This Week's Journey

Sigh. A week ago I shared a post of all the upcoming goodies I was planning on blogging about this week. Um, I think only two of them were actually fulfilled. Sorry. Even though it was a great and quite fulfilling week, it was extremely busy. Let's just say that last night, once my kids were all in bed, I followed shortly after, I was

ex. haust. ed!!

To help me stay on task and actually provide you with a semi-interesting post aside from reviews and giveaways, (which are fun in their own right!) I have decided to join up with the The Homeschool Mother's Journey, at least for this week anyways! (I don't want to make anymore promises!!) This way you can see a small glimpse into our week and if you click the link above, you can see what other homeschoolers have enjoyed (or battled!) throughout the week as well!

IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK

I canned veggies from our garden. For the first time! Yup. On our way to self-sufficient living. Let me tell you that it is a process. Our goal certainly is to grow enough food on our property to last us throughout the year without having to go to the store. Yes, we have a looooong ways to go. But tilling and preparing the ground in this crazy Virginia red clay has been painstaking! But finally, after getting the soil ready for the past few years we finally had an abundance this year, and a little left over to actually bust out our pressure canner. Tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and yellow summer squash to be exact. Not a whole lot, but enough to at least get the basics down! And there is still plenty growing out there, so this is just the beginning!

IN OUR HOMESCHOOL THIS WEEK

We officially started school this week! This will be my first year officially teaching all three of them. Yikes. This homeschool thing sure is a lot of work. Worth it, but a lot of work. The kids were excited about starting a new "grade" but then when they saw the work expected of them for this new year their spirits deflated a bit. The attitudes started. And the classic, "why does the pre-schooler get to play while I'm doing all this work!" Sigh. Overall, the week went well, we all survived and I can see what I think is working and what I need to tweak.

I REWARDED MY KIDS THIS WEEK BY

Overall the kids adjusted well to the new routine. So one day I let them rent the Lego movie as a treat. They were surprised, and so was I. Simply because I actually watched it this time and saw some things I didn't really like. Hmmm. Why am I so picky when it comes to what I let my kids watch?

PLACES WE'RE GOING AND PEOPLE WE'RE SEEING

I love weddings! And this week I'm attending a wedding of a friend's daughter. Yeah. That's showing my age. My first wedding where it's not a peer but the child of a peer! Wow, I'm getting old!

You know, I LOVE comments!

I'd love to hear about your week in the comments below!

Original 13 Colonies Fact Cards (Free Printable)

These Thirteen Colonies Fact Cards were created for my kids as we studied early American history. What a pivotal time in our history! Puritans seeking religious freedom, adventurers setting out for a new land, and those in debt hoping for a fresh start—a new life. From the first colony in Virginia, until all thirteen stars on the first American flag were represented, these cards are a perfect review for your homeschoolers. Use them to drill the first thirteen colonies so your child can recite them with ease, and have them dictate the information on the cards to help them remember a small fact about each colony. Feel free to print these out and have your children write facts that they learn about each colony on the back. Go ahead and laminate them, too! Simply right-click, save, and print to use this resource in your homeschool as you study about the original thirteen colonies in America. Use the facts for dictation, copy work, or discussion in your home. Disclaimer: All co...

Truck-Themed Homeschool Chore Chart

Use this truck-themed homeschool chore chart to keep your kids on track throughout the school week. With lessons, field trips, meals, and unexpected errands filling up your week, even the simplest chore chart can help your home run more smoothly. At times, kids are excited for the new opportunity to help out around the house and do it with joy. Other times they stomp toward the trash can with anything but a good attitude. Help keep attitudes in check by using stickers, smiley faces, or positive verbal reinforcement as your child completes each task on the chart. For the child who loves lists (and the mom) this is the perfect free printable to have on hand! (Simply right-click, save, and print)

The Pencil Grip Inc. {Review}

We have found what we have been looking for in The Pencil Grip Inc .'s 24 pack of Magic Stix Washable Markers . These markers are the perfect fit for a homeschooling family such as ours. I am thrilled to tell you about our experience with them! Normally, I do not have a favorable impression of markers for several reasons. For one, as a kid, I remember markers having such a strong smell that it would give me a headache. I know some kids enjoyed the scents but it certainly was not for me. And to be honest, if I had markers like that in my house today, my kids would probably stick them up their nose or something. Another reason I have a distaste for markers is the drying out factor. As a parent of many children this is super frustrating. I finally teach the older ones to put the caps back on when they are done using their markers but then a younger one comes along and just doesn't understand. This then leads to the undue frustration of your child sitting down to...

Thrift Schooling

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