Friday, June 20, 2014

Mind Organization for Moms (Part 4)


I am SO pleased with this program, Mind Organization for Moms!  I'm very proud of how I've set up my new system and how smoothly it is working and delighted I am to actually enjoy my life now.

Are you ready to change your routine to better accommodate all that is swirling around in your brain?  It took me a long time to actually take this course.  I really wondered if it would be helpful to me and if I could actually make it work.  I love it!

*Note: I sent this ebook off to FedEx to be printed for my convenience.

I hope that you will take some time to think about your current situation.  Believe me, I have tried all kinds of organizing systems, but this one was so different and very much exactly how I want things to be.  I am free from constantly thinking about ALL the stuff I have floating around in my brain.  It's all neatly tucked away and I can review it at certain times.  My daily schedule is getting better and I'm also checking lots of things off my list.  But I think my favorite part was cleaning out my email inbox.  What a relief to see NO NEW EMAIL there as I go to bed each night.  That alone was frustrating me.

So, what are you waiting for? 

Check out Mind Organization for Moms today!!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Summer Fun 2014

What are you doing this summer?  I always have grand plans, but then I get overwhelmed.  Since I started organizing with Mind Organization for Moms I am better able to handle the day to day schedule and actually have fun!






Here are some things we are doing this summer:

*My son will visit grandma in Canada for a week. 

*Day Camp for my son

*Swimming lessons for my son

*VBS for BOTH kids this year!!

*Lots of trips to the park.  We have a Tour of Parks group that meets up at different parks all summer long.

*Camping with grandparents

*4th of July party at the lake

*Playing at the beach (we have 3 little beaches where the kids love to dig and discover)

*$1 movie- Madagascar 3 

*Hiking in our wonderful nature

*Picking strawberries, blueberries and enjoying our abundant garden

*Summer Reading with the Library

*Summer School- Yes, we never stop learning!

We are using Summer Fit for PreK-K, First Encyclopedia of Science from Usborne Books, Alphatales, BOB Books Set 2 and finishing Brightly Beaming Resources.

Check out my Summer Pinterest Board for more ideas!

Monday, June 16, 2014

Curriculum Choices for Kindergarten and 3 Year old Preschool for 2014-2015

I am so excited to finally announce what I am using for this upcoming school year!  I have been perusing and researching material for over a year.  You would think that since I taught K, I would have it down, but being at home and knowing my son's level of learning, I don't.  In fact, I felt like I was flying on the seat of my pants all this year during PreK.  We had many ups and downs. Suffice to say, it was a great year, but I can see that homeschooling is going to be challenging with two very different children and the dynamics of sibling interaction.

I tried to design this coming year with a lot of things we can do together since my daughter is more able to sit and do things at the table as well as listen during our morning circle time.  I will be combining Bible, Science, History, Writing, Reading Aloud, Crafts, Field Trips, Sign Language, Cooking and various other things.  Both kids will be in Awana and we also joined a Homeschool Co-op so I think we will be quite busy! 

So here is what I have chosen.

Kindergarten: For my son

Reading- BOB Books Set 3 and 4The Reading Lesson, books from the Reading List for Kindergarten (Kirstin Joy Awake) and Hooked on Phonics for 1st Grade (we finished K).  We'll start working with BOB books and The Reading Lesson.

Set 3 Word Families - Screenshot 0

Language Arts- Language Lessons for Little Ones Volume 2


Math- Math Lessons for a Living Education Volume 1





Handwriting- Printing with Pictures A and B




Social Studies- Berenstain Bears Year Long Lessons
 BB Part 1 Free Printable Year of Learning Our Lessons with The Berenstain Bears Curriculum Part 1 and Part 2
Geography- Usborne Children's Picture Atlas


Extra Work-
RRSK- from 1+1+1=1
Rod and Staff GHIJK series
Daily Learning Notebook from Confessions of a Homeschooler



Preschool 3's: For my daughter

Character Concepts for Preschoolers which includes Character Qualities, Bible Memory and Character Drill, Bible Doctrine, Personal Application, ABC's, Writing practice, Craft Projects, Preschool Projects, Field Trips, Recipes, Skills, Science/Nature and History for Preschoolers from the Boyers (at Character Concepts)

 Level 1 - Character Concepts for Preschoolers Complete Curriculum

Together:
Bible- Jesus Storybook Bible and Crafts from Blessings Overflowing

Character Concepts Lessons- See above

Science- Magic School Bus Series and various topics of our choice


History for Preschoolers- Character Concepts (see above)

Writing- Nellie Edge (Kindergarten- Sing, Sign, Spell and Read) and Preschool/Kindergarten Writing from This Reading Mama and The Measured Mom

Sing, Sign, Spell and Read Program!  Nellie Edge
Preschool and Kindergarten Writing Lessons ~ a 10 part series | This Reading Mama and The Measured Mom

Cooking- Teaching Your Kids to Cook and Kids Cooking Activities



Read Alouds- We are reading The Boxcar Children, but I hope to add a few more in there.  Wow, I think if I had to get through a list that I found I would be reading all day every day. 


As always, this is probably way more than I can chew, but I do have a plan in mind that involves lots of cuddles on the couch, playing outside when weather permits, sharing what we learn with daddy and having a daily quiet time so we all take a break from each other. And most of these lessons are 10-15 min max so we have lots of breaks and stuff to do in between that will keep us from sitting still for any length of time (if that is at all possible...NOT!).



I am very excited to get started, but I'm glad I have the summer to plan.

Starting in the Fall, I hope to give quarterly updates.  I don't feel I can possibly share all that we do, but I do post some things on Facebook as often as I can even if I don't write a blog post.  Life is SO busy with little ones and mine have a lot of energy!

There are SO many options out there.  It was really hard for me to narrow it down.  But I feel that these resources will help me give my children a great start to their schooling.

And remember that each homeschooling family is unique.  What works for one family might not be for another family.  That is what I feel is the true beauty of homeschooling is to do what is right for your family!  Don't copy me, but if you find some good ideas from what I share, try them.

I'm pretty happy with what I picked for this year, but I'm constantly looking for what will work best for each of my kids.  They both learn differently, but I want to do as much as I can to work with their learning style.  Glad I'm down to 2 kids in my "classroom."  I can truly tailor the day and teaching to meet their exact needs.  Can't you tell I'm really looking forward to homeschooling?

Have a great day, Shonda

Friday, June 13, 2014

Mind Organization for Moms (Part 3)



Are you still thinking about Mind Organization for Moms?  Well, I thought about it for a LONG time before I actually did it.  I think what held me back was the amount of things I had to do and the time to try to get them done to set it up.  I'm a big picture girl and little details bog me down.

One day I decided to just take the plunge and guess what?  April Perry had set up a M.O.M. in Two Weeks program with 8 assignments.  Yes!!  I think that is what helped me feel better able to handle getting started.  It was broken down into steps that I could do.

So I signed up for the emails and I did it!  I got my Mom Machine set up and all my files in one place.  I started writing down everything that was on my brain and getting my to-do list organized.  It was a busy two weeks, but I'm so glad I did it!

Here's a little video of my progress:


Here's an better picture of my cubbies (file box)


Check out Mind Organization for Moms today!!

Friday, June 6, 2014

Mind Organization for Moms (Part 2)


 
 
 
My second really fun project for Mind Organization for Moms was to establish my "office" center.  I do not have any one place to call my own.  My desk has orchids on it, my computer is on the dining room table and I have scattered boxes and piles of papers everywhere.
 
I took some of April's ideas and made them work for me.  I found a little space on our kitchen counter in the corner.  I took away the mess that was cluttering up that space and make it neat and beautiful.  It's central and I walk by it daily.  I don't plan to spend long there, so I don't need a chair.  It's perfect.
 
 
 
 
I had a lot of fun shopping for just the right things.  I also have a large tub for my inbox on the dining room table and a file box instead of cubbies for all my other plans that I am writing out and filing away (brain no longer needed to store all this information).  You can find out all about these different filing systems in the program.
 
Do you have a space to call your own?  I really thought that writing all my thoughts on scattered on papers everywhere was a "good" idea, but I was always losing things.  With this system, I am able to organize all my thoughts and keep everything central.
 
Check out Mind Organization for Moms today!!



Monday, June 2, 2014

Build Your Bundle...JOIN as an affiliate!



This summer a great new sale is coming where you can choose your own bundle.  And you can earn commission by recruiting right now.  I'm not sure when the sale it (top secret), but it's coming.

Focused bundles by theme and grade...the seven bundles: tot/prek, k-3, 4-6, middle school, high school, charlotte mason, mom bundle.
Coming this summer
The option to build your own bundles by picking the grades you want only and there will be some areas you can build your own bundle as well.
Affiliates earn 30% and then they can recruit to earn 10% off any of their recruits .

Sign up today!!  See link below!


Promote the "Build Your Bundle" - Homeschool Edition Sale and Earn Money!