Getting back to the basics:homeschool in 2012

Our Christmas decorations are packed away, holiday traveling is all done, old toys have been purged, daddy has gone back to work, and homeschool is back on track. We are getting back to the basics in 2012! We are re-establishing our routine, and I have to say, it feels wonderful! I haven't done a homeschool post in a while, so I thought I'd blog about a few of our highlights. Bella still LOVES doing her 'work'. She especially likes it when I teach her one on one... it can sometimes be hard for her to stay on task if I leave her side. But, I have tried to be creative since it is not realistic for me to sit right beside Bella at all times. wink. She likes to paint, use shaving cream, pour water, and play with manipulatives, so I like to give her activities that involve some of these favorites while I am teaching Emma Grace. Bella is an eager learner, so she makes being a mommy-teacher lots of fun!Wubs is reading, reading, reading these days! She reads everything from street signs to labels on food packaging to favorite books. It blesses my heart to hear her sound out words and watch her face glow while she reads aloud smoothly. She is also getting stronger in her math, and she loves being challenged. What a treat to teach such sweet girls! I know I am incredibly blessed!JJ is now napping three times a day, so we try to do the bulk of our school during his naps, and while he is awake, we all do chores together and then enjoy some free time. (The children LOVE to go outside when weather permits or play with their toys for 'free time', and during my free time, I catch up on household chores and return emails/ complete work for my part-time job at the church. And as you can see, I sneak in a little blogging time if possible! wink!)I took a few pictures today of our homeschool day. I'm guessing the last one will make you laugh! Wubs' Bible story today was about Cain and Abel. She couldn't believe that anyone would actually kill their own brother!Bella is working on her number recognition. Here she is doing a little water-coloring with the number two!Sweet little man. He wears a bib all the time because his top two front teeth are almost in and he is a droolin' non-stop!Our next door neighbors moved to New Mexico but their house hasn't sold yet. So, sometimes we walk over and 'borrow' their swingset just to enjoy a different play structure. Today, Wubs wanted all of us to work on doing tricks. Here is Wubs' with her one handed rope climbing trick...And Bella will her climbing up the slide trick...And mommy doing a flip off the trapeze bar! (I tell you what, the girls cheered me on like I was an Olympic gymnast! Wubs insisted on taking my picture and I thought you would get a giggle out of it! wink!)
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."- Matthew 7:7