Shankies Batman

The last week was a whirlwind as I found myself the lead teacher in the Third Grade Boys class at VBS. These kids were awesome. Really and truly a great bunch of kids. I know many people shudder at the thought of 20+ boys together in one room. These kids proved that boys can be boys, have fun and be respectful too. I am so proud of them.
It may have helped that the theme for VBS this year was sports; Game Day Central. It was fun relating to the boys in this way. Being team players, joining God's team, doing their best in EVERYTHING. The boys loved it and I think they made the connections.

This week we celebrated our 150th find for geocaching! We also went on a caching streak going to at least one find for 14 consecutive days. Recent highlights... We found a live salamander IN a cache. We have launched a few geocoins and a couple travel bugs. We have taken more family and friends on their first finds. Seen great parks that we did not know existed, places we will definitely visit again.

Last week the UPS man delivered two boxs of school books! Add that to my INCREDIBLE finds from the used curriculum sale and I think we have what we need for a successful year. Of course, there are still things I would enjoy adding to our supplies but I know I have everything I NEED. I am looking forward to this year of teaching. I think it will be a little less flexible as I have more subject, meaning more table time. It is going to take the first couple of weeks to figure out the time demands and a doable schedule but I think once it is worked out we will need to stick with it rather strictly to make it to the end of the year in time. For those interested our main materials for first grade are:
BJU Press- Reading, Phonics, Spelling and Handwriting
Saxon Math 1
Abeka Science, Our America and Bible
Christian Liberty Press- History for Little Pilgrims and Science Readers
IF- Map Skills 1
Geography will include wherever our travel bugs travel. We sent them out with missions of traveling to all 50 states and asking those who find them to answer 5 simple questions to help us in our learning. I am looking forward to following them as they have already visited 3 states a had some replies to our questions.
Enrichment Day will be every Friday with similar aged children and will include Music, Art and Gym

While it will be MUCH heavier on the books and work texts this year we will sure to stay heavy on the fun as well. Many trips to the YMCA, geocaching, camping, theater(our homeschool group has great discounts to incredible shows,) and other field trips galore. After all learning IS fun and we want to make learning as fun as possible for our kids.

Blogging has been sporadic at best and may continue to be so through the remainder of the summer. Hope all of you are enjoying your days outdoors and with your families.
God bless!

Did You Know...

that if you put baby or mineral oil over a band-aid a few minutes prior to removing it will make it pain-free?

It really works I just tried it. No more ouchy removal.

Laughing/Crying

This video is 32 seconds and WORTH watching. I laughed so hard I cried....everytime. Many times. SOOOO FUNNY!

Object of My Attention

I think the condition of my home is directly correlated to my mindset in any given season. If I am operating in a "I Can" mentality, my house is looking pretty good. If I am in a season of defeat, my house begins a downward spiral of messiness. Right now when I look around my house I feel defeat. Not wanting to deal with it, I would much rather grab the backpack and hit the road to go geocaching. This summer we have spent so much time outside. It has been easy to live in the house enough to mess it up but not stick around to clean it up. Simply because life demands, I have kept up on the dishes and laundry. If we did not need clean dishes or clothes, I am quite certain these things would be left undone as well.
Today after breakfast I sat looking at my counter. Overwhelming. Stacked with bottles, trash, messy appliances, dishes and counters caked with crumbs and spills. I knew something had to be done. Part of me wanted to run away. Part of me wanted to do something about it.
Since Wal-Mart this week has their awesome school supplies sale, I picked up our year's worth of crayons, markers, folders, glue...and other misc schooling supplies. This morning I gave the kids their own art supply box complete with the essentials. With the kids occupied, I set my mind to cleaning the counter. Once everything was cleared, I sprayed it down and scrubbed away. Tough stains were visited my Bar Keeper's Friend...love this stuff! With the counter looking spiffy I tackled the cabinets, then the appliances. It looks really good and I feel good about accomplishing something.
So I think my mindset for the next couple weeks will be this: Object of My Attention. I will pick an object or small area that needs my attention. I will clean the object/area will excellence. Organize where it is needed. I noticed that once I started today I wanted to keep going and make everything around it look good too. Hopefully this will help me to get things done. Making the house look better. Without feeling overwhelmed. And still able to enjoy our summer.

Great Grandparents

My kids have never known them. My grandparents all pasted away before the kids were born. My paternal grandmother, an hour before she passed, spoke to my sister and I, saying "I will never meet your little ones this side of heaven." We were both pregnant at the time. On my husbands side, his grandparents are all gone now as well. DS, met the last remaining grandfather when he was a month old. Just before he passed on.
A couple weeks ago now, when we were gone for a week, we went up north. My girlfriend invited us up to spend the week at her grandparents cottage. They own acres on a beautiful lake. Their main home is directly next to the cottage. For my kids it was their first real experience with an older generation within the family. Over the week four generations were present in their home. And I realized what we had been missing. What I was missing.
They were incredibly sweet and adopted us in. We shared meals together. They shared their home and their history. Grandpa took us on boat rides and tubing. We explored their land and had a fabulous time.
On the fourth of July, grandpa asked us if we would like to ride in the parade in his 1928 Model A. Of course, we did and had a fabulous time. The parade route was about 5 miles from their home. The kids were in back in the trundle seat. Their hair flying in the wind. Grandpa showed me all the unique features of the Model A. I watched at he finessed it just so to make her run. Amazing. In the parade we put the top down, smiled, waved and threw suckers to the kids in the crowd. Good times.
I wonder what kind of stories my grandparents would have to tell if they were still around. I am sure I could sit around for days listening to all they had to say. Maybe the other side of heaven I will be able to do just that.

Blog Addiction?

71%
Apparently according to this online test I am 71% ADDICTED TO BLOGGING.

So much to blog on, hopefully I will get to it soon.