Eczema Awareness Month 2014

Once again, we participated in the Eczema Awareness Month campaign by submitting pictures to the National Eczema Association.  Belle and Rapunzel both made signs and let me take their pics.  They are both featured in this video, by the National Eczema Association.

And look who made the cover of The Advocate, The National Eczema Association's magazine!

We are happy to do what we can to help spread awareness about eczema!  We still have good days and bad days at our house, but we thank God daily for the blessings he's given us and continue to pray for healing!

Homeschool 2014

I have spent months planning and am finally (almost) ready for school to start 'round these parts in a few weeks!  We are working on rearranging some of our rooms to give us a bigger playroom, so once that is done we will be all ready!

Here is our daily schedule.  No, we won't follow this schedule every.single.day.  And no, we won't even follow it 100% on any given day.  But, it gives me a starting point, and a structure to go from.

It's color coded, so everyone will know where they are supposed to be.  Pink is with mom.  Green is at their desk.  Blue is on the iPad.  And purple is on the desktop.

Here are the curriculum choices I've made for this school year.

All
Bible - Apologia Biblical Worldview - Who is God?

Belle - 6th grade
Math - Saxon 6/5 and 7/6 (I'm hoping to get through 6/5 and start 7/6 this school year)
English - Rod and Staff 6
Spelling - Rod and Staff 6
Writing - Writing with Skill Lv. 1
Literature - various books throughout the year with accompanying notebooks or lapbooks

Rapunzel - 3rd grade
Math - Saxon Intermediate 3
Grammar - First Language Lessons Lv. 3
Writing - Writing with Ease Lv. 3
Spelling - Rod and Staff 3
Phonics - Explode the Code, books 7 &8
Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears, Cursive Handwriting and Cursive Success

Belle & Rapunzel (and sometimes Hercules and/or Aurora)
My Father's World - Creation to the Greeks
history, science, bible, music, art

Hercules - Kindergarten
Math - Lifepac K
Phonics - Get Ready, Get Set, and Go for the Code
Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears, Letters and Numbers for Me

Aurora - Pre-K
Rod and Staff ABC series

Hercules & Aurora
Five in a Row Vol. 1

Our plan is to start school on August 20!  I don't have a set calendar after that.  I plan to do school MWThF.  On Tuesdays we'll have Moms Next and piano lessons every other week.  On our off weeks, we'll use Tuesdays for field trips, dr. appts, catch up days, or just plain lazy days.  We'll take time off around the holidays and as the need arises (illness etc.).  I listed out our lessons in order and marked the quarter, half, and three-quarter way points.  That way I can assess throughout the year if we are staying on plan, and can adjust accordingly.

This will be the first year I don't have any nappers!  It will definitely be a big change for us!  I'm hoping that we can spend the afternoons doing fun things together (instead of sitting at home being QUITE BECAUSE SOMEONE IS SLEEPING!).  Right now, Belle is signed up for volleyball.  Rapunzel and Aurora are going to be taking dance classes.  And Hercules will be playing soccer.  We definitely have a full schedule!