Another Blogathon Successful

Today is it!  I actually did it!  I blogged every day for 31 days during the month of May in 2012.  I also did the Blogathon in 2011.  So, that's 2 years in a row that I have blogged every day for one month - A long month too, with 31 days.

I hope you have found my May posts to be interesting and at least slightly  more useful than just pure selfish rambling.

There is so much to homeschooling that it's sometimes difficult to choose what topic to cover.  My aim is to be here as a useful resource for you, even if you're not a homeschooler.  Many parents of children who attend public or private schools have also found this site useful.  Well, that is when I'm not rambling like I am now, I'm sure.

For now, I've made it through another successful Blogathon.  Hopefully my next post will be of value to you, and you will continue stopping by to read what I have to share.

Follow This Blog

The Blogathon 2012 is coming to a close.  Just one more day, and I've successfully accomplished 31 days of blog posts for another year.  If you've liked what I've offered, please follow this blog.

I make it very easy for you to follow me.  Choose to follow me by email to get updates whenever I post, which usually is not as often as every day so no worry of spam.  Or, choose to follow my RSS Feed, through Google or Blogger.  All of your options are on the sidebar of this post.

There you go!  I made it to day 30 before pleading for followers.  Please also find me on Twitter @Jalenagraham and on Facebook @Teachable Scotts Tots Homeschool.  I'm everywhere on the web if you just do a simple search.

And, please let me know what you would like to read more of.  Do you like science experiments?  Do you need more direction in arithmetic?  Do you like the book/product reviews and giveaways?  Do you need some ideas to get your kids moving for PE, or creative in art projects?  What do you want to read about most?

In the meantime, please enjoy some random pics:

Science Experiment Surface Tension with Pennies in Water

We enjoy doing science experiments at home.  Our typical location is the kitchen counter.  However, this latest experiment took place on the dining room table.

We are notorious for following the steps of a perfectly good science experiment only to have it fail.  Even in my college chemistry classes, my group was always the only group in the lab who would follow the directions precisely and not end up with expected results.  That's why I enjoy science experiment books that actually describe what is supposed to happen.  That way, when the experiment has failed, we can look back and see what was supposed to happen according to the world of science.

Following is a video we successfully (sort of) conducted using pennies and a jar filled with water.... And, I have no idea why it uploaded with a green streak across the video (I apologize and am looking into why).



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izogo1o_nTk&feature=youtu.be

My Homeschool Wordle

Did you know there is a really cool site that allows you to create a picture from any group of words you choose?  How cool is this to use for word studies?

It's also fun to just play with.  I plugged in my blog's URL and got this:

I was somewhat surprised to see the words that were pulled to create the picture, so I decided to create my own with homeschool as the theme:

You can even change the language, font, colors, etc. to make it your own.

The site is free and ready to use here:

http://www.wordle.net/create

Create your own.

Memorial Day is Tomorrow!

Memorial Day is tomorrow, and we plan on taking in the day as not only time together as a family but in displaying our flag in honor of those who have given their lives for our freedoms.

I remember as a child visiting my grandma's grave and knowing instantly what it is to "memorialize" someone.

It's important to remember, in the midst of fun and building relationships with those who remain in the living world around us, that there are those who are gone and spent their time fighting for our freedoms.

This isn't meant to be lecture, just a reminder to never forget the meaning and purpose of someone's life!  As you talk about Memorial Day with your children, it's ok to also have some fun.

May God's purpose in your life shine through today...

He says, "I know the plans I have for you - A plan for hope and for a future!"

We Walk This Way Often

A walk around our favorite neighborhood lake is a frequent trip we take.  Of course, I include it as part of our PE hours and much-needed exercise and break for me.  But, something more exciting happens on these walks.

It is around this lake, like many enjoy around their dining room table, where I hear any and everything that is important to my children.

One walk begins with my son talking about Disney games online.

Another walk ends with a talk about my daughter's dance recital.

We've talked about God's creation, Bible verses, why birds live inside a dead tree that the city never cuts down, how the lake shimmers in the sunlight as if its sparkling and any and every topic that comes to mind.

Yes, I am often left with eyes glazed over and wishing I could just enjoy some silence while taking in God's beautiful creation.  But, there is nothing I would give to trade in the memories and relationships we are building on our pathway walks around this lake.

Pizza Hut Book-It and Reading Over the Summer

Summer reading programs are starting soon in our town.  Our local library begins sign ups on June 4.  In my house, they have already begun.  Every year, we sign up for the Pizza Hut Book-It program which gives free pizzas for reading.  They also have a really cool website where you can play games and count your reading time.

Check it out:

http://bookitprogram.com/SummerBreak/default.html

Just Some Pics From My Photo 101 Class

There's benefits to cleaning out your basement!  Recently while going through some boxes downstairs, trying to clean up the area in hopes to have it ready to use as a school room this fall, I ran across some photos from a Photography class I took in college.

I absolutely love black and white photographs.  Even with the onset of color and the ability to change and edit photos as desired, I often take out color as I love the black and whites.  These first two actually used a cool, almost brown tone, of black & whites.  They were taken in my old stomping grounds neighborhood near St. Louis Hills in an old barber shop - Still used at the time.  This second one I have always loved as it was taken looking into the window with a reflection of the building behind me.  So cool (to me anyway).

A strange fascination I have in photographing is to take pictures of chairs and benches from behind.  I don't know what it is about it that fascinates me.  My photography teacher described my work as having a dramatic approach.  I'll take that.  Sort of sounds impressive.

And, this one is one of my all-time favorites!  I caught my hubby shaving.  It is actually his reflection in the bathroom mirror.  At the time, I thought how cute it would be to have a little boy next to him doing the same thing.  However, we were yet to have children when these photos were taken in 1994.

Anyone who has ever taken a black and white photography class will enjoy this one, as it is one of the basic exercises of capturing contrasting shadows.

And, this one is a montage of photos I took on our honeymoon at the Bay View Inn on Mackinac Island.  In addition to the view from behind and rocking chairs, I have always loved the open door leading the viewer's eyes toward the images.  These always fascinated me from the time I took them.  I often pondered why they intrigued me so much.  After I lost my third baby to miscarriage, I realized that even back when I took the photos I always saw the empty chair as one yet to be filled.  Thankfully, God is merciful and filled my chair with three beautiful children.  At the time, however, the photo was almost prophetic.

If I Started Blogging Today I Would Do This Differently

If I started blogging today, what would I do differently?  This is the question asked of today's Blogathon 2012.  This makes me think...

Would I use a different blogging platform?  I'm not sure.  Everyone has their preference as to whether to use Wordpress, Blogger or some other blogging platform.  I find Blogger to be so easy to use that it took me awhile to warm up to Wordpress and I'm not completely won over to the Wordpress format even though I do use it to present my writing work.  Check it out here, if you like:  TereJScottWriter.Wordpress.Com

Would I change my blog's name?  Perhaps.  Naming a blog is almost as difficult as naming your child though Google may be slightly less flexible in assigning a nickname or terms of endearment.  Once you choose a name, that's it unless you want to move all of your blogs to date to a new title.....  So, looks like Teachable Scotts Tots Homeschool is what I'm sticking with for now.

Money Making Opportunities, would you change that?  Well, I don't know.  I don't want to be a block of ads for my readers to feel spammed.  Though, it would be nice to make more than a penny or two here and there.  Still, I do write an occasional product review that yields some payment.  I would like to open up my blog to private advertisements eventually.  For now, I have a page dedicated to homeschoolers with a business to advertise for free.  I even create a spotlight page at no charge.  Though, I've strangely only had less than a handful of business owners take advantage of this.  Maybe if I charged for the service, I'd get a line of people wanting it.  I don't know.  Making money off of a blog is a fine line between offering a true service and becoming just another place to plop down a buck.

I enjoy blogging my personal insights, but I also really enjoy spreading the word about helpful products and opportunities.  I think I'll keep a healthy mix and maybe one day my blog will be read by millions.  In the meantime, if something I write encourages you - I've done my job to complete satisfaction.

Do You Count Your Facebook Friends?

Maybe it's just my own obsessive compulsive tendency at work, but some days I find myself noticing that a friend or two of mine on Facebook has dropped off.  I never usually know who this friend is, but I notice the number of my friends went down by one or two.  But, then just as fast as they went away, they pop back up again and reappear as being counted in the number of my friends.

Why is that?  And, why do I care?

True, it's not as back as it was when I first signed up for Facebook as I only had a few friends who were easy to keep tabs of.  Now, because of my work, I have branched out to connect with more "friends" so it is more difficult to keep track.  Still, I notice when the number goes up or down.

Is it fallout from high school popularity contests?  Or, why does it matter to me?

I can answer that by saying that I hate conflict and never want to offend anyone.  If I have offended someone to the point of making them want to de-friend me or fade off of my friends list on Facebook, it concerns me.  I try hard not to step on toes or to share obnoxious comments.  I try not to be too personal or be too absent.  My comments on other's pages are usually encouraging.  I hate to debate or become involved in petty arguments that only leave other commenting friends feeling less than adequate.

So, why the up and down friends?

Maybe it's a Facebook alogrithm at work.  Maybe someone deletes their account and then comes back.  I don't think I'll ever know because while it concerns me, I don't really choose to spend my time investigating the matter....  Instead, I'll just blog about it here.

A Haiku for Homeschoolers

Today, as part of the Blogathon 2012, I have been instructed to write a haiku.  Of course, I will stay on topic for those of us who homeschool.  Here is my homeschool haiku from last year:

Why do I home school?

Socialization for one

Solid teaching too

So, now to come up with a fresh haiku for 2012.  Here goes:

Teach my kids at home?

People ask:  "Are you crazy?"

As I crack a smile!

What I Learned From Having Kids

Twelve years ago when I was expecting my first child, people gave me tons of advice.  I would kindly acknowledge their words of wisdom always feeling a bit proud of my experience with children.  I had, after all, already entertained several neices and nephews and worked in the nursery at church and taught Sunday School and volunteered for toddler care during VBS and I worked at an Academy for Children and took Child Development and studied Child Psychology in College.  What more did I need to know?

Little did I know, there were tons of unchartered waters.

Today, however, my lack of knowledge came once again to the forefront of conversation when my 5 year old asked why they call it a "Living Room".

Hmmm.  I guess I never thought about why.  But, then, this is the point - I never thought about a lot of things like this.  It took having children before I realized how little I really did know about the world around me.

My children have taught me that:  "I really was a content person questioning very little and accepting much at face value."  It wasn't until I had children that I realized this.

And, why is it called a living room?  I guess because it is the room where we supposedly spend a lot of "living" time.  I don't know, do you?

There are countless other questions my children have brought up about things that I never raised an eyebrow about until they pointed it out.  Yet, my mommy brain has caused most of them to temporarily slip from my memory.

But, here are a few I can recall:

"Why are the colors on a stop light in the order they are?  And, why does yellow mean caution?  Who determined that green should mean go and red stop?

Why do the bathroom stall walls and doors not go all the way to the ground if they're not meant to crawl under?

What does "catywompus" really mean?

Why do "mommy minutes" always take so long?

Solar Eclipse Viewing

If you haven't heard already - There will be a solar eclipse on Sunday, May 20. Where I am located, it will only be a partial eclipse, but for people in more Westwardly states, there are supposed to be cool shadow effects like crescents, etc. This eclipse is called an Annular Solar Eclipse.

Here's some more info. on the solar eclipse:

Solar Eclipse for Kids - http://astronomy.knoji.com/solar-eclipse-facts-for-kids/
NASA - http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/solar.html
More from NASA - http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/ASE2012/ASE2012.html
Solar Eclipse for Beginners - http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/SEprimer.html
Kids Astronomy - http://www.kidsastronomy.com/astroskymap/solar-eclipse.html

A Mother's Day Post

As I sit here early in the morning while the house is still quiet, it is easy for me to dream and think about the mother I want to be to my children.  This morning - Mother's Day - I read a devotion that described the mother of Jesus.  It went on to link to scriptures about mothers and that led to reading a bit about how the Bible describes a mother's love.

As I read, I wonder - Do I measure up to this description of a mother?

I certainly want to be a good mother and a godly mother.  But am I?  When I hear my children argue over who gets which color of straw or who sits in which seat or even be so bold as to angrily tell me that I am unfair in how I handle situations between them to suggest I might even love one child more than another, I question - How do I measure up as a mother?

Am I doing the kind of job God requires of me?

Am I meeting my own standards of what a mom should be?

I know I fall short on many occasions, but it's not from lack of desire or love or even effort.  When I fall short it is because I am human and cannot be at three places at once or inside three little hearts at the same time.  It is because I am tired from being up with a sleepless child or stressed from the pressure of debt or a work-at-home workload knowing there is still need to go over fractions and spelling or don't have the time to stop as we are rushing out the door trying to find our shoes.

Parenting and mothering is far more than carrying a baby full term.  It is truly not very difficult to enjoy the company of a happy healthy baby giggling in your arms.  Being a mother, a godly mother, involves so much more.

When I first looked into the eyes of my newborn son, I was surprised.  He was not like the other babies I had previously known from babysitting or the academy of children where I worked.  This child, this newborn, looked back at me.  In his eyes he looked into my soul as if to question:

"Can I trust you?  Will you take care of me?"

Being a mother involves more than the smell of a newborn nuzzled up to our noses.  It involves more than baby giggles and happy times.  It's natural and easy to stay awake and watch a newborn breathe.  But, being a mother means looking into the soul of that child on days when they are looking into your eyes and telling you they are angry...at you!  It involves loving them patiently when everything in you wants to respond in defense or hurt.

One of my college degrees was in psychology, the college called it Human Services.  In my studies, I learned a great deal of what makes children tick.  None of this fully prepared me for parenthood.  It is truly different to look into the eyes and soul of a child you know will not be picked up at 6 p.m. to go home with his parent.  You are that parent.  You may have help and an amazing support group of friends and family, but ultimately, that child is yours to raise and love and nurture.

Most of us do not have that amazing support team.  Sometimes we encounter far less than support, even criticism for our choices.  From the raised eyebrow of the assistant at the doctor's office when you mention you homeschool to the out and out refusal to help from the unexpected friend or family member you thought was behind you all the way or even a spouse who simply cannot be there due to work demands or even lack of care, ultimately our children are our responsibility.

As I sit here and type in the quietness of our early morning house, my thoughts are always hopeful and fresh.  I am free to dream and pray.  And, my prayer this Mother's Day morning is this (and I wonder if my children will someday respond to this verse):

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her..."  (Proverbs 31:28)

Rapidly Approaching Teen Years

Today is the birthday of my very first child.  As old as this number makes me feel, 12 years ago tonight we were welcoming the very first newborn to grace our lives.  With gusto, this little 7 lb. 10 oz. wonder would turn us into parents.

Child development classes in high school and study of childhood psychology to earn my Human Services degree in college did not even begin to touch the surface of what started on this day 12 years ago.  My son was screaming to the point of turning purple before he was even completely birthed.  Though we carefully planned out this gorgeous nursery to welcome him, he would soon let us know in no uncertain terms that he had no intention of ever using the crib.  This little wonder changed our lives and continues to shape it.

Today he is on the verge of teen-dome.  Next year at this time we will be welcoming a teenager into our house.  I will admit that he has already exhibited signs of being a teen.  Or rather, more like a 20-something year old.  I will also admit that while he is still a child in so many ways, he is amazingly smart beyond his years.

He learned to read fluently at age 3.  I say he taught himself to read because really he led me.  It really started because I needed something to keep him from tearing up my house while I would sit and nurse his new sister.  To keep his hands out of trouble elsewhere in the house, I would grab my bag of foam bath letters and my Discovery Toys ABC tape (yes cassette tape) before sitting down to nurse.  Sitting next to me by the beautiful glider we bought to deck out his unused nursery almost 2 years earlier, he would listen to the tape as he handed me these foam letters telling me what they said (like a cow says "moo" - he would say, "a 'H' says "huh" and so on).  Before I knew it, he was begging to read books like Dick and Jane.  And, then my favorite (the Hannah story from his Child Bible).

He now devours books - any books, usually college textbooks - on any and every computer language available.

There are times I feel like we are looking at him as if through a small hole I once carved in the snow, as if I cannot see the whole picture or questions I long to see and have answered.  We are walking into our last year of a household yet to experience the teen years.  We approach this with fear, trepidation, excitement and wonder.  We have heard that there are some families who actually get through the teens years unscathed.  With the force this child entered the world and the manner in which he constantly reforms who we are as his parents, I'm sure we will exit these years with a new relationship.  All I can hope and ask for is that the foundational love and respect remain and that there is a relationship throughout these upcoming teen years.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Being a Mom: What No One Will Tell You

With Mother's Day fast approaching, I thought it appropriate to write a Mother's Day post.  Instead of all the happy, flowery poetry that surrounds Mother's Day, making it sound like some sort of a dream, I decided to write about some of the things no one tells you.

• Labor pain is intense but is the most rewarding pain that seems to be miraculously swallowed up with joy the moment you set eyes on your newborn.
• Strangers will stop you at the check out line and feel compelled to tell you (as if you hadn't noticed already) that your baby is missing a sock.  It's important to know that no matter what you do, some babies will always be left wearing just one sock.  You can backtrack your steps in Target to the very farthest corner of the store to retrieve it, but when you try to put it back on your child's foot, chances are he will yank it off and begin chewing on it leaving him one-sock footed once again.
• No matter how many hair cuts you give your son, there will still be people who think he is a girl.  It's important to just come to terms with the fact that your boy may, in fact, be even just slightly more beautiful than your girls and no matter how often you cut his hair, his eyelashes will continue to grow.
• When you welcome baby #2, you will question "What have I done?" and possibly even feel guilty of the attention you will be taking away from your first born.
• Mr. Ferber was wrong.  Bedtime doesn't always work out so well when you let a child cry it out.  Sometimes they end up purple and throwing up from upset.  It really is ok to pick them up and comfort them for sleep.  But, if you choose to share your bed with them do so with full knowledge that it is a decision that will last for at least 3 years and possibly longer on stormy nights.
• Potty training - Oh, potty training!  You will think these are the worst days of your motherhood.  Don't despair, however, you can rest assured there will be worse days ahead.  When your child is successfully potty trained, take a deep breath for about 6 years because pre-adolescence is coming.
• Even picky eaters survive into adulthood.  While it may be shocking, there are a few adults who made it there without ever finishing their Brussels sprouts.
• If you homeschool, your children will never be too far away.  This has its pros and cons.  The overall verdict is the pros win.  However, there will be days you question this decision to educate at home.  These are the moments you make a fast break to the nearest park or break out a video for the day.
• Some days your child will make you feel like the labor pains are a relieving alternative to the pain they cause.  The heartache of words that come out of their mouths and attitudes that breaks your heart feel like a kick in the gut, like they yanked the sunshine right out of your day, crumple and tore it to bits and then threw it back at you like a stab in the back.  It will hurt when your dreams are nowhere close to their dreams and when your simple suggestions are not only ignored but argued and possibly even ridiculed.  Yes, that tender bundle of joy does have the power to make you question every decision you ever made and wonder if it's all worth the pain.
• When all is said and done (though, I have not yet even made it through the teen years that are rapidly approaching as my oldest turns 12 tomorrow) All in all, that first look into your baby's eyes will hook you for life.  The good days make a mark in your heart like a beautiful song that never disappears.  And, the prayers of a mother are powerful.  A mother on her knees is the most uplifting sight for the entire family.

Happy Mother's Day!  Enjoy your personal journey and may your good days be more plentiful than any other.  May your joy swallow up all pain as it did the very first day you met your child.

What Homeschooling Moms Won't Tell You

The benefits of homeschooling, in my humble opinion, far outweigh any downside.  However, there are some things that most homeschooling moms aren't willing to admit.

I have been homeschooling officially now for seven years.  Though, most homeschooling parents will tell you that as soon as you look into the eyes of your newborn, true learning at home begins.  Since the birth of my son almost 12 years ago, I have been a stay-at-home and work-at-home mom who homeschools.  This means I have pretty much been with my children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 12 years now.  This is how I wanted it, and I love it - usually!  I will be completely honest to admit, that I may be the exception to the rule of needed alone time.  For me, it usually happens about every 2 to 3 months.  I have a day when I feel like my kids are just on top of me and I can't catch a break.

This day usually comes after I have been up all night with a sick child, had at least one child join me in bed or near my bed for fear of a storm, or have stressful deadlines through work (I write online for various websites as well as helping my husband with his self-employment of being a Christian DJ and talented solo performing musician, vocals, sax and guitar).  And, I realize I may be among the rare breeds, but my needed time alone usually only requires about 20 minutes before I'm ready to cuddle up and be around my children once more as the loving, caring, giving mom they know and love (I can dream right?)

This 24/7 time where at least one child is in your charge is something that isn't talked about much among homeschoolers.  It is, after all, like the mother who longs for a baby and then adopts only to find she has a stressful day where no one will listen because of all her previous begging for a child.  Onlookers may respond in disbelief wondering why you choose to homeschool if you need an occasional break from your child.  Still, the need is there.  Homeschoolers just tend to have a higher level of tolerance I guess.

Regardless, if you choose to homeschool you should know that you will not get the "normal" expected stay-at-home mom break that comes with private and public schooled kids between the hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  A no brainer?  Perhaps, but the realization really sinks in when you are a parent who actually once had that daily break and now have chosen to educate your child at home.

There is no longer the ability to sneak out to pick up a birthday or Christmas gift to surprise your child.

There is no longer that occasional lunch with just you and a friend.

There is no longer one-on-one hubby/wife time without careful planning.

There is no morning Bible Study or adult meetings of any kind unless childcare is provided.  For years now, it has been "If there is childcare or the kids are welcome, I'm in.  Otherwise, I'm not coming."  This is not always understood by others.  So, I have opted out of a lot of social events where my children were not part of the invitation.

There is no sneaking that bag of chips out of sight.

There is no out of sight.

All in all, the benefits far outweigh this sacrifice of personal time and need to be alone on occasion.  Still, it's nice when churches and other adult-oriented events realize that you may not have a babysitter you can rely upon to drop and go.  It's nice when someone you trust comes along and offers to take the kids for the afternoon every so often.

Super Moon Full Moon Pictures and Science Lesson

Last night we not only witnessed a full moon, but what some are calling the "Super Moon"

I went out on our deck and zoomed in to snap a few pictures.  It was an amazing sight.

It happened last night, so you will have to wait to see another one if you missed it.  These pictures give you a pretty good idea of what a full Super Moon looks like.

Follow up with a fun unit study about moons.  Find a few lesson plans here:

Moonconnection.com elementary lesson plan
NASA Super Moon
Woodlands Junior School Facts About the Moon
Science Facts for Kids

Homeschool PE is as Easy as a Bike Ride on the Katy Trail

One good thing about homeschooling is that PE can be as easy as a bike ride on a nearby trail.  This bike ride took place on the Katy Trail (K-T Trail).

The Katy Trail is an old railroad track that is no longer used.  It has been pulled up and limestone rocks poured in its place.  The result is an amazing trail with fantastic views along the Missouri River.  Our PE for the day consisted of riding bicycles several miles.  We went out for about 45 minutes and then returned.  We hit as much as 13 mph at times.

 It also provides some great opportunities to take in God's creation.

This tree is one I've always enjoyed seeing along the trail.  Someday I want to sketch it or water paint it or do something artistic with it.

Dandelions: Weed or Seed for Teaching Science and Childhood Wonder

If you are a gardener or tend the lawn to any degree, you see this as a weed and even the sight of a child blowing the seeds into the air may cause a bit of uncomfortable panic.

She sees it as a source of wonder, a chance to make a wish for a dream to come true, or at least for a moment of pretend fun.  She relishes God's amazing creation of this plant that is a weed to some, but to others it is a source of medicine, food and even a physical representation of the moon, sun and stars.

To a homeschooling parent, this is just another opportunity to learn!

Perhaps a lesson from Bright Hub on the lifecycle of a plant is up your alley.

Or, some dandelion fun facts from the Nature Watch - Dandelion watch.

Or, some interesting and fun facts about dandelions from "My Dandelion is a Flower".

  

Use it as a chance to teach science or a moment to sit back and relish your child's childhood wonder.  To me, the joy she expresses when blowing the white puffy seeds from a dandelion is worth the work of future weeding.