Homeschooling is a Way of Life

This morning I posted on my Facebook how I find it interesting that Claire and I can complete in one hour what takes an entire day at school and got a surprising amount of comments.  Some of which were borderline rude.

But then a fellow homeschooling friend pointed out that homeschooling is a mindset and what I completed in an hour this morning was just the beginning of our lessons today.  So true!

This morning Claire and I read a Bible story, learned about ancient Egyptian gods, did a lesson in The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, two pages in Evan Moor's Daily Phonics 1, one handwriting page and a math lesson. 

And -

She watched WordWorld on Hulu while she ate her breakfast.
We took care of our chickens and rabbit.
She watched baby Fiona while I took a shower.
She cleaned part of her room.
She helped bring in wood.
She played with her brother.
She folded all the napkins and towels.
She helped make lunch.
She laid on my bed for an hour looking at books and resting. 
She played on her Innotab.
She cut pictures out of old magazines and glued them on paper.
She helped her grandma make cookies. 

And the day is not over!

Rest in Peace Henry the Rooster

We found Henry the Rooster dead this morning.  We knew he was not well.  He had a deformed pelvis (called wry tail) and would have to do this weird hop to walk around.  If he had been a hen he would have died the first time he tried to lay an egg.  (He would have become egg bound.)  We knew we had to put him out of his misery, but Claire loved him so we kept putting it off.  It was actually better to find him like this.  Claire and my Mom buried him this morning and Claire said she was glad Henry "killed himself" so she didn't have to watch Daddy do it.  She's learning life.  She'll be fine. 

Adding to the Menagerie

The other day a friend of mine sent me a message via Facebook asking me if we wanted a rabbit.  They have two boys and she said the bunny wasn't getting the attention it deserved.  She knew our Claire was an animal lover and her husband said the rabbit needed a little girl.  :)

We had discussed rabbits before but decided it would be a few years away, but here was a free rabbit that came with a hutch and everything!

Claire was so excited the moment she over heard us talking about it and the decision was made! 

They brought her over yesterday and Claire has been talking to her, giving her treats and snuggling with her every since.  She even went outside before bed last night with a flashlight to tell her goodnight!

Claire decided to rename her (she was going by Lil Ben at her old house) and we have gone through several names (Lilly, Aurora, Belle, Elizabeth, Stormy, Mrs. Bunny, etc) but I think we finally settled on one after noticing her one white foot.  Presenting Claire and Mrs. Sugarfoot!

Chandler is 4!

I just realized I never posted about Chandler's birthday!

My son requested a Superman birthday.  I had no idea that Superman was so out of fashion!  I searched everywhere.  I ended up finding some Mylar balloons on Amazon and had them filled at the party store here in town.  I also found some Superman fabric and made cloth napkins out of them.  Cute and reusable!  I actually am thinking about using the squares to make him a small quilt now.  :)  The rest was just blue, red and yellow with the centerpiece - a Superman emblem cake made by my mother!  All he asked to have to eat was chocolate cake and cantaloupe.  Works for me!  Chandler was thrilled and loved it all and that's what matters! 

Mom decorating the cake with an audience

THAT is a happy boy! 

Simple, but enjoyable!

The cake!

Walkie-talkies!

My sister brought her new puppy Leia!

Fiona enjoying the party from the swing

Chowing down on some chocolate cake!

My 4 year old!

So proud of my Claire!

Claire has been at a standstill when it comes to reading.   She will be 7 in June and I was starting to think I was never going to get her going.  She knew all her letter sounds and could ssslllooowwwlly sound them out, but then she couldn't figure out what word she was trying to say.  

But ....

Yesterday Claire had a breakthrough with her reading! I'm so proud! She was just giddy with herself!

I decided to pull The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading out and and start back at the beginning.  We whizzed through lessons 1-27 (which were just each letter and it's sound) and when we got to lesson 28 she sounded out the first word, and then the second, and then the third!  We did 4 more lessons and she read every word she needed too with minimal difficulties.  Claire was so excited and proud of herself! 

Last night before going to bed she told me, "Mom, I want to do school everyday! Forever! And if someone tells me to stop I'll just say 'No! I still have things I need to learn!'" ♥ 

She knows her way to her mama's heart.