homeschooling

While Neely was in public school, I daily felt frustrated at the situation and sad for Neely. She cried every single day. She had behavior problems at home. She no longer looked forward to Sunday School because it meant being away from me.

Beyond the obvious emotional stress it was causing her, I also knew it wasn't the right choice academically. I had been fairly active in her classroom and witnessed the overcrowded classroom and the fact that Neely had already learned everything the teacher was teaching.

One night I sent a text to my mom and asked her to pray that God would make the choice clear. And in my mind, the choice was either pull her out at Christmas time or after kindergarten. My mom responded that she would pray that God would show us that very week.

A few days before that text to my mom, a couple of friends were discussing Neely and her inability to adjust to public school (or being away from Mama).

They both know Neely and know how bright she is. One of the friends just so happened to be a kindergarten teacher herself and emailed me to suggest a few other options.

One of the options was a public school charter. This charter is a home school program with a Friday school option. In this program, all of the curriculum is provided and tailored to your child, an education facilitator is assigned to you to give you tasks to complete, concepts to master and to report to the state the child's progress. As if this wasn't good enough, they also provide you with credits to enroll your child in a number of art, music, dance, etc. classes! 

As soon as I looked up this school online I knew. When I told Brett, he knew. THIS was our path.

We only had two days to apply, be accepted and un-enroll her from her current school and enroll her in this charter.

I knew that if we made the cutoff it would only be because of God.

We made it! 

Neely is now on her second week of homeschool and has learned more than she would have learned her entire kindergarten year. 

I am able to supplement her public school curriculum with my own Bible teachings, studies on famous artists and nature adventures.

Tomorrow she starts her first art class at an art studio!

I couldn't be happier.

She couldn't be happier.

Homeschool is the best option for us right now and I am so grateful for the opportunity that we have been given!

One of these days I will post more in depth about why homeschool was on my mind at all because I certainly never thought I would be a homeschooling mom!

Project Life- Week 11

This week was a little more cohesive than last week, but still not super matchy matchy. 

Here is a close up of a frame that I built up. I don't love the picture of me, but the girls are sooo cute!

I think that Tim Holtz tiny attacher tool would be perfect on the above picture but I would never ever spend $20 on it! I have to wait for a coupon from Michael's or Joann's and then get it.

Mini-Shoot: Neely in the field

This was so fun to shoot. Neely was able to be herself and explore and I was able to get some really great shots! Brett was absolutely the best PA I could ask for, as always!
I've been really deliberate about the shots I take lately. When I first started using a DSLR I would take hundreds of shots hoping I would get at least 5 good ones. Now I take way less and have so many more to chose from! From this shoot, it was just a ten minute quickie on the side of the road in a field somewhere, I have over 15 good ones out of about 35-40. I'd say that's a great ratio!
Within the next month I'm going to be shooting my friend's family so I'll be sure to post pictures up here. I am still building up my portfolio so that I can get my website up and running. Once I get my site up then all of my photography and photography-related blog posts will be over there. :)

Naptime Adventure

It was one of those days. Neely did not want to take a nap.
I did.
You see, I think I am part Spanish in that I require a daily siesta to make it through until bedtime.
But no, she was having none of it. And believe me, I tried. I left her in her crib for an HOUR. She played, she cried, she talked to herself...
And finally...well finally I gave up.
Now every mom knows there is a critical point in the non-napping day where you can either roll with it and be creative, or you can be upset and stressed out.
I opted for not having a crappy day.
I decided to take my little wide-eyed girl on an apple juice date to Starbucks.
Recently Neely has been obsessed with keysh (keys).
So of course she had to have her keysh with her. I put them in her purse and we were on our way.

She daintily held her purse the entire way there.
It took us s o  l o n g  to get to Starbucks, as toddlers want to explore every little thing they discover. Which was fine by me since the object of this game was to exhaust her.
Once we got to Starbucks I ordered her a box of apple juice and a green tea latte for me.

After we were done we walked through the weekly Farmer's Market only stopping to listen to a 12 year old boy singing his heart out while playing guitar. We (I) then decided to go to the beach since we haven't been since I hurt my foot.
We both had such a great time I was SO glad we went down there!

It was such a better time than being upset that she wasn't sleeping and watching the clock until 5 so I could have a glass of wine! (I don't do that...I've just heard that people do that.)
I love lazy days with my girl.