Wilburta has a new friend...

Remember this pretty little piggie, our dear Wilbur-ta?  She showed up, a little unexpectedly, back at the end of the summer.  She's been lots of fun, but she's the only little pig on the place.  She thinks the dogs are okay for friends and the chickens visit her sometimes, but really...she needed someone who understood her like only another pig could understand.  So, the boys had been looking out for the perfect friend for her.

A couple weeks ago we found the perfect pig for her!  Meet Sir Winston Churchill.  His friends just call him Winston.  And since he's pretty friendly with everybody, you can call him Winston, too.

Now, Winston had led a pretty cushy life (for a pig, anyway) up until he moved in with us.  He had a great place to live and a nice family, and he even had his own pillow and blankie, along with a few toys. 

Best of all, he got to stay inside most of the time!  In fact, his favorite spot at his other house was a nice warm rug in front of the fire.  Now, that's the life!  Knowing this, we decided since it was really cold the week he came home, to let him sleep inside for the first few nights. 

But, he did great outside during the days, (I suspect it had something to do with the pretty Wilbur-ta who was also outside) so within just a few days, he was able to be outside full time.   They're getting along famously and I've even overheard them making plans for a family!  I'll keep everyone posted!

Our School Day In Pictures...

If you know me, you know that I'm not a black and white kind of girl.  That means that a strict schedule doesn't suit my way of doing things.  That's not to say that I'm overly lax, though, either.  I like to think that it's more of an easy-going, roll-with-the-flow kind of routine that we have going on.  What we do is more of a routine than a schedule, the difference being that each day we know that certain things WILL happen in a relatively orderly way, and about the same way each day.  But that also means that some days things come up and we do it a little differently for that day, depending on the needs of our family that day. 

One of the benefits of homeschooling is that we can do several of our subjects together, regardless of grade level.  Unfortunately "together" no longer includes John Wesley.  Now that he's in high school, he does all of his work independently, and he has made the camper his classroom.  He comes in a couple times a day to ask a question or two and, of course, to eat lunch, but most of his schoolwork is done in the camper.  It is much quieter there and much more conducive to the concentration required to do his algebra and other subjects which require a lot of reading.  I do lots of reading aloud to the rest of the kids.  Cody, William, Jonas, Lena and I study Bible, geography, history, science, and literature together.  I read to the kids for about 1-2 hours each day from several texts--the Bible, at least 2 separate novels (usually biographies and historical/cultural works), a poetry book, a book about unreached people groups and a science text, plus others depending on the day.

It's an extremely informal time.  The kids listen as I read, and ask questions as they come up, we pray together, and we all discuss what we've learned (because I'm definitely learning right along with them).  Jared, MaKenzie, and Matthew usually spend this time going back and forth between sitting in to listen (and snuggle) and playing in their room, depending on their moods.

After we're done with the "together" part of our day, it's usually time for lunch (although some days I switch things up and do the together part of the day after lunch, depending on what else I need to accomplish that day.)  Meals are Matthew's favorite parts of the day!  Eating lunch (or breakfast or dinner) by himself is very much a learning experience for him and definitely part of his "schooling."  His goals include appropriate interaction with others, beginning communication, eating skills, and overall learning to interact appropriately with his environment.  Remember, this is a boy who wouldn't make eye contact with us and detested having food in his mouth.  How far he has come!  He's getting it!  Praise the Lord!

After lunch (or sometimes before school depending on what I need done), we usually take a few minutes to have everyone pick up and do their "areas."  Everybody has a job to do to help keep the house picked up. 

Then it's on to the subjects they do independently, which are Math, English, independent reading, and part of their science.  Of course, "independently" means they have their own level and they don't do it together.  I still need to be available.  For example, today, I worked through Lena and Jonas' English assignments with them and helped clarify instructions for various math assignments, as well as checking through a few past assignments to be sure one of the kids was ready to move on to the next concept.

While the big kids do their independent work, I work with Jared and MaKenzie on their school work.  I do about 45 minutes to an hour of intentional "bookwork" type instruction with them.  I find that's about all they can absorb before crayons begin to stray, eyes start wandering to the ceiling, and answers to my questions become extremely random.   Letters are finally starting to stick for them.  I've tried letter recognition off and on with them for the past two or three years, but the next day they wouldn't have a clue, so I just kept on with the other readiness activities.  But they seem to be starting to remember a bit from day to day, so I'm keeping at it.  Slowly, but surely.  There's no hurry, and no "rest of the class" to keep up with, so we're taking our time.

Besides their "formal" curriculum (which is an early preschool level), we do about an hour or so of physical therapy several days a week which William usually does with them and I use lots of everyday activities with them, like educational videos, toys that they don't realize are "learning toys," and games that reinforce colors, counting, shapes, taking turns, categorization, and other important concepts. 

Somebody asked me the other day if homeschooling was hard, and that was a difficult question for me to answer.  It's not physically hard.  It's not un-enjoyable, in fact I LOVE it.  It's not boring or brain-taxing (to me--the kids may have a different opinion).  I think, for me, the thing that makes homeschooling "hard" is just the burden of it.  I don't mean burden as in "drudgery."  I mean burden as in "this is all MY responsibility--these kids have to learn and it's all on me."  If *I* don't choose the right curriculum...If *I* don't take time to be sure they get this particular concept...If *I* don't make sure to cover this specific subject...they might not become successful people.  This thought, erroneous though it may be, weighs on me often, but I try to take comfort in Isaiah 54:13, "And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children."  In reality nothing about my children's lives is dependent upon me or on anything I do, it's all in God's hands.  My job is to be faithful day to day in what is before me, not to worry about what we might be missing.  They're HIS children.  He has entrusted them to me and He will give me what I need to care for and teach them, if I remember to depend on Him.

Chinese Dumplings...

 John Wesley and William decided they needed a Chinese dumpling fix...

 And since making them wasn't on my agenda, they did it themselves...

 All the mixing, all the chopping, the rolling...

 The folding...

 The boiling...

 And the eating...  I have to admit--they WERE pretty good.

Perhaps I need to turn them loose in the kitchen at the dinner hour a few nights a week!

Happy Post-Holidays from the Underwood Pets...

Looking back through the pictures I took over the holidays, I found a few featuring the cats and Anna that I wanted to preserve.  And how better to preserve them than to share them here?

From her perch atop the router, which I can only assume she likes because it's nice and warm, Tippy, our anti-social (or sociopathic, depending on the day) cat observes the oft-chaotic goings-on of our home.

She enjoyed the wrapping paper and ribbon from the Christmas presents, but Anna (below) isn't sure how she feels about being blanketed with the wrapping paper from John Wesley's birthday present (okay, I know in a previous life it was just comics--I up-cycled it to the very prestigious job of birthday present wrapping). 

 

I think Checkers (below), our new epileptic kitty, might have been trying to escape the bedlam as well! 

Even dogs need a break from all the holiday hubbub!

Day Out With Cody...

For Christmas, I gave the kids "coupon books." One of the coupons was for a day out with Mom to do whatever they want--shop, movie, go to the park, fishing, out to eat...whatever.  (Going somewhere alone with me is nothing new, but usually they are accompanying ME on MY errands.  This day is all about what THEY want to do.)  Cody redeemed his yesterday.  But first...we had to stop at the post office to pick up his iPod that he had ordered with his birthday and Christmas money.  He was just a little bit excited about that!

 

After that, we were off to the "big city" about an hour and a half away.  Cody had decided he wanted to see the 3-D movie "Yogi Bear."  Secretly, I was pleased with his choice...since seeing the previews when we were at the Narnia movie, I had thought this movie looked like it would be cute.

The kids had come up with the idea that we have to take a picture of the coupons being used. So, I had my camera with me at the movie theater. Cody was quite worried that we were going to get in trouble for taking pictures in there.  But I finally convinced him it would be okay.  Too bad I couldn't tell it was blurry because of the glasses!!!  Shhh....don't tell the kids that those coupons for a day out with Mom are really more of a present to ME!!!   I love getting to spend fun one-on-one time with my blessings.