Our Family Project

I've been working on some projects for school recently.  My friend introduced me to a website called Teachers Pay Teachers .  Basically, teachers post files of worksheets, posters, etc. for other teachers to use.  Some you'd have to buy, but there are a ton for free.   I've been wanting posters for the parts of speech to put on the wall for my children to look when they forget what a pronoun is, or a preposition, etc.  So, I got on that website and did some looking around.  I found several different files that were what I wanted, but nothing had everything I wanted.  Make sense?  I wanted my posters to all look the same: font, color scheme, format.  But, I couldn't find one file with all the parts of speech I wanted ... some had all but one or two, others had only four (because I am cheap and just want to get the free ones). My answer was to just make my own!  I spent some time making the posters, then decided to make a booklet ...

One of my goals is to challenge my children more; give them assignments that expect more from them.  The last three weeks we've been telling Eliza in her mentor sessions with us that we will give her a research project topic, yet I haven't done that yet.  How does everyone do it?  I mean, how do you find the time to get the information you need to make a good decision, as well as everything else you need to do? All of my children could be challenged more.  For example, these pictures show Andrew with his spelling lesson, All About Spelling .  I love this program.  It teaches the rules of spelling, not just memorizing, and it takes into account the three major learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic).  So, first I introduce the spelling rule.  Then, I demonstrate it with the letter tiles.  At which point, Andrew gets to use the tiles to spell his spelling list.  After he can spell all of the words with the tiles, he gets to writ...

I decided since I haven't posted about anything that we've done in the last few months, that I'd go back to Christmas time, at least for a little bit.  Eliza's and Kate's singing group, Shine Your Light Singers, sang at a church's Christmas Party in December.  Outside of the church, they had a small set up of a manger scene, with actors, and a small "petting zoo."  There were donkeys, and sheep, chicks, and bunnies. Poor, Adam stood by the pen for the bunnies waiting and waiting for his turn with a particular bunny.  Finally, when he was given the bunny, he was scratched and it startled him enough that the bunny needed to be put back down.  After that point, he waited and waited patiently for another turn, which he never got.  I was surprised by his persistence.  He stood there for easily 15 minutes waiting for another turn.  While, Andrew held a bunny for probably 8-10 minutes alone.  He sure got attached to that cute furry thing. Eli...

Our Christmas was so much fun.  In the past I've been ready well before Christmas, with present wrapped at the end of October.  Not so for this year.  I was shopping for presents the Saturday before Christmas.  And, after going out there in the masses ... I will not do that again next year!  Traditionally, our children have stocking stuffers and presents from us.  We don't do the Santa thing.  Just haven't ever wanted to.  Also traditionally, all of our children get similar items.  Most of the time it's because they all want what each other wants.  But, sometimes it's not the case.  This year, they all got lapdesks to use for school when we do our science or history in the living room.  (Of course, they each got their assigned color as well.) Traditionally, we all get toothbrushes in our stockings.  This year I got them all battery-powered toothbrushes.  I've never seen so many children get excited over a toothbru...

Okay, so this last week wasn't so great.  I've had a hard time letting go of bad habits and replacing them with better habits.  One of those is consistency.  It's so hard for me to be consistent at anything.   One of the things that I want to be more consistent at is a daily schedule.  This has been plaguing me for years!  I have made schedule after schedule, some very lenient with time, and others planned down to the half hours.  And, I've had a hard time sticking to any of them. There are a few things in my schedule that I am pretty consistent at ... one of them is lunch time.  When 12 o'clock rolls around, it's pretty guaranteed that we are eating lunch, or I am making lunch.  Not so with any of the other mealtimes/snack times.  Or, even for family bedtime routine, morning routine, start of school time, etc. For years I've had the same thought running through my head: that everything I do is in preparation for something else:...

Exercising has always been a battle for me.  As I've stated before, I would much rather go out and play a sport, than get exercise through an at-home video, running, or going to the gym.  Those kinds of exercise are not enjoyable for me.  Rather, they don't inspire me to exercise.  Now, an organized basketball, volleyball, or softball game .... why, yes, I'll clear my schedule to be there. The last week has been a struggle.  I've learned a few things: 1) P90X is not for me. It is for some people.  Not me.  At least not right now.  I am so out of shape that trying to do something as hard core as P90X was extremely difficult for me.  My muscles just aren't ready for that.  I only worked out to the first video (chest and back), and 30 minutes of the second video (plyometrics).  After the 30 minutes of the second video, my legs were shaking and I couldn't walk up my staircase to get to my shower.  Literally.  I had to pu...

It's only been a little under a week, and I have very little to show for my progress.  My list of "fun" goals actually is much easier to focus on.  I am up to date with the number of pages I need to read of The Book of Mormon ... in fact, I am ahead.  :-)  I went to a used book sale and got five new-to-me classics for my classic book reading goal ... and I've been reading Jane Eyre.  I have practiced my guitar almost everyday as well.  And, I just finished day one of P90X ... Jon and I are doing it together.  We borrowed it from a friend to see if we want to invest in it.  I like The Firm a lot, so I'm still having a hard time transferring my loyalties.  But, Jon's going mountain biking tomorrow morning, so I think I'll pull out The Firm and do that while he's gone. Now, my harder, more important goals?  Well, right now I feel a little bit like the group of soldiers in the movie, Mulan.  You know, the group that ends up fighting ...

My good friend, Aubrey, posted about her new year's goals.  I love the word "goals" instead of "resolutions."  I don't know why, but "resolutions" has always sounded so negative to me.  Kind of like: I'm-making-list-of-things-that-I'm-going-to-say-I'm-going-to-work-on-but-will-only-work-on-them-for-the-week-after-new-year's-day. At least, that's how all of my "resolutions" have turned out. Another of my good friends, Erin, had a list of her goals for a year in the sidebar on her blog.  Each time she reached one of her goals, she would put down the date it was accomplished.  It was fun to watch her cross off her list, and even help with some of her goals. So, I am going to post my goals on here as well.  I figure that one of my goals is to be more consistent (not only in blogging, but in general) in posting on my blog, so I may as well make the updating on my goals a part of my blog.  Here is my list of goals for ...