Costa Rica!!!

Costa Rica was awesome! We had the most amazing time. We did more adventure activities in that week than we have done in our entire lives. As I read the literature prior to our horseback tour it made me laugh out loud, "ride through the mountains like John Wayne and, the adventurer you are!" Nobody would ever have described me thus but that week we certainly did have a lot of adventure. Ziplining, ATV tour, Horseback riding, swimming in the Pacific, hiking in the rainforest, swimming in a waterfall! It was truly paradise on earth and we plan to spend Christmas there this year. Can't wait to go back. Who knows, one day, we may even take the boat down there!!!

New School Year!!!

We are more than 6 weeks into our school year and it is going great! I cannot believe how well it is going. The kids would tell you, "eh, it's alright" because school is school whether at home or in a school building but they secretly like it, I can tell. Abi told me the other day that she "likes having all of the new books". Aaron said yesterday to Abi, "you know, I guess school is kind of useful" when he was working on a book they are writing together. Just that morning he had told me "school is stupid". Charming brat sometimes that one!!! Aaron prays every morning for a "quick" school day and now that we are into a groove he gets done with plenty of time for himself in the afternoons. Mondays are the longest for us ranging from 4-6 hrs and then each day seems a little less until Friday when we only have about 3 hrs work time because of quizzes, tests, etc. I am amazed at the quality of work I am seeing this year. The new program focuses on composition and the results are already showing. Grammar, the subject I am most picky about, is finally sinking in to these kid's brains and the proof is in the compositions. My son, my terrible speller at the beginning of the year, is producing A+ work these last couple of weeks. Multiplication remains a struggle however, and, it would seem, English is truly his "easy" subject. He rocks the synonyms:) It is nice when the hubby even notices and says, "His vocabulary is actually quite good, isn't it?" Ahh, what can I say, I did feel a bit close to bubbling over with pride. Abi has finished the Trojan War which was a nice challenge for her. After weeks of groaning about the book, she told me yesterday she would like to read it again without having quizzes along the way because it was, "actually, quite good!" Wow, so happy she could get her head into it and appreciate it for what it is - a classic! She averaged 100.5 on her 4 quizzes for the entire book and most of her quizzes are short answer, not multiple choice! Well done to my Abi. She is now beginning Anne of Green Gables for literature and is quite enjoying the humor of it. English she tolerates, doesn't like the parts of speech, word order of sentences etc but is very good at it nonetheless as well as composition. Christian studies has proved to be difficult in that we jumped into a curriculum mid-way. So, we just sort of muddle through it together, discussing along the way and instead of learning some of the longer memory verses we have not had time to learn we learn traditional Catholic prayers instead. Loving the new year, hope we can keep up the motivation:)

No Amount of Planning can Help Attitude

Apparently my organisation this year can only help so far as academics. This year, a whole new set of hormones will accompany us as we sit down for lessons. Yup, I am trying to see the good in this but it is hard. I have finally got this awesome curriculum and now my daughter who once loved to learn fights it. For example, I tried a little review with her today (before school starts) and she refused to answer questions that I KNOW she knows the answer to! Why would someone do that? It makes no sense. How odd, stubborn, difficult and rude. Oh boy. What am I in for? I have ordered a book called "Prayers for Catholic Mothers" along with this year's curriculum. I know it was God's divine intervention that drew to me to that book because it now looks like I am going to really need it this year.

Last year I experienced some resistance from her but apparently over the summer the hormones have completely taken her over. Agggghhh. I am torn with the scheduling. On the one hand I want to get school done in the morning, freeing my afternoons for chores, grocery shopping, dinner etc. On the other hand, I am a little afraid of the morning Nazi. Will she even produce anything good at 9am? I don't know. I am trying over the next couple of weeks to get the children up at 8am instead of letting them sleep and also attempting to keep a bed time of 9.30pm. Trouble is, she isn't tired in the slightest at 9.30pm, 10.30pm, 11.30pm or 12.30am even! I am going to have to find a balance between what works for an 11.5 yr old (currently undergoing physiological changes) and what works for my 9 yr old and me. Oh the prayers I will pray this year. Lord, help me to pick my battles and keep cheery and loving through all things.

I suppose He has provided me with curriculum so that I can manage the other stuff.

Time for School, oh no!!!

In the past we haven't taken a break from school work for the summer. Typically that is because we take a great long break at Christmas and again in February. February is not a particularly special month other than we have 2 family birthdays within it, but for reasons that we do not fully understand, we are unable to produce any work in the month of February. Therefore, for the past couple of years, we just don't even try during February.

This year however, the kids are older and smarter and have noticed that other children are not in school for the summer months. I suppose it was bound to happen eventually because contrary to what people think of homeschoolers, we do not live under a rock. The kids joined forces and protested doing school work this summer. They had some really well thought out reasons for it and I made a show of listening to it all, knowing that I was very much keen on a break myself. I agreed (probably to quickly and in hindsight I could have held the whole "summer break" over them to get lots of chores done) but for only 1 month. That was 2 months ago. Turns out, we needed to have a little fun and are having the most amazing summer. It is so nice to not feel I have to explain why my kids are with me at the grocery store at 10am! It is so nice to just be mom for a while. We have been blackberry picking, blueberry picking, swimming, to the library (which my kids think is a type of mecca), watched tons of movies, to a science show, to summer camp, baking cookies, having sleepovers, fishing, participated in a boat race, played Wii fitness and Wii Dance Revolution all summer, and now, in just a few weeks, we are going to Costa Rica, paradise on earth! The rainforest and pacific ocean are so close we cannot contain our excitement.And yet, lingering in my mind is school. After the Costa Rica vacation of a life time, it is back to work for us all. Well, that isn't a big deal to Jus because he hasn't had a break this summer. I feel a little guilty sleeping in and reading books while he slaves away but I know what's coming so I don't feel too bad.

This is going to be the best homeschooling year yet! I know because I have begun to get organised so the kids are a little worried already. Just how I need them to be, mwa ha ha ha. It will be tricky to be the hard nosed teacher again because I really like not having to be so strict but we are committed to a top class education this year and spent Daddy's hard earned money on actual curriculum packages for 4th and 6th grades. Daddy wants results and is happy to help enforce the slightly more demanding schedule than last year. I am super excited because it takes a lot of the planning that I usually have to do for our curriculum and does it for me. Yay!

This year we are using Memoria Press's Latin centered curriculum for 4th and 6th grades, with the exception of substituting our usual math for theirs. I am excited for the kids as I know they will enjoy this year's material. In addition to the core curriculum (Latin, math, literature, spelling, composition, grammar) the kids will learn about famous men of Greece and Rome, biology, insects, more astronomy, geography, American History, the Trojan War and more. I am so ecstatic that we can afford to do this type of curriculum this year and so grateful to my hubby for making it happen. It is truly going to be a great school year! I have always leaned toward the classical education (Latin centered) but not been in a position to go the whole distance. So, we have always done what we could with what we had. I feel this year we are able to provide the kids with everything I could have wanted. That is an awesome feeling! Now, I just need God to help me implement it all and stay the course which I know He will if I just take the time to listen to His guidance!

Yay! New Books Arrived!!!

It is always exciting when new school books arrive. Admittedly, the kids are less excited than I am but, nevertheless, they are a little curious!

Abi's new literacy book arrived, "Intermediate Language Lessons" by Emma Serl. She completed its predecessor, "Primary Language Lessons" some time ago and I had put it away in the shed. Recently I dug it out and realised it is perfect for Aaron at his age and then I ordered the follow up for Abi. I had forgotten how wonderful Emma Serl's books are. They are brilliant! She is a kindred spirit to me with regard to grammar, nature and literacy. We have been struggling along with Spectrum books for the last year and really just weren't that happy with them, snore. The content is interesting but the worksheets are a bit lacking in creativity and fun. The Writing Skills books that I purchased for Abi were shockingly incorrect in grammar and spelling! I spent a great deal of time correcting the book before lessons which was completely absurd but necessary. I am really thrilled that we can carry on with the Language Lessons books by Emma Serl. They may have been written over 100 years ago but they are definitely still pertinent and engaging today.

We also received our Memoria Press, "Book of Astronomy" that we ordered online. Abi helped choose this book so she really likes it too. It has constellations and planets etc in it which she likes and Latin and mythology which I like! Lots of hands on drawing of the constellations and learning the major star names. There is even a bit of info regarding navigation by the stars which I like. Aaron is interested but a bit apprehensive as to just how much work is involved in the unit exercises.

I also ordered 2 new cursive writing books for each of them, grade appropriate. They have been working out of an A Beka book I found at Goodwill and have just about finished it between them. So, they will get more mail this week! It is always exciting to get mail and when it is a book you get to write in, it is even better. They don't see cursive writing as a part of "school".

On a side note, we filled in some questionaires called, "I'm No Saint.....or Am I?" and Aaron put down, after filling in his good qualities etc., that he would make a good patron saint of "animals" because he loves them and they obey him and Abi put down that she would be a good patron saint of "tree climbers" (i love it) because there isn't a saint for that and she is really good at climing trees!

A day with the Cornish's!

Today the kids and I woke up but then couldn't get up! Their dad has been working very late nights to get our boat finished and ready for us to move aboard on 15th January. Sooooo, out of respect (and a little fear,lol) we all kept quiet in our bunks until he woke up which was around 10.45am. Besides the fact that his bunk serves as storage during the day for 2 clothing boxes, my fiddle and 2 backpacks (which were now spread around the salon floor and settees making it difficult to sit around the table and start school) the boat is only 30ft and any move you make can be heard from bow to stern. So, the kids happily stayed in their bunks with their new books that we got from Goodwill yesterday. (They got 19 books, 2 journals, 3 notepads and a photo album at Goodwill all for under $20! We absolutely adore that store but learned that Goodwill is not the same everywhere you go and some charge more for books!)

Eventually Justin rolled out of bed and we all said good morning and I made coffee for us, cheese grits for the kids and then he went off to work on the boat again. Bless him, he told me I could wake him at 9am tomorrow so as to get on with school work sooner. Aaron is trying to get done before 2pm everyday so as to play with his mates who get home from their school at that time - sometimes he makes it, sometimes not.

We began our day 11.30am with the daily Bible Reading. Aaron read from 1st John and Abi read from the gospel of John. Then I read the reflection and we discussed the meditation question. Then both of them read a little about today's Saint of the day and we finished with morning prayers. Abi disappeared to her cabin after that to get dressed and do whatever she has to do to get prepared for school. Aaron pulled out his cursive writing (it was copying a psalm in his workbook) so as to get started and get finished soon! He then memorized a poem called "A Secret" and copied it in his grammar book. I gave him his maths lesson on units of measure, quantities and equations and he did some math work independently.

Then Abi came to join us and we read about King Louis XIII and Louis XIV. They paraded around the boat acting like Louis XIV for a while and then Justin came in asking for a bagel. Justin helped Aaron finish some math equations whilst I started lunch.

I made everyone a bagel with cream cheese and after I made the boat really smokey and the frying pan sizzling and popping, Aaron announced, "The Bagels are ready"! Little monkey. We ate lunch together and then Justin and I had coffee. Then Justin went back to work and Aaron made a start on his spelling words for the week (yes, on Wednesday 2 days late) and then he took off to play with his buds for the afternoon. Abi did her Reading comprehension book about journal writing and ordering events and then I gave her an hour break from school. They fed "Feathers" our latest neighbour on the dock. She is a white duck and poops everywhere but we just love her. Justin even bought special "duck food" for her for when we don't have any scraps to give her.

Abi came back from playing outside for an hour (3.30pm) and I gave her a maths lesson in long division and multiplication and positive and negative numbers. She bawked at how elementary it was but then made loads of silly mistakes on her worksheet until she got her brain in gear. She then did her spelling words for the week and sentences too. She also did her book report which is due Friday! She then left to go play outside with her brother and his friends again.

I vacuumed the boat whilst everyone was outdoors and cleaned up breakfast and lunch dishes. I also ordered an astronomy book with a $10 gift card I got from Memoria Press!

This evening they came in when their friends left. They are reading books and chillaxing.

Justin will be in soon and we will have dinnner. He is making dirty rice tonight. The first non seafood meal in over a week! The kids will be happy. The thing is we got 31 lbs of fish for Christmas from one of Justin's customers in Alaska. He sent us king salmon, wild salmon, snapper and cod! We all love fish and we have all thoroughly enjoyed it but the kids protested after fish and mussel curry last night. Abi ate hers whilst holding her nose and Aaron bravely fought back the urge to regurgitate. It wasn't the fish so much as the mussels they didn't like. We have never given them much choice in their dinner options however and we encouraged them to eat 2 mussels each. Abi never should have cut her mussels into lots of tiny bits because then every bite of curry tasted of mussels poor girl. Aaron only heard the 2 mussel requirement after he had eaten 6 of them:)

They are both hungry now and I have given Abi an apple and Aaron an orange. We are all on a diet since the Christmas feasting took place!

New Year, New Attitude!

Christmas was great this year and we were able to celebrate Christ's birth with family and friends. One of the greatest gifts we received was ..... a break from boatschool! The kiddos and I, mainly me, were getting a bit burned out!

After a 3 week sabbatical, we have started back with our lessons this week and are thorougly enjoying homeschool again:) It is true what they say about when mama is happy, everyone is happy.

I had begun to feel overwhelmed and out of my depth regarding the responsibility of educating our two little angels. However, I have had a break which allowed me to really consider the why's and what if scenarios about our homeschooling vs traditional school choices. It was a time of enlightenment for me!

I only opted for the homeschool option in the first place because of circumstances regarding boat life and travel and it seemed the best for the children in their primary years. I thought, "how fun!" I loved singing with them and teaching them their letters and fingerpainting etc. Recently, after our 5 years of "let's go sailing for 5 years and then return to a house and normal life" had run out 2 years ago I had begun to resent homeschooling. Hey, I had been railroaded in my mind and it wasn't fair because I NEVER wanted to be a teacher and this was all getting a bit overwhelming. My 10 year old has a will like her mother and the school work is getting a little more difficult and takes longer to teach and ultimately I didn't choose this, it just happened.

I read a book recently about homeschooling and realised just what an absolute ungrateful cow I had been in my thinking! Instead of looking at the positives I had begun to get caught up in society's teaching of "do your own thing" "be yourself" and as Frank Sinatra sang, "MY Way" mode of thinking.

Instead of thinking, "Wow, how could I be helping society more and being in the workforce" or "I never wanted to be a teacher anyway" "I should have been thinking, "Wow, what a blessing I have and honour to educate our children and truthfully what else would I be doing?" How many mothers have expressed their desire to be able to do what I do and cannot because of finances or unsupportive husbands etc.? I am able to help my children on an individual basis academically and when my son is sad about math taking too long (because he was singing, "Grandma got ran over by a reindeer for half the day", he can have a little cry on my shoulder and then feel better and get back to work. Perhaps a school teacher would be kind enough and give him a cuddle but I would be missing out on that cuddle from my 8 yr old boy!

When I thought of putting them in school, it was not so much for them, as for my own selfish reasons. It was getting overwhelming and I questioned my abilities and especially my enthusiasm for teaching. I thought, "It is too hard and I would get more respect as a Waffle House waitress then I do around here." But when it comes down to it, there are many teachers in our public school system that are burned out and have been burned out for years. There is no guarantee that my child wouldn't have a teacher like that at least once or twice througout their school years. Personally I had many teachers like that. Plus, as I read about sex education being taught in the schools, it scares the cuss words out of me! I am grateful that I will be able to discuss this with them at an age appropriate level and from a christian view.

Family is about love, support and sacrifice and God has blessed me with such a wonderful life that I am truly begining to see my blessings rather than get bogged down in my own self pity.
Since becoming catholic, and realising all the christian values that I haven't been living for a while I have had some radical changes in my attitude towards my family and life and God. I think that the dangers of the selfish modes of thinking that our society teaches as a whole are extremely anti family and anti God really. Now with really thinking about the options before me, to homeschool or not to homeschool, I know that I would choose homeschooling.

In homeschooling I get to teach them about scripture, astronomy, literacy, history etc but also about family, kindness, love, patience etc. We are a very close knit family and I realised just how close over the Christmas break which we spent with extended family. I love that we learn together, pray together, eat together, play together. It would seem that most of the time we are in a little cacoon and rarely get an opportunity to see how other families are living. 1 in 2 marriages ends in divorce in the United States. Most families, eat on the go and rarely sit down together except for Christmas. Most families have much busier schedules then we do and not enough time to chill. It is a crazy world out there and I have oodles of respect for the families that are striving to live a faithful life and have traditional values in a material, largely secular world. I have never been so happy to come home to our little hovel of a boat! .... and people think we are strange:)

My New Year's Resolution this year is to be the best homeschooling mother possible to our wonderful kiddos and with God's grace anything is possible!!!