Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

We are so excited to start using Heart of Dakota for Rachel and Abby beginning in January of 2010!  Rachel will be going through the kindergarten program, Little Hearts for His Glory, and Abby will be starting the preschool program, Little Hands to Heaven.

Deciding whether or not to homeschool is challenging enough, but deciding what curriculum to use can be completely overwhelming!  I remember searching the internet for hours on end not knowing what to choose.  When I stumbled across was led to Heart of Dakota's website, I knew pretty quickly that this would be a perfect fit for our family.

Here are some reasons why I really love it:
~ It's Christ-centered.  The main reason why we're homeschooling is to teach our children more about God, so I wanted a curriculum that would meet this need and HOD does!

~ The activities are so sweet, and most of all, fun!  I've already gone through Little Hands to Heaven with Rachel, my oldest, and was amazed at how much she retained because she enjoyed herself and it didn't feel like "school".

~ The academics are just right.  It's not too overwhelming nor too gentle.  I feel like it strikes a perfect balance between being challenging enough but not too much.

~ I love the layout of the teacher's manual!  I'm a box-checker so this makes me really happy. :)  You can get an insider's peek of the manual here.

~ It's open and go.  If I want to look ahead and plan I can, but if life gets busy (and it does with 3 little ones!), I can just open the teacher's manual and have it all laid out for the day because the work has been done for me.

~ All of the crafts and activities use ordinary materials that you would usually have around the house.  With three little ones, the last thing I want to do is run to the store for a random craft material that I've never even heard of!

I feel so blessed to have found a curriculum that I believe honors God and will work so well for our family.

If you use Heart of Dakota and blog about it too, would you leave your blog address in a comment below?  I'd love to connect with you and follow your adventure. :)

In My Camera Bag

I finally decided on a camera bag.  It's this one!

My equipment:



In August of 2009, I bought my first DSLR because I wanted to take better pictures of my kids.  I purchased a Canon Rebel XSI with the kit lens and a 50mm 1.8.  The transition from a point and shoot to a DSLR was confusing and overwhelming at first.  I had never even heard of an aperture before!  But I slowly started reading and learning, and I'm so glad that I did.  Photography is the perfect hobby for me and it's something that I get very excited about!

After owning my Rebel for a year, I felt like I finally outgrew it.  I understood the camera inside and out and was ready for an upgrade.  I sold my camera, 3 lenses, and random things in my attic (what's an income-less stay at home Mommy to do?) to afford what I'm currently shooting with.  I love my new camera and it was the perfect upgrade for me!

Why We Homeschool


We didn't always think we would.  In fact, for a time, we were very much against homeschooling.  What about socialization?  What good does it do to pull all the Christians out of the schools?  Aren't you sheltering your children?  What about college?

So I went to the library and checked out every book on homeschooling to prove to myself that it was a terrible idea.  I didn't expect to learn about so many benefits that I had never considered before!  I still didn't think it was for me, but I came away with a new respect for homeschooling (and homeschoolers!) that I never had before.

Matt and I had discussion after discussion and we saw the pros and cons of both homeschooling and public schooling, but we still couldn't make up our minds.  We committed to praying about it and trusted that the Lord would make it clear by giving us a peace about one or the other.

One day while in prayer, the Lord made it very clear that He wanted me to homeschool.  It's hard to explain, but He just kept pressing it upon my heart.  I remember fighting it because I saw it as such a sacrifice on my part.  My priorities were majorly out of order at that time in my life, and I truthfully just wanted to pursue my own interests after the kids went back to school.  I basically surrendered and just asked God to change my heart if this is what He wanted me to do.

So here I am!  I'm about to officially start homeschooling in January and God has just recently answered my prayer and finally changed my heart.  I finally feel excited to begin serving my family and children in this way.

Part of the reason why I'm starting this blog is for accountability and to connect with other Moms for support and encouragement.  I'd love to hear your stories about why you homeschool (or why you don't) in the comment section below.  The Lord clearly leads some families to be home, and others to be a light in the schools.  I just love that God cares about these little details and I love hearing about how the Lord leads and guides others.

About Me

Hi,

I'm Catherine!  Welcome to my little corner where I'll be writing about our homeschooling adventures and my newfound love of photography!  (I still can't believe that I'm homeschooling because I never, ever thought I would!)

I love Jesus, I'm married to an incredible man, and I have 3 precious kids that are currently 6, 4, and 2.  Before "Mommy" replaced my first name I taught Kindergarten in a public school for 4 years.

I love connecting with other Moms and have a heart for encouraging women in their role as mommies and wives.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope to get to "know" you too!

Being Fully Present

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Over at the Art of Manliness there's a good post about how to "be present as a man" emotionally, mentally and physcially. Catherine well knows how often I can drift off and disconnect myself from any situation. Being present is more than just being around. Its being engaged. Its being proactive, ready to undertake whatever is necessary to accomplish that which is required.

As Brett exhorts - "My goal is to be as fully present in every moment of my life as possible. And I humbly submit that this goal is one that every man should strive for." This isn't much unlike Paul when in 1 Corinthians 9:24 - 27, exhorts us to do the same in light of the call of the Gospel.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the
prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in
all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline
my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself
should be disqualified."

What I am doing that distracts? What do I need to cast off to run the race well? Is it my selfish desires? My plans for the day? My goals? May I continually be examining and keeping all things "under control" in faith and obedience to the race Christ has called me to.

Check out this sermon given by our pastor Anthony a couple sundays ago. Click on Knowing what the Price Is.

An Extra Elf!

Thursday, November 18, 2010
Since we have an extra elf this year... here's our new elf video! Enjoy!




Living with One Foot Raised

Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Photo credit: Okinawa Soba

I get into slumps.  I lose sight of my calling.  I take it all for granted at times.  I get distracted.  I take my eyes off the Cross.

And then the verses hit this stone cold heart and I am revived.

My life...

It's a mist.  Here for a little while and soon to vanish.  I am transient.  My days are a handbreath.  A mere breath.  I'm a phantom.  I will leave it ALL behind. {Psalm 39:4-6, James 4:14}

Forgive me Lord.

Help me to...
Live like I believe this.
Seek You like I believe this.
Love like I believe this.
Serve like I believe this.
Sacrifice comfort and wealth like I believe this.

My days are numbered.  Help me to make the most of them for your glory.  Awaken me and help me do all things with one foot raised.

Friends - for a sermon on this very thing, click here, look for the following and click the download button:
Living With One Foot Raised
Series: 1 Corinthians
Speaker: Larry Lazarus
Sermon Date: 10/24/2010
Passage: 1 Cor. 7:25-31

This is the poem at the end of the sermon:
 Young man, young woman, go to school, study hard, prepare yourself for fifty or more years in a productive and exciting career. But do it with one foot raised!

Let all of us diligently labor at our place of business. Honor our employers by giving them a good day's labor for a day's wage. But always work with one foot raised!

By all means, get married. Enjoy the delight of romantic affections. Devote yourself to your spouse, yet do it with one foot raised!

Be quick to educate your children. Prepare them for life. Raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but always with one foot raised!

Study Greek and Hebrew and Latin! But study with one foot raised!

Celebrate life with your friends over a good steak and your beverage of choice. But eat and drink with one foot raised!

Weep at the grave site of a child. Mourn at the loss of a friend. But may it always be with one foot raised!

Read a book. Write a book. But read and write with one foot raised!

Cheer for your favorite football team and celebrate wildly every victory. But do it with one foot raised!

Labor to enact legislation to improve life in your city, your state, your country, but always with one foot raised!

Plant a garden. Plant a church. Open a savings account. Purchase a thirty-year certificate of deposit. Invest in a stock. But do it all in anticipation and heightened expectancy of the life to come.  Do it all with one foot raised!
 
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