OneLuckeyWife

How do you handle life with now that you have two kids? Many people get asked this question once they have a new addition to the family. Well at first it was very hard for me. I had postpartum depression for a few weeks. It was very rough for me. Once I was better it was pretty easy for me to to add our second baby into our regular schedule.  Much like our toddler schedule  I let the girls wake up whenever they do. I try to get up around 7:30 am and get in a workout. The at 8 am I start breakfast for the girls and have a cup of tea. At 8:30 am I do pilates and stretching with our oldest. 9 am starts reading time and by 9:30 am I’m prepping for the school day. At 10 am we start school and little sis goes down for a nap. We have lunch at 12-1 pm. I start on chores and the girls play. We take a walk and play with Ice and the neighbors.  I like to start dinner by 5-5:30 pm. Bedtime routine starts for little sis at 6 pm. Big sis gets to play until her bedtime routine at 8 pm. ...

As we wrapped up our kindergarten year, I found myself searching for a comprehensive way to ensure our daughter had truly retained the core concepts we had covered. I quickly realized that traditional "end-of-year" exams for the kindergarten level are surprisingly scarce. That search led me to the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) Practice Test for Levels A and B. Unlike standard subject-based testing, this booklet assesses cognitive abilities—the fundamental "how" of a child's thinking process. For those unfamiliar with the acronym, the OLSAT is a widely recognized tool used to identify students for gifted and talented programs, and this prep book is specifically designed for children ages three to six. The manual begins with exceptionally detailed instructions on how to administer the exam based on your child's specific age group. Since our daughter is five, the protocol requires me to read each question aloud only once; the rest of the analytical w...

If you are searching for a seamless, engaging introduction to world history, The Story of the World is an absolute gold standard. One of my favorite features as an educator with dyslexia is the manageable chapter length; the readings are concise and approachable, preventing the "information overload" that often comes with historical texts. For families who are constantly on the move, there is also an audiobook version available—a popular choice among fellow homeschoolers for "car-schooling" sessions. While the depth of the material occasionally covers topics I don’t even remember from my own school days, I appreciate the global perspective. It introduces diverse cultures and belief systems in a way that is respectful and historically focused, showing the rich tapestry of what people have believed throughout time. The true heartbeat of this curriculum, however, is the Activity Book . I actually took mine to a local office supply store to have it spiral-bound—separat...

If you are searching for a resource that empowers young students to feel like true illustrators, Step-by-Step Drawing is an absolute gem. The book’s title is a literal promise; each two-page spread meticulously breaks down different subjects into manageable, basic shapes. This simplicity is vital for budding artists; complicated tutorials can quickly lead to frustration if a child’s work doesn't mirror the example. By starting with the foundational geometry of an object, this book ensures that even a five-year-old can achieve a "win" every time they pick up a pencil. The curriculum begins with very basic forms and gradually introduces "design variations," showing students how to add texture, patterns, and extra details to elevate their work. Our daughter, who lives and breathes all things art, has found this immensely rewarding. One of the best functional aspects of the workbook is the generous amount of white space on each page. It encourages repetition, allow...

Finding the right end-of-year assessment can be a daunting task, especially when you’re looking to confirm that your kindergartner has truly retained the year's information. I quickly discovered that dedicated kindergarten booklets are surprisingly rare, which led me to the Test Prep: Grade 1 (Flash Kids Harcourt Family Learning) . While it is technically a first-grade resource, its layout is incredibly accessible for students ages five and up. This workbook doesn’t just evaluate one subject; it assesses a wide range of cognitive and academic abilities across 13 units, making it a comprehensive "one-stop shop" for year-end peace of mind. The journey starts with a deep dive into w ord study , which our daughter navigated with ease. It covers essential phonics skills like rhyming and matching beginning sounds, as well as choosing the correct word to represent a picture. From there, it moves seamlessly into r eading comprehension , where the student reads a short story and a...

If you are looking to supplement your geography curriculum with high-quality, engaging material, the Skill Sharpeners Geography workbook is an outstanding choice. This series focuses on the core competencies young students need to master, utilizing a "Read-Work-Do" structure that is incredibly effective for retention. Each lesson begins with a focused reading section to introduce the topic, followed by reinforcing exercises, and concludes with a hands-on activity to drive the concept home. The curriculum is organized into five main topics, each expanded upon to ensure a deep understanding of the material. One of the immediate draws for our daughter is how colorful and vibrant the pages are; in our experience, black-and-white workbooks can sometimes feel stagnant and fail to capture a child's imagination. The lessons are intentionally concise, making it completely doable to finish a full concept in a single day. However, since we school year-round and prefer to stretch ou...

 It may appear like we have a perfect school day everyday but that is far from the truth. Some days it’s a really struggle. Getting distracted, frustrated, annoyed? Yep we have those days, too. I’ve learned some way around this though. Our daughter gets distracted sometimes when the TV is on, little sis is doing something funny or when daddy comes into the room. Distraction is the easiest for us to overcome. I turn off the TV, wait till little sis is taking a nap before we start school or ask daddy to leave the room. Frustration is a bit harder to overcome. When our daughter is frustrated I have her stand up, take a step back and ask her to jump in place, bend down and stand up, point in different directions, hop on one leg, etc. she finds the different actions randomly chosen to be hilarious. Once she’s full of laughter we go back to school. When I get frustrated I let her go off and play for a bit while I compose myself.  Sometimes, it’s incredibly annoying when she refuses ...