Saturday, August 27, 2016

Our Homeschool Schedule 2016-2017

As we enter our 4th year of homeschooling, I have a pretty good idea of what works for us and what doesn’t.  I am extremely Type A and would prefer to have every second of every day scheduled out and planned.  I’ve learned over the years, however, that having that mentality doesn’t seem to work well with reality since life with many children is unpredictable at best!

We start our year in the summer and have been in school for about 6 weeks.  Our basic schedule rotates around a simple morning routine on 4 days a week – eat breakfast, get dressed, do tablework.  For us, tablework consists of handwriting, math, grammar, spelling, and catechism.  This usually takes about 1-2 hours for both children.  Then we generally take a play/snack break and then read from our morning basket for about an hour.  Our morning basket consists of literature selections for each child, books related to the things they are learning in our various co-op classes, bible, saint of the day readings, and fun books from the library.  We are still trying to figure out a time to add in Gabrielle.  She is officially PreK this year and is begging to learn how to read, do math, etc. like her older siblings.  So far, we have been giving her little worksheets and projects to do while the older kids work.  Last week we had a morning when the older kids picked up their free-read chapter books right after breakfast and I had about 30 minutes to work 1 on 1 with Gabrielle.  I might continue trying this out at least a few days a week.  Also, depending on the weather, we have been walking across the street to the park to play for a bit either before we start school or after we finish.

This year, we are doing all of our non-table subjects through co-ops.  It makes it easier on me to spread the subjects out to other teachers rather than just having it all on my shoulders.  We are continuing with Robotics and Toastmasters (on alternating Monday afternoons) with our Jr. FLL Team.  As a group, we also decided to do a few other classes together, so we are also doing history, art appreciation, and science together this semester (on Thursday afternoons).  Next semester we will continue with history but switch to music appreciation and life skills (sewing, cooking, etc.)  We are also continuing with our co-op through our church, which is on Wendesdays rather than Fridays this year.  Gabrielle is doing Five in a Row with her PreK/K class, and the older two are studying science, STEM, and U.S. Geography in the Fall (N.M. Geography/History in the Spring).  In addition, the kids begin music classes this year on Saturdays.  Michaela is taking Piano, Rafael Guitar, and Gabrielle a beginning music class.  The two older are also continuing with the children’s choir at church on Wednesday afternoons and Homeschool PE will be on T/Th starting next month.

It sounds terribly busy, but it is actually quite relaxing to be home all morning and get out a bit most afternoons.  And more than anything, it is what seems to work well for our family.


Here is what our schedule looks like.  Other than classes/co-ops, our times are not exact.  We go with the flow and change as needed.



Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

June Saints and Feast Days


Month of June
10 June Activities for Catholic Families @ Real Life at Home
June Saints and Feast Days Word Search @ Real Life at Home

June 1st – St. Justin, Martyr
Early Greek martyr and apologist.  He defended the Christian faith to the Roman leaders in the 2nd century, and was subsequently scourged.  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Activities:
Apologist Poster @ Today with the Saints

Food:
Greek Salad @ Catholic Culture

For Parents:
Read some of St. Justin’s writings @ Early Christian Writings

June 3rd – Most Sacred Heart of Jesus & June 4th – Immaculate Heart of Mary

Coloring Pages:
Sacred Heart of Jesus @ Paper Dali
Immaculate Heart of Mary @ Catholic Playground
Sacred and Immaculate Heart @ St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Sacred Heart of Jesus (multiple) @ Look to Him and Be Radiant

Activities:
Sacred and Immaculate Heart Rosaries @ Catholic Icing
Sacred and Immaculate Heart Tie Dye Shirts @ Catholic Icing
Sacred and Immaculate Heart Crafts, Info, Coloring and More @ Catholic Inspired

Food:
Sacred and Immaculate Heart Fruit @ Catholic Playground
Sacred and Immaculate Heart Fruit Pizza @ Family at the Foot of the Cross
Sacred and Immaculate Heart Snack Platters @ Family at the Foot of the Cross

June 5th: St. Boniface
Apostle to the Germans.  He cut down a tree the pagans were worshiping and one grew miraculously in its place – the first Christmas tree!  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Food:
German meal ideas @ Living Life Simply
Sour Beef @ Catholic Culture

July 11th: St. Barnabas
Paul’s traveling companion.  He initially helped the apostles believe that Saul had truly converted.  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
Barnabas Preaching @ Bible Wise
Barnabas Welcomes Saul @ Bible Wise

Activities:
Paul and Barnabas Simple Maze Worksheet @ Bible Wise (harder version)
Paul and Barnabas Code @ Bible Wise

July 13th: St. Anthony of Padua
Franciscan preacher.  He is the patron saint of lost things.  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Anthony of Padua @ Catholic Playground

Activities:
Make Basil Pots @ Catholic Cuisine
St. Anthony Outdoor Scavenger Hunt @ Shower of Roses
St. Anthony Treasure Hunt @ Catholic Inspired
St. Anthony Lost and Found Game @ Catholic Inspired

Food:
Lost Bread @ Catholic Cuisine
Multitude of Fish Trail Mix @ Catholic Cuisine

June 15th: St. Germaine Cousin
French peasant girl who was abused by her stepmother.  Read more about her at Catholic Culture.

Activities:
Flower Craft @ Today with the Saints

June 21st: Aloysius Gonzaga
 Young and devout Jesuit.  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Activities:
Activity Sheet @ Catholic Kids Bulletin

Food:
Minestrone @ Catholic Cuisine

June 22nd: Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More
British men who were martyred for standing up to King Henry VIII against his divorce and  break from the Catholic Church.  Read more about them at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Thomas More @ Catholic Playground
St. John Fisher @ Catholic Playground

Activities:

Food:
Steak and Kidney Pie @ My Catholic Kitchen

June 24th: Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Catholic tradition holds that the cousin of Jesus was baptized in the womb and filled with the Holy Spirit at the moment of his mother Elizabeth meeting Mary at the Visitation.  Read more about this feast at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. John the Baptist @ Catholic Playground
John the Baptist Stained Glass @ St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

Food:
Grasshopper Parfaits @ Catholic Cuisine
Cricket, Almond, and Wild Honey Clusters @ Catholic All Year

June 26th: St. Josemaria Escriva
Activities:
Learn and recite his prayer @ Today with the Saints

Food:

June 29th: Sts. Peter and Paul

Coloring Pages:
Sts. Peter and Paul @ Catholic Playground
Peter and Paul @ Look to Him and Be Radiant

Activities:
St. Paul Blindman’s Bluff & St. Peter’s Fishers of Men Games @ Shower of Roses
St. Paul’s Shipwreck Craft @

Food:
Fried Fish @ Catholic Cuisine
Pretzel Shapes @ Today with the Saints

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Catholic Children's Gift List


 This is by no means an exhaustive list, just a place for me to compile my favorite gifts and "go-to" places to look for gifts when it comes to special days such as baptism anniversaries, St. Nicholas day, Easter baskets, sacraments, etc.  If you have a great place to find Catholic gifts, please let me know in the comments!  Also, please remember to check your local Catholic gift or book store before purchasing from online.

Media Gifts – CD’s & DVD’s
Glory Stories Complete CD Set


Brother Francis DVD - 11 Pack

DVD_Saint_Augustine_Video

Death Rather Than Sin – St. Dominic Savio

MY CATHOLIC FAMILY - THERESE OF LISIEUX

cover

The Animated Passion Trilogy 3 Story Set

Toys

Saint Therese of Lisieux

SISTER MARY CLARA VOCATION DOLL & BOOK SETFATHER JUAN PABLO VOCATION DOLL & BOOK SET
Vocation Dolls & Books (Nun, Priest)


Trinity Toyz The Last Supper Building Block SetFather Leopold Celebrates Mass
Catholic Lego Sets (Last Supper, Mass Kit)

Melissa and Doug Cube Puzzles (Old Testament and New Testament)

WEE BELIEVERS MY POP-OUT MASS KIT


Games
VolumeBoth

Super saints here

Cathletics Playing Cards deck

Holy Traders Set # 5 Saint Trading Cards

Church Windows

Saints Memory card game

Catholic By The Number Card Game



Books
Board Books


Product Details

Picture Books

Elizabeth Ann Seton: Mother for Many (Saints and Me!)



Chapter Books

Little Acts of Grace





Product Details

Comic Books

The Illustrated Books of the Bible (Gospel, Parables of Jesus, Acts of the Apostles, Miracles of Jesus)


Activity Books
Product Details



Crafts (DIY Gifts)

Pocket Saints Plushies : Famous Females
Catholic Fabric – Mass toys, books, saint plushies, and more fabrics to make Catholic gifts


Spiritual Aids
Hand in Hand $2495



Thanks for reading!