2012 Metzger Homeschool Schedule - Year-round with Multiple Grade Levels

I'm really enjoying our school schedule this year! Since we school year-round, taking a few breaks during the year and a larger break between Thanksgiving and New Years, our grade levels are "in between" for some of the children. They all go at their own pace and complete their school years at different times during the year. Below is how we have worked it all out! Hope it sparks some imagination in your own home school!

Kaitlyn (12 years, 9th Grade) 2012

Monday – Consumer Mathematics, Vocabulary Cartoons x 3, Oral Language Plus, American Literature, The Daily Spark, Music Theory Review, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Consumer Mathematics, The Daily Spark x 2, Choir/Theory, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Consumer Mathematics, Vocabulary Cartoons x 3, Oral Language Plus, American Literature, The Daily Spark, Online Geography, MOH, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, Missions Reading/book report, 4H Projects
Thursday – Consumer Mathematics, Vocabulary Cartoon Review, The Daily Spark, Music Theory Review, 4H, Wilderness, 4H Projects
Friday – Community Service, Geography, 4H Projects, Read and Understand Science x 1

Ethan (11, 7th/8th grade) 2012

Monday – Pre-Algebra x 2, Typing, Reading, Oral Language Plus, 4H Projects
Tuesday – The Daily Spark, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Pre-Algebra x 2, The Daily Spark, Oral Language Plus, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, 4H Projects
Thursday – Pre-Algebra x 1, Silly Starters with Trey, Reading, typing, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Trey (9 years, 5th/6th grade) 2012

Monday – The Daily Spark, Math x 1, Typing, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math x 2, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – The Daily Spark, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math x 2, Silly Starters with Ethan, reading, typing, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Jake (7 years, 3rd grade) 2012

Monday – Math grade 3 x 2, Language 3, Typing, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math grade 3x 1, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Math grade 3x 1, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math grade 3x 1, Language 3 x 2, Typing, Reading, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Julia (6 years, K5/1st grade) 2012

Monday –Math 1st grade x 1, Reading Advanced K5, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math 1st grade x 1, FFHA, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Reading Advanced K5, Geography, 4H Projects, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30 Thursday – Math 1st grade x 2, Typing, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Ellie (Pre-K) 2012

Monday - Thursday: "Preschool" and Rod and Staff

Judah (Nothing formal at all, just 3 years old) 2012

Monday - Thursday: "Preschool" with his big sister so that he can learn how to count, address, phone number, birthday, days of week, months of year, etc. Workbook from Wal-Mart.

Eva (11 months...play, play, eat, nap, play) 2012

*FFHA is Fun and Fitness Homeschool Athletics (mainly P.E. and pick-up sports games)

*4H for our children includes: Veterinary Science, sewing, Robotics, Wilderness, Animal Sciences, (and in the past - Rabbits, Pre-Flight, Dogs)

*MOH is Mystery of History On the day we do that, we do 3 lessons plus work on our timeline!

*Science reading is nature, animal and Creation sciences that we read aloud. Experiments are also done at that time. Again, we will do two or three lessons at a time.

*Geography Video/Presentation is when one of our children chooses a country in a continent I choose. They find a YouTube video (with me by their side to "screen" them) or a Netflix video. They also do a presentation on that country and everyone learns to locate that country on the globe.

*Games are all educational in nature (money counting, math, geography, etc.)

*Community Service projects are like this and this and more in that section!

*Doubling Up! Our children double up on certain subjects on different days so that we can devote Fridays to more fun activities and to community outreach. Since we school year-round, some subjects are only done 4 days per week.

This plan is not set in stone and will probably be tweaked as the year goes forward! Ahhhh...the beauties of homeschooling!

Merry Christmas 2011! Metzger Newsletter

Merry Christmas from all the Metzgers! We pray you come to know Jesus or to know him better!

HERE is our family's Christmas Newsletter for 2011!

Blessed!

See more on this video HERE! And then photos below...




Thank you, Jesus, for your little creation; for a wonderful Thanksgiving gift!

Favorite Homeschool Mom Blog

I just found out that my blog was nominated for "Favorite Homeschool Mom Blog" at The 2011 Homeschool Blog Awards! Please cast a vote for me, HERE, if you like my blog! Thanks! ;)

Birthday "season" at the Metzgers!

It's birthday sesason in our house! We began a tradition last year where we have the children draw names, instead of everyone buying for Kaitlyn and everyone buying for Trey and so on. Doing it the old way made for many "discussions" on what's to be gotten for that person. This way makes shopping for that special someone a little more exciting. Mommy and Daddy also give them gifts, but ours are more educational or super-special (ears getting pierced, promise rings, multi-tools, etc.).

Ellie got to buy birthday gifts for Kaitlyn! Analise bought for Ellie! And Jake bought for Julia! Look at the looks on the givers' face...it's almost more excited than the one receiving. So sweet! And SUCH fun!

As is tradition in our home, the birthday person receives one of Daddy's "famous" Mickey Mouse chocolate chip pancakes! Mmm!
Kaitlyn turned 12 years old on September 27th!
Julia turned 6 on October 7th!

Ellie turned 4 on October 8th (she is 2 years and 1 day younger than Julia)!

2011 Life Chain and Julia and Ellie's Birthday Ministry!

Happy Birthday to JULIA, who turned 6 on Friday and ELLIE, who turned 4 on Saturday! Both of them wanted to sing Jesus Love Me and tell the moms about how their babies loved them! Precious! TWO Babies were saved from death during those two days of ministry...part of their God-given b-day present! The girls were both so excited!

Our church participated in the national Life Chain event on Sunday, October 2nd in Rock Hill, SC!

Donations for Moms in Need!

Annalise (19) received these WONDERFUL, BRAND NEW donations for Helping Hands Saving Lives (the ministry she runs that collects baby shower items for moms who choose life). A fellow sidewalk counselor was gracious enough to give these wonderful gifts for moms in need! Annalise has since passed them all on to Truth and Mercy Ministries, which throws baby showers for these moms who choose life in this area.

Love it! THIS is what life is about...giving and showing Jesus through meeting the needs of others!

Metzger Spring Homeschool Schedule 2011-2012

I'm really enjoying our school schedule this year! Since we school year-round, taking a few breaks during the year and a larger break between Thanksgiving and New Years, our grade levels are "in between" for some of the children. They all go at their own pace and complete their school years at different times during the year. Below is how we have worked it all out! Hope it sparks some imagination in your own home school!

Kaitlyn (12 years, 9th Grade) 2011-2012

Monday – Algebra 1, Great Explorations in Editing, Essay for DAR, Word Smart Junior, Spirit Controlled Temperament, Music Theory Review, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Algebra 1, Essay for DAR, Word Smart Junior, Choir & Theory, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Algebra 1, Great Explorations in Editing, Essay for DAR, Word Smart Junior, Spirit Controlled Temperament, Online Geography, MOH, 4H Projects
Thursday – Algebra 1, Essay for DAR, Word Smart Junior, Music Theory Review, 4H, Wilderness, 4H Projects
Friday – Community Service, Geography Video/Presentation, 4H Projects, Science reading, Missions Reading, Game

Ethan (10, 7th/8th grade) 2011-2012

Monday – Math x 2, English x 1, Typing, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – English x 3, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Math x 2, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math x 1, reading, typing, 4H, Wilderness
Friday – Community Service, Geography Video/Presentation, Science reading, Game

Trey (9 years, 5th/6th grade) 2011-2012

Monday – English x 2, Math x 1, Typing, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math x 2, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – English x 2, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math x 2, reading, typing, 4H, Wilderness
Friday – Community Service, Geography Video/Presentation, Science reading, Game

Jake (3rd grade) 2011-2012

Monday – Math x 2, Typing, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math x 1, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Math x 1, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math x 1, typing, reading, 4H, Wilderness
Friday – Community Service, Geography Video/Presentation, Science reading, Game

Julia (K5/1st grade) 2011-2012

Monday – English x 2, Math x 1, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math x 1, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – English x 2, Geography, Reading, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math x 2, reading, 4H, Wilderness
Friday – Community Service, Geography Video/Presentation, Science reading, Game

Ellie (Pre-K) 2011-2012

Monday - Thursday: "Preschool" and Rod and Staff

Judah (Nothing formal at all, 2 years old) 2011-2012

Monday - Thursday: "Preschool" with his big sister so that he can learn how to count, address, phone number, birthday, days of week, months of year, etc.

Eva (7 months...play, play, eat, nap, play) 2011-2012

*FFHA is Fun and Fitness Homeschool Athletics (mainly P.E. and pick-up sports games)

*4H for our children includes: Veterinary Science, Robotics, Wilderness, Animal Sciences, (and in the past - Rabbits, Pre-Flight, Dogs)

*MOH is Mystery of History On the day we do that, we do 3 lessons plus work on our timeline!

*Spirit Controlled Temperament is a high school requirement for Intro to Psychology. It is part of what we require in 10th grade for our students!

*Science reading is nature, animal and Creation sciences that we read aloud. Experiments are also done at that time. Again, we will do two or three lessons at a time.

*Geography Video/Presentation is when one of our children chooses a country in a continent I choose. They find a YouTube video (with me by their side to "screen" them) or a Netflix video. They also do a presentation on that country and everyone learns to locate that country on the globe.

*Games are all educational in nature (money counting, math, geography, etc.)

*Community Service projects are like this and this and more in that section!

*Doubling Up! Our children double up on certain subjects on different days so that we can devote Fridays to more fun activities and to community outreach. Since we school year-round, some subjects are only done 4 days per week.

This plan is not set in stone and will probably be tweaked as the year goes forward! Ahhhh...the beauties of homeschooling!

Sharing Your Faith - In a nutshell

Do you want to share your faith, but have no starting point in which to do so? Below is a simple, straightforward approach to sharing the Hope that you have, laid out in 1 concise video.

Wonder why I believe the things I do and speak out in the ways that I do? Are you interested in why I'm so "fanatical" about the things of God? This video sums it all up!

If the video below doesn't play, go HERE!

A Good Daddy....

I took these photos today of Mark, Judah and Ellie on his new hammock that we all bought him for his birthday! They were taken after the kids all went swimming in the pool with Mark!

"The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out." Proverbs 10:9

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him." Psalm 103:13

"As ye know how we exhorted and comfortedand charged every one of you, as a father doth his children." 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

"Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. herish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.” Proverbs 4:1-9

Ainura Annalise - Her Adoption Story In Photos

This is Ananlise's adoption story. Her story in photos is below, along with the videos we played at her homeschool high school graduation celebration!

In 2002 Mark and I set off on the adventure of adoption. We wanted desperately to adopt a 10 year old girl from Kazakhstan. We first discovered Annalise’s photo on an internet site with photos of children from around the world who needed forever families.

God’s hands were already on the process, even before it began, because I had specifically searched for a child who was closer to our own biological children’s ages. We were thinking of a child that would have been maybe three years old or younger. Annalise was 9 years old at the time, yet God had this “older child” come up in my search for 2-3 year olds. After going to bed that night that I saw her online, I could not get her out of my mind, so the next day I requested a video from her adoption agency.

The video was eye opening and heart-wrenching! The only things this little girl wanted were a bucket of raspberries for Christmas and a mother who would love her. Our hearts ached for her!

Mark and I married during Mark’s last semester of college. We found out we were pregnant with Kaitlyn when we had been married a little over a month. When Kaitlyn was 6 months old, we found out that we were expecting our son, Ethan. Mark had started a new career right out of college, which requires years to build up a client base, so we pinched many pennies. We had only been married for a little over 4 years, and had no savings, when God sent Annalise into our family’s picture. We were unsure as to how we could afford the price tag of $27,000 for a Kazakhstan adoption. After praying, we felt the Lord’s gentle guidance and decided that it was the Lord’s Will to take a leap of faith. So, we started our home study.

Upon making this gigantic decision, we humbly shared our plans, as well as our needs, with our friends, family and Sunday school. We shared our hearts and our financial need, without being specific. During this time, we prayed fervently and we asked others for prayer. Our specific prayer was for doors to be opened or shut according to God’s perfect Will. We sincerely desired God’s plans to come about for us and for that little girl who was thousands of miles away.

The Lord constantly proved His faithfulness by providing the money needed for each home study payment, agency payment, passport fee and INS fees. One day we desperately needed $200 for a home study payment, which was due that afternoon. When we opened the front door, there was a check for $200 from our neighbors! Again, when it was time to travel, we had no money for airline tickets to fly over to Kazakhstan, to meet and pick up our little girl who was waiting for us. My parents were provided by God with extra tithe and offering money to be able to pay for those plane tickets. God worked again and again like this! It was amazing to see God working through others during this time! It was surreal.

The Saturday before we left for Kazakhstan, our Sunday school class gathered at a member’s house for a get-together. After laying hands on us and praying for our journey, they handed us an envelope for our trip with a lot of extra cash. At that time, we did not really see a need for this money since everything was already provided for financially for the entire trip. However, the Lord can see much farther down the road than we can! We ended up with an unexpected stay in Kazakhstan of 36 days due to some problems with our newly adopted daughter’s visa. If it were not for this extra money that we received, we would have had no extra cash for food and lodging for us, our two biological children and our new addition. We would have been in a strange country, with no interpreter, knowing only a few words of Russian, in below zero weather with no lodging and no food. God saw the need even before we did and met it before we even left our comfort zone, setting out to venture out into the unknown! He provided for us and saw us through!

God provided us through each step of this adoption! The money was not there a day later than when we needed it throughout the process! And when we did need it sooner, He provided then, too! His perfect Will was carried out through willing vessels that trusted in God, prayed and waited for God’s timing! Now, we have four beautiful children, Annalise, Kaitlyn, Ethan and Julia, with more to come through adoption in the very near future!

Annalise, our adopted daughter from Kazakhstan, asked Jesus to be her personal Savior shortly after learning English! She, now, wants to go back to Kazakhstan someday as a missionary to the orphans. If we had not been willing vessels; if we had not asked for and obeyed God’s perfect Will and had not taken leaps of faith; if we had trusted in our own power, instead of His; if we had not waited on HIS timing; if we had not prayed and asked for prayer, our Annalise might not be the young woman of God that she is today! And the most exciting thing is that only God can see what our prayers, trust in God and obedience meant for the people that Annalise will touch down the road!

(Above) Ainua Annalise Metzger - The first photo we ever saw of her! Mommy could not get her out of her mind and heart!

Annalise answering questions on a video about how she "likes ice cream very much".

This video was made by another adoptive family who adopted for the first time in 60 years from this orphanage in Kazakhstan! They lived only 2 hours away!

Annalise just found out that she's to be adopted (May 25, 2002) by a family in the U.S.! She opens a gift box from us, as a different adoptive family takes photos!

Lisa's father dubbed this the "$25,000 smile", as that was what it was to cost in order to bring her HOME!

Looking at photos of her new home and family with the orphanage director!

(Above) Another adoptive family (the ones who lived 2 hours from us) bought ice cream for the entire orphanage, as we too did when we were over there! This was Annalise's first time having ice cream!

(Above) Annalise coming in and meeting us for the first time!

(Above) Our first family photo!

(Above and below) Annalise made birthday gifts for Kaitlyn out of "trash" that she found around the orphanage! She was preparing to meet her little sister, who had just turned 3!



(Above) Annalise helped to prepare this "Kazakh tea" for us!

(Above) Mark bought flowers for Annalise and gave them to her on another meeting at the orphanage!

(Above) Mommy and her kiddos!

(Above) Daddy and Annalise - this was at a restaurant...the first time Annalise had pizza!

(Above) After the adoption was finalized! This was the courthouse!

(Above) Annalise with her favorite teacher at the orphange, Svitlana!

(Above) A farewell, traditional Kazakh dinner at our coordinator's home! We all sat on the floor and ate some wonderful Kazakh foods!

(Above and Below) After we left Pavlodar, we had to stay in the capital, Almaty, until we received a visa to travel to Moscow with her. Here we were at McBurger (a Kazakh-style McDonad's). They had a great play area for the kids!


(Below) Finally we made it to Moscow! It was 14 below 0 (a warm day) in the Red Square. We didn't stay out too long at all! Brrr!



(Above) Back in New York City! Home at last!

Below is a photo collage of her adoption from Kazahstan when she was 10 years old. Watch the video HERE!