Almost time for pencils and chalkboards!

click on the box to register and join me for this great ONLINE homeschooling conference! 

Before I had children, I had a friendship with God, and in our conversations:) I knew I was going to choose to teach my children...at home. I have to say once Kindergarten rolled around I felt like I was starting all over in Kindergarten too! There was a lot of questions I had, anxious thoughts, doubts that I could home school at all. I knew God would see me through, direct our steps as a family, so we jumped in as a leap of faith, did tons of research (thanks Google!:) and my husband and I have learned so much about ourselves along the way. This year marks our 3rd year homeschooling our first daughter, and the first year that #2 will be hopping on board (officially:) The world is our classroom, and we are always learning. I have had to "unlearn" a lot too, namely that learning doesn't have to happen one specific way for everybody. I love to have my kids experience, make, do things...dive right in to the middle of it all, and be immersed in discovery and curiosity. We have been using Five in a Row a classical "Charlotte Mason" approach to learning, using Horizons for math workbooks, watching some fun documentaries, "Drive Thru History" DVD's for a biblical historical teaching,visiting the local children's science museum regularly, and "Field Trip Friday" It's refreshing being open to changing directions, having the flexibility to have one on one learning with my kiddos or just pushing pause if my children find something find they want to explore and dig a little deeper into. I have discovered for myself the joy of taking on the responsibility to parent, teach, love, correct and enjoy my children! It is a way of living, not just a lecture style classroom, and it's amazing! I am hoping to encourage other local moms who are home educating or looking into home education to put their whole heart into it, God gave us these specific children because he knows we have what it takes to help them become who they are as HIS sons & daughters. Never doubt that it is on purpose!;) So to kick off this year in the right direction, we are going to all memorize the fruit of the Spirit and see them begin to grow in our lives more and more this year! Seems like a good foundation for a happy school year, don't you think? Got it up on our chalkboard door in the kitchen to help remind us!