Half Year Up~

Well we are in the beginning of June I can not believe how fast this year has gone so far. So much has gone this year. We are striving to keep trucking along. Girls are doing great with there studies. Jon-Jon has been striving to be a good son. No not saying life is a bowl of cherries but I am saying things are not as grim as they once were.

The girls are headed into there fourth month of schooling. They are striving to do there best. Although they really miss Charlotte Mason Method and ask to go back quit a bit. But Thomas and I are very proud at how far along they both have come just in 3 months. Makenzee is really doing well taking initiative in doing work with out me telling her. So proud of her. Lileigh is doing so well she is sounding out her words. She is realizing she can do it. Now just to get her to remember what words she masters that she knows them.

Jon will be starting his high school August 17. He will be home schooled but doing public school on line. He is very worried about being able to keep up and to do work. I keep encouraging him to be positive and he will be fine as long as he does what is required in the it is due. Keeping him focused is key. My goal is to help him to be successful and he will be. No leap is to big. I have been through so much that this should be easy.

                                                                Well thank you for ponding,

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

— Romans 10:14 (NIV)

Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody. ~Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

The days keep going

I have com to the conclusion that no matter how long I put off blogging it is still there. My life will never slow down until kids are grown and living on their own. Now mind you my life would be so much smoother if my 15 year old did not have MENTAL Illness or teenager hormones better known as PUBERTY going on. SO I am going to do my best and encourage my children to strive to be their best.

The girls are ending there 14th week of school. They have come along way since we have started this LCA curriculum. I am not going to lie the girls are not so much enjoying it but I think once we get through this year they will be happy at how they are doing. Kenzee is actually making effort to work on her own. Independent learning is so important for any child. That is very exciting for them.

They are doing very well sounding out there words. Well Lileigh is catching on but she thinks she needs to sound out every word even if she knows it. She also is sounding some words back wards very strange. But going through this with Makenzee I know it is normal.

Makenzee is doing very well except for math she hates math she loved Saxon math but hates the PACE math. But she is doing very well. Actually yesterday she started multiplying and she is doing great. She hates adding and carrying  as well as subtracting and borrowing. What would take kenzee seems like forever with math when it came to adding and subtracting she take all day just to maybe do half a page. Well since yesterday of starting multiplaction she has done 8 pages... Believe me thats a WOW because I wanted to wig out on her..putting it nicely but we managed through it.. And look it paid off being mean..

Well now on to Jon-Jon I got him registared in LAVCA. I understand he wants to get his GED.  I have tried explaining to him that he needs to focus on his education to get stronger on his weak points so he can pass his GED. I also was explaining to him that a High School Diploma is muych better to have. Well at this point I am trying to stay positive. But it is very hard at times and way more then others.. But he will start August 17, 2011 and I will talk it up to get him ready. We can do this! =)

Abbigale is a curious 2 year old into everythiong nothing is sacred. She loves to be read to as well as she loves to draw, color, and pretend to write. She is very active but she is starting to sit down for longer periods and actually starting to watch little TV with girls when it is TV time. Now to get her to want to potty trained.

We have VBS at Calvary Baptist Church. I am going to help teach 4th grade Mission. We are headed to The Big Apple. Yep New York is our destination to share Gods laws and love. No we are not actually going to New York but we are going to pretend we are in New York. This should be so fun. I am so looking forward to being apart of it. Makenzee will be in 2nd grade for VBS and Lileigh will be in Kindergarten. Booth girl participated in VBS at Calvary last year 2010. The girls just loved being apart of it. VBS starts June 6th through the 10th. We shall be busy that week.

In closing I know I have not blogged in while my mind is just been in a wirl wind. My Mother in Law Susan Johnson passed away April 14, 2011. Our lives have been consumed with dealing with an incorrigible child to a old man who is lonely and not dealing with it so well. We are at a point in our lives that we are not able to breath at times. Mr. Ed and Ms. Sue would have been married 30 years on May 20.. The life cycle begins when parents raise us and let us go there comes the time when it is up to us to give back to our parents by taking care of them. We as humans do this natural thing. Some just get it more then others. I do not regret anything I have or have not done because when ever I do anything I DO MY VERY BEST!! Life is way to short so make it the best you can you know the saying life can be a bunch of sour lemons but I say make sweet yummy lemon aide out of it!!

“The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating......and you finish off as an orgasm.”

Mehgan George Carlin 



24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Acts 20:24 (New International Version)


                                                            Thank you for staying and Pondering

Life is not suposed to be drama!

Well I have not blogged for while. I apologies to those who follow us. We have had such a rough road and it keeps getting bumpier. I just wanted to share that we are having major issues we thought were done with do to our son. We love him but he is tearing our family apart. So it is in God's hands to what happens to our son and family!


What are you looking forward to in your home school these weeks?
To be able to keep caught up with core curriculum and add in our favorite subjects from Charlotte mason method.


What are you needing prayer for as we start out this week?
That our son gets the help he needs before he gets in trouble and we can not save him. Also to help to keep my daughters from following suit. Please no major issues...

Is there something you aren't looking forward to (dreading??)
Well if this program don't work out for Jon-Jon and he has no other options what are we going to do. Having to deal with AMI Kids do to my sons bruises he has received as well as things broke or missing.
 

Fun trips or activities you have planned for the weeks ahead?
Hopefully the Zoo, water slides in Baton Rouge La, Maybe the aquarium in New Orleans..


Special quote or Bible verse that will keep you focused this week.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" Because he made me the MOM!

Any special Household tasks or goals you want to meet his week?
Keeping up on laundry and having dinner made before 6pm.

HELP! I need a link or an idea, do you have one to share about ________?
Still working those out not sure yet...

With all this said I will have to keep taking a break from blogging until further noticed. If I keep blogging it will be negative stuff and I do not want to be like that. Homeschooling is suppose to be positive and it is but in the Johnson Tribe home we have some major issues going on with our 15 year old son. So please pray for us and his healing of mental illness. It isn't fun having a sick child. As soon as waters calm down I will start sharing again what we are doing. 

I pray God blesses each and everyone of your homes. And until the next time we can full hardheartedly blog good things we will. 

Thank you for understanding,

 Matthew 6:19-34
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."

~ Alexander Graham Bell

Official year has moved officially!!!

Well the girls started there new core curriculum. It is has gone smoothly for the most part except for making everything work smoothly together. Meaning TIME!! There doesn't seem to be enough of it.  But we are working the kinks out. We made a Weekly Goal and we are going to tweak it  It will smooth it self out as we go and get use to it. I have also made Daily Goals Monday/Wednesday 2011-2012, Tuesday/Thursday 2011-2012, Friday 2011-2012, Saturday 2011-2012. Please take time and look let me know if it looks like to much or not enough. Having outside input helps so much!

Makenzee is an official 3rd grader if you go by grades. She is doing very well. Makenzee has a lot of reading she has to do in this curriculum which is turning out to be very good for her. Just since we started this curriculum Makenzee is already showing improvement with her reading skills. She is really trying to apply herself and watching her grow is awesome. I tell her that everyday she  is actually doing more and more on her own. She looked at me and said wow I am starting to do my work without you Momma that's awesome. Independence can be good.

Lileigh is an Official 1st grader. We typically don't go by grades but since we started new curriculum they have numbers that are for certain grades. Lileigh has completed two PACE books already. Well it was basic Math and Kindergarten. She Momma do I have to do these. I said Lileigh this is review yes because if you do not have it down then when you start doing first grade you will not understand. So she is very pleased with her self on finishing two PACE books. This is going to be an awesome year and Yes God is good we owe it all to him!

                                                    

We are receiving the Girl Scout Cookies to deliver and collect money Saturday February 26, 2011. I will be so glad when we are finished with cookies. It has been a lot of fun but also tiring. The troop has sold almost 5034 boxes @ $3.50 comes to $17619.00.  So we should receive almost $2000.00 as troop proceeds . Will know more when we are through. The girls of Troop 463 wants to go to Houston to the Space camp they have there.  Looks like we have a good start to be able to plan for this trip. So proud of Troop 463! =)

The girls had there first game Saturday. Makenzee's team Mighty Sharks played well for not have been playing this whole time. Lileigh is on the Mighty Tigers teams had 2 games. They played very well. They are looking like they remember how to chase a ball not like bees flying around picking flowers like in fall! So glad girls are enjoying themselves. I love going to watch my girls play. We have games here on till the end of March I do believe.

Thank you stopping and pondering,

Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 12:28

Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Healing Cookie crumbles

I wanted to keep everyone in the loop. Jon seems to be doing great at AMI Kids. He is really loving it. He has tested to be 7th grade better then being stuck in 6th grade. He should be almost ninth. But hey he at least got something from what little I could get him to do. I have a meeting coming up soon for him at AMI Kids so they can tell me his progress. I am glad he is doing so well. Unfortunately his attitude and actions at home are they same. He will have some what of a good day then he will disappear. Well if you have read my past post you know exactly what I am talking about. It is so amazing kids at his age actually think they can survive on there own with out anyone. Well some can unfortunately Jon can not. That's not to say he will never but it will be very hard. I pray he learns to stick with and complete one thing in his life and that would to get an Education and be something.

On a different note I have been testing my daughters for the new core curriculum we have decided to add to there daily schooling. Well I am proud to announce Lileigh who is Kindergarten is a 1st grader. Lileigh had to take a reading readiness test she got 97.5. Well I have to explain she actually got 100% but only reason I kept it 97.5 was because she had to match a picture. She refused to match the right picture because the circles did not look straight on the ball they dots veered up instead of being straight like picture. So she explained that the one she circled was actually the same ball if you looked at it in mirror. So I am thinking makes perfect since! I was amazed.=)

Makenzee has been doing a diagnostic testing. She has done Social Studies, Science, English, word building and Math. She is what they say in 2nd grade if she was in a public school setting as of now, but she has tested middle 3rd grade. I am so excited. So she will do 3rd grade since it is where she should be. I don't want to advance my children unless they are board and know everything. I brather make sure they are really getting everything! I do believe my girls are. I am so proud of them.

As a homeschooling mom I have gone through the am I actually giving my child a well rounded curriculum. I know I shouldn't because they are striving to get knowledge without prompting. But when you have a child who disrupts and makes everything about him. So some days it took away from my other children more then other day. But I do have to say my poor daughters on good days I push them to make up for not being able to school on bad days!

My Makenzee and Lileigh are so proud of themselves. I feel they should be. They work hard on going an extra mile to learn. Abbigale is only 2 and she is also liking to sit and coloring or doodling while girls school. She will be ready when it is her turn to start actually schooling! We will continue to strive to be our best EVERYDAY!

As a mother I want what is best for all my children not just some. I am proud of my oldest son who is desperately trying to get into College. Us living in different states if kinda hindering the fact that my hands are tied. But he is getting all his DUCKS in row. I am so proud of him. Keep doing the great achieving I love you CJ.

                                                                    Thank you for Pondering,

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
Ephesians 5:15-17
The thing about family disasters is that you never have to wait long before the next one puts the previous one into perspective.  ~Robert Brault,

Life is what you make it!

Well a lot has taken place since I last blogged for J and B Learning. Jon-Jon has gotten in to AMI Kids. That was an interesting turn about. But needless he is in. He is actually really liking it. He is striving to do good. Yes he has had a haunting past. Hoping he succeeds this time. He really wants to go back to public school. Which really upsets me but at this point if he will do his best and get an education who am I to stop that.

As for my daughters they will be home schooled. It works out better for us and them. The girls are in Girls in Action (G.A.'s) They are learning missions. As well as Girl Scouts we are selling cookies right now. Then the fun begins next month we have to collect money and deliver boxes. Thank goodness between my 2 girls we have only about 100 boxes. So far Troop 463 has pre sold 4100 or more boxes!! So exciting. Makenzee and Lileigh start up for spring soccer with Crossroads Soccer Association they are so excited and can not wait to start up again!

As a mother and the person educating my children we have decided to add to our children education. We have decided to start using the ACE Curriculum- Distant Learning with our daughters. The advantage of doing this is it is an accredited school and they go all the way to 12 grade and have diplomas. The kids can even walk down to get diploma but they would have to go to Nashville TN. Heck as much money and time I have put into lessons this will help free me so we can focus on important things like nature walks and music and art appreciation. So that will be so nice.

Now don't get me wrong I truly love the Charlotte Mason Method that's why I am continuing to do the nature studies, artist appreciation and music appreciation studies. I love following along with Handbook of Nature Study she always has awesome things to show and learn with your children very well rounded. I also like how she puts her kits together. She is so thorough with her kits she always has an artist and musician with every study. I highly recommend her go check the site Handbook of Nature out it is very nicely laid out and so many options!
                                  Thank you for stopping by and pondering,

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

— Psalm 63:3 (NIV)

        Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it you finally climbed the wet steps to the platform. From there, it was higher than ever. There were only two ways down: the steps to defeat of the dive to victory. You stood on the edge, shivering in the hot sun, deathly afraid. At last you leaned too far forward, it was too late for retreat, and you dived. The high board was conquered, and you spent the rest of the day diving. Climbing a thousand high boards, we demolish fear, and turn into human beings.
Richard Bach A Gift of Wings                                                     

Where kids can be a kid!

 I wanted to take time to share something on a positive note. We took our girls to Chuck E Cheese for all their great effort of doing their school work. The girls had a blast. They wanted to eat so we went ahead and got pizza well I ate salad bar.. Well I always forget to take camera out but we did remember to take the sketch pictures that is offered. So we wanted to share our sketch pictures sorry all no I am not vain I just wanted to have pictures with everyone. Believe it or not I hate my pictures but my family say they love having their picture taken with me. So here you go!

 I am also adding pictures in from when we went for Makenzee's birthday she had so much fun. Her birthday is July 2. So look how much the girls have changed! I hope you enjoy. Going and making memories for a couple of hours is worth spending the money. The kids really enjoy having tokens and being able to blow it how ever they want.  So cool to watch!

                                                Thank you stopping by and pondering with me,

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 4
“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family”

 Anthony Brandt quotes