A New Season

It's 2018 and we have a new kindergartener! That's all four kiddos in. I cannot believe we have arrived here. That means this is year seven in this house. Homeschool has been such a blessing in our lives and will be ongoing as we are entering a new season of uncertainty.
Daddy has chronic liver disease and it is touching our whole lives, but the joy of homeschool is we can easily flow into each season and go wherever we need to be without disturbing our family wholeness.
We are changing up the curriculum this year, and I do think that every few years this happens as we are making new goals and searching out creative ways to learn. We have always been an eclectic family, taking pieces of Montessori and traditional learning styles, and this year we are adding in some Charlotte Mason-esque flows.
The words I have chosen for focus this year are creativity, exploration, and simplify. We want to head into this year opening our eyes more to what we can explore as a family, and take time for all of it. That means less workbooks and more notebooks. Getting outside and researching in a more rounded way. And there is always Math-U-See. Anyways, this is a gathering of my thoughts for the year as I head into first report....

Come December

The end of the year is coming and we so need a break. I have already been sifting through thoughts of what the kids need to work on improving, but am also seeing how far they have come in the last few months. I have not gotten around to blogging Aiden's work but he is steaming along right beside everyone else, with book reporting, cursive writing, daily creative writing, Teaching Textbooks math, etc.
I still love the freedom that we have in teaching our kids and keeping them close to our hearts and what we value. We are far from perfect, and life is so busy living out of the city and with a two year old running around to boot. It is still worth it when this Mamma counts the cost at the end of the day.
*sigh* Rest is God given. After reporting we are calling it holidays!!

Aiden Got Baptized!!!!

My sweet son heard that there was going to be baptisms at the family campout and he was in! He was so excited and made his Mamma's heart swell.

August is coming.

Summer has settled the learning decisions. We are half registering, and half enrolling (or rather the two youngest) after all. I have just ordered some of Aiden's English Curriculum and the rest of our books have already come by mail this last week. It weirdly feels like autumn here in July I'll take it though, even though I hope for more sun-kissed summer, because it means a readiness for getting the books out. Our old and first teacher is back, and that calms me. I like the way she works with us. I can't wait to do the annual book sorting and pictures. When our last package arrives, I will get to that!

Registering

Changes. This next year we will be registering as a homeschool family, instead of enrolling. That equals no reporting. It has been a hard year. There has been much growth too- kids learning to read, two-wheelers conquered, math concepts sticking stronger, adding of a Kindergartener, exploration of family history. We now need to simplify. Circumstances are uncertain. I foresee growth of a different kind, but we shall see. I won't make it to the beloved homeschool conference even. We are still excited for what next year in homeschooling will bring, even if it will look a bit different.

Health

We have been in a weird season. Our school year has not been as smooth and organized as usual. (Have I said this before?) We are having a lot of days off for health concerns. After being sick, with the flu this time, we have been able to get in a good groove. Finally! It is nice, and it is good, to step back and simplify what every child needs. I can now see where we need to go to build each child's strengths, as well as weak spots. Onward. This busy mom is also re-reading the first homeschool book that encouraged me on how to go about things. I am sure it will spark old ideas that I have forgotten in the chaos....

Onward

We are back into school today. This Mamma is processing what we need to focus on and what we need to throw out the door. Gemma needs to take a break from her readers and work on letter blends. I think Aiden will need to work on writing more.  Keiran, he will be good if we round out the review of letters continually. Everyone is progressing in Math. And, for Socials and Science, we need to work more fully to catch up our curriculum and make it routine.
This has been a weird year. We are usually very organized and steady, with the occasional needed break. This season has been a bit unsteady and it feels like we are stumbling forward. We haven't been able to fine tune because life keeps getting thrown at us. It has however been a time to simplify and let go of some unnecessary expectation.
I already am getting a feel for what we will need regarding curriculum, for next year. And this coming next few months will let me know how we will be doing school then too. (Another story, another time.....)

 

A holiday pic.

Planning the next beginning.

There.... All that is missing are some PE pics. We enjoy bike riding, swimming, dance, soccer, hiking, tobogganing, skating, running, and climbing.

It will soon be time to just run in the sprinkler and soak up some sun. We had a big year with adding a second child to our homeschool routine and adding a new babe to our family. This Mamma is tired but it is all worth it.

In the coming year I want to let there be more room for creative learning, and I want to grow our knowledge of the Bible. We are passing down quite a bit of curriculum to younger siblings, and learning what works for each child and our family. We are learning to keep planning simple, even though our lives are full. Less leaves room for more....

 



            

some spring/summer pics

We are finishing up a last little bit of curriculum and have started into our next Math-U-See programs, but mostly we are just taking some time to breathe a little.....

 

The kids gathered rocks with Dad for a new fire pit. We have already had a few marshmallow roasts here with friends and family. 

There has been tons of bike riding going on around here- our fave activity. 

 

Aiden's U10 soccer team won their mid-way tourney!

 

We love getting these boxes in the mail.... our English curriculum has arrived :)

 

Time for some vitamin D.

 

Gem collected some wild flowers from our yard. 

 

Aiden checked out a book from the library about castles and was drawing his own coat of arms/shields. 

 

One for Aiden and one for mom (by Aiden). 

 

Grandma was up and brought a new toy find. 

 

Aiden turned eight and had fun with friends and family, and on his own, building Lego for days.  

 

Finn is seven months old now and is rolling around. 

 

 Gemma and Keiran helped Dad build this chair for Mom (one of two).
We are ready for summer to come! 

Conference Weekend.

We (mom and a friend) just got back from CHEC 2014! It was so much busy fun. I forgot to take pics there. Here are the books/resources that I found for the kids....

I will take some pics when we receive the rest of our curriculum and get it all organized. I have quite a bit of books that are being passed on to a younger sibling to dig out, and had to order from Sonlight (they don't have it available at this conference). There are some really great "free" learning resources in this pile: A story game, some drawing instruction, a 15 ft chart on the inner core of earth to the outer atmosphere, some chapter book series for Aiden, etc. I have been seeing that the kids needs some more time to explore their learning and practice it more freely. The kids are already excited for this and have been bugging mom to let them have at it from the moment I woke up.

I love books!

It's 12:11am. It is always easiest to think when it is silent. I have just finished sending off my prayerfully considered curriculum list (and I only remembered to make it a prayer-filled task half-way through.... still working on the best, intentional focus). Our homeschool conference/mamma getaway is only a week away now and I am getting excited. I can't wait to post our new book pics soon! And with three kids enrolled for the fall!

Around here. Mom thoughts.

I am seeing: 

-Gemma progressively reading. She wants to read with Mom or Dad at night and requests that we read but leave small words for her, like: at, the, in, is, has, etc.

-Aiden creating things, like a cannon, out of old recycled cans and other materials.

-Keiran fighting for attention and insisting on watching everything the older kids do. He is so close to being ready to start sitting and doing work. He is always there when we read for Science, and lately for Socials too. I might get him started on some book work.

-Gemma excelling at her first Math-U-See book. Starting her smaller has paid off and she is very ready for this program that we love. She is now counting to 100 too!

-Aiden flying through his Explode the Code, daily readers, and spelling tests. These things are simple for him. When it comes to day four, which is longer and more instructed writing , he gives me just a bit of push sometimes. I am wondering if he needs more of a step-by-step instruction to not be overwhelmed, as well as some free writing times so that he gets back to loving writing creatively. I have spotted some neat writing prompts and fun journals out there lately.... I might add in some of this to change it up. 

-Aiden reading through three chapter books in a row. I am picking him up different chapter book series from Costco when I grocery shop. I want to keep chapter books on the list of things to look for when we go to the homeschool conference.

-Finn bending, almost ready to roll-over.... and next week he will start some rice cereal. He sure adds to the mix.

-All three older kids outside running around through trees and in mud, with spring weather and new rubber boots. They have started climbing everything- trees, the fort, the fence, the out-buildings. I am trying to give a little bit of boundaries and then let go as they grow in this next stage.











 

Growing.

School and life:

 

Replanting a Christmas Cactus. Our Great-Great Grandma Campbell always had a huge Christmas Cactus or two, so this is a fave. This particular one came from Auntie Diane, years ago.

 

Watering too. 

 

New books for Mom. Never too old.....

 

Gemma has moved up to the next dance class. It is jazz/ballet for her this year. 

 

Aiden reads to Finn to console him. 

 

We live in the sticks. Aiden has started climbing trees all the time. Gemma and Keiran have been following a little too. 

school and life

All of a sudden life is whirling. The kids are grasping all things new and are buzzing around in front of Mom, ahead of Mom. They know the routine and grab their books and go. It is a great thing. It is in this place that this Mamma also needs to let go again. I remember that they are not just mine, but entrusted to us by a great God. This God has a plan for their lives, even in the now. Recently we have been refocusing. Mom has remembered to start well again, to be intentional. We took a quiet week in the beginning of March when there was starting to be pressure, and attitudes, and exhaustion. We caught up a few things and did nothing much more. Mom unplugged from the busy and now because of this, there is a more clear picture of this thing we call school and life.

Library cards.

Gemma got her first library card.

Aiden is teaching Gemma how to search the library system and use her library card online.

Transitions

I love that when life seems the same and a bit hard, it then all of a sudden becomes different. Like a change is forced. My kids are moving into all sorts of new stages. My Gemma is starting to read words naturally instead of sounding out each syllable, my Keiran has become a four year old bug (not always so fun, but normal), and my babe is getting into a napping routine. The sweetest of all changes around here, though a bit bittersweet for me, is with my two oldest. Aiden and Gemma are forming a new bond. I think it has come with Gemma understanding more. Aiden has taught Gem how to play some of his games and now these siblings play games together, which Aiden needs as he is so very social. And, the last few nights I have come down to check on them before bed, in their side-by-side rooms, and found Gemma by Aiden's side; him reading to the both of them. It is bittersweet because Gem and Keiran were the closest, only fifteen months apart. I love that I get to be a part of this all- the evolving of relationships between my kids, and that they have close relationships. I am glad that this learning of life at home allows it. And so, I add to the reasons why we love homeschool.

Life is Busy!

I don't even know where to start.... Life has been so full. Gemma is now reading without too much encouragement and is ready to start slurring her words together. Aiden is soldiering along, as usual. I think he needs a bit of a challenge soon. He recently complained about his daily stories being too short, and that he wasn't in kindergarten. Keiran is picking up things from the other kids and I can't believe that I will be enrolling him for school soon! He is such a bug lately, but that goes along with being four.... and having a new baby in the house. Finn. Finn is a joy. He is getting worked right into a schedule. He sometimes slows us down, but don't we all need slowing down sometimes anyways. Time to download....

The Groove

We are now a family of six. Four little oaks.... learning, bending, kicking, growing. We named him Finn Benjamin Alexander Lokstet. Finn means fair and bright and wise.

Simple life lessons.

We had a busy but restful week off of any major schoolwork. I am learning to take cues from my kids (and myself) that we need a break. We instead had a week of getting ready for the baby and for winter. We had a work-bee day and cleaned out the basement, along with digging out winter gear. The kids worked outside with Dad for a couple days, gathering and burning yard waste and branches.
Extended family was also here for the week, as well as for Thanksgiving. Uncle Brandon has just started working here and is staying with Grandma for now. Auntie Kristina and Dominic were up and they all have found a place to live so they will be back soon.
Uncle Darin and Auntie Courtney were up for Thanksgiving dinner. That is all of Mom's family! Grandma took the kids for a hike/walk down to the gully in the afternoon and then the kids got to paint Kool-Aid paintings. The rest of the day was spent watching movies and playing games.
We ended the week with a family hike around the lake. 
Mom has been having lots of pre-labor but there is no baby yet, so it is back to schoolwork this morning.

Kool-Aid Painting~

 

Step one: Spray paper with water. Step two: dip brush, sponge, etc, in Kool-Aid powder.

 

Gemma's. 

 

Smells like lime. 

 

Dominic :) 

 

Aiden. 

Family time~

 

A family walk. 

 

The boys checking out the drain pipes.... Hellooooo....

 

....... Gemma on the other side.

 

The kids climbed a huge stump and were pretending they were judges.

"Order in the court!" 

 

Who can do a chin-up? Only Daddy can. Dad lifted them up to try. 

   

Best buddies.

I love that my kids are friends.