K4 - Homeschool Happenings | Week One

I had a surreal moment a few weeks ago... I  was sitting in a room with other parents for a parent orientation because Kyla was starting school! My daughter is officially school aged. I knew this day was coming and I was looking forward to it, but it happened so fast! 

We started school at home this week and we had our first day of Classical Conversations yesterday. In my mind I had a schedule and an order in which I wanted to do things here at home but what I have found works best is I pull everything out and we just start. If she is getting distracted by one thing then we move on to the next subject and come back to whatever we need to work on. 

We do always start with Bible time, I am using Long Story Short for that. When we start Awana's in a few weeks I will included that during this time. After that we just go with it. Today we did a lesson in the Math U See Primer, two new letters in Handwriting Without Tears and then she practiced on lined paper, learned 6 new sight words, reviewed our memory work for Classical Conversations, one lesson out of Teach Your Child to Read, we read a BOB Book and then she read it to me and daddy (she was sooooo proud of herself, and I confess we were proud too), we worked on 5 Basic Elements of Shape via the dry erase board and she painted just for fun! I am also trying to read out of chapter books atleast once if not twice a day. Currently we are reading The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh and a Flat Stanley book. 

Here are a few images from the past few days, 

Day 1: at home

Preparing for CC: awesome easy way to pack lunches, Easylunchboxes

This is what it looks at my house as this tutor is preparing for CC. Note the big glass of Sweet Tea! 

First Day of CC!

Today at home: working on handwriting without tears, making the letter H

I still haven't forgot about why we homeschool and why a classical education and Classical Conversations!
Soon!!


Linking to:

5 on Friday

Lately the Lord has really caused me to feel really blessed for the relationships He has given me! Today I wanted to reflect on 5 very different seasons of my life and how thankful I am for the friends God has given me. 

Season 1: Growing up 

There was always at least 5 of us from 2nd grade on. Here we are on the first day of our senior year. We have gone our separate ways since high school keeping up via Facebook but nonetheless these girls played a huge part in my life!

Season 2: High School 

Joy and I knew each other since we were little but it was high school when we became close. Our faith in the Lord drew us together and it is what has kept us close since then. We don't talk often but when we do we pick up right where we left off. 

Season 3: College

I wanted to go to a Christian university so that I could have solid Christian friends. It was a HUGE desire of mine! God granted that desire in unmeasurable ways. The four of us have been friends since freshman year. Our relationship is built on Jesus. It is our common glue because we are all very different. We all live apart from one another but try to see each other as often as we can. Last summer we spent a weekend in STL catching up and having girl time. Since that time we have each had a baby, (one of them is in labor as I type). I am SO THANKFUL for these Godly women! 

Season Four: Louisville Life

I left college early and these three wonderful friends behind and traveled to the unknown world of Louisville, KY to marry my absolute best friend and love of my life. It was hard to leave friends that are like sisters behind. After a tough few months God directed Justin and I to an awesome church who immediately became our family. God gave me some wonderful friends in the form of women who were a few years older than me and MUCH MUCH wiser! These ladies saw me through so many changes and were there to always encourage, correct and walk beside me. I am honored to count them as my closest friends! 

Season Five: Ministry 

Approximately two years ago my husband took a senior pastor position away from Louisville. We have no doubt God called us to serve where we are now but that doesn't make leaving these awesome ladies behind any easier. If it were not for the immediate best friend I found in the associate pastor's wife this transition would have been a lot hard. Ministry is HARD! It is awesome to share the burden with someone else who is in your same shoes.  I am so thankful for her love for Jesus, her family, our church, and for just who she is!! It is a blessing beyond words! 

Now to be fair there are a few ladies who are not pictured in various seasons that mean the world to me! God gifted me Sara (Drake) Salguero in college as a fellow friend and RA, Julie Noyes during my transition time in Louisville, and some awesome ladies in our church who I feel blessed to call friends! 

So thankful for the relationships God has blessed me with and how in every season HE knows exactly what I need! 

My Blessings

It has been awhile since I have shared any of my sweet blessings so here ya go :) 

Almost Go Time!

I can't believe it, my little girl is 4. WOW! That means we are officially starting preschool this year. She is ready and excited. All the books have been purchased and supplies are ready to go, even I am ready to start. Monday is GO day! 

This year we are starting Classical Conversations. CC, as it is fondly called, is a group of people who meet weekly together and introduce a new set of memory work that everyone is working on at home. After learning about different styles of education I think the classical model of education will be a great fit for Kyla and our family. If you are interested in learning more about what Kyla is learning you can learn more about the Foundations program here. I am actually going to be a "tutor" (their word for teacher) of K/1st grade, I am excited to be a part of such an awesome group of people. 

The program itself is not complete, we have to add math and phonics. We are about 15 lessons into Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for phonics. For math, we are starting with the Math U See Primer. I am actually excited to re-learn math as it is my weakest subject thus my least favorite! The other additional things we will be doing is Handwriting Without Tears and Long Story Short for our Bible overview.  

I am planning to post what I have learned about the classical model of education and why I think it will be GREAT for us and also why we want to homeschool! 

Here it is, our school shelf in the kitchen... ready to go! 

yes, that is a back pack. Was it necessary... no but did she really want one for school, yes and she was excited about it! For $9.99 from LL Bean I obliged :)