The Webb Family's 20-Year Vision

In twenty years Dad and I will be in our 50s.  We will be healthy, energetic, and deeply in love with other.  Our children will probably be in college or serving missions.  Maybe a couple kids will be married, and they may have a child or two of their own.  They may be just finishing up school, or going on to post-graduate work. Or they may have chosen a unique path—different from formal schooling, but in every case our children are gradually discovering their unique, personal life missions and putting their lives in place to fulfill them. 

I imagine our extended family getting together in the glory of summertime.  I imagine majestic mountains, dirt roads, deep blue lakes, tall pine trees, long grasses, wild flowers, wide open spaces, and rustic cabins or simple tents—surrounded by the beauty of nature--to hike, bike, swim and/or climb together.  I imagine being inspired by the scenery of God’s creations as we enjoy using our amazing bodies.  I imagine sharing ideas and stories from the books we’ve read or from life’s lessons as we spend time together.  I will feel immense satisfaction from having the whole family together again—I will compare it to what Heaven must be like.   I will be humbled at the growth and wisdom of my children, of whom I’ve learned to respect and admire at a whole new level.

At the end of a full day we’ll watch the sun set, build a roaring campfire, and cook some delicious meal to share.  We have learned to survive in the outdoors, and we all feel very much at home out here in nature.  After the dishes are cleaned and put away, we’ll gather everyone together around the campfire with an instrument or two and sing songs of fun and inspiration.  We’ll toast marshmallows and pass around snacks.  The grandchildren (if any) will listen or join in as the adults tell jokes, share stories, and discuss life.  We’ll laugh and cry together.  We’ll stay up late.  We are each other’s best friends.  When it’s time to turn in we’ll join in a circle to pray, asking God to bless our family.  We feel a deep satisfaction and sense of joy from being together.  We will love and support each other in this journey called life, wherever it may lead us.

Composed 3/2012.  Inspired by A House United, by Nicholeen Peck

"Core Phase" Curriculum

CORE PHASE “CURRICULUM”

A Leadership Education

·     Right & Wrong

·     Good & Bad

·     True & False

·     Relationships

·     Family Values, especially spiritual culture

·     Family Identity, including family history and mission

·     Family Routines & Responsibilities

·     Accountability

·     The Value & Love of Work and Play

“Parents should be nurturing healthy relationships and modeling an active spiritual and scholarly life.”

McKay's NOT first day of Kindergarten

I didn't expect to feel any these feelings today.  I really did great not thinking about it all summer long--well, except when some mom friend of mine would exclaim how excited she was to send her child to his/her first day of kindergarten and how much easier life would become with at least a few extra hours a day to herself.  I can't imagine, I would say.  No, I really can't.  Then, would life really get easier without my son McKay?  He's just getting old enough to help!  I've never wavered in my desire to home school my kids--nope, never really planned on sending them to public school, yet, to be fair to everyone, I looked into the local elementary school here, which happens to be next door, a stone's throw away, and it's only for 2 1/2 hours each day.  Why don't I jump on that?  It's FREE child care!  I know, it's the hardest, yet easiest decision I've ever had to make.  Hard, because it's made on faith, and it means a lion's share of responsibility on my part.  Easy, because I know God's is pleased with our decision to home school.  Easy, because it's right, and things are falling into place.  Hard, because it's a lonely job sometimes--there's no a lot of home schoolers in my immediate area.  Easy, because I have some incredible family and mentor support.

But, no, my child is not going to his first day of Kindergarten tomorrow.  No school lunch, no new outfit, no new backpack filled with fresh new school supplies.  No apple for the teacher, no new friends and new stories.

But YES, I get to have my beautiful child with me at home for another year.  Another year to teach him right and wrong, true and false, good and bad.  Another year to strengthen relationships with God and family.  Another year to inspire honorable character and service to others.

Sad, a little.  Grateful and at peace?  Yes.

Our Family's Birthday Traditions

Age:

1-Family/Friends Celebration

2-Family/Friends Celebration

3-Family/Friends Celebration

4-Friends Birthday Party-Home

5-Friends Birthday Party-Other Venue

6-Hiking/Backpacking/Fishing/Campout with Dad

7-Friends Birthday Party-Home

8-Special Birthday Dinner with Parents

9-Friends Birthday Party-Other Venue

10-Sporting Event with Dad

11-Friends Birthday Party-Home

12-Attend General Conference with Parent

13-Friends Birthday Party-Other Venue

14-Theme Park with Friend/Parent

15-open choice*

16-open choice*

17-open choice*

18-open choice*

*Some possible options:

-Hiking/Backpacking w/ Dad

-Fishing/Campout w/ Dad

-Friends or Family Party

-Dinner at a special restaurant with Mom and Dad

McKay's First Chapter Book!

Well, I have been wondering for a while when McKay would be old enough for chapter books. He turns 5 next month. We read books all the time and he was listening to longer and more advanced picture books, so I thought it was about time to take the plunge. I pulled a book off the shelf called Stuart Little by E. B. White. This is a good one to start with perhaps-- I thought.

Well, it worked! At times I wondered if he was really listening because he'd fidget or play with toys or the baby but I kept at it. I wondered if he was following enough to want to read the next chapter, or understand what he was hearing. Well, we've read several days now and he keeps asking for more. We even started another chapter book by E. B. White: Charlotte's Web! Funny, it just happened that way . . .

Well, I'm proud to say we are officially reading chapter books to our boys now--"boys" because Elijah and Sam are hearing them too--subconsciously!

"Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible -- the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family."  

-- Virginia Satir

McKay discovers MATH!

Introducing math to McKay has been a unplanned technique spanning many months. I bought a few "math games" from the Lakeshore Learning Store months ago and he "plays" with them every once in awhile. In the car sometimes we randomly give him equations to figure out in his mind or on his fingers. It's always been a fun thing to do. Someone gave me some old math textbooks with rip-out tests and quizzes some time ago. I decided to show him the book yesterday and he has been wanting to do it non-stop! Mostly number recognition, addition problems, larger or smaller than, etc.,-type stuff but numbers non-the-less! He follows me around the house with the book asking for help, even taking it in the car to work on. We've also been checking books out from the library about money and coins and that has also introduced some numbers and math to him. One thing that has also helped is our neighbor has a pretty snazy remote-control car that McKay recently decided he wanted and now he's "saving up" to buy one (a much cheaper one of course!) and that is quite the incentive for him to be able to save and count his money earnings (from the chores he does). Kind of fun to watch the growth. It's nothing I'm forcing, but I'm trying to find ways to inspire him with numbers.