Tristan's English assignment

So I meant to post this months ago when we started school... I posted it to my facebook page instead. But since I am wanting to start updating this blog again, I thought I would repost it here. This was written Sept. 3rd.

We are on day 3 of school for this year. Today in English Tristan was supposed to write a short story/paragraph on a lesson he has learned and share about it. This is the first time he has written a paragraph completely on his own without any sentence prompts. It took him awhile to write it. He was writing it while the girls were playing by him. (We do school all in one room this year so I can keep an eye on everything and only let one section of my house get torn up at one time! Now I don't think this has to be a permanent arrangement, it's just what I am wanting to do right now to iron out kinks in discipline, etc...)

So... this is what he came up with...I just had to share!

It's not easy to do school with two little sisters. They scream and argue. They play with toys that are loud and crazy. They dance and sing a lot. The baby crys for Mommy to hold her and it's hard to hear. So, how do I do it??? I can concentrate on my work. I don't pay attention to them when they are crazy! Being able to get my work done makes my mom happy. And I get extra time to play.
Tristan Shelton - 10.

Apologia Elementary Science Giveaway!

I don't know if I have ever mentioned curriculums on here before. But my favorite Science to use is the Apolgia Elementary Series. It is just fabulous and biblical and wonferful to use with all ages. My 4yo sits and listens while we read our lessons. I love the way it is based on the Charlotte Mason method of learning and Tristan has learned and retained sooo much in doing them!

Apologia is now producing notebooking journals that accompany each of the elementary science books. Both Botany and Astronomy are now available.
These journals are beautiful spiral bound notebooks that will save you time and money. You won't have to print and keep up with your child's notebook pages, buy and maintain page protectors, or purchase and compile binders...everything that makes notebooking time-consuming and labor intensive for mom. Also, your child will adore having their own notebooking journal.
Each of the notebooking journals include:
A daily schedule for those who like to have a plan or would like their children to complete the book on their own
Templates for written narrations, the notebooking activities and experiments
Review Questions
Scripture Copywork, with both print and cursive practice
Reading lists and additional activities, projects, experiments for each lesson
An appendix with beautiful, full-color, lapbook-style Miniature Books
Field Trip Sheets to keep a record field trips
A Final Review with fifty questions the students can answer either orally or in writing to show off all they remember and know at the end of the course.
See the sample pages here:
Botany
https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=128
and
Astronomy
https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=127

This journal is going to be such a blessing and a huge help for me while teaching Science!!! I am so excited for these!

Jeannie is giving away four Astronomy Notebooking Journals and four Botany Notebooking Journals to bloggers who post about this on her site. Visit her blog to learn more about this contest: www.jeanniesjournal.com

Past due updates: Disney Vacation

Okay, so I was just informed that I can link all the photos that I put up on facebook, here for those who don't have a facebook account can see. YAY! It is so much easier to post photos on facebook.

So, Disney was fabulous. It was a tight fit in our hotel room but made the family togetherness all that much better. The kids were great, there was hardly a meltdown except for when we were stuck in a thunderstorm on the way to dinner at epcot. Already an hour late from the bus not showing up. Poor Abby is dressed beautifully in a princess dress with a flower in her hair and she is soaked like a drowned rat. We have the girls in the double stroller covered with tarps (sorry no picture of that!) And Tristan shuffling behind us in a big poncho. Abby and the baby were screaming and crying the whole walk there. Fun memories! :)
Our meals were great, there were NO lines at all because everyone was in school (oh the joys of homeschooling) It was a great time had by all. How odd to say that our first family vacation at Disney World (Craziest place on earth) was for the most part calm and relaxing!

So... here are the pictures I posted on facebook.
The Magic Kingdom
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005363&l=fd6eb&id=1403816905

Animal Kingdom and Epcot
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005367&l=9e3f9&id=1403816905

The hotel and Downtown Disney
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005366&l=18f34&id=1403816905Advertise

Facebook has stolen me!

I have to apologize for my lack of posting and admit that I got addicted to facebook. Thus the lack of posts on my part. Please forgive me. I love this blog and have some major updating to do. If my teething, crazy walking, getting into everything baby will let me, I will post more... one day! Hugs!

I am still alive!

Today was the second week of school. Yes, it's Labor day and we did school. My poor kids having to do school when other schools are out. But other kids don't get to take a week off of school and go to Disney World the third week of school either!!! :)
We are excited to take our first big family vacation next week.Got a ridiculously amazing deal since everyone is back to school and it's the slow season. All our meals are FREE!!!! Even at the nice fancy restaurants! And the fabulous economic stimulus check footed the whole bill! ;)
So... second week of school. The first week was crazy. We managed to get everything done and meet all our goals, all except the goals of me keeping my house clean. Uggghhh... I am finding a very hard time finding a balance in everything. This year is very difficult because I am teaching 4th grade and my 3yo is too smart for her own good and is really wanting to learn so much. So what started out as singing some songs, and reading some books and very casual fun learning has turned into her wanting me to sit and really teach her with workbooks and all! So it looks like I am going to end up needing to do a pre-k curriculum with her. I was going to save that for next year. Then there is the very mobile baby who should be walking any day now. She loves to destroy everything we are working on. So in the midst of teaching is also lots of training time too. So the kids are having a blast, I am glad to be back on a schedule, but I can't seem to keep up with the rest of the stuff. My sweet husband keeps reminding me "It's only been a week". So if devotions are being done, school is getting completed, the kids are behaving, beds are made, toys are picked up, diapers are washed and I am stuffing healthy food into their mouths, then so what if I have piles of laundry hiding in my bedroom and my bathrooms haven't been cleaned in XXX ?!?!? ;)
So I am sure things will even out this week and I will start to find the balance then we will leave for a crazy week and come back to start all over again!!! :) Life is good.

My Vintage Loveseat :)

I have been dying to share this Vintage loveseat with you! It was my $50 craigslist find. It's from an estate in Savannah, GA. I can picture it in an old parlour in those big plantation homes with women sipping tea in beautiful, yet uncomfortable dresses. The woodwork is amazing. It had a lot of scuffs on it, but the wood wasn't damaged. So I just used some of my homemade natural woodcleaner and rubbed it a few times and all the scuffs were gone!!! And it has such a nice sheen to it. It was in excellent condition except for the cushions. They were all pilly and the fabric was falling apart. So I went to Costplus/World Market to find an alternative for couch cushions. That is where I found these aqua colored silk floor cushions. You should have seen me in the store right before closing with no children by my side. Sitting on the floor of the store, with a measuring tape, various cushions, my old fabric cushion cover draped over other pillows trying to pair colors together! I probably looked like I was doing a challenge for Design Star! :) I measured them and they fit perfectly on the couch! I was very happy about the find. So what if the pillows cost more than the couch?!?! ;) We have a huge bedroom and this is on a wall in our room next to a bookshelf with a light hanging down by it. It's very pretty at night with just that light on. This is our reading and discussion couch! :) It also serves as a make shift bed for needy toddlers in the middle of the night!

I love being able to stay at home and make my home a warm, loving place that our family wants to be in.

30 Things about me at 30

1. I just turned 30 and have 3 kids. Still a young mom! :)
2. Going to the grocery store is ALWAYS an adventure.
3. I love to organize
4. But am not that fond of cleaning.
5. I actually enjoy cloth diapering.
6. I love green juice!
7. I hate pulling weeds.
8. Don't like unloading the dishwasher either
9. Haven't scrapbooked in almost a year
10. enjoying making things with my hands
11. Can't remember the last time I sat down and watched a movie
12. Love coffee
13 and going out for mexican food
14. And grateful that there is actually one decent cheap mexican restraunt here in the "south"
15. I really like red wine.
16. Finally got hip and got a facebook account
17. I am notorious for waiting for my gas tank to hit empty before I fill up.
18. I am the coupon queen! And can save a bundle at the grocery store.
19. I have a stockpile of food that I got for next to nothing.
20. I love when the kids are asleep and I can talk uninterrupted with my husband.
21. I love God
22. I have a bunch of random magazine subscriptions that I got for free for taking some surveys and haven't even looked at half of them!
23. I think I am the only person in Jacksonville that makes homemade salsa! And people line up for it! :)
24. Can't remember the last time I printed pictures or did anything with them.
25. I homeschool!
26. I love, love, love to cook and rarely follow a recipe.
27. Baking stresses me out!
28. I am the wife of a hot paramedic!
29. I just got my hair highlighted for the first time in 7 months.
30. I am very simple, and sometimes being simple can actually be complicated! ;) Especially in this day and age!