Remember I mentioned that I’ve been planning here and there over Christmas break? Just 15 minutes to half an hour a morning for each child. Then the rest of the day with family and a Hodgepodge of other things.
This magazine rack type shelf over the family room couch is very handy. I decided that we would make purposeful use of this shelf this semester. When all those resources are within sight, we are more apt to enjoy them.
A new year habit – adding prayer requests, big dreams and more to a Prayer Changes Things ‘scroll’ – we’ve seen written evidence of His provision, prayers answered in ways we never imagined! More in the post Prayer Does Change Things.
We’re basically following along with all the favorites we chose back in August for our Hodgepodge Curricula 2012-2013. But mid-year is always a good time for a reassessment and reevaluation. A closer look. Realizations like…
Reading!
Lil’ Buddy is ready to read. We’ve been practicing with Alphaphonics. So, last week I pulled out Dick and Jane and the Biscuit set of books. (Pictured on the bottom shelf, above). What a blessing and huge privilege to help him learn to read.
Nature Study:
I’ve printed the newest January 2013 Outdoor Hour Challenge newsletter nature prompts for our chalkboard. And we are taking cues from Barb’s Nature Study Goals, getting back into the nature study habit we love. In fact, we’ve already noticed jonquils poking out of the winter ground!
We also made up for being sick for weeks and packed in the art times this week! Above I shared a collage of our new favorite Hearts and Trees kit. I shared photos last week of the gorgeous tissue paper star that Middle Girl made. Such a fun kit and we are still working our way through all the projects. This week we painted! Notecards with a homemade ‘brush’, Q-tips, bubble wrap dipped in paint, a cork and more. Plus Littlest Girl made a beautiful, imaginative picture all prompted by googly eyes! Check out the Winter Fun kit at Hearts and Trees.
More of the resources will will enjoy the rest of this school year, pictured above. 8th and 9th graders: How to Read a Book, Institute for Excellence in Writing, Science Roots and Apologia Biology, weekly planners (plus robotics – more about that later!). All: Home Art Studio, Child Training Bible, Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado, the new unit we chose from Answers in Genesis’ – Inventions & Technology.
Art and Music Appreciation:
See that Artistic Pursuits book up there? I have personally been missing our art and music appreciation time after lunch on Wednesdays. We enjoy these times – all ages together. If you’d like to know how we do that, please read my review of this favorite resource.
If you’ve been considering these handy plans, now is the time to add this joy to your homeschool. Because each year plan is on sale! Barb-Harmony Art Mom is offering any ebook version of the Harmony Fine Arts plans for Grades 1-8 at a discounted price of $13.95.
There is a special discount code to enter at checkout: YEAREND2012 – The code will be good through January 11, 2013. Click over to Harmony Fine Arts and see the newly updated website!
In addition to the big news around here of our first ever ebook release, A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels, Nana and I have brainstormed a list of new subjects for art tutorials. I’m excited! AND she stopped by for a new lesson I’m looking forward to sharing with you soon.
1. Eldest girl listening to Francis Chan via the Passion 2013 live stream. | 2. jonquils already poking through the dirt! | 3. the new Max Lucado Grace for the Moment devotional | 4. coffee and cheering on the Bulldogs on New Year’s Day. | 5. traditional New Year’s meal of black-eyed peas, cornbread and greens. YUM (thank you Nana!) | 6. We have a few, precious Christmas ornaments 🙂
Reserving our Tapestry of Grace books over the weekend. And they will go up here on the mantel. Which means I need to find a new spot for these wonderful paintings we swirled up with Earth Paints.
Oh! P.S. – there are some wonderful planning posts shared by iHomeschool Network bloggers earlier this week. I hope they are a help to you. Sometimes we just need that extra help or nudge to start forge ahead into a new semester.
Many thanks to our Friday hostesses!
- Collage Friday hostess Mary at Home Grown Learners
- Homeschool Mother’s Journal at iHomeschool Network
- Weekly Wrap-Up hostess Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
- No Fear Homeschool High School at The Daisy Head
Totally unrelated to new homeschool semesters but did you have a plate full of black-eyed peas, greens and cornbread on New Year’s Day too? But we can talk homeschool too. What are you changing up or are you staying the course? Have questions? I’d love for us to talk…
Looks like a wonderful plan. I am going to have a look at the chalk art book.
Thanks Tiffany – Let me know if you have any questions – and I’d love to see pictures of art work!
We sure did have the same thing on New years 🙂 It was yummy!!! Your week looks awesome. I love the paintings. We are staying the course pretty much with some fun reviews added in to change things up a little 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Love that traditional fare! Thanks, enjoy your weekend too 🙂
Tricia, your posts always inspire me and give me direction when I seem to lose mine, at times. Our Thanksgiving meal was a little delayed and the ham I had in the freezer had expired (oddly enough, the expiration date was prior to our purchase date)….but, I’m thankful we had other ways to fill out tummies. Praying for you and yours today! You are such a blessing to me and so many others!
Rebecca, thank you. I’m hopeful for wellness and new starts in this new year!
Yuck! Black eyed peas did not go on my menu! 🙂 Funny, I just have never liked them, so we are always non traditional on New Year’s Eve.
I admire your intentional planning, and your attention to beauty and prayer. What a beautiful homeschool you have.
Hope all goes well today. Hugs!
Thank you so much Mary. I just have to ask… how about grits? Cheese straws? 🙂
I adore grits and cheese straws!! Not many things I do not like — basically the only two are black eyed peas and baked beans. (now you know)
Hooray! 🙂
Yes, black-eyed peas, collards, cornbread and hog jowls. Totally Southern fare.
We’re beginning Apologia Land Animals this semester. His request. I love that he wants to study science this way. I need to be more intentional this year. Here’s to making new habits!
Tricia, I think I just need to move in and take notes from you for a while! Thank you so much for always sharing what you do and how you do it!
Meg – come on over! LOL. It’s all a whole lot of practice, trial and error. With a huge heaping helping of prayer!
Oh, yes, we had Hoppin’ John and collard greens on New Year’s day. I will have to add cornbread to the meal next year. I didn’t think of it. I think a mid-year planning break is a great idea.
I always love reading your posts since they are filled with so much information. Alphaphonics has always interested me, but I’m never too sure what to do with it. Teaching reading seems to be a struggle in our house and I would love to have a better approach for my last one coming up.
Beth – Alphaphonics really isn’t a ‘check it off’ sort of thing. We just open a page and go over it for a couple days to a week. Less than five minutes at a time. Then lots of praise. That highlighted Alphaphonics link will take you to a post with all our favorite learning to read resources. I hope that helps!
I think I’m going to have to steal a few of your ideas. Love the magazine rack for books. Not sure where I’d put it but I like it. And putting the nature study prompts out for all to see; I don’t do this but love the idea!
Steal away and enjoy Jamie! I’ve found that simply seeing – having those things within sight – goes a long way towards getting to enjoy the resources we love. And we have another of those book racks at the end of the hallway upstairs. In between two of the children’s rooms. So very handy.
Where did you get your plan for the scripture/painting artwork above your fireplace? I want to do that for our home. Thank you! I enjoy your blog!
Thanks Kristal! I share all about that mantel and the verse here: http://heartofthematteronline.com/homeschool-makeover-school-books-on-the-mantel/ and the scripture on the mantel is a stencil: http://www.stencilease.com/db/display.asp?input=1020
The flag my eldest three children painted together long ago. I really needed something large for over the fireplace and decided what better thing than something painted by the children? This is what resulted. It is so beloved that they did a few others for family members. And we entered it in the state fair and it won a blue ribbon.