Collage Friday - A Great Start to 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013 at 5:00AM
This was one of those homeschool weeks I'm happy to write about.
There was learning, fun, exerecise, relaxation, and a little of everything inbetween. I know all weeks aren't like this, so I treausre the ones that are!
After a particular day of being cooped up inside (after many days of rain and cold here in Georgia) we went to a local nature area and hiked the creek trails.
We come to this area often, and the last time we were here the creek was almost dry. This week it was flowing and that was good to see. I have a good homeschool friend who takes her children to this area weekly (sometimes more than once a week) to observe the changes throughout the seasons. This is something I'd like to do with my children this year.
I shared last week that my word for this year is HEALTH.
Jen, at Forever, For Always, No Matter What, encouraged me to take my health by the horns this year. I am doing a 10 day Shakeology challenge. So far I am feeling GREAT! I have also given up Coke Zero and am seriously limiting my sugar intake.
All of us have been eating much more healthy. Planning our meals (quite specifically) and making sure there are only healthy foods in the pantry and frig is immensely helpful.
To that end:
- Plan to Eat has been a lifesaver! Not only do I have an automatically generated grocery list, but I also have my meals planned in the online planner. I can also share recipes with Jen (and lots of other friends who use Plan to Eat). If you want to find out more, read how it is The Best $5 I Spend Each Month.
- We replaced sugar with Stevia and Agave Nectar. So far no one is really missing it, although there have been a few whines and groans about ice cream and cookies. I'm sure we'll have them as a treat every now and then.
- I am in love with almond butter and spinach - go figure. Almond butter on a rice cake is my favorite snack, and almost every day I have been having a spinach salad.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos were a hit in our house this week. This is a healthy recipe that made everyone happy. I've been pinning a lot of healthy recipes to my HEALTH Pinterest board, too.
Some of the highlights of learning this week included:
- Lots of math drills - I love the drills in Saxon Math, and Grant loves the drills on the iPad. Math Monkey and Math Drills are his two favorite apps right now.
- We have been reading The Hobbit aloud. THEY LOVE IT! Grant has decided this book will be the book for his literature fair project in February. He even asked me for "Hobbit Handwriting Copywork" this week. What?!?!
- The kids requested a baking soda and vinegar experiment this week. We did the classic dancing raisins experiment and then I just put baking soda on a baking sheet and let them drop colored vinegar onto it. They had so much fun with this. We talked about baking soda being a base and vinegar being an acid and the formation of CO2.
- Anna had some hard spelling words this week. I asked her to create a Word document to study her words. She created a colorful sheet which she put on the refrigerator and also taped one on her bathroom mirror.
This last collage does my heart good.
Anna has been working on a quilt. Her aunts got her started, and a dear friend of ours is helping her finish.
We spent several hours learning, quilting, talking, and just having a good time. I consider this friend to be a mentor mom to me. I think relationships like these are a necessity in these sometimes lonely and uncertain homeschool years.
I am thankful that we had the time in our schedules (I've been intentional about not overscheduling this year!) to do something like this. I am thankful for friendship and Godly women to guide me, and I am thankful for the opportunity to learn ALONGSIDE my daughter, not apart from her.
It isn't always easy, but is definitely always worth it in the end.
Other posts from the blog this week:
As I wrap up this post (late Thursday evening) we are just home from a Classical Conversations information meeting. My husband and I learned SO much and there is a lot to be discussed, prayed about, and researched. My gut is telling me this may just be the direction to take in our homeschool next year. {I will keep you posted.}
How was your homeschool week? I'd love for you to join Collage Friday. The rules are simple: Write a post with photo collages documenting your homeschool week. Grab the Collage Friday button (in my sidebar) or text link back to this post. Then, sign the linky and visit a few others who have linked as well. This is a great way to gain ideas and offer support and encouragement.
Reader Comments (26)
I'm anxious to talk to you about Classical Conversations at BEECH. I have heard many good things about the program. I'm really glad that you are feeling so good and making some lasting changes regarding your health. I have all of our meals planned out through February with Plan to Eat!
You know, I think home schooling has the potential for throwing us such difficult weeks that the great weeks seem all the more incredible. A little gift from God maybe? The scenary in your top photos is glorious!
Congratulation on your choice to become healthier. Giving up Coke is a great step in the right direction! If you love spinach, try green smoothies. They have helped me so much and now I alternate smoothies with homemade juice. I will be looking out for pins on your health board since we really let things go this holiday season and now I have to get us all back on track!
I love your idea of visiting the same place to notice the seasonal changes! This is a BIG part of the OHC. I invite you to use any of the seasonal ideas we have that help you record your changes. There are year-long studies for weather, trees, and more. Email if you need help finding anything. Thanks for the link-up.
I think it is wonderful that your kids are asking for school work!!
Again, a lovely post this week. I wish I would remember to take photos of our week, but I always seem to forget. I was peeked by your "literature fair project" though. Could you share more about what that is? I'm looking for new ideas for our co-op.
Oh what a wonderful start to 2013! So much goodness - wasn't the bit of sunshine so nice this week?
HEALTH is a big word for us, too, in 2013! I do believe all of the sugary treats we "endured" during the Holiday season made it easier to get started in the new year...
Keep up the good work in the healthy department. It isn't easy to make changes, but you seem to be making it work.
Looks like you're off to a great start for "health"! My word is consistency and being more consistent in healthier meals is part of it. We are vegetarians but there is a lot of vegetarian junk food and convenience foods that I want to cut down on! Anna is doing a beautiful job on that quilt!
PS. Love your new look!
There are certain things "all" good homeschoolers do that I've never done. Like the dancing raisins. Or a salt dough map. Maybe I should lose my homeschool mom card. ;) But I really do plan to do them eventually so I think I'm still safe.
By the way, looks like your link up is growing nicely!
Your creek walk has be itching to go hiking again. (Not sure I should call it HIKING though as we meander at the speed of a turtle, but its because we like to talk and look and climb. LOL) It's been SO frigid that we stopped going! Who wants to hike when it's 10 degrees?
So, The Hobbit is working well for you guys? Awesome! It flopped here. Not sure if it was getting sick though and not getting back to it for over a week.
I love the idea of typing up spelling words with different colors. Creative and simple! My girl struggles with spelling big time so she asked to TYPE her work instead as Spell Check highlights and beaps when she spells something wrong or has grammar errors. I think figuring out those spellings is really helping her!
Will you be sharing your Classical Conversations information? I don't really know anything about this method! LOL
We are going to be doing the dancing raisins experiment soon to go with our opposites theme (up/down).
And I love your comment about being more intentional about not overscheduling this year. That is one of the areas I am focusing on, too. I already notice an easiness and joy to our days with this week being a little less about jumping from one task or project to the next.
What a nice week! The hike looks like a lot of fun exploring. So sweet about the request for Hobbit copywork!
We, too, are praying about what direction for next year. Thankful for the many options in our area, but still seeking the right direction for our family. Good to have the blessing of time to plan and decide.
Love your week - we've been indoor too much with highs in the 20's and snow everywhere but today it rained so the temps are warming for a day or two at least.
The Hobbit is awesome! We have a copy with beautiful paintings here and there and while I have moved so many books out of the house if we have it on Kindle we'll keep this one.
I have heard good things about CC. The closest one to us is about a 35 minute drive so too far to go with all my kidlets on a regular basis on top of all Mason's appointments and therapies. I would love to hear a post about your thoughts though as I think you can buy their materials and do things on your own to some extent too!
What a great week! I gave up soda for the year and so far I don't miss it. The combination of that and drinking lots of water seems to have curbed my headaches. I used to get one every few days but I haven't had one in almost two weeks now!
I'll link up with our weekly wrap-up on Sunday evening!
I am so glad you are working on your health and seeing improvements so quickly! I pray that all goes well. We have seen huge improvements with our son when we changed his diet.
Blessings, Dawn
What a great way to start the year off. We had a great week too! Sometimes its hard to find things to do when its so cold out but that just means we have to be more creative :)
Thanks for hosting...you're right weeks where your fit everything in including relaxation, outdoor time and exercise don't happen every week but when they do, it euphoric!!!!
This post is such a blessing of encouragement to me! Yes! Not all weeks are great, but let's enjoy the ones that are great!
I love the spelling word document idea and plan on using it this week. Thank you! Now, I am off to look at your pinterest healthy recipe board! My husband and I have both lost a considerable amount of weight in the last couple years and healthy living is a lifestyle we strive for!
Enjoy your weekend!
Nikki
Have fun with the duct tape hobbit costumes! I do feel you are a kindred spirit, Mary. Hope we can meet someday!
--Gena
I fell into your blog today and am so grateful I did! Love your photo collages and reading about your week... I plan to join your meme. I like the spelling idea and may try that with my children. I pray you find strength and blessing in your Health endeavor... one of the best things we can give God is a healthy us, ready to go and serve Him here :-)
I am glad you had such a good week, Mary! Aren't baking soda and vinegar experiments so fun? It's doubly great because it's so simple :)
I hope you have much success with the healthy habits for the new year...it can be SO hard to break away from old habits...good luck!!
GREAT week Mary! Love all the things you are doing. I have been seeing Shakeology everywhere! Maybe I should actually Google it! I'm with Jamie, never made raisins dance or made a salt map. I should lose my HS Mom card! I LOVE how many people are linking up. Just so awesome! I remember when I was always 1 of just a few! I am so happy to be back linking. Off to check out your Pinterest Health board. Those chicken tacos sound yummy!