Throwback Thursday: 2007's Christmas Update

Dear Friends and Family,
It is so much fun for me to look back and see what was happening years ago. This post happened exactly 12 years ago in 2007 and it's amazing to think of all that has happened since these girls were so tiny. Enjoy!

Throw Back Thursday- April 6th, 2005

I wrote the following blog post 13 years ago! 

So hard to believe the time has gone by so fast!

I hope you enjoy reading what our little girls were doing

when they were newborn, eighteen months, 3 years old and 5 years old!

Monday Madness: What School Looks Like...

Welcome to Monday Madness where I talk about pretty much anything that comes to mind. 

From homeschooling to special needs to strange blog posts about silly objects to interviewing a family member...you never know what you might read on Monday Madness!

 Enjoy!

Every year is different...

Blast From The Crazy Past- Letter to my Favorite Teacher

Welcome to memories...my memories....welcome to a Blast from my Crazy Past!

I remember it clearly....I was sitting on my front porch and someone had stopped by to talk to my mom. They mentioned that they knew who the new third grade teacher was going to be at our little school. It was a man. A man. At the ripe, old age of 8, I had only had female teachers. The first one was wonderful, the second one hated me. Now a man?

If I could ever run into Mr. Morgan, I would love to say the following to him:


Dear Mr. Morgan,

I doubt you remember me in particular. My name is Heidi. I know you would remember my class as a whole because you asked to teach our group for three years. So I was blessed to have you as a teacher for 3rd, 4th and 5th grades before starting my homeschooling journey in Middle School.

Mr. Morgan, you changed my life in so many ways, I am not even sure I would have time to express them all, but I will try.

When you came into my life in 3rd grade, I had just got through a horrible year with my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Wall. Do you remember her? She seemed to favor the straight A students and I sure wasn't one of them. I struggled for every B I got and never felt good enough. Then there was the time I had to go to the bathroom so bad and she refused to let me go and I peed my pants all over my chair. I remember laying my head on my desk and sobbing because  my clothes and seat were soaked.

When you came along, I had just about had enough of this thing called "school". 

But you came in with your energy, great smile and with a voice full of encouragement and reassurance, you gave me a desire again to try.

I already loved reading by third grade but you gave me a desire to try out different genres of books. You opened my eyes to so many different authors by reading aloud to us every day. I don't even know if teachers have time or desire to do that any more! But every day you would read a chapter or two of a book after lunch. Your voice so animated and thrilling, it was better than an movie I had ever watched. Your voice stirred our imaginations and taught us to explore! The author I still love to this day is Rould Dahl. To this day, two of my favorite books are The BFG and Danny, The Champion of the World. Did you know they made The BFG into a movie last year! I like the idea of you going and seeing it, because I know Roald Dahl was one of your favorite authors.

You made learning fun! You made me want to learn and taught me how to teach as well. Because of you, I got a desire to teach my own children and have spent a fantastic 14 years teaching my children at home.

There are so many other things you did that changed me as a person as well as my outlook on life. I would love to think that there are other "Mr. Morgans" out there teaching children to love life and books. 

You know, I spotted you one day a few months ago....I was waiting in line in my truck to drop off things at Goodwill. I watched this man give things to the worker and as he turned, I realized it was you! I wasn't able to say hi....I had no words. How do you casually say hi to someone who changed your life??

Someday I hope to meet you again....if I do, I hope I have the words to say thank you. Thank you for changing my life. Thank you for being such an amazing teacher. Thank you for being you.

Your student,
Heidi

I'm Thankful For: Homeschooling

Sis making a nest...

Most anyone who has been reading my blog for very long or knows me personally, knows that we are a home school family.

Field Trip With T-Boss

Today was a field trip to the local Fire Department for T-Boss and I. There were around 20 other home-school kiddos there as well. Including one little girl who latched onto T-Boss insisting he hold her hand throughout the tour!

We have gone to this particular Fire Station several times in the past, but it never fails to get T-Boss excited whenever we go.

Here are 5 things T-Boss thought were cool and will be writing sentences on for school:

• I saw a ladder-fire truck where they get animals down from trees.
• I learned that they wear fire suits to go into fires.
• I learned about all the tools on the fire truck.
• I saw a fire man go down the pole.
• I saw their offices where they work in the building.

Today was a star day for my little man....

Where To Go From Here....

I'll be honest...I really haven't known where to go with this blog. I had numerous family members and friends let me know over the past couple years that they missed my blog and wanted me to write again...

So I did. On October 9, 2016, I got back on the band wagon and was really excited to do it!

However...

I LOVE MONDAYS! Really!!!

Mondays are different around here: We do not give our girls school work on Mondays as they volunteer with their grandparents at a local rest home and Lil Mr goes to preschool. So it is perfect for catching up on the little things that build up over the weekend or finishing up projects from Saturday.

Today was no exception. I dropped Lil Mr off at preschool then ran to the post office to get some stamps and also get hollered at by some random stranger who was not having a great day. That was pleasant. Then it was homeward bound with the vision of the two projects I wanted to finish dancing in my head.

The first was to reclaim my son's room. He is very good about putting things away, he likes everything in it's spot or he starts twitching. ( Reminds me of his dad.... :P ) However, if he has a friend over, things don't always get put away before said friend leaves. Then I see this glazed look come over him and he just dumps everything. Probably part of the Sensory Processing Disorder. So...to make it easier on him, I gave away a big sack full of toys that he really doesn't play with as well as a stack of books. Then I put up some of the toys like his blocks, Legos and Little People. This left his cars and trains to play with. The others can be pulled out when he wants to play with them, but  are out of the reach of  friends. Looks MUCH neater in there. We also moved out his big dresser he wasn't using and put in a smaller one. I have to say that it warmed my heart when he came home and saw his room. I pointed out where his shoes go and he said, "Wow, thanks, mom! Where do my socks go?" Too cute!

On hubby's lunch break we ran to Home Depot to get a few little things and off to Joann's to get another panel of muslin for my dining room curtains. When we got home, hubby put up my curtain rod, fixed the doors on my corner cabinet and changed out the hardware on the doors. The result was amazing! (Pics below.) While he did that, I scurried to my craft room and got my curtains sewn up. Was pretty simple to do but did take a couple hours.

All in all, I am really happy with how the dining room is turning out. It's taken a couple months, slowly but surely. It started with being wild and crazy by painting the dining room table and chairs. I moved some furniture around in the dining room. Hubby also moved the piano out of the dining room and into the living room. Then Saturday, hubby painted my dining room a beautiful creamy white color while I finished painting the corner cabinet. I have just two more things I want to do to finish it: I want to get a  cool "vintage" window and make a chalkboard out of it. I am also looking for a nice English or French countryside picture to hang on one wall.   I am pretty picky about what I will spend. I don't like spending more than I have to, as I would rather make things myself! However, a painter I am NOT. My poor parents tried giving me classes in middle school and let's just say...I am not talented in that area!

Anyway, there are some pics below. I hope you enjoy them and have a great night!

New hardware for a lovely old piece. Found out that this corner cabinet has been in our family for over 45 years.

Doors are secure and it is finished!

To save money, I waited till the outside panels of material went on sale for 60% off!
Then I only bought 3 yards, cut it in half and added muslin panels in the middle.

That long dresser was in my son's room. We brought it in here and turned it into a buffet.
Then I was going to put that little dresser out in the shed and hubby had the
great suggestion to put my cookbooks on it and walah! (Also known as "voila"! I just like my non-words!)

Pumpkin Patch

Today was a BLAST! A friend of mine organized a pumpkin patch field trip to a local farm that does it up great every year. We had about 30-40 kids varying in age from tiny babies to middle school. And all the parents to go with it. It was a great group! I met a couple people that I had seen on FB on the different homeschool groups I am in and also got to chit-chat with other moms I know. Here are some pics from our totally fantastic day:

All in all, a great day! I was really excited to see how far our little guy has come with sensory processing today...the cannon was pretty loud, but he didn't freak out, he just covered his ears! Go Lil Mr!

Back To School Traditions...

Whether you home-school or not, every family tends to have some back to school traditions. We have several that we do. Some are more consistent than others. Here are a couple:

One that has stayed on for the past several years is buying new shirts for the first day of school combined with the tradition of taking First Day pictures throughout the day. Some years we have matched, some years we haven't. Here are last year's First Day Pics and Shirts:

 Bob

 Fred

 Mac

 George

 Lil Mr

As you can see, each kiddo has their own unique style of what they choose for their First Day of School! The kiddos have been asking the past couple days when we are going to get their new shirts and I can tell that will have to be taken care of this week! After all, there is LESS than a week till school starts!!!

So what are your family's First Day of School Traditions?

The Lost Art Of Letter Writing

Today, my 7yo learned about letter writing and the proper terms for each section of a letter and envelope. Of course, we had to practice! So someone out there will be getting a letter in the next few days! When you get it, I hope you will take the time to write her back, cause she is SO excited about it!

EEEEEeeeeee!!!!

Posting letters at our house takes a little bit of practice...

It's gotta be in enough that it doesn't fall out, but out enough that our lovely postal gal will see it!

I can't wait for ______________ to get my letter!!!!

Where Do YOU School?

Last week on my website Yes, I am a teacher, I homeschool, I asked everyone where they schooled. We had some funny responses. I decided to take some pictures of where we were schooling on Thursday. Now you can see where WE school and yes, it is all over the place!

Fred, using beans on the Living Room floor to do her Math.

George enjoying the great outdoors in the garden wagon!

Mac soaking in some morning sunshine on the patio...

Bob counting her jumps on the trampoline!

If you have a blog that shows where you school, put a link in the comments section! I would love to see how you school!