definatly feeling more at ease

So yesterday was a whirlwind! it was crazy tornado fast all day long! woke up, got dressed, dropped off mother in law so we could use her car, stopped over at a friend's house to pick up more supplies for a project I'm working on for her. Then got some breakfast, then went to the CHEP office for our meeting with the teacher, then we stopped in to look at the puppies at a pet store (to kill time) then lunch, then went to Dollar tree, then back to the CHEP office for Gracie's art class, then home for all of 2 hours before we had to leave to go get my mother in law. Gracie was feeling really sick, so we just stopped and grabbed some fast food and went home. she spent so much time out I think it was just way too much going on, because after a bowl of cereal she was fine.

so back to our meeting at CHEP. it was great. she assured me that she fully believes (as do I) that this was the right move for Gracie, because shes thriving! in every way that her old teacher was telling me she was failing, shes now doing really well. she has the capability of thinking through things all on her own. somtimes she just needs a little patience and support, which she did NOT get at public school.

now I need prayer. the girls separate, are very very easy..... together they are hellions! these last few days have been a complete struggle. I need patience. and I hate asking for that because God just gives me more trials. I need to learn how to manage 2 girls at home all day long as well as keep my cool when I have a day like today

I getting nervous

I'm excited to go to our first meeting with the teacher since we started. We go on tuesday. she advised me to try to keep organized using manilla folders, one per subject. that way I dont come in with a whole mess of papers in no order or whatever. I have everything neatly organized in her homeshool drawers by subject. I'm still concerned we are doing too much, so we didnt do anything on friday or saturday (mostly because we were busy friday, and I just didnt feel like it on sat) but we did do some language arts today. and I'm gonna try to do a little bit of a lot tomorrow, I plan on a little science, a little language arts, and some social studies, maybe some math (she loves the math).

today was a very hard day. its really hard knowing I'm never going to get time away. I looked forward to mondays, mondays were my FAVORITE day. everyone went to work, Gracie went to school.... now I have both kids at home. and sure my life isnt as bad as I make it out to be somtimes, but when these girls get together its litterally one thing after another. "Gracie dont step on that" then what does Mackenzie do? yeah you guessed it, she steps on the thing I just told Gracie not to. time after time after time after time after time gets old really fast, and I blow up. this is defiantly a learning process for not only Graceen but for me to. I have to learn how to manage my time, my temper, and keep organized as well as do my house hold chores and keep up with crocheting/knitting and other stuff to make money.

 I have taken on a rather large job. I'm so very very excited about it, its so fun, and I think its goign to be very rewarding. though it is very time consuming. luckily its somthing that can easily be done while the girls are watching tv, or after they've gone to bed. I think I've worked out a system where I can crochet/knit durring the day while they are awake, and do this new thing at night after they've gone to bed.
for those that are interested I have sorta been contracted by Slipped Stitch Studios doing pattern magnets for her. shes a wonderfully talented mama. I am currently working on her order for Lion Brand Yarn. :)

NOT easy!

Monday started my first offical full week of home schooling. We worked on math (lots of math, she really enjoys it now that shes not constantly being put down about it), reading, social studies, and language arts. She did really well. Today, Tuesday, we skipped school work because we went to Disneyland. I'm still very confused about HOW MUCH work we are supposed to be doing a day. It seems as though we are doing a lot at one time, and I feel like we are doing too much??? then again if it is "too much" then thats good, she'll advance sooner. At this point I'm just using this time to get the hang of the whole thing, and if when summer school rolls around we need to make up some stuff then we can! I love having such flexibility!

Day 2... kinda

So today is day number 2 of homeschooling. We went to the beach!!! It was super fun, and we had an awesome time with friends. Girls had a great time, and behaved.... mostly.
Today we got done the rest of our reading from yesterday, and a lot of math. Shes really enjoying math since at home shes allowed to use those little snap together cubes for counting. When I went to her last parent/teacher conference on monday, I asked her teacher about those cubes and she said (VERY condecendingly) "oh they only use those in kindergarden, in first grade we WRITE it" I mean geez, why does it matter??? Gracie is ASKING to do math, she asked to do math when she woke up this morning. she asked to do math when we got home from the beach... she goes back and forth between using the cubes and the counting bears. I'm so very very greatful! I really think this is going to work. She talks all the time about wanting to be a zoologist (what kid her age doesnt... I did) and with her love for math, its a definate possibility.
I plan on doing at least a little school even over the weekends, and so far (I know its only been two days) I think doing a little at a time throughout the day will work for us. I like things laid back and easy going and not having to stick to a schedule might make it easier. For instance if I see she might need a break we can take a break, watch some tv, go outside, whatever.
I'm still VERY excited!

First day of home schooling

Well first, I suppose you want to know why I started homeschooling so late in the year. Well I've always wanted to home school, but after Gracie went to preschool, then kindergarden we just didnt want to bother with messing things up since she was doing well. Well, she wasnt really "doing well". There were areas that she struggled, mostly behavior. And a lot of it I think was/is my fault.
After an "incident" at her school, and some bad choices on Graceen's part, and subsequent diciplines she had to endure at school that I didnt agree with, I decided it was time. I put it off long enough, it was most definatly time for me to take action.
Last week, was the "incident" and I immediatly started re-researching (I had already started earlier in the year) and settled on CHEP.  It turned out that thier cut off for enrollment was April 1st for this year, so I only had a few days to get all the paperwork taken care of. I did and here it is March 30 and it was our first official day of homeschooling. Today we covered math, reading, and science. Its most definatly a learning experience for both of us. For me, because I have to figure out where she left off in school, and go from there. I also need to find out where she needs help. Her teacher left me feeling like she was sure Gracie was a "bad" student, and I already got the impression that she thinks Gracie is a "bad" kid altogether. It seemed that she never praised her for good behaviors, and good things in school, but always seemed to focus on Graceen's bad behaviors and wrong answers. I think Gracie is going to thrive at home. I just need to work on her behavior.
I titled this blog "A Day in my Life" because I plan on talking about my days, good and bad. I may gush and be all lovey dovey about my kiddos for having a good day, and I may really dislike being around people another day because my blessings are hellions lol. I know God will help me through this. And I cant wait until things get into a normal routine