Update on Homeschooling

Well, we are back into the swing of life! Big changes in the way we School this year has taken place, or one –  we have a dedicated School room now, yeah!!!!! I LOVE this space. I feel that it allows the kids space to learn and be creative. I made my own bulletin boards for each of the kids complete with some “tips” to help them out as well as reward charts! I am all about the positive affirmations! In this post I will go into more detail as to how the reward charts work and what our homeschooling day typically looks like. One thing I would suggest and have found it to be invaluable is finding someone you can bounce ideas off of and to have some time to have a hang out, with the kids. For me I have formed a new friendship with someone whom we have some similar friends but never really hung out together. Well I am SO THANKFUL for this friendship!!! She is very creative, seems to know all the cool programs and websites and is so fun to hang out with! We both started around the same time homeschooling so we are both figuring this out together, it is also awesome to note that our husbands get along so even double dates have happened, well one double date has happened – but we had so much fun I know many more will happen! We have made it a priority to meet up once a week and go to the library. This is much for us as it is the kids. They get out and get to get new books and continue to learn and well, we get to sit and have a tea, or try to amidst many interruptions by our sweet babies.

Our typical day is pretty straight forward to be honest. We start our day by praying for whatever needs we find to be of importance, right now we are praying for our church’s second campus and a permit we need to get to open our doors! Then our family devotional and journaling. This book is new to our personal library, “Sheila Walsh’s Family Devotions”. Then we switch which one goes first doing their flash cards.  We switch between spelling for Kennedy and math and for Cole sight words and math. Then into the books they go. This year we switched from a computer based program curriculum to books. For Cole I made up a binder for the first 4 weeks which was all review of what we have done last year to make sure that his skills where sharp. Starting next week he is back to his grade 1 Complete Canadian Curriculum book as well as reading 9 pages from a level 1 reader, and 5 pages from a level 2 reader. Spelling is his area of opportunity so his day is heavy in reading. Kennedy is doing a grade 5 Complete math and English smart books as well as a grade 6 Complete Canadian Curriculum book for extra English, spelling, science and socials. She also has a Canadian geography book that gets done 2 times a week. Next month we are going to introduce French. We also signed up for Letters from Afar, I would recommend looking them up on Instagram! Monthly we get a letter from “Isabelle” who is an explorer and it tells of her adventures. We then go and do some research on where she is, some of the local things that are common and then do a small presentation with our friends. It’s a great way to teach them about the world, what other cultures do and also gives them public speaking experience. We have a giant wall map and when we get a new letter we move the arrow to show where Isabelle is for the month we are studying her. We also on the map have an arrow for a friend of ours who travels for Ministry, so the kids can also see how far he travels, where he travels too and gives them a visual of where in the world he is. The kids came up with the idea and I love it.

The reward charts are super fun! The kids each have 2 of them. Kennedy’s 2 are for good behavior/80% on tests and the other is for being patient with her Brother as he reads to her. I felt this was important to teach her patience, to show her that not everyone learns the same as you and to have pride in teaching her Brother how to read. Some days as I watch them, I am so happy I did this and other days I want to call it off! Cole’s 2 are for good behavior and his 2nd one is for reading to Kennedy with a good attitude. Lets be real, siblings don’t really like to work together a whole lot so this has been good for him to learn that his Sister wants to help him and for her to learn how to be gentle and kind in a leadership role while getting your point across. It also for both of them, I feel prepares them for marriage one day, not to each other let me clarify, lol. I often say “listen one day you will be married and that person won’t always make you very happy or might do things to anger you BUT your partners so you have to learn to work through it, speak to each other with kindness and respect so this is a training ground for your future marriages, WORK IT OUT”!! I figure it’s never too young to teach them lessons that will hopefully propel them into the future full of successes, time will tell.

Here are some pictures of what the school room looks like, before it gets messed up in a day.

 

 

 

 

Until next time, keep exploring life.

 

Jen

A trip of a lifetime, PARIS, FRANCE!

Yep, I got to go to Paris, France. I can’t even type fast enough to tell you how this was such an amazing trip, how a dream came true and how much I cried on the trip! When the pilot said “Welcome to Paris France” I bawled like a baby, I couldn’t make it stop if I tried! I first began to fall in love with Paris when I was in High School. I don’t remember what it was but I wanted to go backpacking to Paris. Due to circumstances it just never happened. Life got busy, mainly I got married, was working full time and had some kids. I have never looked back and thought well, “I wasted those years, I should of traveled but I never let go of the dream to go to Paris.” I wrote a blog a couple of years ago about dreams (You can read it here https://wordpress.com/post/sarookj.wordpress.com/11804 )

Well now fast forward to May 16th, 2018 and I have now just landed in a city I love but have never met. It was like a blind date but I was already in love, head over heels to be honest but yet had never meet this place that I had built up so much in my head. To be honest I was a bit scared that I had made it some big, giant beautiful place that I love, but when I get there what if I don’t think it is what I feel it should be like?! What if it doesn’t live up to my dreams?! What if I’m a bit disappointed by it all?! I never thought that I would hate it but I was worried it wasn’t going to be all that I made it out to be. It’s the day before my 36th birthday and we are boarding the plane. First I’m traveling with one of my best friends so right there it’s going to be a great time. We got our luggage all checked, and now we wait. We walked around the airport, made a phone call to a friend and ate some snacks before getting on the plane. I was a bit worried about the flight, it was the longest flight I have ever been on and my friend doesn’t like to fly. To be honest it was a great flight! We got some good eats, by airplane standards, watched some movies and I slept a broken two hours. Landing was smooth, and now we were in another country.

To be honest the airport was nothing to write home about. Looked no different than the one we left in, other then we couldn’t read the signs now! Oh, and Eiffel towers were everywhere. We managed to get to our Air Bnb apartment, it was SO cute! It was a bit of a journey to get there but once we did, we loved it.  It was very Parisian and every day a fresh market was set up and tore down, the sights and sounds were amazing. Day 1 it was my birthday and we went to the Eiffel and ate the most delicious pasta I have ever had, oh and let me tell you about the Crème brûlée. I’m drooling just thinking about it!

 This is the open air market that was set up everday, it was 4                                                        blocks long!!!!

 

Oh my, this was by far one of the best meals we had!

 

My friend Jen or as we call her, “Tall”. Yes that is really her name, Jen but when 2 of your best friends have the same name as you, you end up with nicknames. So Tall said ” I know you know you’re in Paris BUT it won’t be real until you see the Eiffel Tower”. So we found out how to get there and she was right! I was in awe at this beautiful metal landmark and I couldn’t help but be aware that my mouth may of been hanging open, I was here, IN Paris, dreams DO come true! What kind of tourist would we be if we didn’t enjoy a crepe at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower?! It was full of Nutella, and it was amazing.

 

Day 2 was Notre Dame church, wow that stain glass window is incredible! We walked the Champs-Élysées and seeing the Eiffel Tower at night from a different view. Day 3 was full of fun as well, The Louvre at night, as well at the Montrepasse Tower and of course more food!  Day 4 We also ventured to Versailles and did a river boat tour. Day 5 was a full day of rest, much needed I might add. Day 6 We ventured out to Monet’s Garden, which I can do a whole blog post just about the pure beauty of that place followed by the most amazing pizza at a small restaurant in the area we were living in.

When we had our rest day,  I went out and got us some breakfast and lunch,  croissants and a baguette sandwich, cause I mean what else would one eat in Paris?! We just chilled in our apartment and watched Netflix all day, it was needed and amazing! We also went to the War Museum in Paris and ate some more. We ate a lot, but man did we walk it off, who knew Paris has so many stairs!!!!! There was one last visit to the Eiffel Tower, one more delicious dinner and an early bed time because we headed to London, England the next day. Seven days in Paris was a dream, I often look back at the pictures to make sure I’m in them, because it just seems like a dream that I just haven’t woken up from yet.

Until next time, keep on Exploring Life.

With love,

Jen

Reminders…Part 1

I wanted to repost this blog cause there will be a follow up to this post that originally was written and published in 2015. Cant wait to fill you in!!!!!

 

I’m a big fan of dreaming!!! I dream one day where we won’t have to save for a simple thing but just have the money. I dream big dreams, like going to Paris France. I have other big dreams of places but if I had to only choose one, Paris is what I dream of. I have figured out how much it will cost to go, I have reminders in my house and a Pintrest board. These reminders keep my dream alive and fresh.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

You may say what does a trip have to do with that scripture?! Well the truth is that I without a doubt know God is going to provide the trip. I don’t know how, or when but I believe. It may come in the way of a friend saying come along I have paid for you (I dream of my reaction, my excitement and the adventure we would have). Maybe an inheritance that causes us to afford it or maybe just maybe God has other plans as to how I will get there. I believe, just like having scripture around the house speaks to your spirit, having visual reminders around also speaks to your spirit. Mine leaps when I see reminders all around.

There is one other picture we keep around our house. That little boy in a candy shop reminds us that God is faithful and loves to give great gifts. So I go boldly before God and say, however you wish it to come I shall receive. God loves to love on us and bless us when we are faithful to Him.

This picture hangs in our living room.

Psalms 37:4 NLT
Take delight in the lord , and he will give you your heart’s desires.

This hangs on our fridge.

What are the reminders you keep around about a dream you have??

God can be found like Geocaching

Funny thought, right?! How can you link the two together?! It occurred to me as my friend and I were on our “hey let’s go Geocaching, its late and we don’t have the right shoes” mood, which is often how we roll, its just more fun!

As we walked around with our phones, the Geocaching app and a keen awareness of our surroundings, the thought came to me, “this must be how God feels!” He hands us our GPS, the Bible and says “I have it all laid out for you, just follow My directions” – much like Geocaching. As we searched for the item in the dark, feel around under tree trunks, benches etc it’s how we find God, wondering around in darkness looking for something. Gods word says that He is like a lamp post to my feet, He guides our steps. As the GPS app counts down to the area we need to find the object that’s like our life. God gives us directions, we follow, along the way we find treasures and as we go thru life God counts down to the end. But unlike Geocaching, God fulfills a great desire we all have put inside of us, to find Him and have a relationship with Him. Geocaching doesn’t get old or boring but once the cache is found you’re on to the next one to get your “fix”. Jesus is completely fulfilling and my life is not boring with Him in it!!!

Here are a few pictures of our adventures!

God loves to surprise us!!!

Taking in the moment, also trying not to slide down the escarpment!

God can be found throughout Geocaching, in his amazing creation!

A great word for every Mom!

“Honey Listen” http://subspla.sh/1shI4Mw

Does it speak to you?

I feel so challenged to have 2014 be like no other year I have had. I know that we all look back as the year comes to a close and I know for me 2 questions always came to mind. 1) Where has the year gone, and 2) Why do I feel like nothing great happened?!?! Well after feeling that way for 3 years, I resolved in my heart last year that I don’t want to look back and feel that way on New Year’s eve AGAIN! I feel that when you say to God “Please don’t let me “waste” this year away, I want it to count for You” – He shows up BIG!

Last year I overcame being content with a messy house, I saw a friend get healed from a hearing loss over 20 years long, and people in my life I have seen receive freedom in areas of their lives. While not all of them affect me directly, they are just reminders to me that God is always at work around you. No matter what state your life is in, in God VICTORY is going to happen, when you ALLOW Him to work in your life.

Early last year I was told of a song called “Victor’s crown” the first time I listened to it I was sobbing! Here is the video for it, I would love for you to experience this song for yourself, allow it to speak something to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nBOGA6X2g After I dried my tears I listened to it again with my eyes closed and with the prayer of “Ok God, what do You want to speak to me thru this song?” One part that stood out to me was “Every hard thing must come down, every stronghold shall be broken you wear the Victor’s Crown, You OVERCOME, YOU OVERCOME” WOW!! I have learned that thru Jesus dying on the cross for ME, for YOU, that no circumstance is too big, that no struggle is too difficult and that you can OVERCOME.

I believe that music has a great impact on our lives as well as our society. Does your music speak life and uplifting things to you or does it make you feel down, like life is nothing but a joke or heartbreak?? Allow the situations, people you can trust to give you good direction and the music you listen to be life giving words to push you forward so that 2014 is not just “another year” you put in. Don’t allow this year to pass you by, because we are not promised tomorrow, only today. Be blessed.

God is not a test drive.

Recently I went to test drive a new car that we are thinking about getting. As I took the car out, I asked the sales lady some questions such as, how long has this model been out for?, what do you like about it?, what changes have been made since the first one came out? Super general things. As I took it for a drive I got a feel in 20 minutes how it drove, things I did and did not like about it and the important part was that I got a feel for what to look at once I would test drive the other kind of car we were looking at.

This got me thinking, do we “test drive God?” How often is it that we look at our circumstances and think well God looks like a better option, I like the way I feel when I’m with God, God can change things! Then once we go for a ride and discover this is not what we thought it would be like, this is not how I seen it working out, why is God taking so long?! Do we then just “trade Him in” for what we may think is an upgraded model. Well God is not a test drive but rather the factory that makes the cars. Always working, changing the models to be better and better every year and yes sometimes things break down, don’t work the way we thought it would be God keeps on working. Even in the biggest problems he is working. SO don’t look to God to be a mechanic in your life that you only go to when things are broken down but allow him to be the factory in your life, always working and changing things!