Sunny Day fun!

So it's a beautiful, sunny day out. Spring has sprung!
The flowers are blooming!

So after school was finished today, we went for a 2 1/4 mile walk around our neighborhood. We would have went farther, but a thunderstorm popped up.

It didn't even look that bad. But it sure was thundering. It was just a small cell, but enough to stop our walk. As you can see in the picture above, it was partly sunny & partly stormy! But soon the skies cleared & the kids begged to go play out in the back yard. So I thought I'd share some pics of them playing!

Jamie playing in the sandbox. 

She'd play all afternoon by herself. 

Jessica is playing on

 the playground.

Not sure what she was doing,

but she was having fun.

David is playing with a ball

and some sort of paddle.

Not sure what he was playing,

but he was enjoying himself! 

I think you can see that I'm not sure exactly what they were playing. That's because they are always using their imaginations & dreaming up some unusual ways to play with toys. They constantly combine things they learn & shows they see into their play. This is one of my favorite things about homeschooling. My kids have time to play & use their imaginations. We aren't spending our afternoons & evening doing homework. Homework is done during school time!

Hoped you all enjoyed a peak into our sunny day fun!

Podcast #9 - "Feeling Like Failure"

Here's notes from our latest Podcast! Hope you all enjoy the podcast!
Lea & Jeff

Podcast #9 Notes - Recorded on 2/25/11 - Posted 3/5/11

Updates on us
-Last week was rough. I (Lea) didn’t feel like doing school. Fibro-flare. But we pushed through it. Some weeks it’s harder than others.
-This past week - homeschool parent crisis. Panic over progress kids are having (see blog - http://uniquelyushomeschool.blogspot.com/2011/02/are-we-failing-in-homeschooling.html

Homeschool in News
-http://www.omaha.com/article/20110213/NEWS01/702139894/1009 - Miss America Homeschooled
-http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/political/From-Homeschool-to-the-Hardwood--116267809.html Indiana voting to allow homeschoolers to play on public school sports teams
-http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/no-vote-on-illinois-homeschooling-bill-after-thousands-protest/ Vote in Illinois on bill (SB136) to allow DOE to collect any info it wants on homeschool families was delayed b/c 4000 homeschool families descended on capital to protest (orderly!)
-http://caffeinatedthoughts.com/2011/02/chivalry-is-not-dead-at-least-on-the-wrestling-mat/ Homeschooled boy in Iowa refuses to wrestle girl & forfeits championships based on his moral/spiritual beliefs. He was favorite to win.
http://www.hslda.org/docs/media/2011/201101140.asp - In a new study released today the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) estimates there were over 2 million children being homeschooled in the United States in 2010.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2008) there were an estimated 54 million K–12 children in the U.S. in spring 2010, which means homeschoolers account for nearly 4% of the school-aged population, or 1 in 25 children.

How to contact us
Website - www.uniquelyuspodcast.com

New blog - http://uniquelyushomeschool.blogspot.com

Email - uniquelyuspodcast@gmail.com

Twitter - www.twitter.com/uniquelyus

Phone -  (661) SCH-OOLH - (that's (661) 724-6654)

Feeling Inadequate as Homeschool mom/homemaker!

As I look around a my wonderful friends, I sometimes feel like I'm inadequate as a homeschooler & as a homemaker. When you think of typical homeschooler, then look at me, you will see I don't quite fit in.

I don't cook from scratch. I don't have a big garden & can all my own food. I don't do freezer meals. I don't clip coupons. I don't have meals planned out for the week. I don't buy organic food from store or from a farm.

I don't make my own soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, lotion or anything. I don't make my own paper towels, wet wipes or kleenex. I didn't use cloth diapers.

I don't make our own clothes. I have a whole stack of mending to do & hate doing it. 

I have some wonderful friends who do some or all of the things mentioned above. And I love them all dearly. But sometimes it leaves me feeling inadequate. Believe me, none of these wonderful ladies would ever do or say anything to make me feel that way. It's my own insecurity that makes me feel that way!

I know God made me unique! Which is why we call our podcast "Uniquely Us!" I just need to constantly remind myself to focus on the unique gifts & talents God gave me & not focus on what I can't or don't do! I need to stop letting Satan whisper those doubts & lies into my head! Besides, I've never fit in or been the "normal" type of person!

So, whenever I feel inadequate, I am going to stop & celebrate who God made me to be! No, I don't cook from scratch, I don't sew, can, coupon or make my own soap. BUT God didn't make me to do that. He placed limitations in my life physically so that I couldn't do those things. He has blessed me with Fibromyalgia. Through it, I have to depend on Him! I get to see His mercies on me daily! He also has blessed me with a wonderful hubby who loves me dearly. He has a travel job & we have been blessed to be able to travel with him & see lots of places & things we wouldn't otherwise be able to. God has blessed me with wonderful children who don't care what I can't or don't do. They just care that I love them!

If you are out there & you feel inadequate also, please know that it is normal! I bet if you talk to anyone of the women whom you feel inadequate next to, they will tell you they feel inadequate too! So turn your thinking around! Stop looking at what you can't or don't do & start looking at what you can do! I know it is hard! But you can do it! If you can't seem to find something you can do or are good at, ask your friends! I'm blessed with a bunch of friends who jump in to encourage me & point out what I CAN & DO do! God made you Uniquely You! No one else is like you! Praise Him for that today! (Psalm 139:14 -I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. )

Taking the week off!

I love homeschooling, but I don't think I'd be able to do it if I didn't have breaks now & then. I am blessed with wonderful parents & in-laws who love to take my kids. Not only is it a blessing to me, but it a blessing to my kids. They get to spend time with their grandparents & see different perspectives on the world.

 Here's us at Thanksgiving dinner at our church. Back row is my Father-in-law Danny, Mother-in-law Becky, Dad Garry, Mom Judi & me. Front row is Jessica, my hubby Jeff, Jamie, David & Brother-in-law Neal.

So this week, we are taking the week off school. Yet my kids have probably learned more this week than normal school weeks! Jamie was at the in-laws. I know she usually does a lot while there. One of the things she did this week was help her grandparents deliver Meals On Wheels to shut-ins. She is learning to be a servant! She is also learning compassion & love. This is worth more than learning math or english!

David & Jessica were at my parents. They helped pick up limbs from latest storm & helped feed cats & Sally the dog. Country life has lots of learning opportunities too.

They all came home yesterday afternoon. Today we are taking off school as I am having a Thirty-One party here tonight. So we are in the midst of cleaning. Not sure what tomorrow will hold. But I do know that I love the flexibility homeschool gives us. Yes, we are now behind my schedule BUT it won't take much (just few longer days) to get caught back up. Also, I build in catch-up weeks so in long run, we will be fine.

Sometimes, life experiences are more important than academics!