loving the lapbooks

Okay, I've found a new love. :) Well, new to me. I love the lapbook idea for homeschooling! And I've found a couple of great places to find some free lapbook lessons and ideas! Too cool not to share. Keep looking cause I'll be updating this post as I find more freebies!

Free Presidential Election LapBook - click here to get it!

LOADS of free LapBook ideas/unit studies - click here to get it! *this will take you to the level 3 studies, to find other age ranges click on Unit Studies.

I'll send you more when I find them! Happy Hunting!

yay!

We finally got in the last big of curriculum for Homeschool! We are still waiting on David's telescope and microscope set but we can start without them. I don't think we'll need to, but we can if shipping is delayed for whatever reason. :) Oh I am so excited! What we're going to do to start out is work on unit studies with David for the rest of the year, and then at some point in August/Sept begin both boys on their full curriculum. Daniel is not to keen on the whole process so we're going to let him finish out the year in Pre-K. David is over the mood excited about starting ASAP. So this is his last week in public school. I'm a bit sad, but more excited to see what God has in store for us. I have been planning out these next few weeks with David. We'll be studying about the Alamo, Zoo Animals, Whales, and Bats to prepare for our trip to San Antonio in June. We're also going to do a few studies on the missionaries that are visiting our church this month and the countries they are serving in. And then we'll do a study on Baseball since that is what he's into right now. I also have a unit study on US Currency because he wants to learn about money. I really think these next few weeks are going to help me learn how he learns. We're going to have a great time exploring and learning from God's world!

Just an aside - while Satan hasn't attacked us yet, I'm not naive enough to think it won't happen. Please keep us in your prayers! You have been so encouraging with your e-mails and letters! Thank you SO much for the support!

taking the plunge...

*drumroll please...*

We are taking the plunge friends. Into what you ask? Into the vastly scary, wildly exciting, fun filled world of Homeschooling! Yep, that's right, homeschool here we come! I'm so excited about this decision. We've been praying for years about it until a few weeks ago when I realized I was praying more to keep God's will at bay than I was to get a clear decision from him. I allready knew what he wanted me to do, but I was hiding from it. So after hours upon hours, and weeks upon weeks, of researching state laws and the billions of curricula out there, we finally settled on Alpha Omega LifePac for David, and AO Horizons for Daniel. I am in love with both of them and I think each worktext will be good for each child. Several things have happened that have confirmed in my mind that this is God's plan. It's been an interesting week of God proving to me that all I needed to do was listen to him and he would work it out. In our Bible study this morning of Esther, Beth Moore was talking about timing. It really hit me when she said many times we just know when it's time. We won't be led by our emtions, but we'll just know and then we'll go. Two weeks ago I just knew. It wasn't an emotional decision, or a decision out of fear or anything else. I just knew it was time to stop putting God off. And much of that day was spent researching, talking with others who are currently homeschooling, and praying that I would have the strength to carry out God's plan. Last night I was talking some friends of mine and one asked why I had decided to homeschool and the only answer I had was that it was just time. I laughed to myself this morning about how fitting our lesson was with what's happened in the last few weeks. God is always there. He's there, and he's on time. Now it's up to us to be! Are you sitting on the fence waiting for it to be time? What's holding you back? Take advice from a fellow fence sitter. Jump down. If it's just time to get up and go, get up and go. God has worked everything out to where I have not needed to stress out about any part of this decision. Everything has fallen into my lap, including the curriculum and supplements my heart craved for. God has taken every question, every need, and every desire of my heart and fulfilled it. So if it's time, Go. Don't put God off or wait around for a better answer from him. You'll find your watch showing half past some blessings if you do.

PS - if you'd like to find out more about Alpha Omega Homeschooling products you can click here and it will take you to their site. You can also sign up for daily devotions in your e-mail! Check it out. :)

I have been...

... on this durn computer all day. Literally ALL stinkin day. I have found some terrific deals on Ebay. Deals that if I win, I will have a HUGE jump start on a decision we've made. Not ready to tell that yet. Still letting God reconcile my head to my heart before we jump into telling anyone. It's a secret between God and us and I actually like it like that. For now anyway. (no, before you jump, we are NOT preggers. God's not mean like that, lol!) Anyway, so I've been on the computer all day and I need to get up and DO something but first I wanted to share with you a Kohl's sale. Yep, I love some Kohl's. I won't be shopping because of the above mentioned Ebay deals, BUT you can shop and save an additional 15%, even on clearance items! The sale is online only and begins at 7:00 pm EST tonight! (Sat March 13th) You'll need to enter the code MIDNIGHT 15 when you checkout to get the extra % off. Happy shopping friends!

I need to update you...

But I'm in a terrible mood. Lol, I know, that's not what you're looking for. I can't help it. I'm bogged down and feeling quite moody. The boys are on my last nerve and I need some peace and quiet. I need an escape. So yesterday Scott and I spent the afternoon working on an "escape place" that's really only 3 feet from the kids, but it's a spot I can relax and feel calm in. I hope. I need peace in my life. I'm stressed. I'm supposed to be on a short break between my courses, but today I made the mistake of looking at my next two classes early and I'm allready over whelmed with the amount of work I'll be doing. Ugh. So, while I was going to update you today, it's hard to be chipper. So I'll show you pics of what we're calling my "escape pod" (thank you Dano for that nickname). It's actually our patio but we've sort of made it into an "eden". We bought several (okay, like 40) pots and found some amazing plants and flowers that I love, and decked out the patio. Take a look...

This is the first half....

This is the second half, and there are more down the side of the patio...

I have always loved Daisies and now I have a giant pot of them!

and of course I had to have some Gerbera Daisies as well...

We have no idea how to say or spell what these are called but they were too gorgeous to pass up! We bought a lilac plant and a pink plant and they are beautiful!

We bought a Yellow rose bush which I believe David is in love with. He keeps saying that it makes the most beautiful flower he's ever seen.
I think he's right.

Hubs cut the first rose for me but couldn't find a vase to put it in. I adore his substitute vase.

The only downside to buying all the plants so soon is that we haven't gotten our last freeze yet. So for now, my "escape pod" is indoors, all over my living room. BUT once the weather perks up, we'll have the prettiest patio ever. :)

check out the little mister

He received the Star Student award again. Yep, again. :)

i.am.mush.

Well my brain is anyway. I am feeling VERY overwhelmed with school right now. The fifth week is always the hardest in these 8 week semesters. I'm not sure why, it just works out that way. I have been one busy lady these past few days. I've missed both my Bible studies and Faith last night just to try to stay caught up. I'm only in two classes right now y'all. The work load is stressful to say the least. Praise God for a much lighter 6th week! Not much is new. I just realized it's been a while since I've posted. I guess I've been "miss mushy brain" for a while now. My days feel monotonous. Nothing new, same old junk. I need something new to keep me going. Something fun. Even shopping has lost it's appeal these days. So what now? What will bring th pep back into my attitude? I feel down and smushed most of the time lately. I'm in a funky kind of funk. Lol, it's so bad I can't even explain it properly. Anyway, what do you do when you feel down in the dumps and drained? Any ideas on how to put the pep in my step? (sorry but by now it's a theme, go with it) :) Love me even though I'm nerdy. And pray for me friends. I need it. :)