I had a so bad time playing all day. There was nothing to do very much. My favorite parts was eating cake, getting a snow-cone and I want to play dress-up. I like riding motorcycles and I think it's fun. I ride with Dada. My hands get really dirty and I get to wash them when I help dad fix motorcycles. I also like seeing my dad play video games. I'm not gonna say anything else.

Jett

(transcribed by mom)

Nell's Thoughts on Art

I love Naomi!


Me and Jett playing Peter Pan.


This is a picture I made of a wolf.


Hi! I'm Nell. I love art. I like art because its fun. I also like to play video games. Me & my brother, Jett, always have parties in my room. We love to play outside in the swimming pool. We make boats out of inner-tubes and life-jackets. I like to play with my dad. And me and dad always like to play Super Mario Galaxy 2 and I like to watch dad beat levels. Me and Naomi like to play together in my room. Me and Naomi like to dance. Me and my mom like to do art together. The last thing I want to say is that I had a great day. I went to a picnic and met lots of friends. I had a great time.

Nell

Adoption Tax Credit Extended and Improved | Creating a Family

Adoption Tax Credit Extended and Improved | Creating a Family

Our language arts curriculum

The search for the perfect Language Arts program has been difficult for me. I don't want to be a "switcher", someone who tries something different every year. I want to find something I love and stick with it. I've tried Learning Language Arts Through Literature, but that didn't last long. I loved the concept, but if felt a little like busy work to me. There wasn't enough spelling to make it a spelling course, and the grammar was light. It wasn't a good fit for us. I tried Primary Language Lessons, again too light on grammar. The memorization was great and there were a lot of elements I liked, but I felt I had to supplement and I don't have time for that. I looked in to Shurley English, and that seemed too complicated and time consuming to me. Two years later, I think I've finally two programs that will work very well for us and that will be easy to use together; Rod and Staff English and The Institute for Excellence in Writing. I am so glad/blessed/relieved to have found Rod and Staff curriculum! I have read all the amazing reviews looked at the website so many times, but it never convinced me. It just didn't "look" impressive. It is very simple and old-fashioned. I thought maybe it would be boring. Obviously, looks can be deceiving. I discovered that on the web-site, www.rodandstaffbooks.com you can order samples of the curriculum and their scope and sequence for all the subjects. I ordered 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade samples and the scope and sequence chart. I liked what I saw, but still I wasn't convinced. I started off ordering Jett the Kindergarten workbooks. It is the A-F series. It is so cute and age appropriate. We both love it. He just needed some "lessons" to do while sister is busy with her work. Because I loved these little books so much, I decided to order the 2nd grade English for Nell. Rod and Staff is so incredibly inexpensive I felt it was worth the risk. We absolutely LOVE R&S English, it is the perfect fit for us. I don't make Nell do all the written work because she does a lot of other writing activities, so we do some orally. Rod and Staff English is so balanced and gentle, yet is a very strong grammar program. I really think it's just perfect. Nell loves the simplicity of it. The pictures really are precious. She's not distracted by anything flashy, which means lessons get done faster. I then decided I would try the spelling as well. I like it, but it's not exceptional. I'm planning on switching to The Phonetic Zoo, by Institute in Excellence in Writing, next year (3rd grade). The Institute For Excellence in Writing is really amazing, but it is too much for me to try to cover here. I provided a link to their website below. So here's what the year holds for us as far as language arts curriculum goes:

Language Arts:

Rod and Staff English
http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Rod_and_Staff_Curriculum/

Institute for Excellence in Writing
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/twss

All Things Fun and Fascinating Writing Guide
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/aff

Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/pmc

Excellence in Spelling - Phonetic Zoo
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/catalog/spelling-1

Wordly Wise 3000


Veritas Press or Progeny Press Literature Guides

http://www.progenypress.com/index.html
http://www.veritaspress.com/

I would love input or feedback from any of you who have used any of these products. Also, feel free to share what you are using. I'm always on the lookout for great ways to teach the kiddos! I'll let you know how this goes!

Is Five Too Young to Start School?

Here's bits of an interesting BBC article I found about the concerns of starting school too early. There has been a lot of research done on this subject. It ends up that the best way for kids up to seven to learn is through play. Just using their imagination develops brain power. They will draw pictures and write stories for fun. Memorizing poems and songs is fun for kids, which builds those dendrites in the brain and teaches good language skills! When we give too much structure and require too much at too young an age, it is detrimental. They are finding a link to this kind of preschool/kindergarten structure and ADD/ADHD. They have also found self-esteem down and aggression up with these kids who start formal schooling at 4/5. Kids are meant to play!

Is five too soon to start school?

By Sean Coughlan
BBC News education reporter

The origin of such an early start, introduced in 1870, had little to do with education, says the Primary Review report.
Entering full-time education at such a tender age meant reducing the malign influence of Victorian feckless parents - it was about child protection and social conditioning rather than learning.
And it was an attempt to appease suspicious employers, who were worried that starting any later would remove their supply of juvenile workers. An early start meant an early school leaving age.

Last year's teachers' conferences heard concerns that children were spending so little time with their own families that they were showing signs of aggression and de-socialisation, taking their behaviour from their peer group rather than absent adult role models.

Finland, a global superstar in education terms, is consistently among the top performers. But it is also at the very bottom of the league in terms of the hours spent in the classroom.
Finnish pupils start formal education at seven and then enjoy 11-week summer holidays - and they end up with the highest educational standards in Europe.
Poland, a rapid-climber in international education league tables and overtaking England at reading skills, is also another country where pupils do not start until the age of seven.

Adoption update........

Apparently, whenever you have to go outside yourself, or beyond yourself, it is an opportunity for God to reveal more of Himself to you. You will be changed. Adoption definitely falls under this category. I am already being pulled outside of my comfort zone; I am being stretched. I am facing prejudices I didn't know I had, and weaknesses and inclinations I would rather ignore. I am also being taken beyond myself. I absolutely cannot do this on my own. I need help, support, encouragement, prayer and maybe a miracle or two. But in the midst of all this learning, God really is leading. I prayed that God would lead me through Chris. I want to follow Chris as he follows the Lord. Hey, guess what!?! That is exactly what is happening. Not only is Chris being directed, but doors are opening down one avenue and closing on the other. So, after praying, listening and being still, it looks like domestic adoption will be the route we go. There are several factors involved with this decision, but mainly, that's where we feel directed. Our prayer is that we get OUR baby number four; the one for us. So be it!

We have already started building wonderful relationships with many adoptive families; most of whom are transracial families which will be extremely important. It is exciting to see all these families who have "been-there and done-that". They are so willing to share their stories and knowledge. Another thing I am excited about is that many of these families also homeschool. How wonderful! I love how this is taking shape.

Well, I will keep updating as more unfolds. Thanks for the love and support!

Hey, look at me, I started a blog!

This is a little blog I'll me using to post my thoughts and musings from subjects like homeschooling, adoption, marriage, life, etc. I promise it won't be brilliant, but hopefully it will be helpful.

"There are things that are bigger and more worthwhile than the things we see about us, the things we live and strive for. Let us stand on tiptoe, forgetting the nearer things, and grasp what we may." - Bernard Maybeck