First To Last

We did it!

We survived the craziest school year in history (I fact checked and we for sure won the title).

Homeschool to hybrid school to public school.  Throw in a cross country move and a couple of house changes and, whambam thank you ma'am, here we are.

Could I be prouder of Josie?

The answer is a really loud no.  She met each change and challenge head on and surpassed every goal we set for her.  Her new school has been a perfect fit for her.  Watching her become a tiny Lady Girl was beyond fun.  I met with her teacher on Wednesday and smiled from ear to ear (and teared up, which is becoming the norm for me) as she showed me the results of her reading and math testing.  The curve from January to May was a steady upswing.

Get ready 3rd Grade, Josie is coming for you.

Well, after her first real Summer break.

First, let's all take a minute to admire how flipping adorable Gabe is.

He also had major schooling changes and is doing awesome.  After some soul searching (dramatic interpretation of a 10 minute discussion with Andrew) we decided that he will keep going to Pre-K 2 or 3 days each week through the Summer.  It took 4 weeks of hard crying at drop off for him to adjust to going to school.  We don't want to undo that before Kindergarten.  He love, love, loves his teachers and is learning a ton, so we see no reason to pull him.  

And me?

I love where this past year took us.  It was humbling and challenging and, ultimately, entirely life altering.  Handing over teaching duties and putting on a working girl's hat (wait, that doesn't sound right...) has been the best choice I've made in a long time.  I love my job and feel like the schools we found have been exactly right for each child.  

I am looking forward to having Josie and Gabe home more (and no homework, whoop whoop!) for a few months.   We are starting the Summer out with an end of the year hoorah and a week long family fest.  It's going to be good.

Happy Summer Y'all!

Homeschool To Public School & Embracing The Change

How about an update on how our new school plan is working out?

It's only been three weeks, but it feels like we've been doing this public school thing for a whole lot longer than that. 

I had the whole transition laid out in my mind.  She was going to be a little nervous the night before.  We would talk about it, read some first day of school books, and snuggle in tight for a full night's rest before her big day.

Reality was nothing like that.

The night before her first day she bawled.  Hard.  Girlfriend was scared, for real.  And it was nearly unbearable for me since, ya know, it was totally our fault she was having those feelings at all.  She didn't fall asleep until really late and waking her up the next day was comical (that part was very much how I expected it to be).

She didn't get in the class with her neighbor friend which only added to her anxiety.  Andrew and I walked her to class and met her teacher (who is awesome) and left our baby at school.  The day dragged by and I was the first parent at pickup that afternoon.

That night she cried more.  Begged us to not send her back.

Math was hard, she didn't get the spelling work, she felt rushed all day.  It was hard, but we talked about how it would take a bit of time to get used to it and how proud we were and after lots of pizza and ice cream, she agreed to try a few more days.

her awesome diorama project that was presented in the library

Tuesday she came home crying.  She hadn't understood the math directions and had gotten every problem wrong, tough stuff for a girl who likes to be right at all times.

That night, I sat down with her to explain why she'd missed the answers and made sure she understood how to do it.  Reassured her that she'd get them right the next day.  Well, most of them.  The word problems gave me a run for my money.  Then again, math and I aren't really good friends.  When Andrew walked in, she lost it again.  Big old tears, saying she wanted to be homeschooled again.

Then she woke up Wednesday and I guess just decided she was going to like school.

It really was like she just made up her mind and that was that.  Since then, everyday has been better than the one before.  She gets herself up and ready to go, she marches in to class like a lady boss, she's playing and laughing everyday when I get there to pick her up.  

In her three weeks at school she's already gotten to do a very crafty school project (right up her alley) and go on a field trip which also meant she got to go on her very first bus ride.  She's made quite a few new friends and learned all about which days are pizza day and which days are ice cream days.  

 first field trip to the pioneer museum

Our weeks are going so smoothly it's almost a dream.

School doesn't start until 8:45 and is only 5 minutes away, so our mornings are super laid back.  She wakes up around 7:30, takes a shower and gets ready, then usually has time to watch a show before we go.  When I pick her up we head home for a snack and then she bikes off to play with friends for an hour or so before coming home for homework, dinner, and bed.  It's working out great.

Oh, and speaking of homework, after hearing all the hublub about it I was a bit nervous about what we were signing up for.  But so far, 2nd grade homework is simple.  Once she got in the routine she has no trouble.  She gets math each night and has a nightly journal entry to do.  Then there are 10-15 spelling words to learn by Friday and she reads for about 20 minutes a night.  All of it but reading is done in under 30 minutes and she reads before bed.

She is getting pulled out of class each day for Reading Club, which is basically a very small group at a time for extra reading help.  Her teacher thinks she's reading great, but wants to help her with her comprehension.  She's also taken a huge interest in guinea pigs since that's the class pet.  In the past week she has copied over three entire books on them and had them posted on the board in class.  Big stuff for my girl who "hates to write." 

I'm adjusting slower than she is, but I am getting used to it.

It's strange to not have her here during the day and it is still hard for me to let another person critique her.  I know how she learns and, at first, was concerned her teacher wasn't going to be able to give her that.  I also realized I had a bit of a pride issue when it came to her school.  How on Earth would she ever learn anything if I wasn't teaching her?!?!

Turns out, while I am still needed in a supporting role, I do not need to be the headmaster for learning to happen.  Who knew?

It's fun watching her bloom and I really couldn't be happier with our choice.  I'm so glad we stuck with it and went with our gut about it being time for the transition.  I'll be sure to keep you updated as we continue to find our feet in this new world.  Our next adventure includes the class pet spending the weekend with us!  I'll let you guess who is most excited about that one.

His Turn

In exactly 25 minutes, we will officially finish our first week as a public school family.

I can't wait to pick her up and have her all to myself for a couple of days.  It's been an emotional week.  The first two days were tough for all of us, but I'm beyond thrilled to report that it all did a total 180 on Wednesday and the child is loving her school now.  I'm giving it another week or two before I give you the total run down on what it's been like to transition from homeschool to public school, but so far it's been a wonderful move for our crew.

I miss Josie like crazy during the day, but it means I'm getting a whole lot of face time with Gabe.

Which is something I've never really had.  This boy is funny and turning into such a human.  I'm loving that we have this time before he starts school in the Fall.

Speaking of, I'm also glad we have this time because, now that we know he'll be going to kindergarten, we've got some work to do to get ready. 

I started his 4th year with a list of things I wanted him to know before he turned 5.

It was a mild list compared to a lot of homeschoolers with kids his age, but if I'd learned anything from Josie it was that when they are ready, they learn it fast.  But now that he's going to school in the Fall, I knew I needed to be a bit more proactive about getting him what he needs to succeed.

Like being able to write his name.  Which he learned in all of 5 minutes once I sat down and actually showed him how to do it.

I'm still using (and loving) Mother Goose Time.

This month's box is all about dinosaurs, so right up Gabe's alley.  I did a Dino Unit with Josie back when she was in preschool, so I'm pulling out all of our books and activities from then as well.

This week, Gabe learned to write his name, figured out AB and ABC patterns, played a few games, did a few crafts, and mastered 10 letter flowers.  Pretty good week in my book!

can't handle the tongue.

These are the monthly letter flowers that come in each box.

We get three new letters (and some sight words) each month.  So far, I haven't done much with them.  Now that we are getting more consistent with preschool, I am using them as glorified flashcards.  I started by laying out four at a time and calling out a letter for him to "pick" for me.  Once he learned those four, I added another one.  Today he got the 12 I have correct, so next week I'll add January's 3 letters.

I'm super excited to really use these units as they are meant to be used now that he's getting all my teaching time to himself.

You can read my full Mother Goose Time review here.

Mobile Preschool

So it's no secret that I love Mother Goose Time.

Without it, Gabe wouldn't be getting any school time.  And honestly, he's 4 so that wouldn't really bother me, but after 4 comes 5 and we are planning to enroll him next year in the same enrichment school Josie goes to so he kind of needs to know some things*.  Like the difference between blue and yellow.

* forgive my excessive run on sentences.  yes, i homeschool and still can't get a handle on most grammar skills.

Mother Goose Time has been the perfect solution.  Little time from me needed with some major advances in his little brain.  My one problem has been all the awesomeness that comes each month and finding a place to put it.

Christy (you remember her, my almost Farm House neighbor?) is also using MGT and she came up with a fabulous idea for all the extra supplies and all that come in the box.  We are doing her exact plan.  So that left me with finding a way to use the Circle Time material without having to hang it up in my house.

I've told y'all before, I love homeschooling but do not love having school stuff all over the house.  It's just not my thing.  So when I saw someone use a tri-fold board to display the material, I was sold.

$3 and an episode of Law & Order later, I had a perfectly put away-able board to use with Gabe!

Each month, Gabe adds a new color bird and shape card to our board.  The flowers in his hand are his sight word and letter of the month cards.  The blank spot on the left hand side is where I clip the big letter card that we are working on that week.

It's working great for us! 

* we aren't using all of the circle time material.  i stink at doing calendar, so that's not on our board.  neither are the center labels, sign language chart, or weather tracker items.  i only added what i knew we would use.  just wanted to let you know that there is even more great stuff than this!

TOS Review - Preschoolers and Peace

What Is It:

 

  Preschoolers and Peace: Homeschooling Older Kids With Success While Loving the Little Ones at Your Feet, is a book written by blogger Kendra Fletcher (author of the blog Preschoolers and Peace) to help answer that ever present question, "What do I do with my younger kids while doing school with my older kids?"  Kendra wrote this book after continuous requests from readers for her best tips.  The book is now available on Amazon and is full of tips and tricks.  Kendra has kids from age 20 to 5, making her advice one that comes with experience.

For this review, I was sent an ebook copy of Preschoolers and Peace: Homeschooling older kids with success while loving the little ones at your feet. 

My Opinion:

When I read the tagline, "Homeschooling older kids with success while loving the little ones at your feet," I instantly wanted to read this.  I've had it easy for the most part.  The past couple of years, Gabe was able to entertain himself or would nap during school, which allowed us to squeeze lessons in without too much interference.  But now Gabe is a preschooler and I just don't feel good about constantly telling him to go play.

Kendra's book is fairly short, only 59 pages, making it extremely manageable to read.  I finished it in just a couple of sittings.  The chapters include What a Homeschooling Mom Needs, Preparing Yourself to Homeschool Older Kids With Little Ones Underfoot, Planning Around Preschoolers, How Do I Keep Them Busy?, What Does a 2-Year-Old's Day Look Like?, How Do I Get Any Preschooling Done?, How Not to Just Kill Time, Circle Time: Or How We Pull the Little Ones In, Preschool Boys, When All of Your Kiddos Are Preschoolers, Preschool Chores, Planning for Preschool, When Mama is Worn Out (or Pregnant), and Meal Planning 101.  The list includes topics for everyone.

There are lists of activities that were super simple, but would go beyond just entertaining your child.  I personally loved how Kendra put readers at ease about how simple preschool can be.  With just a tad bit of extra preparation, I was able to put some of Kendra's ideas into practice.  Honestly, most of the topics and ideas in the book you would be able to find online, but having them all listed out was a good resource.

What I found more valuable then the actual activities was the warm way Kendra writes.  She helped to make me feel like what I'm doing with Gabe is enough and that all the little things add up to a great preschool experience.  

You can find more information about Kendra and homeschooling multiple ages at any of the following links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PreschoolersandPeace
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KendraEFletcher
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kenj/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+KendraFletcher/posts
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/user/preschoolersandpeace

Product Details:

Website: Preschoolers and Peace
eBook: Preschoolers and Peace: Homeschooling Older Kids With Success While Loving the Little Ones at Your Feet - $2.99
 

Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes

Last week, Gabe started his My Amazing Body box from Mother Goose Time.

We talked about the parts of the body, made puppets, learned about letter B, and started his journal for the month.  One week in, I can tell this is going to be a perfect fit for my gentle approach to pre-k.  It gives him something constructive to do while introducing some new topics.

Our actual lesson time only takes about 20 minutes total.  The crafts take longer because both of my kids love them some glue.  I'm supplementing just a little with a handwriting program and a phonics program, but I'm so happy with what Mother Goose Time adds to our day.  I can't even imagine pulling all of this together by myself.

Gabe decided he hated life halfway through this craft so no picture of his finished product

every month comes with a new book.  this year, the book characters show up all 

throughout the month in different activities!

this month's character training word

this craft was supposed to be done on a yellow circle, but we had

just bought a bag of balloons so they were the center of all activities.

Next week we are going to learn about the 5 senses.  I remember doing this unit with Josie and it just happens to line up with her biology unit.  Love when that happens!

Whew!

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Tomorrow we get the keys to our house and I'm having a hard time waiting.  I can't remember ever being this excited.  

So basically, this week was full of me being totally preoccupied with thinking about life in the new house while trying to keep up with my full calendar.  We had three doctor appointments, the kids started AWANAS, I joined a women's group at church, Josie had school two days, we went to a skating party with her class, and Gabe started T Ball.  Plus we had our normal school work to plow through.

Next week gets to be all about setting up the house and I can't wait!  

Did you know tie dye shirts have to cure for 6-8 hours?  Guess how many times I told them, "not yet!" that day...

PE

Finally hit up Home Depot's kid's workshop.  No fingers were injured and only one shirt was paint covered so I call that a success.

School, school, school.

Josie has fully entered the "My Parents Are So Embarrassing" stage of life.  One, I'm certain I wasn't embarrassed of my parents until at least age 10 (just kidding Mom and Dad, you never embarrassed me).  Two, Andrew and I discussed it and we are most definitely the cool parents so she obviously has no clue what she's talking about.  It was kind of nice to have our own little date this night though.

Tuesday Tradition.  They know his order by heart.

I was feeling awkward and nervous before my women's group.  I never know what I'll get walking into a big group of women that already know each other.  Lucky for me, these gals are some of the nicest I've met!  I'm so glad I went and know I'll make some great friends.

Whoever thought roller skating was a good idea is on my hit list.  Wheels, concrete, and excited kids are not a good combo.  Josie spent most the time talking to BOYS and these pictures of Gabe sum up my two hours.  

Josie, in her element.

Little kids need "coaching"?  She's all up on that.  Never mind that she's never actually played baseball.

For real though, T Ball is going to be the highlight of my Fall.  Gabe is the tiniest dude out there and kept looking at me and giggling behind his fat hands.  He just could not believe he was out there on the big field.  Ugh, this boy slays my heart!

That's a wrap!

Can't wait to share the new house with you next week!