The End is near of 2011

Well it has been awhile since I grounded myself to blog for my kids schooling. We are in December. The year of hardship is almost over and we are so looking forward to the new future ahead.We have had a lot go on this year.

We have decided not to finish the A.C.E. Curriculum it was just to much stress of trying to get kids to stay focused they were very board. So we are back to doing our Charlotte Mason Method with Unit Studies. They are doing great and getting back on track. At first convincing them and showing the that schooling is fun was hard at first. But now they bring me their school work and ask us to read again. Life is getting back to being hands on track again.

Jon- for those who have read my past post know my son has mental illness not fun at all. We decided to put him in public school because he begged us to. Well everything he did at home and at AMI kids he did at the high school as well. He has been suspended until the new semester if they let him come back. See he thinks he can leave when he wants and not do his in school suspension. Unfortunately he is not willing to be accountable for anything he does. He truly believes it is someone else's fault that things keep happening.All we can do is pray for him we love him and want nothing but best.So praying he can have a successful 2012.

The girls are doing great. They are healthy happy and very active! We had a rough year with schooling up until I stopped what they were doing and started back with our hands on reading education. They are actually more excited to and can not wait to get started with schooling.Each girl has been striving to be the best they can be. I have been truly blessed with three giving girls. Yes they can be pistols but what kid isn't.

 The three girls had tonsils and adenoids taken out on December 14. Yes all three Makenzee-8, Lileigh-6 and Abbigale-3. They are doing great. They are eating playing and fighting with each other so I say they are doing well for having surgery last week. We at first thought oh my goodness what did we get ourselves into doing all at once. But we are truly thankful it is almost over.Yay the future looks to be more quite when they sleep!

Well we have started doing our old way of schooling like I mentioned earlier in post. We are not full fledged just yet. Starting slowly to ease out of text book schooling to hands on higher order thinking. So for now until after new year we are doing bible reading, Math,language Arts and literature, Reading, science and History and geography.

We start our day with the Pledge of Allegiance,Pledge to the Christian Flag,Pledge to the Bible and  followed by Keys 4 Kids.

We do a daily devotion that Makenzee leads with her sisters. There are questions when she is finished reading for her and her sisters to answer. She is doing great being a leader and a teacher. So proud!

Memory Verses:
We also have been working on humility:
1. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)

2. This is the one I esteem: He who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. (Isaiah 66:2)

3.For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.(Luke 14:11)

4.He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
(I Corinthians 1:28-29)

5.So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
(1 Corinthians 3:7)

6.Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
(Philippians 2:3)

7.Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

8.All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)

9.For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
(2 Corinthians 4:5)

10.So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." (Luke 17:10)

11.Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7)

12. Humility and fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. (Psalm 18:27)

But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. (Psalm 37:11)

Math:
Makenzee is doing 3rd grade second book Saxon and we print up extra work to help with multiplication and so one.
Lileigh is doing 1st grade Saxon second book she is doing great.

Language arts:
Makenzee is working in the yellow book she is doing awesome she is ready for orange book but we wanted to make sure going in to new book that we were ready for it.
Lileigh is doing red book. It is helping her establish her reading skills. She is doing great.

Science/Nature Study
They are working on learning what Bontany is. we have explored vascular plants and non vascular plants. they are going to get more in depth as we go. They also keep a journal so they can go back and see what they have learned as well as we glue and tape things in there. They also will be doing lots of projects like making a herb hut and making soap from the herbs they grow. bery exciting stuff.

History/Geography:
They are learning about ancient time. we read a chapter and dicuss what we have read. They also get a map they color so they know what we read about. They are really digging it.


We are also trying to get back in routine of using going to start back with an artist appreciation and composer study. We love learning them but we plan on getting help from Harmony Art Mom. That's our New Years GOALS..Going to be so much excitement and learning WE are excited once again about schooling. Yay

I know I have mentioned hands on no text book learning. We that's what we do. We have text books but they are on the living side. They help us make sure we keep on track but don't have to do nothing but those books we add work to it to make it more interesting. When you use just text books usually you have to get just what is in front of you done. We explore and add to make more fun and more hands on.

One different note This year has been so full of surprises not all good. We had couple of loses and a son who's in and out of Hospital for his mental illness. We found out a couple months ago we are expecting again. This has been a complete shock. We were done with our last baby Abbigale who is now three years. We just got it confirmed we are having a BOY his EDD is May 6,2012. As the new year approaches we are starting to get to realize the fact God has truly blessed us with this new child. It will be Thomas first Biological son. So that makes 3 boys and 3 girls. God really does have a funny sense of humor. We are chalking it up to the NEW YEAR is going to be a great year. So we keep saying that to ourselves.:)

This is Our Big Surprise so if you had no clue don't feel bad not many people do until now. To busy keeping my kids on track and my son from getting in trouble not easy as well I am just getting out of shock myself! Oh and not to mention have been very sick last few months and truly thought it was the flu..

We always make a Birthday Cake for Jesus birth. Makenzee has informed me she is making a yellow cake with chocolate frosting from scratch. She is so excited and is counting the days down. The kids want to make it special because with out Jesus we would not have Christmas. We had a discussion about how people like to take Christ out of Christmas like X-mas and so on. The girls were sad to think people are truly like that because they love him so much.We as the Johnson Tribe believe and will continue to believe in Jesus as our saviour and keep spreading his cheer!

We also have another tradition we do this will be our 4th year this year. We watch The Polar Express. The kids actually get golden ticket that we make for them and they put on their Jammie's and get their blankets and can only enter the Train "Living room" with their ticket. They then get all snugged up and they get hot cocoa with marshmallows,sugar cookie and popcorn. When movie is over they have to go up to the conductor "Daddy" and give their ticket back and The Conductor ask them a very important question and he so humbly tries to paper hole out a word for them. They love it and look for ward to it every year.A tradition I see my children doing with their families one day. That to me is so exciting and rewarding.

I am truly Thankful for every ones patients I am slowly getting us back on track. Giving God my depression and negativity so we will keep going and be positive and look forward to what is giving us good or bad.
                             
                                          Thank you for Pondering,   

P.S. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR in 2012!! We are planning on making better effort to keep everyone up to speed on The Johnson Tribe!

Dale Evans quotes

Christmas is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.

 Jesus is born
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)

My thought on curriculums

Well I am really finding it hard to blog since we started this ACE curriculum. I am finding it isn't for our family. When your children hide or try not to do schooling because they absolutely hate there work there is something wrong. We use to do Charlotte Mason with Unit Studies. The kids loved it and enjoyed it for we could study what they were interested in.

Don't get me wrong the ACE Curriculum is a wonderful curriculum. The PACE books are great The ACE Curriculum is wonderfully put together. In giving you everything you need for that year. It is an accredited school. They are very wonderful to work with on phone if you have any questions if they don't know answer they will find out and always return calls. The curriculum is meant not to having anything added with it. It is school structured so it is like being in school everyday and sometimes we are still schooling in evening. Now mind you that we start in 9am everyday.

The only problem is I home school to be able to relax and let kids enjoy schooling. We have choose to remove or not make a part of our learning having the in school room learning. If we wanted to send our children to school and be apart of a classroom seating i would send them back. My children thrive in a relaxed atmosphere where I am not stressed at trying to keep them on task so they don't get behind. Let me tell you I could never wok in a public school setting. Guess that's why my children enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of fun hands on and just being able to know what they are doing they are learning.

This curriculum is great for extremely organized families. Unfortunately our family is not but we do strive to everyday. I have a friend whom I adore she has 1 child and uses this curriculum. They are on there 5th year of using this curriculum. She is so organized and has things mapped out. I love how she puts things together. She makes it look so easy. We let me tell you I can see if I had just one child it would be so much easier to keep on task. Her daughter does well because this is all she knows. Guess that's where I messed up. My children miss picking the unit studies they want to do as well as music composers and artist not to mention Nature study. We are consumed with the PACEs and nothing else. My friend makes it look so easy and I love her for that. So apart of me feels like a failure, but on other had I know we will succeed as we go with what ever direction we go.

On a different note we have moved out of Louisiana to Texas. Starting a whole new life. after we finish this curriculum we will start back on old favorite. The girls are excited but seem to not understand we have to finish what we started before we move on. They keep asking come on Momma lets just go back PLEASE. I feel I am teaching finishing what we started is important in life. As for my kids schooling I know my decision is best for our family.

When or if you choose or get thrown in to homeschooling remember you have to do what works best for your family. We are a visual hands on dreaming family so we enjoy picking and choosing what we learn. I pray that everyone gives deep long hard thoughts on what there kids would learn from rather what we as parents want our kids or think what thjey need to be doing. Remember kids learn in am happy environment with lots of choices. At least mine do!!

Thank you for Ponding with me,

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."
— Oscar Wilde

 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.
    -- Jeremiah 31:25

July is here where did the begining of year go???

Our family has had a rough 2011. With our Granny Sue (my mother in Law) passing in April. Our lives have been so busy we have hardly been able to enjoy the benefits of homeschooling. Lately it has been more a chore then an enjoyment. We are at Pawpee's(my father in law)in Hemphill Texas on weekends. My father in law isn't adjusting to being alone very well. We go to make sure he has his medicine set out for week and at least he is eating home cooked meals 2 to 3 days out of week.Better then sausage biscuits or just junk easy to grab things.

We have had another tragedy in our family this wonderful great 2011. Our beloved Yoogalee (Sharpei/Chow)was run over by a truck. She wasn't out from laying under truck when it started which wasn't like her she always ran from loud noises or tried going by by. She will be so dearly missed she was one of our children. The kiddos are still having problems adjusting to her not being here. They are comparing her to Granny Sue. They are glad they are together. I guess thinking everything and one goes to heaven makes life seem better. But ultimately it isn't so. But for now it is ok for them to think this because it makes the gaping wounds feel better.

We have had a birthday this month not excluding Americas but my Makenzee is 8 years old. Where did the time go. She is in third grade and she has learned the joy of reading. She is my tom boy but she is a classy diva when needed. I look at this picture and go where is my baby. For her birthday we made her pretty cake from scratch. I offered to let her pick her own cake at store she started to cry. Momma I hate the icing they have and they cakes are not as good. So how could I say no here is what we did.We found a beautiful picture and took it to Walmart who then the bakery printed picture on edible paper. We got home to our cooled yellow cake made from scratch. We made the butter cream icing before we went to store. She was so proud of her cake we made. She said of Momma it is beautiful. I just love how simple things make my children happy.

We are trying to get our kids in habit of laying in bed before bedtime and get a book try to read to wined down from our busy days. Well it is starting to pay off I didn't even tell my children to go read last night. We went grocery shopping yesterday and they found a couple of books. Well after we eat dinner hung outside with Daddy. They came in and get ready for bed. well here is what i found just look at the picture. Yes i am sure your wondering were my Lileigh was well she didn't make it past getting ready for bed she was out like a light we had a good and keep yourself busy kind of day.

We thank God everyday for our blessings. We are blessed to be together to have another breath each day and to know we have a forgiving Heavenly Father. I know with the whole some values we are raising our children with that they will turn out to be some special grown ups who have a passion for Christ. I am so Thankful for my daily blessings even if I didn't ask for what shouldn't be. Thank you father God for loving us so much! =)

Thank you for stopping by and Pondering,

Above him were seraphs, each with six wings ... and they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

— Isaiah 6:2-3 (NIV)

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein

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.