Week in review

Not much to post here as we aren't doing formal schooling this week, but I thought I'd post anyways. T has been doing lots of unschooling using Jumpstart 1st grade, Jumpstart Music and Arthur's Reading Games on her PC. And doing lots of drawings too of rainbows and such.

On my end, I've just about nailed down our lesson plans, with the exception of the items I'm still waiting on to come in the mail. We will start back to formal lessons on Monday hopefully, but next week is looking pretty busy as I have labwork to do, a Dr. appointment, a trip to the homeschool center, and we're having a yard sale on Friday and Saturday. So it's entirely possible that it might be delayed a week. But I'm okay with that.

Waiting is such agony.....

Don't you hate waiting? I know I do - and right now we're in the limbo of waiting for things to come in the mail. I ordered the last of DD's textbooks last week, and went ahead and put in a request to The Book Samaritan for her second grade items, and now I'm in the limbo of WAITING for the packages to come in the mail. I have somewhere around 12-15 packages all somewhere in the mail system, the majority of which are for use this year. With the recent decrease in mail speed, the waiting has become even longer.

I have Amazon gift cards burning a hole in my pocket, and I can't order because I don't know what will be filled from my request to the Book Samaritan.

Guess I should get back to my school room cleaning and organizing - it will keep my mind off the waiting.

Reviving my old blog

We're reviving our school year, and with it I decided to revive my old blog. A lot has changed since I started this blog - we've changed home school programs, I'm no longer Catholic as I've converted to Islam, and T is now 5.5 instead of not quite 4. She's learned a lot over the past year, and I've had to tweak my educational choices to keep up with her.

Here's what we're using now for 1st grade:

MCP math A

Climbing to Good English 1

Pathway readers grade 1 & 2 with workbooks

Behold & See 1 from CHC

Inquisikids science dvds

Zaner Bloser Handwriting A Way to Self Expression 1

R&S spelling 2

R&S Manners & Health 2

R&S Our Father's World 2

We'll also be working our way through history - I am spreading world history over 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades. I haven't found a textbook for this yet that I like, so we're going to use lapbooks and books from the library for this one. 

It's been a while......

Wow it's been a while since I posted! I've been so busy with back to school shopping and making sure we have everything we need at the last minute.

School for us starts in exactly one month. Sweetheart is excited, and she's going to get even more excited on the first day of school. We've signed up for a local homeschool PE class done through the city, and it happen to have it's first meeting on our first day of school {we were planning on a picnic at the park so this fits in perfectly}. And then the next day, we're going to the coolest place in town to start the school year - The KIDDIE PARK! It's a lovely vintage kiddie park we have here in town with rides dating back as far as 1918, and a local tradition to take your kids. I scored half price endless ride bands on Groupon, so it's actually on coming out to about $8 to take her, including bus fare to get there.Then Friday we're taking a Field Trip to see a Dinosaur exhibit at a local museum that is done by Dinosaur George!

Then we'll start actual lessons the following week - our week looks like this:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday:
Reading - Saint of the Day and Read-aloud within our Yearly Reading Theme {this year it's Thornton Burgess and related works including Beatrix Potter}
Phonics - CHC Little Stories for Little Folks and Letters for Little Folks
Math - Little Folks Number Practice or MCP Math K depending on day
Religion - God's Love Story {CHC} or Who Am I? Depending on day

Wednesday:
Reading - Saint of the Day and Read-aloud within theme
Religion - Saint of the week {we're doing two a week, relating to the letters of the week in Little Folks Letter Practice}
PE - Homeschool PE for 1.5 hours
Arts & Crafts

Still working in the school room.....part two....

We're STILL working in the school room - I really had hoped to be all done by now. But between culling books, sorting out duplicates, potty training Sweetheart, my Father getting released from a rehab facility, and dealing with people in and out for him, it's still not finished.

I did run into a slight snag on my wonderful oversize bookcases - I need to put up wall anchors as when they are loaded they lean out. I've no idea how to do that honestly - we've never had to do it before. And I need to go to Lowes and get shelves cut for the two bookcases that I didn't get the shelves with.

I am making progress though, and it's beginning to look more like a school room instead of playroom.

I've also been taking time to work on our lesson plans for this fall. We're using CHC pretty much as written for K, with the addition of our read aloud theme for the year and field trips. But I'm setting everything up in file folders for each day/week with everything in them, so all I have to do is pull the correct file folder and it will have an outline of the week with each days work, including coloring pages, craft activities, etc included in the folder.

Still working in the school room.....

We're still working in the school room.... I really hoped to be done by now. But we're getting there - now I just need to move in the rest of the bookcases, shelve the books which are already in there in totes, and set up my desk. As soon as I find my cable for the digital camera I'll take some in-progress photos to post up.

I'm still trying to find a place to put the two rolling double sided bookcases - I really didn't figure on the other bookcases being in good shape as they were described as damaged, but they are like new other than the risers having been added {which we're removing}.  They won't fit down our hall, so they can't go in the school room - only in the living room. I may end up keeping one for living room storage and cookbooks, and selling the other one.

It's looking better, slowly but surely. I didn't get much done yesterday as I had people coming by to buy auction items all day {YAY!} - but the garage is slowly clearing out as well which is good. I think the last of it should go when we have our yard sale next month.

I did get some treats yesterday in the mail from Bookmooch, The Read-Aloud Handbook: Sixth Edition and Storybook Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends for Sweetheart.

School Room Update

Moving furniture is taking a bit longer than expected - it turned out the bookcases we won in the auction only fit down our hall if we take the risers off. That's far easier said than done, so we're working on what we can in the meantime.

So far we've moved in 3 four drawer file cabinets {1 for school, one for my coupons, and one for general family paperwork}, one bookcase, and filled said bookcase. Another bookcase is slated to be moved in sometime today, as is a table and a short shelf. I've decided to move my office back into the school room to allow me to work while Sweetheart is doing schoolwork, so that has added to the moving time.


But I'm working on it - hope to have it done within the week. Of course that depends on life in general, but hopefully.

Furnishing the School Room Frugally!

I've been watching for bookcases as such for funishing the school room for a while now, and last week I finally found what I wanted at the price I wanted.

I bid in an online auction for discarded school items, and was able to get home 9 file cabinets, 6 tables, 7 bookcases, 1 bookcase cabinet, and 2 rolling double sided bookcases. I also got around 30 student desks which I'm selling off to help cover my costs. I left a lot more there too - we just didn't have room in the truck for everything so I had to pick what I needed most.

So this weekend will be selling up our school room with bookcases, Sweetheart's desk, a small desk for me, and getting all our books on shelves {which will be a new concept for Sweetheart - they've been in boxes for so long since we didn't have enough room}. Then hopefully next week I'm going to start on a big inventory and re-enter everything into LibraryThing, adding in what shelf it's on and tags for subjects and grade levels.

Then we'll be working on setting up my office with all the file cabinets and a table we got as well, so that I have room for lesson planning and my couponing without it taking over a big part of the living room like it is currently.

I can't wait until it's all done and set up - I'll take pics and post them here.

Any tips or ideas for setting it up?

Getting for a New Year Home Schooling

We're gearing up for Sweetheart's Kindergarten year this fall, and I'm almost done tweaking the lesson plans to better fit us. We're using CHC with a tiny bit of alterations and add-ins.

So far we're using:

Catholic Heritage Curricula Kindergarten Lesson Plans

Religion:

A Year With God
St. Joseph Picture Books Assortment
Who Am I? Image of God Kindergarten
God's Love Story from CHC
Catholic Children's Treasure Box Vol. 1-10
Catholic Children's Treasure Box Vols. 11-20: Commonly Called Simply Treasure Box
Little Book of Saints, Volume 1
Little Book of Saints, Vol. II

Reading & Phonics:

Little Stories for Little Folks from CHC

Read-Alouds:

We discovered Thornton Burgess recently thanks to a book from our thrift shop, and I've decided to make him the read-aloud theme for the year. So we'll be reading his works including the following:
Favorite Thornton Burgess Animal Stories Boxed Set (Sets)
Old Mother West Wind and 6 Other Stories (Children's Thrift Classics)
The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver
The Adventures of Prickly Porky
The Adventures of Bobby Raccoon (Dover Children's Thrift Classics)
Lightfoot the Deer
Mother West Wind's Neighbors
Adventures of Reddy Fox
The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack
Blacky the Crow,
The Adventures of Sammy Jay (Childrens's Thrifts)
The Adventures of Buster Bear
The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad
The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk
Mother West Wind'S Animal Friends
Happy Jack
The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum
Whitefoot the Wood Mouse
Mrs. Peter Rabbit

We'll also be reading The complete Tales of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter which dovetails nicely as Burgess continued the story of Peter Rabbit in his works.

Math:


Little Folks Number Practice from CHC
MCP Math K

Handwriting:

Little Folks Letter Practice from CHC
Catholic Heritage Handwriting K 



And of course lots of Field Trips and extra fun activities as well for the year. We already have planned two trips to the Witte Museum, to see their Dinosaurs Unleashed and Backyard Monsters {Insects} exhibits. I know in February we'll attend the annual Pow-wow, and we'll try to fit in a Fiesta event or two as well. And of course, the first Saturday in March we'll be at the Alamo for the annual re-enactment and celebration - we've gone every year since Sweetheart was born.

I'm going to try to keep this blog updated better with my frugal tips and more details on how we school as well.

One thing you may notice in this post - all products are now directly linked to either CHC or Amazon. I linked to Amazon where possible - don't forget to use your Swagbucks gift cards! And please consider purchasing through the Amazon links as they do generate me a small referral commission which helps cover my home schooling costs and is our field-trip budget for the year.

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 1

 

~~ 1 ~~

Tomorrow is my daughter's 3rd birthday, and I haven't even wrapped the presents yet. The cake is ordered, but I fell through on the topper so I'm just going to cut out a design from a notebook and put it on the top. She's having a Vintage Strawberry Shortcake party, since it is impossible to find anything birthday related from Miffy, who was her first choice. She's getting a bunch of Strawberry Shortcake stuff {purse, hair clips, pens, stickers, etc} thanks to .99 Only, A Thomas The Tank Engine Comforter {To match her Thomas Pillows and Pillowcases} thanks to the thrift shop, and a few new toys from Walgreens. 

~~ 2 ~~

I've come to the realization that while yes, Sweetheart is mentally ready for Kindergarten level work, physically she just is not there yet. Trying to get her to sit down for a 10 minute lesson would be a struggle at this point, as she is going through another constant movement phase in addition to the terrible two's and trying to potty train. So while I have everything for Kindergarten ready - we're going to wait a while. If by New Year's I think she's ready we'll start then, if not well then it will be Fall 2010. But we are going to do a lot more pre-school type stuff this winter either way: lots of Coloring, field trips to the Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Storytime at the Library, and maybe to the HEB Science Treehouse as well. 

~~ 3 ~~

On the topic of Potty Training - any tips? We started trying to train Sweetheart at around 18 months old, and she got it fairly well then for #1. But then my mother who lives with us had a stroke, and we stopped for a while due to juggling her medical care. We've been trying to train again for the last few months, and it just isn't working. She gets the concept, can explain exactly how one goes potty like a big girl, but refuses to do it. Nothign has worked so far - even the offer of a trip back to Six Flags to the Carosel she was enthralled with - has worked. I'm at my wits end. We are trying a new tactic though this week - cloth training pants during the day instead of Huggies Pull-ups. She does at least want them changed right away now instead of using them like a diaper.

~~ 4 ~~

On the topic of Faith, some of you know I'm a reverted convert to Catholicism. I converted in college, but then fell away from the Church for a few years, during which my daughter was born. Now I'm trying to return to the faith, and finding it an uphill battle. I want to get my daughter baptized, but need to attend Mass {and apparently tithe to show I was attending, but that's a discussion for another day} for three to six months weekly {while caring for two elderly parents with medical issues, and a 3 year old who gets quite loud}, attend classes, and find two Godparents. It's the Godparents that really put a hitch in things - I have next to no Catholic friends locally, and the few I do have I don't want as my daughter's Godparents. So I'm in a bit of a pickle.

~~ 5 ~~

It's been raining for 4 days now, and it's begining to get muddy. After an entire summer with no rain {we are somewhere around 18 inches short on rain this year} it's very odd to hear rain on the roof. Now we'll have to mow the lawn, which we haven't mowed in around nine months because the grass quit growing due to lack of water. And yet - we're still under water restrictions. I'm hoping for more rain, but not tmorrow morning when I have to run down to get Sweetheart's birthday cake at the store two miles away, since I make the run in my power wheelchair. And Power Wheelchairs and water do not mix well.

~~ 6 ~~

I remember what I was doing 8 years ago today - sitting in AP English IV in high school, and we had a TV in our classroom. The special ed was next door, and the teacher came running over and said turn on the TV they attacked New York City. Everything pretty much shut down at school - I don't think we even changed classes at all that day. And the guy I was dating long distance, was in the military and I was so worried about him. Funny - I don't even know where he is now.

~~ 7 ~~

Funny how time changes things, three years ago today I was trying to get labor started since my water had broke, but desperately not wanting my daughter born on 9/11. She ended up being born on the morning of the 12th, just in time for breakfast. And life has never been the same since. 

Take a gander at more Quick Takes by visiting Conversion Diary.

Mail Call!

In the mail today I had several lovely presents:

CHC's LOG Level E
Our Lady of the Rosary's Kindergarten for Catholics
and My Path to Heaven: A Young Person's Guide to the Faith.

My Path to Heaven came from Amazon for free thanks to Swagbucks giftcards, and LOG E and Kindergarten for Catholics came from Cathswap for a total, shipping included, of just $7.50.

Yesterday I got a copy of CHC's Stories of the Saints Volume I for free as well from Amazon thanks to Swagbucks giftcards. 

Yet another thrifty purchase by The Frugal Catholic Homeschooler.

Welcome!

Welcome to The Frugal Catholic Homeschooler!

I'm Darla, mom to a almost three year old daughter who I lovingly call Sweetheart. I'm a convert to the Catholic Church, who converted in 2003 but then fell away due to poor instruction and college life. I'm in the process of returning to the church and trying to better establish my faith.

I have a deep love for the traditional Catholic church, and Mary and the saints. I'm still learning a lot about the church though, so bear with me and feel free to correct me if I'm in error.