Witches and Leopards and Groovy Girls, Oh My!

My Home School Top 10

When people hear that we home school, one of the favorite questions they almost always ask is, "What curriculum do you use?" There is no telling how many times I have rattled off the list of the good, bad and ugly that I have tested over the years. I have never been able to stick with just one company that produces a full curriculum of study. All companies have their strengths and weaknesses. And though there are many great things out there I have yet to try, I thought I would take a few minutes to compose my Top 10 List as of today.

So here you have it. . .from Kindergarten to 5th grade, here is Amy's Top 10 (but in no particular order). . .I won't bore you with the details as to why, but if you ask, I'd love to share.

1. Abeka Language/Phonics/Spelling (Click Here)
2. Singapore Math for K-1st (Click Here) and Math U See for 2nd-5th (Click Here)
3. Apologia Science - today this is probably my favorite (Click Here)
4. Anything written by Jean Fritz for U.S. History (all at the library)
5. You Tube videos of Bill Nye the Science Guy and SchoolHouse Rock
6. Kay Arthur Inductive Bible Studies for Kids (Click Here)
7. Evan-Moor History Pockets (Click Here)
8. Sonlight Curriculum for read-a-louds and chapter book reading - I don't use the entire curriculum (Click Here)
9. Heroes of History and Christian Heroes:Then and Now from YWAM (Click Here)
10. Leading Little Ones to God by Marian M. Schoolland (Click Here)

First Day of School

It's that time of year again! I can hardly believe that my girls are in 5th, 2nd and 1st grades. Even though we home school, they are in an all day Friday school program every week. To read more about it you can see Emma's blog (Click Here) where she wrote about her new school year.

September 8, 2009 - Happy 6th Birthday, Olivia!

Olivia had to postpone her birthday party this year for a few weeks because Mom and Dad's weekend schedules have been so crazy, but here are a few photos of the big day. We called this "Family Birthday Party - Part 1." This weekend it's Chuck E Cheese time, so more photos will be coming later. . .

You can click on each picture to make it larger. . .

It's the Little Things that Make Me Happy

Joy and Happiness are two very different things.

Joy is a choice. It is a gift freely given from the Father no matter what circumstances of life come our way. It's there. It gives us a sense of peace and "lightness" in our step no matter what the day might bring. We just have to grab it and hold on tight.

Happiness, on the other hand, is found in the little things that unexpectedly happen throughout life. Happiness is that thing that sort of makes us giddy for a brief time and then fades away as life progresses, only to make it's appearance again at yet another unexpected, perfect moment.

For example, here are some little things that have brought me "Happiness" this holiday weekend. . .

The $1.99 rack at Gymboree























Perfectly sweet peaches from the Farmer's Market























The purchase of a french press that makes a perfect cup of coffee























A great haircut



What more could a girl ask for??? So here's wishing you true joy and lots and lots of unexpected happiness, not just this holiday weekend, but every day. . .just when you need it.





What little things make you happy?

The Blogging Family

It's official. Everyone in our family now has a blog of their own except for the dog. This year I decided that there is no better way to incorporate writing, computer skills and typing into homeschool than to create a blog for Emma, Claire and Olivia. So far this has been the highlight of their first week of school. So. . .as if you didn't have enough blogs to follow and sites to check out, I'll kindly add a few more. They look way better than mine! Emma (5th Grade). . .Claire (2nd Grade). . .Olivia (1st Grade).

It would be great for the girls if you would kindly add a comment to their writing and pictures every once in a while. They will be posting poetry, stories, pictures and journal entries at least once a week. Hope you enjoy!. . .Hope I haven't gotten in over my head. . .4 blogs to maintain, o my!

A Weekend in Estes to End the Summer

Kevin being a pastor in Colorado has some great perks. . .one of the best being that everyone gets married in the mountains. This means that at least a couple of times a year the family gets an all expense paid weekend to some of the best wedding spots on the map. This weekend we just so happened to get to celebrate the wedding of some friends in Estes Park at the YMCA of the Rockies. . .one of our family favorite places to visit.

Here's the wedding spot





And just a few more snapshots from the day












And lastly, the 56 degree outdoor, rainy wedding reception. . .notice Olivia fighting for her spot around the heater. . .



The 56 degree end of the weekend reminded me all too well that Fall is just around the corner. I guess this was our last hoorah. . .school starts next Monday!!!

Emma's Golden Day

The older my kids get, the easier birthday parties become. No more Chuck E Cheese with 20 preschoolers. A fun day with a best friend seems to make everyone feel like celebrating. So, on Monday, that is what we did. We celebrated!

Here is the party crew...


Claire, Kate, Olivia, Megan and Emma



And here are the best friends...


Emma and Megan


Then we can't forget the sisters of the best friends...


Kate and Claire


Olivia

Then there's the party...




Color Me Mine pottery painting

And last but not least, the UPS man delivered lots of boxes from family in Kentucky. . .family party to end the day...





Emma is officially double digits! I was told it was her "golden birthday" because she was 10 on the 10th. So happy golden birthday, Emma! Can't wait to see all of the amazing things God has in store for you. You already make your dad and me very proud!

I Can't Believe I'm the Mom of a 10 Year Old!!!

August 10, 1999
Emma Grace Colon
Happy Birthday, Emma!!!

Snapshots from our KY Vacation

Long overdue, but regardless, here they are. . .ENJOY! I know we did!!

WKU Days

Every summer our family makes it back to KY to visit family. Sometimes the trips are shorter than I would like. Other times I find myself with opportunities to really sit back with good friends from the past and reminisce about the old days. So far, this has been a reminiscing vacation. As I write, I'm in Louisville at my mother-in-law's house. It's great. We have been fed and loved on. The girls have been given 24/7 undivided attention. And Kevin and I have had the opportunity to not only enjoy family, but also to enjoy friends. Just tonight I'm sitting here realizing that I feel alive like I haven't in a long time.

Have you ever experienced that feeling? Something or someone just resonates with your spirit. . .For me, it's one of those things that hits me out of nowhere. I usually don't even realize that my soul is so thirsty, but after drinking in that huge gulp of life, the refreshment proves to be almost overwhelming. That's how I have felt the past 2 days, thanks to some time spent, and love shared, and common bonds felt between us and some fantastic people. . .Pete and Brandi Wilson, Jeremy and Kelly Nelson, Kevin's sister, Carol, and Jeff and Vicki Rogers.

For me, each of these connections are very unique. I went to school with Brandi from middle school through college. Kevin and Pete were roommates and great friends at WKU. They were the studs of the BSU (then the Baptist Student Union), or so they think. I even brushed shoulders with Kevin's sister, Carol, at WKU during those days. Yet through it all, our paths were always crossing (some more than others), but never completely woven together by God for quite some time.

Jeremy and Kelly were other WKU BSU faces that I only recognized but never really knew (Kevin was friends with them and they knew all of his OTHER girl friends, but not me). And to me, Jeff and Vicki were always just doing life on a different level of "cool" from me. Although I knew them enough to say, "hello," that was about it. All of these great people struck me as somebody to take note of during those days. None of them were really my close buddies. Yet somehow this entire group mentioned danced through mine and each other's lives for 4+ years on that WKU campus.

This week I have been amazed at how God has brought these fantastic people back to the surface of my life once again. To each of you, you have given me "life" through our conversations and memories and LAUGHTER and your boldness to serve the Lord. Each of you have impacted my life with your faithfulness and relentless passion. In your own way you have inspired me with the way you are living life out in your corner of the world. And you have encouraged me to continue to take giant leaps for the sake of Christ.

Years have passed since we first met. . .12+ to be exact. I never had a clue that these last few days would happen. In the grand scheme of life, our brief time eating and drinking coffee together may have been nothing more than just a fun vacation moment. Who knows. But for those moments, your hearts and lives spoke into me. And your passion for a relationship with the Father shone brightly. You taught me to never underestimate any relationships, that's for sure. And maybe God will continue to do the weaving and maybe he won't (I hope he does). . .but for this week. . .thanks for the time you shared with us. I can't wait to see what adventures God has planned for you next!

My New Favorite Author

No one directed me to Debbie Macomber. I wasn't shopping for a fiction book. But as I passed through the book aisle at Costco a few weeks ago, this one just seemed to beg, "take me home." It's rare that I ever spend $ on a book unless it has been recommended and researched heavily first. Books are so stinkin' expensive, even though I admit that I love owning them much more than I should. But for $4.49, it was a risk I was willing to take. And let me just tell you. . .I have discovered my summer vacation! Who knew it resided in the pages of a book. I was thinking something tropical or adventurous sounded like a nice plan for the summer. But no, I discovered my summer vacation for $4.49. Now THAT's a deal!!!! And in my opinion, these books are somewhat equal in comparison to sipping a fruity concoction on the beach. You just need a little imagination.

Since reading Twenty Wishes, I have now researched and planned out my entire summer reading list. I feel like an elementary school student again doing my summer reading program. I wonder if I can get Kevin to buy me a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut when I complete my "vacation?" (That's what I remember getting as a kid when summer reading came to an end)

So, if you are like me. . .needing a good vacation. . .I simply suggest to you readers out there that this is a great place to start. Sorry, guys, it's pretty much a ladies only kind of book. But there is not mushy romance happening very often. . .just a lot of good clean and compelling fun. Click Here to start your vacation. . .and make sure to pick a series and read it from start to finish. The books seem to stand alone and yet I'm discovering that the order makes the journey much better. You'll find LOTS of them at the library. I can't help but wonder if I'm the last person standing to discover Debbie Macomber. Now that I mention her, EVERYONE seems to know her stuff. Check it out!

1st Grade! 1st Grade!

Today was the last official day of school. We now have a 1st grader, 2nd grader and 5th grader in the Colon family!! Girls, you did it again, and Daddy and I are so proud of you!

Kindergarten graduation was a very big deal for little Olivia.




I just love these priceless moments. . .

Olivia's Kindergarten Graduation from amy colon on Vimeo.

Happy Mother's Day to Me!

I have to say that Mother's Day, although it has always been celebrated in our home, is usually pretty low key, just like birthdays beyond 30 and President's Day. I prefer it that way. Just give me a day where I don't have to cook or clean, do laundry or pick up after anyone other than myself and I'm good.

This year, once again, was a fairly low key day. I am blessed to have a husband and kids who make sure that Mommy is taken care of well year round. So I don't expect or even feel the need for HUGE celebration. But as the girls get older they seem to get more excited about the whole idea of celebrating special occasions. And this year, I have to say that my greatest gift was getting to watch their excitement in their scheming and whispering and giggling as they planned to celebrate Mom.

Here's how the day went. . .
6:15 - Kevin and 3 little girls woke me up to go on a scavenger hunt. . .



And the treasure at the end of the hunt?. . .



Emma quickly took credit for this surprise. She is a great little shopper. Watch out future husband!

The Gift - Okay, so I was really good at making it obvious what I wanted. For weeks I have strategically walked the girls past the bikes every time we went to Target and said, "girls, wouldn't it be fun for Mommy to have a bike now that all of you are riding without training wheels? We could have so much fun this summer." Olivia, the precocious one that she is, quickly took the idea and ran with it. She has probably been whispering and telling this to Daddy over and over again for weeks. I guess you might call me sneaky to go about getting a gift in this way. . .I call it a valiant attempt to assure my family a very happy mommy - my gift to them. See everybody wins!

So here it is. . .my new Schwinn Cruiser



And here they are. . .the one's who call me Mommy



The day continued with a fabulous day at Cool River, a trip to every bike store in town, an afternoon nap while it rained, a solo outing to the AMC to watch 17 Again (two thumbs up and no, not just because it was Zac Efron. . .I'm married for goodness sake!) and dinner at Chili's. Kevin put the girls to bed. I read a book. Goodnight, Mommy! Now that's what I call a perfect day of celebrating!

Thank you Kevin! You amaze me at how you go above and beyond all expectations to love me!