A Boy Room

The boys wanted an orange room....(well, ONE boy wanted an orange room) I opted for an orange bedspread. Three boys in one room has certainly proved to be hard to decorate. We wanted it simple but playful.

I still need stuff on the walls, but I'd never get around to showing you if I waited until that was done, so here we go!

The room is a beautiful blue/aqua color. The furniture is black except the bedside table which I painted yellow and lined with a map. Still needs knobs.







You may be wondering how we fit 3 boys in this room. A few years ago we tore down the double closet and made a little more room.

This is what it looked like about 4 years ago...



After:



We built a little, well organized closet at the end. And we painted the doors black. LOVE them!



And, if you look back the other way we have an old antique armoir from my parents house that we have used for art storage in the past, now hold their toys.

A Tiny Kitchen

I have been encouraging the boys to play outside as much as possible. I have to admit, I get a little discontent when I look around at our hot, dry, flat, treeless surroundings. Not what I call inspiration for exploring, but knowing it's what we have to work with....well, you just have to make it work!

I came across some outdoor kitchens and was so inspired to create one for the boys. Of course only wanting to use what we had on hand, I went digging around our shed and found a cart in the back corner. I CAN NOT believe it, 6 years here and this is the first time I've noticed it?!

I quickly hosed it down and added old kitchen pans we had. Add some mud, and a few little boys and you'll have the best quality mud soup, pies, and muffins you've ever laid your eyes on sunk your teeth in!

They LOVED it, and have been playing for hours the past few days in their kitchen. This has truly opened a whole new world of creativity and exporlation to them.



Muffins ready to bake!



Collecting more ingredients.







A place to make messes.



An invitation to dinner.





A nice and cozy spot full of wonder.



More beautiful kitchen inspiration here and here.

Family Movie Night Picks

Since we have Movie Night almost every single Friday night, I thought each weekend I'd share the movie and treat we had.

Sometimes the movie we watch is not so great, but most of the time we love it. I'll do my best to post them all, and what we truly thought of them.

We make pizza most every time using NieNie's whole wheat pizza dough. It turns out wonderful.

We also make the whole wheat waffles on Saturadays too ;)

The past few weekends we've watched some pretty great movies. I like older movies that are just plain good and family friendly, but I've found with some of the older ones, you'll find a few colorful words that kids would say back then.

When we come across stuff like this we simply tell our boys that those words aren't okay to say. If for some reason it's just too much we turn it off and pick something else (Dan and I have usually seen most of the movies when we were younger, but can't recall how the language was in the movie).


Movies we've enjoyed lately:

Where the Red Fern Grows. This was a fabulous family movie especially for our boys. Billy (the boy in the movie) shows great character and hard work. Just keep the tissues near by (if you've read the book you know why). I can't wait to read the book in a few years with the boys, it has a lot more emotion, but the movie was wonderful! There is an older version we may watch one day.

The Adventures of Ociee Nash. We knew nothing about this movie, but really enjoyed it. About a young girl named Ociee who is a complete tomboy. Living with her daddy and brothers since her mom died, her dad sends her to live with her Aunt to learn to be a lady. She gets into mischief and ends up winning the heart of her Aunt and her town.

The Indian in the Cupboard. I loved this book as a child and watched the movie a long time ago. We got it for the boys to watch and we all really enjoyed it. However, this would be one of those movies with a few colorful words and a scene with the boys falling asleep watching tv with women in bathing suits for a few seconds. Wish those few parts weren't there though we did really enjoy the movie.

Stuart Little 1 and 2. We LOVE both of these movies. It's been a while since we've watched both, I love just love the feel of them. What I really love about them is how it shows to love and accept others (your brothers) even if they are different. In our family that is SO important and I love how these movies teach that. I also adore the house they live in....I look at every detail of houses in every movie... In the second one, the kids do tell a lie by having their friend say Stuart is at his house when he really isn't.

Treats!

I usually make cookies or cupcakes. I am going to be trying a few other things like pies, cakes, and flavored popcorn in the future.

We have enjoyed Crinkle Cookies...yum!



These Butterscotch Brownies were REALLY tasty and so easy to make. Mine were a little flat, but so good.

This weekend we made these wonderful cookies, I think they turned into my favorite cookies EVER.

Enjoy your family this weekend!


Philippians 4:11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Week 1- School

We went ahead and started school this week...I told you I would start early again this year. I just can't help myself!

Brighton: PreK (3) kicked off the year with Rod and Staff color, cutting, and counting.



All week long we read Alphabet books (and many others), but our main book was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. He cought on so fast, I was just so proud of him!


Taking it nice and easy, we did one project per day while I worked with Tristin on anything he needed help with. The first day he piled magnetic letter on his coconut tree. I was delighted to see how much he enjoyed this.



The next day, we took the same tree and stamped all of the letters on. I let him do this freely also.



On Wednesday, we took school outside and he made a Counting Coconut book by gluing brown coconuts on the tree.





He ended the day mowing the lawn for us:



Thursday, we talked about circles, and how coconuts are in the shape of a circle. He made a circle wheel of circles.







I'm excited that he has learned the Alphabet this week and about circles. He did a wonderful job!

His scripture memory verse was Psalm 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart.
He has learned it, so I will move it to our weekly review and add a new scripture next week!

Tristin- 1st

He started his new Explode the Code Book, and has not complained about it yet! HA. He does 3 pages a day, while I work with Brighton. Then he does his Math (Singapore 1B)



He then practices reading for about 20 min.



Once a week, after our main Bible Study we do Grapevine's Timeline. We both REALLY enjoy this, I think it's a wonderful way to learn.





Our geography lesson right now is on map skills and we read Me on the Map and are currently making our own Me on the Map Book. He took it outside to work on and it started raining on him! It's the 2nd time this year we have had rain!



Brighton had to go dance in it =]






His scripture has been Isaiah 40:31

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

He also knows it, so we will review it once a week and add a new one next week!

We learned about our Solar System (more on that next week) and will be starting the rest of our curriculum next week which includes Native Americans, Greek, and a gentle reading program I ordered today (more on that soon also).


We are now settling down to our family movie night with chocolate-chocolate chip cookies and whole wheat pizzas. YUM.

Activites found on Homeschool Share

Habit/Character Training

I absolutely LOVE Charlotte Mason. I heard of her a few year back while reading up on homeschooling methods. Her's has stuck out to me more than any others. However, I really didn't quite know how to apply what I was learning until now.

I've been praying over certain aspects of our lives. Two very important ones, and God has led me to 2 really wonderful places to start.

The first one was getting to "know" the Duggars a bit better by watching the show and reading their books. Funny thing is, I know God wanted me to read their books, because I had just gotten into watching their show about a month ago, and a week later my friend said, "hey, do you watch the Duggars? We should each buy one of their books and then trade." Boy, am I glad we did. They have inspired me to dig deeper on training our children. I have really learned so much from them and have deep respect for them.

The 2nd place God led me to (again) was Charlotte Mason. Only this time around somehow He filled my mind with ways to apply her method.

One of my favorite books about her is For the Children's Sake. I read it about a year ago and thought I loved it then...I pulled it out the other day, and it was like I was reading it for the first time. I just couldn't put it down. I underlined things and then went back and reread it to my husband. He seemed to enjoy it. I think *grin*

Okay, so back to the 2 things I've been praying about.

1) Jaiden being homeschooled. That tug has never left my heart. As much as I've needed the break from the crazy year we had last year, we're definitely feeling he should be home again ONE day, and that's where God is leading us. I love this article on homeschooling special needs children.

My only problem is: TV. He loves it, I don't. I long for my children to play, to read, to use their minds. Children don't do that while they're watching tv, him especially. This problem has been caused by using tv as a rewarding system used by his old school using an ABA type therapy. He didn't get that type of reward at home, and that caused MAJOR meltdowns.

One of the first chapters in For the Children's Sake is about tv. She talks about children having space to play. Outside. Making mud pies, climbing trees, riding bikes. They need to make noise, make messes, and have access to raw materials like old clothes for dress up, and tables and sheets for forts. They need boudaries of course but they also really need space to be children.

We are now on a path to doing much better, but he still "needs" the tv to be "happy".

I had asked God, to help us with this tv situation and finding new things that he could be interested in at home like reading possibly?! Then I read this book and it just hit me right then.

He get's about an hour or so after school to watch tv. I would justify that he has been working all day at school and needed the break. Well, I'm sorry, we can all find ways to unwind without tv and so can he. Without quitting tv cold turkey, I am going to take it down 15 minutes at a time each week until after about a month it will be no tv and just playing. I'm praying it will have been so gradual he won't depend on tv and might not notice the transition as much. While we're doing that I have come up with plans to work with him on reading, baking, play games, outside time, and natural toys such as blocks, jump rope, playdough, legos, garden work etc. We started yesterday, and I could tell it made him a bit anxious, but we'll just keep going.

Please, if you don't mind, be in prayer with me about this?

The second thing I've had on my heart is character training. Charlotte Mason believes that children need to be trained for a about 2 months for each character trait. This could take years to finish all character traits, but she says they should be mastered. Once you master some of the most imporatent ones, the others will make easier habits.

The most important one? You guessed it...obedience. So, we are starting obedience training in our home and will be working hard on that for the next 2 months or until mastered. Meaning, when I ask them to do something, they do it, happily and quickly. Sound like a big goal? It is. It has been done by others many times, and I know our children are quite capapable of being obedient. It's biblical. Now, if you know me personally, you will say, "your kids are VERY well behaved." People say that to us all the time, but this runs deeper. At home, they are not in the habit of being obedient without whining most of the time.

Charlotte Mason also makes it very clear that children are people and should be treated and valued as such. I absolutely agree.

The two major things we will work on over the next 2 months is MY attitude towards them. Making sure I have their hearts. If I have their hearts then they are much more willing to be obedient. This depends more on the level of my heart than theirs. And I know it STARTS with my husband and me.

The second thing is reading and applying ideas and training in obedience.

Doorposts has a wonderful article with ideas and lessons from Deuteronomy.

First Time Obedience Really? I love that post. It really touches on the heart.

Love this blog, and this post about having your child's heart. It really is a huge aspect of raising children.

I've used this FREE character study before, but we will dig a little deeper this time around.

Notes From Sally Clarkson's Parenting Session


Books I hope to read/use soon:

Hints on Child Training

Plants Grow Up by Doorposts, I've heard great things about this!

Laying Down the Rails



Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
- Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Proverbs 23:13-14 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.

Proverbs 1:8-9 ESV Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, (9) for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

Going On A Bear Hunt

The other day we read We're Going On A Bear Hunt together, and decided we need to recreate the obstacles they went through in the book. It was a fine sensory experience!

We took a cardboard tube and wraped rubber bands around it and painted it green. We rolled the tube on our paper to create swishy grass.



Then, using finger paints, we made a lake.







Next up was mud. We have been so dry here, mud was a hard one ;) plus our boys saw NO fun in getting their hands covered with mud, so they quickly scooped some mud and smeared it on our page before running to wash off.



Next we created a forest. Using old leaves from our nature table and sticks, they had fun making their own version of the forest.



I have no picture of the snow storm, but they glued cotton balls all over the page. It was a BAD storm...

And next we found the bear! I drew a simple bear and cut it out. They traced the outside of it with pastels and we turned it over and pressed hard.





What a project! we now have a big accordion style bear hunt book. They sure were proud of it.

Our School Room

I've been working hard to organize and make our school room a pleasant place to be. We don't do all of our work in in here, but we do some. And, I personally love having a place for everthing.

We painted the bottom a cheerful apple green. It really is a happy and soothing room.



This is the other wall. We have a reading corner and a chest full of my supplies, extra notebook paper, and folders. On top we have our new art station with items that are used most often. A roll of paper, crayons, glue, scissors, and that huge red bucket full of markers I picked up at a garage sale for $3.

The red basket beside the chest is my organization for school. (Like the workbox system) We have folders labled with numbers, and I slip the work in order for the day.



Here is a closer look at our reading corner. It has a big comfy chair, and a small book shelf (holder) my wonderful husband made out of pallet from our new grass. I found a beautiful fabric for the windows, but I don't want to spend the money, so maybe later. These work just fine.



Here is our nature table. It holds all of our treasures, a magnifying glass, nature kaleidoscope, books, and our journal.





Our little shelf holds a writing center with pencils, notebooks, dry erase boards, magnetic poetry, notecards, and a picture dictionary.



Along with some early readers.



This is the other wall. Dress up clothes, a closet, and a shelf with manipulatives, fine arts, and preschool trays.





The closet holds books and projects we'll be using through out the year. It also has the items I use for the preschool trays.



That's it! The school room is finished and ready to be used. We usually do reading and small activities in there. Our main studies are simply taken (in the red crate) to the kitchen so I can cook, or clean while we are working.



See other beautiful rooms at the Not Back to School Blog Hop