Wordless Wednesday (Sept 12,2018)

Our Homeschool Class Ring

Obviously, when you homeschool  you want your children to have similar experiences in school as public school.

High school experiences I automatically think of:

PROM
 &

CLASS RING

When I began homeschooling high school I racked my brain on how to keep our eclectic style of learning going for high school topics. Over all I believe I adjusted for our oldest very well.

He participated in prom 2 years although he didn't really want too but I really craved for him to enjoy it. He doesn't enjoy dancing but loved the silliness which is totally him. 

Class ring was where I racked my brain. I didn't want it to be a normal ring. I wanted it to be custom to him and our homeschool journey. I looked online lots and done lots of browsing. Finally deciding on a christian ring that we thought suited him to a t.

It has a bible verse which is one of his favorites. 

We sat him down without him knowing what was going on and talked about our homeschooling thus far. His experiences and how he had grown in knowledge generally and in the Lord and presented him his "class ring".

He wears it a lot and that makes me very happy! 

Just because we homeschool doesn't mean our children miss out on a single experience! 

Keep going homeschool mama!

Gardening Elective { highschool homeschool }

Just have to take a moment to brag on Zachary.

Momma's need to let their children explore their passions, this is one of those examples. I talked in a different post about letting your high schoolers find creative electives - This would be one of those electives we count.

Zachary loves working outside doing anything. 

We have always planted a garden but my husband hasn't been able to help very much with it the last 2 years so we wasn't going to plant one this year. Zachary took that as a challenge to do it himself. 

Guess what - HE DID.

He tilled the ground by himself.

Planted everything by himself.

He has tended the weeds off and fertilized as needed himself. 

AND this was his first of many harvest to come from his beautiful garden. 

I'm a proud momma.

Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Latte {THM}

My daughter loves coffee. I ran across a recipe the other day that was great but loaded with crap so I searched around some and played around with combining two of the recipes I saw and came up with this one. 

We try to follow a sugar free friendly way of eating as often as possible. I've posted several times about Trim Healthy Mama and this is compliant. 

This was super quick. 

1 cup coffee

1/2 cup almond milk (ours is flavored vanilla)

2 tbsp pumpkin

2 tbsp Pyrue

1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spices

dash of salt (we used pink)

I then blended in the blender for a few seconds making it foam. Put some sf whipped topping and she was good to go.

SHE LOVED IT. Hope you do too!

Quick Porch Redo

We had thought long and hard about selling our home a few months back (actually more realistically for about a year) but decided that wasn't the best option for us. So we have been doing lots of projects just to spruce the area's that we spend a lot of time in up.

My front porch being one of those areas. 

I love spending the morning out there when its cooler weather because hey who wants to sit on the porch in 90 degree weather?? NOT THIS SOUTHERN GIRL.

BUT Fall is right around the corner and so the porch was one of the first areas I thought about doing. 

It took me less than 30 minutes and was only $20 for the paint because I had everything else needed. 

First, I scrubbed the concrete really good. Years ago the previous owners had outdoor carpet but when we moved in 6 years ago we removed that.

Then I sweep it off several times and blew it off.

Then I simply poured the paint right onto the concrete and ran my roller over it. I did 2 coats but it was super hot and the sun was directly on it so it dried quick.

I then waited 24 hours and placed my belongings back on the porch.

Taa-Daa

I want some pillows but other than that I am super happy with this cheap and easy redo.

(I used Glidden Floor & Porch Paint in Dark Grey)

2018/2019 School Year

Well Hello!!

I haven't blogged in almost 2 full years.

Life has been nuts but we finally have found our way to calmer times.

We have fostered for the last 4 years and that took up a ton of our time as most of our children were special needs. We stopped fostering and have been finding our new way for our family these last few months.

Over the next few weeks I hope to really update our life because, after all, the entire purpose I started blogging years ago was to keep a digital scrapbook of what we did and our fun times.

This year I only have 2 children that I am homeschooling. Our oldest graduated in June. 

We have a 10th grader and 8th grader. 

She is the oldest although he is the tallest, lol...

 

This year they are using a lot of the same curriculum together as always however some items vary.

8th grade year consists of Math U See Zeta, Easy Writing, Daily Grammar, Movie Literature and he will have a reading list. He does lots and lots of electives so that will completely keep him busy.

10th grade year consists of No Nonsense Algebra, Illuminating Literature: Characters In Crisis (this is the second volume in which she completed volume one last school year). She reads lots of books and writes all in the one literature curriculum. She also has electives such as aromatherapy and alternative medicines. She also has a small side business she started with making homemade items.

TOGETHER they will be doing Uncle Sam and You for Economics because we finished all volumes of Mystery of History last school year! Anatomy with Body of Evidence DVD set and journaling. Also will be doing Vocabulary Cartoons for expanding knowledge of vocab.

Its been so good to sit down and blog for a few minutes.

I'll be back soon!

May Round Up

May was a good month. We finished up so much school that only three items are not finished. Every one of the kiddos have literature to finish...

I'm looking forward to a break! We normally school year round but with the kids older we have decided we will take a few months off and start back the first of August.

This school year has been a struggle so we are all ready for SUMMER.

Having toddlers is interesting let's just leave it at that...

 Y'all know I love my low carb trim healthy mama lifestyle by now right... Well here was a mocha I whipped up.

 Took my mom to the Biltmore House for her Mother's Day gift.

 Sweet Lexi finally got her husky!! 

 Lex and I went to get a manicure and pedicure for the first time in years. We enjoyed every moment of it.

 After a long hard day at work look what my sweet child brought in to me for Mother's Day.

 Kevin and I on a date night for ice cream!

 Look at that farmer's tan!! He uses sun screen and this is still what happens after 2 years of working outside.

Best dessert I've made to date happened recently! 

Briana Thomas's chocolate cake doughnuts and a low carb cheesecake that finally got the texture right! I was beginning to think I would never find a cheesecake to satisfy me again until this one... Try # 9 finally got it!

My oldest has been sick with a tick bite!

 

 

 We got new hair!

 Started a new book!

We went bowling and had a fun time making fun of each other.

My awesome pitcher! He also got a homerun that game!

Memorial Day gave us some family time to enjoy each other and the pool for the first time this year.