The Heaslip Homestead Academy: January 2012

Monday, January 2, 2012

Home Schooling Highlights - December 2011

Way back in August I made a plan to start early so we could take off the whole month of December (I think I read about another home schooling family doing this and thought it was a great idea). We actually didn't take off most of the planned days off through the fall (Fridays and around Thanksgiving) so technically we could have taken more off, but I figured, why mess with what's working. So we had school until the 2nd Monday in December and took the rest off. Then after New Years I decided to take a week to get the house back in order (and my head).

Now THAT was a brilliant idea. First of all, I've been totally relaxed and able to get the house in order - Christmas cleaned up, scary areas organized, mount laundry conquered, you know. that stuff...

Anyways, here we are Wednesday of January week One, and now all I have left is the usual house clean (nasty bathrooms and floors) and then I can tackle the homeschooling plan. I need to revise going into this semester. For one thing, the boys are WAY ahead in Math (as in finished what I had planned for the year) and moderately behind in language arts... and well Carter, I just have to figure out how to move him along.

At least my "work" goal is finished (cooking 30 dinners (for non family) in 90 days for Saladmaster, took a great deal of my energy through the fall, and I'm so happy to be able to give the boys and HS my full attention now.

Anyways, December was not a complete wash, there were many highlights...

The unusually mild weather meant some...

NATURE STUDIES

Carter's 4th bday and having a truckload of friends over meant...

ENGINEERING

The NHEA homeschool support group Christmas Party helped with...

DRAMATIC ARTS and a SCIENCE presentation

(plus socialization, gym time and arts and crafts)

Lot's of free time meant lots of games which meant...

MATH SKILLS and Sportsmanship

BUSINESS SKILLS and NEGOTIATION

Our annual trek to the Niagara on the Lake Christmas Parade meant

SOCIAL STUDIES

Our annual trek to see the Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls meant...

FIELD TRIP

Visiting an older relative meant...

SOCIAL STUDIES

A new family tradition of ice skating meant...

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Anyways, we're looking forward to getting into a new groove this semester but December sure was a blast.

Liberated from Fear

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Marianne Williamson

About Me

I was given the nickname "Mama T" by one of my students when I was the Student Life Director at a Bible College in the Niagara Region of Canada. It was during that time I began to get a glimpse of the thread of purpose God had for my life. Those students became some of my first "kids"; then in the years to follow, many others came and went out, as well as the gift of my 3 natural sons and more recently the youth and children of my church. I know that one day, the reach of my Deborah's Heart, will reach to the ends of the earth by the grace of God.