Don't put it on Facebook

So, he didn't want his picture on facebook, but he's too cute to keep it away from grandparents.

 

Jacob was so proud to help dig and work in the yard.  Beth was happy to watch.

 Cowboy cuteness!

 

In summerrrrrrrrr! ~ Olaf

As our summer comes to a close, I marvel at how time flies so much faster now than when I was young.  The kids are older, which means more we can do and be involved in, and boy did we pack our summer!  We made a list of about 30 things we wanted to do this summer.  I know we didn't do all of them, maybe half.  Still, I don't think there were any complaints of being bored.

The kids got a week at each set of grandparents.  Lots of adventures and fun.  We parents sure enjoyed the break, too.
The kids participated in all the summer reading programs we found.  Jacob read nearly 20 hours, and Beth read 47 hours.  I'm so proud of them.  Better yet, the prizes are earned, and they're still reading like crazy.  For our family summer reading, we enjoyed Old Yeller.  They enjoyed the story, and Beth saw similarities to Where the Red Fern Grows, that she read for school last year.  I'm hoping my VHS copy and VCR work to show the kids the movie version of Old Yeller. 

We had pool time- both in the neighborhood and the little backyard pool.

I ran a 5k.  I realized my app wasn't calibrated correctly, as it told me I had run 4+ miles.  I am still proud that I tried something new and plan to do it again.

We took a little, quick trip to San Antonio.  Took in some history and some fun.  I am so proud that these kiddos love to do both with little complaint (heat and hunger).

 

On the way home, Jacob lost his first tooth.  He's super proud!

I helped chaperone Pre-teen camp for church.  We took 42 kids, and I did my best to embarrass my daughter (like any good parent should).  Best of all, 6 of those kiddos chose to ask Jesus into their hearts. 

Other simple things we managed to do: check out a little play museum in town, eat ice cream, snag a bonus visit to the grandparents, ride the golf cart around, Vacation Bible School and some other odds and ends.  It was a good few months.  I love sharing moments and adventures with the kids.

Next week, back to school.

Eternity Secured

In November, Jacob was really soaking in all that he was learning in AWANA and church.  In our family Bible time, he told us that he wanted to be saved.  There is no greater joy for us as parents than knowing our child has secured a future in heaven for eternity!  Over a few days, we talked and listened to him, making sure he understood how this works and why.
1) Admit to God that you're a sinner and repent.
Everyone sins.  Our hearts are naturally wicked.  All that keeps us from being worthy of God's presence.  Repenting doesn't mean being perfect, because that's impossible.  It means being sorry for the bad choices and trying to change them.
2) Believe that Jesus is God's own son.
God loves us so much that He was willing for His only son to die, just to save all of us from hell.  Wow.  Jesus bore our sins on the cross, so much that God couldn't even look at him in that moment.  As a parent, I can't imagine asking my son to do that for other people, but that just goes to show that God's love is far more perfect and amazing than ours as humans.
3) Confess your faith in Jesus Christ, the Savior
Without Jesus dying on the cross and coming back to life 3 days later, our salvation isn't possible.  He was special.  No other deity people worship has died and come back to life.  Jesus died for us because He loves us.  Salvation is a gift, but we have to open the gift.  Being saved, being a Christian, isn't a free ticket to do whatever we want and still expect to go to heaven one day.  Jesus loves us and wants us to have a relationship with Him, to be a part of our life.  That changes us, allows Him to show through our lives.  That's how we are truly saved, from our human selves.

Jacob "got it", wanted to know Jesus in his heart.  Kevin prayed with him, guiding Jacob through admitting he sins, acknowledging the Savior and accepting the gift.  The joy in his face and heart were evidence that Jesus now lives in his heart.

Our church teaches that once you are saved, it's good to let others know about the change in you through baptism.  You show your old self going under the water, washing off the old self, coming up a new person.  Baptism doesn't save you but is a representation of what happens in your heart when you're saved.
Jacob wanted to be baptized soon, and I wanted my parents here to be part of it, like they were with Beth.  The kids' Christmas play was scheduled for early December, so they'd come up to see all that, plus the baptism and do our Christmas together.  Instead, our area was blanketed in ice.  Lots of ice.  Stuck in the house for 4 days kind of ice.  Sunday morning church canceled for the first time in 15 years kind of ice.

Once people were out and about again, we got the baptism and play and Popi/Yaya visit rescheduled.

 

My sweet boy was so nervous and quiet, waiting for Bro. Jerry to call him into the water.  At the same time, he was excited and proud.  All the helpers during baptism are just as proud of him as the rest of us.  I love that about our church family!

The water was warm and deep- a block had been put in the baptistery for the kids.  He nearly had to swim to the steps after it was done, but Bro. Jerry helped him instead.  Once he was out, he was so excited and back to his bouncy self.  A quick change into dry clothes, then onto the play performance.  But, if you ask me, this minute of the service, Jacob's decision weeks before were the best moments of the whole year!

 

If you want to know more about this loving Savior, about having a relationship with Him, just ask.  I'll be so happy to share with you the joy of God's love!

What's been happening?

While I've been away from blogging...

 

Jacob turned 6.  How did that happen?  My sweet boy is more fun every year!  He's quite a funny, smart, lovable boy.  I'm thankful God gave him to us!

We enjoyed an amazing family vacation!  Disney for us is the only place we can go where we feel totally disconnected from the "real world".  The kids are getting bigger and braver, riding new rides.  Thankfully, they know which ones to let Mommy just watch.

 

Beth played Upwards basketball with our church.  She really enjoyed herself.  I was proud of her learning something new.  By the end of the season, she was really becoming competitive and leading/bossing her teammates.  She's looking forward to playing next season.

 

 

Beth turned 10.  Ten!  She was so proud to be double-digits.  She is becoming a beautiful young lady, inside and out. 

We took her, along with her best friend to Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate.  A lovely cold front, with freezing rain, also came that weekend.  Made for an interesting thought- swimming (thankfully indoors) while it was literally freezing outside.

 

Beth started her first round of orthodontics.  How are we old enough for this already?!  Back when I did braces, orthodontists pulled teeth to make room.  For Beth, they're just moving things to make room.  She's enjoyed meals of mashed potatoes and oatmeal when her mouth hurts.

Jacob finished his fall soccer season and played spring soccer (season #4).  He's really learning from his great coach how to control the ball.  That boy is FAST!  Sometimes he's faster than the ball!

The kids participated in children's choir at church, both in the fall and spring.  They are naturals on stage!  Beth gets totally into her part, full on drama.  Jacob loves the music and has been known to randomly sing and dance in the middle of a store.  I love that they love glorifying Jesus with their talents! Beth has started taking voice lessons, and she looks forward to it every week.  Jacob continue to take piano lessons.  I am amazed at how much he's learned, and he's only 6!

 

 

While these are the highlights, there was plenty to keep up busy all year.  One super-special event will get it's own post soon.

 

Reality

While I had great intentions to start blogging again, reality is a different story.  I realized that during the school year, I'm doing all I can to keep my head straight with school and all the extra activities.

So, our summer has officially started.  I'll try to recap our year as some pretty awesome life moments and adventures were part of our year.  Stay tuned!

Reading for the Season

I love books!  I love Christmas!  So, why not combine the two.
Every year, I look for a special new hardcover book to add to my Christmas collection.  I have a red bucket in the living room as part of the "decorations" that I fill with the books for December.  I love reading them with the kids, discovering the magic all over again (We haven't read these books for a year.).  My criteria is different every year- great artwork, moving story, remembering the true meaning, and sometimes just fun.  Sometimes, a books meets more than one objective.  Here's the collection that's amassed over the years (thankfully, my Mom has enjoyed adding to my collection as well).

For the message: (Watch out, some may make you cry)
Mary's Treasure Box by Carolyn Walz Kramlich
Tonight You Are My Baby by Jeannine Norris
The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
The Sparkle Box by Jill Hardie
God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren
You Are My Miracle by Maryann Cusimano Love
Jacob's Gift by Max Lucado
The Last Straw by Fredrick H. Thury

For the artwork:
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo
The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans
Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell

For the fun of it:
The Teachers' Night Before Christmas by Steven Layne
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
Santa Mouse by Michael Brown
How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky
The Tree That Came to Stay by Anna Quindlen

This is just my collection.  I've also put a basket under the kids' tree with fun Christmas themed stories they've collected over the years.

I haven't decided on a book for this year yet.  Any suggestions?

**All links and artwork from Amazon.com**

Icemageddon 2013

Yes, the weathermen are calling this ice storm "Icemageddon."  While it is beautiful to look at outside, it's cold and slick.  Kevin came in from a work trip and had to park on a more level part of the street, since our driveway is frozen and steep.

For about 10 minutes at a time, we got a little outside time.  The kids were fascinated by the ice everywhere.  The "ice skated" in the yard, tried to make "ice angels" and just happily ran around.

I love the juxtaposition of fall and winter.

 

 The most fun they've had was "sledding" down the driveway on the recycling box lid.  Giggles, squeals, and a little whining when they put their hands down in the small stream of melting ice on the street.  But, SO much fun!

 

 

 

Thankfully, we've also enjoyed some warm inside time, snuggling by the fire.  It was kinda nice to keep the television off yesterday.  Instead, we read books, played games and just hung out.  Today, more games, more reading, baking cookies, indoor picnic and watching Christmas movies.

 

We were planning a great visit with Yaya and Popi, but we've had to postpone it.  Church even got canceled this weekend, postponing the kids' Christmas play.  We are really looking forward to this ice melting!

 

Elf Antics

Well, I thought I would keep blogging, but there hasn't been anything too exciting to post.  Now, after this weekend, look out, we've got lots of fun.  Ok, that's IF the roads melt enough for us get out safely.

Our Elf on the Shelf, Tinsel, arrived the day before Thanksgiving.  The kids were worried that he wouldn't come.  This is the 5th Christmas season we've had Tinsel.  For the most part, he behaves pretty well, just resting in a spot and watching the kids.  But.... every once in a while he gets into some silly places.

Going for a ride!

I had some candles set out for a lesson the next day, and Tinsel decided to roast some mini marshmallows.  They looked pretty tasty.

Oh, Target sells a few outfits for elves.  You just have to set it out where your elf can see it, and they put it on before they head to the North Pole that night to report in.  I think Tinsel likes his "Team Elf" jersey.

Revival

It's time to revive the ol' blog.  I know grandparents love seeing pictures and videos of the kids.  I enjoy looking back in archives and seeing the older pictures, wondering how time went by so fast.  I won't promise lots of posts, but I do promise it won't be 3 months between posts.

Scroll down to find a couple posts to get you started!

A New School Year

Wow, our first year homeschooling came and went so fast. 
The good: The family time and relationship building was incredible.  Learning to lead and work together instead of boss or bully was a big lesson.  Watching Jacob become a reader was amazing!  Experiencing the joy of Beth learning something new and cool was good for my mommy-teacher heart.  We made some sweet friends who are along this same journey, both experienced and newbies.  We also took advantage of making our own schedule and enjoyed vacationing and non-peak times.
The bad: It wasn't always easy.  There were days when staying in pjs and doing a bunch of nothing productive would have been nice. Staying on task and motivated was the hardest part.  Well, that and figuring out how to do school and chores and ...  But, isn't that every mother's hardest task- getting it all done in 24 hours? Despite the misconception, we had more than our share of "socialization."  It was easy to play field trips and playdates with friends or join another activity group.  Not that I would drop any of them, just do a better job of scheduling.

I could probably go on, but it was enough of a positive experience for all of us that we decided to do it again!

We're doing things a little different this year, learning from experience last year.  Plus, Jacob has more of a work load this year.  Core subjects are Abeka curriculum, which provides a great foundation of facts and phonics.  I love being able to focus on the lessons and review that they need individually, taking each subject at its own pace.  Then, we are throwing all kinds of stuff at them, as they learn together. For Bible, we're doing character traits and studying the history of old hymns.  We're learning about great artists and their art work.  This has really surprised me how much they enjoy and take in.  We're actually looking forward to a field trip to the art museum soon. 

 

 We are doing Apologia science again- Swimming Creatures.  I just LOVE this science.  Thankfully, we have some friends also doing this book, and the mom was excited to do the dissection and let us come watch.  We are also doing history together this year.  It's a combination of a curriculum that is literature based instead of a textbook, plus creating a learning notebook that I tweaked from another curriculum.  The kids have actually been asking to start our learning day with history!  I think it's because we can often curl up on the couch together and read our book.  That's good stuff!

 

We are keeping ourselves social again this year by participating in a homeschool co-op.  Moms teach and help in classes that provide and extra learning experience for the kids.  I'm teaching a math in literature class, which Beth is thrilled to be able to take.  She's also taking a painting class.  We only have two classes left of this semester, and I can't wait to see all her projects at the Expo night!  Jacob is loving his "PE" class and thinks he's pretty big stuff to be the only boy in his reading class.

 

I think we've gotten into a pretty good groove this year.  It took some adjusting with our schedule and plan, but it's working.  I love being mom and teacher!  I look forward to what the rest of the school year holds for us!

Soccer Season #3

Jacob just finished his third season of soccer.  He still loves it and is looking forward to next season.  He had a few teammates he'd played with before, so he enjoyed that.  This season's coach was great with the boys.  He really taught them about skills, encouraged them, got on their level and helped them improve as players all season long. They don't keep score at this age, but he played like they did.  He's fast as lightning (when he wants to be), and he's working to become more aggressive to take the ball.  He's also developing some great defense.  We love watching him do his thing!

Of course, his favorite part of any season are the snacks after every game and the shiny trophy at the end of the season.

Summer Bucket List

Our summer started in mid-May.  The kids and I sat down to make a list of 50 things we might like to do over the next 3 months.

Here it is, now, one week until we start school, and we've accomplished 32 of them, some of them more than once.  Gosh, it doesn't seem like much, but some were out of our control (no peaches to be picked this year) or ridiculous in this heat (mid-day baseball game).  I'm glad we made the list.  I don't remember my kids ever having a moment to say "I'm bored".

 

 

 

 

 

I think we'll make a list again next summer.  Things I know we'll put on there: camping, water park, all the summer reading programs, visits to grandparents', swimming, reading a special book together, and who knows what else!

 

 

So, um, hi again

I realize it's been nearly 4 months since my last post.  To say we've been busy is an understatement.  But, it's a good busy.  Life is a great adventure, and we've loved living it.
September:
Jacob turned 5, started piano lessons, played his first soccer game.
Beth started 2 days a week of gymnastics.
We joined a new church.
We started attending a co-op with other homeschoolers. 
October:
More soccer, piano, gymnastics, co-op classes.
Had fun field trips.
Fed our Disney World addiction.
November:
More soccer (and last game), more gymnastics, more piano, more field trips.
Celebrated the end of semester for co-op.
Had visitors, went visiting, enjoyed fellowship with friends.
Left the kids at Popi and Yaya's for a long weekend (woohoo!)
Started enjoying the Christmas season.
December:
Enjoyed every part of the Christmas season- parties, plays, Jesus, Santa, movies, cookies, family, presents, friends....
Felt blessed for a great year and the paths that God has led our family on.

What's next?  More of the same, with a little extra insanity here and there.  We can't wait!

School Time- Recapping the first few weeks

We've been in school here for 4 weeks.  It's been amazing!  Beth is in the 3rd grade, and Jacob started kindergarten.  I realize I should have probably been emotional about that, but the difference is that I didn't send my baby off to school.  This year, we decided to give homeschool a shot.  There have been no complaints from the students, teacher or principal!

Why in the world are we homeschooling?
I have always felt a tug and desire to homeschool.  After many discussions and LOTS of research and plenty of prayer, we decided to give it a try.  When we told the kids, they were excited.  That made it so much easier.  It is a blessing and a joy that I was already a stay at home mom.  Since Beth was already home for summer, it was an easy transition.  Our decision in no way criticizes your decision for your children.  Each family has to make the decision that is best for them.  But what about the deeper reasons?  We can vacation whenever we want, without worrying about missing learning in order to beat the crowds.  That's a deep reason, right?  Ok, really, we want to guard our children from things that make children grow up too fast.  We want to insulate, not isolate, our children.  We want our children to have a Christian view of the world- from great moments in history to creation to morals.  We want our kids educated in the way that is best for them.  Small class size, individualized instruction, being able to go with the moment (either to explore something cool or to take a break when frustrated), .... No school uniforms or special school clothes to buy, just regular play clothes.  And even jommies some days.  We want our kids to be lifelong learners, to know how to learn something when it isn't being "fed" to them.

What makes me qualified?
Well, as a matter of fact, I have a college degree and certification from the state of Texas to teach elementary grades.  However, research has shown no difference in the success of homeschooled children of college educated parents or those with high school diplomas.  I love my kids more than a teacher would and will push through whatever struggles we have to keep a love of learning.  I've been in the classroom and seen how a smart, well-behaved kid gets lost in the shuffle when the teacher has to focus on the struggling or misbeahving students.  I've seen that one teacher can't meet the individual learning differences and needs of 25 kids in the same short amount of time.  I know how much of a school day is spent on administrative stuff or the latest and greatest method (that doesn't get tried long enough to see if it really works) that every teacher is expected to do, not to mention the time wasted on assemblies and things the kids don't really pay attention to.

What's so great about homeschooling?
I LOVE spending time with my kids, sharing a love of learning with them.  I know my kids' skills and can adjust the lessons to suit their needs.  I have learned that Beth needs to do math in the morning instead of saving for the end of the day.  I have learned that Jacob works quickly, taking about half the time I've alloted for his subjects.  I love seeing the pride when they learn a new skill or discover something really cool.  I love being able to shift our lessons around, doing only the minimum in a day so we can take a field trip.  I love being able to drop assignments or half the practice problems, the busy work, when I know a skill is already mastered.  Being able to go to the gym for mommy to exercise while the kids play, coming home to work on school, breaking for lunch, then finishing school- all before the neighborhood kids are out of school.  With Kevin working at home when he isn't traveling, he can be part of our learning, playing and field trips.  We can go on field trips when places aren't busy.  The zoo was amazing last week!  We can go out to eat in the middle of the day- lunch specials, being seated right away.  We are spending more time as a family, both learning and playing, than ever before.

What about "socialization"?
"Socialization" is defined as a "process by which an individual develops a personal identity and learns norms, values, behavior and social skills."  Do I really want a bunch of kids shaping the "identity" of my children, teaching them conversation skills and values?  Nope, we think that we parents and the other people we choose to surround ourselves with are the best way to shape them, not a random selection of kids.  Now, if you really want to know if my kids have social interaction, I assure you we are busier now than before.  Beth has gymnastics, Jacob has soccer and piano lessons.  We attend classes once a week with other homeschool families, plus additional field trips and social events.  Church 3 times a week, where the kids are involved in the AWANA program as well as their age appropriate Sunday class.  We get together with friends for playdates and hang out time, both with homeschool families and those who choose other routes.  Plus, the regular interaction with kids and adults as we go about our daily lives- library, stores, haircut place, .... We are able to teach them the social graces, manners, conversation skills, compassion, etc, that they will need to use as adults.  I am looking so forward to expanding these opportunities as we get our bearings and find ways to volunteer in the community.

What's been the most fun so far?
We are doing science class together.  I started this thinking that Jacob would just be exposed and we'd cycle back through it with him later, as Beth needed to move on to other things.  Boy, was I wrong!  These kids are picking up amazing knowledge.  We're learning together, and it's super cool.  We chose Apologia's Zoology: Flying Creatures, which means we're learning about birds and insects that fly.  We do some reading, some notebook activities, some field hunting and some experiments.  If I had learned science this way as a kid, I probably would have liked it much more.  We've built and flown gliders, learning about flight.  We've caught and examined insects, naming body parts and identifying special features (did you know you can tell the difference in girl and boy bugs?), refrigerating a live wasp to see what being cold-blooded really means.  We have been entomologists- even Jacob can tell you that.  Beth even touched and held the dead insect!  All this, and we're just 2 chapters into the book!
The other amazing thing has been to see Jacob's reading skills explode.  He's trying to read everything he can.  He's got a few simple books he reads by himself.  The pride he has that he did it is incredible.  I can't wait to see how much more his reading takes off as he gains the skills to read bigger words.  We may need a bigger bookshelf!

So, while we're only homeschool newbies, it has brought so much joy.  Look and ask around, you'd be surprised how many people do this too.  While for many there is still that "those weird people" stigma, the faces of homeschoolers are more normal than you realize.  In 2009, there were an estimated 300,000 students being homeschooled in Texas alone.  Incredible! 

Hale Family Olympics

We have enjoyed the 2012 Summer Olympics!  We watched part of the opening ceremony, parts many sports, but mainly swimming, diving and gymnastics.  We have talked about the athletes participating, their hard work and dedication, the history of the games....
But, I still wanted us to connect to them in another way.  The first was that we randomly drew the name of a country that has historically brought home a lot of medals.  We have charted each medal they've earned, thanks to the daily updates on the internet. 

After the first two day with no medals, I let Beth choose a different country.  She has been a little happier.  However, since she's not winning the overall number of medals, she's been a bit pouty.  We used the opportunity to talk about how the athletes must feel, since they're the ones working so hard and not taking home a medal for their country.  It didn't seem so bad to not get a sticker after that!

To make the olympic experience even more fun, I used some ideas (a little adjusted) I saw in a magazine to have our own backyard events.  The kids were so excited!

First event: Shake It- 4 ping pong ball in a shoebox (I didn't have a rectangle tissue box).  They had 15 seconds to shake out as many balls as they could.

Second event: Ping Pong Toss- from the chair, toss ping pongs into numbered cups.  They had 2 rounds of 15 seconds.  Beth had the advantage with longer reaching arms.

The final (and silliest) event: Snack Toss- Shower caps covered in shaving cream.  Then they had to toss cheetos at each others' heads to get them to stick.  Beth got handfuls at a time, while Jacob was methodical with one at a time.  Of course, Beth had to sit in a chair to even out the playing field, so to speak.  Sadly, this event was cut short when fire ants came to the fun.

With a total score of 18 points, Jacob won the silver (blue) medal.  Beth brought home gold with 31 points.

We all had a great time!  The best part was hearing "thank you" for the fun stuff.  I think we'll do it again.  Thankfully, I have 4 years to come up with more events for our next Hale family olympics.