Yeah! I have gotten lots done. I have decided to let my mother-in-law teach art this year. She will be perfect at it. Art is one of those things that takes a long time gathering and a long time doing. And time is what I don't have alot of. She is extremely creative and very good at teaching. It will be perfect fit. My mother is going to continue to teach History. She loves it and really wants it to come alive for the kids. I'm excited to sit in on a few lessons for my own enjoyment. I found a great little dance studio that the kids are taking Hip Hop at. This is something that interests them and they like to "do" around the house when we have the radio cranked up and are grooving to it. I thought that it would be nice for them to have a little technical direction other then watching Step Up 2. The studio is close and with gas prices that is a DEFINITE bonus!! Still looking for music options...... Probably going to do voice through the computer (weird I know) guitar through a DVD series and search for a reasonably priced piano teacher. I taught myself so I could probably direct the ones who really want to learn. We also have one that is wanting to learn the violin, maybe I can get Aunt Heather to help out on that one every once in a while. You would be amazed at the music books on how much you can learn just by yourself. Then to listen to a great piece that solos that instrument. We will see how far that will take us. Still got to get the school room ready. Hopefully this weekend!!!

Let them pick

Have Moms write out the subjects they want to teach. Then I choose and fit them into the schedule.

When to Start School

You would think this would be a simple thing!! My kids are pressuring me to start now and I am not ready. I still need to figure out a schedule, figure which subjects My Moms are going to help out with, get charts done, finish getting supplies, get them signed up for Dance(PE), piano, guitar, voice (music), buy another computer, get my schoolroom set up and figure out if I am going to let Mikayla and Bailee take some Public School classes.


The purpose for this blog is so I can layout everything in one place so next year I know where I can improve. I will also be able to see what works. The reasons way I home school sometimes get muddled with outside influences but the conference really brought the bottom line back.

I home school not because I love my children and want them to have Godly Characteristics, be close as a family, have morals in an immoral world, be polite and kind, be an asset to their own families, ward and community. The academic part is nice to because I feel they can go at their own pace faster or slower so that they actually learn and enjoy it. I had 1 speaker that I really liked and she pointed out some key things that I seem to always forget.

When your kids are older and have graduate from high school or college and you are telling about your children do you tell them: What grade they get in Math, Science.....? (If they got an A of course you already told them-HEE HEE) Does that really matter? Are they a GOOD person? Do they have integrity? What callings have they righteously fulfilled? Are they a good Mother or Father? How close with the Lord are they? Are they a wealth of Scriptural and Religious knowledge and can they deem those things to help themselves through lives challenges? Do they rely on the Lord and not the World? These are the things that truly matter.

I truly believe (and have seen this happen) when I bring the Lord into our schooling the kids learn at speed of light. If we are doing all we can to do all we can the Lord helps us with the rest. I know that this blog is for my information but if anyone does happen to read this just understand that Academics is very important to me and I have done much research to ensure that my children are getting the best education I can possible give them but it just doesn't rule mine or my childrens lives.

I have come to a point in my home school life (which many do) that I don't need to compare my beautiful, amazing children to Public School children. So what if they do do certain things sooner than my child. I could teach anything to any child sooner that Public School time lines but that is not my purpose in Schooling my children. My purpose is to give them a great education which they will actually use in life.

Now that I have gotten some of my thoughts onto paper, I really need to get busy with that long old list up there.