Home with Tracy

Five years ago, when I was just starting out on our homeschool journey, I was searching, longing, begging for knowledge of what homeschooling should look like. How should I plan our day? What curriculum should I use? What age should I start my child learning to read? What age should I start my child learning handwriting? What time should I start our day? How many hours should I teach? Should I make them all sit in desks? All these questions just to find out what my homeschool should look like. So. Many. Questions! Five years later and I finally have the answer. Your homeschool should reflect your family.  It should look like you. It should look like your children. It should be an environment that you are comfortable teaching. It should be an environment where your children desire learning. There is no cookie-cutter style of homeschooling. What it shouldn't look like..... It should not look like other homeschool homes in your neighborhood. It should no...

My daughters are seven and eight years old. When they were younger, they would always want to be in the kitchen with me. I would like to say that I encouraged it, but I did not. I was always trying to just get to get things done quickly so everyone could eat. I deeply regret the way I acted. My eight year old helping me make peach cobbler. I regret that I did not encourage them to be in the kitchen with me while they were so eager to be. I regret always being in a hurry and just trying to get things done.  My seven year old making oven baked tacos. I know that there is still time to teach them. I know they are still young, but I miss the eagerness that my eight year old once had. She is slowly getting it back, the more I ask her to help out.  I regret that they saw me just trying to get things done and they didn't see the joy that being a homemaker brings me. I adore my family and preparing meals for them, maintaining the house (well...attempting) and hom...

My husband had to go deliver a grant application for work yesterday. The building where it had to be delivered just happened to be around the corner from the State Capitol, so we decided to make a family field trip out of it. Note to self for next field trip ... BRING CAMERA! We had to park downtown, which led to a new exciting experience for half of the children. What could this new exciting experience possibly be? Parking meters. Yep, you read correctly, parking meters. Each of the kids took turns putting quarters in the parking meter and giggled the entire time. At one point a lady walked past with the most peculiar look on her face. Apparently she must have been wondering about these parking meters too. I'm sure it wasn't because we looked like country homeschooling folk whose kids have never been to the City. No, that couldn't be it. Our first stop was to drop off my husband's grant application. We reminded the children before we went in the building that this ...

This year I have put in more time planning than any other year. I have struggled the past couple years with preparing for the school year due to my lack of planning. This year I wanted to be different. I wanted to start strong so my kids start strong. I did a lot of research and found the curriculum that I think best fits our family. Here is what we are studying this year. Third Grade - Bible - Who Is God? - He will be using the notebooking journal. Grammar - Easy Grammar 3 Reading - Explode the Code books as well as he will read 2 chapters minimally each day. Math - Saxon 3 History - Mystery of History I Geography - A Child's Geography Science - Exploring Creation with Astronomy - He will be using the notebooking journal. Spelling - Sequential Spelling I Second Grade - Bible - Who Is God? - She will also be using the notebooking journal. Grammar - Easy Grammar 2 Reading - Explode the Code and Reading Eggs program Math - Saxon Math 2 History - Mystery of Histor...

This homeschooling year I have taken more time to plan. It is something I struggled with doing in the past. Part of our homeschooling curriculum is Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy. I bought the text book and lab kit as well as a notebooking journal for my oldest. They also offer a junior notebook. My oldest is in third grade. My other children are in second and kindergarten. Since they are newer to reading/writing I thought the notebooking would be too much. I decided to search for something else for them. I knew I could find something that another homeschooling mom had done. Can I just tell you how much I love homeschooling mom blogs! While searching I came across the site A Journey Through Learning . Their website is full of lapbooks. They have several for the Apologia Exploring Creation curriculum. They also have the option of black and white (so your kids can color them) or full color. They each come with detailed instructions. I bought the Exploring Creation with As...

My husband had been gone at a conference for three days. It was three long days of everyone in the house being sick. When he returned, I tried to sneak away to our bedroom so I could watch a video I just received, Tea with Michelle Duggar . I was sitting in my bedroom watching the video and I had my Bible next to me so I could look up verses Michelle referenced. It wasn't long before my time alone ended and I was joined by my twins. About five minutes into their arrival, Michelle referenced a Bible verse. I picked up my Bible and began looking up the verse. While I was reading, my son got up and left the room. My son is a very active five year old and cannot sit still for long, so I figured he was just bouncing on to the next thing that would catch his attention. Just a moment later he returned, sat down beside me and handed me his Bible. He asked me to turn in his Bible to where I was in my Bible. (I should tell you, he cannot read...yet.) At that moment, it dawne...

This past week, our family went to our first ever homeschooling convention, Teach Them Diligently, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. We had an exhausting, but great time. I didn't make it to all the sessions I wanted, but that was my own fault. I am extremely uncomfortable going out on my own to places that I don't know where there are people I don't know. So, I either stayed with my children or I stayed with my husband. I know I need to get over these insecurities and I am working on it. I wish I would have carried around a notebook to take notes through our five day adventure. I had one in my suitcase, but I never got it out. I not only wish I would have wrote down things I wanted to remember from the speakers, but also things that I wanted to remember from my children. Our first full day there we went to Hollywild. It is a safari type zoo. The kids loved it. They got to see 3 baby bears and then we went on a safari ride in a bus with no windows. It was amazing! There w...

Since we registered for the  Teach Them Diligently Convention back in the beginning of January, our oldest son has been wanting to pack for the trip. I keep telling him it is too early. He is so cute, he wants to pack a suit to wear in case he gets a chance to meet Ken Ham. I think he wants his job when he grows up. I must say, I am pretty pleased with his choice of a mentor. Today, I finally realize it is less than three weeks away. With a our family of six going, I decided I better start planning. So, I started making my lists...yes, plural! I was trying to figure out what bag I would take with me to the convention. I knew that I would need a bag big enough to carry my notebook, the convention notebook, my Bible, snacks for the kids, a change of clothes for the kids (12 hours away from the hotel, you never know what is going to happen), etc. I finally decided that I am going to bring our small rolling suitcase. I may look weird, but I will be very prepared and I wont have to...

This year, our family is going to our first Homeschooling Convention.  We are super excited.  We chose to go to the  Teach Them Diligently Convention  in Spartanburg, South Carolina.  This is the first year for the convention.  It will be held March 15 through 17. One of the things that drew me, personally, to this convention is the strong emphasis it seems to be placing on fathers.  I sometimes struggle with the feeling that my husband is out of the loop when it comes to homeschooling. Please don't think I am saying he does not want to be involved. The children and I spend all day together.  I research their curriculum.  I teach them.  I get to see their progress.  I get to celebrate with them when they accomplish something they thought was impossible. My husband is excited to attend because he is hoping to learn how he can be more involved. We are only in our second year of homeschooling and we are still learning. At this co...

I was recently contacted by  Forgotten Voices . Their organization has a mission ... "to demonstrate the love of Christ by equipping local churches in southern Africa to meet the physical and spiritual needs of children orphaned by AIDS in their communities." They sent me a link to one of their Thanksgiving Cubes that they created for children in order to encourage children to think of how they can give back to others.  What a great idea! I printed off the children's cube and right away my 8 year wanted to complete it.  He took it in his room, answered the questions, completed the dot-to-dot, colored it and taped it together.  He loved it.  I liked it because it made him reflect on what he can be thankful for when it comes to our family.  I liked how it made him reflect on what he could do to help other kids. I liked how it told him a story of a child a little older than him and how he was blessed by received 2 rabbits.  We teach our ch...

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There are two things that I absolutely love for homeschooling; printables and my laminator. This is my laminator that I purchased from Amazon last year during their Christmas deals.  I think I bought it for around $20.  The price isn't down there yet, but keep watching. Scotch Thermal Laminator     Here are a couple sites that I regularly visit to get printables.  They are a great quality and my kids love them. www.homeschoolcreations.com www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com www.2teachingmommies.com I will start by printing out one of their printable packets.  They have several to choose from and usually have one for each season and/or holiday.  I will then laminate each sheet.  Once they are done laminating, I will sort them by which ones need to be cut and which ones don't.   After I have them all cut, I will put the pieces in envelope and write on the front what it contains.  I put each printable pack in a two pocket folde...

"the older women, likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things - that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." Titus 2:3-5 I pray for a mentor.  That God will send a woman to guide me on my journey as a wife and homeschooling mom, homemaker, and most importantly a child of God. A woman who has been where I am.  A woman I can learn from. An encourager. A teacher. A woman who speaks wisdom. I pray. I also pray that through this journey God will train me to be a mentor.  That He will show me who He wants me to be through Him. That I may be reverent in behavior, not practicing slander or gossip.  That I may be faithful, loving and full of patience.  That I may be an example in all these things so that younger women may see how God want...

This month we are studying Thanksgiving, obviously.  We are going to read through Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret B. Pumphrey.  We are also going to turkey placemats (have I mentioned how much I love my laminator!), and make Pilgrims hats. This month is known for the holiday, Thanksgiving.  But did you know that it is also National Adoption Month?  Adoption is something that is very close to my heart.  So along with studying Thanksgiving, we are going to be learning about orphans and adoption.  I don't want my kids to grow up not knowing about all of the children in the world who don't have forever families.  I pray that as they are learning that their hearts will be filled with a love for orphans and that they will grow up to be an advocate for orphans.  There are a few organizations that provide orphan care that God has placed in front of me. Show Hope is an organization founded by Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman.  Their org...

Having 4 children so close in age, I decided a few years ago to assign each of them a color.  This color is for everything from cups to pencil boxes to folders.  Each of the kids know what color is theirs, which limits some of the fighting. YAY!  I knew I would need some sort of organization in order to keep the house running (somewhat) smoothly.  They each have their own "space" on the homeschool bookcase and each space contains their pencil box, 3 ring binder (with their name printed in their assigned color), folders for their subjects, also in their color, and any workbooks that they are currently working on. It's not only a good learning tool for them, but it has been extremely convenient for me.  In the kitchen, each child has their own color coded cup.  So when there is one left on the table, I know exactly who to call to take care of it. Another bonus is that it has also been a tool in teaching them their colors and their names.  I am, ...

We live in a small ranch style home that is approximately 1200 sq ft.  I love it!  When people see our house and then see the amount of children we have, they sometimes are surprised we fit.  My feeling is that there are families in other countries who live in mud huts the size of one of the kids bedrooms with all of their family members, sometimes including extended family members.  We are blessed beyond belief to have the size house that we have.  Our school area is also our living room.  The way our living room is arranged, the "living" area is on one side (with a little bit of overflow from the homeschooling items) and the homeschooling is on the other side, more of a corner.  Here is the school corner ... And here is the overflow behind our couch ... The white bookcase was made by my husband.  Yes, it was!  He did such a great job!  I found the bottom part of the bookcase (the cabinet with 5 doors) on a local sales network w...

Yesterday was our first day of homeschooling. My 1st grader must have been excited, because he was up at 4:30 a.m. I don't know if I was more excited or nervous. Being completely responsible for the education of our four children is a lot of responsibility! Will I be able to do it. NO! It will not be me who educates them, it will be all God. I know that I cannot do this alone. I know that I don't have the patience, knowledge, dedication, patience . . . My quiet time with God these past two days has been exactly what I needed. Yesterday's time was about fear. And, believe me, I was full of fear starting to homeschool. Today's time was about A Mother's Greatest Joy. Our greatest joy as mothers should not be if our child wins the game, if our child gets the highest grade in the class, if our child gets the lead in a play. Yes, those are great accomplishments, fantastic accomplishments, and we should be proud. But, our greatest joy should be that our children...

We are about to start homeschooling. I only have three more days to prepare. Can you ever, really, be fully prepared. I don't think so! Recently, I had a friend send me an article about preparing for God-Centered Work, a home-school curriculum . Her intention of this article was that I could research it so when the kids are in high-school, I could use it. The article was, basically, stating that God created us to continue His works here on Earth. No matter where we work, or what we do, we should do it for God. If we are a mechanic, we are a mechanic doing God's work. If we are a CEO of a company, we are a CEO doing God's work. Whatever position we hold, we represent God in all aspects of it. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 It is our goal, as parents, to raise our children to honor God in all they do. It is our goal that their measurement of succ...