A New Year 2019~

Happy 2019!

Every year I take some time to write goals for school and choose a word for the year.
Is it just me or is it hard to stay focused on Contentment?
I sometime think social media causes us to want more and do more.
I'm going to be more mindful of time online and my word for 2019 is...
Content~

 With these precious faces wrapped around my table, how could be anything else?

After tons of rain and sickies, we had a day outside with warmer temps~

 It didn't last long though and before it was over, 7 of us had the flu. :(

We have begun a new adventure this year with Hoffman Academy online for piano lessons~

 Everyone can watch the lesson and practice on their own in the afternoons!

A few sweet pics of Calla including the day she came down with the flu... NOT GOOD~

Filling our bird feeders sure brings the birds to our window~

 Books and binoculars were grabbed for a bird watching session.

Some days call for lipstick and a fun math game~

And a concert before nature sketching~

For winter, we pulled out the forest animal cookie cutters for narrating the story cookie style~

Penpal letter writing~

Our next adventure was for SJ to begin her online Violin lessons, and we LOVE Practice Monkeys with Ms. Van Kleeck~

One of our new strategies for learning is listing what we want to cover and checking it off the white board~

Early morning learning with little girls is a smart strategy too~

Most days when we read aloud, everyone finds a handicraft to enjoy like nature journaling~

 Calla's horse~

These are a few of the Ancients books we are reading through for a basic understanding~

We were thrilled to meet Rosie and Hayden's new puppy, Maverick~

He is a golden retriever and just precious~

In January we love reading Snowflake Bentley and making snowflakes~

 This year we found an awesome youtube video to make extraordinary ones!

Happy Forever Day to Payne and Evie~

 They were adopted together and have grown into beautiful, lovely souls!

 I was recently listening and reading quotes taken from a homeschooling event and heard the most profound thought...

We are the Gatekeepers of our Children's Childhood.
Think about it.
Why are we in such a rush to hurry them toward the next thing or step or level?
We should guard their young years because they are SO short.
Cherish these moments so they can be pondered in our hearts.

Such have been some of our moments lately...
* Reading all the books as soon as asked!
* Sending them outside BEFORE lunch to just hang out as a group!
* Cook together whenever the notion rises!

One morning, Scott left in the extreme early hours of the morning to catch a flight to Washington, DC and as I prayed for him, I looked back through my sunroom windows to see Majesty~

 What a promise of Hope!

The boys moved into a smaller room upstairs and the twin beds took up way too much room so we bought them bunkbeds...

 They LOVE them!

Getting back to schooling after time off in December hasn't been so hard after all~

I try to have them read to me aloud or to each other every couple of days~

More sketching~

Beautiful Ella~

 Created an art cabinet for their creative urges.

Fun Friday was reading a Caldecott, painting winter scenes, and making winter trees to eat~

Here is a creative art project made by Evie, a game board~

 Also a favorite meal of soup and cornbread and my sign made by Amelia hung in my office!

Scott and Millstone Homes were recognized as the 13th fastest growing company by a UGA graduate (Mike Cain) at a banquet downtown Atlanta~

 While the award was quite distinguished and we're thrilled, nothing compares to stopping by and holding our grand boys!!!

 A wonderful group of Millstone Homes friends and family!

Our next big adventure is adding Evie to the Violin gang~

 She is doing amazingly well!

A written narration by EK on a historical figure~

We began celebrating Evie's 9th birthday a little early with early bd gifts~

 She got a leather journal that she loves to write in and adorable new pjs~

SJ LOVES wolves so we checked out lots of books and a video and while watching it, we sketched them~

 Aren't they amazing?

It's been a wonderful month of January for sure!

Why I Homeschool~

Yesterday as we all enjoyed our last day of Christmas break,
EK and SJ were dreading school (the bookwork part of it)
so I casually suggested about 8pm last night they could go ahead
and get it done so they wouldn't have to do it tomorrow~

They took the bait and in about 30 minutes it was all done and they went to bed super happy!

Today when we began school, they were free to journal while we did history, geography, and science.
They also had plenty of time to read to their hearts' content!

If you would like to read Why I Homeschool, I wrote a post today at
A Beautiful Symphony.
So thankful for the call to teach my kids every day!

A Slow Week~

Nothing much around here this week other than~

School, playing, and being outside.

That makes for a pretty awesome week

and we will take a slow week ANYTIME!!!

A Beautiful Day of Schooling~

Story @ Growing Whole Hearts!

Easter Discussion~

Out of nowhere while riding in the car, Evie asked if Jesus could live in her heart.
Scott and I are always talking about Jesus and we have a special bible time each morning
so not sure why this question surprised us so much but it did.

This morning our Blessing reading was about Jesus being in the tomb~

There were many questions and I did my best to answer.
I came upon this book this week while cleaning out so we read it together.
It was the sweetest thing to see the last page with Rosemary's name written on it.
A big example for all the littles.

It was the perfect time to share where the Logo for our church NewSpring came from~

Can you see it? Our pastor posted the last photo on IG today
and gave us more to discuss about Jesus.
He didn't need his own burial tomb... It was borrowed because~
He wasn't staying! HE IS ALIVE... He ain't in there!!!

EK is the first of the 6 to give her life to Jesus and I look forward to the other 5 trusting Him too!
One of the most beautiful things about being home together each day...

Growing Whole Hearts toward Jesus.

Together~

The beauty of home education is that it gives a family more time together

- time to solidify relationships, to communicate values, 

and to focus on each child's individual needs in a consistent and unhurried atmosphere.

~ Kimberly Hahn

Happy Spring~

"Be a RAINBOW in someone else's cloud."
                                                   ~Maya Angelou

Slow Mornings~

Some days it's best to start slow~

and let them play with their Christmas toys!!!

Beauty of homeschooling!

The Most Thankful Thing~

This morning I spent some time catching up on the blogs

and left it open to make breakfast.

As the littles finished up and headed toward the school room,

I could hear EK reading and it sounded like my words~

It was... I had left the laptop up and she was reading what I had written.

THIS is why I blog...

If they love reading this now just think how much they will love it when they are older.

In years past, I spent numerous hours, days, and weekends creating scrapbooks for my big girls.

It occurred to me one day not long after I started blogging I was working double hard...

no more scrapbooks but I could print my blog into a blog scrapbook.

Can you believe I just ordered the ones from last year and another year is almost done.

Today when I read~

 I shared with them that my blog is my journal that I write my stories on each day

and they are doing the same in their journals~

They are practicing for a day when they might start their very own blog.

EK said she would love that and I told her maybe when she turns 10.

I think they will love looking back on these beautiful journals one day

to realize just how much they have changed and grown.

SO what is My Most Thankful Thing?

The People in my Family!

I love you all~

Scott, Josh, Savannah, Amelia, Rosemary, EllaKate, ShayleeJoy,

Payne Curtis, Will Perry, EvieClaire, HollyMei, and Ben Curtis.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Growing Whole Hearts

We're NOT Scaredy Cats!~

Psalm 56:3~

When I am afraid, I will trust in God!

School Day post @ Growing Whole Hearts!