Pastorette's Progress

Wow!! It's been awhile!!!!

2012-01-05T22:13:00.002-06:00

It is hard to believe that my last post was the first week of the "Back to school Blog Hop" waaaay back in August. I never made it passed curriculum week. I guess that is because the next week was "School Room week" and it just did me right in. You see, up until a week ago, our school room had also become Alec's bedroom and my office. We had a family come to live with us and his room became their room and my office (that held lots of school stuff) became their babies nursery.

So to say our school room took a hit is an understatement!!! Our "adoptive" family came to live with us in May. It wasn't so bad - summer was upon us so the school room wasn't needed. But come August, the room kept getting smaller and smaller...and messier and messier!! Alec started doing school in the kitchen and Bailey made due!!

It is always amazing to me how God's timing works. We had no idea how long the family would stay....we thought probably about year. However, the Lord knew what we all needed...what our school needed...a fresh start for the new year. This precious family was able to buy their first home...God has blessed them tremendously!! They moved out this past weekend so I have spent my week putting everything back in the right room!! My house seems A LOT bigger...lol!!

It is also amazing that God also always gives us just what we need right when we need it. For some reason, de-cluttering and organizing my house, helped me to de-clutter and organize my thoughts, my desires, my goals for the rest of this school year as well as 2012 in general.

I am a huge New Year's Resolutioner (if that is even a word)!!!!!! I am all about trying to do it better and so appreciate that God's mercies are new EVERY morning...and year.

This year.....

1. I want to be closer than ever to my Father - I want to pray more, study His word more, point my children to Christ more, serve more, praise Him more!!....Sit at His feet more!!!!!
2. I want to be a better wife - I want to pray for my husband more, be a better help mate, be supportive, be kinder....be more submissive - yikes!!
3. I want to be a better mother - I want to pray more and fuss less!! I want to be a godly example to my children. I want to talk and listen more...and clean less!! I want to hug more. I want to show them more grace!! I want our home to be a safe haven where they want to be!!!
4. I want to be a better teacher - I want to be more structured, have more patience...I want the kids to learn as much as they can!! I want to be an encourager...I want to build them up in Christ!!
5. I want to read more!!....and watch TV less!! - I am shooting for 20 books but hope I can beat my goal.

Those are my top five, but I have so many other things on my heart that I would like to do better. Not only am I a big "New Year's resolutioner", but I am also a big regretter!!!!!! I regret all the stuff I didn't do, some of the stuff I did do, and what I could have done better!!

In this upcoming year,
* I pray I am more grateful....in all things (in the good, the bad, and the ugly may I see God's faithfulness!!)
* I pray I am a better daughter and friend.
* I pray that I slow down.
* I pray that I take one day at a time....Sweet Jesus!!!
* I pray that I am more organized.
* and of course I pray I lose some weight and get healthier!!!!!!...and start running again too!!!

I am so looking forward to Monday. Alec is starting Louisiana History as well as a new Language Arts program, and Bailey is finishing up her sophomore year....and about to turn 16 on the 25th of this month. Have mercy!!! That is enough to do me in right there!! But hopefully instead of doing me in, it will keep me focused on what the Lord has called me to do and teach her in the years I have left with her.

Praise the Lord for new beginnings and clean school rooms!!!!

And check out our new reading chair!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful start to the New Year!!!

In Christ Alone,
Kayce

"Not" Back to School Blog Hop!!!!

2011-08-04T17:09:00.001-05:00

2011-2012 Curriculum Choices for Reed Academy

Wow!! Year two (technically four, but there have been a few years of regular school in there too!) of homeschooling. This year my daughter will be a sophomore...have mercy! She has had a very productive summer working as a lifeguard, babysitting, and getting her driving permit....double have mercy!!! My son is going into 8th grade so this is his last year before the big stuff!!! He has had a very productive summer as well...not!!! Unless you consider the x-box as productive!!! Can not wait to get him back into a routine and hopefully regenerate some of his brain cells!!!

This school year starts so differently than our last. We actually have a family living with us. They are expecting a baby any minute....literally!!!! Our school room is now also a bedroom for Alec and our office that held a lot of school stuff is now a nursery!!! But God is faithful and we continue to find places to put things.

Also, last year we started with two other students, two friends of each one of my kids. This year, it is just us and I couldn't be happier....so much more freedom. And our little co-op, the Friendship 4 has turned into more like the Friendship 8!!! What a blessing!! And one of those greatest blessing is one of my best friends in the whole world is gonna give homeschooling a try. She just has her fourth boy and for the first time she is able to be a stay at home (her oldest is 12!!!) and the Lord has put it on her heart to homeschool...I can hardly stand it!!!

Of course, I am so blessed to has my veteran friends as well....the Friendship 4 is still going strong. We have a meeting with all our new people Saturday to "plan our year" -field trips, parties, service projects, etc.!!

But now for the point of this post -Our curriculum choices...

Let's start with Bailey:
My Father's World - We are continuing the 4 year high school cycle for MFW for Bible, History, and Literature. Last year she studied the Old Testament, and Ancient History and Literature. This year she will study the New Testament, World History and Literature. This is phenomenal program that we just love. For Bible, she will be reading and studying books such as More than a Carpenter and Experiencing God, as well as compare the basic beliefs of Christianity to other religions. For History and Literature, she will be reading some great classics - Julius Caesar, Beowulf, Pilgrim's Progress, A Tale of two Cities, Pride and Prejudice...just to name a few. She will also learn how to write a research paper.

Video Text - For Math we will continue doing Video Text for Algebra. We started last year using Teaching Textbooks but switched in March to Video text after meeting it's maker....and falling in love with him....and it!!!... at a conference in Memphis. Once Bailey completes the Algebra course, she have have credits for Algebra I & II.

Biology - We will be using Apologia for Biology along side a DVD program, Biology 101, based on the days of creation. We are not big science enthusiast, so I am trying to give us a little something more.

One Year Novel - Bailey loves to write so I think will be so good for her. At the end of the course, she will have written her own novel and may enter into a contest to have it published!!! This is right up her alley!!!!

Latin - Never in my wildest dreams did I EVER think I would want us to do Latin! However, at the same conference in Memphis, I went to a talk and I was hooked!! We are doing a DVD program called Latin Alive and the girl on the DVD is precious!! We started at the end of last year and got to chapter 3. We are gonna do a bit of review (this program comes with a website that has great review games!!) and jump right back in.

Spanish - Rosetta Stone is the way to go. This will be our second year and this is a great program.

Logic - This is one of the electives offered through MFW. The Fallacy Detective & The Thinking Toolbox are the books used.

Nutrition 101 - This is just gonna be a fun class to teach us about good eating habits and some fun recipes. We are just gonna do it a couple of days.

and finally...
SAT & College Prep course that also goes along with MFW. It works on study skills, developing vocabulary, critical thinking, and reading comprehension.

I also want us to go a couple of nights a week to a Zumba class for her PE.

Alec...

Bible - Route 66 is a study of all the books of the Bible. He will love this!!!

Math - He is doing Video text as well starting with Pre-Algebra

Fix-it Grammar - This is a great program that uses classic literature to teach grammar in context. We are starting with Tom Sawyer. Love it!!!!

IEW - This is our writing program. With Alec's autism, writing is a HUGE struggle. We are hoping this program lives up to all the great reviews we've read!!

History - This by far is Alec's greatest strength. We are doing America the Beautiful by Notgrass as well as reading LOTS of biographies of important people in our history. We are also doing a DVD program called Drive Thru History America about our Founding Fathers. It is a character study as well. He will also do a study on Elections in America also by the Notgrass people!!!

In the Spring, we will do a study on Louisiana using a book called Louisiana: The Land and its People. I also have a lot of supplemental stuff to use as well.

General Science - Using Apologia for this as well as a book called Hands-On General Science Activities with Real-Life Applications.

Spanish - This will be Alec's first year. He will be using Rosetta Stone as well.

Can't wait to get started but will be starting after Labor Day. Have a baby coming as well as a vacation towards the end of August. Hope all of you have a wonderful year.

Kayce

2011-01-05T00:32:00.001-06:00

New Year’s Devotional - 2011
By John MacArthur & Kayce Reed!!!
Key Verses...
Philippians 3:12-16
12Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
16however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

I love the verse in Lamentations 3...”The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is His faithfulness.” And I am all about fresh starts!!!
I am also a thinker...reflector....regretter - lol!!!
I invite you all to think a minute about this past year for YOU - the blessings, the trials, the changes, the opportunities....and spend some time in reflection tonight when you go home.
I have been reflecting for a while now and I am amazed and the changes that one year can make in my life and the people in my life...
This year I...
-quit work
-began homeschooling....again...that caused a huge remodel...two other students besides Bailey and Alec and now this year I am back to just my people
-Mom’s cancer and healing!!...and Mrs. Carolyn
-the economy- for everybody
-the new families the Lord has brought to Friendship
-Bailey being saved and baptized....medicine free
weddings and a birth
the babies that we found out we’ll have next year and the changes the Lord is making in these families lives
wrecks of family members of close friends
new jobs, new houses,
Mom retiring

- Not to mention going to Houston to celebrate Alec's birthday, Family trip to Disney World, and the cruise with Bailey, Mom, and Cadie!!!

and that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head.
We have so much to be thankful for even when we see that some of the stuff we named doesn’t seem like blessings. The blessings come from God’s faithfulness in the good and the bad and as much as I am appreciative of the blessings and the good stuff, I can’t help but want to spend some time focusing on what I want to do differently next year, how I want to be better, the growth I desire....
That being said, the Lord laid this verse on my heart a few weeks ago and it is a verse I want to embrace for this nest year....my ONLY New Year’s resolution and it is a doosey!!!

Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians and he is all about these running analogies...running a race...the race of the Christian life. I guess I can relate so much to this because I always feel like in a race...just trying to get to the next thing. Plus I’ve ran a real race before so I truly get his examples!!!
Now it is easy to see that the theme of these verses is pursuing the prize. The analogy is that the runner is running to win in order that he might gain the prize.
But it is the spiritual point that is my whole focus for this lesson and my commitment for 2011...GROWTH...spiritual growth and my desire for it and for you.
Quick explanation of this chapter...Paul is warning the Philippians of false teachers....the Judizers who think they are good but who clearly don’t get it...then in verses 4-11 he gives his own conversion testimony and just how wrong he was....vs. 8-11 show what he gained in Christ....vs. 4-7 what was loss...and what he gained FAR outweighed the loss because what he gained was Christ - knowledge, righteousness, power, fellowship, and glory of Christ.
But what I want us to focus on is the fact that even though we gain all those when we give our lives to Christ...we are still no where near perfect...we have a long way to go...morally and spiritually...
Even though we are new creatures, with a new heart, a new disposition, a new mind, and a new standing before God,... even though we have the Holy Spirit living in us...WE ARE STILL NO WHERE NEAR PERFECT! We are still tempted, we still sin, we are still in our unredeemed flesh!!!! and we all need to continually grow. That’s what I want our commitment to be for 2011 - to grow, to pursue the goal, to run the race.
2 Peter 3:18 says, “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” We receive the knowledge, the righteousness...i.e. justification - it’s just as if I never sinned, His power, His fellowship, but not perfection which is why these must be growth.
Reasons why we need to grow:
We should want to grow!!!!
Growth glorifies God - which is our whole purpose!
Growth verifies your salvation - as you grow, you change...your different!
Growth gives you assurance - you can see Christ working in your own life.
Growth helps you with your Plan Bs - growth brings understanding of where Christ has you.
Growth produces joy in your life.
Growth helps you to minister...gives you a desire to serve.
heartedly - RUN ALL OUT!! Run intentionally!!!
Six principles for pursuing “the prize” = spiritual perfection
Seeking perfections makes us very aware of our need for a Savior....our need to be better. Realizing we are not what we should be, not what we can be, not what we will be when we see the Lord. And we realize we never will be perfect in this life...one area we should never be content.

vs. 12 “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect.” That is where we need to start - an awareness that we are not there yet.
Side-note - Paul is saying he’s not there - after 30 years of being possibly the most committed Christian to have ever lived - he’s not there so that should help keep me running...and humble!!!! (I have been a Christian for 30 years too).
So for 2011 let’s all be aware that we need to grow....we are not there, we have not arrived, we have a lot to learn and a long way to go.
Whatever we did last year, we need to do more this year - more Bible study, more prayer, more Christian fellowship, more church!!!!
John MacArthur calls it blessed dissatisfaction - wanting more of Jesus!!!

2. If you are going to pursue the prize effectively you must give it maximum effort.

vs. 12 also says “I press on in order that I may lay hold of that which also I laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”
I press on, I run, chase...running after this thing with all my might.

This is fighting the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7).

Running the race to win...Hebrews 12:1-2
1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Are you tired??? Did 2010 just do you in???

Well let me tell you where this maximum effort is going to come from - GRACE, GRACE, GOD’S GRACE, GRACE THAT WILL PARDON AND CLEANSE WITHIN...

and with that grace will come an understanding of what we’re running after...what we’re trying to get hold of....
vs. 12 again.....I press on in order that I may lay hold of what?????? I’m after that which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
We’re pursuing God’s purpose for our lives...the whole reason He saved us in the first place. What is that??...Romans 8:28-29
28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,...

What’s our goal for the Christian life? What needs to be our main focus of 2011???
a life-long pursuit of Christ’s likeness!!!

Why did God pursue Paul and slam his face into the dirt on the Damascus Road and save him?? To make him like Christ.
His goal for us should be our goal as well - is it a worthy goal? Does it require a commitment??
So far we see that we need an awareness that there is a better condition , we need effort (all of me) to move toward that better condition and...
3. In pursuing the prize there needs to be focused concentration. And what should we be concentrating on???

vs. 13 says Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet but one thing I do, I press on toward the goal for the prize.
No need for a bunch of resolutions, things you want to change, do differently, want a better relationship with your husband, kids, want to be a better steward, serve more, love more, have more patience, self-control..... just do this ONE THING - seek Christ’s likeness!!
“When your life has one driving compulsion and that is to be like Christ, you’re moving in the right direction.” Johnny Mac
As you think about 2011 and what you are going to do, where you’re gonna go, how your gonna live, etc., keep being Christ like on the forefront of your mind. Keep asking yourself - is what I’m doing making me more like Christ, what I’m watching, who I’m with, the decisions I’m making??? Are my choices making me more like Jesus???
And in order to focus on that one thing, we have to “Forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead”.
Don’t look back on 2010, 2009, etc with regret and let it hold you back for pursuing the prize in 2011.
That being said, don’t look at the good things of 2010 and think that should tie you over for awhile.
Forget all the things that are behind - the good, the bad, and the ugly - good things, bad things, great accomplishments, as well as sins, failures, disasters. Let it go!! Guilt is a brutal thing and Satan wants nothing more than to keep us in the past. But our future should be our focus!!!
What God is interested in is what you are doing right now!! and what you are going to do in the future.
-so we need awareness, effort, concentration....and
4. Spiritual motivation - and what’s our motivation - “the prize” and what’s the prize?? to be made like Christ!!! the upward call when we stand before our Heavenly Father and hear Him say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Paul saw this at the end of his life we he wrote this letter to Timothy....
2 Timothy 4:7-9 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
What is the crown of righteousness??? Perfection
5. In pursuing the prize we must recognize our divine resources to pursue that better condition....
vs. 15 “Let us therefore as many as are perfect (positionally through Christ not practically) have this attitude and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you.”
What attitude should we have?? - a desire to be like Christ, to think this way, set one’s mind on this...
But do we sometimes have a different attitude??? guilt, regret, contentment - thinking you’re good, the past, etc.
We think about anything but the prize sometimes, but guess what. God says, “Then He will reveal that also to you.”
How???? Plan Bs - trials, suffering, chastening, things that cause us to be dependent on Christ, reminders of the big picture...
and we should want that... WE SHOULD WANT GOD TO BRING INTO OUR LIVES WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MOVE US ON THE PATH OF PURSUING THE PRIZE!!!
What does it take? Recognition of need, effort, concentration, motivation, and divine help for those time when we fail to have the right attitude and lastly...
6. Conformity or better yet consistency....
vs. 16 “However, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”
In other words, keep running, stay on the path that got you this far!!! What are the ingredients that help us do that?
-It takes consistent time in the Word -keep reading the Word...in fact read MORE!

-It takes consistent time in prayer...pray more!!!!

-It takes consistently following a godly example - Look at Philippians 3:17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.

Find somebody to model your life after...someone who points you to Christ no matter what!
-It takes trials - God bringing sufficient trials to shape my life. - 1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

For 2011 my prayer for us all is that we pursuing the prize...that we grow!!!
I read a story about how many people try to climb the Alps. Some are successful...some are not... and for one who was not, there is a tiny grave at the bottom of the mountain. On the tombstone it simply has the person's name and the words "He died climbing."

May we all climb our hearts out in 2011!!!

Philippians 3 vs. 12-14 – Pressing On Toward The Goal
Not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on
That I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold for me
I know that I have much to learn, I need to sit at the feet of God’s Son
To comprehend what it is He has laid hold for me, to understand and see
I need to seek the Lord with all I am, and in life make Him number one
For He is who I seek, I am not perfect, far from it, I can’t like him sinless be
Yet with His helper the Spirit I can seek to do his will, to in him press on
Looking to Christ seeking His face, holding in to all He has planned for me
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do
Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward
There is so much more I need to understand, at times life’s a zoo
It becomes so busy, that I lose sight of God... time with Him goes overboard
I am far from perfect, yet God loves me unconditionally even when I feel blue
He calls me to be one with Him, to seek His face, and to move forward
Forgetting those things which are behind, seeking healing, pushing thru
For He knows His plans for me, His voice saying Christian soldier onward!
To those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal
Of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
I desire to march forward in time with Him, with all my soul
For I have the hope that one day in heaven I’ll be with Jesus
Until that day I desire to serve and grow in him whatever the role
Nothing the world can offer compares to being one with Jesus

Happy New Year,
Kayce

November... came and went in a hurry

2010-12-05T00:53:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's already December! November went by in a flash!! It was a great month that had a great ending. I love fall, Thanksgiving, eating and fellowshipping with friends, and this year being home made it even more special. Here are some highlights:

We went all over Europe and leaned lots and lots of stuff.

We went to Italy...

home of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

We learned opera music is very popular in Italy, and that Italians love soccer, snow skiing, bicycle racing, and all types of water sports. Italy also has several active volcanoes;

in France,

where we find the Eiffel Tower in Paris, we learned how important food is. The French love to watch and play sports and every July they host the Tour de France- a 3 week bicycle race.;

Germany,

which is famous for its fairy tales by the Grimm Brothers - Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Sleeping beauty, to name just a few of my favorites. Most of the classical music we listen to today were composed by German musicians such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Handel, all from Germany. Some of the most most famous inventions came from Germany: the printing press, pocket watches, bicycles, x-ray machines, and electric trains. My favorite fact was that the Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" castle was inspired by a famous castle in Germany;

Norway, home of the Vikings,

have languages similar to the Swedes and the Danish;

and Spain...

where the guitar was developed. Bullfighting is also a very important part of Spanish culture.

We studied and loved...
Leonardo da Vinci!...

who is most know for painting the Mona Lisa, but who was also an amazing inventor. Among the many inventions he created or envisioned—hundreds of years ahead of his time—were the submarine, tank, helicopter,bicycle, and telescope. Many of Leonardo’s creations were never finished, but he left behind thousands of pages of drawings, records, experiments, observations, and plans in dozens of notebooks. We watched Time Warp Trio on the Internet- the boys loved that,

Michelangelo...

who carved David (the shepherd boy turned king of Israel) and decorated the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He was one of the most famous artists who ever lived, and...

Galileo...

who was imprisoned in his home for his belief that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the universe. He developed the telescope and loved to study the night sky. He also invented the clock, compass, and thermometer.

We also spent some time talking about the election process since the Tuesday following the first Monday in November is known as Election Day.We talked about the importance of voting and how it is a privilege we should never take for granted.

We also spent lots and lots of time "Celebrating Thanksgiving" and had a wonderful Thanksgiving Feast for our homeschool friends. We had a great time and some wonderful food. Each family brought two dishes and let me tell you we had a feast. We had a devotional about Jehoshaphat where our focus was that we give thanks to the Lord, He love endures forever. We divided the kids up into two groups and performed two plays. THEY WERE PRECIOUS AND THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY. The kids did great. We did a fun fall craft, rode the 4-wheeler, and just spent the after noon enjoying each other. We had a new family come join us and we enjoyed them very much.

Play Practice...

These two were out sound effects!

The History of Thanksgiving

The performances...

   Thanksgiving Guests

The Craft...

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, my mom, Bailey, and a family friend, and I left for a 5 day cruise to Mexico. We had an amazing time and our favorite thing was swimming with the dolphins.

We were off to a rough start!!!!!

Formal night!

In Progresso

In Cozumel

SWIMMING WITH THE DOLPHINS!!!!

What a wonderful way to end November and begin December.

I can't wait to start back to school on Monday when will begin Christmas Around the World as well as a "Celebrate the Savior" study. Looking forward to a great month and end to our first semester and most importantly having the opportunity to truly celebrate the birth of my Lord and Savior - to really sit at His feet and focus on the fact that He came to die....for MY sins. He is so faithful, and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to share my need for a Savior with my own children, family, and friends.

What a mighty God we serve, Kayce

October Highlights!!!

2010-10-29T11:24:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin??? It has been a busy month. We have been all over South America.
We learned a lot about Brazil and a little about Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, and Chile. It just so happened the week we were working on these countries was the same week they were rescuing the miners in Chile. It was neat to watch and see the real live people we were talking about and praying for.

We also added to our study the Children of the World book. It is a great book that has pictures and information of actual children living in different countries. It tells about their families, houses, religions, and their culture. Alec loves this!!

We also spent a couple of days on rain forests.

We made a lapbook! We learned about the layers of the rain forest, the animals, plants, and how many products come from the rain forest. There are boo coo!!!

The boys also read Brucho and loved it. A true story about a missionary in South America. It is supposed to be a read aloud, but they prefer to read it on their own. Now they are reading Nate Saint. He was one of the missionaries with Jim Elliot who were killed by the Waoranis - a tribe in the Amazon.

Some of their favorite things in MFW - Hero Tales, Window on the World, the geography game, and the John 3:16 language color sheet.

Their least favorite subject is Science (MFW). We are going to add Apologia General Science next year since it was either for 7th or 8th grade. I am not a huge fan of science either - lol!!!!

At the end of last week, we headed on to Europe!!
We spent 4 days in Norway and who knew there was so much info about Norway? I started making them packets for each countries - flag sheets, fact sheets, word searches, research sheets, and reading comprehension sheets that relate to the people and activities of that country....

SIDE NOTE: I joined edhelper this week - great resources for countries and supplemental activities!!!!

At the end of each unit/continent study, they will choose their favorite country to make a lapbook. It was too much trying to do one for each country, and I figure this will be a good review and wrap up activity.

We went to France today , and we will head to Germany and then Italy- can't wait - a lunch of some kind will be involved!!! I love Italian food. And my hope is to end up in Spain and Great Britain/England the week before thanksgiving - the pilgrims, Plymouth, etc. (stole this from Kellye at One Mom's Walk)!!!

I will also be implementing a book from the Notgrass Company (got this idea from Randie) called Celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a study of the traditions of Thanksgiving. It looks great. There is also one for Christmas - Celebrate the Savior.

I am still loving Teaching Textbooks and Abeka Language & Spelling just can't be beat!!!

I can't believe it is almost November and I am still so excited about homeschooling. I feel like the longer the year goes on, the better tweaked things become. It is always encouraging when things get easier rather than harder!!!

Amongst all this going on, Monday we went on a field trip to a pumpkin patch. And wouldn't you know it was the hottest day in October!! But the kids didn't care. They had a great time, and I loved watching them run and play together. Even my Bailey - My 9th grader who is such a good sport. She loves the little kids so much and THEY LOVE HER!! (My next post is going to be about her so I'll just say that the Lord has done mighty things this year where she is concerned and I am so proud of her...I'll leave it at that for now.)

Anyway, here are some pictures from Pumpkin Patch field trip.

Our precious crew!!!

Our fearless leader!!!..and principal!

Please process our single file line!!

Happy homeschooling,

Kayce

In assessing Alec's Autism...

2010-10-13T22:35:00.000-05:00

I am very excited about what I am seeing!!! We went camping this weekend and two observations were made that got me to thinking... and remembering...

The first observation - He wasn't brutal!!! This is exciting because for many many years, everything we did was brutal!! Autism is a very selfish world - you have to pretty much do everything they want.. or they make you miserable. Tunnel vision...

they only see themselves and how things effect them!! But I have to say, the older Alec gets, the more we are able to reason with him - this is huge in the world of autism!!!

Could they be any cuter???

Still not so sure about the whole fire thing!

Lake Bruin Wi-Fi!! A beautiful thing!!!

Swinging in their PJ's...nothing better!

Getting his Facebook fix!

She is just the kind of woman he is looking for!!!!

Fishing!!!

Wore slap out!!!!!! I love it!!!!

Reverse psychology really works on him...a lot of the time anyway!!! It is not fool-proof, but I know he really cares about me, and he doesn't like it when I am upset...i.e. mad!! Most of the time when I say that I am going to give in to what he wants, he changes his mind. It can be very tiring at times but also has been very effective. It does however, blow up in my face at times - just trying to keep it real!! :)

He loves baseball!!!!

Second observation- The older he gets the more his sweet spirit stands out. He is very tender hearted and affectionate. And the older he gets, the more he seems to care about other people...and sadly what other people think.

And can I tell you that is also huge for an autistic person!!!!!

Kellye noticed it and made mention of it this weekend as we were camping, and it was such a blessing to me. There are so many times when I wonder what people really think of him. I want so much for people to see Alec like I see him...as Christ sees him. For some reason, it always seems like the brutal stands out more than anything else. I want so much for others to hear our heart - to - heart talks...to see how we work through the stuff he doesn't understand...to hear him as he talks about his autism, his future, his friends, his fears...his take on the "cool" people (or what he considers cool) and questioning why he's not..."cool".

He loves his friends!!!...

and his favorite cousin Kylie!!

And he loves him some Micah!!!!!!!

and he loves his mama!!!!!

He has so many good qualities in spite of his autism and is some ways because of his autism!! He is polite, and has good manners. He picks up after himself, and he is even helping more around the house-now don't start thinking crazy-he may empty the garbage cans and put his clothes in a drawer, but I'll take it!!!! - still trying to keep it real!!!

He loves God and wants everyone else around him to too...and he has no problem telling you about Him. One of his favorite questions to ask people, total strangers, family members...who don't go to church...is, "Do you love God?"

He is so honest...he can't be anything else. He tells you what he thinks about divorce, how you talk, how you treat people, your choice of hair color and/or style...brutal!!!, his take on if you are fair or not, if you go to church enough, etc., etc.!!!! And he has no problem throwing you right under the bus!!!

I love watching him as we homeschool. He LOVES reading about the countries we are studying - the missionaries, the facts, the maps, etc. And he gets so excited with when he understands math...and soooo frustrated when he doesn't. Language is tough for him. We started writing summaries this week. Can you say brutal!!?? He really struggles with putting things in his own words. He is a very matter of fact fellow!!!

I know without a shadow of a doubt that one of the reasons he has come so far is because he has so many people in his life....but more than that...so many people in his life that love and live for Christ. He has always been around people because we have been blessed with a church full of people who love him, are patient with him, and are willing to give a little extra for his benefit. What a blessing!

I love him so much and am so thankful for the opportunity to be his mom. But I'm even more thankful for who I am because I am his mom. To God be the glory for what he has done in and through Alec's little life.

I am sooooooooooo

!!!!!!!!!!!

Kayce

Catch up blog!!!

2010-10-11T13:48:00.001-05:00

I feel like I have fallen short in my homeschool blogging efforts. If you read my post from last night, you know I have been struggling....especially with getting everything done. With that being said, let me catch up a bit on where we are in our homeschooling adventure.

After Disney, we (the boys) made a world wind visit to Canada. I kind of felt like Canada got the shaft - especially since on Friday of Canada week, I switched over to Italy - a slight detour!!!!!!- right quick for a field trip to see an Italian play - Strega Noma and then to a wonderful Italian restaurant for lunch!!!! It was a beautiful day!!

So.... before we went to South America, we spent the first of last week doing a Canada lapbook.

Side note: I love lapbooking and really want to incorporate it as much as possible - with Bailey too. She is studying the Ancient world for MFW and I found a lapbook on Egypt and Greece. There is are a wealth of resources on the Internet. (Remember in my last blog I alluded to the fact that the info on the Internet was ridiculous....but ridiculously good and endless!!!)

Anyway, we are now in South America and this week we are focusing on Brazil!!!

They love the researching. Well, maybe I love them researching!!!!

Alec loves the John 3:16 county sheets.

I am looking forward to the week ahead. So far..today has been a good day!! We are looking forward to a trip to the zoo at the end of the week!!!

Happy homeschooling!
Kayce

Help me Lord to go to bed!!!!!

2010-10-10T22:28:00.001-05:00

This blog finds me struggling. Struggling with knowing what I am "called" to do. Struggling with what not to do or not do so much of, etc.etc.

I know I am called to be a pastor's wife. I know because I know Rusty was called to preach and I was called to be his wife!!! I know that being a pastor's wife means being involved. I know that I don't want to be a side-line pastor's wife. I want to work, serve, and faithfully be in attendance. I know I want to be a helpmate to him not only in our ministry but in our home as well.

Genesis 2:18

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

I know I am called to be a mom, and not just a mom, but a godly mom...of an autistic son and ADHD daughter.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

I believe with every fiber of my being that I am called to homeschool. I love it and I desire to not only do it, but to do it to the best of my ability.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

I know I am called to be a godly daughter because I have a mama!!! I want to be a good daughter and I desire to help her...more than I do!!

I know I am called to be a friend... a godly friend... a praying friend. And I am so blessed to have many friends. People to weep with and rejoice with. People to talk to and listen to. People to cook for, celebrate birthdays with, love on, and pray for. People to raise my kids with and share my life with.

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."Prov 18:24

I feel like I am called to write this blog. I love sharing my heart and my homeschooling, my walk with Christ and my walking with Alec & Autism.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

I KNOW I am called to keep my house - brutal!!! - to dust, to mop, to sweep, to clean toilets, and do laundry (double brutal), to cook...and clean after I cook.

Titus 2:3-8
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good (Is laundry good??), and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home (sweeping, cooking,dusting, toilets, etc.etc. brutal!!!), kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

I know I should exercise. Is that a calling????

1 Corinthians 6:19-2 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

I know I am called to be hospitable.

1 Peter 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

I know I am called to "GET UP" - and I know I should before my people!!!

Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

I know I am called to study and read and search the Word everyday. I know it is important to know what I believe and how to walk this road of sanctification. And know it is not a "calling", but I love to read other books that encourage me in my walk with Christ.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

And I know I am called to sit at His feet...

Luke 10:38-42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

So here is the million dollar question: HOW????????

How do I fit it all in?
How do I do what God has called me to do... and how do I do it well?
How do I minister to all those the Lord has given me to minister to?
How do I study enough to show myself approved??
How do I decide who needs me more...how much is too much...when to back off???

I surely don't have all the answers and would love any advice or words of wisdom that anyone reading this blog would care to give.

I do, however, know some no brainers:
*watch less T.V. (and as a side note, the DVR can tend to be a curse rather that a blessing because I tape the shows I want to watch, but by the time I can watch them it is after 11:00 which means I stay up too late and then can't get up the next morning - more on that note later).
*Facebook can be a distraction as well.
* The internet in general can keep me occupied way more than I need to be...even when I are googling good stuff. The wealth of info available on this computer in regards to homeschooling is ridiculously unreal!!!!

But I know for me, as I have prayed this weekend and as I have been writing this blog, the Lord has revealed to me that my biggest calling, as a child of the King, is to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. The best way for me to seek Him is to go to bed!!!!! What's that you say??? I have to go to bed so I can wake up!!! So I can sit at His feet. So I can ask Him what He wants me to do today. So I can be ready for the day... before my day!! So I can be ready to minister to all the people the Lord has blessed me with in my life. So my heart will be prepared for tough days with Alec and autism. So I can be a helpmate to Rusty. So I am not always running around discombobulated!! So I will have answers when my friends need godly advice. So I will be ready when things run amuck!!

Help me Lord to live intentionally. Help me to intentionally go to bed by 10:30 every night and to intentionally wake up before my family to prepare my heart for what You have in store for me that day. Thank you for my high calling as a woman and forgive me when I fall short. Thank you for Your amazing grace......

Our Magical...somewhat Miserable...Memorable Disney Vacation!!!!

2010-09-30T22:13:00.000-05:00

Now that we are home, I don't remember as much of the miserable, but believe you me, Disney World can be not so magical at times!! It is such a huge place and there is so much to do. You are tired, there are people everywhere, scooters (we even had one in our group!!!),

Love you Mrs. Joyce!!!!!

strollers, everybody wants to do different things, etc., etc. Good grief, it is all coming back to me!!!

Maw Maw Ginnie got a wheelchair one day. Then Big Russ said NO MORE!!!!!

We did make some wonderful memories, and we had a ball on all the rides. The parades and fireworks were my favorite (Rusty hated them!!!).

Everyday was jam packed. We went to a different park everyday.

Day One - We spent most of the day getting there. It was the kids first time to fly. They loved it. Alec only had one meltdown when his ears started to hurt. He is not about being uncomfortable in anyway shape or form!!! Once we checked in our resort, we went to the Magic Kingdom for a couple of hours.

We saw our first of MANY firework shows!!!!

This is how Alec stayed when we were stopped....anywhere!!!

Day 2 was EPCOT -I loved going to EPCOT and visiting all the countries since that is what Alec is studying this year - Countries and Cultures (MFW) - I did however... go by myself to most of them. I bought a passport and made my little mask at the KIDCOT station (Bailey made one too because she felt sorry for me!!) and off I went. Alec and Rusty went back to Future World - where all the rides were- and Mom, Mrs. Joyce, and Bailey sat for almost two hours waiting for the Illuminations light show to begin!!!!!

Of course, Alec had to have a Mickey Waffle first thing!!!!

I just love Mickey. This was in the gift shop after Space Mountain!!!!

We had a fun meet and greet at Epcot!!!! Well, not so fun for Alec!!!!

Me at KIDCOT making my mask!!!

The Illumination fireworks were amazing.

Day 3 - Hollywood Studios - This was our least favorite park.

The elevator for the Tower of Terror - My least favorite ride!!!!!

We (the girls) saw Beauty and the Beast!!!

The entrance to the ROCKING ROLLER COASTER RIDE!

Still in the scooter!!!!

Still sitting down!!!

We left Hollywood Studios early and headed back to Magic Kingdom to watch the parade and yes...more fireworks!!!

A Mickey rice krispy treat!!!!!

Day 4 was ANIMAL KINGDOM - my favorite park!!!!

Hands down the best restaurant in Disney!!!!!

This is the year of celebrating at Disney and we were celebrating Mom being cancer free!!!

It is Tough to be a Bug - very cute show!!!!

The Dinosaur ride scared Alec half to death!!!

Poor Mrs. Joyce - she thought it was more of a kiddy ride - NOT!!!!

Loved the animals!!!!

and loved the parade!!!

Alec however was on his last leg!!!!!

Alec and me after we road a ride that got us soaking wet - A river raft ride of some sort!! He loved it!!

Rusty was MIA most of this day. He went on a Bass fishing excursion...by himself!!!

Animal Kingdom closes at 5:00 so the ladies headed over to Downtown Disney.

A peanut butter brownie sundae!!! Ridiculously good!!!

and Day 5 we spent the whole day at the Magic Kingdom!

Swiss Family Robinson Tree House

Splash Mountain!!!!!!

This was the only day it rained!!!

Another parade!!

The Monster's INC. show was really cute!!!!

Deep down they really do love each other..they just get on each other's nerves!!!!

We were headed home Day 6 and on that day we ended our vacation with a character breakfast, Chief Mickey.

Our reservations were at 8:30. I woke up at 8:00!!!!! You have to catch the bus to Magic kingdom and then take the Monorail to the Contemporary resort where Chief Mickey is located. We were supposed to be out of our resort by 11:00 and we hadn't packed a thing!!!! Rusty and I brushed our teeth, put clothes on, and headed out. Mom and the kids came later, and Mrs. Joyce opted to sit this one out!! I am glad we didn't miss it. The breakfast was delicious and the characters were precious.

Rusty was overjoyed!!!!!!!!

Brutal!!!!!

Headed home!!!!

Here is a funny story about Alec's bat. Mom and I bought it at Team Mickey in Downtown Disney. Not once did we figure on it being a weapon. The security at the airport said it had to be checked in or thrown away. Rusty and Bailey had already gone through security and Rusty had the bat. He lost his mind and yelled, "The bat can't fly, the bat can't fly!" So....I sent Alec through security, put my shoes back on, emptied my bucket and took off for Delta to check in the bat - $25.00!!!

Who knew??? EVERYBODY!!!!!!!

They have love bugs in Florida too!!!!!!!

This is when we THOUGHT we were heading home!!!

This is when we realize we are not!!!!!

We were supposed to get home around 7:30 Saturday night, but our plane had "mechanical difficulties" so we missed our connecting flight and had to spend the night in Atlanta - with no luggage. We got home around 11:00 Sunday morning.

This is our "new" plane... the next day from Atlanta to Baton Rouge. It was VERY small and you had to walk outside to get on. Brutal!!!!!!

Stick a fork in us...WE ARE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Beautiful sight!!!!

It really was a wonderful time, and it wouldn't be a true "Reed vacation/Adventure" without a little drama!!! I wouldn't trade this time with my family for anything in the world...except maybe a Sandals Resort with Rusty!! Just Kidding. :)

This is how Alec has been ALL week!!!! and how the rest of us wish we could be!!!!

Back to life....back to reality!!!
Kayce

Mexican Fiesta Day!!!!!

2010-09-16T16:27:00.004-05:00

We had a wonderful end to our Mexico study. The kids worked great independently while I cooked like a crazy women.

We had a good time of
food and fellowship.

Bailey even read a little speech she prepared in Spanish.

Hola, Los abuelos y los padres y el Sr. Lewis! Bienvenido a nuestra casa! Espero que disfruten de nuestra fiesta!

which means....Hello, Grandparents and Parent and Mr. Lewis! Welcome to our house! I hope you enjoy our fiesta!

We had a great meal... if I do say so myself... and two of the recipes came from One Mom's Walk - King Ranch Chicken & Creamy Chicken Enchiladas.

King Ranch Chicken

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

We also had chips and salsa(of course!), homemade bean dip, tacos, and all the fixings. We had angel food cake for dessert because I just couldn't process a Mexican dessert.

Here are more pics for your viewing pleasure.

Now we are off to Disney World (for real)

and then to Canada

to finish up North America when we come home!!!!

Happy Homeschooling, Kayce

Adios Mexico!!!!

2010-09-15T14:59:00.000-05:00

Well, good bye after tomorrow anyway. We have completed our amazing race through Mexico and are having a Mexican Fiesta tomorrow in which everyone that Ethan is remotely related to is coming!! From our family, Mrs. Bonnie and Mr. Wendell (Maw-Maw Bonnie & Paw-Paw Wendell) and Rusty(Daddy) unless he weasels his way out of it!!!

We did move quickly but the boys (well, mostly Alec) love geography so they (he) enjoyed the fast pace. We have learned lots of interesting facts about Mexico - the people, recipes, the language, etc. Bailey even helped with the language. She is taking Spanish so she enjoyed counting, saying the days of week, and the color words CORRECTLY for us.

They loved the geography game and are super excited about the Fiesta tomorrow!!!

We even went out to eat lunch yesterday at a local Mexican restaurant called Caliente - which means hot or spicy in Spanish.

Bailey got a Smoothie before we went.

Rusty ate a hamburger.

Ethan ate quesadillas.

Alec ate chicken Strips...of course!!!

and I ate tortilla soup.

It is a good thing Ethan and I went. We are the only ones who ate Mexican!!!!

I am always thankful for a productive week, especially one that is fun and where the kids learn a lot. I give God all the glory because that is the kind of week we had thus far!!!

Buenos dias,

Kayce

Welcome to Mexico!!!!!

2010-09-14T01:31:00.002-05:00

Hola,...Hello!
We started another week and in Week 5, I think we may FINALLY have a working tentative (lol) schedule!! Praise be!!

The boys are heading to Mexico as we study North America in MFW. We quickly ran through the United States as it was mostly review, and now we are on to the good stuff!!! (Not that the United States is not good stuff!!)

We are condensing Mexico into one week because we leave for Disney World Monday - woo hoo!!! (Our first time as a family and my first time since I was in high school... a loooooong time ago. :) This couldn't come at a better time for our family. I am so looking forward to this time together. It will be the kids first time to fly, and they are both so excited!! My mom and the kids "adopted" grandmother are going too. I can't wait to post about it when we come home.

Okay, back to school stuff. Last night, I decorated the room with some Mexican decorations I found at Dollar Tree.

Just trying to add a little excitement and it worked!!

I also bought plates, napkins, and some precious serving bowls for our Fiesta on Thursday. And I bought some Fiesta invitations at a party store. Each boy gets 4 invites. We'll cook, and they'll serve, and share with their guests what they have learned about Mexico. They will help clean up too!!!

I love MFW and I love Teaching Textbooks, and the boys are really getting better at being more independent. Alec likes me to be close, but he is more and more willing to work on his own.

We are including Bailey as much as possible. She does MFW Ancient Literature so she has a tough workload, but we like to include her in the good stuff - eating and art!!!!

First, the boys got their passports ready.

Then they began working on their country summary sheets and their geography notebooks.

Alec did all the research himself. Google is a beautiful thing!!!

While they were working, I got their geography game ready for tomorrow.

Even doubling up, we were able to get lots and lots accomplished. By 2:00, we were heading to the library to continue our research.

They boys did great using the World Book Encyclopedias.

and Bailey got to do what she LOVES to do...leisurely read.

I am very thankful for a good productive day, and I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for us tomorrow!!!

Adios...Good bye,

Buenos dias...Good day,

and I hope you have a wonderful day!!!

In Christ Alone, Kayce

And as always, God was faithful...

2010-09-09T01:21:00.000-05:00

We had one of the best days homeschooling thus far...at least in regards to Alec's behavior!!

Once I began to recover from my downward spiral (THROUGH MUCH PRAYER), God's plan began to unfold as I re-did the schedule and the lesson plans, re-arranged the room, etc. I began to see the good that God was working out. Some of His plans...

especially in regards to my relationship with Bailey as well as helping Alec to be more independent.

With the girls working mostly on their own, that left me with a lot more time to spend with the boys - all three of us...together...for like 3 hours!!! Each day Alec was getting worse and worse and I was struggling with what to do. (Funny how quickly we lose sight of the big picture when we are in a downward spiral!!)

Losing Sydney forced me to make some changes in how we do school. They will ALL have to be more independent now - which is a good thing. I will have to be Bailey's lab partner -which is a great thing (even though our experiment didn't work today!!!LOL). And I will have to live a little more intentionally to make sure we get it all done!!! -which is always a great thing.

Bailey and I have been able to have several fruitful conversations, and I have had wonderful opportunities to point her to Christ and His goodness as well as remind her (and myself!!!) that we are still on the right path and the decisions we have made are right for our family.

We will miss Sydney very much. She was a blessing and so sweet to Alec (he may miss her more than Bailey). I am thankful for the opportunity we had to spend with her these last few weeks, and I am equally excited to see what the Lord has in store for us in this next chapter of our homeschooling adventure.

We learned tonight at church that sanctification is a gift - the gift of becoming more like Christ.

Help me, Lord, not to question and resent the trials that come my way, but rather to look at them as opportunities to choose You, to glorify You, and to be closer to looking more like You when I get to the other side,... and do all this in spite of me!

In Christ Alone,
Kayce

My Downward Spiral Day

2010-09-07T21:26:00.001-05:00

My picture of a downward spiral!!!!

To say that today did not go as planned would be an understatement!!! This is definitely going to be a "poor my heart out" post. I will probably ramble and not make sense at times so bear with me.

As you know, I have been homeschooling for a few weeks now, and it has been going great!!! Well...really good... most of the time!!! Things are always a little tough with my Alec, especially my un-medicated Alec!! But we have been making progress as we make changes to help with the day - the schedule, the curriculum, etc.

Things with the girls have been wonderful. Bailey is verbally admitting her enjoyment of homeschooling. This is a huge accomplishment from spewing venom!!!! They enjoy their day so much, especially Science...

which... brings me to the downward spiral part.

Today I found out that Sydney won't be coming back. Her family has decided to go in a different direction, and she will be starting regular high school tomorrow. BRUTAL does not even being to sum up my feelings. I am not upset with them...I love them, but I was very taken a back...to say the least. And Bailey...I have no words.:(

All that being said, I know that God is faithful, and I know that He is in control. And I know that satan wants nothing more than to defeat me, discourage me, and discombobulate me, and sadly, I allowed him to do that today but not tomorrow!!!! so I am hoping that anybody and everybody that reads this will pray for me - for my commitment to homeschooling, my kids, to remember what I am doing and why, for strength and patience, and for God's amazing grace in Bailey's life.

I feel like I will be starting from scratch tomorrow, and that is okay because I know God has a plan - a better plan. My "plan B" has been His plan all along.

Happy Homeschooling (that was hard to write - lol)

Kayce

Homeschooling my children = self-less-ness

2010-09-02T00:24:00.003-05:00

(This post is based on my comment of One Mom's Walk lastest post!!)

I feel like I have been slapped upside the head so many times these last couple of weeks that I can't even see straight!! I have tweaked and tweaked, and things finally do seem to be falling into place. It is such a life change...a good one, but still a change.

The biggest thing that has slapped me upside the head is that I need to work on being more SELF-LESS. When I am less worried about my emails, talking on the phone, blogging, shutterfly, and facebook, it is much easier for me to sit and work with the boys, interact with the girls, etc. I've realized that my being unplugged is as important as them being unplugged.

Being "unplugged" helps me to be PLUGGED into them and allows me to enjoy them so much more rather than just trying to finish. I love My Father's World - I mean I really do enjoy what "we" are learning. I am enjoying researching with the girls, figuring out the time lines, etc.

I want so much to live intentionally...to not miss the ba-dillies...to be selfless!!

Philippians 2:4,"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

and whose interests are more important than our children??

Living intentionally,
Kayce

If all we had to do was homeschooling....

2010-08-30T22:00:00.001-05:00

it might not be as hectic!!!! But we all know there is ALWAYS other things going on.

My second week of homeschooling the girls and my first week (well Wednesday & Thursday), I spent as much time at the doctor/E.R. and taking care of sick people and animals as I did working on school.

There is never a dull moment at the Reed's. Monday Bailey stepped on a nail. How, you ask?? Because she was out in the rain bare footed checking on her cats!! So Tuesday we took our first field trip...to the doctor... where we found out that apparently there is a 12 year well visit we missed. Bailey ended up getting 3 shots. It ended well with pizza and ice cream at a cute place by the doctor's office.

Then on Tuesday, our dog Freckles...

My husband calls her the Highlander because he says she's immortal!! i.e. - won't die!!!

was bitten by one of our other dogs....

We're pretty sure this one - Mo Jo-was the culprit!!!

But it could have been this little cutie - Millie!!!!

They have been trying to make up ever since!!!

And then Thursday while we were doing yard work, Rusty (the hubby) cut two of his fingers with a chain-saw!!!!

This is him on Loritab!!!

Go ahead...make my day!!!!

Anyway, this week will surely not be as eventful. God is faithful and He gives us all we need to do all we need to do. My new motto is from Elisabeth Elliot - "Don't think about all you have to do, just do the next thing!" How profound!!!

Have a great day!!!
Kayce

Appreciating the "Ba-dillies"...

2010-08-30T00:54:00.001-05:00

What are ba-dillies?? The little things that happen throughout our day that remind us that God is right there with us. It is looking for the hand of God in the small things...and finding Him over and over. (I can't take credit for this word. I went to a women's conference a couple of years ago and the speaker was Cindy Wood. She wrote a book called The Frazzled Female. I borrowed/stole (lol) the word from her.)

Anyway, ironically this word kept coming to mind on Day 1 of boy week. I was a bit overwhelmed and desperately looking for ba-dillies!!! Looking back on our two day week - we started Wednesday!!!! - it wasn't horrible, it had just been a rough week to begin with (I'll share about that a little bit later), and it was a big change from the girls - a lot more planning, a lot more teaching time, and a lot less down time!!

That being said, I spent the better part of the weekend tweaking and thinking and tweaking and thinking so tomorrow is a new day and a new week, and I am so excited to see what the Lord has to teach me.

Here are a few pics. I was a frazzled female myself last week, and I kept forgetting to take pictures. I'll do better this week!!

Alec and Ethan!

We are "unplugged" during school so they were so excited they got to play
Play Station when they were finished !!

The girls are doing great and are really stepping up!!! Alec cooked and served everyone lunch...

and they cleaned up the kitchen after...

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week!!

Kayce

My girls!!!

2010-08-23T00:08:00.004-05:00

Not-Back-To-School blog hop - A day in the life of...

2010-08-22T23:29:00.002-05:00

Well, this week we are supposed to talk about what a day of homeschooling looks like. Well, we are starting week 2 with the girls and will add the boys Wednesday so I am not really sure what a "normal" day will look like, but here is what I'm aiming for....

My 9th graders (girls) will start at 8:30, and we will do a Bible devotional geared for them. We are starting with A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. I read a passage/part of a chapter and we talk about it and then in prayer, commit our day to the Lord. They will also have a prayer journal where they will spend a few minutes each morning sharing their hearts and talking to Christ. I've taught them ACTS - adoration, confession, thanksgiving, & supplication. I don't want their prayer time to be all about "requests" - I want them to see there is so much we have to share with our Lord and Savior.

My 7th graders (boys) will start at 9:00 and we will do basically the same thing. I haven't nailed down their devotional yet and am hoping to find some ideas from the blog hop.

After our devotional time, the girls are pretty much on their own. They have detailed lesson plans to follow, but I am always close by.

Here is their schedule:

Bible & devotional/ History/ Literature (MFW) - 8:30-10:30 (They do Bible on their own as well)

Break/Snack - 10:30-10:45

English - 10:45-11:30
Algebra 1 - 11:30-12:30

Lunch - 12:30-1:00

Apologia Physical Science - 1:00-2:00
Health/ Spanish - 2:00-3:00
(each twice a week...the girls switch up)
Required Reading - between subjects or evenings

Here is the boys "tentative" schedule:
They start Wednesday the 25th:

Bible/Devotional - 9:00-9:45
Math 7 - 9:45-10:45
English - 10:45-11:45

Lunch - 11:45-12:15

Reading - 12:15-12:45
Geography/History - 12:45-1:45
Apologia General Science - 1:45-2:45
(we may add Spanish 2nd semester)

And here is my schedule:

5:30 - coffee and QT (devotional/prayer/Bible reading)
6:30-7:30 - treadmill (wake kiddos up at 7:30)
7:30-8:30 - breakfast, chores, get ready for the day
8:30-3:00 - Follow kids school schedule/do a few things here & there - blog, email, a chore or two, etc.
3:00-5:30 - kid free time...unless I need them!!!
5:30-6:00 - Daddy's usually home/Dinner

8:30 - begin night time routine that is ALWAYS a work in progress
& by 10:30 it would be great if we were all asleep!!!

Looking forward to a great year at home and am praying for structure and open to some flexibility!!!

In Christ Alone, Kayce

Week 1 with the high schoolers: WHAT A BLESSING!!!

2010-08-20T23:36:00.001-05:00

Well, week one for the girls was very productive... well mostly!!!!!

We did a lot of tweaking. By Wednesday their schedule and lesson plan format had changed, and by Thursday, I had returned their language arts program and ordered a new one. We are going with Easy Grammar for 9th grade since their English 1 credit will come from their literature part of My Father's World. And can I just say one more time THAT I LOVE MFW!!!

The girls also love Teaching Textbooks ALgebra 1 which is a shocker because neither are strong in math. They have also enjoyed their Apologia Physical Science - with 2 successful experiments the first week.

They will finish their first paper on Monday, an argumentative paper.

Bailey argued that SoBe water is better that Vitamin water...

and Sydney argued that Crayola products are better than Roseart.

We had such a great week that Thursday we skipped our morning break and took an early lunch to a sushi and Hibachi grill.

It was a great way to end a great week. We even shared Tempura Fried ice cream for dessert!!!

What a blessing to have this opportunity. I hope I feel the same way next week once I add the boys!!!!! My little Alec is a tough cookie, but I know God is faithful, and through this time, we can bring Him glory. My prayer is that at the end of this venture, I will be more like Christ and my children will desire to live their lives to honor and glorify God and that the fruits of the Spirit will be evident in all our lives.

Here are some pics of our week:

We did a lot!!!... and had fun too!!!

Bailey is getting better every day!

Praise the Lord for Sydney!!!!

Happy Homeschooling,

Kayce

Not-Back-To-School blog hop - Student week!!!

2010-08-17T12:25:00.003-05:00

Well, our first day of high school was a success....I think!!! :)

I started my daughter and her friend yesterday. I wanted to get a jump on things before I tackled my son and his friend (the 7th graders). They start next week.

Bailey and Sydney

My Girls!!!!!!

All in all, it was a great day. We took our time and talked about "the plan" for the year!!!! -Our goals, my expectations, etc.

We have a schedule, but it is more of a guide. Some things they do together, some things not. I want to give them freedom as long as they can be productive, but the minute they step out of line....WATCH OUT!! "Yeah right" is what you're thinking if you know me. They felt the same way!!! LOL...

Can't you tell...they are scared to death!!!

This is what happened when I was trying to look something up for them!!!

No comment!!!!!

Anywho, we got to all the subjects except for Spanish and Health. I figure we'll add them next week. THEY LOVED MATH - Algebra 1??!! - huge deal. We even had an experiment in Physical Science...and it did what it was supposed to do.

Thank goodness for the Physical Science lab kit. It was worth every penny. And it was a LOT of pennies!!!

The experiment required stripping a wire!!! Have mercy!!!...

and a 9-volt battery!!!....

then taping the wires to the battery!!!

then putting the other end of the wires in baking soda water...

and it bubbled!!! WOO HOO??!!

1st experiment - check

I love our curriculum choices and am excited more and more each day.

My daughter wasn't/isn't so excited about homeschooling in high school, but God has been faithful, and my prayer is that as she grows spiritually, she'll understand and appreciate my choices. She enjoyed herself yesterday, but every time she realized it, she stopped!!!

I want to do better in regards to our devotional/prayer time. That is first on my list to tweak!!

Here are my boys so you can see all the members of Reed Academy!

Ethan and Alec!!!

Happy Homeschooling!!!

Kayce