Today, we have continued with our study of Farmer Boy. I am amazed at Bethany's progress in the area of (don't misunderstand) just simply answering the questions. I am going to first give the credit to the Lord, and then thank Him for the writing curriculum we're using this year: Writing With Ease, published by Peace Hill Press. Writing With Ease stresses how important it is, whether verbal or written, that students answer in complete sentences. Now about the spelling: it needs work. But because of what I saw as progress in her writing, I chose to not correct the spelling at this time. I'm happy with the spelling program we're using, and I'm going to let it do it's work. I will say that if her reply included a proper noun that was not capitalized, I did bring attention to it, and asked her to correct those accordingly. {She was happy to do so.}

Did I fail to mention how Bethany is wanting to help more with cooking because that's what Alice and Eliza Jane did in Farmer Boy?

Looking ahead: I prayerfully am listing what I am a bit behind on, but want to remedy:

1. Begin their portfolio for this school year. While I do keep a notebook of their completed work, a portfolio is more of a sampling. Within the goal of a portfolio is to go back and fill out a field trip sheet and print a photo for the various field trips we have been on so far. Looking ahead, I would have them do a brief write up on the event, but in that I am playing catch-up, I would be the one to write what we did if they happen to not remember.

2. We've started to meet with another family for an Art & Music Co-Op. My dear friend has done a wonderful job on the art side, and I am (or will be, I should say) doing the music portion. I am excited to include crafts & games as a part of the music study. We'll be casually going through a book entitled, "The Story of the Orchestra." My second goal is to finish the planning, gather the materials and be ready to teach so we can get on with the joy of loving and learning about music.

3. I have never done lap-booking, but part of my music study will be to have a lap-book the children will put together during our Orchestra Study.

4. Add Picture & Artist study sheets to student portfolios. This is another uncompleted and backlogged item that will bring joy as we all look back on the wonderful projects we've been a part of this year. I just need to fill out the study sheets, print a picture of their completed art work, and file it in their portfolio.

In Summary: none of these goals are unattainable. I don't think these are just my goals. I see it as stewardship, and a record of all the Lord is giving us to learn and enjoy this year in school. My strategy: tackle one at a time. I'll keep the updates coming as I have time.

Almanzo Wilder's boyhood home

This week: Today we are beginning our study of Farmer Boy, using a study guide by Progeny Press. Today's activities include: Map work, Art work-Cover page for our Notebook, and reading aloud the 1st four Chapters. Progeny Press recommends reading the novel in it's entirety, which Bethany has already done,then going back and re-reading, doing about 1 page per day in the Study Guide. This could take about 10 weeks if we choose to extend it that long.

Progeny Press also has some pre-reading activities that we are doing along with the book rather than prior to reading. One of the things that will be fun is to keep a running list of Almanzo's chores! I wonder how it fares against the list Bethany has? I'd say her working conditions are much more favorable.

Beginning Monday, we'll be back in session for school. With only about 6 "official" days of curriculum study, dare I say we learned and learned and gleaned much throughout the month. Not only that, the children were cleaning maniacs for every event and gathering we've had at our house over these last weeks. We have had so much fun sharing the mutual vision for the opportunity to enjoy family and friends.

One of my greatest blessings the last week of December was having a dear homeschooling friend come over and enjoy planning together. Dare I say we preceded our planning session with pizza, salad, and fruit which we shared with our children. I appreciate Liz's devotion to homeschooling, and more than anything I appreciate our friendship.

It's time to re-focus, plan more and look forward to fulfilling the hopeful expectation of our children: School will be back in session on Monday. They're announcing to anyone who will listen, so I know it's time! (By the way, my blessing today is hearing Bethany read "Detectives in Togas" to Danny as he rests on the couch.) What an expressive reader she is. She's a blessing and a joy. Personally, I'm looking forward to Monday myself.

The project for the day: Self-Government. Beautiful Feet History does a wonderful job of introducing the concept of Self-Government. Self-Government is, in a word, the same as self- discipline or self-directed.

I have a load of errands that must be run today, Danny is home with the children for the day, so I made a list on the school board of about 7 areas they can do work in using self-government. When they're done, their time is free! On the list is:

Brainquest
Handwriting
Science Reader
History Reader
Quickie Math
Calculadder
Read Aloud: They each read aloud to each other for 10 minutes, a story the "read-ee" chooses.
Also-afternoon chores and lunch are on the list.

I made the list in the middle of the board, and they will check off their side of each subject (I have two, so that worked!)

They enjoy these times of independence, and I am amazed at how much they can do on their own. At the time of this posting, all is quiet in the school room as the children are excercising self-government.

Our homeschooling month so far has been very relaxed-not the activity level, just the school work actually being accomplished. Up though last week we were busy getting ready for a homeschool Christmas play involving about 40 children and almost as many families. It went so well.

This week the two big events have been my husband's birthday, having friends over for dinner that night, and preparing for another Christmas play at our church, as well as preparing for a wedding I'm leading worship for this weekend. Shopping? When does that enter in to the picture?

My question to myself is, is it possible to still begin something like Christmas around the World? How about Christmas Around the Mall? No. It just doesn't have the same ring to it. Seriously, I want to go through Christmas and have it be a wonderful and memorable time for our children.

So, if by chance there is a reader of Field Notes out there (and that is no plea for anything other than this....), please pray for me that the Lord will help me to divide and conquer: divide the necessary from the unnecessary, the wasted time from the productive time, and let God's plan for our December be revealed. Honestly, I don't feel like I've prepared much room for Him. Scoot over calendar, scoot over responsibilites and take your position behind the one who left Glory to inhabit my spirit.