A New Blog

I have started a new blog as I am in the process of moving my email over to a new account. I am still working on the design of the blog and adding everyone's blog to my blog list. Here is the  new blog.

Farewell

We went back to our home town this weekend to visit with family before our move. I was flooded by memories during our drive and our time there. When it was time to say our goodbye's I was saddened to see everyones tears. I also had tears realizing that it may be sometime before we see our family again. But as we pulled onto the interstate I had a sense of calm knowing that we are doing the right thing. We are uncertain of many things that lay ahead of us but one thing holds true if we put our trust in God he will provide. We may not know how but everything will work out as long as we place God first and have each other. Lord have mercy!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.3

Less Than Two Weeks

Outside my window... the calmness of a new morning.

Moving progress ... we have gone through and condensed some of our belongings. We had two garage sales and donated any remaining items. My brother will be up today to pick up some furniture that he will be using.  He will be taking the washer and dryer so I am trying to do as much laundry as I can. I have two loads I would like to get done before he arrives.

Monthly Goal Progress...
1. Packing - This is still an ongoing project. I am working on finishing the girls closet.
2. Yard Sale
3. Homeschool Plans - I have plans written out for the next six weeks. I used this form from Donna Young. I tend to gravitate to lists so this worked out nicely. Now I am working on printing any additional items we will be using. We plan on using a folder for our weekly assignments. Pic Pic will then choose which assignments she wants to work on as long as she finishes them by the end of the week.
4. Finish school registration - I am just about done with this. I am waiting for the school to update my account before I can complete the check in.

I am reading ... The Royal Way of the Cross of our Lord Leading to Eternal Light. I finished Organized Simplicity last week. I also picked up Pride and Prejudice. I have had it for a while now and have always been intimated by the language but I thought I would give it a try.

I am grateful for ... date night. Hubby and I had our last date here in Arizona. We hadn't had a date for some time. It was nice to be able to enjoy dinner and have a conversation without interruptions.

Learning Plans ... I finished up six weeks worth of lesson plans. I am working on printing any additional work. We purchased a couple of work books for the girls for our drive cross country and I am working on lapbooks for them as well. Dan Dan will be getting a Thomas the Tank Engine lapbook and Pic Pic's will be The Wizard of Oz.

I am working on ... lapbooks and lesson plans.

I am pondering ... not much now. Just trying to focus on accomplishing as many tasks as possible during the day.


I am looking forward to ... the long drive ahead. It will be nice to stop and get some pictures of the family along the way.

Plans for the rest of the week...I have been trying to get all my dental work done before we leave. I have an appointment to get some cavities filled this week. My brother will be down today to pick up some furniture. We will be going to our hometown to say good bye to our family there this weekend.

Items to share ...

Arizona Dust Storm

What we saw after the storm.

Weekly Moving Journal

I thought I would create a weekly moving journal to share the happenings in our household as I won't have much time to blog in the next couple months.

Outside my window... sunny and humid (for Arizona standards).

Moving progress ... after Mat. Anna's suggestion we made reservations with Movex to help with our move. The load date is August 30th. We will be heading out on August 31st after Liturgy. Hubby is off this week so we are working on packing and gathering items for a garage sale. We have started to map out our driving plans and are working on finding hotels to accommodate our two dogs. I hope to share our driving plans with you for any suggestions on pit stops we might make along the way.

Monthly mission progress ... We are making way on our packing but our house is in total chaos. I anticipate this is how it will be for the next couple months. We plan on having a garage sale this weekend to help condense some of items. As far as homeschool plans I have been contemplating this area and will share below.

I'm reading ... I am still working on the English Assassin. I realized my earlier plans of going through 13 books was a little ambitious. We will just take one book at a time and see what I can get read.

I'm grateful for ... a husband who has the week off.

Learning plans ... hubby and I had discussed various options regarding the schooling of our children ranging from private school, online school, a boxed curriculum, and full blown homeschooling. I have read about all the various homeschool methods and as much as I admire Charlotte Mason, the classical method, and all those mothers out there who are able to homeschool children in various stages I am not sure I am capable of all this. We have a full plate for the next couple years, in addition to the care of our children, hubby, my masters degree, hubby being in seminary, the care of our home, and I will also be seeking a part time work from home job to help with finances. We have looked and are actually registered for an online school here in AZ. With this school there would be no financial burdens and we can actually transfer to an online school in PA. I am wavering now between a virtual school and a piece by piece curriculum. I already have all the items I need for this year's curriculum but I am unsure which direction to take. I have been having many ah-ha moments and I have come to the realization that as much as I admire different families homeschool, homemaking, etc. styles I have to do what works best for our family. If any one has experience with this virtual or online schools I would greatly appreciate your advice.

I am working on ..... travel packs. I am trying to come up with some games and lapbooks to do on our trip. If any one has any suggestions on what to do with young kids in the car that would be great.

I am pondering ... as of this moment. Homeschooling and which direction we should take.

I am looking forward to ... being settled in our new home.

Plans for the rest of the week ... continue packing, having a garage sale and enjoying this extra time with hubby.

Items to share... hubby's new blog.

Hubby's new blog

I thought I would share hubby's new blog.

http://stots-journal.blogspot.com/

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

Recycling Homeschool Resources

I have noticed on some homeschool blogs I read that tear out worksheets and place them and page protectors so they can be reused. Does anyone have any experience with this? How well does it work?

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

July Monthly Missions

I didn't accomplish as much as I wanted in June. Our upcoming move altered my plans. On my June list were:

1. Potty Training Dan Dan (I have not made any progress. She asking more to sit on the toilet but has not actually gone. I don't plan on pushing this too much until after we have made our move.)

2. Wean Ice Man from breastfeeding (He has not nursed see the wee hours on Monday morning. He seems to be doing well and surprisingly has not been very fussy about it. My body is still trying to adjust. Its been more than three years since my body hasn't been pregnant or nursing.)

3. Read Bob Books each day with Pic Pic (We started off the month well until my cousin was here for two weeks visiting.)

4. Go through and condense the family's clothes. (I have started this and will continue throughout this month.)

For July my concentration is on our move and homeschool plans. I purchased and received the remaining homeschool items I needed to start the year off. Now I am able to finish planning. I will also be going back to school to work on my masters. I hope to be able to teach in an online capacity once I have completed my schooling.

1. Pack, Pack, Pack
2. Yard Sale
3. Create homeschool plans for the first six weeks
4. Finish school registration

 

July 2011 Bookshelf

I started making some head way on the June Bookshelf until I went to the library and checked out a ton of books. I was then thrown for a loop when we were notified that hubby was accepted into St. Tikhon's seminary. I have since returned most of the books. My main goals this month are to get through the fiction books I had sitting on our bookshelf that I have not read. I have an addiction to books I can't go into the store and not go to the book section whether it be a grocery store, drug store, etc. Anytime I see a book that sounds interesting I have a hard time putting it down. I end up with books in my shopping cart when I have plenty of books at home to read including books from the library. I have about 10 books that I want to try and get through so that we don't have to take them on the move with us. Here is what I accomplished on the June bookshelf:

The Law of God
The Royal Way of the Cross of our Lord Leading to Eternal Light
The Purple Mantle
So You're Thinking About Homeschooling
The Read Aloud Handbook (Not completed; returned to library)
Organized Simplicity
The Kill Artist
The Brothers Karamazov

The book I am focusing on right now is from the library The English Assassin. If you haven't noticed my favorite books to read are mystery. Daniel Silva is an author I recently discovered and have been trying to make my way through his books. My main goal for this month is to see how many of my fiction books I can read. There are currently 13 books I want to make my way through.

Moving Update

We have found the house we will be renting. It all still seems a bit surreal that this is actually happening. Hubby and I have discussed going to seminary for over three years, and now its actually happening. It's amazing and nerve wrecking at the same time. It's mainly nerve wrecking for the financial concerns but we are placing our trust in God that he will help see us through. Back to the house, we were able to see pictures online and showed them to the girls. They are very excited about it. Pic Pic understands the move and had been sad about leaving our house but between telling her she will see snow (the only time was around snow was when she was a couple months old) and seeing the new house she has perked up about the move. When she spots me going through closets she is very willing to help pack for the move.

We mapped out a tentative driving plan. Our plan is to make it in five days. We aren't going the most direct route as we plan to stop in Colorado to visit some family. We would like to drive about 500 miles a day. As of now it will only be hubby and I driving. Hubby will be driving the moving truck and I will be driving the van. We will have a full load in the van with three kids, two dogs, and my mother.

We looked at hiring a moving company mainly to drive our stuff. We were so suprized to see how expensive it is. The cheapest we found would be able double of what we anticipate spending on the truck rental and gas. Does anyone know of a reasonably priced moving company?

My Mom's plan is to help us move and get settled. She plans on spending about 6 months with us and 6 months in AZ with my brother. She does not look forward to the snow so she will be a winter visitor to AZ.

We have lots to do in the next month to prepare for our move. Please keep us in your prayers as we embark on this new journey.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1