Day 2 Homeschool Fun School

Today we read the bee book again and the boys really love it.  Then we did some questions about things going on in the pictures of the book, like:  why are there dotted lines following the bee, who is the bee with the yellow crown on?  Then they asked for a spoon of honey from the bee hive pot.  lol 
I helped Noah learn to hold his pencil better because his hand looked uncomfortable and he complained with his thumb hurting.  So I watched a quick video on how to show them how to hold a pencil, lol, seems like it would be easy to show, but the video made it easier to explain, little trick method. lol  He wrote the letter "Bb" again today and I already saw improvement in just one day. :)  Eli scribbled again and said "done."
Then we did some pages out of a letter book where we colored the pictures that start with the "b" sound. 
For our math today, Eli did a Sesame Street page that explained first, next, and last.  And for Noah, we started some basic addition.  He seems to really understand math concepts well, so I wanted to give him a little challenge and he did great.  He had no trouble counting the puppy groups and adding them together. 
Our last lesson was reading from a children's Bible stories book.  They didn't pay much attention the first time because Eli was being silly, so I asked them questions and they didn't remember.  It was a super short story so they could have remembered, lol.  So I told them that if they pay attention and listen and can answer my questions, they get a treat.  Bible Bribery...maybe it will work for me too. lol  They paid attention the second time and had sweet answers this time, so they got some mini marshmellows. 
After Ava wakes up from her nap, we are going to go have some fun outside after lunch.  Today was fun, but Ava did not want to nap and Eli is back to full energy(he's recovering from a virus), so keeping him from distracting Noah is gonna be something to work on.  He kind of comes and goes, which is fine, I don't expect him to sit down, but I guess if he does get down, I will make him play in his room so Noah won't be as distracted.  I'm learning too. :) 

Homeschool Fun School Day 1

Today Noah started his first day of kindergarten......at home.  I am going to be his teacher and I am really excited!! Probably more excited than him because I have all the ideas for what I envision as "fun school" in my head.  I am a little nervous since I've never done this before, kind of comes along with unchartered waters in life, but I feel led to do it, so we are gonna follow that lead and have some learning fun!
So our school time is during Ava Mae's nap in the morning.  Today we started this really neat little curriculum called "Within These Pages."  The whole lesson plan is based around one book.  Our first book adventure is about bees.  We read the book, "The Very Greedy Bee" and talked about what bees eat to make honey.  Then I got my honey pot, (I loooove me some honey, so I have a cute beehive shaped cookie jar filled with honey) and we all ate a little spoon of honey.  This wasn't in the lesson plan, just an impromptu idea I had. :)  I think I might  be good at this teacher thing.  Then we did the letter "B" and Noah practiced writing upper and lowercase "B" and Eli scribbled on his manuscript paper and said "I'm done." lol  Then we took a break to go jump on the trampoline.  While we were outside, we went over to the honeysuckle bush and saw an actual bee eating nectar!! Woo hoo, how awesome, the living example right in front of our eyes.  Then I picked some flowers and Noah tasted the nectar.  Eli said, "Mom, I not eat that yucky stuff."  lol 
Then we came back in and did a few sheets out of a Sesame Street Math book.  That was our sitting lesson time for Day 1.  I wanted to keep it short and sweet so he would look forward to school tomorrow. :)
We ate lunch and then went outside to ride bicycles.  I think we'll be getting lots of P.E. credits this year!!  

Emotions and Circumstance

It's probably safe to say that most of my life decisions have hinged on emotions.  These emotions were triggered by circumstances, sometimes within my control, sometimes beyond it.  Until about six months ago, I didn't realize I was allowing them to control my life.  It was a helpless feeling and I did not know how to change!  I've always labeled myself an "emo" or emotional person, almost with pride.  I have a lot of mercy in my heart, a lot, so it felt good to say I was emotional, kind of like having mercy on myself for having a reason to react a certain way.  I am a thinker, a visionary type person, so I often want answers and direction and want it now.  I want to be the BEST me I can be, mostly out of control.  eeeek, yes, control, I envision something and control until I get there through emotions.  Or at least that is what I did, God is bringing me to amazing places in transforming my heart concerning this.
I felt like there was this one "perfect" path destined for my life and I HAD to figure it out.  It changed often, as often as the wind blows at times.  But my emotions said "this feels right" based on life right now.  Ughh uggh ughh!  So now I see there was some truth in seeing a path.  It's to give me a sense of direction, but not to figure out EVERY.SINGLE.ASPECT and forget about letting God lead me in the present.  oops. :-/  So now that I have seen this revelation, I look back over circumstances in my life, some created, some just that happened because this is a fallen world, and I notice that I reacted out of emotion and sent myself on a path that maybe I wasn't supposed to be on.  God has blessed and honored me through it all, but he has also, ever so gently, because I chose to see what was already there, had MERCY on me and is revealing truths to me. 
I don't have it all figured out, and some days I am very confused and all over the place, but I still feel thankful that He rescued me from myself.  I'm still resting in the revelation that circumstances do not have to control my emotions, or vise versa.  There are truths that do not change, no matter what is going on in my life.  I am learning I am exactly who I was created to be and to be okay with my "normal".  And even though I'm not absolutely sure what that is yet, it's nice to finally accept myself as the daughter of the King, and know and trust that will be revealed to me.  It's okay to be me and live in that realm of peace and contentment no matter what is going on around me or what other people are doing.  Priceless revelation!