make sure to watch the videos at the end that answers more questions!

#1 “I would love to know what curriculum you use and what your typical homeschool day looks like!!!! PLEASE :)”
answer: 
make sure to click on the homeschooling label to look back on several posts re: our homeschool.

i have a 10, 8, 6 year old doing school work.  hank is 4 and i’m teaching him to read using ‘teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons’.  dubs is 2 and loves to be read to, puzzles and just playing! 

math – horizons.  we tried teaching textbooks this year and i didn’t like it.  great program just a personal preference of computer vs. workbooks.  horizans won. we’re going back to it.

science – daily science.  plus this year i’m going to start stockpiling the ‘in the box’ experiments i just spied at hobby lobby!  over by the airplane model aisle.  

history – mystery of history (JUST bought this and switched from story of the world.)

english – rod and staff. i purchase the hardcover book for each child and have them write the answers on lined notebook paper which goes into their binder.

spelling- spelling skills workbook

reading and writing – spectrum workbook

handwriting – a reason for handwriting

as far as our schedule….i LOVE the crates we use.  each of the big kids gets a new binder every year and i print out a weekly schedule for them.  after breakfast they get going on their school work mostly independently while i clean up and keep the little guys out of the school room.  i’m always around to pop in and answer questions.  
dubs takes a nap after lunch at 1.  i’ll do hank’s reading lesson with him right after i lay dubs down.  then i do the bigger stuff (history, read aloud, etc.) after that with the big kids.  

#2 ‘What a cutie!! I would love to see some more pictures of the garden & I am still hoping for a video tour of your amazing house!’
answer:

garden post is written WITH pictures and will publish itself next!  

i’ve received lots of requests for video tours and i’m still contemplating how to do this.  i’m thinking i will break the house into small sections.  

#3 ‘i would love to see the floor plan’
answer:

i have received this question a lot! unfortunately, we’re not going to share our floor plan.  i’ve been involved online for long enough to have heard one too many crazy stories and for safety reasons i don’t really want to share the floor plan.  BUT….i hear ya! 🙂  i am always happy to answer specific questions and give suggestions if needed about specific floor plan flow questions.

#4  ‘curious if your girls bunk room has the same beds as the boys or did you do something different?’
answer:

the girl’s bunk room does not have built in bunk beds. it currently has three twin beds. i have not done an update post on their room in a long time!  you can see the basic layout and the posts that i do have by clicking on the ‘girl bunk room’ label.

#5  How do you handle meal plans and grocery shopping!?! Do you take all the kids when you go shopping for you?
answer:

i don’t really meal plan.  i keep basic meat/fish selection in the freezer (chicken breast, ground hamburger, steak and tilapia). i do like the magazine ‘healthy cooking’ so if i find some recipes i want to make i’ll add the ingredients to my list. after several years i have figured out the staples that i need to keep on hand to make a meal that the family will enjoy.  things like:  boxed pasta, flavored bread crumbs, canned peaches, crushed tomatoes etc.  

i don’t like to have a ton of everything stock piled (2 of something is plenty) and i also don’t like the “big sized” things…like a huge ketchup bottle or a huge mayo.  that’s just my preference. 

the kiddos have all come with me to the store and they do well.  lately though either mr. daddy or i go grocery shopping in the evening because we need the cart space! 🙂  someone usually comes along 🙂  during the day if i want to run to target or wherever i for sure will bring the kids.  they’re used to running around with me and i always tell them how well they behaved when we get back in the car.   

#6  How do you shop for your kids? What stores do you love? Do you take them to the store so you know it fits? Or order online?
answer:

i shop all over!  a couple favorites are boden, tea and gymboree.  i’ll also pick stuff up from target, tj maxx, marshalls and the children’s place.  there is a local boutique that i like to shop at too.  

as far as taking the kiddos with me…if its shoe shopping for sure (or i’ll trace their foot) but otherwise i’m comfortable picking stuff up without them.  the girls have started asking to come along shopping with me more often which i love!

for me i like:  banana republic, ann taylor, modcloth, jc penney, the buckle (for jeans), tj maxx, marshalls, boden, and local boutiques.

#7 any laundry tricks?

answer:
no.  do you?  hee hee 🙂  seriously…my best advice is to just do it!  man, if i let one day go by without doing at LEAST one load, the pile just grows.  so just do it.  all the time. 🙂

#8 Do you have help with cleaning and cooking, etc?

answer:
yes and no.  yes, the kiddos and my husband all help with everything! my husband will often take on the kitchen.  cleaning the floor doing the dishes etc.  and yes, for this summer we hired one of my husband’s sisters to cook some meals for us…..awesome!!!!  

that will come to an end shortly.  i don’t have a cleaning lady (i did in our previous home though….so i’m all for it!).  with my children growing older and more capable we seem to be able to stay on top of things ……MOST of the time! 🙂  

#9Do you have a nanny?

answer:
for the summer my husband’s other sister (shout out for big families!) babysits twice a week and one weekend night for us.  i LOVE summertime!!

during the school year i have a babysitter come one day a week from 12-5.  i have done this for several years and will never go back.  it is so helpful to know that every monday or every tuesday there will be a chunk of time for appointments and errands.  

i’m also blessed with a mom and mother in law that live close by and give me breaks!

Have you dealt with any criticism regarding homeschooling? How do you deal with it?
What are important components that you considered when putting together your homeschooling room?
What did you wish you knew your first year of homeschooling?