Hello!!!
For those of you landing here because of The Old Schoolhouse magazine or the Schoolhouse Crew blog, hello, and welcome to One Blessed Mamma! And for those of you who follow my humble (and lately not very exciting) blog, thanks for sticking around. Here's a little bit of an introduction for anyone new, and a bit of catch up for anyone wondering if we were, in fact, still alive ;-).
This is Scott. He's 15, and he has Asperger's...and a host of other disorders. He's a freshman this year, and I've never been so challenged as a homeschool mom as I am right now trying to meet his needs where he is at but also give him an education that will equip him for his future. He's quite decent at piano, and it's therapeutic for him, so after a 3 year hiatus, he recently began lessons again. Here he is playing at a local nursing home this past Saturday. He was so nervous he was shaking, but he did it. If you watch the video, you can hear one of the residents taking (loudly) to one of the other girls who was playing. I love how he's totally oblivious to the fact that Scott's playing until about half way into the song!
This is Mimi, my endlessly creative child. She's 13 and her current passion is for aerial arts--silk and lyra. There definitely have been days in our homeschool where I've wanted to run away and join the circus, but I never dreamed I'd have a child actually want to do it! She has such amazing teachers, and they are great with the kids. Mimi loves it, but she's at a distinct disadvantage since most aerialists were either dancers or gymnasts first. She has done neither, but the director of her school is graciously allowing her to attend ballet classes there so that she can learn to carry herself like a dancer. Below is one of her newest drops- the star drop.
This is TJ. He's my soccer player. He's also my "obedient child" and by far my strongest student. He's easy going, and a delight to be around, and I could just gush on and on. Soccer is finished up for the fall (his team did very well this season), but building Legos doesn't follow any sort of calendar, and that's what's currently occupying his time. He loves Ninjago the best, although Star Wars Legos are a close second. In fact, he just spend all his money to buy a Star Wars Lego Advent calendar, and he is truly delighting in it. Besides that and school, he can usually be found outside where he disappears for hours just playing on his own.
And last but not least, this is Sari. She's 7, and I am thankful for all the delayed education studies that show that children really learn better later because with three older siblings (and one of them high needs) school for her is catch as catch can. She just finished up level one of All About Reading (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this program!!!) and we are starting level two. We are doing Right Start Level B for math, although mostly she just wants to play the games, and mostly, I'm okay with that. Her favorite subject is glitter. Yes, I know, you had no idea glitter is a subject, but trust me, it is in our house. She takes it to the level of alchemy--blending this color with that to create just the right combination. She truly sparkles all the time, LOL. She's definitely got a creative streak, and would be content to paint and color and glitter her days away. She'd like to do ballet, but for right now, she has to settle for watching Angelina Ballerina. Her chance will come though!
And me? Well, I'm just One Blessed Mamma. Married to a wonderful man for 20 years, blessed to be able to stay home and homeschool my crew...And speaking of crew, I've decided to step down from the Schoolhouse Review Crew for now. I've been on since the beginning, but the daily schooling demands on me are getting greater and greater, and for the sake of my oldest child especially, I had to step down. It's bittersweet, as I've "known" some of those folks for years, but I'm confident it was a decision that God led me to.
In addition to homeschooling and driving my kids all over the place, I am honored to sing and sign in a choir made up of people from over 30 churches. We've been together for 10 years now, and these men and women are dear to me. You can read more about United in Praise and see pictures from this fall's concerts on Facebook. I also am a pseudo-professional photographer, and an avid reader, but most importantly, I'm a child of God, and I'm just a mess that God is still patiently working on daily.
So welcome, or welcome back! Either way, I'm glad you stopped by :-).
This is Scott. He's 15, and he has Asperger's...and a host of other disorders. He's a freshman this year, and I've never been so challenged as a homeschool mom as I am right now trying to meet his needs where he is at but also give him an education that will equip him for his future. He's quite decent at piano, and it's therapeutic for him, so after a 3 year hiatus, he recently began lessons again. Here he is playing at a local nursing home this past Saturday. He was so nervous he was shaking, but he did it. If you watch the video, you can hear one of the residents taking (loudly) to one of the other girls who was playing. I love how he's totally oblivious to the fact that Scott's playing until about half way into the song!
This is Mimi, my endlessly creative child. She's 13 and her current passion is for aerial arts--silk and lyra. There definitely have been days in our homeschool where I've wanted to run away and join the circus, but I never dreamed I'd have a child actually want to do it! She has such amazing teachers, and they are great with the kids. Mimi loves it, but she's at a distinct disadvantage since most aerialists were either dancers or gymnasts first. She has done neither, but the director of her school is graciously allowing her to attend ballet classes there so that she can learn to carry herself like a dancer. Below is one of her newest drops- the star drop.
This is TJ. He's my soccer player. He's also my "obedient child" and by far my strongest student. He's easy going, and a delight to be around, and I could just gush on and on. Soccer is finished up for the fall (his team did very well this season), but building Legos doesn't follow any sort of calendar, and that's what's currently occupying his time. He loves Ninjago the best, although Star Wars Legos are a close second. In fact, he just spend all his money to buy a Star Wars Lego Advent calendar, and he is truly delighting in it. Besides that and school, he can usually be found outside where he disappears for hours just playing on his own.
And last but not least, this is Sari. She's 7, and I am thankful for all the delayed education studies that show that children really learn better later because with three older siblings (and one of them high needs) school for her is catch as catch can. She just finished up level one of All About Reading (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this program!!!) and we are starting level two. We are doing Right Start Level B for math, although mostly she just wants to play the games, and mostly, I'm okay with that. Her favorite subject is glitter. Yes, I know, you had no idea glitter is a subject, but trust me, it is in our house. She takes it to the level of alchemy--blending this color with that to create just the right combination. She truly sparkles all the time, LOL. She's definitely got a creative streak, and would be content to paint and color and glitter her days away. She'd like to do ballet, but for right now, she has to settle for watching Angelina Ballerina. Her chance will come though!
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| She just lost both her front teeth-my kids lose their teeth late! |
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| Thanksgiving day with one of her favorite people in the world--my brother's friend Plum |
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| Both girls with one of Sari's newest "favorites"--Miss Christye, one of Mimi's aerial teachers and the aerialist for the Luminescence show at the Gaylord. |
In addition to homeschooling and driving my kids all over the place, I am honored to sing and sign in a choir made up of people from over 30 churches. We've been together for 10 years now, and these men and women are dear to me. You can read more about United in Praise and see pictures from this fall's concerts on Facebook. I also am a pseudo-professional photographer, and an avid reader, but most importantly, I'm a child of God, and I'm just a mess that God is still patiently working on daily.
So welcome, or welcome back! Either way, I'm glad you stopped by :-).
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Katie