A Glance @ January 2014

So I have been reading blogs and visiting blogs and thinking about my own blog A LOT... and at the end of the day all these WONDERFUL, GREAT, INSPIRATIONAL things I have to say just don't happen if I don't make the time to sit down and WRITE.  I know, easy concept BUT not so easy for this Momma!    So the first thing you need to know about blogging is that you ACTUALLY HAVE TO WRITE!  sshhh wish someone would of told me that before I started!  Rather then giving ALL my inspirational thoughts away at once, I have decided to go ahead and drag them out and just start writing! SOMETHING, ANYTHING.... GO....

A Glance @ what is going on...
January 2014

 SNOW STORM!

STUCK IN THE HOUSE!

LEVEL 3! 


SNOW, SNOW, SNOW

   Root year #1 Goal of building togetherness as a family (check)!

 This is something I actually have some big opinions on... and they DO NOT match the majority of Facebook users.   FB is my form of media, news, and life (lets face it- I still get the newspaper- gotta have something to do art projects on BUT by the time I read it in there it is old- if it is newsworthy then FB already told me about it and on top of the time it takes to have the story investigated, wrote, edited, printed, delivered, and YES it sat in my mail box for a week- it's just old).  BUT, snow is something that FB and I do not agree on!  See, when we moved away and I had to experience my first time of seeing snowmen at place where there was ABSOLUTELY a small chance of snow- it depressed me.  I mean seriously bothered me!   Something about that is just wrong!   You can put up trees and a Santa and things like that- but a snowman in the middle of  green yard is just WRONG!  This year I love snow.  I love the way it looks, feels, and YES, I love the fact it made me stay in the house with my family and just be together!   So THIS year I love snow (who knows how I will feel next year).  This worked really well with my goal #1 of building family togetherness!  Nothing says togetherness like being stuck in the house for days!  Games were played, books were read, movies were watched, meals were cooked together- it was seriously a very surprising enjoyable break from the world.

(BG is throwing snowballs at him in this picture)

SNOW! SNOW BE GONE! WATCH OUT! 

Root year #2 Goal of making hubby a priority (check)!

Nothing says I love you more then doing something that your spouse LOVES to do.  So when I walked up to him while he was plowing and asked him to show me how to do it... he was happy!  Yep, he gave me a tutorial on using the John Deere and then stood around and watched me plow away.  Sounds a bit silly but honestly I saw him smiling.  I think he enjoyed the fact I put effort into doing something he REALLY enjoys doing.  I decided to widen our driveway into a 4 lane drive and off I went.  It was fun and hey, it's good stuff to know (never know when I might want to surprise him with a plowed driveway).  He doesn't expect me to do it (probably prefers I don't because he really does like to do it) but I know he enjoys showing me how... and lets face it.. if he came in and wanted a lesson on something I really enjoyed doing then I would probably smile too!

Root year #3 Goal of me (check)!

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. -Anonymous

Now I am not going to give away anything here (I am not a spoiler so read it for yourself!) BUT I just read the book Sycamore Row by John Grisham and well I don't know. See normally, I have great opinions on books but this one I just don't.  I can't decide if I liked the way it ended.  I can't decide if I liked it all to be honest.  It has me doing a lot of thinking (maybe that was Mr. Grisham's whole point) but you should read it.  You should because A. he is great author and has proved this over and over B. if you have read his most famous book, A Time to Kill  then you HAVE to read this follow up on that book C. it makes you think (and there is NOTHING wrong with that!).  So what is next for me... I don't know yet.  I have some ideas brewing... I know I am going to always be reading SOMETHING because that is just me.  I haven't choose the next book but I have been doing a lot of christian fiction this last year and might continue with that.  I'll let you know.  I also want to craft some more.  I have an amazing Cricuit system I don't use enough and some great ideas for that.  I also want to get some wreaths made (NC took wreaths more serious then Ohioans do) and it's time to get involved in something outside of the house.  I love projects and I can guarantee some more are on the way!

 HAIR HERE, HAIR THERE, HAIR EVERYWHERE

These are her before pictures... and YES, I COMPLETELY FORGOT AFTER PICTURES!

I will shoot some of her in a bit to add as after pictures- 4 days later!

Root year #4 Goal of one on one (check)!

It just so happens MM has had another birthday (feels like we do this every year).  I am a big believer in doing something for birthdays!  I love parties but I love when we as a family go and do something.  We have had some big parties (Disney, water parks, ect...) and we have had just going to the pool or a visit to the zoos birthdays but this year we went to the hair salon!  MM was in need of a redo on her perm and spending some mom time in the process.   She has turned 10 folks and though I know everyone is happy I am not.  See 10 introduces the beginning... the beginning of the next 10 years... those are the years that kids don't always show love and want to cuddle and snuggle with their moms... and well I am not sure I am ready for all that.  I could write a whole blog post on that alone but I won't.  She's 10... we did the perm thing.. and if your reading this you get to know a secret others won't know... we have scheduled for her to get permanent (yep, permanent) purple pick a boo stripes in her hair... why?  WHY NOT? She's homeschooled (meaning no handbook to follow) and she asked I said sure (I did offer tattoos and piercing and she rolled her eyes- there is hope for this kid). I'll post pictures after the big day (can't do a perm and color the same day).  

Last but not least.... I have got some cool school projects going on and might write a post about those soon (remember, I am working on just getting the fingers moving on the keyboard).  BUT until I do...

Talk soon,

Tara J.

P.S. These pictures are a glimpse at the new laundry system and cleaning plan we have invented to help with the chores!  The laundry idea is everyone got a Dollar Tree small basket- when yours is full you bring it to the basement I do that load (it's small so it'll only be one load- unless you BEG me then I MIGHT let you do it ((he he)) and then I fold it and you take clean clothes up and put them away- i'll let you know how it works!  I like the idea of only doing 1 person at a time (making put away- our FAILED part of laundry much easier)!  

 HE BEGGED TO DO HIS LOAD - what mother denies that!?!

P.S.S. There is also the new family chore idea... and it's a simple one... we all work together in ONE room and let me tell you, cleaning ONE room goes super fast with lots of hands.  We all conquer one room at a time.  I take the BIG job (mop, vacuum, ect...) they all work on the rest (dusting, wipe downs, ect...).  The kids had great attitudes because we were all together and I was IMPRESSED at the quickness of it.  If we stick to it.. we will be able to clean the ENTIRE house in less then 20 minutes!  I'll let you know how that goes too!

Many Hands make light Work. Because it is but little to every one.
[1721 J. Kelly Scottish Proverbs 244]

A New Year with Changes - ROOTS YEAR

Totally excited over here... it's a couple days til the next year and I am sitting pretty.   

This year has been one of those years that you look back and say wow... didn't feel like we did all that but apparently we have (have you checked out the FB feature "a year in review"???  If not you should- here is our 2013 Year of Review by FB)!   We are FINALLY back to NWOhio and learning to adjusting to our new and permanent environment.  Having spent so many years on the go it's nice to know this upcoming year will be the year of roots! 

Now that I have named it I have decided to list a few of the things I am looking forward to during the ROOTS YEAR... Please note, I am not calling them resolutions because that implies that I have to do something and change something and honestly I just want to add to the greatness we already have.

1.) Building our family up together... most of you know this but we have a LARGE family and it's really easy for a large family to get busy in multiple directions~ and before you know it everyone is spider webbing apart not together.  So focusing on building strong family togetherness is a top priority.   I am a practical gal so what does that actually mean for me??? Family dinners (grab some family and eat), taking the time to call people and chat with them (does anyone ever do this anymore??), family outings (grab those nieces/nephews/grand kids/whomever and DO something- picnic, park, zoos-ANYTHING), crafts (with kids as crafty as mine we should be filling everyone with thoughtful crafts inspired by loved ones- who doesn't love a surprise gift just b/c we were thinking about you?), and much more.  I never want to take away this feeling that I am only a few miles away from loved ones and there is NO REASON we are not using this opportunity to it's fullest!  PS watch out, we might just stop by your house soon!

Family Togetherness

2.)  Making my husband a priority... I am writing these off the top of my head so really this should be my number 1!  I am going to take time this root year and really be with him.   Ever feel like you and your spouse are room mates living in the same force field? We have this family sync thing down- cooking together, folding laundry, one gets plates while one sets table- those things are great BUT I am talking about one on one.   After living so far away we have really figured out how to be together always as a family and not ever really do one on one things as a couple... Well this year I am going to expand on our greatness and figure this out.  So what does that mean for this practical gal?  It means bowling (because you can't go bowling and NOT laugh), it means couple dates with friends, it means dinner together, it means walks, it means cleaning the garage with my hubby (his very favorite thing to do and my very least favorite thing!), it means movies (ok scratch that- we DO NOT like the same movies and normally those dates end in a bit of disaster- we'll conquer that one in 2015), it means just doing things with us and making US a priority.  We love our kids but we firmly believe that we have to be good to make them good!~  So bring on the US!

We have to be good to make our family good!

3.) ME... this one is really hard for me.  Believe it or not my day revolves around them from morning til night and that is great BUT it will eventually lead to burn out.  It will lead to a grouchy, stressed, unbalanced Mommy and NO ONE wants that - most of all mommy.  So this year I am going to figure that out!~   I am going to balance some Me into it all.   I don't know exactly how that works but I am thinking along the lines of really valuing myself and that God has a really big purpose for me and it has to start with me.  God will CONTINUE TO guide me to greatness if I just ask him too and take a step.  I have some ideas brewing on this one but nothing I am ready to release to the world but honestly I think this one might end up being big on the list of roots!  I do know some of the things that are smaller scaled... like - friend outings with no kids (imagine!), reading books with no guilt (its ok to take time out and read! The dishes will get done- no stress), crafting and doing some things I want to do (a craft without a kid purpose).  Me - being the best me God created!

A strong me will make for a great US!

4.)  One on one.. I touched on this with my husband a bit but really putting a priority on building up individual relationships.  I am thinking of my one on ones with my kids but this is a bit across the board too.  Valuing people and individuals makes a really big impact on the "whole".  Taking time out to really be with each of my kids separately and really getting to connect with them will make a HUGE impact on our family as a whole.  Date days with separate kids, cooking in the kitchen together, playing games just the two of us, and other simple but meaningful connections have to be a priority.  I have said it once and I will say it again... they are only "children" for such a small amount of time... then they become big and that is ok but ENJOY the child because it'll be gone soon.  

Creating connections together!

This is my start for now.  I am thinking of more things like school, housework, and all those great things but I really believe if I can focus on these four above things the rest will happen.  It goes back to the reason we moved home- value in relationships!  It's time to let our roots ground us!

Until next time, 

Tara J.

2013-2014 Curriculum Choices

Well, it's been a while... Ok, understatement of the year!  And yes, I know, its literally been a year!  I am not proud of this fact but honestly, it's truth.  I haven't committed to blogging regularly as I initially planned (I know YOU realize this but its taking me some time to get there- what can I say, sometimes, I am just plain slow).

Moving on...

Anyone who knows me well knows I have great passions for education.  Enough that I have committed to make sure I am super involved in my own children's education... this time of year really brings out the nerd in me.  When everyone else is super excited about summer and enjoys all it has to offer, I am knee deep into books, catalogs, reviews, other blogger sites and books about books!   And, I LOVE it.  I mean nothing makes me more happy then searching/finding & planning out what we will be doing the next year.  So because that makes me the most happy and because well.. I am the one typing I am starting with curriculum!~

2013-2014 Curriculum Choices

And writing it all down helps me plan for tomorrows trip to the homeschool store (and YES, there are homeschool stores AND most have HUGE used saving sections- I know- I too was shocked when I heard this). So here it goes....

So it's official, Red is entering kindergarten.  I am a bit weepy about this, him being the baby and all but I am getting over that and moving on to scheduling & planning what his year will look like.... SO......

What I know:

Math- using K12 Math +  (the reasons are long but the short answer is b/c I have tried other math programs and honestly I have yet to find one I like as much as this.  They are colorful and easy to complete and have a good price). 

Handwriting - HWOT (for newbies this is Handwriting Without Tears).  I have used this with the girls and its a great program- it is also something I don't exactly teach.  Each child get the workbook and completes it at his or her own pace.  Usually at the pace of a page a day. When they have completed them (usually about 3 months into the year- we continue to do daily journal - handwriting is one of the top must be down every day).

Phonics-  This was a hard one for me.  But, I have decided on K12's phonicsworks program.  The main reason is well I used it to teach 2 other kids to read and it doesn't make sense to start a new program for this one and we already own it.  We will see how this goes.  If this doesn't work then I will look into another option.  We have done a few lessons already and he is doing great with it!

Everything else:  After looking a lot on this I have decided to use MFW K (newbies this is My Father's World Kindergarten)- sort of a unit study, it includes tons of subjects while learning lot of various things.  Now before you praise the program and get all super excited about it please don't.  I am not using the program in entirely.  Actually, I am using just a small part of it.  I will use the individual units and pick and choose the lessons.  Ok, nerd claim here- I actually have already planned the entire year and which lessons we will be doing.  For you out there not familiar with MFW.  Here is an example: Unit 1 is sun.  The kids have learned that, Jesus is the light of the world.  We have done a lot of talking about the sun and we have done a lot of discussion on Jesus lighting our paths.  There are art projects, science experiments, and lots of reading recommendations.

Wrap up for Red:  I really believe kindergarten is about playing, learning, and being read to A LOT.  My goal is to make sure he has a book read to him everyday (and trust me this isn't really a goal as much as one of his own demands)  and it must be on my lap and that we include him in everything we older ones are learning because he is small but his mind is really mighty!  He LOVES books, he has his own library card and uses it as much as I use mine.   I have yet to teach him something because he is the baby and has already heard me teach everything before.  Ohhh, and he is cocky so he knows EVERYTHING.

Red's Goals for this year:
1. Patience with all of us
2. Learn to love to learn 
3. Being a boy doesn't mean to be mean... it means you are to protect and learn to lead your own family one day.

Proverbs 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Now for the girls:  I normally wouldn't combine two kiddos but there similar and it's getting late.

Math:  K12's Math +  (someday I will write about what we have used and why I am not working on using it again.  I also have gotten the Mathtacular DVD's.  I think this will be a nice change for them to watch someone else teaching math and it has lots of fun games we can learn. 

Handwriting: HWOT (cursive) then journals.  A page a day .. you can choose or I will choose.  I really just want them to write.  I don't grade I just read and hope they will find a love for writing.

Grammar:  We will not talk about this- I am super frustrated on this one....

Art: Now for this one I am super excited.. I know, I skipped art up to the top of the list but I am excited!  I am using Mike's Imagination station 12 dvd set.  We are just going to have super fun being inspired to do all kinds of art.  Drawings, cartoons, sculpting, painting... and so much more!  Won't lie, we have actually already watched a few of these and are even more excited about it then we were just talking about getting it. We will do some art appreciation studies but that will be less formal.

Music: this is an area I haven't spent a lot of time... We have a great composer workbook that we have not used yet and honestly I need to find something that excites me as much as the art set does.  Will continue to look for this. I do plan on everyone continuing piano lessons and believe the girls will be venturing out to learn new instruments in addition to the piano. 

Science/History/Bible/Dictation/Spelling/Reading/Vocabulary/Poetry/Art:  So this has me as excited as the art!  We will be using Bigger from HOD (newbies that is Hearts of Dakota).  The girls will be doing a lot of this together... We have yet to do a study of America... and bigger does history of America through bibliography readings.  They also connect the science and bible to what is being taught in the history.  We will be doing readings together and then MM (Momma Mea) will be doing extensions that the program has to give it more depth for her age.  The bible is a character trait studies from Proverbs.. Can't wait to get into that!   MM will be doing dictation with a bit of Spelling Power thrown in.  BG (Baby Girl) will be doing spelling and emerging readers (also offered as an extra with this specific program).  She will be taking another year to strengthen her reading skills and really learn to love to read.  The ONLY way to do that is to READ.  This means lots of trips to the library and constant couch sitting.  Were we will be reading to each other all year long.  She is a cuddle bug so this really is her favorite thing to do.  Both girls will be doing vocabulary and poetry studies each week (also in this curriculum). MM is also doing DITHOR (newbies- this is a tough one... Drawn Into the Heart of Reading).  This is a HOD program for reading that you use with any reading you are doing.  It has you really map out and workout whatever story your reading.  We will see how it goes. 

Wrap up for girls: The state says we need to teach Ohio history (well do tons of field trips for this), fire safety (we will do a unit on all kinds of emergency skills such as 9-1-1 and fire safety), health (I am still looking into this- we have in the past covered this with science but I am thinking this year i'll just grab individual on your own workbooks for this).  Physical education is also required and I know whatever we end up doing karate, gymnastics, or dance we will get lots of this.  I also would like to introduce Spanish but we will see.  There are lots of field trip we are going to be doing (that is one of my future post - a list of field trips for the year we would like to do for the year).

MM goals for the year:
1. Improvement in communication skills oral and written
2. Reading is an adventure (not a page number)
3. Finding her a niche in something she falls in love with

BG goals for the year:
1.  A love for reading
2. Taking her vision of mission work and making it happen
3. Regulating her health to control her body

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart
   and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
   and he will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes;
   fear the LORD and shun evil." ~ Proverbs 3:5-7

So this is a wrap up of curriculum choices for the upcoming year.  Another blog I would like to write is why, how, and when we school.  Inquiring minds always want to know! I need a whole blog post or two, to cover all of that.  In short (very short), we are relaxed Christ centered family that chooses to learn together daily.  We don't do schedules but we do do routines, experiments, messes, and exploring...  I recently bought a plaque that explains it all - "We didn't know we were learning, we just thought we were having fun".  Until next time,
     Remember- making a mess with your kids is as much fun as jumping in mud puddles.

We have arrived Part 1

Take two... yes two meaning I have already wrote a ton of blog and it has disappeared!  TRUST ME the first one was much more witty and fun and wrote more elegant (I think)... moving on.   We have arrived after a very long journey to NC!   It took 12 hours and all and all went very well (already the first one sounded so much better LOL ohh well).  Potty breaks were a minimal and the animals did good (well minus Doge's NOT made of steel nerves and upset belly).  He did fine in the car there were just a few times I thought I was going to get sick from the smell.  Brooke spent most of her time with Daddy in the U haul (it's a amazing what that man can teach her in just a few short hours- especially considering I am the one home with her day and day trying to teach her things over and over!).  The trip started at noon 30 and we arrived at our destination at midnight 30.  You know your doing some serious distance when the countdown to home begins and there is still 2 1/2 hours left in your journey!  So we arrive in the dark of dark and the very first surprise is that somehow in all those pictures of the house someone forgot to mention WE LIVE IN THE WOODS!  Well, we were almost too tired to notice the tree surrounding except I had been in a car with a sleeping kid for hours and had been telling myself stories for entertainment and of course, they all included bears, snakes, and other bugs and woodsy animals!  ANYWAYS, the wonderful Mary-Micheal (MM for short) (ohh ya she's the real estate lady who forgot to mention the trees) met us at midnight to sign papers and do our walk through- seriously, people, I was so exhausted the house could of been a cardboard box and I would of signed!  Lucky for me the Lord was my eyes and it's not!  So then off we go (dropping animals with food and water off to our new 2 1/2 stall wonderful garage for the night) we went to the Hampton.  Yes, I know a bit princess-y but Cloverleaf gave it to us for a week for moving so we could get settled and well it had a bed with pillows and no boxes surrounding me so I was weak and off we went (remember it's 2 am at this point and I did smelly van and kids for 12 hours!!!).   Hampton was wonderful and in the morning (or more the next afternoon by the time we got up) they even made me breakfast so we will continue to love and support them forever~!~ So back to the house we go for our first daylight inspection... this town is in the shape of an "X"  right bottom foot is home left bottom foot is Hampton... we now know a "shortcut" (a word we only use when we are off and exploring and Brooklyn really believes it means the longest way possible to our destination) but for a long time we had to venture to the middle of the X before getting back to our new home.  We are getting smarter have no fear!  Driving- feels like country and BAM McDonald (yeppers we have one at end of the road and well Jesus must know the Leahy's limitations LOL never find ourselves living very far from one).  Turn into our no outlet subdivision and wow in the light the houses are wonderful.  Adorable- no two alike (that is odd to find in subdivisions) and just gorgeous. Most were built in the 70's and are the king of the crop then and in my opinion still are.  Our house has had a few different reactions from me.  1. WOW 2. WOW I have to clean that 3. WOW it has white carpets upstairs. 4. WOW i have to clean that (I have sense found an empowering website that I will later link right here that has made ME WANT to clean- the lady deserves and emmy for that feat alone!).  The house sits in pine trees that are 30 foot trunks to the top and has what can only be described as a butterfly garden (hence, 100's of butterflies) below.  Wonderful huge chiming doorbell!  And you walk in on the side of a lovely living room with big huge windows and DRAPES (yeppers real WHITE drapes that pull and open up to a beautiful bench style window that is HUGE - well it's multiple windows).   There is a cute formal dining room off the living room (that I unwisely started calling the adult room- I meant adult living room for when people are over- Rex has since exed calling it that...says it doesn't sound good) so the dining room is off the LR and has a swing door that leads to the kitchen.  PERFECT school room!  Our table fits in the family room and has a spot for it and you can't see the school mess when you walk in the house, and it's close to the kitchen (have you met my daughter- she eats A LOT!~). In the school room three big windows show you the trunks of a ton of trees in the back yard (pics to come!).  The kitchen it wonderful and open to the living room (if you step down 4 steps) LOVE the counter tops that are a marble and you can't tell if there dirty or not!~ seriously, should be a prereq to all houses!  Then leads down to a family room with fireplace and books shelves wall to floor on both sides (WONDERFUL)!!!  1/2 bath and laundry room, and Luke's room down from there... upstairs is bathroom x2 and 3 bedrooms... Ok I have to go make kiddos breakfast so enough for now but stay tuned because you don't know about our first tick incident or about Rex almost having a heart attack over Buckeye clearence section or about the  inch of water from the broken waterline--- I am serious there is still some really good stuff to come but it'll have to wait til another free minute!   PS just so you all know, the boxes have almost all been unpacked, and pictures are hung and in a week the LORD has done some amazing work.   Today is Rex's first day at work so take a second to throw him up a prayers and i'll get back to you all soon with part 2 of we have arrived soon!  Love you all and miss you all and can't wait to tell you about unloading the Uhaul in 2 hours! YEP 2 hours! God was in control!  May he continue to bless you and your and me and mine!

And so it begins.... Chapter 1

Today is the beginning... I'll give you the short version of what it is the beginning of...

1. Hubby is promoted, so after 28 years in Ohio, we will be relocating in 16 days to North Carolina. To a place I have visited one single time for 3 days and it wasn't a grand ole time... it was a quick looksee see thing that didn't end very well for me.  A place where I know no one, a place were I am foreign, and everyone knows it (good ole' accents give that away). PS hence, the reason for this blog-a place to talk about this adventure... experience... expedition... ready set here we go.
2. I am excited about this move-- Ok, excited is an overstatement I am accepting.  Grr ok, I am moving and I am working really hard on feelings.  Currently, mine are numb.  We will get back to this soon.
3. Moving... ahhh moving...boxes...boxes... {{screaming/crying}} Ahhh, we moved from NW Ohio to NE Ohio 6 years ago (it took 4 years for me to "settle" here and build a nice little list of friends I could call when my yearly gyn. appointment came and I needed someone to watch the kiddos or a friend to take to lunch for a special occasion- like my birthday)... this time we have 3 more kids and LOTS more books (thank you homeschooling disease of book collecting) and we are once again starting over.  
4. We are moving from virtual school to traditional homeschool and for this I can definitely say I am feeling scared, excited, happy, and concerned... well I am feeling lots of emotions and that is way better then number 2! 
5. I believe 100% that parenting is a ministry and I am only as good as the guide allows me to be or as long as I listen to his guidance. I am working currently through this free online parenting ministry that I highly HIGHLY recommend.  
6. I do trust God and have complete faith but I am human and with the flesh comes some real battling lately.  

There is a lot more but this is a starting point and I did say this was the short version of what is going on.