Prepping for the FUN

 

 

 

Something I have decided to do is to not try to mimic the class room setting of an actual school room. A wise woman once said to make learned all throughout the day and not just when you're sitting down at the table to learn lessons.

 

 

 

 

So, this year will be Raylea's official KINDERGARTEN year! YAY!

 

 

 

I am beyond excited for all the fun we will have.

 

 

I already have the calendar done with days we plan to have school and field trips.

 

 

 

I ordered a book that gives an outline for Bible time for homeschoolers her age.

 

 

I'm mostly excited about that.

 

 

 

I want to teach Raylea about Jesus. Sure, it was neat seeing her go from only knows simple words at the beginning of last year to being able to read short story book at the end, but I want all three of my kids who I will educate from home to know more about JESUS than they do grammar or algebra.

 

 

 

I plan doing some stuff with Jack that is pre school appropriate since he turns three the same time Raylea turns 6. I figured instead of fighting him and keeping him away from the table like I did all last year, I would include him and let him do his own thing at the other end of the table.

 

 

 

Arrow is 8 months now and truly just a joy. She is what you would call an "easy baby."

 

 

Just chill, content and smiley. That's my girl.

 

 

 

 

 

I just wanted to document a little update since it's been three months!

 

 

Summer has been great.

 

 

 

Our life is crazy busy, but whose isn't?!

 

 

 

Grant just returned from Haiti and we leave for another revival soon.

 

 

 

 

God is good. And faithful.

 

 

 

Talk to you next month!

 

 

 

Be blessed today and seek the Lord.

 



Finished Early

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been absolutely horrible at keeping up with this blog!

 

 

As everyone else in my life says, "I've been so busy."

 

 

Well, I try hard to not get so busy that I forget to write!

 

 

 

Tuesday, April 18th, 2017 was Raylea's LAST day of pre-k!

 

 

She will officially start kindergarten this fall.

 

 

We fell a little behind because in November we brought a new baby home and I took someone's advice and I gave myself a longer break than what I had planned.

 

 

 

So, for the past month we've been doubling up her lessons and since her Nana and Papa get home TOMORROW I wanted to make sure she was finished with all her lessons because according to Raylea, she is staying with them for as long as they were gone. 87 days! haha! Well, I for one would get to missing her after about 3 days too bad, but I know she will spend lots of time with them while they get to be home so I made sure her schedule was left open! :)

 

 

 

Something clicked with Raylea and she can truly read 50% of all words. And the ones she can't she is REALLY close.

 

She loves math. She loves problem solving. Stuff I didn't enjoy in school, but that's ok! It's way more fun to teach her than it was to learn it all in my opinion.

 

 

She loves school. We will still work a lot this summer and prepare for kindergarten.

 

 

 

She is my little buddy and I'm so proud of her.

 

 

I love her with all my heart and I'm so thankful God allowed me to be her mom and to homeschool her. It is such a blessing.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading.

 

 



March 2017

 

 

It's been a while since I have updated what Miss Ray is up to in school!

 

 

Well, for starters... she is reading about half of any three or four letter word. Some are obviously harder than others, but it's pretty rewarding to know that she is learning something I am teaching her!

 

 

She is doing basic addition and subtraction daily now. Daily, as in, three days a week.

 

 

The curriculum I am using puts God in the problems and stories, which I love!

 

It gives me the opportunity to share with her more about our Creator.

 

 

 

She has always asked a lot of questions, but lately she has asked even more because I guess the lessons are getting more complex. She will officially start Kindergarten this coming fall, since she didn't turn 5 until after September 1st. I am thinking about starting Jack on some basic "pre-K" stuff at the same time. They three years apart, but he is already so interested in what she does during school time, that I think it would help all of us if he was involved some way.

 

 

Arrow is pretty easy peasy. Maybe twice this whole school year have I had to hold her during the lesson. She is pretty content just sitting back in her little chair, watching Raylea do her lesson.

 

 

 

 

About a month ago Raylea started Karate lessons. She loves it. She is so excited when I tell her it's time to go. It's twice a week and only for thirty minutes and it gives her the opportunity to get some exercise in and burn off any extra energy she may have stored up. She has made some buddies there and gets along great with everyone. It's on Tuesday and Thursdays, so on the days she doesn't have school. Wednesday night is church of course. Saturday is our day to not "be somewhere," although lately there has either been a birthday party or something to do with church friends nearly every single weekend so far this year!

 

 

 

I've had a few different people ask about my daily schedule, so I will start working on that and that can be my next post, hopefully!

 

 

I included a few updated pictures!

 

 

Have a great day!

 

 

 

Raylea and Uncle Gabe today riding today.

 

 

 

Arrow Brielle, yesterday.

 

 

Ray and me made no bake cookies this week.

 

 

Cowgirl Arrow.

 

Jack and Ray made some cupcakes this past week!

 

 

And Jack loved it!



It takes a village

 

 

It really does take a village!

 

We have a family of five officially.

 

Life has been a bit crazy so I am sorry I haven't posted anything in months!

 

 

So much to catch up on!

 

For time's sake, I won't go into detail, because we all know I do that way too often.

 

 

 

Arrow Brielle was born Friday, November 11th, 2016!

 

 

7 pounds and 2 ounces of sweetness!

 

 

She has nearly doubled that now!

 

We are so blessed!

 

 

I have finally been able to get used to wrangling three kiddos each day (and night.)

 

 

I thought going from one kid, to two kids was tough.

 

 

I learned pretty soon that two kids was a walk in the park compared to three. Not to scare anyone out there--- but I have no idea how the Duggars do it.

 

 

But, I am SO happy I get to change diapers, feed them meals I made, teach them lessons, give them kisses when they get hurt, cuddle and read them a book each night, and pray with them, because being a "stay at home mom," it is, well, my calling! It is truly what I am passionate about!

 

 

Before I had Raylea my mom told me if I needed to go back to work she would change her schedule around so she could watch her every day for me. Or whenever I worked.

 

Even though I appreciated the kind (and selfless,) offer, I had wanted nothing more than to be able to be at home as much as possible with the precious gift God gave to Grant and I.

 

 

We maybe missed having the extra income after I quit work when I gave birth to Raylea, over 5 years ago, but the benefits to being able to pour into my kids 24/7 outweighs getting a few hundred extra bucks each week. By a long shot!

 

 

Some want to or have to go back to work after having a baby, but Grant has made ends meet and we have never went without. Like I said- it is my CALLING to be a stay at home mom. Not all moms feel that calling or CAN do it financially, so that is why I never take a day for granted. The good and the bad days are well received by me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, five years later, and three kiddos here with us, (one is in Heaven waiting for us,) we are truly a little tribe!

 

 

 

Here are some photos to catch you up with what's went on in the past several months.

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Arrow!

 

Zechariah 9:14 (incase you want to know where her name came from.)

 

Christmas time... (obviously) ;-)

 



Aunt Kay at our house holding Arrow on Thanksgiving Day. Dr. D, was sitting a few feet away and he got to meet Arrow, just three days before he went to Heaven.

 

It was her first Thanksgiving, and his last.

 

Time is so precious, people.

 

 

Poppy (my dad)

 

Papa (Grant's dad)

 

 

Uncle Gabe and Raylea checking out the new member of the fam.

 

Side note- Arrow's middle name is "Brielle" and is after her Uncle Gabriel.

 



 

 

 

Becca dreamt Arrow was a girl and she was right!

(we didn't learn the gender until she came out!)

 

Kara talking to Arrow.



 

 

Grant's first cousins, Cheyenne and Crosby and their littles visiting Arrow again.

Daddy got Jack all ready for church! He will surely be a preacher like his dad one day!

 

 

Jack Ledbetter.

 



Row Row (as Jack calls her) in her boots from Mimi!

 

 



 

 

 

Daddy loving his baby girl.

 

A picture my mom sent me when she took Raylea to ride her bike recently.

 



 

 

And.... Arrow again!

 

"hello world"

 

 

 

 

I'm so blessed and so in love with my little family.

 

 

Next post will be back to Raylea's school (which she is doing awesome at!) and anything else exciting going on around here.

 

 

 

Have a blessed day!