Happy New Year!!

We are definitely grateful for all of the blessings we have received this year!!

We are looking forward to another blessed year. We know the road may get bumpy along the way, but when it is good we hold on to those memories and know the rain will sure bring some sunshine:)

Have a safe and Happy New Year from my family to yours!!
                                                                        

Top 12 In 2012

I rarely ever check the stats on this blog it is just something that hardly crosses my mind. I absolutely love comments and enjoy reading every one of them. I also enjoy reading comments on your blogs too. I found some great blogs this year by doing this and a whole lot of useful information. One thing is for sure I get to know each one of you better whenever you comment or I comment on your blogs and this encourages me  to want to share more on this blog. I love blogging! I find it is a great way to record our journey to becoming life long learners and connect with like minded friends on the web. I say friends because that is what you all have become to me!!

I had fun going through the stats and finding out what was some of the most popular post on this blog this year. Quite a few post surprised me in making it on the Top 12. I can see how my children have grown physically as well as independently and also how some post were written specifically for my own purpose and you all still welcomed them with great encouragement. Thank you!!

                                                   12. Our Africa Continent Box
                                                               

                                                    11. Christmas Around The World

                                                       10.  The Buddha Board
                                 

                                                      9. Homeschool Spanish Academy

                                                      8. Write to Read, Read to Learn

                                                          7. The Decimal Board

                                                   6. Elementary Wrap-Up: Fall Week 9

                                                              5. American Symbols

4. Cultural Dolls

                                         3. Classification of Living Things: Montessori Monday

                                                   2. Daily Report: Work Plans

                                                     1. Daily Report: Montessori Monday 

 I would like to add an honorary post that was asking for Help!!. It may not of gotten a lot of page views but the response was incredible!!  Thank you again to all of you that have helped us in our journey.
                                           
                                       
                                                   
                                                   
                                         
                                                       
                                                                                                               

What's Poppin?

The kids got quite a bit of money for Christmas from friends and family. It isn't that they are hard to please children, but they can be difficult to buy for especially if you ask them what they would like. DJ will respond to the question  asking for something from the pet store. Ken and Michelle will answer by saying " Whatever you give me, I'll be happy with". They also understand that my kids have outgrown having to have the latest new toy that is on every commercial on t.v. during the holiday season.

                            
DJ wanted the Hot Wheel's race track that mounts on the wall. It is is cool and since it was the only "toy" he asked me for I got it for him. Oh yeah he was also given a title of an honorary store employee from his favorite pet store. The one he calls and visits all the time, because they had a Bearded Dragon that they only offer to sell to employees first before going public.There is a long story behind this that I'll share later but he also got another pet. I know, I know !! They also awarded me the coolest mom ever too:) Because all of the workers in the Reptile department said there was no way their moms let them have any reptiles in the house when they lived at home. LOL. I admire DJ's dedication to his pets, you have to see how well he cares for them.

Ken is into her dolls so I got her a couple of doll furniture sets that will keep her busy all year along with also caring for her dogs Lexi and Luca.
                                                                     

                                                                             
 Michelle got the gift that she had asked for the last year or so the Xbox 360 with the Kinect. I was comfortable making this purchase because she will take care of it, and it will be in use for years by all three of them.

 When they got the money they already had their gifts for Christmas that they said that they really wanted!! The next day after Christmas we talked about what they should do with the money. I strongly suggested that they should save there money for maybe a vacation since we haven't left our city for at least two years now:( They liked this idea a lot and I told them that the next day we will go put the money in the bank. Well we didn't make it to the bank the next day because they had decided that they would like to use some of the money to start a business. What business? A  Popcorn Business!! I sent them away saying you need to write a letter persuading me to let this happen. I need to know how much money you need to have to start? Who are you going to sell the popcorn to? and What do I have to do, if anything?

They came back with a well written thought out letter that answered all of my questions and I was certainly surprised on how little money it takes to start a small popcorn business. They even added in the cost of advertisements and supplies that were reasonably priced. Their first customers? Yes you guessed it the preschoolers, schoolagers, and parents and when they make it "big" with them then they sell it to the public with nice catalogs. It's their dream!! They said all I have to do is ask the parents if it is O.K to sell the popcorn, supervise them making it, and take them to get the supplies when it runs out.

It is their money and I can't stand in the way of what they consider their big dream!!

 Now they are proud owners of a Popcorn business. I think what I love most about this is that they put their money together and came up with a plan. They have been busy with the development of this business all on their own. Another thing that made my heart smile is that these three kids have some good business sense. They still have more than half of their Christmas money left that they were happy to put in the bank.

         
I am linking this post to What's New hosted by Vibrant Wanderings.                                                               

SOME is BETTER than NONE

I am going to be documenting my journey in becoming a certified Montessori Guide here as well as here. Why both places? This training that I am doing affects both areas in my life, as a mother and a preschool teacher. What ever I am sharing I will post to the the appropriate blog.

I received my first component last Friday. I was very pleased with the quality of the manuals. It is printed on high quality paper and the photos are stunning. Very important for the visual learner like myself. In the past I have been hesitant to purchase albums whether primary or elementary. I lose focus and give up rather quickly if it is too hard for me to understand. This isn't to say that the albums I have used are poor quality or lacking in anyway, but for me I need the pictures.

I just finished reading the Classroom Guide on Wednesday. Now it is time to reread and study!! I can't tell you enough how I am in love with this method of learning. There are things that I have been doing totally WRONG and things that have come NATURALLY for me. I have come to grips with the wrong and I am making some immediate changes that I will definitely share. For the most part the children that I care for and my own are still thriving and looking forward to school while I learn how to better follow and prepare for their interest. Since I have kept them inspired to find their interest, become more independent and love learning than nothing has been lost due to this trail run I started:) 

I always knew that there was something that I was missing while implementing this method. I learned and studied the philosophy through books and online resources, I got it! But putting it all together is where I needed help. After reading the manual I have concluded there is lots I have been missing, but I am not overwhelmed just very excited and ambitious.     

Somebody else has been excited too.

 DJ has been interested in what I am reading :)

                                                                              

He has been requesting to do some of the practical life activities in the manual. Although DJ may not be in the same plane of development as a primary child these activities he is still drawn to, maybe because he just hasn't been introduced to them yet:)

I guess I am cluing you all in on what will be our focus area starting in January. 

 I also have been inspired to scrapbook my training. I heart pretty paper, sharpened pencils, and colorful sharpies!!

Happy Schooling!!                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

A Christmas Celebration

We had our church Christmas program today, and the kids did a great job!!

They were given their parts on Wednesday which left little time for memorization to happen, except for DJ because that is just what he likes to do right now. There may be some public speaking in DJ's future. The girls did a great job too.                            

    My father playing the piano as the...                                                                        

 Children's choir marches in singing one of my favorite songs "Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory".

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays and for those who don't celebrate Christmas I hope you are enjoying this extra time with your families.

                                                                   

At the Museum

We started our break with a bang going to the museum with Janessa.  Janessa is such an inspiration to be around and I wanted to do something special with her, she requested to go to the museum and so we went.

 We have attended the museum numerous of times, but we haven't been since summer and it changed a lot.

                            

                             
One of the newest exhibits they have is the Construction Zone where you can build to your hearts content. I really was fascinated by all of the props they had to stimulate creativity.

The blue prints really inspired them to want to build even more.

Janessa had quite a few favorite things that I got action shots of.
                                                             

                                                                Exploring bubbles.

                                                            Making music.

        Catching butterflies in the nature area.

                            

 Janessa  was happy to see that there was a place to also color and make a model Life cycle of the Butterfly.  She was so excited to get her own nature journal and a pencil.  

DJ really enjoyed the electricity area.

            Both Janessa and DJ spent a lot of time here.

                              Catching their shadows was a big hit.

         Discovering that physics is involved while throwing tennis balls.

                            
 Another new exhibit was the addition of an terrarium and an aquarium

  The nature area has DJ already asking if we can go back on Saturday.  

Here are Ken's favorite things.

                           

                                                           Build your own plant.                                                                        

                  Butterfly specimens and pictures.

         Like Janessa she also liked catching butterflies.  
                                                             

                        Ken absolutely loved the simple machines.

We spent a quite a bit of time here today. I think I could actually count this a school day:)