Got the homeschool blues? Need to spice things up a bit?
Have you been homeschooling for a while and want to try something new?
Maybe you are new to homeschooling and still trying to figure things out.
If you need a break from your “typical” day or routine then check out
{Spice Up Your Homeschool} for valuable tips and ideas!
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No schoolwork,GASP! I made a claim we had not done any schoolwork for a few weeks. Okay, so I guess I lied a little on Tuesday night when I said we hadn’t done any school work for a while! I meant to state we haven’t done any boring worksheets or handwriting or math worksheets, but WE HAVE DONE PLENTY of school work during November.
Looking through all the pictures we took in November made we realize WE DID HAVE tons of learning experiences such as shooting a pellet gun, sewing a stuffed bear, learning to cook hamburgers, visiting a news and radio station, attending gym day, taking pictures for mom’s blog, typing up our own things, creating guns out of wood, painting ornaments, tot trays, state quarters…. The list goes on and on, but for those of you who might be skeptical as to what learning CAN take place outside the world of textbooks and worksheets please take a look at what we have done (at least what we caught on camera!)
We started the month off with a visit from friends and 2 days at the hotel indoor swimming pool!
Eldest loves weapons and guns. If you know him, then you know he loves learning about their specs and creating his own. He has made them from Lego’s, Contrux, and now hardcore foam and wood! He keeps designing them after real weapons or one from video games. He is very creative and hope he continues to pursue his creative side as an adult.
Lil’ Red does NOT like to be left out. When the big kids were at Grandma’s he decided to do chores. “I crush cans”, he said! He’s so lightweight he cannot crush them very well, but he did his best and that is what counts.
Princess was too excited about the bear she made for Lil’ Red that she gave it to him early and not on Christmas day! She was very proud of the sewing skills she learned last year at Keeper’s of the Home. She is continuing to grow those skills. She is now working on presents for family and friends. (it was hard or me to work on the pc last night since I had to stop 8 times to help her thread needles and tie knots until she learned to tie a knot!)
I have my own set of scientists! We experimented with some candy and plan to do more in the future.
What month would be complete without a field trip? We were able to take a tour of Cox Media Group’s news room and radio station! We had lots of fun with homeschool friends.
We had fun putting ornaments on Grandma’s Christmas Tree after Thanksgiving dinner.
Lil’ Red did work on some fall themed tot trays a couple of times during the month. He also worked on matching numbers with foam puzzle in a line and wooden puzzle numbers.
Boy, this post was really fun and helped to share with you all the things we learned and did and I have not had time to blog about:) I think I should do this each month! I hate not sharing all the wonderful things we do, but sometimes it is hard to edit pictures and get a decent post written. I have loads more to share with you but this post is getting LONG:)
Please take time to comment, subscribe, connect with us on facebook or twitter! We are thrilled to meet new homeschoolers or learn what you do instead of worksheets!
We heard about this a little late last year and didn’t get in on the sale. Gasp, I bought it at full price and we were rushed to get some of the things done or just picked and choose which to do. With the advent season upon us I am going to prepare Truth in the Tinsel and use it on a tray for Lil’ Red’s Tot School.
This will help us in many ways. We will have planned activities that will be done each day focusing on Jesus. Time and frustration will be saved on my part will I have a pretty busy blogging month, but do not want to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas among the hustle and bustle.
Here’s a quote from Amanda White the creator of Truth in the Tinsel An Advent Adventure for Little Hands:
“And Christmas, I think, is the best vehicle to do so. Just tonight, on the way home from Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt’s house the kids were oooohing and aaahhhhing over Christmas lights. Their excitement has already started! If I take a few minutes to plan it out and to think about it I can ride that excitement and make a huge, living impact in their lives about Jesus’ birth.
Will you join me? Will you take the first 24 days of December to impress your kids? Will you give your kids 30 minutes a day for 24 days? Will you turn down the attention and energy put into the elf on the shelf, the presents and bows, the Santa and his reindeer and pump up the focus and excitement on Jesus? Will you be flamboyant in teaching them about the greatest gift of all this year? I’m challenging you this December to help your kids find the truth in the tinsel, to experience Christmas and to get to know Jesus.”
I think Amanda sums it very nicely. The season of Christmas seems to fly right by beginning with back-to-school, Fall, Thanksgiving and then Jesus birthday! I am guilty of thinking “it’s to early to plan Christmas projects” or “we’ve got plenty of time”. Well, I’m gonna tell you NO YOU DO NOT. We do not know what tomorrow brings, but we can have hope in the Lord.
This is what I mean. Just last week I realized our first born will be 10 soon. TEN YEARS OLD already? That could mean that half of his unmarried life is already spent if he gets married young like us! That is truly earth shattering to think about. How have we prepared him to enter adulthood so far? How much more do we need t tell him? How much more wisdom can we impart on him to make his life Christ filled?
Here’s a sample page from Truth in the Tinsel:
One simple way would be to take the true meaning of Christmas and impress it upon his and his siblings hearts so they can share the good news with friends and family. So will you join me this Advent season and make a difference on your child’s life?
If you do not have children of your own then please consider gifting Truth in the Tinsel to a family with young children that you know. You may even consider gathering some supplies to help prep the crafts ahead of time:)
Please follow along with us as we discover the TRUTH in the TINSEL! There’s even a Truth In the Tinsel Facebook page to share your ideas! If you place an order and use code 2OFFER for 20% off.
Here’s a place to enter to win Truth in the Tinsel until 11/28!
WHAT WAYS DO YOU CELEBRATE ADVENT IN YOUR HOUSE? I would love to read what you do and even follow links to your posts or pictures of what you’ve done or plan to do.
Disclaimer: The links within this post may be affiliate links which would provide Something 2 Offer a small percentage of sales should you click on a link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Find more great mommy ideas here:
Okay, so this is a subject one might gasp at, but secretly are glad SOMEONE is going to talk about it as long as it’s not YOU, right? I have been married for 13 years to my high school sweetheart and I know each marriage is different because each couple is different, and MARRIAGE IS TOUGH! Your perspective on marriage from finances to raising children to intimacy and sex were all affected by how you were brought up and what you were exposed to as a child or teen.
Maybe it was totally taboo in your house and the birds & the bees was left up to the school to teach. Maybe your family gave out promise rings and had a special rite of passage type of activity. Maybe your family was very permissive and you aren’t sure what to think. Maybe you are wanting some peace and hope for your marriage knowing that God ordained your marriage, but it is up to the husband and wife to keep the flames alive.
Married couples I hope you are all as excited as I am to make this wonderful discovery. I believe it was totally God that lead me to click the button on that blog hop link. I believe careful prayer and forethought on the part of Sheila and her team (if she has one and I’m sure she does!) made her website welcoming and embraced the wife within me!
I was blog hopping at the end of last week and discovered Sheila Wray Gregoire’s blog To Love, Honor, and Vacuum! The title caught my eye right away in the mass of links in one of the marriage link-ups. I contacted Sheila right away asking about a chance to review and giveaway her book. She was so gracious to offer me a spot on her book tour! I am very excited to read and put into practice what I learn. I think this is a great Christmas present to my hubby and myself. (Taking time out for marriage when you have three children, homeschool, and blog is no easy task!)
So without further ado here’s SHEILA!
Sheila Wray Gregoire is a Christian speaker, columnist, and author. She’s written five books, including The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex. She loves speaking about marriage, parenting, and keeping our eyes on Jesus. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband of 20 years and her two daughters, whom she homeschools.
“Last year I published The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, and leading up to its release I wrote the 29 Days to Great Sex in February as a blog series. That was so successful, and garnered me tens of thousands of new readers. And so I’ve finally put it in an ebook, thoroughly rewritten for couples rather than just for women.
Here’s why I’m passionate about sex (if you’re allowed to say that): God created sex to unite us on three levels–physical, spiritual, and emotional. When we feel truly intimate on those three levels, our marriages soar. And that’s when we’re able to impact our churches and communities for Him.
But if we’re not connecting in our marriages, we lose out on a great strength that God gave us in this life. And we threaten our families and our children’s future.
The church doesn’t like to talk about sex, and so we leave it to our culture. And our culture has turned it into something perverse and disgusting.
I’m not willing to stand for that anymore. I think the church needs to step up and fight back and start redeeming sex.”
Check out her free printables and LOVE coupons!
I will be doing a review and giveaway Monday December 3 right here on Something 2 Offer! please join me in taking the challenge to make the next 31 Days to Great Sex a goal for your marriage.
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this introduction besides the free pdf copy that was given to us for review. All opinions are my own and are not affected by receiving free product. The links within this post may be affiliate links which would provide Something 2 Offer a small percentage of sales should you click on a link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
