Homeschool Memoirs 2 Homeschooling Agenda

This week’s theme is about sharing your 2008-09 homeschool agendas and plans. You’ve been preparing your plans for sometime and you’re ready to go. Or you’re still in the planning-stage and need some inspiration or tips on what to use. Because many use different curriculum and methods there is always something new to be gleaned from other homeschoolers. It’s always fun and interesting to see what other’s are using and the WWWWH as Robin Sampson suggests. So this week I hope you will share what you’re doing this year for your homeschool agenda. Share the different curriculum you’re using. You can also include what age/grade you’re using it for, how long you’ve been using it, and why you like it.

Please share a Bible verse that has encouraged you or inspired you during this planning-process, and how.





Agenda? We're supposed to have an agenda? LOL!! Well, this is my first year and while searching for the perfect curriculum and asking my fellow homeschooling mommy friends lots of questions I decided to go with the 2nd Grade Abeka Curriculm. I am liking it ok so far. My husband who was also homeschooled really wants me to look into Saxon Math, she loves Math and so does he....I HATED MATH in school! So sometime soon I am going to look into getting the Saxon Math for 2nd grade, until then I will be using Abeka.

With Gracee, (she's 4) I am kinda making up my own stuff. I used to teach Pre-K so I am going to use some of the stuff from that. We started with letters. She knows that her name is Gracee and it's spelled G R A C E E but she doesn't recognized those letters. So that is what we are working on right now. Recognizing her letters and numbers. We are also reviewing colors and shapes and patterns. And of course learning how to write those letters and numbers.

Other than this I don't really have any agendas or plans. I am kinda just learning my way around and figuring out what works for us best. I did join a homeschooling support group and I am excited about that.

It's been a challenge with my 20 month old. But we are learning and so is she. If anyone has any pointers on what to do with younger siblings I'd love them! :)

First Day of School....

for my hubby!!! YAY for him!! He started classes on Monday again after 3 years of being out of school. He is trying to get his degree in Applied Sciene Digital Art Technology. That was a mouth full! Anyway, I am very proud of him so I thought I would share!!

Feels so Weird!

Yesterday as I was leaving to go to WOMEN OF FAITH I saw lots of cars at the neighborhood school where Kalee attended last year. And wondered what was going on then it clicked with me....MEET THE TEACHER night was that night. And I thought to myself wow, this is weird that I didn't have to worry about Meet the teacher or school supplies (well not the school's list anyways=)) Anyways, as I was driving I just kept thinking wow, this is really real, I am homeschooling and it feels so nice. So it's official...well, it's been official but now it really FEELS official...I am a HOMESCHOOLING MOM!!! YAY!!!

Homeschool Memoirs #1

I signed up for this Homeschool Blogger Class call Homeschool Memoirs. So if you would like to know more about our family and homeschooling please follow along. I will warn ya though, I am not the best writer! :)



The first theme begins today, August 20th, 2008. This week, we want to hear about YOU. The author behind the words. The Momma behind all the homeschooling kiddos. Just write up something about you, your family, and your home. How long you’ve been homeschooling and why you decided to homeschool. It doesn’t have to be anything lengthy at all, but we’d love to hear it! You might include a family photo too!

I am Holly, I'm 26 and married to the most awesome hubby ever for the last 8 years!! We have three daughters together! Kalee is 7, Gracee is 4 and Avree is 20 months. We lived in GA for 5 years while my hubby served in the Military and 3 years ago we moved back to be closer to family! We are enjoying being here close to family but miss all of our friends in GA.

This is our first year of homeschooling. Homeschooling had been weighing on my heart and mind for the past 2 years so I prayed about it and decided that it was what I was supposed to do. I am excited and nervous all in one! My daughters are excited too and were asking me everyday when were we going start so I just went ahead and started and they are loving it. And so far so am I! I am excited to get to talk about our journey with other homeschooling moms and look forward and welcome ANY advice!!

Here are some pics:

This is Kalee and she is a sweetheart! She is a great big sister and loves to help her mommy and loves to be the younger girls 2nd "mommy" even though sometimes they don't like that. She has a big heart and LOVES learning and reading! She also LOVES reading to her little sister and sometimes they like it too. When Avree was born you could find Kalee reading to her all the time. It was and still is so sweet!


This is Gracee and she is my girly girl. She loves to dress-up and put "makeup" on and she LOVES dressing her baby sister up! She is very loving. She lets you know what she wants and will stop at nothing to get what she wants and that usually gets her into some trouble from time to time.


This is Avree, she is my youngest and I can't believe that she is almost 2. Just makes me want to cry. She still loves to cuddle and give lots of kisses everyday all day whenever I want them! She loves her sisters and loves to play with them.


And I guess I will post a picture of me and my hubby before heading off to bed:

Prayers Please UPDATED!

I wasn't sure if I could put this out online yet. Here is what my wrote on her myspace about the family members in the hospital! If you could send some prayers up I would appreciate it! Thanks!

I am asking everyone to please add my sister in law Vicki and my nephew Marshall to your prayer list at Church.


My wonderful sister in law is in the hospital fight what they call G B Syndrom. She is at this time reacting well to the medication that they are giving her. Physical Therapy has been started and she is hanging in there. She is great & loving person. She has an infectious laugh that will make you smile from ear to ear when you hear her laugh. She is quiet but a great Wife and Mom. We are hoping she will get to go home soon. But her recovery will be ongoing until we can get her back to 100%.


My nephew Marshall will be 7 years old on October 29th. At this point the doctors have not found out what is prognosis is, but I can tell you it's serious. He is working on about 25% of blood in his system right now. If that was a grown person and they had that blood count they would be dead. We need you all if you can to donate blood. If you are interested please email me @ hjfarrell@gmail.com He is an absolute doll. He has such a sweet face and blonde hair. He is quiet little boy believe it or not. But loves to give hugs. I ask you to please donate blood in his name and bd if you can and please please keep him in your prayers. His life is just beginning and he deserves to grow, learn and live his life like we all have. I have faith in God that he will do just fine, but your added prayers will be very appreciative.


Thanks for your donating blood if you are able, your thoughts and prayers.

Prayers Please!!

Please keep my family in your prayers! I don't want to go into detail right now but several people in my family are in the hospital and very sick so please keep them in your prayers!

Thanks!!

FRIENDS!

Today I have been thinking about my friends and how thankful for each of them I am and what each of them bring to my life.

First, I want to thank My Heavenly Father for giving me all the friends that I have. I believe that HE had a hand in this! :) And I want to give HIM all the credit for the awesome friendships that I have had over the years.

I want to say that I have three awesome online mommy groups that I have made some lifelong friendships in! I cherish all of the friends I've made through those groups. I have learned so much from them and grown as a person, a wife, and a mommy from all of those ladies.

Today I want to talk about three special girls that have been through a lot with me, and put up with a lot from me. They are Natalie, Heather, and Tiffany. I don't know what I would have done if God didn't put these three girls in my life!

First, I will talk about Natalie.....I met Natalie about 23 years ago! We were 3 years old at the time. My parents had divorced and I was going to my dad's every other weekend and at the time he lived with my memaw. Next door to my Memaw live Mary Bell and across the street lived a lady named Denise with twin daughters about my age. Mary Bell and My Memaw have lived next door to each other for a LONG LONG time, I will have to ask my dad about how long. Denise and my dad grew up together. Mary Bell is Denise's mom and Natalie and Ambers grandma.

Well, one day and I have vague memories of this, I don't remember all the details but I do remember some. My Unlce Mike who also lived with my Memaw took me to Denise's house to introduce me to Natalie and Amber....aka "the Twins" LOL!! They hated that when they were younger! Since then Natalie and Amber and I have been friends. I don't really see or talk to Amber as much as I used to but Natalie and I have remained VERY close. We've been through a lot together! Heartbreaks and happy times. We've even had our fights here and there. Even when I lived in GA and we were at two VERY different places in life we remained close. I was married with kids and Natalie was in College. She even came to visit us in GA because she is awesome like that!! We have MANY MANY memories and fun times together!
Now that we are both mommies I think we are closer than ever!

Natalie, I don't even know if you read this but you mean more to me than you know. I cherish our frienship and thank you for sticking by me even through the hard times we've had together. Thanks for being there for me even during my weakest moments. For listening to me rant and rave about everything and anything and not being or annoyed with me or at least not showing me you were annoyed! :) Thanks! I love you!


The other two girls have the same story kinda...

I will start with Heather.

Heather and I went to Middle School together but we didn't really hang out at all. Our friendship started our Spohmore year in High School in Mr. Logan's Chem Com class. Which is where we also met Tiffany when she arrived from Wisconsin! I don't konw the three of us just hit it off! We've been friends for 11 years! We've also been through a lot together. Heartbreaks and Happy times! Weddings and babies! Both of these girls have been there for me a lot! They both mean a lot to me and I cherish the friendship we all have.

Tiffany and Heather,
Like Natalie I have no idea if you guys even read my blog but I wanted to say Thank you for your friendship and to let you know that I cherish the friendship that we have! You guys have been there for me through some hard times as well and I am so thankful that God gave me such great friends that I know I can rely on!



I don't know why I felt the need to be sentinmental today but I really felt like I needed to put my thoughts into words. And to publicly (well kinda) thank those friends that mean a lot to me.

To all my friends:

Thank you for being you and being my friend. I cherish all the friendships I have!

Homeschooling ~ First Day!!

Some of you may know or not know that I have decided to homeschool Kalee and Gracee this year! Today was our first day. I really think that once I get the hang of this I will enjoy it! I am excited and the girls are too, they couldn't go to sleep last night knowing we were going to be starting school this morning.

We got off to kinda a rough start though....David downloaded the printer stuff for me last night but we didn't test it out so this morning when I went to go print out what I needed I couldn't. So I called him and he walked me through what I needed to do. And an hour later we were able to start school! It was a bit challenging to figure out what to do with Avree while I was teaching the girls. She demands a lot of attention these days. First I put her in the chair to color and that wasn't happening...so I took her down and she was mad that I was not holding her and playing with her! I put her down for a nap about 30 min after we started and we were able to finish before she woke up. I am thinking we will need to do most of the stuff while she is down for her nap! Hopefully as she gets older it will be a bit easier!!!

Anyway, first day is down and we are going to be trying to different things out to see what works for us, but so far so good. I am excited!!!

Day In The Life Of Three Princesses

This was actually last night because they always wake up before me!




None of Avree sleeping!

Good Morning Gracee who is usually the first up!


Good Morning Kalee (mom why are you taking pictures?)


I don't usually take pictures of Avree while she is asleep cause she ALWAYS wakes up, but I got one this morning!!


Right after


Avree watching Kalee clean her room while I make breakfast!


Gracee cleaning her room while I make breakfast!


Good Morning Snowee!


Avree getting kisses from Daddy!!


Giving love to the kitty!


Breakfast!! Muffins yummy and Avree drinking out of her big girl cup!!





Bye Daddy!! What a good sport!



All three


Then we played on our rocking horse and she actually let me take some pictures of her!!


Time to let Mikko out to the potty but she doesn't want to go, I don't blame her it's hot, she will come back in when she's all done!


This is what I find when I get out of my shower!




Gracee was pottying so no pics of her!



While I was uploading earlier I fixed Avree's hair and took a couple of pictures!


Kalee was trying to keep Avree occupied while I uploaded pics!


Kalee teaching Avree how to make a silly face...


Avree's attempt...


Time for teeth brushing before we head out...




Lunch before swimming!




My nephew being silly!


My mom showing the kids Halloween Costumes...oh dear!!


Avree giving Nana some love


Avree and I


The kids getting into the pool!


Kalee in the pool!



Hayden in the pool...


My mom's pool is shaded so the pool water actually stays cool even during the HOT HOT days!!


Gracee with her floatie (she can swim she is just too scared too, she will get it!)


Don't know what Avree's pointing at, but she's cute!


Kids on the Flower Float!


Drying off in the sun....


Drying off in the sun and eating some fruit snacks


Waking up from nap....sorry no before nap pics!


Some fruit for another snack!



Here is the rest of our day....kinda borning around here in the evenings. We just try to relaz and take it easy! The girls were playing so GOOD together tonight too, I was happy to get some great pictures of them!!!

Avree is NOT happy and has been fussy this evening...


Gracee cuddling up with daddy watching tv while mommy is cooking dinner!


Dinner is FINALLY ready, I think they all asked me like 10 times....we ate at our normal time too!! We had yummy roast, carrots, potatoes and some bread...


After dinner the girls went to play in Gracee's room...barbies and my little pony...FUN!!!


Daddy cutting up our snack...WATERMELON...YUMM!!!!


Avree mad again....she wanted some watermelon but didn't want to wait on daddy to cut it! Poor baby!


Watermelon...YUMMM!!


Night Night kisses from Daddy!


Night Night kisses from my sisters! (I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!)


Night Night Avree...


More playing....they stayed in there for like two hours playing...I kept going back to check on them and snap some pics! LOL!!


They just couldn't get enough of each other so they asked....ok BEGGED to be able to sleep together....which reminds me I need to check on them and make sure they aren't in there playing! LOL!!



Good Night and Thanks for Sharing our day with us!!! Hope you enjoyed it!