an Olive

The last time my mom and I made once-a-month-meals she showed me this great tip for quickly slicing olives in half. And no, we didn't hire a hand model. My mom's hands are just that pretty.

You will need:
olives (duh)
two Tupperware lids
large knife (you need a knife long enough to reach across the middle of the Tupperware lid)

Begin by placing one Tupperware lid on the counter, top up. Pour olives on top. the lip of the Tupperware helps hold olives in place.



Place the other Tupperware lid on top of the olives, face side down.



While gently holding the top lid on, slide knife through horizontally.





The results:



We were able to slice half a can at a time.