School is Back in Session Today.....

Normally we take the whole month of December off.  But, since I was having some health issues we kind of took off a little earlier this year.  We started relaxing a bit before Thanksgiving and our Family was honestly better off for doing that.  I've learned over the years that nobody learns a thing if we are all stressed and irritable.  It's better to do what your capable of maintaining instead of what you highly expect from yourself and others. 
So, we started back today slowly.  We started off with our Favorite Breakfast....Bagel Egg, Sausage & Cheese sandwiches and slowly dove into School Work.  Mahala ran to her room to work on Biology while Kaden and I sailed through our day downstairs, starting with Math. 

Blocks of Time

My Boy has been doing pretty well lately.  We have been working up a storm to set a routine in place that works for us.  Do you flip flop with your routine or schedule?  I do....it's a constant evolving list of rules, timelines, dates, to-dos and to-don't!!!  We are trying to find out what works and what can be changed at a moments notice with out Kaden going into a complete melt down.  Right now we are using Blocks of time instead of actual times.  

Exhaling Moments

Kaden the other day was practicing his Spelling words on a hand held white board.  As I was busy preparing the next subject he scrolled out this little precious moment and flashed it at me.  And just like that I melted back into my seat and exhaled deeply.  
I don't know about you, but I get so caught up in the busyness of life and lists.  I have to be constantly reminded to exhale and enjoy what God has so generously given me.  It's funny because with my other two Kiddos I can drill them right along schedule and not miss a beat.  But, Kaden being on the Spectrum is a total different story. 

Kid's Camp, Coffee and Dog Toys

Working with Mahala today one on one because Kaden is at Kid's Camp this morning.  He went last year and he did pretty good, a few meltdown moments here and there.  But, I'm expecting this year to be totally different and I'm optimistic that he will participate more this year.
Today was Glasses day....it's a Science theme this year and that makes him super excited!  When we pulled up he was jumping around just at all the balloons in the front entrance.  After we dropped him off Mahala and I enjoyed a coffee and a short trip to the neighborhood dog store for a few treats for Homer and Rocco.  I Love finding time separately with each of the kids.

We hardly ever buy anything for Homer because he tears everything up as soon as you give it to him.  I've seen him slice open Kong toys.  Yes, Kong Toys in his mouth sliced open.  And he's a service dog....Mahala said she wouldn't want to mess with him in a dark ally.  When we were at the store the lady suggested this Tuffy Toy......so we bought it, gave it to Homer.....and 20 minutes later we find this. 

Yeah, he's not getting anymore toys, an occasional bone maybe.  But, other then that we are going to be a dog toy free zone.  :)

More then Half my Life

 




















So, it was another Birthday for me.....yay me!  I am thankful the Lord has given me 40 years and that 21 of them I have been a Momma!!!  We had a great celebration together, especially since my oldest was born on my Birthday.  We both hit milestones this year, I turned 40 and he made it to 21.  Here I am with my Sweet girl who just turned 15 not too long ago.  They grow up so fast and before you know it those late nights don't seem like such a big deal anymore.  I would do anything to be able to go tell my younger self to relax more and enjoy the kids.  No, I take that back!  I did do that and that's why my Son was out with his Family on his 21st Birthday.  Because I did take the time to stay up late and talk with them.  I did play board games, make cool art projects and decided to Homeschool them to tailor their education and be able to spend quality time with them.  We have made cookies just because it was Tuesday and have spent many afternoons dancing in the rain or basking in the sun.  These last 21 years have been the Best years of my Life.....I Love My Family!!!

Sibling Education Takes Flight

You know those days when you think the only thing holding you upright is your bones, some invisible heavy duty string and the good Lord's firm grip?  Yes, well, I've been having one of those lifetimes.  Ok, probably only the past 5 years or so, but seriously.  Enough is enough already.....I am turning 40 in a few months and I am going to be working super hard to take back my health, both mentally and physically.  

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

For now I am going with the flow, getting things done when I have the strength and loving on my Kids.  That's the most important thing to me.  I have learned so much this year about the importance of loving on your kids, giving them an environment that supports them and nurtures them.  In our school Bible time, Math, Reading and Art are the important areas we work on in some way every single day.  History and Science usually comes in the form of reading and experimenting.  We actually do a lot of History through art also.

Last week Kaden was talking about an aerodynamics class he took last year.  We decided to dig around and find his old notes and pictures.  There is so much out there to learn.  I Love this about homeschooling....anything can be turned into a learning experience.  We looked online and learned about flight patterns, airplane construction and we even added weather into the mix.  Mahala was also able to join in and since she is much older she brought a lot of additional questions, knowledge and project ideas that enhanced learning for both of them.  Sibling Education rocks, when you have a few of your kiddos working together not only does it make learning easier and fun, but it also promotes a close Family Bond.  They will not ever forget the times they had growing up and learning side by side.

 

After a few hours of researching and recording what they had learned in their Journals we decided to paint some airplanes and fly them at the park.  Kaden was going for a war plan look while Mahala went the more cartoon character look.  I can't believe I don't have a picture of hers.  :(  She liked her plane so much she decided to take her second plane that wasn't painted yet to the park so her painted plane wouldn't get messed up.  Kaden tried to reassure her that the battle scars would give it character, but she wasn't buying that. :)  

When we arrived at the park we realized that it was extremely windy and flying these Styrofoam planes was going to take an act of God.  Sure enough after 2 tries they took flight alright, but they flew straight to the back stop of the ball field.  They were Not coming down anytime soon, but of course the kids both had to try jumping and rattling the fence.  We gave up trying to get them down and played a game of Frisbee and tag.  When we went back an hour or so latter they were still hanging on.  Mahala had an idea to toss the Frisbee up to knock them down.  After several tries between Kaden and Mahala we walked away owners of two wind beatened airplanes.  HAHAHAHA  

Fun times Homeschooling in the Mainc House!

REVIEW~ IndoctriNation from Great Commision Films

 

I was given the opportunity to watch and review this great documentary I have seen and heard about for some time now.  The film is called, IndoctriNation from Great Commission Films.  I will admit I procrastinated in watching it because that's what I do sometimes.  But, I was so impressed with it I not only watched it twice in one day, but I've already shared it with 2 other families that I know will benefit from watching.

Homeschooling on the Spectrum is Colorful!!!

I'm asked all the time about homeschooling Kaden.  What's it like to keep your Kiddo with Autism home all day long?  Well, first of all it does take patience.  Not the kind of patience that you need while your on an 8 hour flight in front of a defiant youngster that has the lungs of an Opera singer and feet like sledgehammers.  Or the same kind of patience you need while you wait for your tax return to come in while your juggling a few late bills.  You just need your normal Parent Patience, nothing God didn't equip you with.  Yes, things will get ugly from time to time.  There may be days, even weeks where you only think about getting out of your night clothes.  But, even on those days, with the right systems in place and support you can do it.  

We felt like it was the Best thing for our little guy to stay home.  I wont get into it on this post, but, Kaden has never been to public school like my other two and we plan on keeping it that way.  
So, how do I keep going even through the bad days?  Here are a few ideas that we use daily.

Word Games Make English Time Fun

This is such a fun game....the kids all had a great time thinking up words and spelling them all out.  We have had this game for a few years now.  Being able to watch Kaden grow his vocabulary and spelling skills has been a real treat.
I love games where all the kids can be involved and having fun while helping each other out.  Group games Rock!

Right now we pull this game out once a week or so in place of English workbook time.  What are some Spelling/English games you play with your Kiddos?

The Bandage Has Been Ripped Off....and It Hurts!

There is a lot of this going on in our house lately.  Life has been a bit overwhelming without the band-aid of video games.  We are sticking to a new rule of no video games during the week and only when time permits on the weekends.

A little back history....Skylar grew up with that same rule and so did Mahala until Kaden developed an interest when he was 4.  Skylar, almost 21 attends college and has a successful job working with children on the Spectrum.  Mahala is still at home learning with me and like Skylar doesn't seem to have any real challenges on or off the computer.  Kaden on the other hand has a problem.  Let me explain what we have seen.

In the beginning we just thought he was so darn cute in the big office chair.  The headphones were so huge and they squished his little checks together and made him have a fishy face.  At that time he showed no real interest in people, his toys or anything else for that matter.  But, all of a sudden our boy literally emerged from behind the couch to see what the Big fuss over this box with a screen was all about.  We were happy he wanted to do something "typical".  

At this point he had just started ABA therapy.  He wasn't potty trained, wouldn't let you hold him, never focused his eyes on your face, he was repetitive with movements and with talking.  Kaden was a toe walking, twirling kid running scared of any little sound or movement.  I remember when his days consisted of numbers and sequences all day long.  The fear of water and physical touch was a nightmare to navigate during bath time.  He was totally disconnected with the outside world.

So, A few hours a day of Video games became a little bit of heaven for not only me, but the whole family.  It became the only reinforcement that worked during his 30 hours of therapy a week.  We used it as a reward for participating in therapy and for doing things that were way outside his comfort zone.  A few hours turned into 4 or 5 hour each day and slowly increased over the course of 2 or 3 years to the present.  Now he is almost 8 and would spend most of the day playing.  When he wasn't playing he was talking about playing.  And when he wasn't doing that he was very aggressive to himself and property.  Now before you ask, no he didn't play violent, crazy games.  Minecraft was his favorite and only game.  It was okay for him for about 15 minutes and then he would get frustrated or overwhelmed about something regarding the game.  One time he misplaced something in a chest and we spent 3 days going through all of his hundreds of chests looking for the item.  Even though in the end it really was only important to him, not really important in the game itself.

For the past year we have been going through a Family crisis I guess you can say.  Game time became like a band-aid, because we could find time to deal with what was going on in the Family.  Between therapy, the older kids and video games Kaden was taken care of while we healed from trauma that we were going through.  During all this we would take away his game play all together because of behavior and within a day we would see an incredible decrease in negative behavior.  He would have little fits of rage, but after several days he was a new person.  And then we would give in again after having a few weeks of such amazing behavior.  We would think he deserved a little break, only to be slapped in the face with cold reality that video games have this negative effect on him.  Now, we have tried several kinds of games and he doesn't seem to get worked up over them.  It's the computer games that seem to do it to him, unfortunately it's his favorite game...Minecraft.

Now we are focused and on the road to Family recovery so that means getting Kaden healthy and happy too.  Which is why we took the no video games during the week and only for a few hours on the weekend approach.
What we have found after a few days of rage was that he has this major need for physical activity.  He's been riding his bike, using the trampoline more and goes outside just to look at stuff and explore he says.  He has played with play-dough, painted, actually build with his legos and just snuggle.  Here is an example, we had our weekly review with the Therapist we worked with when he had ABA therapy.  She was amazed because for the first time in 3 years he sat with us at the table and talked about random stuff from the week.  He shared an upcoming movie trailer and even invited her to a game of chess.  Who was this kid???  And how can I keep him out here with all of us?

I'm not going to lie, the past few weeks have been some of the hardest to get through.  He has soooo much energy that sometimes he just runs around the couch screaming or talking about a subject that we have no idea about.  He is in a constant state of motion and silence is something I have not experienced except when I drift off to sleep finally.  But, at least he's not in a coma in front of a screen.  I'm not saying all kids are like this, but mine is.  And I want him to be alive and awake....feeling all that the world has to offer him.  And our Family will huddle around him as he experiences life in a whole new way.  :)

My Girl has a Blog

Mahala has a New Blog that she is working on.  She just posted a few pictures on her latest post.  I'm so proud of her.

Life Behind the Screen

A little Hop in Kaden's Step

The weather is getting more tolerable in the late afternoon around here, so we have been venturing out of our Home Cave more frequently.  The other day Kaden was going out to jump on the trampoline and he found a little friend.  It was a huge grasshopper.  I figured he would run screaming from it, but to my surprise he was very interested, fearless and so gentle.  
He tried to get it on a stick for almost an hour.  He went inside to look at it then it hopped on the outside and visa versa.  Quite the ordeal to get a little peak.  But, I was thrilled to see him doing something not video game related that I volunteered to document the whole thing.

 Kaden in the past has very little patience for the small things in life.  It's moments like these that I try to capture and hold onto, because these activities and moments in his life I feel will soften his emotional anguish and give him more peace within himself.  Our Focus this year in our homeschool for him is going to include lots of nature and art.  Up until now it is been overloaded with Math and Science.  Not saying that's a bad thing, but I feel he is already so rule and logic based that he needs a little softer edge to his day. :)

Once he got him off the net he was careful getting him to crawl on his stick.  He was so proud of his hard work, I was too.  Kaden thought he was so unusual because of his coloring, he was gray and brown.  He decided to name him Hopsie.  We looked up what grasshoppers ate and how to build a small habitat for him.  We had gathered all the supplies into the container and as soon as we put Hopsie down he hopped like a million feet into the air.  Ok, maybe a few less then that....but it was far.  
After the initial shock I immediately seized inside because I knew he was going to blow up and be really upset and overwhelmed.  But, to my surprise he was very calm and collected.  He was tremendously sad, don't get me wrong.  But, he was in control of his emotions and they were appropriate for the situation.  Thank you Lord!  

I spent the rest of the night before we just couldn't see anymore looking in the yard for the runaway grasshopper.  We never found Hopsie, but it did give Kaden and I plenty of time to chat about animals and their natural homes.  I was able to talk to him about patience and acceptance.  He displayed both that day and I was extremely proud of him. 
Every time he walks outside he says Hello to Hopsie.  Dad told Kaden that more then likely he has hopped on his way to a new yard or out in the field.  Kaden agreed, but he said you never know Dad he could still be here and I don't want him to feel sad and think that I have forgotten about him.  How sweet, I just Love that little boy of mine!

Math Game to the Rescue!

Kaden LOVES anything to do with numbers!!!!  Can I multiply those numbers for you Mom?  I hear it every day?  Everyday Kaden asks, "whats this times this?  Do you know if you multiply this with that it will be this?"  I reply....why yes Kaden or no Kaden Mommy wasn't thinking about that right know because she's trying to take a shower. :)  Lord grant me patience......

So, here is his Iguana Factor Game he loves.  I hide it sometimes, because to me a little math goes a loooong way.  :)  If you have a little one who loves to multiply this is a fun game.  And if you have one that struggles in math, this would be a great alternative to constant book work.  We have games for Math, History, Science, Grammar, Writing, you name it I have a game for it.  It just breaks up a normal week of school and allows lots of laughter.  :)

Veritas Press Self-paced history ~ REVIEW

 

Have you heard of Veritas Press before?  I have to say honestly I was a little reluctant to Review another History Curriculum.  Thank Goodness that I did though.  I have 100% fell In Love with Veritas Press Self-paced History.    We were given one year access to Veritas Press Self-Paced History ~1815 to the Present.  I can't wait to tell you all about it! :)

Veritas Press offers live courses and self-paced courses. They provide your Kiddos a classical education that ignite your Kiddo's Imagination and Hunger for education. The company began when a couple wanted a way to teach history chronologically while combining Biblical events.

 

When I started homeschooling I took a textbook approach and then later kind of went with a more hands on/literature reading stand.  And that has really been where the kids have grown.  So, I thought I was happy and content.  Well, now I'm all flipped upside down.  I never thought to try an online, self-paced route.  And now that I have I think I Love it and have found a perfect fit for the whole Family.

Are you thinking, what does self-paced History mean?  

I know I was wondering what the difference was compared to what I was already doing.  

Savings for Your Homeschool you Can't Miss!

Home School Adventure Co. is celebrating the one-year anniversary of Philosophy Adventure™! For a limited time, you can save 40% on all digital resources! Their introductory prices will be ending soon, so if you have been curious about their products, now is the best time to buy! DO YOU NEED to teach advanced writing and speaking skills? DO YOU WANT your students equipped to discern truth as ungodly messages bombard them? DO YOU WONDER how to cover all they need academically as well as practically? Normally, Philosophy Adventure™ digital curriculum is $39.95 for the complete set. With the coupon code ANNIVERSARY40 it becomes $23.97! This is the BIGGEST DISCOUNT EVER on Philosophy Adventure™!

Go Science Series 2 Review!!!

 

 
The past few weeks we were able to add some Science Pizzazz to our days.  We were given the opportunity to Review two New Go Science DVDs (Series 2), provided by Library and Education Services.  This Series is Recommended for Kiddos 4-12 yrs old and cost $8.97 each.

Library and Educational Services is a Michigan based Family owned business that has been providing CDs, DVDs and carefully selected books to ensure that they provide Christian values and evolution-free science resources for all ages.  They have been working with schools (including homeschools), churches, libraries, daycare centers, missionaries and resellers for over 35 years. 

Our Family has always loved Science, honestly I think who wouldn't love it.  :)  I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I bet you would change your mind after whatching this New Series.  Ben Roy is the host and is a Science Educator at the University of Tennessee.  He is so enthusiastic and makes learning fun.  I enjoyed watching with Kaden and we had fun trying to recreate some of the demonstrations.

Something Kaden picked up was...Every episode you hear Ben's Famous words, "every time we learn more about science, we learn more about our Creator, God!".  

Kaden went to Social Skills last week telling all the other Kiddos about the New Series and he had the Teacher write Ben's Famous words up on the board.  He is always shining his light for God where he can.  

Slimmmmy Sisters?

Mahala was so Sweet the other day.  She made up these different bowls with sensory items for Kaden to play with.  

She used different bowls and placed some pasta, flour and rice with food coloring in each of them.  She also added different flavoring extracts.  He had to smell, feel, taste and guess what it was.  He Loved mixing the flour and slime and smoooooshing it with his hands. 

Fun with US Geography!

Are you looking for a fun way to teach your kiddos US Geography?  I have such a fun idea that we did a few months ago and it's easy to do!

The Proof is in the Pudding!

Have You heard that saying before?   I'm sure you have, we all have.  I said this to my Son today and my 13 year old asked me what it meant exactly.  I explained to her and she was like, what's Skylar's pudding going to prove?  I don't know....that's why the Cake will rise, the Froth will form, the Peaks will be beat!  Ok, maybe It's that time of the month and I'm overly dramatic and craving a ton of sweets.  But, You get the idea!!!  

An Imagination with a Bunny

What a month!!!  It has been a month crammed with sickness, moving, unpacking, sickness, sessions, adjustments and did I say Sickness????  It's been ridiculous around here.  We are a Family that hand sanitizes like it's a Religion.  We wash before and after we eat, take our vitamins and eat healthy.  What went wrong?  It is what it is, but it definitely was not fun.  And as I finally see the sick curtain start to fall to the floor I'm so excited to be able to enjoy our new house and get it unpacked and ready for the Holidays.