Rocks and Minerals pics

This is a SUPER find at the thrift store for me, last year.  It is "More Fun with Nature" take along guide.  I got it for ONLY $1.40! yeah! 

But at Amazon.com---its only $12.37 and I find that an awesome price.  It is chock full of great info and my kids absolutely love it.  So, keep that in mind for Christmas gifts! :)  The other book, the first one, "Fun with Nature" is also a great one and I also find it at the thrift for the same low price of $1.40.  We have used them weekly and for all ages. 

Remember using egg cartons to hold your rocks when you were younger?  Yeah, me too.  So, I passed along the tradition.  Just imagine that we use 4 dozen eggs a week in our household and just imagine all them filled up with diff. rocks!  Yup, each kido I think has a few.  I guess one can never have too many rocks or too many egg cartons...

Rock Happy! :)

 

 

God bless your night,

Mary @CHeerios

 

Homeschooling thus far

So, this year I made a bit of a change by dedicating a whole day to doing electives.  These are, by far, more enjoyed by my kidos AND ME, than doing 'regular' schoolwork.  Since I have put them on the back burner the last few years, these just weren't getting enough attention.
Hey, a teacher has to enjoy herself teaching too!!!

So, I renamed Wednesdays as "Yahoo Wednesdays"--my children get a hoot out of it, thinking it is NOT REALLY SCHOOL.  HA!!! Love this learning style.  Just my speed.

So, we've been studying the earth and rocks/minerals for science so far and LOVING it.  We are truly learning it while we read about it by hands on learning.

So where else to learn about rocks but by scavenging the beach for them?

We went to to the beach last week (well, its really a lake but they call it a beach.)

Here are some pics.  They had a blast!  TOTAL BLAST!

Why oh why, did I not pack at least towels-of course my kids would not get THAT wet.  HA!!!

Today, we have been enjoying learning about the rocks even more by doing streak tests for them and finding out what minerals they have hidden.

As for the little boys that I dedicate on these Yahoo Wednesdays to teach more in depth...we are on the letter C of the alphabet.  That means baking COOKIES for the letter C today :)  Chocolate Chip Cookies, of course.

This pregnancy, I think I'll be gaining ALOT of poundage!!! yikes.

God bless,
Mary @ Cheerios

Hello fall!

I love the changing of seasons....esp. Fall.  Those chilly mornings turn beautifully warm and sunny.  Perfect for outdoors and breathing in all the fresh air possible.  that means for great sleeping, great eating and great exercise!

Here's a pic of my kids last week that loved the first cold morning of the season...seems we are doing this annually!  Becoming quite the tradition.

This also means I have to stock up on hot cocoa!  I have gotten some my kidos to like hot tea but most still request hot cocoa and since I have kept saying its not cold enough...well, now it is!!! :)  Better go out and buy some!

I just found this one from 2 yrs ago.... I know that I took one last year but can't find it!  I love how little my (gasp!) almost 4 yr old looks in this one!  So cute---as cute as my lil Lady looks in the one above!!! 

Kids are teasing, running around and going nuts while I'm on the computer (I know...surprise surprise! haaa)

God bless,
mary

Modesty spoken from a 7 year old

"Mom?  Next year, for my bathing suit, I want to have a swim dress.  Short sleeves and it goes down like this, all the way to right below my knees.  Ok?"

What could I say?  How could I deny this?  What a beautiful thing.

God bless your day!
C'mon cheer it with me:  TGIF!!! TGIF!!!! TGIF!!!!

God bless,
Mary@ Cheerios

Schooling w/out toddlers

Ok. 

My job is ridiculously tough.  People have always told me so.  "How do you do it, Mary???" they ask, and they demand me to have a superb answer for them as though I am some superwoman or something.  To which, mind you, I don't always have a convincing reason of how I do it.  Reason is b/c sometimes (ahem...most of the time) I do not have any clue on how I do it.

Yesterday, my hubby took my 2 'double trouble' kids (boys age 3 and 5) to the stores with him.  My baby was having her morning nap and so they were out for about an hour.  It was only an hour.  ONLY AN HOUR???? Are you kidding me?  Do you know how much I got done in an HOUR without toddlers around????  Maybe not so much items checked off assignment lists but there were non distracted children in my presence!!!  It was awesome!!! I was actually SCHOOLING THEM pretty well!!!

Now, today....my hubby took 3 of them to foodshopping and errands.  Again! 

I am liking this WAY TOO much!!! 

Now, I really do wonder HOW ON EARTH I can homeschool 4 kids come tomorrow with my toddlers back in my morning school teaching life?

I have no idea how I do it.

I have no idea how I do it.

Did I mention that I have no idea?

Yeah.  I guess I will find out once again, whether I like it or not.

God, help me.

God bless your day!!!
Mary @ Cheerios

School Year 2012-2013

WOW, even writing those years are a shock to my system.  I remember Y2K like it was yesterday and here we are in year 2012...onto 2013.

That means this is my 8th year of homeschooling!

Uh, how did I do that???

Seriously!   Lots of praying and lots of leaning on my husband.  It does make a big difference when Daddy is behind or beside the Momma teacher.  It may even make it or break it, for most families.  I am so thankful and privileged to have him beside me, inspiring me and cheering me on.  My hearts truly go out to moms who do not have understanding husbands.  I feel for them, so much, as I see their struggles.  Let's not forget to pray for these Moms.

This year....
One 6th grader-WOA!  A middle schooler!!!!
Two- 3rd graders
One- 2nd grader
One- Kindergartner
One-Preschooler.
One- Toddler
One - Baby due in February


I still have to get that famous 1st day of school picture done today!!!

Considering that ALL my boys are in the wet woods playing before lunch, this should be some sloppy photo shoot!!! haaaa

This year is going to be so NOT dull.  But, then again, what year is NOT dull around here?!??!!

Homes.....
We had one under contract---that fell through.

then we had high hopes on another house but they could not come down in price---that fell through.

Now, we are on to our (hopefully!) last house that really is the BEST one yet!!!  Please pray that all goes well and that we can be done with this process.

Then, if it goes well...ONLY THEN I will tell you all about our upcoming home!!! God willing, of course.

Best go now.  Boys are rolling in for lunch and I have to get them cleaned up!

God bless your year,
Mary @ Cheerios

A few things I learned this past week.

1.  Our family is not made to do school, as in driving to and from school every. single.  day.  My 4 kids attended a camp this past week.  Not a typical kind of camp you might be thinking (ha ha) but a homeschool camp where they learn now to write! haa haaa.  I'm such a nerd, huh??? They liked it a lot~!  THis was their 2nd year going to it and I didn't shove them into the rooms-they willingly wanted to....so that shows you that they HAD to like it! :P   Well, the kids were in separate groups that met a different times, which made the Mommy Taxi drive 3 different times to this place.  In.  One.  Day.  Ouch.  Naps were messed up, laundry and vaccuming didn't get done, and dishes and pots crowded my sink and kitchen counter tops.  It was a mess.  I was a total mess.  Interesting that their sleeping habits were disturbed too.  Very odd.  I know it was not a random thing.  I cannot imagine having to do this every day of every week of every month of every year.  Wow, kudos go to the mommas that can do this or can do this.  For me, homeschooling is our primary method of life.  Period.

2.  Playing a Saint Memory Game is very fun for kidos.  Keeps them entertained for a while!  I guess you can make your own and it would be easy to do.  But that means time and I don't have much of that right now.
3.  Ok, so we have some big news.  When DON'T we have news?!?!  So, you know about our baby so it can't be that and no, we are not having twins. (ha!).  The big news is that we are moving.  I have eluded to that point a while ago in some post that I am too lazy to  look up right now.  I may have even mentioned it a few times.  Well, it is official.  We are moving as in moving to a new state!!!! Boy, the most stressful things are having babies, moving and it seems we are doing both!  My hubby and I laugh so much at how sometimes we just invite this chaos-it seems it's been there our whole marriage-babies and moving every 2ish years.  This is just ridiculous.  So, we have decided this move if final, albeit God willing.  We are moving and going to settle there, giving the most needed stability to our family.  It is going to be soon and life is a bit uneasy right now with one contract with a house that we really liked and knew it was JUST what we needed, but the day we had our inspection and my hubby was down there-a very questionable future next door neighbor approached my hubby and real estate agent.  It was too creepy to ignore and after lots of talking, prayer and advice from our wonderful agent, we pulled out.  Again, a trial.  Again, a time to trust God's providence.  He knows what is best and we count this as a blessing that we found out now rather than later.  It was a blessing, even though big chunks of money was lost.  God will provide. 

4. Prayer. 
Doesn't God have a way to bring us to our knees?  Why, yes He does!!!  Lots of prayer and prayer in our family lately.  Again, a blessing.

5.  Lastly, Alpacas are super cool animals.  Check out this pic:

This sunshine girl got to give 33 alpacas a bath, feed them, and even take this one for a walk!!!  It was our long awaited special day out together (and it just so happens to be close to her 7th bday too!!! :)

God bless your day,
Mary @ Cheerios