Stop and Look

There is something to be said about just letting kids observe what they see. {in case you can't see it Tommy is looking at caterpillar on the table} I'll let the pictures do the talking.

I love how intense he is watching the caterpillar, and his expression says so much.

Convention: Classes

I'm so excited!! My convention cataloge came in the mail!

I wasn't able to go to the Homeschool Convention {FPEA} last year because my beautiful sister was getting married and while I am so happy that she picked a weekend that I could go I was sad because I was missing something else that I really wanted to go too.

But that is now in the past and here we are... the dates are blocked off, steve took the time off from the clinic to watch the boys... the tickets are bought and the room reserved.

Now I am new to this but I am getting ready. I want to share some tips with you to make your day{s} at Convention great and productive.

Before I start I need to let you know that I will usually fall for anything. Really I am the best to play practical jokes on because I totally fall for it! So when people say that "this is the BEST curriculum" I usually beleive them. But I am learning that I need to stay focused on what I know is best for MY kids and go with that. I get so excited, and then I get really overwhelmed and then I just shut down. Convention is just 3 day... I don't have time to shut down, I need to be with it and ready!

Ok, so here are some helps for you....

Title of this class.... "Let Go Or I'll Break Your Leg: Resolving Conflicts and Restoring Relationships"

Can you guess what we need to work on....

#1 When your catalog comes and you open it do a quick skim of all there is... and there is a lot! Read just the title of the class and if you like it circle it if not leave it... At this point it doesn't matter how many you circle in a session, if it is something you feel you would like/need circle it.

#2 The next day... with a fresh head... go and look to see all that you have circled and read the descriptions. You can read all the descriptions of all the classes but you will probably find that you really have circled the right ones.

#3 Now go and see how many you have in each session that you are wanting to go to. You may find that there is only one in some blocks and others you'll find that you have 4 circled in the same block of time. THAT'S OK!!

#4 Here is the waiting starts... for me I am still a month and a half out from convention so I still have some time. I have all the classes that I want to take circled and ready... but now I will be praying about it. I want to take the classes that will uplift me, that will teach me, and that will give me the knowledge to inspire the boys. I know that doing this last step I will be ready for the classes that are to be taught.

Extras.....
#5 If there is a website look it up, make sure you know who they are and what they are selling....

#6 You can learn a lot by going to the vendor booth as well, so if you miss a class that is taught by a vendor stop by the vendor booth and talk to people there.

#7 If you are going with people see what classes they are going to and share notes... you can't be in two places at once, BUT you can go somewhere and your friend can go to a different place...

This is a great time to feel renewed with homeschooling, to be lifted up and ready to dive back in, remember to make the most of it!

Next up.... VENDORS... and how not to spend thousands of dollars!

Pinterest Finds

Do you Pinterest???

Oh I do and I love it!!

You can always find great ideas there.

I want to share some that I have found.....

This is on my board labeled Writing 

Here are some fun ideas that I found


First Grade Fresh had a great idea about a poster for the "Y" and way it sometimes sounds like 'i' and sometimes like 'e'. Take a look because she has another poster on the same post that would be a good help too.

Here is one from Zeek's Zoo. Its a fun way to show what different writings are. I am going to do this and put it in a binder so I can have the boys do a writing and they can go and see an example of what it is.

 Here is another fun printable  for making words plural. This one is from Inspired in Second

For most of these I am going to put into a writing binder that the boys can look at if they need too. I would love to put things on the walls here but I only have a  limited amount of wall space so into a binder it goes.

These are just a few things from the wonderful world of Pinterest that I love.

Accelerated Achievement

Have you heard of Accelerated Achievement or A2 {A Squared}

When we started thinking about homeschooling A2 is what I found. I bought the demo CD {$4.00} and really liked it. So I bought the A2 curriculum. It was $99.00.

For the $99.00 you don't get just one year you get K-12!! {There is no math and no science, but they are able to direct you to what you need and where to go for these subjects}

A2 follows a very classical education. With the idea that everything can be learned through books and through hands on learning. 

What I liked about it was all the books that are on the CD. Do you want to know how many books... 800!!! Yes, 800 books, and they are the classics!

It starts off with the McGruffy reading. And in 7 volumes it takes you from easy words to passages from Shakespeare. There are also one syllable books for early readers {which I really like}.

There are two versions to the curriculum. The first is the standard version with great quotes by famous people and bible verses to be used as copy work. The second is an LDS version includes what the standard version has along with scriptures from the Book of Mormon, quotes from the prophets and even a missionary prep book

When you buy the A2 curriculum you are part of their family. Paul and Susan Stone are willing and wanting to help you make this curriculum work for you. There is an area on their website where you can send messages but they also give you their HOME phone number!!! How many other curriculum's do that?? How many other creators of curriculum or of any homeschooling products will offer their home phone number?

With all that said, I no longer use this solely. I have found that we are not classical homeschoolers. I have gone a different way, BUT.... I still use the books. {how can I not??? 800 books remember!}

I am glad that I found this program, and it was a great... easy... way to start into homeschooling.

{All opinions are my own. I actually bought the CD and used it. I have not received any compensations for my thoughts or opinions to write this}