Stone Soup

I thought I'd share a little of our homeschool with you guys! We are a good way into the year and enjoying learning together..

We are doing Five in a Row for most of our Language Arts and enrichment for our other subjects.. We are also doing some of the Literary Classics in pure ASL. We basically follow the FIAR method with these books, bringing in academic elements from text, and making these stories come alive!

Of course it starts with the book! We read the book or versions of the book everyday for 5 days pulling out all of the amazing bring-it-to-life awesomeness!!! Then, we read the classic book in both languages, and then we have a child-friendly version to work on decoding skills! Lastly, we move to a video, hopefully we can find one in ASL, with English voice over, and English text! DawnSign Press does an amazing job!!! This helps with comprehension and helps the kids relate to the text...

Videos is ASL by Dawnsign Press. 

Rewriting and Language Activities! 

Cooking and Measuring! Did I mention they picked their stone out of the garden?!? 

We loved our Stone Soup unit!!! 

 Yep, that's the stone!!! LOL!

A Journey Into Homeschooling!

So after a LOT of prayer, talks, and sleepless nights we have decided to homeschool our children.
We had always planned to homeschool, or if we moved I would get a job at one of the local Christian Schools and put our kids there...it was a nice plan.

Well, life had other plans~ adoption plans!

That was when I began to doubt our big, beautiful plan... I had a child that was ESL (English as a Second Language) that also had some other issues that made learning difficult. This made for some big questions~
Did I have the patience? I love her more than my own life~ but she can drive me nuts!!!!! Just being honest here.. Seriously; considering we have no biology~ we are SO MUCH ALIKE!!!! So yeah, we get on each others nerves!!! I fear the teen years are going to kill us all!

I also have another child attending a program for the Deaf. She couldn't be home with us...was it fair? Would it hurt her feelings? The answer: NOPE! She loves going to school... She will have Bible, Art, and PE with us at home as well so there is plenty of time with us! :)

My youngest has some challenges, but was aging out of therapy which meant it was up to me to help her now...which kinda meant more stress! So it hit me at like 2:00 AM~ what better way to help her than to teach her! I could "plan" time out of our day to work on her home-therapy.

So there I was~ out of excuses! I finally asked my husband; the amazing, wise leader of our family, what did he think for the final time. I mean we had milled over it, and over, and over, but one this day I just simply asked with desperation in my voice in and his reply was this "I don't want to put more stress on you, but, yes, I feel that you have a lot to offer our kids. If they were home with you they could learn stuff that isn't taught in school; they could learn how to be like you (trying not to tear up!), and that would help them for the rest of their lives."
To be honest I have never felt more honored in my life! In that moment I felt like the woman that was spoken of in Proverbs~
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Proverbs 31: 28

So, we applied with a homeschool charter, and ordered some of our curriculum...
~and that is how we became a homeschool family!

More to come...much more!

Happy Birthday, My Big Girl!!!

My big girl, my beauty, today you turn SEVEN! You are growing up way too fast for this mama!! I see you grow a little more everyday... You are slowly letting go of your fears and trusting & hoping, bounding and leaping! I am so proud of you!

You are becoming a happy, fun-loving little girl! I love that!! I know that it is your birthday, but you are truly my greatest gift!! You have taught my so much...about life and about myself, and bring so much joy into my life!

I love how you play, joke, and tell secrets with your little friends!! You laugh and you twirl!!! You are my girly-girl!

You are so smart!!! I love catching you reading.. You want read everything!

I was looking for a song for you...one that held all of the hopes and dreams that I have for you and I remembered the song that I played when you first came home. I have played this song so many times.. I want so many things for you my sweetheart, but most of all that you are loved~ especially by your mama! 

So happy Birthday, sweetheart! I love you so much!!!
Bonnie Jean Birthday Girl Polka-Dot Trapeze Dress - Girls 4-6X (Google Affiliate Ad)

Family Reading

Our group is an active group!! It is a struggle to keep our girls busy all of the time! Nighttime seemed to be the worst and I realized that something just had to be done! I wanted a peaceful time of rest, and enriched family time that is just so precious these days with everyone's busy schedule.

Then it hit me~  Quiet Reading Time!!!

When I taught kindergarten a long time ago QRT was just what I needed to save my sanity! I loved looking over my class with their minds engaged...imaginations running along the pages!!! I wanted that for my girls! I also needed this for my family...

I also know that kids that observe their parents reading for pleasure have a greater chance of learning to love books! I also know that if our girls are not contained...I can't enjoy my book! LOL!

So now our new favorite thing is  quiet reading time before bed. We are doing the Summer Reading Program from the library as well so we always have plenty of good books around to keep it fun! We try to keep it simple... Everyone cozy in their PJs, teeth brushed, and quiet & relaxed. James or I will start thing off by reading one book in ASL(hearing kids understand just fine) and then we all find a book and read quietly together as family.

 I can't tell you what a blessing this has been to our family! It is such a wonderful time and has added so much to our bedtime routine! There are lots of snuggles ~ a few giggles(that are quickly shushed) at the funny picture and maybe even a few smiling glances between mom & dad...

We are so blessed!

I hope you guys like this idea.. Leave a comment of what you do in your home, I would love to read them!!

So curious as to what we are reading right now???
Hubby ~ The Art Of War ~ by: Sun Tzu
Me  ~  It's All Too Much ~ Peter Walsh
Big Girl ~  The Legend Of Yoda ~ by: Catherine Saunders
Bubbles ~  Anything about animals...
Baby  ~  Mostly board books right now...especially one with babies.

The Children's Book of Virtues (Google Affiliate Ad)

CAMPING!!!!

He had a wonderful mini vacation... we went camping for the first time!!! The girls had a blast!!! We all did!!
We went up to a ranch in the hills near the Oregon border...it was a nice LONG drive out of town.

It was beautiful! We picked a nice little spot near a creek and the sound of the bubbling water was enough to completely de-stress us all after the long car ride.

I had prayed before the trip that God would restore my weary heart as well as my stress & tired body..
I don't like to complain, but sometimes this mama just needs a break! So when we first arrived the girls went over to their grandparent's trailer, hubby started setting up the tent & other manly things, and I grabbed my Bible and settled in my reclining chair over near the water. It was such a blessed time! I could relax & rest...I even fell asleep for about on hour! God had heard my prayer!

My kids had a blast just being kids!!! Lot's of open space & sunshine!

They even tried fishing....

 The best part was of course the horses!!!

Of course thanks so this man...we never went hungry!

There were also laughs & googles, smores, bon-fires, swimming, hay rides, playing by the lake, fun times with family, making new friends, and so much more!!

I was one relaxed and in this picture~freezing mama!

Eureka Apex 2 XT - Tent - Gold (Google Affiliate Ad)

I'm Watching..

The words "I watch you, mommy" were heard in the car on the way to church the other Sunday morning.. "Oh really?" was my reply to my beautiful 6 year-old in the backseat.
"Yes, you rubbed daddy's arm, then you checked your teeth, put on lotion, and then put on some chapstick.. I saw you. You look so pretty, mommy."
I thanked her and sat for a minute thinking to myself what else has she seen?? Maybe times when I was grumpy, selfish?? I hope not.

Another reminder was the other day, my 2 year-old and I were in the car, and someone cut me off so I had so swerve and slam on the brakes!!! She yelled out "THERE ARE BABIES IN THIS CAR, SIR!!!!"
It made me glad that I don't use profanity and was also a nice little reminder to calm my temper because my children are watching...

I want my children to grow up happy and healthy. I want them to think that their mother did her best, and okay in full honesty maybe be want to be a little like her.. :) I want them to make good lifestyle choices, and eat healthy food. That is a big reason I am trying to get healthy myself with healthy eating and exercise.

 I have to say that most of all I want my girls to see Jesus. I want them to see that there is happy and joyful life in living for God, and peace in a relationship with our Heavenly Father. I want them to know that He loves them...
I want them to see that...in ME.

~Our Adoption Reading List~

So we have been doing a lot of reading to get ready for our adoption... I thought I would share some of the books on our list. 

~Our Adoption Book List~

   Pre-Adoption

The Bible~ Our Guidebook Of Life!

The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want To know Before Adopting,  By: Laura Christainson

Successful Adoption: A Guide For Christian Families,  By: Natalie Gillispie

Your Guide To Adoption,  By: Focus On The Family

     

  Fostering/Mid-Adoption

Our Bible~ Training them up in the way they should go...

Handbook On Thriving As An Adoptive Family,  By: David & Renee Sanford

The Connected Child,  By: David Cross, Wendy Sunshine, & Karyn Purvis

Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew, By: Sherrie Eldridge 

Parenting the Hurt Child, By Regina Kupecky

Post-Adoption

Our Family Bible~ Devotions together as a family! 

After the Dream Comes True,  By: Michelle Gardner

Before You Were Mine, By: Susan TeBoss, & Carissa Woodwyk 

Talking To Young Children About Adoption,  By: by Ms. Mary Watkins and Dr. Susan Fisher M.D

 For Friends & Family

Wrapping Around Adoptive Families,  By: Focus On The Family