Sunday, October 30, 2016

JUST for now............

JUST for now until things settle down, I will be MAINLY posting our Homeschool updates on our FB page. It takes a LOT of time to sit and update this blog, and I just have not had the time to do it lately. Maybe if things settle down sometime soon, I will come back to it, so I will NOT close it, but our MAIN updates WILL be on our FACEBOOK PAGE.

Thank you for understanding!

Sunday, October 23, 2016

September/October Blog Post Will be Coming Together This Month!

Hello Blog Followers! I just wanted to let you know we are STILL around! We have not deserted you! Taking on Tot Schooling, and babysitting a Toddler is a Whole New World! In addition to that I added that new small business and BAM I am SUPER-MOM! Only I don't feel like it! I feel more like SUPER-TIRED! SUPER-LAZY! and SUPER-NOT-GETTING-ANYTHING-DONE!


I really have been trying to update the blog, however, my FAVORITE photo editing site
PicMonkey has been LESS than easy to work with lately. It has been glitchy at BEST. Right now, it isn't working at ALL, probably because I complained last night, go figure! LOL

SO, Hopefully, I will be doing an end of September/end of October post together! If PicMonkey is not working by the time October ends, I will just find a new photo editing site for quick photo edits. I do own Photoshop Elements, but it is nice to work with a quick Photo Editing site to posting to the Blog, ya know?

So that is where I am at now. Just letting you know we are still here, still doing good, and actually doing better than ever! We can't wait to share with you how well things are going!
We hope you are doing just as good!


Sunday, October 2, 2016

Please Visit our Cards For A Cause Fundraiser Event!

Hi, My name is Shawna. I am a mother to two 9 year old little boys. Both of whom have Autism, one of whom has Mood Disorder and ADHD, and Severe anxiety as well. Awhile back when we first began our journy as special needs parents, a group stepped up and helped us out. That group was Sunshine Snail Mail. Sunshine Snail Mails sends out cheer Mail to Sick, Terminal, and Mentally Challenged kids, as well as their siblings. This group never asks anything in return from the parents.
I want to help this group continue to give to those children, especially as we near the holidays.  This group did not ask me to help, nor will they ever. This is something I want to do because they have helped so many children, including my own. Sometimes a smile is all these sick kids have.
ALL of the money raised minus shipping of the cards that I will ALSO be sending (15 boxes of 30 cards for the children) will go to Sunshine Snail Mail! We need to do this as quickly as possible as the ship time takes time and the holidays are near! Please help me to help this amazing organization! I will be eternally grateful, and so will the children that you will be helping! Included is a photo of each box that Sunshine Snail Mail will recieve (5 of each)!





 NO donation is too small, every dollar adds up. Please also SHARE this post, the more you share the better! If you can spread this to just one person who CAN donate that is AWESOME! You have helped tremendously! Spread the word! Thank you so much, and if you have heard of Sunshine Snail Mail, let us know in the comments! :)
Here is their website below!
https://www.facebook.com/SunshineSnailMail/?fref=ts

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

International Day of Peace!


What is more special than teaching the importance of peace to our little ones at an early age! Let Usborne share in that special moment with your child! And the lessons don't have to end with the littles, there are lessons for the older kids too! Take a walk through Usborne's books and find the perfect book for your child today!


Shawn Snowdon
Usborn Independent Consultant
Usborne Books & More

Monday, September 19, 2016

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

What could be better than sitting down with your little one and going on a pirate adventure! I know I love curling up with my little guys and exploring the seas! ARRR! 
Let me guide you to the treasures! Follow me to the treasure trove of BOOKS!


Friday, September 16, 2016

Words Of Wisdom

It is not often that I come across a post that I feel the need to ask permission to share on my own blog and Facebook, but today was JUST that day. This is something that hit close to home because I think this is something that we ALL struggle with when we first begin our homeschool journey. I know I did. As I told Marilyn, it took me two long years to break free from this terrible habit and really begin to enjoy our journey as FREE homeschoolers! This is actually our first stress free (leave out the occasional really bad day) year, and I am LOVING it. I hope Marilyn's words help you. I wish I had heeded this advice long before I did. I heard these words many times from many different people, it just took a very long time to set in.






I am not sure why moms feel they are "failing" when a child with obvious special needs acts like--a child with special needs! Or when we bring them home to homeschool, so they can "learn at their own pace", yet we feel guilty or pressured for them to stay on " grade level" (whatever on earth that means in the real scheme of things), or they "fall behind" (behind WHO, and what does it matter, if we are trying to give them an INDIVIDUALIZED education)? I feel bad because moms who do this are not recognizing the beauty of homeschool yet. Relax! Enjoy! Your homeschool never, ever has to look like "school at home" or anyone else's homeschool, and your kids never, ever have to " catch up", and you never, EVER have to feel guilty or pressure about a THING.
~Marilyn Rose
Member of

Special Needs Homeschooling Group

Thursday, September 15, 2016

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. I challenge you to do your part in informing your child on the importance of being kind to others.

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.

Bullying can occur during or after school hours. While most reported bullying happens in the school building, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the bus. It can also happen traveling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the internet.

Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:
  • Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.
  • Health complaints
  • Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied.


One way to inform your children about bullying is to talk to them. You can also read to younger children about bullying. It is NEVER too early to start teaching children about bullying.

My own kids were bullied in school and this is an important topic to me. PLEASE BE AWARE of the signs of bullying, they are EASY to miss! I MISSED them for two years!




Thursday, September 8, 2016

August In Review

Ok, now that September is almost over, I am finally getting around to posting my August in review! Let me tell you what, it has been an absolutely crazy month in our house. We have had germs coming through one after another, and when we weren't sick we were so busy learning and having fun, there just is NO slowing us down. Add to that my new "job" as an Independent Consultant for Usborne Books & More (which normally won't take up much of my time, however right now I am in training), and you have days that just don't seem to have enough hours to get everything squeezed in! So, my blog took a backseat just for a minute. BUT I am back as things are slowly starting to settle back down, and I can't wait to show you what we have been up to during August. It won't be long before we will be showing you what we have done in September too!

Here is how we get BrayLyn to stay on her tummy! We took two of the legs off of Ricky's activity table that he outgrew, and the table now sits slanted so that BrayLyn can see all of the fun buttons and activities in front of her without having the toy lay flat!


Unfortunately this is how my kids month started. Genetic testing for Brandon, and an eye exam for Jacob. But both of those yucky appointments are out of the way, and we can put that day behind us!

Some days are just better than others. Today was not a good day for Jacob. That's ok Jacob, you have had a LOT of good days this month!
We are currently *trying* to learn how to use our microscope. Its a work in progress LOL. I think we could KIND of see what we were supposed to be looking at, but I am still not 100% sure LOL. We will keep working on that!

The Grandbabies are always eager to learn! Every morning they are ready to go! By 4:00 though, they are pooped and ready for naps! 


Sometimes (MOST TIMES) Math cubes are used for toys instead of math. These things hurt worse than legos  when you step on them! OUCH!


Here Jacob is using his new IXL account to practice his math skills. He is so impressed with his achievements! 


Brandon plays his music lesson! He loved it so much he got a little carried away. I had to stick some headphones on him!

The boys take science very seriously. Especially when learning about bones and muscles. Growing boys need to know about that stuff!


Time to run some of that energy off! Get out there and play boys! Oh and use those muscles that we have been talking about in science class!


Now, time for some math and writing! Good job Jacob! I love to see that smile! Keep up the good work son!


Every once in awhile we get lucky and a science lesson lands on our living room window. This day we got the opportunity to study a grasshopper up close and personal for a very long time. He let the boys touch him through the glass and study his parts for hours. I don't think he actually left until sometime in the middle of the night.




My Grandson is enjoying one of my perks as an Independent Consultant for Usborne Books & More!
He is reading The Usborne Big Book Of Big Machines, a hostess rewards book that I earned for hosting a party! 


These books are WONDERFUL! And what I never knew is that they are used in SO many Homeschool Curricula!
 
The littles and Brandon getting some much needed exercise time! I think Jacob was sick this day as well. Like I said, we have had a LOT of sick days this month.

 

Probably my FAVORITE project from August! Paper making! Oh this project was SO much fun! Even the cat wanted in on the fun! 


FINALLY a nice day outside and NOBODY was sick! We took full advantage of the day and got outside for some air! We went to the small local zoo for a walk and to take in the sights. It was so nice to get out.


 

And one last project before we go! Little Ricky has begun working his way through the alphabet, just for fun. We are not expecting him to actually learn all the letters at age 2, but he is picking up letters which is pretty dang smart! 

I thank you for joining us for August! I hope to be able to bring you our end of September before the end of October gets here HeHe!
I will try REALLY hard to get it up in a timely fashion!
If you have any questions please feel free to comment below or contact us on our facebook!


 Bye for now!






International Literacy Day


International Literacy Day serves to recognize the importance of literacy and acknowledge the need to create a globally literate community. Fight illiteracy. Buy a book for a child today!
There is nothing more exciting that watching a child learn to read. It is never to early to start reading to your baby, and kids are never to big to sit next to you and enjoy a book before bed.
Who will you gift a book to?