Ezra Taft Benson -

As a watchman on the tower, I feel to warn you that one of the chief means of misleading our youth and destroying the family unit is our educational institutions. President Joseph F. Smith referred to false educational ideas as one of the three threatening dangers among our Church members.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Spring Fever

Every year at this time we get Spring Fever really bad. Especially since we moved from Florida. We were outside all the time in Florida. It seemed it was easy to stay busy. Here in Utah the winters are cold. We stay in most days. It isn't just the restless kids, it's me as well. The house is clean, the school work is done, emails read, phone calls made, ...and it is noon. Now what? The kids don't want to go outside, and if they do it is for just a few minutes.

So what do we do? Instead of trudging through we looked for a new path. The curriculum we were using was monotonous for us during this time. It was awesome..but we needed something new to brighten our thoughts. I decided to do the basics, ie.. Math, Spelling, Reading. I brought out some old drawing books and had the kids spend some time drawing and illustrating. We looked up funny quotes online. We went to the library and stayed there longer than usual. We also started doing a morning devotional. I am going to start letting the kids be in charge of it.

I also decided it was time to spring clean. We spent a few days learning to organize our closets, we dug everything out from under the beds, and we vacuumed those hard to reach spaces behind the dressers. The house felt new and fresh. It did help us feel energized. And now the kids have a different view of what "clean your room" means.

We also decided to take a Spring Break this year. I usually don't have breaks. We do school year round. Keeps life orderly and sane. But this year we are taking a cruise with family and getting away.

I already feel better. I already am excited to "start" again and get more done. That's the beauty of Homeschooling. You can make things fit for you. My kids are doing great. They get quized all the time by non homeschoolers who want to prove they are dumb because they are homeschooled, and it is usually the non homeschoolers who walk away feeling dumb. So I'll stop stressing and enjoy where we are and what we are doing.

I always did walk a different path than those around me. I never had a problem doing my own thing. I want my kids to have that and "Enjoy the Journey", their journey. Not a journey others have determined "normal".

So take a break. Do what needs to get done. Drop what needs to get dropped.

In a world filled with those who aren't learning to control their lives, who are falling victims of depression and boredom, I feel we need to teach our children to take control of situations and turn them around. They need to know they can do things differently and make a happy life without following the routine or norm. When we would come to my dad or mom and say "I'm bored", their reply was "there is pletty to do. Are you sure it's not that you are boring?" My sister and I learned to find the fun, and to make "boring" times good ones. Without that ability I think it would have been easy for us to go along with some of our friends down terrible paths, looking for excitement only to find more sorrow and pain.

(1 Timothy 3:4-5 KJV)
(4) One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (5) (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Enjoy the Journey

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Great Art

I really don't like doing art at home with the kids. I usually source that out to coops or classes offered in the community.

I found a great art teacher who posted her class about 40 miles from us. I decided to email her and see if she would be willing to come down here and teach classes. She was more than happy to come. I then sent out an email offering the class to those homeschoolers interested and we have over 10 kids coming to the art class I will host in my basement in April. The kids will learn to use watercolors and draw.

A friend posted this great Art blog that you might find helpful. I will keep it on my list just in case one of these days I get a wild hair and want to have the kid do something fun.

http://deepspacesparkle.blogspot.com/

Monday, March 8, 2010

Swimming season snap shots


My family started taking swimming lessons as babies while we lived in Florida. We had a pool in our backyard and they swam constantly. So when we moved here it seemed fitting to continue our love of the pool. It took me a while to find a place. But this school year we did it.

Shelby and Taylor both swam for UVRAYS in Springville. Taylor swims for an hour every day, and Shelby swims for two hours. We love our coaches. They spend a lot of time teaching the kids the strokes and working on weaknesses. We have gone to 5 swim meets and done a great job improving our times each time. Taylor was 2 seconds from making state with her backstroke. We had a great first year! Just like the Olympics we learn in competition. It isn't always the winning. It is doing our best and feeling good about our accomplishments.
It was fun for the family to go and support the girls at meets. Sometimes there was a long wait in between the next event. But we are fortunate enough to have some creature comforts like video and games. Shelby did a lot of reading as well.

I hope I am teaching the kids to be involved. Find what you have an interest in and hopefully you have some skills in the area. Then work at it and enjoy it.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Her first dance is Prom!


A great family here in Utah County have been putting a Homeschool Prom on for the past 10 years. Shelby has anticipated going ever since we moved here and heard about it. This year it was scheduled just before she turned 14. We decided to let her go since she is in 9th grade and all her peers were going. Rules are good...but there are exceptions to everyones story and life. Some might not be ready to go until 15. wink

It was her first dance. Her and her friends went to a salon and got their hair done together. It was great fun! And the excitement built. It was really hard to find a modest dress. Even here in Happy Valley. The dresses either had no sleeves or they were cut to low. Believe it or not I found her dress on Ebay. The seller had the measurements and it fit like it was made for her!

She went in and quickly found friends to hang out with. I thought about staying but decided not to. When I picked her up the first thing she said was "5 guys asked me to dance". I was so glad to hear she had a great time. Later when the story was told detail after detail it was revealed that she danced with the 5 guys more than once. Such great memories of her first dance. I wish I had stayed to take pictures. NEXT TIME!

viewers