My Journal: Family bonding!

The Blue Ridge Mountains

Luray Caverns Entrance Sign

One of the many views in Luray Caverns.

Some Times You don't always get what you expected. One of our many home school and family adventures this summer. We went for the view of the caverns and mountains and walked away even closer then when we got there. It is the simplest things that can bring a family to an even bigger bonding level. I am so blessed to have mine!

So I am thinking we need to start a game of where's Cynthia?? Who want's to go first?

Home Schooling:

Well Happy belated 4th of July! Aren't these Uncle Sam's adorable. I can not take the credit for these my baby sitter made these with the kid-o's! She did a great job too! There is much to be said for a Saturday afternoon craft project.

We have been busy beavers here in our learning room! 

To start we ended our spring soccer season! It was a great season and  sign ups are already here for the fall. Wow, the summer goes fast!

Muffin Tin Monday has become a huge hit in our home! Yeah, check out the button on my blog. It kicks off the school week in a very positive fashion! 

We just got a great new center! Pattern Block boards. We love them! They are a big hit! More on those soon!

We had a little bath time accident. Darn carpet screws. 2 stitches and we are as good as new! We are back in the pool swimming already!

Again another big Muffin Tin Monday hit. I bought the dried fruit at Giant. They are a new craz! The Hot rolls with marinara are a big success too! And who doesn't like organic rice chips?

We are about to celebrate our 30th day of Kindergarten and boy will that be a celebration! We are going to have a pirate day!

What's going on in your learning space?

I have a home school give away coming up next week check back in!!
Cynthia

My Journal: My Faith

There are a few things for me that come first and for most. My Faith, My Marriage, My Children and last but not least my relationships with my family and friends. 

I have this plan for myself. I think that I have the perfect road map to get there and then God comes along and shows me that I am going to take another road. At times I am not happy with his message. I am secure in saying that there are times I out rightly defy him. However with any Father figure he turns me right around and shows me how to return to the path that was laid out for me even before I planted my two feet on this earth. 

It is amazing how he designed us to listen to him through our hearts and bodies. My instincts as a wife, mother, sister and friend are always dead on when I truly listen. 

I love what I can hear when I am still and listen. I get caught up on auto pilot, I think the devil at times invented cruise control because he wanted you to take your mind of your purpose.

God called to me loud and clear this week. I had my plan and he showed me his. And I listened. I let me fears go and listened. When I shared this with one of the persons involved in caring this plan out, they smiled. Because I don't think it is often in their practice that they get to hear God's words loud and clear. 

So excuse my laps in posting but my blogging as been with God these last few weeks.

Home Schooling:Book It!

There are many fond memories I have of my childhood education. I would love to give my children those moments inside their home school education. Like, Weekley Reader, I loved Weekely Reader! I was commenting how one of my children sets of grandparents has offered to sponsor our children for Weekley Reader this coming fall when it starts back up again.
I had a good friend remind me of "Book It" this morning at our morning out park play with our other home school friends.I was just tickled to be informed that Pizza Hut,"Book It" is now acknowledging home schooler's. One of those positive memories is Pizza Hut's,Book It! I remember how excited I would be when I would come home with a certificate for a free pizza all my own. I remember taking my step-son for his first "Book It" pizza and how cute he was.


Here is the link for "Book It":
http://www.bookitprogram.com/Enrollment/index.asp

 Another great way to encourage reading. Hope you will sign up too!
 
 Cheers,
Cynthia

Home Schooling: School Room Make Over Part 1

Well folks. I am still in search to find my perfect farm house. No, that  idea and goal has not left my mind. Just after this years events with my son being so ill I had to put him first. 

So I put off getting the home school room ready in hopes that we would be moved by the time we state officially registered for school. Well we are still in our contemporary town home waiting for it to find it's first tenant's and and be left with out it's very first family. Can you tell I am starting to get a bit emotional over the moving process?? 

So I could not wait any longer the time had come!! 
So one last time here is the before......

And now, the after:

Not, bad if I do say so myself!

To start I went with Hawthorne Yellow for the walls which also matches the powder room in our home school room. It was bright refreshing and makes the room pop! 


Then I went with a red theme for the table and chairs

 Here is our 1-2 person center. This week there are all types markers box is there. So it is a coloring center with a different theme coloring page each day. We have smelly markers, fat markers, skinny markers. You get the drift.

Next it our work table. I love this !! It is large enough right now to separate out my two monkeys. I sit in the middle of them when we do our work. Also seats 8 so we can have some friends over for games,art or a science project.

 Of Course in my book NO learning space  is complete with out's it's American Flag. We say the Pray to our Lord and  PLEDGE to our flag every day!

Adventures with Animals: Look who just turned 2!

I do not think that there is just 1 member to this family that works hard. Although at times in a moment of lack of sleep,coffee,exercise, a shower, and many more items I would say I am the the horse that pulls this large families wagon.  
The true story is that. This family of 7,everyone of us adds a very important role, that when that 1 person/animal is missing we feel a sense of the missing link to our chain. 

To share a sense of who we are when it comes to a birthday and honoring a member of this team, Southern Man and I love to go all out! That is the special day that God blessed us with that link to this chain that keeps us all together. 

1st birthday's are always a big deal. However I hold that first birthday feeling with each passing year. I want this family to look back and remember what it felt like to be honored and loved. 

Yes, of course we do not just love and honor each other one day a year. But on your birthday it is good to feel like the King or Queen for a day!

So this year now that this certain some one is a bit older and more mature. And maybe could hold on to the honor bestowed to her on this day.We went all out for our little girl!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to our

Presley!

With out her sweet morning kisses and her cuddles at the end of the day. We would not be the Norman Rockwell print of the happy family with the dog at Southern Man's feet at the end of the day.

She is the ying to our yang. She brought this family back from a sad place and gave us joy and a partner ship for our Lucie. 

We love you Presley! 

Cheers,

Cynthia  

Home Schooling: Under Construction

Under Creative Construction

For the 2011-2012 School Year!

 

Check Back in to see the finished Project!