Home school, what ya know about that?

School has officially started back at our home. I was convinced by a well-meaning friend (actually I'm questioning her reasoning behind this now) to set the girls up on Georgia Virtual School this semester. This site is basically what it sounds like: an online academy where home, private, or public-schooled children can take classes with teachers and assignments and the whole nine yards. Getting set up was truly awful; there were so many sign-offs, orientation videos, articles to read, and emails to set up that I was exhausted by the time classes "started". I think a more streamlined process and site layout would be awesome!
The teachers have been amazing since the beginning, they send welcome letters and encourage students and parents (and sisters that act like parents) to ask questions as often as they need to. I wouldn't say that the assignments were too hard for starters, but I found out too late that due to the interface being so complicated, M spent a lot of time wandering around on the site not actually completing work! I continuously encouraged her to seek help when needed (and harangued, and begged, and pleaded...) until she finally started realizing how badly she was behind. Thursday at midnight was the deadline, and on Wednesday and Thursday M and I started turning in her required work. She is the kind of student that requires someone to constantly keep her on track, if she is even minutely confused about a question, she will stay on it for 30 minutes, never thinking to move to the next one so that she can at least get everything else accomplished!
My desire is to see both girls truly succeed in their schooling and to enjoy the learning process as much as possible. I'm learning that sometimes that means I have to learn a different way of communicating ideas and meeting them where they are. I will be keeping my blog updated with school and life stuff as a form of therapy (only half joking.)

One fun new thing we've done is sign up for a natural pal exchange. Now, I first saw info about this on the pages of several people I followed and it piqued my interest because I tried near the end of last semester to get the girls into nature journals and learning about science and nature through personal discovery. Even if you're not "into nature" the pictures on the nature pal exchange instagram will make you drool. Check it out HERE or by clicking the beautiful picture below. The picture is originally from the instagram of @julie_kelchner which is pretty cool in it's own right!

Til Next time,
Elisabeth Arona

Skating time

Today I decided to take the girls skating, but there was one problem: one girl skates, and the other doesn't know how! Monnie (on the left) got her first lesson from Nece (right) today. That's not sisterly love alone you see, Monnie is really really bad at staying upright with wheels on her feet. I'm pretty sure that it will be awhile before she gets the hang of it. It's easy to take the time I spend with my little sisters for granted (mostly because it's basically 24/7). To combat that, I'm making a concerted effort to not only take pictures more often to look back on and appreciate, but also do fun things that aren't always on the schedule. They're happy doing just about anything-thank goodness-so it's not difficult to satisfy their sense of adventure. 

Lizzi

Scalping, scheduling, school, and steps

This week my nephew Michael came over-twice. He was up the stairs every five minutes. 

Sadly, he can't exactly make it back down yet. 

His mom was worried that he was going to fall down them, but he generally stood at the top waiting.

He knew that someone would carry him down. 

Come running to his rescue. 

Besides, going up is so much fun. 

Why think about going back down in advance?

This reminds me of myself. Although I have a few years on Mikey (he's 1.5 years old.) I understand what he's going through. Often I find myself jumping into "good ideas" without really thinking them through logically first. I don't think about whether I can be disciplined and carry through, or whether I will regret it. Why think about the downside in advance? No one wants to go down!

I did think about home schooling in advance, but I didn't consider the scheduling and how difficult it would be. I'm that person that procrastinate well, it's almost an art form! Generally it works, but for children you're supposed to do a little better than that. My boyfriend told me that I would need a schedule (two weeks or so into schooling.) I agreed. How will I get things done if I don't? 

1. Write schedule
2. Write separate schedule for the days I go to the gym in the morning
3. Enforce the schedule

Although it was difficult, I did manage to set a fairly early wake-up time (and no I won't tell you in case you wake up at 6 or something and judge me.) The girls are now waking up even if I hit the snooze--all I ask is five extra minutes! 

So you were wondering how school is going? Pretty decent. I go to the library two or three times out of the week. I check out books relating to what they're learning in their school books, and they're doing several book reports a week. I am planning (that WORD) on starting a journal so that I can remember why I put this or that book on hold, or what the end result was supposed to be for...Well you get the drift. Monnie is learning about Native Americans. I personally feel like I've accomplished something when she comes to me and asks how they went about scalping a person. 

That may be just me though.

I feel that it's important for people to retain their curiosity. 

Don't ask why? Ask "Why?", then "How?", then "When?", and "What were they thinking?"

When they don't know something, I want to have an answer, but I've found that it's even better to make them search for the answer...Because in life rarely is it easy to find.

And that's how my week has been.

Elisabeth Arona

What can I say?

What does one say when one has been away for so long?

"I missed you" seems inappropriate since I did stay away of my own accord. 

"I'm sorry" seems inane...

How about just hi!

After a long year of working, I decided to tell everyone goodbye and come back home. This was for a lot of reasons, most of which I'll just say are personal--that way we won't have to go over it (you know how long-winded I can be.) 

I'm now teaching my younger sisters at home. 

I expect there to be an awkward silence right there. 

Why? 

What do you know about home school?

Are you qualified? 

Why???

Okay people! One question at a time! 

You may or may not know that I was home schooled. I consider myself a fairly well-rounded (if a bit "unique at times) individual, and college was great; I was a suggested tutor. When my youngest sisters needed schooling, my oldest sister (who is an "actual" teacher) began teaching them, then she married and moved away. Since then it's been a combo of my mom and others of us older sisters. When I left my job and school was about to start up again, it seemed like the thing to do. I want them to enjoy learning, but most of all I want them to learn (even if they refuse to enjoy it.) I need to learn discipline, and if you knew my sisters, you would understand why if after working with them I haven't learned it, I never will. 

See long answer above for all the other questions. No, seriously. Didn't expect that, huh?

So, it was supposed to be a short update on my life now, but really it was too long. Let me hurry with the rest--or you could just read faster.

My etsy shop is empty right now. Crickets chirping and cobwebs. 

I'm working on that. I've actually draped several rather nice garments, now to get them made into pretty fabric.

I have a new project-don't sigh or shake your head-I really do. For once, I want to make sure it's something that I'm capable of doing before I show you.

I am living by the Mediterranean diet except when I cheat mostly, by orders of my doctor. I'm trying to make it fun by shopping at the farmers market and having new recipes to cook pretty much every day. I'm racking up in the library ya'll! 

I'm trying new things for my skin.

I'm really addicted to pinterest. You can find my on there, my username is Lizzisays. Or I think you can go here.

I promise I am going to start blogging again, hopefully at least every week. If you could get a glimpse into our house you would be laughing all the time, so maybe I'll let you in occasionally.

Elisabeth Arona