We had these incredible plans... a vacation jam packed with fun, family, and making memories. In fact, in the beginning of June, this was true. Our vacation started out as expected. We stopped in San Antonio, New Orleans, Pensacola, and stayed for awhile soaking up Florida sun and Salty Air! (I'll make a fun post about this later) Then, we headed north to more family in Ohio, hoping to enjoy some unique adventures up there. And then a family member fell crucially ill and our plans changed.
I can only praise God for giving us some time there with them, because without that vacation, we may not have been able to have that. After two weeks, and a few fun activities, we had to come home. It was a long and harrowing two full day trip home. Hello, July... we began to settle back into our lives here, cleaning the house, unpacking, snuggling our precious animals, before we got the call that our family back in Ohio needed us again.
So now we are floating around our home, trying to settle, but not really because we might have to move closer to family. It's a hard feeling to have, and of course the emotions that come with a very ill family member. I mean it's cancer...it's not something that is going away until God call's them home.
We are sending a few of us back to Ohio quickly for support, while Mama, that's me, gets to stay home and hold down the fort.
It's not an easy thing to do, to plan for a move, or a funeral, and a homeschool year for 3 kids all at one time. However, I have to keep the wheel turning.
Stay tuned for our next blog posts on our trips and new school year curriculum!
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The Main Focus
The primary focus for us to learn and create while taking away some deeper meanings. We usually don’t have a lot of time to spend on this unit, and in a way, it allows us to pick this apart for years to come! One of the structured pieces of this study is the Explorers Box from Lakeshore. The activity guide has some parts that can help us learn about the Mayflower. It is then on the individual books to teach us what life was like, and then we try out some crafts and cooking. Some unit studies contain items for each subject and that can be really great for younger kids. I like to make ours open and free, so we choose something to do each morning before our regular classwork begins. You can always find & use a study guide for this topic as well.
Handicrafts
Pretend Play
Our Jamestown settlers (safari toob) and Tri-corn hat came out for this unit! It’s so fun to dress up and pretend we are on our own ship! The tri-corn hat is part of the Discoverers Box from Lakeshore Learning, and you can find this sailor scope here (it works too)!! To make this more pilgrim-ish, we purchased the John Smith map of Virginia and it's on real parchment paper! This could take days to study on its own.Books
Games
Projects
- Build a Log Cabin (kit from Hobby Lobby or Rainbow Resource)
- Dioramas & Paper Models
- Cooking a Wampanoag Recipe & Pilgrim Recipe (Scroll down to copy & print)
Field Trips & Exploration
Wampanoag Recipe ~Nasaump
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or a combination of all three
1/2 crushed walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds or a combination of all three
1 quart water
maple syrup or sugar to taste (optional)
Combine cornmeal, berries, crushed nuts, and the optional sweetener in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
Pilgrim Recipe ~ Curd Fritters
Curds are a soft cheese like cottage cheese or ricotta. These fritters are a lot like thin pancakes or crepes.
salt
cooking oil or butter
sugar
Make a thin batter with the eggs and equal amounts of curds and flour. Season with salt. Heat a small amount of cooking oil in your frying pan. When the oil is hot, pour in the batter and tip the pan to make the batter spread very thin (that’s what “let it run as small as you can” in the recipe means). They should be like crepes. When brown on one side, use your knife to flip them over or slide them onto a plate and flip them over into the pan. Add more oil to the pan when needed. Serve with sugar sprinkled on the top if you wish.
Save this blog post! Use this graphic on Pinterest!
Open Library
Here is a super resource we want to share with you: Open Library. It’s an online resource, brought to you from Internet Archive, that has copies of many current, popular books. You must sign-up for a free account. Once that’s completed, start checking out up to 5 books for 2 weeks timeframe each! If a book is currently checked out, hop on the waitlist. Many books have multiple versions, so it’s easy to find a copy.
World Cat
Linked in with Open Library is World Cat, a very useful tool that will help you see what libraries around you have copies of the book you are looking for. Punch in your zip code and find library copies close to your location.
California Out of the Box Literature Books
Looking for literature books used in California Out of the Box? Obtain copies in Open Library! They have A Gift for Abuelita: Celebrating the Day of the Dead by Nancy Luenn, Stories from Where We Live: The California Coast, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Valley of the Moon, By the Great Horn Spoon!, The Earth Dragon Awakes, and Esperanza Rising.
The post Borrow Online Books for Free in the Comfort of Your Own Home appeared first on Carrier Shell Curriculum.
Growing up, I would often hear my mom, an art teacher at a private school, lament — “I don’t know how people can do sports with their kids. It takes up every weekend. Your weekend is not your own.” So, during my childhood, I took copious amounts of art classes. I attended an arts junior high and high school. I entered UCLA as an art major. But—I never did sports.
Fast forward 30 years. At age 10, my oldest son said he wanted to play baseball. I looked at him in the face and asked him if he was sure. A week after, I asked him again if he really wanted to do this. His answer was still “yes!”
I spent the next few weeks researching how we could play baseball in the local parks. How could he get the skills he needed? Through the course of my research, I found out the way kids learn baseball is through leagues. There are no skills classes per se. They learn though being on a team and playing games; games that are on Saturdays. My mother’s words were resounding in my head — “My weekend would not be my own.”
So, we started out our first season. The mercy of God put us on a team of other boys that had never played before either. My son needed to take it from the top, beginning with catching. Thankfully the other boys took their skills from the top too. They were incredibly supportive to him and each other. Being a person that believes my kids should get good at something, I felt we had a lot of work to do to bring him closer to the level of other boys that had played since they were 4 or 5. We were not in the sport then. We had 5 years of missing time.
As we played in summer and fall, I would always feel nervous about the next level of play. The boys always seemed so good at batting and playing bases. Their dads were good too. In fact, often times their dads were the coaches. I began to feel ill-equipped as a mother whose son liked the the sport; I was in tumultous waters, and I was taking in water. I understood oil painting and drawing; not how to slide into base or to know where the play is. In fact, I could not even really catch a ball. If I pitched to my son, it would be hideous. This was his game, not mine.
After trying to catch up during summer and fall, I thought in my mind it would be good to move to a league during the regular season where he could receive good coaching, really good coaching. We joined a Pony league one town over from our house. The coach had coached privately for a while. His kids were good. His son was 3 years younger than my son, but he always played infield. My son really wanted to catch. The coach said he would try him out in practice catching. As the season wore on, there were no practices, only games. The sponsor of our team’s son caught for most games. My son played catcher for 1 inning of one game. Due to the fact I had so much anger and strong feelings toward the coach, I missed most of the games. I could only tolerate watching for 30 minutes before I had a strong gag reflex—a feeling like the world was spinning and I was going to puke.
Some of my improvement gamble did pay off in the team championships. My son was hitting! When I would arrive at 90 minutes during the game, parents would say, “Adrian got a hit. It was great.”
Why am I sharing this story? Because I hate coaches like this that didn’t let my son play? No. I just feel sad. It doesn’t seem fair that sports are so competitive. I know my son simply enjoys playing, but in the game format, everything gets amped up and twisted. It’s like HIS performance starts to says something about me. But—wait, it’s not my game. I would never “choose” this.
When I get stressed about HIS performance, I feel that the one thing I can do is remove my negative energy from the game. It’s his game. He’s playing it. He likes it. It’s not my game. And to remind myself this is the truth, sometimes I need to be absent. I need to let him play without me getting mad or disappointed in him. It makes me sad that I need to back off, but my anger and my feelings are often intense and overwhelming.
The complicated part of this sport is parents do come to the games. For me to be a “good parent,” I feel like I should come to at least some part of each game. I do want to support my child. Is this how I want to spend my time supporting my son, though? I am not sure. So many team’s charters, rules, and guidelines say it is not about winning. But every season, it’s about winning. We’ll see about this sports mama thing!
The post Reflections of an “Art Mom” Dabbling with Becoming a “Sports Mama” appeared first on Carrier Shell Curriculum.
It's that time of year again! The budget calendars are complete and ready to download. Download yours today and be sure to share them with anyone you think would be interested. They are very simple to make and easy on the printer ink so I enjoy making and sharing them! Thank you so much for your feedback and support with these over the years as well. You guys are awesome!
Below is a newer version that I created for my loyal subscribers only. This version is also free but you do have to be a subscriber to download these. By subscribing you will receive our updates and be the first to know when the new calendars are ready along with any other free printables available through out the year.
The only difference in these and the originals are that I added in a space for budgeted and actual amounts with a check off area. I also added in an interest section to the debt snowball category. Subscribe here to download these for FREE too!
The 2020 budget calendars are complete and ready to download. Download yours today and be sure to share them with anyone you think would be interested.
Below is a newer version that I created for my loyal subscribers only. This version is also free but you do have to be a subscriber to download these. By subscribing you will receive our updates and be the first to know when the new calendars are ready along with any other free printables available through out the year.
The only difference in these and the originals are that I added in a space for budgeted and actual amounts with a check off area. I also added in an interest section to the debt snowball category. Subscribe here to download these for FREE too!
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| Mason reading to Rebekah. |
Saturday everyone felt well so we headed to COSI to explore a visiting exhibit. Unseen Oceans was fun, with interesting information about creatures of the deep, submersibles, underwater research, and more. We visited a few other exhibits before heading home. The rest of the day was spent on an organizing project and family time.
Saturday night I noticed coughing while some of the kids were sleeping. By Sunday morning Tobias had a fever, just like Joseph last week, and he and Rebekah were coughing, along with Makayla. I stayed home from church with those three. We read books, watched some cartoons, and did laundry I had not gotten to on Saturday.
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| Snuggling sickies on Sunday. |
Monday we had three dental cleanings and three eye checkups. We will do that for 3 Mondays this month to get through the family. I got to go see the new Little Women movie with my sister and Makayla. It was good! I think the way they jumped forward and back in time was a bit confusing, but once I realized what they were doing, I enjoyed myself. The movie was beautiful and it made me want to reread Little Women soon.
By Monday evening Samuel had a fever and was sick. Basically, every day this week a child or two took their turn to get a high fever and then end up with the congestion and cough that follows. It hit my younger 4 especially hard and the fever lasted days for each. It wasn't the flu (tested to be sure), but to be honest, we haven't had the flu in years, which I'm grateful for.
Tuesday we started second semester of our homeschool. Between math, language arts, and history it was a solid day. In history the family group (everyone but Joseph) studied Henry Hudson, the Dutch colonies in America, their issues with governers, and the British takeover of what became New York - without the firing of a single shot. Mason had some dental work in the afternoon. By evening he was the child with a fever.
Wednesday morning we worked through our school plans. Two cousins came over to visit while Makayla had a scope and biopsy of her airways and stomach under anesthesia. We'll wait for results of the biopsies, but everything they saw looks ok, just GERD (acid reflux), nothing unexpected like an esophageal hernia or an ulcer. On this day the illness really peaked, with the 4 youngest kids all really sick and miserable. The 1, 4, and 6 year old each fell asleep right after dinner laying all over the couch.
My night was relatively sleepless. Rebekah did not sleep well, coughing and waking 15 times before my 5am alarm clock rang Thursday morning. My husband's work schedule has him up between 2am and 3am each morning to head to work, so night needs are mine to handle on his work days. At 5:40am I drove Joseph to seminary and the day pretty much just kept moving from there. We did school, despite illness, because it was something quiet to do. Rebekah just wanted held all morning, fell asleep on the couch before lunch, woke up for a bit, and then went down for her usual nap in the afternoon. We survived a cranky, coughing, sick house all evening. I got a 45 minute nap after dinner, once my husband was home. He has started his next college class, so he spent the time working on his class while the kids played quietly.
That night Rebekah slept well until 3am, and then was awake and unhappy until 4:30am. I was glad to get back in bed when she finally drifted back to sleep. At 6:15am Friday morning kids started waking up (No alarm clocks) and Makayla got ready for her ride to the airport (thank you grandpa!).
She left at 8am, with only a few tears by siblings, who will miss her bunches. Forty minutes later I ran Mason to the dentist to finish up some dental work. We had no school planned for today. The kids all lounged on the couch, the floor, in their beds and read, played, or relaxed together. One of the perks of this homeschooling life is that we can truly allow our bodies time to rest and heal. We aren't tied to an artificial schedule or pressured that we may end up 'behind'.
Rebekah is still snuggly. She also looks around sadly and says, "I want Pay-wah." That's what she calls Makayla.
It's Friday afternoon. Kids are laughing behind me and preparing for a round of Dutch Blitz. I've been invited to play, so I'm going to hit publish on this post and join them.
UPDATE: It is Friday night. By bedtime the rest of the kids and Mommy joined the ranks of those with fevers. This should be an interesting weekend.
Saturday was full of rest. Few people were well enough to do much of anything. I did a grocery pick up order. We sorted our card games into storage boxes made to hold crayons. And we rested some more. Dinner was chicken noodle soup made in the instant pot for the few people up to eating.
Sunday Daddy took the only not sick kids to church (Joseph and Emma). A few of the middle kids at home pulled out Harry Potter Clue and played a leisurely game on the bedroom floor. The younger kids used kinetic sand at the table. I video chatted in for a Primary presidency meeting after church. By mid-afternoon the kids were all descending back into feeling yucky again. No more playing, just laying around resting. Tobias fell asleep on the floor. Samuel looked at me at dinner time and said, "I'm going to go take a nap in my bed."
Monday was another round of appointments. Three more eye checkups (no changes) and three more dental cleanings (one person with a cavity). In between, I spent an hour on the phone making more appointments: 1 for February, 3 for March, 1 for May. What was left of the day was our usual routine of dinner, family scripture study, and play. We are reading through the Book of Mormon as a family and studying it this year, and it has been a lot of fun so far. The kids are noticing things and relating it back to our study of the New Testament last year.
Tuesday I decided that Samuel really wasn't improving any more, so a check up was set for the afternoon. He has bronchitis now, and may have pneumonia. He started some meds and in 48 hours we will see if he is improving or if we need a chest x-ray and more aggressive treatment. Beyond that, I woke up unable to speak even as loud as a whisper. The kids loved it. We had to work together to get homeschool accomplished, with older kids taking a role in teaching during history because of the need to read aloud. Emma got some blood work for unrelated issues.
Wednesday Samuel was stable, but no improvements. I was still voiceless. Everyone survived.
Thursday things imploded a bit. Samuel was worse, so we put a call in for a chest xray. Yes, Samuel has pneumonia. They are continuing the current antibiotic and added a second. Daniel had dental work done. Emma's bloodwork came back with some bad answers and more bloodwork is scheduled for a few weeks from now with things like diabetes on the table as possible answers. I was still sick and not able to talk much.
Friday's high point was video chatting with Makayla. Friday low point was a 104 fever for Samuel, as well as fevers for Tobias, Caleb (going downhill now, had avoided being very sick up to now but also has a headache), and Joseph. Yep, the one who got this cold 2.5 weeks ago now has a fever and headache. I am not even going to guess what tomorrow will be like. The pediatrician said that if Samuel has a fever in the morning or isn't showing noticeable improvement then he needs to come in for Saturday hours. From there we may see a medication change or a hospital stay. I just don't know yet.
Needless to say, I'm tired. I napped for a little bit today while the teens were on duty and everyone was watching a movie.
On a positive note before I go check temperatures and pass out medications again:
Emma had a piece of her art chosen to be part of an upcoming gallery. She signed a loan agreement today and drops off her art tomorrow. The gallery opens February 28th. She is beyond thrilled.
Okay ladies (& gents on the off-chance that a dude or two happens to be reading this blog post) I have an announcement to make about all the homeschooling things.
Ready?
Here goes nuthin'...
I'm headed full speed ahead, no holds barred into my Titus 2 Discipleship ministry (which is very exciting!) and will be launching my new podcast called "The Burt (Not Ernie) Show" (on Spotify & iTunes/Apple Podcasts & JanLBurt.com)
Since I'm not so great at multi-tasking for the long-haul & since I have graduated all my own kiddos from our family's homeschool (2 out of college & 3 in college at the time of this writing) it is really probably past time for me to move out of the homeschool realm & put my focus where the Lord is calling me to put it.
There is only so much time in a day, and I have pretty limited energy resources due to some health issues I am facing (namely heart failure) so out of obedience to the Lord & His leading, I am no longer going to be offering my resources to the homeschool world at large.
What does this actually look like?
Well, I have one more article to submit to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine for an upcoming print edition as well as one more blog post to submit to our local homeschool group, the Teaching Parents Association...and after that, well, that's it! (I am going to leave my Bible study for homeschooling mothers on Amazon for the time being, though).
So I have decided to bundle all my homeschool conference sessions, pdfs, print books, all the things and sell them in one final "hoorah" on my website Titus 2 Discipleship with Jan L. Burt.
I'm going to remove them all on December 15th (of 2019) and that's it, they'll be done for good.
It's time.
The Lord has made it clear.
And delayed obedience to the Lord is really just disobedience.
So here's the link to the All Things Homeschool Ultimate Bundle ~~~ along with a promo code to save $20 off the original price. (Promo Code "BLESSED") So it's just $37 bucks for my best tips on planning, transcripts, electives, high school, etc and all the video sessions from conferences where I've been a speaker! And you'll get 2 (or possibly 3) print books mailed to you & that's quite a steal for this price! I hope you check it out - share it with friends - and help me go out with a bang!
There is also the option to take a look at one of the items in depth to get a feel for what you'll be purchasing. And the free Facebook group is still going to take place - if you buy the bundle you'll have lifetime access to everything in that group.
Thanks for being a part of my journey for so many years.
And also, this blog will stay right here as it's always been...because that's the beauty of the cyber world! I can move in another direction & this can remain as it is indefinitely!
Much love to all of you - and thanks for the ride. It's been something else!
Last Day Done... :)
Jan L. Burt
Buy the All Things Homeschool Ultimate Bundle HERE (& use promo code "BLESSED" to save that $20!)
Visit my members only group for Titus 2 Disicpleship & Christian life coaching for women HERE
(use promo code "FREEMONTH" for one month free!)
Subscribe to my newsletter all about God's Promises & weekly Bible verses to encourage you HERE
Check out my upcoming podcast about God's Promises for you at JanLBurt.com (coming mid-December 2019!)
(The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study available on Amazon)
So homeschool moms tend to do all the things...
~ Wife things
~ Mom things
~ Education/homeschool things
~ Feeding the fam things
~ Money things
~ Growing in faith things
~ and every single other thing...
I've been there, believe me you. 25 years of homeschooling plus all the other things of life (health issues, military deployments, financial strains, teaching multiple grade levels, and now empty nesting...)
I remember how much a good dose of encouragement did for me - to help keep me moving forward, grew my faith and just gave me a little something just - for - me...
The New Year, New Beginnings 2020 Conference for Moms is right around the corner. It kicks of January 6th & is entirely online (with lifetime access to 50 speakers on all sorts of subject matter that relates to all things mom-related & $500 worth of freebies + giveaways)
Tickets are just $15 until January 6th (then they bump up to $25, which is still a great deal!)
And for my page followers, I have a special free offer for anyone who gets their ticket via this link
SIX MONTHS of membership to the Titus 2 Discipleship private members only group (we have a monthly study that is based on the Word of God but focuses on everyday, real life issues) AND totally free access to the upcoming private Facebook group that will have early access to the course "God's Promises for You - 2020 Edition" (you'll get all of it free, and will even get an affiliate link to share when the course launches at it's normal price of $37)
Here is the link & I will add you to the private members only group right away (and to the God's Promises group as soon as it opens up later this month!)
Happy New Year, homeschooling mama! May this conference bless you abundantly & give you all the encouragement I want you to have!