homeschool set up

Saturday I got all of Kirby's homeschool materials in the mail.  It was very exciting to fianally get it here, look through it and get it all organized.  Well for the most part.  It is put away but placement of specifics may change as we get going.  I wanted to show how I set things up for this year.  Since the school room is also currently our office and laundry room I could only use one corner for the time being.  The washer and dryer won't ever be able to be moved but the hope is that once Judah is a bit older he will move in with his big brothers and we will turn his room in to our office and really be able to set up a nice little school room for the boys.

This is their corner.  For now this little table will work well and I bought these bean bag chairs so we can get comfy for reading time.  I had a little whiteboard to hang, which will be fun for Kirby to write on and my mom even sent me a calendar to use that is just like the ones we had in elementary school.  Just one of the many perks of having a mom that is a principal.

This is all of our materials.  Top shelf is Kirby's new books.  Second shelf is some Pre-K workbooks for Bennett.  Next a few fun books to read and a couple of games.  Fourth shelf coloring books with crayons/colored pencils and the bottom shelf is some of our random language learning books that don't have any other home just now.

In the colored drawers I have art supplies, flash cards and other manipuatives.  On top of that are our readers and a new series I got for shared reading time.  The wooden drawers don't currently have anything in them but I think I will let each of the boys have one for now to keep whatever they would like in it.  Although I'm sure Judah could care less, Kirby and Bennett will like having a place to keep papers and in-progress art projects.

A lot of people have asked me what curriculum I finally decided on.  To be honest looking at all the curriculums was completely overwhelming.  Since I worked at a Christian school before having children I know a little bit about some of the more popular curriculums.  But when I began to ask around most homeschooling moms recommended just doing Reading and Math for kindergarten.  I liked the sound of that, especially since I myself will be doing about 15 hours per week of language learning, 6 of those being out of the house class time.  So I just didn't want to get us in too deep and both really end up hating it.  I was also advised by many that if the instruction time (including reading out loud to your child) lasts longer than an hour, you are just doing too much.  So I did my research and ended up with this...

Singapore Math--Earlybird Kindergarten Math A and B and Power Math-K (Bought from Amazon since Singapore Math doesn't carry it anymore.) Also the set of math readers to go with it.

Rod and Staff--Complete Set of ABC Series + G (Which is technically preschool--they don't have Kindergarten--but I thought this would be something great for including Bennett.)

Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Handwriting Without Tears

We also have quite a few early readers to use and I got the Magic Tree House books to read out loud--they are written for a little  more advanced reading level but it will be good for them to listen to and then they will be able to read them again themselves when they get to that level.

So, we have quite a few things to get us started.  This will give us a taste of a couple of different curriculum parts to test out for future use.  I think we may also be starting in with some things that could be great supplements to what we use later on.  I've been debating what kind of school calendar to use that will fit closely with when Stan has school breaks as well as when we take breaks for American holidays that aren't celebrated here.  I think for this year I will follow pretty close to a standard school calendar and make adjustments as needed.  So September 1st will be our first day.  A little later than most schools but we won't return from vacation until late on the 29th and then I will have two days to do laundry and get situated before jumping in.  Not to mention a short first week could be especially good for both me and Kirby.

Pray for us, this will be a big change in how we do our daily schedule as well as I will go from just parent to parent and teacher!

the start

Today is the beginning of Stan's intense language stuff.  For the next five weeks he will be putting in 5-6 hours a day of language study.  Ouch, right?  This will require a little more discipline for us as a family.  I am also doing 3 days a week--not 5-6 hours but at least 3--and that means both of us getting out the door to the study office.  Which in turn means having the boys set up for playing and such for the mornings we are both gone.  And we are NOT resorting to the TV being the primary form of entertainment each day.  Can. Not. Happen. 

And because I need a good kick in the pants, and my foot is doing better, I am getting back into my workout routine.  I am hoping to walk a couple of days a week and do videos at home the others.  And this always encourages me to get back on target with my eating each day.  No sneaks and treats like I have been allowing lately.  We go on vacation in exactly 8 weeks and there is absolutely no reason I shouldn't be able to lose 10 pounds minimum before that.  15 would be great, but I don't want to set my sights too high and get discouraged...again.

So please pray for us.  I am not disciplined by nature.  It is something I struggle with and have to work at.  We will make it through the next two months.  But I really don't just want to make it, I want to get through that time and look back and just marvel at all the Lord has taught me.  Here's to the start!

sunday psalms

I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,

And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

O Lord my God,

I cried to You for help, and You healed me.

O Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;

You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.

You have turned for me my mournig into dancing;

You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,

That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Psalms 30:1-3, 11-12

a long awaited trip

No this isn't about our vacation--although our plane tickets are now booked and paid for so it's for real!!!--this is about an overnight trip I got to take with M and W.  As you may know Stan travels out quite a bit to areas that are a little more concentrated with the group we work with.  I have never gotten to take such a trip.  There are two close cities, DC and WS, that are pretty much the center of this area, as far as cities go.  Well maybe DC isn't so much a city as it is a market town but all the same, an important location for us.  And we have even talked that in a few years down the road, we may want to move to WS.  So this week gave opportunity for me to travel with these two ladies to see these places.  Pray over these places.  And meet new people and see friends that have already been made. 

I knew a one night trip was going to be enough for my first time out, especially since we couldn't really do much hiking due to my previously mentioned foot issues.  We decided to leave Thursday just after lunch, head to DC and walk around a little and then go on to WS for dinner and to spend the night.  DC was pretty much like I expected.  Just a basic town where people living in villages can go to for supplies.  It also has a large market twice a month for this purpose, unfortunately not while we were there.  We left there and headed to WS.  We stayed in a pretty decent hotel.  I've stayed in much worse here in country (Kitty it waqs WAY better than the 'like water for chocolate' place) and even some worse places in the States.  We walked around for a little while and then headed to a restaurant that is owned by one of there local friends, who is a new 'Sister'.  She made us an excellent dinner and then we chatted for a while.  Since this was our first time meeting she wanted to talk to me a lot.  I seriously think I talked to her, without either of the ladies being able to get much of a word in edge wise, for an hour and a half straight.  All in Chinese.  To the point of my brain melting into a puddle of soup.  But it was great.  And even with some points of not understanding and having to work to get our point across it was was a smooth conversation.  I made a new friend and created a bond.

The next morning, after talking my head off the night before and still getting over a slight cold, I woke up with little to no voice.  And it's still pretty shady.  But it doesn't matter.  That morning we were just going to walk and pray and then head home.  We got home right around 1:30, just in time to hug and kiss the boys before naptime.  So I was able to take a nice steamy shower, and relax a bit myself. 

It was a perfect trip! :)

foot woes

In order to prove that I am rapidly aging now that I have turned 30, I feel the need to tell you about my foot issues.  It started when I was pregnant with Judah.  I did great until I was put on bed rest and then the pounds started to come on.  In addition we have hard floors, I mean very little padding.  Concrete topped with tile.  Some rooms have carpeting but the padding underneath is minimal.  So with the addition of several (times 10) pounds and walking on hard floors my foot started to hurt.  Near my heel it would ache when I woke up and first tried to walk (like getting out of bed while 8 months pregnant isn't hard enough).  I dismissed it as a pregnancy thing so I didn't get it checked out--or even mention it to my Dr.--while we were in BKK last summer.  Well it ended up not being just a pregnancy thing.  And over the past few months it has gotten worse.  Throbbing at night worse.  So I gave in and emailed our medical team.  From what they could gather from my symptoms and the main causes of aggravation they seem to think I have Plantar Fasciitis.  I'm sure this is my very first old person ailment and so, I must complain about it like an old person.  Although if my Granny read this she would be mad cause she doesn't complain, she doesn't see the point in it.

Anyway, so as this issue got left untreated it got worse.  I had to do something.  I haven't been able to really exercise (it brings on the throbbing) and that is prohibiting the weight loss I am looking for.  My mom sent me some insoles for my shoes, which I am very patiently waiting on as they make their little way through the China Post maze.  Also, I was told that 'regular' house shoes wouldn't cut it.  I needed support and I needed it all day.  An 18 hour bra for my foot, if you would.  So I ended up with these bad boys... 

Let me just tell you that  I can already tell a difference.  It's pretty hard to find shoes here in my size, which is a 9.  Even the capital city didn't carry them, and the people at the store actually laughed at me when I asked them about it.  So my only choice was to get men's.  But everything can be hit or miss here, so these are actually a 8.5 in men's.  Plenty of room for my toes to wiggle, that's for sure, but very supportive all the same.  Like an underwire for your foot I tell ya!  So my foot and I are becoming friends again.  It's a good thing.

Really all this is to find out if I am the only 30 year old that is already starting to fall apart.  Please someone else tell me that they have something going on that is making you feel old.  Not that I don't like being 30.  It's just that I'm planning on a good 50 or so more years and I want things to be working they way they should.

So, what ails you?

all my own

Way back in November I posted this dream room.  Since I knew this would never actually happen, at least not in the next 17 years while we have children living with us, I decided I needed to carve out just a small space for myself.  To be honest this area does get used for more purposes than just my enjoyment/work but the thing is that I can make it all just for me. And I've added in as much femininity in this testosteron filled house as I wanted.  It's a work in progress but I decided to go ahead and share it's current state.

 

just a few lovely things

most importantly there is coffee

  

a little hide away for my Bible and other books I'm reading

    

it all tucks away nicely

   

and then resumes it's normal function.

  

wednesday randomness

I'm watching The Blind Side.  I love this movie.  If anyone could watch this movie and not feel changed in some way then they are dead inside.

Stan left today for a three day meeting in KM.  So we are keeping it low key this week.  Just getting a few things done around the house.  Maybe planning a little Father's day surprise.  We'll see.

Kirby asked me today when 'Kirby Day' was.  I asked him why he thought there should be a 'Kirby Day'.  He told me we were about to have Father's Day so he wanted to know when it would be Kirby day.  I told him someday when he grew up he could have a child of his own and he would get to be the Father and it would be his day.  His reply...'Mom, I won't have a baby.  Men don't lay babies'.

So true, Kirby...so true.

I need some hair help.  I need to look and see what's in right now.  See what I can try to manage to make out of this mess I have going on.  I've been trimming my own layers.  I figure I need to learn how.  I can find someone to trim length off for me but if I'm going to have any kind of shape I'm going to have to learn how to get it on my own.  This battle will be won!

I think that's it for today.  I'm too in to the movie to remember anything else.

Have a great day everyone!

weekend fullness

We just had one of those crazy fun weekends that wears you out but was totally worth it.  It started with a good-bye party for a co-worker, J.  He has completed his two years and will be leaving in just a couple of weeks.  He lives in a different city than we do but we still got to see him often.  He has become a favorite visitor of the boys and we joked about him being our oldest son.  So we planned a 'getting rid of J' party.  I know, aren't we nice!  Don't worry the title was all in good fun.  There is a golf course--a very expensive golf course--in town and he's a big golfer so a big group went and played golf on Friday.  I stayed behind with the boys and prepared things for a cookout at our place that night.  We had burgers, cheesy ranch mashed potatoes (by request) and 7 Layer salad.  G made home made onion rings, yes he makes AMAZING onion rings, and the ladies made a Banana Split dessert, also AMAZING.  And after we all took an aspirin to thin our blood and prevent a heart attack, we watched a little presentation the ladies made (I laughed so hard it hurt) and gave him some gifts.  Funny gifts.  So he can never, ever forget us.  Ever.  He stayed through lunch on Sunday and then we had a last good bye.  My boy is all grown up, heading back to the States and starting law school.  *sigh*  Makes a momma proud.

We have a lot of such goodbyes coming up.  We will lose all of our singles, except one, by the end of October.  That means the other J will leave in August and the ladies, M and W, will both leave in October.  Things will seem so different in the coming months.  But as I've said many times, such is the way of life here.  People coming and going and moving on.  It will be, for obvious reasons, mostly difficult to say goodbye to the ladies.  But I am excited for them all and the paths Father has begun to lay for them.

On to the rest of our fun weekend.  Some friends that have 4 older children (meaning between ages 9 and 15) were sending the 3 oldest off to camp for the week and they wanted to go off for a night to celebrate their 20th Anniversary.  They asked us if their youngest could stay at our house.  I of course quickly agreed.  He is one of those children that you definitely want hanging around your own.  You know what I mean.  A great kid that you hope will rub off on your own children.  They are in there playing blocks and trains and with their tools (thanks to Papa Jiohn and Eric).  And even though he's 9 he is playing with them without complaining that they are too young or that he's bored or that he would rather be doing something else.  He's taking on this role of temporary big brother like a champ.  It makes me want to shadow his mom, K, (who deserves a whole blog post all on her own cause she is super woman without even knowing it) and copy her every move.  Seriously I live around some amazing women who can teach me so much.  And she, who also has three sons plus a lovely daughter who is the oldest, I know will teach me so much.  Her 4 are close in age and she has been through these tough years of babies, preschoolers and beginning homeschooling.  Anyway, I'm so glad their youngest has been able to spend a couple of days with us.  We had hoped to take all the boys out for a picnic lunch but it is raining.  So I think we will do a living room picnic instead. 

It's a busy week ahead as well with Stan heading to KM for a special training.  But even after being so busy all weekend, which usually leaves me dragging on Monday morning, I feel energized and overflowing and ready to go.  Happy Monday to you all!

the last person

I think I am officially the last person on earth to find my way to The Pioneer Woman.  Admittedly I have heard of her before this week.  But I really thought she was some woman in her 60's or maybe a fictional woman that someone created for cook book purposes.  I had only heard mention of 'The Pioneer Woman'  in the context of cooking but come to find out her site covers many areas of my interest.  She talks about photography (something I would love to know more about), gardening (we are talking of starting one in our side yard) and homeschooling (a journey I am about to begin myself).  Why didn't you people tell me?!?!?  I blame you blog friends.  I count on you to lead me to new places.  Especially since I'm here and you are there and have much more access to these things.  OK, not really.  But you can't keep her all to yourself!  I haven't blogged this week cause any free time I had I was reading through her love story.  That is my ultimate favorite thing to read about, talk about and think about--well think about my own that is.  I love a good love story.  True ones that is.  But anyway, if I could write half as well as she does I would do the same.  But most of you know mine already so no need for that.

OK, I'm off to browse her gardening section.  If there are any other blogs out there that are must reads please don't leave me clueless.  Please.  

a different kind of childhood

I have never been under any illusions that with our calling to live overseas our children would have a similar childhood to what we had.  There wouldn't be frequent trips to visit family, no going to school and holidays and memorable moments would be just a little different.  And I am totally OK with all that.  Well, not totally OK with being so far from family, but I have come to a place of peace about it. 

But even with all that, the other day Kirby said something that kinda threw my mind for a loop.  Stan was explaining a burn scar from his childhood that is on his left collar bone area.  This prompted Kirby wanting to hear stories from our childhood.  I was telling him about something, I seriously can't remember exactly, and I mentioned a lady and he asked 'Was she English or Chinese?'  And it just totally hit me.

As long as we live here he will always think in bilingual life.  This simple question is part of his everyday.  He has no concept of growing up in an almost all English speaking world.  I know that people in America speak multiple languages but most people stick to a social life spoken in their first language.  He is slowly learning to respond to English speakers in English and Chinese speakers in Chinese.  When I told him that everyone I knew when I was a child spoke English he was completely puzzled.  For him to imagine that my childhood was different is so difficult. 

My boy's childhood isn't going to be better than mine or Stan's, just completely different.  Do I know how to handle it if they have culture shock when we return to America?  Nope.  Will it always be easy on us as a family?  Nope.  Would I change the decisions we've made?  Nope.

I am excited to see how their little hearts grow in their desire to know and serve God.  I'm excited to let them soak it all in.  I'm excited to see the men they will grow to be.  I'm excited that there is the question, 'English or Chinese?' 

summer

It's already June.  I looked back and saw that I only had four posts for May.  That about sums up that month.  A whole lot of fun but busy, busy, busy.  And like I said before, there is a lot going on for us in the next few months.  But this week I don't feel so very overwhelmed like I did last week.  I sat back, took a deep breath, asked God to bring me back a notch and got through the week.  Today I crossed off  last couple of things on my To Do List that were for some reason kinda worrying me.  Why I was feeling so uptight about getting them done I don't know, but they are done now.

Over the weekend we were even able to squeeze in some beginning of summer fun.  I think for most Americans summer really begins on Memorial Day weekend.  That's when we head to the beach, crank up the grill and cake on the sunscreen--or is that just me?  Here the summer months really start more at the begining of May--in my opinion at least.  Our temperatures start to climb, not really any higher than what they have in NC but to be honest the no AC makes it seem SO much hotter, and since around July our rainy season begins (lets hope we get more of one this year than last cause we are in a serious drought) at that point the weather can be quite pleasant most days due to the rain cooling it off.

So here we are, summer time, busy time.  I feel just a little better prepaired to head into these next few months.  And knowing that we will be richly rewarded with a vacation at the end of the summer is going to make it all that much easier.