Sunday, September 30, 2012

Book Review - Cleaning House

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"Kay Wills Wyma set out on a 12 month experiment within her household to change the "serve me" attitude of her 5 children into a "serve others" and work hard attitude. She found out a lot about her children, her marriage and more about herself than she ever expected. Each month she set out on teaching her children a "real world" task that they NEED to know to be successful adults and confident children. Kids and parents need to be pushed outside of their comfort zones in order to see what they are indeed capable of doing. She found out she had a lot of work to do to ease up on control, to stop trying to make it easy for them and to step aside as they learn by succeeding AND failing."


Each month she picks one important life skill for her kids to take responsibility of hoping to equip them with a strong work ethic, self-confidence through a job well done and concern for others along the way.
Here is the schedule she follows:
Task 1 - Operation Clutter Control (Making Beds and Picking Up)
Task 2 - Kitchen Patrol (Cooking)
Task 3 - Grounding Time (Outdoor Duties)
Task 4 - Working for a Living (Employment)
Task 5 - Domestic Dirty Jobs (Cleaning Toilets)
Task 6 - Roll Tide (Laundry)
Task 7 - The Handyman Can…or Can He? (Fixing What's Broken)
Task 8 - The Entertainers (Hospitality)
Task 9 - Team Players (Working Together)
Task 10 - Runner's World (Errands)
Task 11 - It's About Other's (Service)
Task 12 - Lades and Gentlemen (Manners)
I followed along with her as much as I could....some of the topics where meant for older children so I had to adjust them to fit our family! I found myself re examining my parenting style! Pushing my older son out of his comfort zone show me and him that he could do it! Task 6 - Roll Tide (Laundry) was my favorite all three of my children pick up their dirty clothes and take them down to the laundry room! They also make their beds!! It is a work in progress! 
I HIGHLY recommend this book to any parent who has a child/children who have that ultra annoying attitude of SERVE ME! 


Publisher's Description

Is Your Home Out of Order?
 
Do your kids expect clean folded clothes to magically appear in their drawers? Do they roll their eyes when you suggest they clean the bathroom? By racing in to make their lives easy, have you unintentionally reinforced your children’s belief that the world revolves around them?

Dismayed at the attitude of entitlement that had crept into her home, Kay Wyma got some attitude of her own. Cleaning Houseis her account of a year-long campaign to introduce her five kids to basic life skills and the ways meaningful work can increase earned self-confidence and concern for others.

With irresistible humor and refreshing insights, Kay candidly details the ups and downs of equipping her kids for such tasks as making beds, refinishing a deck chair, and working together. The changes that take place in her household will inspire you to launch your own campaign to dislodge your kids from the center of their universe.
 
"If you want your children to be more responsible, more self-assured, and more empathetic, Cleaning House is for you."
—Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family

Author Bio

Kay Wills Wyma has five kids, ages four to fourteen, and one SUV with a lot of carpool miles. She holds a bachelor's from Baylor University and an MIM from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird). Before transitioning to stay-at-home mom, she held positions at the White House, the Staubach Company, and Bank of America. She and her husband, Jon, live with their family in the Dallas area.
*I received this book free from blogging for books in exchange for my honest opinion. 

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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A Peek in the Classroom

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It is still a work in progress! I have a lots of addition I would like to add...but finding the time has been a issue! I moved our classroom from the Dining Room to the downstair Family room. The dining room was getting far too cluttered and to be honest I really need some separation! The family room is very large and roomy, which is so nice! I have it broken down into areas: Book Work, Computer, Reading Corner, Arts and Crafts.

I have plans for my reading corner:

I love the basic idea of this...however I'm going to do a teepee instead of a hut! 

Oh the plans!! Until then here is a little peek at our school room!




Where is Steve? We have a dear friend who is walking for the Space Needle to Times Square to raise money and awareness about UZIMA Africa...http://www.needle2square.blogspot.com

This months curriculum

Book Shelf with binders and art supplies

This round table is great and better then nothing...but I'm in dyer need of a kidney table! 

This is what I will be adding in the weeks to come!



I LOVE this table! All the kids would be at the same table but not too close....Those of you with more than one kiddo knows what I mean :)

Rain Gutter Bookshelf! My hubby will be getting these up this week/weekend!!

How fun is this?!? Tree Coat rack!

I want to do an "All about me" at the beginning of the year and the end! I think that will be fun to see how things change!

OH SNAP! Reading!


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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Beth Moore + James = GET IT!

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My women's bible study just started JAMES! I am in love. The introduction video was AMAZING the Lord spoke to me...it was...awesome. I want to encourage you all to pick up a copy, find a bible study, download it...whatever...just get it! PS: I love Beth Moore | she is adorable!


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Saturday, September 22, 2012

My Current Obsession!

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Have you heard of Teachers Pay Teachers? If you haven't then let me introduce you!


TeachersPayTeachers is the world's first open marketplace
where teachers buy and sell original teaching materials.
TpT's mission is to empower teachers by bringing together those who create curricula with those who are seeking fresh new approaches in the classroom. Teachers work hard and deserve extra compensation for all those hours spent lesson planning.
Newer teachers and those looking for ideas can save time and leap ahead in competency by learning from veterans.
We strongly believe that the ensuing exchange lifts all boats and leads to the better sharing of best practices.

In the end everyone wins, especially our students.

You can join as a buyer or seller or both to make your teaching career even more rewarding. We call it Free Market Merit Pay for Teachers. Click on the apple and check it out! You will be glad you did!


A few my personal FAVORITES!!!

OH S.N.A.P. A Motivational Reading Reward Strategy {Customizable}

By Hope King {she has the BEST stuff!}
About Oh S.N.A.P
OH S.N.A.P. does not only reward those students who are demonstrating progress by advancing levels in their reading. This program also rewards those students who are going above and beyond to become the very best readers that they can be. While using OH S.N.A.P. to encourage reading, students will be rewarded for four different reading achievements: Reading Practice (Reading Logs), A.R. (Accelerated Reader: If your school does not implement this program, there is an alternate point system), Reading Level Advancement, & Readers Response. 


Super in Second! {Beginning of the Year Activities for 2nd Grade}

By Babbling Abbey

About Super in Second
This activity pack is filled with things to do during the first few weeks of 2nd grade to get your students excited about the school year. It was created after several 2nd grade teachers contacted me to ask that I alter my "Fun with Firsties" pack to be suitable for their students.


Teacher Reading Binder: Ultimate Resource for any Teacher!

By Lesson Plan SOS Teacher

About Reading Binder

1. Guided Reading Binder 101- 12 pages
2. Guided Reading Guru!- 92 pages3. Reading Binder Cover Pages- 15 pages4. Comprehension Posters- 18 pages5. Guided Reading Teacher/Student Venn Diagram- 21 pages6. Intermediate Grades Comprehension Reading Activities- 18 pages7. Primary Grades Comprehension Reading Activities- 17 pages8. Guided Reading Groups Bulletin Board Display- 33 pages9. Super Reader Craftitivity- 4 pages10. Super Reader Cape Tracers- 4 pages11. Super Reader Dr. Tracers- 9 pages


Cloudy with a Chance

By Hope King


About Cloud with a Chance

This 118 page unit combines research, observation and experimentation to allow students to dive head first into basic weather concepts. This unit includes 10 lessons that can be taught during a three week weather unit. Here is a look at the lesson breakdown: 

Lesson 1: Welcome to Chewandswallow Duration: 1 Day Lesson 2: Know the Lingo Duration: 1 Day Lesson 3: What is a Meteorologist? Duration: 1 Day Lesson 4: A Meteorologist's Toolbox Duration: 1 Day Lesson 5: Weather Tools Duration: 2 Days Lesson 6: Severe Weather Alert Duration: 4 Days Lesson 7: Going Live Duration: 2 Days Lesson 8: Let's Make Clouds Duration: 1 Day Lesson 9: Cloud Watching Duration: 1 Day Lesson 10: How Much Does it Hold? Duration: 1 Day


The Great Pumpkin Investigation {Student Journal}

By Cara Carroll

About The Great Pumpkin Investigation
The Great Pumpkin Investigation is a 10 page student journal used for recording observations, predictions, and estimations of a pumpkin.

I could go on and on and on and on....There are 1000's to choose from! There is even a HUGE free section! 
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Friday, September 21, 2012

BabyLegs Giveaway Winner...

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AND THE WINNER IS....
Tonya Hopkins

I will be emailing you asap to gather the info babylegs needs to send you your prize!!

Thank you to all who entered!!

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Monday, September 17, 2012

Friday Road Trip!

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A few months ago my brother-in-law and sister-in-law moved from Seattle {which about 4 1/2 hours to 5 hours away} to Moscow {which is only about an 1 1/2 hours away max!} We have been planning to drive down to see them for weeks...but work schedules have not worked out.

This weekend the local Fair was taking place and my hubby got of work at 9am and my sister-in-law was off! PERFECT! The kids were so excited to see their aunt and uncle and go to the fair!

Well surprise surprise we were about an hour and half behind yesterday. We had to drive 20 minutes in the opposite direction to drop off enrollment forms for Elias' new Enrichment Study Program {Another Post soon all about that!! } THEN, we were finally on our way!

Any other parent would assume that at least one of our twins would fall asleep during a 2.5 hour car ride...right?! Yeah, they didn't! They talked, they fought, they sang and they yelled...but they didn't even come close to falling asleep! This made for a VERY long car ride, considering it was nearly 3 hours past their regular nap time...I had the brilliant idea that we should push out nap time because "they will fall asleep on the way there" ha!

Things that I said 1000 times in 2.5 hours!

"yes you do sing pretty"
"no we don't have the Word Girl cd"
"stop touching your brother"
"stop touching your sister"
"stop spitting"
"stop yelling"
"yep those are wheat fields"
"please take a nap"
"stop yelling, I'm sitting right here"
"no we are not there yet"
"I'm hungry too"
"I'm thirsty too"
"I'm board too"
"quite kicking each others seats"

After asking "are we there yet" 1000 times we were finally there!!! YAY!

It was smooth sailing once we arrived! We got to see Uncle and Aunties new house, the kiddos had a great time playing with dogs!



At the fair we looked at animals, played games: all three kids won a multitude of prizes, the twins rode their VERY first Roller Coaster! We ate food...at little too much fried food for my liking but that all part of the fair right!? It was a tiny small town fair so we only spent a few hours there.

Then we heading to the College Grizzly Bear conservation area nearby. The kids LOVED being so close to the Bears! They had the adult ones out while we were there, they were huge! We could see the babies playing and growling...it was pretty darn cute!










We ended our day at a favorite Mexican restaurant! By then Gabbi had about reached the end of her rope, she was exhausted and Simon wasn't too far behind. We loved the little town we were in...right out side the  restaurant was a play ground! The kids loved it. It made me wish that we had fun little areas like that nearby!

When we headed home the twins were out within about 5 minutes! Elias was in 15! It was a GREAT car ride home! My hubby and I got to talk about so many things, make decision, and just enjoy each other!

All in all it was a amazing trip and we are looking forward to doing it again...car trip and all!


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I Scream, You Scream, We Both Scream for...The Roller Coaster

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The First "Roller Coaster"!!
Ever since I was tall enough I have loved roller coasters! My husband and my older son want nothing to do with anything like that! You can imagine my surprise when my 3 year olds BEGGED us at the local fair to ride on the little kiddie Roller Coaster!

Ok, it might not look it but this little thing was FAST and it went around the track about 20 times! They were laughing and squealing the whole time! They even put their hands up when they went down the track! It was so cute!

They were so proud when they got off...I'm very proud of my little brave kiddos!

What Makes your Monday? Head over to Twinfatuation and link up to share! 


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Friday, September 14, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Focus

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START

I haven't always been a planner and organization has not always come easy for me...so would you be surprised to know that in the past I have had days totally full of choas?

I homeschool and I think to myself how on earth am I going to teach my children responsibility if mommy can't keep a organized schedule?

I married a man who is the most organized focused person on earth...thank you Lord for blessing me with this man!!! Over the years he has helped me become organized with business, schooling and even blogging!!

Organization come easier to me now but there are still times when I have to focus very hard on the task at had!

Comparison: first year of Homeschooling...utter chaos!! Horrible!
This year...organized and scheduled...we are having so much fun!

So, it all comes back to this...I cannot expect my children to be organized and focused when they see their mommy living in totally chaos...I'm glad I learned this sooner than later!

STOP!

Five Minute Friday

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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Aloha Friday!

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Welcome to Aloha Friday! After a week of craziness, it’s nice to have a little downtime like Aloha Friday. 

On Aloha Friday, each blogger asks a simple question. We link up at An Island Life, visit everyone who links up and answer their simple questions. This is a really fun way to make NEW bloggy friends! So Join us! 

My Question for you…

What was your best memory from this Summer? Are you looking forward to Fall?


Please leave a comment with you link! Don't be afraid to join my site and grab my button!!! I look forward to making all kinds of new friends! 


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First Month Success!

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We are about to end our 1st month of 2nd grade! I can't believe it has almost been a month since we started! It has been the best first month of school we have ever had!! Elias is eager to learn! Every morning he looks at his schedule for the day with excitement!!

What our day looks like...

7am - Wake Up
7am-8am cartoon and breakfast time
9am - Morning Chores: Make bed, pick up bedroom, take laundry downstairs
9:15am - Morning Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance {To the US and Christian Flags}
9:30 -10ish - ETC {Explode the Code}
10am - 11am - Bible time: Currently we are reading about Moses & American History
11am - 11:30 - Math {Monday, Wednesday, Friday} Science {Tuesday, Thursday}
11:30 - 12pm - LUNCH and FREETIME {usually you can hear phineas and ferb in the background!}
12:30 - 1pm - History {Monday, Wednesday, Friday} Art {Tuesday, Thursday}
1:30 - 2pm - Speech Therapy {Monday, Wednesday, Friday} iPad {Tuesday, Thursday}

{Somedays we are totally done WELL before 2...while others we are still trudging on at 3:30}

Elias LOVES math and he is really good at it! He really retains it...it amazes me!! He is have a great time with addition, subtraction and the kid truly loves multiplication...what in the world?!? ;) Oh Life of Fred how I love you! Funny, Smart, Engaging! 

He is finding history to be a lot of fun as well! We are currently learning about Charles V and explorers! Some of my favorite times in history! Story of the World vol. 3 is FANTASTIC! I am totally in love with it! I really love the way that it is written! VERY engaging for kids of all ages!

Science is probably my easiest subject with him...he is going to be a scientist so anything science related he is ready to do with no complaining!! He would do science projects all day everyday if I would allow it! I haven't found a science program that I am just top dead in love with...yet! He really likes biology and botany. So I will continue to trudge on ;)

Art, while he has fun with does not have his heart the way it has mine. But that is more than ok! I am so proud of the things that he enjoys and that he is good at! I'm going to re-evaluate our current art and I think I am going to switch the focus in another direction. He will be starting pottery and painting next week! I KNOW he will love pottery!

American History = LOVE for my little
man! The more the better in his eyes! States, Presidents, famous battles, famous speeches, he loves it all!! I have to admit this makes me do happy because American history has always been my favorite subject! I would highly recommend looking at 'My Father's World' American History! FABULOUS!

Reading and Writing are going really great. He is dyslexic so it does have its rough patches. I myself am dyslexic as well so I know that helps him when he is feeling overwhelmed. If you have a dyslexic child I would highly recommend that you look into Explode the Code! When I first heard about someone was telling me "Oh my gosh! It's great, you will see a HUGE difference after only a few weeks! A more confident reader!" ect. I thought 'yeah right...you don't know my kid. I can't be that great' Ok, ummm can I just say! OH MY GOSH it is amazing and I HAVE seen a HUGE difference! He is far more confident than I ever could have expected for the first month of school!

Honestly, this is our first month in a nutshell!!

I am so excited that next week E will be starting a number of crazy fun enrichment classes in a co-op type setting! It will be so great for him! He is really excited to make new friends and learn all kinds of fun new things that I could never teach...like pottery, irish dance, gymnastics, karate, wood shop, and violin!

All in all this first month has been FANTASTIC! I'm looking forward to what the next month {s} brings!

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