Taking some time to just enjoy summertime here...soon the leaves will be falling (they have already begun) and the nights will chill...so...until then, I plan to enjoy.

Off on a family vacation this Thursday...so excited to get away to the beautiful Florida beaches...with my family.

I know that I have been absent quite a bit this summer...back to normal after vacation...hopefully renewed and refreshed!

Have a great week everyone!
Joyce Marie

it's all in His plan...

I am going to backtrack a bit here...when we (Brittany and I) began middle school I began to feel that pressure like all of us do...as a homeschooler...was I able to give her enough to "make it" in this world. Could I teach her enough to get her into college...would she be ready? All of these thoughts began to cover me and burden me and I ordered a boxed curriculum set and we began our middle school this way. It wasn't long before I realized that all my girl was doing was cramming for tests. Very little learning was going on...so, if I remember correctly...we took a long weekend, had a discussion of where we should go from here and I found Ambleside Online. I loved the fact that it was free as I had already spent a small fortune on a curriculum that I was not going to use. I was able to match up with a time period that we had already started and our school became a different in an amazing way. Fast forward to starting high school...still using the Charlotte Mason method, I was way more confident...and able to find books that worked for us...also, during this time, I began to pray in a different way.

I began to pray that God would lead us down a path that was designed strictly for her. I began to watch her and study her interests...when she developed an new one we explored it...some of them faded...but for the ones the stuck...we added them into our schooling. For the first time...we weren't doing "school at home" we were truly homeschooling...and she was thriving and everyday felt like an adventure. The Lord gave us what we needed each day to nurture her interests and help her mature in them.

These last few months...we have got the now dreaded question in our home..."What college are you going to?" And the looks of disapproval we get from those who ask, their upturned eyebrows when in fact my daughter tells them that she is not going to college. You would think that her plans were to become a couch potato...we try not to cringe...which is what was beginning to happen to us both...and trust in the One who has led us thus far. He holds to the key my dear friends to our children's future...

We do not have to mainstream our children into a system that tells us that we have to have the "college experience". In my daughters case...we have found alternate ways of certification that will not leave her with a huge debt upon her had after graduation. Her education and learning is far from over...it really has just begun. Thist feels good to me. I am not putting down college...not in anyway. For many if not most...this is the solution. For my daughter...we chose the alternative route.

The Lord has proven to us time and time again that His way is the best. She has now had two people take her under their wing in her dance teaching...last night she had an enlightening talk with her new boss...this woman is giving her opportunity to learn the ropes of a dance studio owner without any competitiveness...she knows that Brittany has a dream to own a dance studio someday...she is giving her opportunity to learn. It amazes me...that all of her favorite things that she has worked on these past years will again see her through her first job.

Being quiet...having complete trust that the God who created our children has a plan for each and every one of them...not allowing the pressure of the "world" to confuse us...but to truly listen to our children...more importantly our Lord. It is all in HIS plan!

As many of you are ready to begin your fall classes...I just want to encourage you this year to take the time to trust in Him. Enjoy your children, learn along side of them...find the adventure in your homeschool. Watch what God will do in the life of your kids.

Blessings!
Joyce Marie

Lazy days of summer...

In fear of boring anyone who happens to stop by here to tears...I apologize.

Not much going on here...our weather has been very hot here this summer...I am not complaining...I would rather have a hot summer than a cool summer. I have been spending my week doing my laundry...and am happy to say that I am all caught up...well, as soon as I put that last load in the dryer, fold them and put them away. I gave myself a manicure and a pedicure today...I decided that I am going to try and do this for myself once a week...I am reading a good book as well...that's about it...

Went to a local farm and bought corn, green beans, squash and zucchini yesterday...trying to figure out what to have for supper tonight.

What have you been doing today?

Joyce Marie

Hey there, I realize that I have been gone for nearly a month...we have had a rough summer here in our house...as you know...it started out with Brittany being sick throughout her entire graduation and beyond...then I caught the bug...let me tell you. I was very sick...it took everything in me to just get better. Six days of fever, followed by what I think was viral pneumonia...which I really believe is what my Brittany had as well...but I can say that I woke up yesterday morning with that feeling that I am back to myself...and I am so very thankful.

I completely missed my darling husbands birthday (which I plan on making up to him)...and then Brittany ended up with a bad ear infection in which she couldn't hear out of her left ear for over two weeks...so...as you can see...it has been a rough summer for us.

Since this is Football Hall of Fame week in our neck of the woods...this past Friday, we went to see the hot air balloon festival which is the kick off to the celebration. The city of Canton is just a stone's throw from us...Brittany took her new camera and was able to take some neat pictures...we had Italian sausage sandwiches and yummy lemonade...and then shared an elephant ear between the three of us. The best part was just getting out of the house and feeling like we were just normal people again. I was able to walk a long way...and up hills which a week before I don't think that I would have been able to. I barely had the strength to walk across my living room.

I know that I am jumping around a bit...but to tell you the truth...when you have been cooped up in the middle of summer being sick...there isn't a lot to say.

Brittany is finishing up her last week of dance camp this week and then she'll have a break until her fall classes begin...she will be teaching about 10 hours this fall which she is thrilled with and should keep her very busy as she has lesson plans to create for all of her classes and dances to choreograph.

Plans this week...my darling husband is in Massachusetts...so Brittany and I have plans to rent a couple of movies...check out a couple of antique stores...have an Hawaiin ice at a place we just discovered...return cd's to the library...and make a visit to our favorite bargain store...most importantly to just enjoy the fact that we are both healthy again...

I'll try to write more interesting posts instead of sickly rambling ones here in the near future...but for now...have a blessed Tuesday!

Joyce Marie

A special day...

Happy, HAPPY birthday to my sweet baby girl...she is eighteen today!