(Great desk from Ikea...a special holder attached to table for pens and school tools)
I love to write about decorating, recipes etc. etc. However, most of my thoughts throughout the day and late at night these days are geared toward our first year of homeschooling. My kids have always loved school and done very well. However, this year, the Lord has just really placed in my heart the desire to home school even though I have many doubts and questions. I have talked and observed enough home school families and kids to know that an education at home is excellent with high standards. But, more than ABC's and 123's, I am excited to work on the heart issues and the character issues. Yes, I am talking about my kids but honestly I think I will grow and change too! I look forward to seeing how home schooling will shape my family and relationships. However, so many days this summer, I have doubted this decision. The past week as I was in Target I saw the uniforms and my heart sunk and all the doubts floated in...what about friends?no school plays?class parties?
My children are doing Classical Conversations this school
year. So we were at the three-day practicum and saw a mom who graduated from the same college I did. She has been home schooling since the beginning and loves it. Most of our conversation was about our families and the friends we still keep in contact with and really not much about home schooling. The speaker was about to begin so our conversation ended. I never expressed to her my fears or doubts about home schooling. But, after the day, she came up to me quickly and said "Above everything with home schooling it is a gift...a gift to your kids" and she left.
Those simple words have stuck with me and as I plunge into this new world of being a home school mom...my desire is that our journey in homeschooling will be a gift to my kids.
Here are a few pictures of my classroom with decorations...
When we bought this house, I fell in love with having a covered porch. I have slowly been working on it this summer. I have been one who loves the white wicker with the big hydrangea plant next to it. However, this house has black accents so I went with black wicker furniture. I copied a neighbor down the street and put big ferns in planters which gives it a whimsical and more dramatic look. My last edition to my porch has been the black lantern which I have only lit once. 
I love easy recipes to make for dinner. My best friend in the kitchen is my crockpot! Some of my recipes are healthy and some are just easy and tasty! 
I have been outside most of the summer either "weeding" or in the pool. However, at night when things have slowed down. I begin "The Walk"..do any of you do "The Walk"? This is when I slowly move from room to room looking at what I could change, move or honestly "buy" to make a change in one of the rooms. I have some great furniture in my living room/library. I bought these chairs at a garage sale and had slip covers made. However, I am thinking that we need to brighten or change it up a bit. I have red toile but I am considering putting some black/white check with it and some black accent furniture. What do you all think? I love, love toile! If it goes out or already has, I will still love it...there is something frenchy and romantic to it. I can be at a store or looking through a magazine and I always stop and look if I see toile! The lime green and pink is one of my 
favorites! I had a great red/cream rug but it was just too much for that room. It's too bad that my husband is late tonight b/c I could drive to Hobby Lobby right now!
in the car went to Lowe's and bought seedlings, dirt and a shovel. We came home walked in our backyard and the three kids decided on a perfect spot. We got the shovel planted the seeds and shoveled the dirt...and there you go!!! I am completely amazed that something grew but WOW it has. Remember this was a quick idea so not much thought or seeking information on plants went into this. So after some weeks went by we found out that squash plants and cucumber plants are HUGE and literally garden "hogs". So we invested in some garden sticks and trellis! It has been exciting to go out each morning and see if we have anything to pick! We are still waiting on the tomatoes. The squash looks wonderful but I have never cooked squash. Do any of you have squash recipes???? Click on "comment" and let me know!
Lonnggg day of swimming....he falls asleep on the couch. Why is it at night when they are fast asleep, a mom forgets everything from that day? I can have quite a hectic day with the kids but at night no matter what was broke, messed up or fingerprinted I can forget it all watching them sleep. They look so innocent and cute...you almost want to wake them up! But, then I guess those "memories" of the day creep in and you decide watching them "snooze" would be better for the moment. 
My kids have new pets...hermit crabs! They have wanted them for a long time. You pick the cage, sponge and different shells! At the store and after, my son was so careful with them and my daughter was quite "shakey" and rough. However, "G" has really taken great care of her crab. I did find out she gave it a bath in the bathroom sink but other than that she would do nothing less but the best for her "Hermie". I still could never pick one up but my kids love it and hold them so they don't get pinched!
