These Pants Don't Fit

I have been homeschooling for almost four years now and I've just begun to figure some things out. The biggest discovery I've made just this week is that trying to homeschool the way a blog or a website or a book or even a friend tells you to is like trying to wear the wrong size pants. I wish I could wear jeans two sizes smaller than I do and in theory, I would look fabulous in them. But, the harder I try to fit into them the more it hurts and I end up feeling frustrated and like I failed. Not to mention that I look ridiculous.

This is true of my past approach to home schooling. I don't blame the books or blogs, I take full responsibility. I am a Shiny Object Homeschooler. I commit to one curriculum and I love it and hug it and name it George, until....Oooh, that's pretty. I see another curriculum that looks even better and I convince myself that my kids will surely miss out if I don't immediately incorporate it into our classroom, until....Ooooh, that's pretty...You get the idea.

I'm done with that. I didn't start homeschooling so that someone else could tell me what to do. Quite the opposite. I love homeschooling because I get to choose, be flexible, take the time I want, keep what works, can what doesn't, take a day off to lounge in our PJ's and watch movies and eat popcorn and call it extracurricular. I love that! Why would I let someone tell me I was wrong or try to fit my totally unique, awesome kids into their one size fits all education?

So, I'm trying to be more aware of what works for us and relax and enjoy these precious years. I also plan to share more of what we discover works for us in the hopes it might help someone else too. I felt so lost when I first started and wished there had been more realistic, practical tips. But, please, if you try one of our methods and it doesn't work for you, CAN IT - without guilt or hesitation.

Here are a couple of things that work for us:

Our filing trays - one for each girl. Oh, and that's my pocket Peyton - a birthday present.

5 in 5

5 in 5 is our filing method. We all hate to file and so we don't. We are organized to the point that each child has their own tray to put all their filing in for a later time. But, we began to notice that later time never came. So, we always have a few minutes each day where one child is waiting to start a lesson while the other finishes. During this time now, the waiting child will grab 5 things from their cubby and file what they can in 5 minutes. This is working beautifully for us: our filing doesn't pile up, we don't stop between every subject to file and no one complains because it's only 5 things and 5 minutes.

Our folders - organized by subject and color.

Reading After Lunch

We try to get all of our school done in the morning before we break for lunch. This is especially true for my youngest child as once she stops, she's done. But, if I'm honest, this doesn't usually happen. There are inevitably one or two things we don't get to and must finish in the afternoon. However, if I try to take my children from the freedom of lunch right back into the classroom to go back at it, we all get frustrated. So, each day after lunch they get their pillows or paper and art supplies and they relax or draw while I read one chapter from each of the two books we read together. This takes us about 30-40 minutes and afterward they are calm and happy and ready to finish the day. This one change to our schedule, implemented after my youngest gave up naps, has made a huge impact on all of our sanity. We're not sane mind you, but we're not getting crazier anymore.

Our current after lunch reading. We're finishing the Laura series and although we've

read Harry Potter before, we have so much fun reading it as a family we're going through the

series again.

Autumn Perspective

I've been tormenting myself every morning by watching the weather reports on the Today show and coveting the fall weather in other parts of the country. The worst part comes when Al Roker puts up the map colored in red, orange and yellow to show the peak of fall foliage so we can plan our trips to see the colors change. Then, I look at my neck of the woods and it's still mostly that awful brown color which translates to: I'm sorry, you need actual trees to see the tree leaves change color. But that's okay (I tell myself) one quick 2 hour drive north and I can have fall. Now, if I could just find a way to box it up and spread a little around here....

As is our norm, we have tried our best to create fall in our home. The pumpkins are out, the scarecrows hung up and the leaves spread around. Admittedly its a little disappointing to look past the vibrant reds and golds of our faux fall to see my children swimming, still, in stinkin' October... But I know come January and 65 degree temps and sunny days, I will hear my husband say, "This is why we live here." And, I will have to admit that he's right, as he is almost always.

Despite the fact that my complaints seemed to have peaked with the fall foliage, this fall has been full of reminders of how good our God is and how abundantly He blesses us. This was no more clear to us than on September 26, 2010 when Erik, Emma and I had the honor of baptizing Jilly. And, if I'm honest, although Erik and I were in the baptistery too, it was overwhelming to see my daughter baptize her sister. It was a glorious day shared with friends and family. The memories of this once in a lifetime event are forever etched in my mind and I am truly thankful for each and every one of them.

The family we were honored to build a house for - Miguel, Cynthia and Anna.
Our fall continued with a trip to Rocky Point, Mexico. We went on a mission trip with the high school ministry to build houses in the barrios with an amazing group called One Mission. This was a trip Erik and I decided not to go on earlier in the summer. We decided that we could not afford the trip with the registration fees and the passport I would need. We decided that we would, instead, spend that weekend as we had planned at a Jack Johnson concert. The tickets were a birthday present from Erik and the concert is something we have always wanted to do. End of story, our minds were made up. We had decided and planned and were totally comfortable with our choice. Right....Well, you can see how much deciding we did and you are probably laughing about as much as God did during all of this planning. I went to lunch with a friend who shall remain nameless, and Kristina Harbour challenged me to rethink my decision and pray about the trip. Pray? Ask God what He wanted me to do? Hmmm, novel concepts and so crazy they might just work. So, we did. We talked and prayed and prayed and talked. I would like to say at this moment the sun broke through the clouds, we had our ah ha moment and realized we should go to Mexico. But, no. We decided we were not going to be guilted into going to Mexico. I'll pause here while you finish laughing....OK? Then, we went to church. The entire sermon was about getting out of your comfort zone and into the faith zone, taking risks, obeying God..really? Are You serious right now? By the end of the sermon Erik was squeezing my hand so hard I knew we were going to Mexico. But, just in case we needed confirmation, as we stood up to leave, the music they played on the speakers? You guessed it: Jack Johnson. Sometimes God whispers, and sometimes He shouts. We heard Him loud and clear.



Sweet Anna

And? Mexico was amazing and totally worth giving up my Jack Johnson tickets. We spent three days with awesome high school students building houses for really amazing families. The bonds formed between those of us in the ministry, the fellowship with the families, serving God - all of this was great. But none of it compared to what Emma said as we pulled into our driveway after the trip - exhausted, dirty, beat....She said, "Oh my gosh. Our house is like a mansion." Perspective was perhaps God's biggest blessing of that weekend.

Perspective is something I am lacking when I sit in my air conditioned home and complain about the heat. Perspective is what I lack when I stare at a pantry full of food and lament that we have nothing to eat. Perspective is missing when I think money is tight simply because I cannot afford to go to a museum this week. I have never been starving or homeless. I do not know what it is to want for anything. I gained perspective. I'm not sure I could have walked away from a concert with a gift like that.