Adventures, Kids and Workouts

So I have been threatened that its blog etiquette to not go more than a week without posting. So here I am posting about..well..I'm not really sure. So here are some random things that have been happening. Here goes!!

1) Most of you know that I attended Clintons speech downtown today. I'm not going to get into my beliefs on politics and things like that, but I will say that it was a very eye opening and memorable event for me. I have also attended when Bill Clinton and Obama was in town. I will say that out of all the pictures I took from all 3 events..tonights were the best! But you have to have a great camera to get good pictures inside a school gym with that lighting. I will also tell you that I have never been or ever thought I would be into politics as much as I am. William and I have never voted until this year. WOW!...I can't believe I just said that! Oh well..its what it is.

Here are some pictures from my current political adventures!!

Yes...I have a thing for the buttons although I didn't buy any!

2.) Our school planning for next year is coming along nicely! I have been printing some things off the internet for the twins and a few things for Mason during the summer. As I have been working with the twins recently I am shocked at what they already know and how eager they are to learn! As I was making up my file box for next year...yes I'm weird like that..the twins kept wanting to do the papers I was trying to sort through. Weston came up to me, mind you after the 3rd page, and asked for another one. When I told him no he tells me, "But mom, these papers help me learn!" How can you say no to that! We have told Mason our plans for next year and he is very excited!! We'll see what he thinks once we officially start though. :) No, seriously, he has helped pick out some of the books and we're trying to involve him as much as we can in the process so he adjusts better. The only thing he has said is that he will miss his friends. He is just an outgoing child though that I know he won't have a problem finding friends. He definitely has his dads outgoing genes!!! I'm a little concerned because we don't have a specific place to have "school" other than my kitchen table. I want to put up my calender for the twins in the kitchen (because thats the only place for us to have "school") but Williams not adjusting to that so we have to figure out something else. :) I'm sure we'll make it work somehow!

Oh, by the way, the file box I was telling you about is done!! I have all 30 weeks of the school year filed and in every week I have everyday of that week. So, to make more sense, I can go to that certain day and pull out the file and I know what we have to accomplish for that day! I was so excited! I know..how cheesy!

3.) Renay and I have been working out. We have been 3 times this week. And thats 3 days in a row! I know..me at the gym 3 days in a row..you probably can't believe it! But its true! I ran 2 miles in about 35 minutes. Well, thats jogging/walking but still. My goal as most of you know is to run in the 5k on New Years Eve in NYC!! Well, now everyones talking about running a mini marathon, how cool!! I think that I'm supposed to be motivating Renay, but little does she know, shhh don't tell her :), she motivates me!! wink wink! The other day we saw deer running in the field by the community center and its amazing to think that running to them is a lifestyle..so effortless. That is how I hope it is for me someday! Bring on the marathon!!!!

So this was really long. Sorry! Guess I should post more often huh. :) I will follow up with some pictures recently of the kids.

Confirmation

So I’m not crazy! Through this journey to decide whether to home school we have had our ups and downs. It has been a long process, especially for those who have had to listen to me. :) I think I finally get it! When I was at church tonight they was talking about how we need to open ourselves up to what God wants for us and not what we think we can do for God. Can I just say WOW!

When we were first introduced to the idea of home schooling we teetered back and forth with a lot of factors involved. But both of our hearts said this is what we’re supposed to do! But we strayed away from it. Then we were so graciously, thanks to Renay, invited to what we now consider our church home and it all developed from there. To make a long story short…so I don’t bore you all. God had a plan and we just needed to listen. We ended up in a family group where there are a couple of families that are choosing home schooling. Can we say confirmation! And everything that was said tonight I believe was confirmation that we are doing what God wants! YAY!! I finally got it!

As I look back now I wonder why I let all those little things stop me from what I believed in. I am now…and will continue to be…excited for this journey!

I am starting my curriculum planning for this summer tomorrow!! Yes, I know its early, but I want to get prepared now because I’m not a very organized person. And I’m extremely excited!! I will be slowly ordering Masons curriculum over the next few weeks. If any one has any suggestions, and I mean ANY, I will gladly take them! :)

Ok…so I haven’t posted any pictures lately and thought I would follow up with some more sleeping ones!

So I know two posts in one day, but I had to share my good news! I made my way to Carpenters Son today and can I just say that it was very overwhelming at first. But God is so good! I was talking to someone I know that works there and she said that the homeschooling lady was there! She was so helpful! So I looked through some of the books they had and was very excited, but they just seemed, well...boring. So after I talked and asked a ton of questions I came home on a mission!

The first thing I read on one of the sites I was on changed my outlook! "No curriculum is perfect, so just choose one." Its trial and error. Im not going to find the perfect one. So I set out on a mission of reviewing as much of RainbowResouces.com to make a final decision.Im still not sure on science and history/geography and Im still looking. I have some chosen just in case though. But I am happy to report that I have made decisions on 5 of the subjects!! YAY!!

I am now on a mission for stuff for the twins. I may just use the preschool material I already have, but it will take alot of preparation because I will have to copy alot of it because there are 2 of them. Im afraid if I have to prepare to much of it that I wont get it done. I will probably use print-outs over the summer for all the kids and then start "official" curriculum in the fall.

It just occured to me tonight though that I will probably be upseting the twins. :( They have been so excited to go to "school" like Mason and wont get to experience it. I dont think it will ruin them, and they will adjust fine. It was just something that I hadn't thought of. Im trying to not let that get me down as I know they will love being at home and learning with Mason. They love to imitate him.

Overwhelmed but excited!

So I have been looking online for cirriculum for next year and trying to get prepared. I am not a very organized person so Im trying to get myself there. There is a ton of free worksheets and activities that I want to print out for practice over the summer for Mason and the twins. Just to prepare the twins for whats to come and keep Mason fresh in what he knows. I'm also trying to find a cirriculum for the twins. My ideal thing that I'm looking for is a set of materials that would cover a variety of subjects. I'm having a heard time with that. I'm really nervous about teaching Mason History and Geography(do they still call it that)?

I am very overwhelmed with all the information out there, but I can finally say that Im am VERY excited about this process! I have always loved putting together cirruculum! But I think it would be easier if I could physically see the books so I would have a better idea. I know that Carpenter Son sells homeschooling cirriculum so I think I might go and check it out and see what they have. Does anyone know if Barnes and Nobles sells anything like that or the Family Christian Store?

I am getting ready to start a "spelling book" with the twins. Well..its more like an alphabet book to start off with. I will post pictures as we go through the book! Im curious to see how different or the same they turn out to be!

Stay tuned for pictures...

Inspired

Where to begin! :)

This weekend William and I were so graciously invited to a homeschooling convention and weren't able to make it. But it got me thinking again, oh no right, and so I did a little research. Ok..well..alot of research! If there's something to be found on the internet I can usually find it. :) A lot of you know that we have been thinking about this (homeschooling) since before Christmas and have started thinking again about it more seriously. Taking out the stereotypes and what others might think and thinking more about whats best for our family and whatever God wants. A friend of mine made a suggestion to look up and see what the benefits are to homeschooling a dyslexic child and if anyone has had success compared to them being in public school. WOW! Can I just say that alone was enoucragement! The things people were saying is exactly how I have been feeling. Then I started looking up resources and do you know that there is a ton of free stuff out there on the internet for homeschoolers! I was shocked! It was so uplifting and inspiring though.

One of the things that has been brought to my attention, lots of times, was the struggle to teach Mason with two 4 year olds running around. I am looking back now and wondering why I would have let that stop me. I have been worried about being able to afford putting the twins in preschool. Well, wouldnt it make more sense to teach them while Im teaching Mason! Of course it would!! :) Thats my background. I am fully capable of teaching them. Im not saying that to put myself on a pedestal, by no means is that the way I mean it. What I mean by that is I have a degree in Early Childhood Education so I really am capable of doing it. So I started thinking about how to incorporate all the kids together and found some wonderful ideas! Most of you know that Mason stuggles with reading and really doesnt like it much. Well, if he were at home he could choose to read books that were more interesting to him. Then he would probably enjoy it more. Just one of the major reasons homeschooling would benefit him. I would bore you all with all the details as to why it would benefit him, so I wont.

Do I think I know what Im doing? NO. Do I think that its going to be tough...absolutely. Am I still scared and nervous? YES, YES, YES!! But I will say that the benefits out-weigh my feelings of inadequacy and make me excited!! William was making fun of me getting so excited! We are still praying to find out if this is what God wants for our family, but I fully believe, as I have said before, that God puts people in our path for a reason. I do not believe this is a coincedence that we ended up in the church we are in. It is truely a God-thing!!

So I will leave you with what I heard today. I have heard it before but it struck me different today!

Faith, unless put in action, is not faith at all!

So..we are taking a step of faith and believing God!

:)

I was going to also blog on a sermon we heard at a friends church this week that was so inspiring, but Im still thinking about it. So look for it later!

So as you all know we want to have Mason officially diagnosed Dyslexic and have been praying for a answer on what to do since the testing is so expensive. Last night I get a phone call from the Dyslexia Institute. I didn't answer it because we were eating dinner, but wish I would have. She leaves a message saying that they are going to give us a discount because he went through the assessment!!! Now..how much you ask..I'm not sure because I didnt answer the phone. But I am believing that it is enough to help us out!! This is truely a blessing for us! I can not fully explain how excited I am right now!! :)

And, get this! I'm full of good news today for a change! I have been lacking motivation to work out and am slowly surrounding myself with people to help motivate me. My friends Becky and Jamie are helping me stay focused by going along. We're not going very often but its a start! Then...I've always said how we were blessed with great neighbors! Once again they come through! I saw my neighbor out excercising the other day and told her later that I should have been doing that. She knocked on my door the next day (knowing that I have no motivation) and told me to come join them! Notice I said told me and not asked. She knows had she asked I would of said no. I am very, very sore, but I am going to pull through and do it again today! Oh yeah, and it started with 2 people and is now up to 4, maybe 5 with another neighbor! How great is that!

So I am slowly getting out of my slump and feeling better! I pray that everyone will enjoy this beautiful day!!

:)

By the way, Mason woke up today and he loves gym so William mentioned that it was gym day and Mason looked confused. Williams asked him whats wrong and Mason asked if he was sure it was Thursday. William said yes it is. Mason then proceeded to yell at William because he missed "his church"!! He was furious because we didnt go last night. I love that he loves it so much!! :)

Obstacles and Mountains to Climb

Thats how Im feeling right now. As the school year approaches an ending I get more and more confused and long for a sense of direction more and more. Its very hard because Masons education is in my hands. But maybe thats the problem. I shouldnt have it, should I? God should have it. There are so many options and so many pro's and con's as people would say. I really feel like I know whats best for Mason and I could help him more than anyone else. But the minute I even mention homeschooling or public school I get a "look" from who ever Im talking to. Especially his teacher. William is not opposed to the idea and was very on board a while back when thats what we thought was best. I think hes just afraid, like I am, that we aren't capable of doing this ourselves.

I am a firm believer that God is in control and that he puts us in places and situations for a reason. With all my hesitation to put the option of homeschooling in my last blog it turned out to be a good thing. Some people from our church are attending a homeschooling convention this weekend and have graciously invited us to come along. We were so excited! We will probably only be able to attend on Saturday, but this would be our chance to fully explore the option with other people that feel the same way.

So...where do I go from here? I'm really not sure. I know that I need to get my lack of motivation and energy up so that I can function fully in this and every other decision that is approaching my life right now. I know that I need to step out of my comfort zone, which is getting a little easier, and not worry about making a fool of myself. But most importantly...I know that I need to put my family and I first!! I need to make the decision for God and for us, no matter what other people say. Which is alot harder to practice, but Im definitely going to try. :)

I also want to thank the few of you that actually read this for your prayers! I hope everyone has a wonderful day and enjoys this sunshine to the fullest!

:)