What do my kids see?
Me choosing JOY in being a Christian, mother and wife???
OR
Me enduring the circumstances of life???
Math Formulas in Color
May 7, 2012 By 1 Comment
When my son started adding instead of multiplying when doing area, and couldn’t remember to take ½ of the number when doing triangles; I knew we needed to stop and help his mind sort out the information rolling around in there.
First thing I do to help is color code concepts, this really helps form a picture in his mind.
Since he was counting numbers into the trillions I wanted to review place value.
First we discussed what items in life that he pictured in his mind that
had perpendicular and parallel lines, so we added the compass rose and railroad tracks to the pictures.
Putting the adding signs around the perimeter helps to remind him to add.
Then when we moved into area problems I shaded the problems to help him remember that area is the inside of the shape.
We did make the h in the triangle formula a little different, but in his mind angling the H and putting the right angle line on it helps him remember.
Now we have reference sheets for when we are teaching the lesson for the 20th time and it all “seems new” to us.
My Top 10 of 2:1
May 3, 2012 By 14 Comments
10) Bloggers have more names, handles, urls then I can keep up with.
9) There is an intriguing gentleman who likes to ask people their favorite smells. He claims to learn a lot about people this way. Of course I told him, “I don’t like smells.” He was stumped.
The hand lotion at the hotel needs to be kept far away from the shampoo.
7) Some bloggers travel with gallons of sweet tea. It takes about 3 gallons of sweet tea to attract ants in the hotel.
6) All bloggers have iPhones.
5) Hotel hair won’t win any styling awards in the future.
4) The only way to tell the firm pillows from the soft pillows is by the label on them.
3) That by 4pm my brain no longer holds new information.
2) This was the first time I have had ladies covet my gluten free meals.
And the one I risked my life for……
1) The roads to 2:1 are zigzagged!!!
21 words on Missions
May 3, 2012 By 1 Comment
No matter where your mission field resides,
Your living room, Neighborhood, Community,
Or even 3rd World Countries!
Bend your knee in prayer.
How to Prioritize the Important Stuff
May 1, 2012 By 9 Comments
(Warning: This contains deep thoughts from me!)
For the last few years of juggling all the hats I wear in life, I usually visualized my priorities on a long checklist. Of course God should be first, and then my husband…. This usually led to guilt by lunchtime when I realized I had not prayed or thought of my husband. Maybe you have been in my shoes?
(Cue Lightbulb!)
Instead of visualizing that rectangle of a priority list, try a circle! Hopefully, you are familiar with the word circles that make the words larger for more usage and smaller for less.
Now the other big thought, don’t analyze this list everyday! That weekly date night goes a long way to keeping my husband high on the list, that morning bible study gives me nuggets of truth for days, or the kids just completed a huge school project.
OH and to remind myself to give myself grace when the washing machine breaks, the children get sick, and I haven’t showered in days. (Yeah that was my week)
Now my Priority Circle can allow the words to grow big or get smaller based on time over the week. So if my circle looks like this….better reevaluate fast!
21 words on Enjoying the Small Things
April 26, 2012 By 5 Comments
How to Overcome Facebook Stress
April 23, 2012 By 2 Comments
Do you have a Facebook account? I love mine, well most of the time.
Since Facebook is a social network, we start accounts to connect and socialize with people.
But there is a downside that could lead to hurt feelings, Facebook can go wonky; delete your comments, post them hours later, or not at all.
Here are the three rules I follow to overcome Facebook stress:
1) Always blame Facebook for comments not showing up. This way I don’t spend hours thinking it’s my computer or me. C’mon do you really think your friends are deleting your comments, if so, you need to be picking up the phone to talk about it person to person!
2) If things are really going crazy with photos missing or posts not working, shut down the computer and try again later. Facebook just needs some time to get itself together. Yup this one is difficult, waiting not so fun.
3) Most importantly give GRACE in reading posts! Since we can’t hear how people are writing, we sometimes can read inflection the wrong way. If in doubt send them a private message or plan a meeting.
So to keep your stress level down; always blame Facebook, walk away when it isn’t working and give grace!
Do you have any good tips for dealing with Facebook stress?
Time to Buy
April 19, 2012 By 2 Comments
Evaluating, Researching, Calculating,
Planning, Asking, Praying,
Oh, it’s that time of year
To figure out what curricula to buy!
10 Things About Me for 2:1 Conference
April 18, 2012 By 12 Comments
1) I am a Jill-of-all-Trades kind of gal.
2) I have been homeschooling for 12 years (10 more to go).
3) I think in pictures.
4) I started blogging five months ago, after attending the Relevant (Allume) Conference.
5) I have never spoken in public to an audience; can you say speed dating at 2:1? yikes!
6) I am the mother of four vastly different children, kind of like a compass rose.
7) I cook in layers, I am gluten free, my oldest is seafood free, and my youngest is dairy free. When invited for dinner we have tacos because this meal is the easiest to adjust for our allergies.
8)I can’t spell. So bad that speller check will say “no suggestions” often to my misspellings.
9) I love to laugh!!! Humor gets me through the rough patches of my day.
10) I am blessed to work for Bright Ideas Press!
Nature Drive (Another Layer to Carschooling)
April 18, 2012 By 1 Comment
“Mom do you remember when you pulled over and ….”
Most of our observations of nature happen when we are driving down a country road and we come upon some magnificence finds. I bring the car to screeching halt, often putting the car in reverse so the kids can observe.
Sometimes we get out of the car, sometime we just roll the windows down, but most important we stop and watch.
In this day of technology my kids come prepared with iPods, iPads or phones that can take photos. When we return home the internet answers most of our questions on what we saw.
“Mom do you remember when you killed that 6 foot snake?” I laugh and reply, “Gee, I don’t think the 1 ton van I drive was a fair match for the snake.” But I stopped the van and the boys watched the snake for a long time.
“Mom do you remember when you pulled over to watch the bald eagle eat the rabbit?”
“Mom do you remember when you pulled over and helped the baby turtles get across the road?”
I need a bumper sticker that says, “I pull over for wild life” 
Hmm I wonder if there would be a market for a Nature Drive printable?
