Easy Art for the Win

You know I am not very creative, right?  Like, really, not very creative.  Not only do I not have much talent when it comes to artsy stuff, but I also lack the interest.  Glitter and glue are a part of my past I would like to keep in the past!

But here is the thing- I still have a 12 year old at home who likes an occasional art project.  And quite honestly, even if he did not, his left brain dominated world needs a little more right brain activity occasionally.

When I saw Khan Mosaics I knew it was a good compromise for us both.

Khan Mosaics is a two piece art kit that uses small foam geometric pieces to create a picture, in this case a gorilla and a tiger.  The picture is printed on a thin cardboard for durability, measuring a bit over 8x8.  The foam pieces are self sticking so no glue or anything extra is required. While this may not require much talent, it does require some patience and very good fine motor skill.

Each card is color coded to direct you in placing the titles, ensuring the correct size and shape, as well as numbered so you do not mess up.  The sticky backing is pretty forgiving and the tiles can be peeled off quickly and re-positioned if you mess up.  Ask me how I know this!

So far my son and I have completed one card, taking us about 20 minutes, working together.  He chose the tiger, and off we went.

 

He was quite gracious to allow me to do the little bitty triangles!

Complete!

What we think-
This is a fun little kit!  Is is a bit challenging at times with the little pieces, but a great way to help develop fine motor skills!  It counts as art in my book, minus all the messy stuff.  That is a win!  Because of its size and price, I also think it would be a fun little gift to give.  

Overall it was time well spent and we are already planning on completing the next one- tomorrow!  Maybe I can do the larger pieces this time!
 

Khan Mosaics is also included in the Timberdoodle 4th Grade Curriculum kit.  

The Kids In Our Life

Most of you know we have four kiddos.  Some of you even know said kids.  But some of you are newer here so I thought this would be a good time to reintroduce them and catch you up to some changes.  Plus, my fellow Timberdoodle Blogger Team members are all talking about their kids this week, so hey, I am joining the fun!

Our oldest is 25.  You may know her as the seamstress and quilt maker.  For over 6 or so years, she has run Ashton's Attic, making homemade t-shirt quilts.  Her father and I begged her to do one last move with us to Arizona and as it turns out, she has settled in nicely.  Loves our church, loves the warmer weather, and has a new job she adores.  Get this- working in the finance and mortgage world, of all things.  This is the same girls who used to cry whenever we did math.  Yep, the irony cracks me up.  But for some reason, Stewardship took a chance on her, and she loves what she does.

Our next daughter is 21 and recently graduated with a Musical Theater degree.  We thought she was headed to Disney when she got offered a job as...wait for it, A QUEEN, for the newly opened Medieval Times in Scottsdale, AZ.  Yep, went from the princess we always knew she was to Queen in one audition. She, too, works with an amazing group of people she adores and comes home from work daily singing, "I love my job!"

Our oldest son is a senior in high school and will soon be 18!  Where has time gone?  He is pretty much finished with high school and is dual-crediting college colleges at lightning speed.  Next fall he will be pursuing a Gunsmithing degree.  For those who know and love him, you know that knives and guns are his passion and we are excited to see where this opportunity leads him.  Turns out, we may be following HIM for a change to his new location.  (more of that to come as some point!)

And our youngest!  He is 12 and ready to rock the world!  He is still swimming and recently played flag football on a homeschool team.  They won all but one game, so suffice to say he was thrilled.  We are currently homeschooling in 7th grade and history is still his favorite subject!  He keeps me busy which is good since I don't see the older three as much these days!

As our life slowly transitions, I find myself contemplating shutting down the blog at times.  You may have noticed it's been a bit quiet around here.  BUT- there are some exciting changes coming in our lives and if nothing else, at least my family will be entertained! ;)  I also have a few fun ideas brewing- we will see if I can get myself going!

Thanks for visiting us in our little neck of the woods!

Blessings!

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What's on the Agenda?

I know we just finished up our school year a few weeks ago, but yes, we are a week into our new year.  This year things are going to look a little different for us.  My 17 year old is a senior and will be taking British Lit with me, but everything else he will be doing online for dual-credit.  If all goes according to plan, he will have completed all of his general college classes when he heads to college next year!

So this year is primarily me and the youngest!

Our summer schedule is a bit lighter and allows us to play in the pool or with friends in the mornings, and then school for an hour or so after lunch when it is too hot to be out in Arizona.  It keeps him from getting bored and losing all the skills he learned the previous grade.  It also allows for a lighter schedule by the end of the year when we are growing weary.

7th grade here we come!

As usual we have several tried and true programs on our list, as well as a few new to us ones.  I am very excited about it all- 7th grade is typically a fun year!  I will let you know what Colby thinks after we get started!

Here's our plan-

Math- Teaching Textbooks Grade 7
Science- Masterbooks General Science 1: Survey of the Earth and Sky
History- Masterbooks The World's Story 1: The Ancients
Literature Sonlight 7th Grade
Grammar-Writing- Hake Grammar and Writing 7 and Wordly Wise
Geography- Memoria Press Geography II
Spanish- Classical Academic Press Spanish for Children A
Bible- Sonlight and Proverbs from The Nelson Kids

*This will be our first year using Masterbooks for History and Science.  Colby just finished a 5 year course from Veritas Self Paced History that we adored and needed to find something to fill in for this year.  I am wishy washy about science for 7th grade, and so that being said, I thought I would take a leap of faith and try both.  We have used several other things from Masterbooks lately and been pleased. I love how the daily guides are set up, so I will let you know how it goes.

Since we have embraced homeschooling year-round, we took off a few weeks of June to allow for a little regrouping time (mostly for me!) and then began back July 1st, with just three subjects.  We will add a subject every few weeks until we are back full swing by the end of August.  Again, the slow start allows us to go easy at first and adjust to new curriculum, but also allows for an easy end of the year when we are tired and ready for a break.

No matter when you start school or where your kiddos learn, I pray you will have a beautiful school year filled with much leaning and wonder!

Blessings,

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Quick Lunch Ideas for Busy Moms

I have said it before and I will say it again, I do not like lunch hour.  Seriously, if I ever sent my kids to public school, it could very well be for the sole reason that I would not have to fix lunch for them.

I really do not mind cooking usually, but there is just something about lunch time that fills this mom's heart with dread.  It is tedious, it is redundant, and quick frankly, it is not rewarding in the least.  Yes, they do not starve, but no one sings mom's praises for a lunch well made.

I used to stress about lunch.  Notice the past tense.  No more, my friends.  Luckily for us all, my kids have gotten old enough to work some magic in the kitchen by themselves and I have stopped trying to be supermom.  I am all about the getting food in their mouths and worrying less about what kind of food specifically.  I have come to peace with the fact that they will not suffer ill affects from not so perfect, not so lovely, and maybe even no so nutritious lunches.

There, I said it.  Some of my kids' lunches are not the most healthy.  They are also not themed and they don't come in cute little divided plates.  Gasp, I know!

So WHAT do my kids eat for lunches exactly?  To make life easier on me, and them since they usually fix it, I made a list for quick reference that hangs on our fridge.  It is not complete, but it gives them some ideas to get started.

• Left overs.  This is by far their least favorite thing, but the rules are if there are several leftovers in the fridge they must be eaten first.  Luckily for them their dad takes his lunch and we often do not have left overs, so you do not have to worry that they suffer often.

• Sandwiches- Also not a favorite in our house, but an occasional go to, especially if we are in a hurry.  We stopped eating lunch meat many years ago for health concerns, and only in the recent years have begun to have lunch meat around more often.  They would both prefer peanut butter and jelly if given a choice anyway.

• Mac and Cheese- Homemade or boxed- up to them.

• Pizza- I try to keep pizza, big ones and mini ones, in our freezer and do limit them to one a week or otherwise this would be there go to.  BOYS!  We also make homemade pizzas as well as hamburger bun pizzas.

• Stuffed baked potatoes

• Cheese melts on tortillas

• Soup- Usually chicken rice or chicken noodle using leftover chicken.

• Chicken nuggets- Yep, we do.

• Taquitoes- Sometimes homemade, but often frozen from a box.

• Cheese-steaks- Yes, I occasionally buy the kits for a fun treat.

• Hot dogs and chips- This is another food we walked away from years ago.  The girls did not miss them at all.  The boys thought I was deliberately torturing them, so we have slowly allowed them back into our lives on a limited basis.

• Fruit, cheese and meats- OK, admittedly this is one in my dreams.  I see parents of young children getting by with this, but I have to tell you when I have tried this in the past I have received looks like, cute, mom, where's the real food.

I am sure there are more, but you get the idea.

In our house we check off the lunch box and move on.  Rumbling tummies stop rumbling, mom is happier, and the day goes on!  I promise that our breakfasts and dinners are more nutritious and well thought out, but I also promise that now that the lunch stress is off me, I am a happier momma!

Score one for me and one for the kids!

Blessings,

Plan of Attack!

Welcome to the Homeschool Review Crew's 5 Day Back to School Blog Hop!  Wow, that is a mouth-full!  But luckily for you, it is also a week of FULL of information, inspiration, and hopefully a little fun.

We are glad you joined us.  Make sure you check back each day this week for a new subject!

Today we are talking about CURRICULUM!  Makes perfect sense that is the first subject as, let's face it, it is the heart of homeschooling.  Other than the momma, right?

So background- I have been homeschooling for over 19 years!  Our oldest daughter graduated from college a few years ago, and her sister is going to be a junior in college this year.  The two left at home are both boys and will be a 5th grader and a sophomore in high school.  So this is not my first rodeo, as they say here in the mid-west.

That being said, we prayerfully consider each school year and what is best for each child.  I still pour through curriculum catalogs and yes, I still try new things.  There are a few oldies but goodies I use with every child, but since each one has a different learning style and personality, some things are just better tailored than cookie cutter.  I would encourage you to research what is out there, ask a lot of questions, and be willing to make changes where needed.  There is never a year that we do not make some minor tweaks as we go.

So what are we using?  Glad you asked!

Let's start with the 5th grader!

Math- Teaching Textbooks Grade 5
Science- Nancy Larson Science
History- Veritas Press- Self Paced History- Fourth Year
Literature- Sonlight
Grammar- Easy Grammar
Spelling- Spelling Power
Spanish- Power Glide
Geography- Let's Go Geography
Bible- Apologia's Who is God?
Writing- Apologia's Writer's in Residence (we started this last year and will finish it up!)

And for the 10th grader-

Math- Math U See Geometry
Science- Alpha Omega's Chemistry
Literature- Sonlight
History- Sonlight 20th Century History

Spanish- Alpha Omega's Spanish 1
Geography- Maps of the World
Bible- Sonlight
Writing- IEW
Vocabulary- Wordly Wise &  Vocabulary from the Classical Roots B
Art Appreciation- Done by me
Health- (required by our state) BJU's Family Life Skills

Wow, that makes me tired!  And as you are reading this we are fully entrenched in our first day of school!  If you think of us, whisper a prayer!

Got questions?  Feel free to ask- we would love to help you with anything we can. We hope you will join us tomorrow as we talk about school supplies.  In the meantime, just click on the button below to see what some wonderful friends of mine have to say about their curriculum.

Happy Homeschooling, friends!

Blessings,

When School's NOT Done By Lunch

With full time school getting ready to start back up soon for many of us, excitement and some change is in the air.  Well, mostly the excitement is for me.  The change for the kids!  Shhh, don't tell them it is coming yet!

Each year we change things up a bit.  Sometimes out of boredom and sometimes out of necessity.  It keeps things fresh and keeps the kids guessing.  Through the years of kids growing up and the changes we make, I have one that seems to be the hardest to transition to-

Schooling AFTER lunch.

I know, shocking, right?  After all, kids in public school attend ALL. DAY. LONG.

But tell that to many younger homeschooled kiddos and you will probably get blank stares.  After all, who still has things to do after lunch?

As a veteran homeschool mom, I advise new homeschoolers to simplify the way that they look at school.  Our goal, after all, is not to reproduce public school at home.  With only a few students to teach, no need for bathroom breaks and hall passes, or busy work to fill in time, school for younger grades can typically be done in a few short hours.  It's true, trust me.  It is also one of the many glories of homeschooling.

But as the kids get older, their workload does grow larger until, gasp, school after lunch is needed.

So how do you help older kids transition to this new game plan?

Warn them ahead of time.  No really, do warn them.  Kids are creatures of habit, and just like us, unless it involves presents, they do not always do well with surprises.  Or change.  Let them know ahead of time that with the new year comes new things, one of which will be to continue school after lunch.

Make lunch enjoyable.  Make time for lunch and make it enjoyable.  Maybe this is a time of family chatting, or reading a devotion together, or even enjoying a chapter book.  You can even enjoy food prep together as a team.  Make it a fun break in your day.

Don't allow for play until after the end of school.  I know this one may meet some resistance, but hear me out.  Most kids, dare I say no kids, want to stop playing in the middle of something to start school, or anything else that they do not want to do for that matter.  Take it from someone who has been doing this homeschooling thing for 19 years, do not go there.  Once they are playing with their toys it will take a drill sergeant or worse to drag them away.  The struggle is just not worth it. Stick to a toys-after-school time rule and you will avoid the battle before it begins.

Start slow.  Rome was not built in a day! If you are new to school after lunch, I would recommend you start with one new subject after lunch each week.  By adding small increments of time, you will build your child's stamina.  Remember when you were fading out nap times?  Each new week they could stay up a little longer.  Same concept, different subject!

Save the best for last.  Do NOT end your day with math, unless math is what your kids love best!  Most kids are more refreshed and able to mentally AND emotionally handle more stress and harder work in the morning hours.  Do the harder subjects early on and save things they really enjoy and look forward to for the end of the day.  We often save electives or science projects til the end.  What better way to finish but with a smile on their face and yours?

Reward hard work.  Every child is different, but we all like to be rewarded in a specific way for a job well done.  Maybe it is as simple as reminding your child that once school is done they will be able to go play in their rooms or with their friends  Maybe your child likes stickers, or you can end your day with a snack.  Maybe you allow a quick video or electronic time.  Find what works for your family and what your child will receive as a job well done reward so they have something to work towards.

Remember mammas, the days may be getting longer, but your homeschool days are growing shorter. Enjoy the time before and after lunch, and all the moments in between!  You are doing a great job!

Blessings,

Year In Review

 

Yes, as of this week we are officially done with our school year!  Our official year, that is!  Colby completed 4th grade and Salem completed his freshman year in high school.  For the record, Riley finished her first year at college and will return as a junior.  Our oldest graduated early several years ago and has a thriving T-Shirt business at Ashton's Attic!

So how did the school year go?

Pretty well.  We accomplished all we set out to do with a few extras under our belt.

Math. Check
Science. Check
Literature and writing.  Check
Spanish. Check
Geography. Check
Math. Check
Music Appreciation. Check

Salem also completed a drivers education course and has begun two classes online that will count as electives for him. One is called National Securities Careers, an interesting look at national security history and the entities that help with that security.  It is a great career exploration class as well.  The second course is from our Homeschool Review Crew called Doctor Aviation.  Be looking for a review in a few weeks, but in the meantime, let me just say- we love this course!!  If your child is interested in anything flying or related, they will get a kick out of this video-based program taught by a retired Air Force officer.

People often ask what our days look like.  Although each day may vary, we do start school around 9 and school until lunch. We take a lunch break from 12-1, and then resume school until everything is done.  Most days that is around 3, though it has been known to go later, depending on the work load for that day.

And our summer?  Well, we do school year round.  That usually means we have an hour or two of school most days in the summer with usually with a two week break before we begin new grades in late August.  I have found that math is better retained when we do not walk completely away from it in the summer, and we really enjoy our reading and science time together so those subjects usually continue at some level.  We also tend to concentrate on electives like the ones Salem is taking and things like art for Colby for fun.  Not a chance of summer boredom around here!

 As for the rest of the day, we spend time outside when we can and try to find Activities for Days it is TOO Hot. The kids catch up on rest, a few are involved in summer sports or have a job, and we soak up the few months we have back together as a family of six.

Time is fleeting, enjoy it while you can!

Blessings,

What Does a Homeschool Veteran Actually Look Like?- Blog Hop

Welcome to day 1 of the Homeschool Review Crew's 5 Days of Homeschool Blog Hop which will run all this week!  This year the sky is the limit with everyone's chosen subjects so make sure you explore the linky, learn some new things, make some new friends, and just have some fun!

As for me- this week we are talking about Keeping Your Homeschool Alive. Before we get started, let's quickly talk about what a homeschool veteran looks like.

Some days my hair and makeup are perfect (well as perfect as I can get) and there is a smile on my face!
Some days I have my pajamas on til noon and I look like something the dogs drug in!
Some days confidence in this journey pours out of me and I am ready to conquer even the hardest college applications!
Some days doubt and worry set in and I wonder if the kids are even learning something.
Some days I wish they were all preschoolers again working with the teddy bear counters and playdough.
Some days I cannot wait to be done homeschooling.
Some days we start at 9 and end at 3 completing all of our daily assignments on time.
Some days we are lucky if we start by noon and get anything done.

Sound anything like you?
I hope so!

You see, the point is, we are not too different. 

Yes, I have been homeschooling for almost two decades (excuse me while I go sit down), but I am much like you.  I have learned a lot of things, but by no means have all the answers.
Some days are good.  Some days are not.

But, by the grace of God, a lot of prayer, and a lot of determination, we forge ahead.

I have a 23 year old daughter who graduated with a BS in Bible who runs her own sewing business.
My second daughter is three weeks from finishing her first year in college, which is actually her sophomore year.
I have a son that is finishing up his freshman year and starting to explore college possibilities.
And I have a 9 year old, yes you read that correctly, that is a 4th grader and he says he is living with me forever.  Oh boy!

So this week as we talk about Keeping Your Homeschool Alive, remember- we are more alike than not.
And we are in this journey together!

Welcome, friend!

Blessings,

An Ordinary Momma's Guide to Disney

Yes, we recently returned from a week at Disney!  It was our gift to ourselves for Christmas.  I do not believe in "we deserve" because frankly no one deserves anything.  But friends, we needed this trip. A year apart from dad and husband took its toll on us all and we needed some family time away from real life to bond and reconnect.  We spent a year saving up (more on that soon) and did it big!  Next year you will find us vacationing in the back yard.  You CAN do Disney thriftily, but you CANNOT do Disney cheaply.  No matter what anyone says.

There are a million books and websites out there with helpful hints for "doing" Disney!  Trust me, I know, because I have read a lot of them.  And some of the hints were very helpful.  But, I am an ordinary momma with mostly ordinary kids! ;)  And there are a few things I learned our trip that I think need to be shared. 

Mom to mom!

Don't wear shirts that have to be tucked in. No laughing. Because we went in January we also had on light weight jackets. Pair that with an over the body bag and trying to get a shirt tucked in in the small restroom stalls was a pain.  Drove me crazy the whole trip.

If you are paying as you go for meals, share when you can!  The portions at most Disney dining locations are very large!  I felt like we ate our way through Disney!  

Order water!  Even if you pay for a bottle once, you can refill it for free.  To take the boredom factor out, we took lemonade packets with us to add to them occasionally.

Consider the Disney Dining Plan!  After being a wife of a deployed husband for a year, I needed a break from even having to think about meals so we splurged in this option.  I could not say how much we saved, but I will tell you that without the dining plan, lunches would have cost anywhere from $70 to almost $300 for our family of six.  Now, that was with drinks and dessert which we would not have gotten if not on the dining plan, but still- it is expensive.  Swiping your bands and knowing you have already paid in advance was wonderful!

That being said - get Disney's Magic Bands!  They are your room keys (if staying on property), meal plan, Fast Pass+, and PhotoPass hook up.  No more pulling out your wallet everywhere and so, so easy!  Plus fun!

Snacks!  Disney does allow you to take food in and trust me this is cheaper!  In the past, we allowed the kids to split a special park snack once a day.  Yes, I am frugal like that!  On the basic meal plan you can get one snack a day.  I was worried it might not be enough.  HA!  What a joke.  Because of all the food and desserts at meals, we found ourselves not wanting snacks several days.  Best advice we have heard- pick up snacks that can be easily taken and enjoyed on your trip home.  We had Disney cookies and crackers all the way home, plus a few bottled waters and other drinks!

Go on off times!  We have gone to Disney at busy times and waited in long lines.  And waited some more.  Not a lot of fun.  But if you are flexible I encourage you to check for reservations for off times.  We rarely waited in line more than 10 minutes.  A few times not at all. This was the line to Lights, Motor, Action.  Yep, just us.  It did pick up after us because we were really early, but still- it was great!

Make reservations to eat!  If you are planning to eat at a sit-down restaurant, make reservations in advance.  We rarely waited more than 10 minutes for our table when wait times were often over an hour long.  I recommend doing counter service at lunch and sit-down at dinner but that is just my preference.  It seemed that when we were looking for counter service in the evening, they were more crowded or harder to find. Most also seem to close early- probably in an attempt to send you to a more expensive sit-down meal at night.

Tell your kids no to buying souvenirs on the first day!  There is so much to see and buy that it is easy for young kids to become overwhelmed with all the choices.  Our "no buying on the first day" rule took the pressure off.

If you pass a bathroom, use it!  It is less stressful to make pit stops frequently than to be hunting for a bathroom NOW!  

Sleep in occasionally.  Disney can wear you out!  Take advantage of sleeping in on a day that a park has later hours.  Your children will thank me. So will your husband!

Consider waiting until the kids are older. I remember it being fun to see the excitement of my kids at Disney when they were younger, but honestly, taking older kids is so much better in my opinion.  I know, I know, there is that whole Disney Magic thing.  But I will have to tell you, we saw more toddler meltdowns and frazzled parents than I care to remember.  It was sad.  For the parents and the kids.  At 8, Colby enjoyed this trip so much more because of no fears and because he could do so much more.  Just something to think about.  

Let someone else do the planning.  I have been in charge of this family for a year.  I am so done making decisions and being in charge.  So I let a Disney expert help me.  Our friend Stacy works for Kingdom Konsultants and we let her work her magic.  She took care of our reservations, meal plan, and park tickets.  Before the trip we received a pack of goodies from her and she even checked on us once when we first arrived.  Between she and my friend Marcy, (who loves Disney almost as much as Riley!  Thanks Marcy!) we were in good hands.

Assign a kid a day!  Speaking of planning, each day we were in a park a different child was "in charge" of that day.  They chose where we ate, what we rode, and what we saw. We followed their lead.  It was great.  One, I did not have to be in charge, and two, there was no debating the schedule. We just follow the lead of the one in charge.  (Though the youngest had a little guidance.)

More pictures, some thoughts about Disney property and more on Friday and next Monday!  I promise not to drag it out too long, but there is so much to share.

Blessings,

Planning and Organizing Our Day (And book giveaway!)

For many of you, school has already started.  Backpacks are packed, lunches are made, and notebooks have been bought.  Usually, the same is true here.  Well, minus the backpacks and lunches!  For as long as I can remember we have started back to school with our new grades in August.  This year, well, let's just say we are a little distracted with Dad coming home for two weeks.

Sometimes distraction is good! ;)

But, as soon as he heads out again, the school bell is going to ring!  And we are ready.  Mostly!

On the 31st I am going to share what we will be using for curriculum this year, but today I want to talk to you a little about how we plan and organize our year.  Each year looks a little different, but here are some things that work for us.

A loose schedule.  For many years we ran a pretty tight ship around here.  As a matter of fact, by using the ideas found in the Titus 2 Ministries book,  Managers of Their Schools, we had our day very well planned.  I loved it!  Teri, a fellow homeschooling mom of 8, has a great chart method and color coding system to help you find the best schedule for your family.  Her book also includes other wonderful tips that helped keep me sane when I was schooling four kids and I think her book should be required reading for all homeschoolers, new and veterans alike!  Teri has graciously offered to give one of our readers a FREE copy of Managers of Their Schools.  You can enter to win with the rafflecopter at the end of this post!

Now that I am down to teaching one 3rd grader and supervising an 8th grader who is overall pretty self-sufficient, we are a little more relaxed.  The plan is to start school by 9 every morning, breaking for lunch at noon, and then resuming school until about 3 or 4.  Our Fridays are lighter work days with only a few subjects taught.

Sabbath Week Scheduling- This worked so well for us last year that we will do it again.  The premise is schooling for 6 weeks and then taking a week off to rest and regroup.  That week is a great time for field trips, vacations, and projects around the house. Things may get a little crazy around our move time, but we will do the best we can!

Assignment notebook- We have used a fancy planner in the past.  Several actually.  They never seem to fit our exact needs and become burdensome when everyone's assignments are in one place that is in my possession.  It makes for a lot of back and forth finding mom and the planner which just discourages everyone.  So this year, it is back to a simple spiral notebook.  Nothing fancy, just practical.  Each night I will write the child's assignments in the notebook under the correct date and they will check off the box when they complete each assignment.  Yep, that is it.  I have learned after 16 years of homeschooling that it is futile for us to plan more than one day at a time anyway,  Life happens and I get tired of erasing well laid plans in frustration and discouragement,  This way, each night I spend 10 minutes writing down the next day's assignments.  It also allows me the chance to check up after each child and monitor their progress.

Color Coding.  This may seems silly to you, but it was a God-send to us last year so we are doing it again.  Plus, it is fun!  Each child is assigned a color and their notebooks and such are all that particular color.  No confusion for them, easy for me to find their stuff at a glance, and no arguing over whose is whose (I have two boys remember?!).  On the first day of school I have all of their new stuff sitting on the table for them with a few surprises.  Word of warning- black is NOT the best color to choose!  Finding notebooks was easy- after that, I had to be creative.  Luckily, Salem does not care nearly as much as Colby!

Anything else?  Oh, I am sure I will think of something last minute- I always do!  Until then, we are trying to enjoy the last few weeks of summer!

Happy schooling!

And don't forget to enter to win a copy of Managers of Their Schools!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Linking up with friends-

On September 8th, this post will be linked with the Carnival of Homeschooling!  Be sure to check out all of the posts to help motivate you in your homeschooling!  September's posts will be hosted by Nerd Family!

Blessings,