Homeschool Update

So before I go into what curriculum I'm using or what form I'm following
I wanted to break down our schedule....
My husband works nights.
It limits our ability to go many places (the girls and I)
We spend all morning doing some daily chores, cooking dinner
watching some toons, playing with toys (educational and otherwise).
going outside
etc. etc.
Around noon, Josh gets up for work. We all sit down for dinner, our big meal of the day.
After we eat the girls spend some time with their daddy until quiet time.
During quiet time my youngest (2) takes a nap.
And my oldest (4) does "school" usually.
Sometimes she watches a movie or plays.
After nap time the girls get more time with Daddy before he leave for work
I make an easy evening meal
and then we do evening activities
Read books, watch a movie, play outside
pretty much do all things kid related.

So anyway, what we use for school is a combination of ABCmouse.com and other educational websites, reading books and educational books, work books bought at Walmart or other discount stores, , nature, some apps on devices, and even some TV shows.

Instead of doing "preschool" or kindergarten, we just go by age group... Sort of a everything your 4yr old needs to know.

We have been working for a couple month now and will continue on this path until Nov, which is when my oldest turns 5. We will reevaluate then. Here is the list of "what your 4yr old should be learning"...

READING
   Upper and Lower case letters Can say, not sing the alphabet
Can spell name orally
Phonics
Site words
Rhyming
Beginner reading
Word matching with pictures
Puncuations
Memorize longer pieces of poetry
Recites full name, address, phone number, and parents names



WRITING
   Penmanship improving. Uses a preschool pencil while writing.
Can copy letter in upper and lower case. Copies complete words and complete sentances.
Can write all letters from memory
Can print name (with capital at beginning)
Draw a person with 8 boday parts



MATH
   Counting 1-100
Adding #'s through 10 through story problems
Write numbers to 20 from memory
Matches written #'s to corresponding sets of objects
Able to tell time on the whole hour and on the half hour
Coin recongnition (quarter, nickle, dime, penny)
Patterns
Shapes
Uses and understands positional words (over, under, in, out, around, inside, outside)



SOCIAL STUDIES
4 Familiar with different parts of communites (fire station, police station, hospital, library, bank etc)
Familiar with different modes of transportation
Understands the concept of rules and consequences in regard to living in a community. (obeying stop signs, not littering etc.)
Familiar with several different countries
Knows a little bit about the state you live in. (the name, where it is located on the map)

5
  Knows about the various holidays.
Knows about the American flag (fifty stars for fifty states, 13 stripes for the 13 original colonies)
Can recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Beginning map skills; recognizes the United States and his home state.
Knows the names of several other states.
Knows the directions north, south, east, and west.
　


SCIENCE & Health
   Understands the concept that babies grow into adults that seeds grow into plants
Understands the five senses.
Can identify sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.
Knows weather terms.
Knows the four seasons.
Our day to day varies right now, but each day we try to do at least these 3 things:
Letter sounds song
Sign language alphabet
Counting to 20

We have a sticker chart for counting milestones- 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 etc to 100 Once she is able to count to 100 we are going to have a pizza party.

All of that is my guideline, what I base my ideas or any lesson plans on. We learn about a ton of other things as well, based on what my child wants to know! We take her questions and run with them.

That pretty much sums it all up! I'd love to hear any feedback that you may have.


 

Float trip

I'm going on a float trip next weekend!!
I'm super stoked!
What better way to feel some freedom then by floating down
a moving body of water in an inner tube???
Just me and nature...
and my husband.
cousin.
his wife.
friends....
lol
The kids will be with family for the weekend.
So I am free of them
only for a little while, which is all I'd ever want.
I'd really like to use this trip to really get closer to my husband.
We've been doing well, but life is so busy.
It's super hard to find one on one time that doesn't involve the TV!
or computer
or phones.
We bought some really fancy two seater float with cup holders.
Pictures post trip. Maybe. :)
We are going to the Maramec river in MO.
We've been one other time before and it was really nice. It's definitely a beautiful and peaceful
place. I enjoy what little time I get to spend time in nature! When I was a kid
I always loved going to the lake or into the woods.
I love collecting rocks and shells.
I'm hoping that Josh and I can find the spice of life while we are gone
and maybe that I can find some inspiration.

What is a year??

What's a year?? When you have children, that truly is a loaded question!
It's not much and everything all at once!
A lot can happen in a year!
A lot can change.
I still feel the same. Sure some things are slightly different...
but I'm still me.
Still having the same struggles.
Still doing the same things.
Sometimes that's a good thing..
sometimes that's a very bad thing.
It's life.
ANYWAY
My updates as of now are as follows:
Madelyn my oldest is 4.. and will be 5 this year. Say WHAT??
Elizabeth my youngest is 2.. and will be 3 at the beginning of next year.
I'm 25 and will be staying that way this year. :D :D
I'm still married. ;)
This year it was be 5 years!! I'm really amazed and excited.
Marriage is hard. Almost the hardest thing I've ever done.
We've been through a ton of stuff. a TON.
And we've made it to the other side.
We've lived to fight another day.
Hopefully there isn't that much fighting ;)
I'm still a stay at home mom.
I'm on a weight loss journey and so far failing.
I'm still trying to figure out who I am.
I'm still on my mission to be Free.
To be who I want to be.
And to let others be who they want to be.
Even when I don't like it.

On another note.. I plan to create another blog for My poetry
and writings. Hopefully I can get better at keeping up with this blog
and stick with that blog. I'm really looking forward to sharing more then just a piece
of me with the world. My family. And friends.
I keep a lot of myself hidden.
But I'm ready to put more of me out there. Even if it's just in a little way.
Even if no one notices. It's more about me and my personal growth then
it is about others understanding me.


Until next time.
Me-free.

The past couple days I've had to focus all my time on my house. 

It was a disaster zone! 

Although I'm not a good house keeper... when my house is mess my mind is a mess. 

Literally. 

It makes my anxiety go through the roof. 

Sometimes I feel like I am never going to get it together. Like I'm never going to be able to keep my house clean. Keep up with the mess. Once it gets so "bad" I don't know where to start and I just feel so overwhelmed. Then I begin to feel like a failure. Worthless. I start questioning my abilities, my parenting  my everything... all because my house is a mess! 

When I start to clean, I start to clear my mind. 

It's just the surface of a bigger problem. 

I know I have an anxiety disorder.  

I know I can get depressed. 

I also know that I have low self esteem. I don't see myself the way others see me. 

I often don't feel good enough or up to par. 

Marriage and motherhood are no cupcake walk.. but majority of the time both are good. I know that. I can reality check myself. But more often then not I still doubt myself. Even when I know in the back of my mind that I'm a good mother. A good wife. A good person. 

There is that little voice that shoots me down.

When my house is a mess that little voice gets louder. 

I wish I had a solution to my lack of domestic abilities. I wish it was as simple as doing it.. doing better. 

I try. I fail. But I try again. 

I'm hoping to make a set schedule for cleaning and organizing that I can actually stick to. 

I'd love some tips if any one has them. 

Summer & homeschool

So, for the summer I'm going to attempt to stick to this schedule I found on pinterest for the girls. 

It's as follows:

Super Summer Schedule

Make Something Monday
Try a new recipe, craft, build something etc.

Take a Trip Tuesday
Movie, Museum, Hike, Park, Outing etc.

Wet & Wild Wednesday
Swimming, Water park, Splash Pad etc.

Thinking Thursday
Library, science experiments, research, learning websites etc.

Fresh and Fun Friday
Do one of the fun things we found on pinterest

It sounds like a ton of fun. Really for the kids. I doubt it's going to work out every week, but it's a great guideline to get outta this house or at least movin around the house!! This is something I would like to do and would like to stick too.. Maybe writing it down will help me stick with it? 

The new schedule will be keeping me pretty busy during the day.. but in the coming weeks I plan to start preschool for my 3 year old. If you don't know already, I'm homeschooling her. My approach is a mix between traditional and unschool. Which sounds ridiculous.. but that's the beauty of Homeschooling! I can do it however I so choose! I really like the idea of structure. I like work sheets. I like doing things at certain times of the day. I also like the idea of letting the girls pick their subjects. Allowing them to learn from life experiences.. Letting them learn about caterpillars and butterflies by observing the butterfly life cycle themselves. I want my kids to be able to learn how they want, when they want, and what they want to learn at the pace they  want to learn it. Not every child is meant to learn sitting at a desk for 12 hours and then coming home and filling out a bunch of home work sheets for another two hours. I want better for my children.

Yes, I may do book work. Yes, I will give direction. Yes, they will be graded on things.. progress tracked and noted. But if my kid wants to take a day, week, or month to learn about the solar system.. then we are learning about the solar system. I just really want them to have the freedom to learn how they need to.

So anyway, for preschool we will be working on our colors, numbers, and alphabet... Amoung other things. I really think preschool should be called life. If your interested you can actually download teacher guides and other helpful things for free. You can download content and skill guidelines for preschool-8th grade.
http://books.coreknowledge.org/home.php?cat=314

Give Credit where Credit is due: Rockin' Schedule http://www.remarkablehome.net/2012/06/super-summer-schedule-free-printable.html

Facebook pages for like minded homeschoolers/parents to check out:
Kicking it unschool
https://www.facebook.com/KickingItUnschool?fref=ts
Free your kids
https://www.facebook.com/freeyourkids?fref=ts

My Climb- The beginning

Tomorrow will be a year and a half since I made a post on my blog. :/ I'm a slacker. I guess that's part of who I am... I start things [very gunge-ho ish] and then I stop things. Sometimes faster then I can blink.

But... I'm back. I'm more determined then ever.Only time will tell what lasts.

So because I'm pretty sure no one reads my blog.. yet {gotta keep the positive going}, I'm going to use this post to start from the beginning.

I'm Nickole.
I'm a mom.
I'm a wife.
I'm a home maker (not the best).
I'm a homeschooler (near future).

I'm all those things that moms do (nurse, driver, entertainer etc.).

But I have no idea who I am if you take away my husband and my kids.
It's wonderful to be a wife and mother. Really it is.
But I have this longing to be more then that.
Who will I be when my kids are grown and gone?
What will I do if my husband ever leaves me?

I slightly agree with the statement "Life isn't about discovering yourself, it's making yourself".
But I cannot {and refuse to} abandon the idea that everyone was born to be someone. Do something.
Maybe I was born to be a mother and wife and nothing more or maybe I was meant for something great and just haven't found it yet. Your never to old to dream, wonder, or change. Your never to old to do something for yourself, go to school, or discover who you are and what your capable of.

I started this Blog two years ago and I still haven't done most of what I said and I thought I would do. I still haven't made enough changes to be where I want to be. In my defense, I have made a significant amount of changes to become a happier person, more content, more satisfied. I suffer from Anxiety and panic disorder. Two years ago it was bad enough that I'd hardly leave the house without my husband. I have good days and bad days, but the amount of growth I've had in such a short time {without being medicated even though doctors and my therapist said I needed to be}has amazed me and made me extremely proud of myself. To this day I have never medicated myself, which is something I felt strongly about. I should add, that I don't think there is anything wrong with getting help when you need it and taking  medication when you need to. It was just a personal goal to not take medication. Anyway, I've been through some life changing moments {more on those later} and I've changed a lot.. But I still want to change some more. In little and big ways.
I want to know my self and let go of the rest of my insecurities. I want to have an adventurous life and explore my world. I want to be my own person outside of those around me. Have my own identity. I want to feel like I'm an individual. I want to be free... Find freedom in that fact that I know who I am.

I'm challenging myself to get up off the couch, to make changes, to take risks, to do things outside of  my comfort zone, to think out side of the box... set goals and reach them. This blog is a record of me. A record of  my fails and successes. My journey... regardless of where it leads me. It would be awesome if this could reach someone else... if others were reading. But mostly I am doing this for myself. For my children. I'm not planning for this to be epic.. I'm just a plan jane.. but what if it was? What.If.it.WAS.

This song speaks volumes to my insides.



New

So I've completely neglected this blog for almost a 7 months.. whoops.

So let me sum up the last months real quick (cause you know life is just that simple)
First and fore most-- Im pregnant with baby girl # 2!
We are naming her Elizabeth Lucille.
Im due Jan 3rd!-- That's like right around the cornor!!
Am I excited-- Yes!!
Am I nerves-- Heck Yeah! More on that later.

Anywho, Ive had a few ups and downs in the last 7 months.
(pregnancy was definitly an up)
I've discoved secrets.. made my own secrets
Lost some "friends"
and gained some FRIENDS.
Celebrated 2 year weddng anni.
Celebrated my first borns 2nd birthday!!
(Happy Birthday Maddie boo-- Mommy Loves you!)
I've remodeled my myself.. my life-- my standards && expectations.
(Again more on that later)
And Im remodeling my home.. little by little.

So on to the point of this Blog..
To find freedom..
To be a mom..
and to still be a free person.
To know me..
How is that accomplished?

Long days..

At some point EVERYONE needs some time away!
That was definatly me today!
Maddies is a good baby.. but she has her moments..
like when she scibbled on the new couch with an ink pen.
And then she broke a glass cup all over the floor.
Spilled the dogs food.
and changed the settings on my computer!!
Then my plans got ruined due ALL the rain we got..
Speaking of the rain, it didn't start until I decided to go somewhere.
Yay me.
I've found out that eventually everyone's true colors come out.
Just another day in paradise!

There is this one song though.. that I think of when I think about days like these...

So I've been neglecting my blog lately.. sorry.
I've been neglecting a lot of things.
I need change..
I need things to change.
A lot of things.
I need more motivation to do things
and less reasons to sit on my butt.

How do you figure yourself out when you have a
husband and baby to figure out?
There aren't enough minutes in the day.

How do you know who your real friends are.. and who is
worth keeping and who isn't?
((I'm going to figure that))
I think with spring time here, now would be a good time to
clean out the old... useless things and get some new more
enjoyable things in your.... my life.

So Tioga Falls was amazing.. as usual.

The hike was a little longer then I remember

but just as enjoyable.

The weather was perfect

Not to hot not to cold

My favorite part about the hike

Besides getting to know some amazing new friends

was getting to carry Madelyn on my back!

Then Of course the scenery was nice too.

There were a lot of trees that had fallen down

because of the ice storm and wind storms we've had.

It still felt good to be in nature.

Due to the 4in. or whatever of rain we had just gotten the day and night before

the water fall was flowing more then I have ever seen it.

It made it even more appealing to the eye-- beautiful.

but it also stopped us from being able to explore certain areas and the water.

This day was a well spent day and I look forward to going 

back soon and to many other

places like it.

Something Beautiful

I'm so ready to see something beautiful.

I think I am going to take a hike tomorrow to

Tioga Falls..

http://gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/tioga.shtml

I used to go there a lot before having a child..

now I am ready to go again

and take her with me.

This is what I am hoping it looks like tomorrow when we go

because of all the rain we are getting today

http://flyingfishmanky.com/id3.html

I love this place for a few reasons

1. It's beautiful.
2. It's a nice getaway from the city (and it's close)
3. It's not a bad hike which means most people are able to experience this wonder.

It's not one of the 7 or whatever wonders of the world.. but if your

ever in Louisville and want a pretty piece of nature

Go to Tioga Falls!! :)



Time goes by way to fast..
Sometimes we just need to slow down
take a deep breath and just enjoy.
It's always rush rush rush..
But why?
Whose timing us?

We also need to stop worrying so much
about all the little things.
Sometimes paying so close attention to the
little details will make us miss out on all the fun memories.
Especially if your a mom..
Someone told me today that the best sentence
that they have ever read said (not a direct quote): Kids will look back at their childhood
and remember how fun mommy was, but they won't remember how
clean, neat, and perfect
the house or whatever was.
I would rather let the dishes pile up the ceiling to hang out with my
precious daughter then to miss out because I was too busy worrying
about the little crap that doesn't matter.

I've never really been an up tight person when it comes to
doing things last minute..
but for those of you who are.. I think it would be good for you
to throw out your inhibitions and have some worry free fun!

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.
100 years isn't really that long.

I am so ready to go camping.

I absolutely love the outdoors.

I once lived in a VW bus.

kinda like this one, only the one I lived in was all blue

and a little rusty :D

(I'll have to get a pic of it next time I visit)

So anyway, The husband and I lived in this thing.

(Only we weren't married then)

It was (still is) off the beaten path,

middle of the woods..

We went to the bathroom in the woods

bathed in the creek

Made from mostly natural spring water

(very cold water)

It was quite the experience.

It had it's up and downs..

Up Side

(Just to name a few)

• No neighbors
• No busy streets
• No air pollution (for the most part)
• No rules (for the most part) I could be butt naked all day if I wanted.
• No bills!!

Down side

(to some people & just to name a few)

• No indoor plumbing or electric
• No fridge
• No central air or heating
• Bugs.. lol

We had wood for a fire to keep warm

water to clean with

Food to eat, but couldn't store perishable items

Coleman stove to cook with

and a lantern to see with.

The thing that I found to be the biggest challenge would have been

pooping in the woods.

Seriously.

To go from sitting on a toilet

being nice and comfy

to trying to figure out a way to poop outside

without falling in your own poop

(which I can say has never happened to me)

is tough!

Eventually we did have a make shift toilet.

Honestly I would go back to living in that bus without a second thought!

It's so nice and freeing.

That's why one of my goals this summer is to learn

everything I can about gardening

and living off the land.

I want to, while I'm still in the city,

start my own garden and eventually have it be

over half of my diet.

(if you have any tips or recommend reads let me know!!)

Then at some point I want to get back to where I belong..

the country.

Moments.

Today I felt like the sun kissed me

and the breeze cleaned my soul.

Sitting back in the passangers seat of the car

window partly down

air flowing on my face and through my hair

sun shining.

Closing my eyes

I can almost be 10 again.

10 and sitting in the back seat of my

Dad and step-moms

blue cavalier.

Listening to the sounds of ACDC or the beatles 

or something

on the radio.

Those where the days...

not being ten..

but having a moment of enjoyable

life. 

Wow!

The Really Really Free Market was

AMAZING!

It was very refreshing to be surrounded by people

who are more interested in giving people what they need

then making money on stuff they don't want!

It was a culture shock for me for sure.

I've never really been introduced to the idea of

a gift economy before.

What's the gift economy? In simple terms it's about giving

 stuff away for free without expecting anything back.

"We don't charge for anything, nor do we advertise anything. The project is sustained by anonymous friends who donate what they can, not as a payment for what they have received but as a pay-it-forward act for someone they don't know ... someone like you." - Nipun Mehta

I know very little about this concept.. but am looking forward to

learning more.

Could you imagine if everything in this world was free..

food.

clothes.

need for nothing and want for very little.

I don't even think I can wrap my mind around a world

that isn't centered around money

and the things we do or don't have.

It's sad really.

The things people

(American people especially)

will do and have done for

money

is sickening.

They take everything there is and find the cheapest

way possible to make it..

 mass produce it

and then sell it for a whole hell

of a lot more then what it's worth.

Oh I have soo much I want to say on this subject,

but I'm just not ready to say it yet!

Anywho, here are just a few of the photos I have from the

Really Really Free Market

This is the table they had set up for the kiddo's to get

their face painted and balloons

Maddie hanging out with her free balloon and book!

Maddie on the way home.. all tuckered out.

She loves that balloon!!

ALL the great FREE stuff we got.

 



And one of the cooler things we got..







At the moment, I cannot get any pictures to load..

Which really sucks because I had some AMAZING stuff to

write about and show you.

I guess I'll have to wait.

In other news, we found something new...

well old

in our camper

A snake skin stuck under the roof of the cab part.

So after getting this shot, Maddie and I left the camper

so the husband could make sure there was no other "surprises" around.

The really entertaining part is that now

is that my husband keeps hearing hissing noises.

It will be interesting to see how he removes the snake skin.

I heard talk of a pair of pliars and some goggles.......

We'll see

as of now it's still there.

Also I remembered to get this so

I could share in the joyus memories of

my child sucking on a rock..

Here ya go!!

The rock is.. was a piece of

decoration in our living room..

now it's hiding in a closet until we are old enough to not suck on it! :)

Just as Free

Am I the only person in the world with a child that sucks on rocks?

I guess it could be worse..

I'll have to get a picture.

So, anywho

My insanely odd ball husband is outside cleaning our

motor home, camper, RV thing from the

1970's.

It's big, frumpy..

If looks could kill..

It needs new tires all the way around,

rebuilding of the motor or something like that..

It wouldn't hurt to repaint it

(maybe like a rainbow? lol)

The inside is like a smack in the face..

blast from the past of the 70's

Orange, brown, retro.

He loves it.. as gawdy

and ugly as the thing is.

Could this be our little slice of freedom?

((Theme song to my goal in life))

(That's not a spill on the couch, just the way the material
appears.. gotta love Microfiber)

Today has been a long day to say the least.

This morning the new couch we bought was delivered.

Which is amazing.

What was not so amazing was watching my

16 month old bounce around on it.

She was exceptionally wild today.

I swear I don't know where that child gets her

crazy free spirit from?! 

She is like a little cave man.

women.

The more I tell her no, the more she tells me

yes

with her actions.

I guess you live and you learn..

and right now, she is doing both.

Sometimes when she is driving me insanely crazy

I close my eyes and pretend I'm far, far away

on a beach..

or that I'm stabbing my eye balls out with a fork.

Either one is equally soothing.

Her most prized moment for the day

was when she decided to "sneak" a bowl of salad and

eat it behind our BRAND NEW couch!

At this point..

All you can do is laugh.

and lavish in the memories you'll have.

Crazy kid.