Homeschool Journey and Journal #4 ~ We're connecting

As I take the time to reflect over this past year of homeschooling and write in this journal within my blog. I think the thing that stands out to me the most is that my oldest daughter and I are connecting at a heart level. I know her, she knows I know her and that I like who she is becoming.

Since choosing to homeschool we have faced some difficult and very isolating and rejecting moments. Even with that I would say that my daughters attitude and heart are so much softer than last year. We have truly connected and I see her in a new way and understand her so much better. She also is learning about me my weaknesses and strengths. Being so close in proximity so often has brought out the best and worst in both of us. I remember one day we both went to our rooms crying after a math lesson. :)

I am so grateful for this past year with my daughter. I have no regrets in keeping her home at all!

I still get concerned if she is learning enough and if  I am providing her with an education that is full of life and inspires her to want to learn and is with in her learning style.

I have grown in not worrying about her being behind or ahead, which level she is at and that has been a huge burden off my shoulder (and most likely hers too ;)). My child will learn and is learning and her pace is her own. We have time and so I think next year will be a bit more enjoyable as I am a really learning to stop comparing or pushing my daughter ahead.

Lastly encouraging my daughter to find something she loves has been a bit of an adventure with highs and lows but at the end of this year I see my daughter really delving into this creative passion of Art Journaling, plus she also has started to excel in her piano and is starting to really see the fruit of her labor which is an awesome lesson.

In both of these things, being piano and art journaling we have given her privileges as we have seen her excel in these talents. For art journaling I now allow Autty to have a secret pin board on my Pinterest where she can pin all different kinds of art journaling examples. She has the freedom to pull them up whenever she needs, to use when she is journaling.

With piano we were going to go down to only one lesson a week because of time and money, however after our daughter did her first recital and experienced what practice can bring and the thrill of preforming she asked if she could stay with two lessons a week until at least summer. We agreed to this and have seen a fresh desire in her love for music and piano. With both of these interests they could stay or they may go but the thing that I love is that she has found something that she is good at and loves and it fuels her desire for learning overall. 

Autty at her first piano recital. :)

Learning and understanding our kids is an art and it takes time and time being with them, watching, listening observing, putting away my wants to engage in theirs.

I have so much to learn and honestly it makes me nervous sometimes, but at the end of this first year of homeschool (being still a month left), I am hopeful about our homeschooling future. :) I haven't seen results in her math like I was hoping or her writing per-say, she has excelled in reading and spelling but all this is not how I am measuring the success of this past school year. I know my daughter better, we are connecting this is success to me!!  She has become confident and has learned to preserver.  At the end of this year I would say I am still a bit  nervous but very pleased, and grateful to know better how my daughter ticks.


In our west corner, homeschooling~
Becky

Butterfly Study (geared toward ages 7-10)

For spring I wanted to do a study on Butterflies to welcome in the happy change of seasons and explore something that is related to spring. This study was not only fun but very eye opening to the wonder of creation and the creator. We all enjoyed it completely. I hope someone else can benefit from these links and resources.

Butterfly Study

Mighty book: Metamorphosis song  
This is such a peppy song that engages kids as to what that big word Metamorphosis means.

After the kids watched this a few times I told them that whoever could spell metamorphosis without making any mistakes I would give 50 kurus.

Butterfly lapbook
We included a lapbook in our study of butterflies. This one was great. We used several parts of it.

Butterfly Film

This video is $15.00 but it is excellent and the footage of butterflies is fabulous. We throughly enjoyed watching this. It was very informative and I personally learned a lot. It was however at times over my 6 years olds head and my 9 year old sometimes got lost in vocab but the photos and constant motion of the film kept them captive. Butterflies are truly a remarkable creation.

Trailar for Metamorphosis the beauty and design of butterflies

Butterfly Book and reading

We think Ms. Frizz is super cool and so this book was another purchase we made ahead of time. Easy to find online for very inexpensive.

The Magic School Bus #26

Butterfly Battle 

We recently discovered Ms. Frizz and the Magic School bus online with full episodes for free. We were  even more delighted to find one about Butterflys!!! Yippee for us and creative educational cartoons. 

Butterfly Food fun 

Nothing too exciting just simple ideas that makes us happy to eat a tasty butterfly that doesn't have warning colors. ;)

I made this. Lunch time

Kids made these. Snack time

Butterfly Craft

I got this ideas from a few different places, which of course I pinned so I could find them later. 

Gotta like pinterest for easy finding. 

My older daughter used wire and my son used pipe cleaner. 

My inspiration.

Here:

and Here:

Source:

Spoonful. Dragon fly craft

Source:

Clothespin butterfly craft

Our next step is to explore outdoors and discover butterflies in their natural surroundings. Now that Spring is really here I think we will start to see more and more butterflies. 

In our west corner in awe of Gods design and creative working in nature.
Becky

A rock family for our balcony garden

Don't they look so cute sitt'in up there as snug as a rock in a sock. 

Seriously poetry is like a major gift of mine. 

We found a small farm just outside of town so we bought some seedlings:

cucumbers, strawberry plants, lettuce and cherry tomato plants. 

We planted our own seeds of  basil, lettuce, morning glories and cilantro.

We LOVE our balcony herb gardens we have done in the past.
Here and here

This year it will be fun to see what else we can grow on our balcony in pots and plastic containers. :)

The kids are especially excited about the strawberries. 

Of course a rock family for our balcony garden was an obvious next step, right?

Not sure how it happened but it was fun and those painted rocks sure are happy. 

They need a few little ones, don't ya think. ;) 

Our garden planting ~ rock painting day. 

Using the things we have like rocks and plastic containers to create lasting memories and splashes of colour to our days.

In my west corner,
Being me and doing what I do.
Becky

linking up to these parties. 

Keepsake correspondence Binders (great for TCKids)

Living across the ocean, another culture and time zone away from our family and dear friends has its challenges.

There are a few things though that are special to living away from family and one that I want to capitalise on is those sweet cards, notes and letters that come in the mail or other avenues. They can become tiny treasures, especially to your kiddos.

Thus the beginning of our Keepsake correspondence binders for our kiddos.

Each child has a binder that keeps all their cards and note etc from Grandparents, cousins and friends over the years. 

A friend of mine started this and I picked up on it and have been doing it now for a few years. My girls especially love this, they get their binders out from time to time and just sit and look through them. 

It is a reminder to them that they are loved from a distance. 

We also keep notes from friends. I personally love all the ones from school mates that are in Turkish. 

What a great keepsake. 

It also is a great storage/organiser saver. :) 

Truth is being away from those we love and them being away from us is difficult.  However it is good for the soul to be able to see and touch all those bits of love being sent our way from close or across the sea.  I also think for our kids it is a tangible help to feeling connected with family. 

Just a little added note.  I think for the grandparents it is an inexpensive way to keep in touch without sending an expensive package. :) Also if it is difficult for a family member to write letters, cards are a great help. :)

Using our challenges to find sweet memories. Hope this helps you all to create your own memories.
In our west corner,
Rebecca

Turkish subway art

Made my first piece of Subway art for our office this last week. :) 

I cut part of it off because I tend to be pretty secretive about my present location. ;) he he

It looked super cute too. 

My husband got it printed out 60x60 and then we framed it with a black frame. :) 

I also went in with a black sharpie and added a few extras to some of the turkish lettering that was lacking because of the fonts I chose. 

Happy subway art for Turks and English speakers a like. :)

Thinking of making one for you all ....all you Turkey dwellers that is. 

We shall see. 

In my west corner....in Love with my creator/saviour/friend who has set me free! 

Becky

Roll-O your sibling.

Here is a Cardboard box we scored...it has been awhile since I have brought a big ole cardboard box in the house from the dumpster. I have slightly neglected my love for cardboard boxes these months. ;)

Roll-O your sibling game
What you will need:
a big box
siblings (brave ones)
strong arms

This cardboard box was played with for I think a week of fun filled ideas....like sticking your two siblings inside and rolling it? Go figure.

Sometimes boxes need to just be played with by the kiddos without all my creative ideas. Kids come up with the best games. :) 

Really I don't think I would have thought of the great game roll-o your sibling. :)

I am finding that I have less time these days than I like to enjoy my kids and just do things with them that are not intentional or for a purpose. I like just hanging out with my children and I miss it.  The other day my som was talking to me and I was preparing dinner. I was nodding and saying my 'oh's' and 'really's' and then it hit me I wasn't looking this little guy in the eye, I wasn't given him my full attention at all.  So I stopped knelt down listened and said some more 'really's' and 'oh's' but this time he knew I had really heard him.  It seems to be so easy to engage in tasks that need to be done instead of the dear people (especially those little ones) who need to be heard and loved on.

Desiring to focus my eyes on the 'people' this week and not so much the tasks.  

In my west corner, 

Becky

RAndOm fUN foR the DaY and Cardboard art. :)

Here is what I am working on....

My heart was so happy to have time this last week to create something. 

RAndOm fUN foR the DaY

This song has made me smile way down deep. I had never heard it have you?

Crayola Doesn't Make a Color For Your Eyes.

Celebrating the fun of life today. Sometimes you just have to choose to celebrate to say THANK YOU GOD for this time in life.

off I go to take my girls to there FREE gymnastics class that they ADORE and then to help my husband bring a little life to that office of his. :)

In my west corner choosing to dance just because God is doing thing even though I don't see it all.
Becky