Art Class

Today Allie and Jack started an art class that they will take once a week throughout the fall semester.  Allie is particularly interested in art, and I like the idea of Jack being exposed to art as well.  I also like that they will be doing an activity together.  That is something that I love about homeschooling - my kids get a chance to be involved in each others lives, interests, and activities more than if they all went away to school each day.  The local art studio where they are taking lessons has good reputation and offers a homeschool class - both are pluses for us.  There is an element of art history to the class, and I love that!  Today, after their first class, both kids seemed to enjoy it and are looking forward to going back again.

Here is the class description:

"Students will create a finished piece each month, focusing on a specific art period, artist, medium, art element, and principle of design. Students will explore a variety of media, learn the elements of art and the principles of design. 

This fall, our featured artists and art periods will be the mosaics of Pompeii, the development of perspective in Renaissance painting, Edward Hicks’ amazing Peaceable Kingdom, and Mary Cassatt’s lovely pastel portraits of mothers and children." 

Playing With Dominos = "Doing Math"

Dominos have been one of Cooper's favorite things to play with these days.  Yesterday I spent time with him helping him organize them by number.  He didn't even realize that he was learning, but it was actually a pretty hard activity.  We were just "playing"... and I love playing with this boy!

Jack's First Homeschool Day Of 5th Grade

The almost unbearable Texas heat let up for us for one day.

Our first homeschool day of the year.

We did as much work outside as we could.
I loved every minute of it.
And I felt totally and completely thankful and blessed.

Traditional Smiley-Face Pancakes (Take 2)

Two posts back I mentioned that we had a failed-attempt at our traditional First Day Of School breakfast, so on the next morning we had a re-do.  Corey or I usually make the pancake faces for the kids, but this time I put the supplies on the table and let them at it...  Of course, that was fun for them, and it was fun for me to see them be so creative.

Jack made his smiley-face pancake with eyebrows & nostrils.  

That might be a first for the Powell Family.

~ the supplies ~

Cooper copied Jack's pancake... surprise, surprise.  

Here are a few other posts that I have written about our first days of school and our smiley-face pancakes.  It was fun for me to go back and read them and to see how much my little ones have grown.

2007

2008 (Allie), 2008 (Jack)

2009, 2009 (Cooper)

What To Do When The Library Is Closed And You Need To Homeschool Away From Home

Waiting to go to an appointment today...  

She worked on History.  

He worked on coloring.  

I was happy, thankful, and content.

Jack's First Day Of 5th Grade

The night before Jack was to start 5th Grade I made sure that we had checked and double checked his backpack, packed his lunch, laid out his uniform, and set the alarm clock.  I had asked Corey to go to the grocery store to pick up a couple of items that we needed for the traditional First Day Of School smiley-face pancakes that we have every year.  Everything was organized, and we were ready for a smooth start to a new year as I crawled into bed.

The next morning (today), I opened my eyes and instantly thought, "Wow!  It sure is bright in here for 6am."  (I hadn't seen that time of day much throughout the summer.)  I turned my head toward the clock and almost hit my head on the ceiling as I jumped out of bed... It was 7:05, and we had to leave the house at 7:15 to make it to Jack's first day of school on time.  I ran downstairs to Corey's office and asked him to make pancakes, and I ran back upstairs to wake 3 kiddos that were sleeping as hard as rocks.  I am not sure how I thought that we would have time to eat the pancakes that Corey was making, but somehow in my groggy mind, I thought that that was a priority on the first day of school... It has ALWAYS happened, and it MUST happen today!  I squirted the boys' bed-head hair, yelled commands and requests at everyone in the family, threw a dress on that was on the floor by my bed, and found that my 10 minutes to get ready was up.  I ran downstairs and yelled for Jack to come have his smiley-face pancake.  It was fresh off the griddle and was so hot when Corey made the face that the whipped cream was melting, and it was just terrible looking.  Jack was such a good sport, and he made a silly face to match his smiley-face pancake.  I snapped a photo, he grabbed his backpack, and we ran out the door... without one single bite of pancake.  We stopped in front of the house to take the traditional First Day Of School photo (because Lord knows that you can't think about going to school without that!), jumped into the car, and drove to school.

~ Jack and Dad ~

By the time that we pulled into the parking lot, Jack had eaten a breakfast bar, my heart rate had reached a regular speed again, and we headed into the school... to 5th Grade.  As we walked into the classroom, Jack realized that he had set his school supply box down at home and in the chaos had forgotten to pick it back up.  His teacher was kind about it, and his daddy drove home and back to save the day.  I took some photos of him, kissed him on the cheek (yes, he still let me), and told him goodbye for the day.

~ Mom & Jack ~

It wasn't until later in the day that the, "Oh my gosh... my baby is in FIFTH GRADE!!!" feeling hit me.  I didn't cry, but I just had a moment where the reality of the lightning-fast speed of life was clear.  That happens to me on days like today.  I reflected on the things that I hoped for Jack this new school year.  I journaled about them.  I prayed for him.  And I missed him.

Before long, it was time to go pick him up, and I was so ready to hear about his day.  He said it was a great one.  He liked his teacher a lot, and he was thrilled to see his friends again.  I have a feeling that this is going to be a good year for him and for our family...

Oh, and what did Cooper do during all of the crazy chaos this morning?... Well, as always, he was just along for the ride.  Entertaining us the whole time.  Sweet boy!

Allie's First Day Of 8th Grade

Today was the day!  Allie's and my first day of full-time homeschooling... and it went great!

Every year since Allie started preschool, we have had the same special breakfast on the first day of school.  Tomorrow, on Jack's first day of 5th grade we will serve that traditional meal to the family.  Today, though, I wanted Allie to have something special, so when I was out for an early morning appointment this morning I stopped on my way home to pick up her favorite - a frappaccino and piece of lemon bread from Starbuck's.  I served it to her on our "You Are Special Today" plate (of course), and welcomed her to the kitchen table/ school area with a message on the plate that announces all of our family's big events, special days, and countdowns.

Before Corey went to work, our family gathered around Allie and prayed blessings over her as she starts the school year then we began our school day.

I called all of the kids to the kitchen table, and they listened as I read from the Bible.  Cooper managed to stay seated and quiet by writing and drawing in his little journal the whole time that I read, and Jack anxiously awaited the chance to answer questions about what we had just read the entire time.  After Bible Time we shared prayer requests, recorded them in a little journal, and prayed together before the boys headed upstairs to play.

Allie and I spent "Day 1" at the kitchen table going through each subject, one by one.  We looked through each book and learned how it was organized.  I explained to her how her lessons were set up and how I planned for her work on each subject.  We set up a couple of notebooks, planned how she would organize herself, and she took a pre-test.  One of my favorite things that we did today was journal together.  Daily, she will have a journal assignment.  I bought myself a journal too, and I plan to write at the same time that she does... something that I enjoy doing and never seem to find the time for.

We love our journals!

That just about sums up Day 1 of our new homeschool adventure.  Tomorrow, Allie will hit the books with full-force, and I think that we both feel ready for that now.

P.S. This is what Allie's puppy, Miss Norah Jonas, does while we are homeschooling....  She sits on the kitchen chair right beside us and hangs out.  :)  How cute is that?!?

Lessons Are Planned

Mary Engelbreit... because who can resist something so cute.

I was a little nervous about lesson planning for Allie's school year since I have never done anything like that before.  Once I got going, I got the hang of it pretty quickly though.  I decided to only plan the first semester for now to see if we are able to keep the pace that I have set for us or if we might need to add more to our daily lessons.  It was such a good feeling to get my lesson plans done... I feel ready to take on this huge task!

When I saw this little lesson plan book at Barnes & Noble I knew it was the one for me.  It says. "Anything Is Possible" on the front, and I think that I will officially claim that as our "school motto" this year.

"With man this is impossible, 
but with God all things are possible." 

Matthew 19:26