Sweet Saturday

Ideally, we try to spend Saturday with the kids. It is normally our family day. Today we went to Lowe's for build and grow. PJ actually really built something start to finish for the first time today. Of course, I didn't have my camera. Tre' got help from dad and ended up having what we called a frunk on his dune buggy. We bought a venus fly trap and supplies for the shelves I have to put up in the classroom before school starts. After Lowe's it was lunch time. We had a picnic in the van since it was too hot by then to have it outside. We then drove to Saltillo just to drive and looped back to Tupelo. We used to take long drives with the kids all the time and just end up somewhere before gas became so outrageous. After that we went to pet smart to look at gear for the new aquarium. Then to staples so I could get some relaxation from the massager there on display. I have to have one of those this Christmas. I told Jimmy that is all I want. It just feels so good. After that we were too tired to do anything else and went home for an afternoon nap. About 8 we got the idea of going to get pizza while I go to Anytime Fitness for my workout. That will make you not overeat. Workout and then pizza. lol. It's now bath and bed for the kids. They have to go to bed we will be having a cookout after church tomorrow.
Shalom, Toni

Theatre camp is over

I have been busy this week and have not gotten to the computer a whole lot. One of my doula clients delivered a fine healthy baby boy, the kids have had Pied Piper Theatre camp, I've been working, working, and working all week. It's been fun but, crazy. Hope to add more details later. Tomorrow is cleaning day and build and grow at Lowe's. Another busy day no rest for the tired and weary. Shalom, Toni

Art

Yesterday and today I prepared for art for all of the kids. We do art year around so the art area is looking pretty bare. Our staples are:

• paper w/one clean side recycled from someone's job usually
• 20-25 magazines for picture cuttings
• about 10 bottles of glue 3-4 glue sticks(Precious is the only one that uses glue sticks)
• clay (I make my own recipe later), cookie cutters, etc.
• plaster of Paris
• scissors, markers, crayons, colored pencils, enough so each child can work at the same time
• construction paper, tracing paper, and sketch pads
• paint, washable of course and brushes, (we make those too)
• paper bags, fabric and yarn scraps, stickers, pill bottles, bottle caps, plastic lids, egg shells, etc.
• lots and lots of tape electrical, masking, and invisible
• spray bottle w/vinegar and water and cleaning rags
• apron per kid

I have also decided that I am selling the school desks this year. We don't use them much. It seems the kitchen table works fine for us although we do have a classroom it's crazy! Precious has a desk in her room and so do the boys so we are downsizing them since they seem to stay in the way. Also we are setting up centers all over the house, (well in the living room, hall areas, and kitchen anyway). This may become a disaster later we'll have to see but, this way each child can have their personal time without distracting the others who maybe working. More later.

Shalom,

Toni

Skool supplies

It's time to stock up on school supplies. Staples has penny stuff already. I need more pencils. I don't know why they go through so many pencils. It's insane how many I buy. I think I will try to stock up and maybe have about 200 or so total. Here is the staples link if you don't have it.
http://staples. shoplocal. com/staples/ default.aspx? action=entryflas h&adref=staples_ right_hand_ nav&cm_sp= merchandising- _-Specials% 20Page-_- Local%20Circular

I finished the first version of my website today.

www.whozyourdoula.com comments are greatly appreciated on this as I'm sure I will be updating a whole bunch on there.

4th of July

We spent the 4th down at the plantation. That's what I call my mom's house since my grandmother, aunt, uncle, and quite a few cousins all live within walking distance. PJ was fascinated by my aunt Shirley's cows. I am going to have to take him back one day so we can walk the pasture and he can go fishing too. We also went to Muh's house that's what the kids call Jimmy's grandmother their great grand. Every time we go Jimmy and I both still miss Pop a whole bunch. May he rest in peace. Shalom

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Humpday

Today was a bad point day. I stopped counting after about the fifth Dove chocolate. I'm on weight watchers and I watched my weight rise today. Anyway no gym today either because my bad knee was killing me. Kids are home. I'm tired. I sewed two t-shirt shopping bags for somebody. I needed to get on the machine since I have not been on it in a minute. I plan to whip up something tomorrow since it is all set up on the table. Not sure what yet. I also need to crochet some stuff and clean the living room. Right now though, its an Aleve and bed. Shalom

Writing curriculum

This week I am going to take a day and think about what courses I am sure I want the kids to have. We have Spanish for dummies and I have also enrolled us in a community Spanish class so that is going to be our language for the year. Today Jimmy and I discussed writing. I'm not to sure what I want to do about it. Tre' is reading on 3rd grade Abeka books but, only finished 1st grade last school term. His writing however, is nothing to be desired. I decided that I would teach it all over to him, the cursive, while PJ learns it.
I already decided on Mystery of History and Apologia science. I purchased those back at the begining of the summer. The Abeka math is still the program for us. I really like teaching textbooks but, when we did the placement test Precious was ready for prealgebra. I just was not ready for that. Language will be Abeka too. We will read some of the classics with Precious for reading. I need suggestions on that one. Oh well that's my ramble for the day. I am going to wash dishes yeah, whoopee, how exciting!!! Shalom

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baseball, softball, football oh my!

Somehow early this year I got the bright idea of my two oldest playing softball and baseball. Precious' softball career was short and not to excited. Not because she couldn't play or anything it was her first year and seemingly that of all of her teammates.
T-ball with Tre' lasted a little longer and was a little more exciting because of how hilarious it was. Tre's last game was tonight. He was supposed to experience his first double-header but, the other team did not have but three kids show up. It's the last game for crying out loud. One might think they could hang in there for just one more.
Tomorrow they go to mickey D's for a party and trophies. I hope he gets Neal as his coach again because we really like him. Its almost like he had more fun than the boys. He really kept us hyped up throughout the season.

Above is a picture of PJ at one game or another that he was dragged to. He is showing how not excited he is to be there......

July 1st is also the first day to sign up to play football in Sherman. I guess we get to start all of this running back over again. Of course, since my son is a 90 lb 6 year old my husband just can't wait until he can play football. Does every man expect his first born son to be a Heisman trophy winner? I can't laugh too much about it though, you never know. Shalom,
ps I have to go feed my 6 year old dinner. He is the only one here everybody else is at Granny's. It's really quiet around here.

The teeth are Gone

I am so happy Tre' decided to pull his teeth. They were so loose so long that it looked like he just had a jacked up mouth. Anyway this is his second pair to loose. I had to sit on the poor boy to get the first two out! This time I said "Tre' let me show you how to pull out your tooth." He was very gullible and said "ok" I then took some gauze and commenced with explaining that you grab the tooth like this and you pull......Well before he knew what happened it was out. He said oh that was not bad and decided that "he" would pull the other and he did. I was surprised but, very proud that he had did it on his own. Now I need to get him to wear a headband so those locks won't continue to be all in his face. another day I guess. Shalom,

First entry

Yes, for the record, I do know how to spell School at the Hill House. Let's get that straight from the beginning. I am going to try to be good and blog every day or so about our homeschooling adventures. I guess we will have to see how it goes. My name is Toni. I am wife to Jimmy and mom to 4 lovely blessings. The youngest of which is lying here on a pallet on the floor crying because she does not want to sleep alone and I am still typing. I am a doula and a lactation specialist with the MS WIC program. I do all sorts of other things, as you will find out the more I type, but for now lets leave it at that. Shalom, Toni