getting started

Not sure if anyone is still following this little
blog for homeschoolers.

But we'll try to revive things around here
a bit as school is getting back into swing.

I gotta tell you
that my grand plans for getting a ton of things
done this summer fizzled.

Turns out that I work better when we're on a tight
schedule.

Or so it seems.
We'll see.



I had someone suggest that we discuss the subject
of

*How to get started at homeschooling*

My own thoughts are:


*Keep things really simple in the beginning.

*Ask every homeschool mom you know for advice
and what curriculum they use.

*Don't get overwhelmed by ALL the choices,
start with something that's been
recommended to you and go from there.

*Don't go overboard buying things.


I could go on and on but I think that kind of sums it up.
It just takes time to figure out what
works best for your child(ren).

Any other ideas??

contributors wanted!

I haven't posted here nearly as often as I intended to
when I started this little blog!
I do have a little something brewing in my head
(thought nothing riveting)
but I wondered if any of you would like to contribute
a post?

Maybe something that's been on your heart or mind
about a homeschool related subject.
Or something you'd like to share that has really
helped you make your school house a great success this year?

Let me know!

Email your post to me at
loriatjoyunspeakable@yahoo.com

*ALSO*

If you have any homeschool items you'd like to
sell, let me know about that too!
If there's enough of you interested,
I will post your items w/ your contact info
for those interested in buying your item(s).

a much needed spring break

Oh boy, do we need a break!
It officially started late this morning when we
ended the week with an easy day.

However, I can't help but think that the next week will fly by
and then it's back to work.

This time of year is so stinkin' hard!

We are all ready for the year to be over...but yet there's still
a good chunk of it left to go.

I'm just as sick of school as the kids are!
And I wish I could say that we are on track but we aren't.
We're a tad behind in some subjects.

And one child (who will be a senior next year) will most
likely be working on math and Mandarin all summer.
I kept warning him,
to no avail.

But, even as exhausted as I am
from this grueling and very challenging year,
I keep finding myself searching online planning out next year.

It just never ends!

How about you all??
Are you taking spring break soon?
Will you finish the school year with a bang....or a fizzle?

Please tell me I'm not the only one behind!!

words of encouragement

Wow, please forgive me for how very long it's been since I posted anything here! As I have been pondering what our next topic should be, it occurred to me that I would let you all choose.

So now that we are mid-way through the year, what are some areas that you all are needing encouragement in? Feeling weighed down by a curriculum that you spent a lot of money on but desperately want to change? Are you having trouble sticking to a schedule? Are you way behind where you should be?

Post your concerns or ideas in the comment section and please check back to see what words of wisdom some of us have for each other.

Mid-Semester

I truly feel like we should be at the mid-year mark in school,

but I guess we are only about a fourth of the
way into it, huh?

Well,
I'd love to know how many of you are doing!

It seems that we have finally found a routine that works
for us...
just in time for it all to change because of
a VERY busy basketball season quickly approaching.

And I also have those days that I don't think I can go
any further in homeschooling.
Not that I don't like it or am not willing to
give it my all...
it is just really difficult on days when my kiddos
are so whiney about it all.
And then there's my 3 year old who demands attention
almost constantly.

It's exhausting.

But, thankfully we do have some really good
days that keep me going.

And I also have a WONDERFUL homeschool
mentor (Martha) who is ALWAYS there
for me when I need encouragement.
Seriously everyone,
if you don't have a Martha of your own,
you need to find one!

Plus my sweet husband is VERY
supportive and listens intently when I
bring him my concerns and complaints, which somehow
always leaves me a little refreshed.

So,
I guess for us...at least for now,
we are holding our own and pressing on!

How 'bout you?!

settling into a routine that works

Well,
I reckon everyone has been schoolin' for
at least a week or more by now, right?

How's it going?
Are you feeling that your routine is set yet?

For us,
even though we started early in August,
we didn't get near as much done as I
had hoped in order to compensate for our time off
while we are in China.
So....my students will be doing some
work while we are gone.
Much to their chagrin.

And just as I feel like our routine is getting,
well, routine....it's all about to change
with our newest child joining our family.

So...our subject for this post is,

What is your routine?
I'd love to hear what time you start
each day,
and what time you finish.

Also....
if anyone has any great advice for me
as we are welcoming our 13 year old into
our happy(ish) homeschool,
I'd love to hear it.
She is 13 and VERY SMART,
so I'm told.
Any advice on curriculum or
what the first few weeks and months
should look like (school-wise) with a newly adopted child,
that would be great!

Homeschooling and Housework...can a girl be successful at both?

Let me start with this...
The above picture is NOT my house.
I repeat, NOT my house!

Though things are quite askew around here,
it's not quite that bad.

We are, however, knee deep into school
and the housework does, indeed...suffer.
In fact, it suffers greatly.

So here's the subject for our latest discussion:
Do you have any *magical* advice or
system that helps you keep things neat and tidy
while also homeschooling?

Now listen,
if your house is, as mentioned above,
neat and tidy,
I will require you to submit a picture.

Ok, just kidding.
Sorta.
Actually, it would only depress me if I knew any of
you actually had it ALL together.

So, let's go....
Do you schedule your housework?
Do it as you can?
Save it for Saturdays?

What's your method to control the housework
madness while homeschooling?