Free School

On Wednesdays at Crossroads (the name of our homeschool) we have Free School.  Tuesday nights are late ones due to the older three going to BSF.  They don't get home until around 9:30; that makes for tired and cranky kiddos.  So onWednesday morning, it is hard to ask them to get up at 6:45 and start school by 8am.  I have tried it and it doesn't work for anyone!

So, what is a homeschool mom to do?

Free School!

What is Free School you ask?  It is school in any order on their schedule.  Usually we run on a pretty tight schedule.  It starts at 8 a.m. with devotions and goes in 30 min incriments until 3p.m. when it is homework time.  I know-rigid-right?  But it works for us.  The girls do better when they have a schedule to follow. 

However, it can chaff a little after a while especially when they are tired so we came up with Free School.  On Wednesdays, they can sleep in until they wake up.  Then they are on their own!  They eat breakfast and do chores, but then school is in any order they want and as quickly as they want.  (providing it is done well)  They don't have to follow any schedule or wait to do any subject.  If they want to be done with their part of school by noon, they can.  Then we will do about an hour of reading after lunch and be done for the day.

It works out to be a day of rest for all of us.  Plus, I can get caught up on some things that I have to put off because I am teaching four kids! 

I love Free School days.  ;-D

A Day of Rest

A day of rest...That is what Sunday is supposed to be.  Are we doing it?  As a society, do we use that day to refresh ourselves and families or is it just another day to load up with busyness?

Our family started going to church on Saturday nights (which I said that I would NEVER do! lol) a few years ago.  I love it.  Seriously, it is one of the best things we have ever done for our family besides eating supper together every night.

Sunday mornings are spent waking up whenever we want to followed by a brunch of leftovers from Saturdays breakfast.  Most of us stay in our pj's until well after 'lunch time' and just sit around reading books, playing games, or watching a movie together. 

The afternoons go much the same way.  It is laid back and relaxing.  Sometimes we will have a project to do together, but more often than not we will just RELAX.

We try to avoid scheduling anything on Sundays.  The kids aren't allowed to be in sporting activities on Sundays (if at all possible and it's not something that we schdule, they aren't playing in leagues that schedule them regularly) and we try to not let anything fill the day.

What are we left with if we don't do anything on Sundays? 

Each other and R  E  S  T. 

I challenge you to try and make Sunday a true day of rest for you and your family.  Sunday is the first day of the week and it can either be a day to prepare your bodies and hearts for the upcoming week or just one more day to fill to the brim. 

Bridegrooms Glog Tour and GIVE AWAY!!

Bridegrooms
by Allison Pittman

Tragedy hits the Allenhouse family on a hot summer night in Ohio when a mother of four vanished. Eight-year-old Vada virtually grew up overnight and raised her three younger sisters while her father lost himself in his medical practice in the basement of their home.



Now, Vada is a grown woman, still making her home with her father and sisters. Her days are spent serving as an errand girl for Cleveland’s fledgling amateur orchestra; her evenings with Garrison Walker, her devoted, if passionless, beau.


Dizzying change occurs the day the Brooklyn Bridegrooms come to town to play the Cleveland Spiders and a line drive wallops the head of a spectator. The fan is whisked to the Allenhouse parlor, and questions swirl about the anonymous, unconscious man.


Suddenly, the subdued house is filled with visitors, from a flirtatious, would-be sports writer to the Bridegrooms’ handsome star hitter to the guilt-ridden ballplayer who should have caught the stray shot. The medical case brings Dr. Allenhouse a frustration and helplessness he hasn’t felt since his wife’s disappearance. Vada’s sisters are giddy at the bevy of possible suitors. And Vada’s life is awakened amid the super-charged atmosphere of romantic opportunity.


My opinion:

I so enjoyed this book!  I didn't really think that I would.  But, I soon found myself involved with the characters and caring about them.  I could relate to the four daughters and could see each of my girls in some of the characters.  It got me to thinking about what they would be like when they are older. 

This is another historical fiction book...and I enjoyed it! lol  I think I am getting into historical fiction.  :)  The characters in this book are believable and enjoyable.  I couldn't put the book down, I just had to know what happened to them.  Some of it I could see coming but a few things came out of the blue and surprised  me. 

The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it didn't give me the closure that I wanted.  I wanted more of the story, I wanted it to continue a little more and tell answer all the questions for their futures!

I recommend this book and will look for more from this author. 

PLUS...I have one to give away!  If you want a chance to win this book, leave a comment.

If you want to buy this book, go here.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

We have a winner in the give away for Forget Me Not

...ChillyWilly!!!!

Writing Assignment That Broke My Heart

On Tuesday of this week our oldest had a writing assignment to do.  Not a bid deal, right?  That's what I thought.  She was given the assignment of writing free verse.  She's pretty good at writing so I didn't give it another thought until she handed it to me to check over. 

here it is:

Gone Forever
It was the Fourth of July,
we went to my aunts house.
We probably shouldn't have gone
but how were we to know
what happened later.
We came home,
and we knew
something was wrong.
Dad checked the house,
but nothing was gone,
nothing was broken,
and nothing was moved.
So he moved to the backyard,
there he found the source
of our unease.
Our beloved dog, Simba, was gone.
We searched for weeks,
possibly a few months,
but Simba was gone.

Gone Forever.

I was bawling by the time I was done reading.  The truth is, I have never quit looking for Simba.  She was my baby before I could have babies.  She is still missed.

Soccer

Saturdays are filled with soccer for us.  We have all four girls playing on four different teams.  Can you say busy?  lol 

Saturday our games were one on top of the other with our oldest having an away game.  Steven took her to her game and I stayed for the other three.  Our youngest was first and she played pretty well.  She had a little trouble turning the ball around but had so much fun giggling with her friends.  :)

The 10yo was next.  I knew as soon as I saw the opposing team that we were in trouble.  I knew three of the players from the other team.  They are crazy good players.  The other coach is a great coach as well.  Our girls fought hard until the end.  They lost, but they were able to stiffle one of the opposing teams best players and keep her from scoring.  I was very proud of our girls for hanging in there and fighting.

The 12yo's game was going on while these two games were going and they only had 8 players show up.  We need 11 to take field.  :(  It ended up that the other team only had 9 players show up so everyone played the whole game!  Oh were they tired.  We ended up winning pretty decisively anyway.

By the time the fourth game of the day came around, I was done!  lol  Our 8yo was the last to play and you never know how she is going to play.  heehee  She likes to dance and talk on the soccer field. lol  So, I have had to learn to just sit back and watch with no expectations.  (not a bad thing to have to learn)  This day, she came to play.  She score three or four of the 6 goals.  She scored one with her left foot!  Another was an indirect kick that she shot over the opposing teams heads into the goal.  It was crazy!  She had a great time while doing it!  next week may be a different story! lol

We only have a few more weeks of soccer left.  Then some peace and quiet...Not!