July 2012 - Educating Laytons

Just For Fun: TWO Free Scavenger Hunts!

July 31, 2012 By Stef

This week I decided to throw in two free scavenger hunts – Magazines and Real Life Heroes.

Click here –>Magazines Scavenger Hunt to print this free pdf. We have many subscriptions (mainly Real Simple, golf publications, and a few science ones too. So – you might take a trip to the book store or Target aisle to find a few of these).

Click here –>Real Heroes Scavenger Hunt to print this free pdf. It’s not everyday we talk about real heroes. But there are plenty out there – do you know any of these (famous or next door?)

I hope you enjoy these free scavenger hunts!

Also of homeschool interest – I’m sharing Back to School Fun at The Happy Housewife. Kick off a new year something special! I’m also sharing how to enjoy a B ackyard Nature Studies at The Homeschool Scientist.

Filed Under: Just For Fun Tagged With: scavenger hunts

Homeschool Physical Activity

July 30, 2012 By Stef

Have you considered Homeschool Physical Activity?

Keeping our homeschool children active isn’t always easy when we’re “home”. Each season our boys participate in our church’s UpWard sports, but one day practice per week is not enough activity for growing boys.

The rise in childhood obesity in our culture is sadly overwhelming. Hubs and I are trying to do something different. As a family we are taking a more active role and joining our children in an active life style.

Walking, golfing, swimming, skiing, jumping, swinging or bike riding … we don’t expect them to do it alone we are joining them!

What activities are you doing with your children to lead by example that a healthy lifestyle is important?

The stats are scary - In 1980 obesity in children, ages 6-11, was a mere 6.5% but by 2008 it increased to 19.6%.

Our children need more than physical activity — they need to be educated about healthy food choices. They need parents who are going to buy healthy snacks rather than cheap, empty, fatty snacks just because they taste good.

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Daniel 1:8

I’m not suggesting you make your children fast or become vegetarians, but I am suggesting you give them healthy options. Keep cookies, brownies, and cakes for special occasions. Little Debbie is not your friend. This was a HUGE learning lesson for me as I am a comfort eater and with a traveling husband … zero accountability!

Pack snacks so drive thru’s are not necessary and only treated as a “special occasion” not an every occasion! A little planning will go a long way for our children’s health!

Homeschool Physical Activity ~ it all starts with us!

You might also consider Family Time Fitness if you are looking for fun home activity curriculum.

Filed Under: Extra Tagged With: physical activity

the everything post

July 27, 2012 By Stef

I don’t know what happened but I’m a day ahead in my head and a day behind on my blog. So there goes that blogging schedule …
I “launched” a new blog – Reclaiming the Family.

God has been pressing on my heart to start writing what I want to stand up Check out the Why This page or read why My Man is NO Prince Charming!!

Weight loss has stalled out. I think this is what they call a plateau. But lets be honest – I really wasn’t pushing myself. So – we started walking our neighborhood at night with weighed backpacks.

We have a “hill” on the mile hike down and then back up. I’m not miserably sore, but I sure am tender each morning. It’s going to help us when we’re in Yosemite in September (I’ve done it w/ 13lbs and w/ 20lbs. I don’t like the 20lbs.)

Still juicing one meal per day and I think I’ve found my favorite concoction: 3 apples w/ handfuls of spinach, 1 orange, 3 fat carrots, and some strawberries or yesterday I tried a lime.

Homeschool has been put on hold another week as we wrap up golf camp. We’ve been spending a lot of time playing cards, jumping on the trampoline, reading Harry Potter, and hanging out watching Leave It To Beaver on Netflix (we cut cable last week - which kinda stinks with the Olympics). These are my favorite things!

The attitude in the house has been pleasant and brothers are enjoying each other. I couldn’t ask for more than that!

these two moments this week I want to remember forever. They are laughing and sharing and learning together. This is a happy mama’s heart collage!

In other news – we are continuing to plan our Labor Day vacation out west. We’ll be flying to Salt Lake City to pick up our lovely nieces & nephew for a camping trip in Yellowstone (dropping them back off for school) and then heading west by train to Yosemite. We want to give these boys a real adventure. After camping in Yosemite we’ll be hitting San Francisco – where hubs and I spent our honeymoon 10 years ago!

Have you been on a long vacation? Any tips for me ??

*linking up to Homegrown Learners and Finding Joy.

Did you catch yesterday’s free TOYS scavenger hunt? I’m using it while the boys clean their rooms!