Kaake Family Blog

photo credit - http://blog.cyber-rain.com/?paged=2 What do you do on days when it's dreary and raining outside?  Being a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom...these days can seem to last forever if we don't figure out something fun to do.  Here's some ideas we like.  If you have any, please post them below. Take the kids to an indoor play area.  Whether it be a free area like the mall, or an indoor play area like Jungle Java; sometimes just getting out can make a huge difference. Get out the board games!  We have so many board games but don't play them as often as I'd like.  It would be fun to have a board day extravaganza!  Bring on the popcorn! Have a story hour.  If you have an older child who can read, how much more fun for them to read to their younger siblings!  Lyshie has been known to hold both her brothers in her lap while reading to them.  It's so precious! Build a fort!  Did you ever make those forts with c...

My first child was a girl.  My sweet baby Lyshie!  She is now almost 12 years old and is not just my child, she's my friend.  When Allysha was almost 7, we had our son, Jon.  When I found out he was a boy from the ultrasound, my heart ached.  I almost cried and conveyed my disappointment to my husband.  You see, I've never been an energetic person.  What would a woman who had a daughter for almost 7 years do with a boy?  Surely, we would both be a disappointment to each other. My husband in his wisdom told me to look at this as something new we could share together.  You see, I had lived quite a godless life before and had experienced many things before I had even met my wonderful Matt.  He had a point...I needed to give myself up to this idea.   Oh how God loves and moves in our lives! By the time my son was born, I was so in love with him.  Today my Jon is 5 years old.  What a true joy he has been and st...

We have found that if we can add fun into our homeschool, the kids learn much faster.  I was at Goodwill yesterday and found this game; Sunken Treasure Adventure.  Jon and I played it for the first time this morning and had a fabulous time!  The best thing is that he was learning while having fun!  Below is a list of games we have played that have been very helpful not only for schooling, but good, quality family time.  Some are for younger kids and some are for higher elementary/middle schoolers. Games: Sunken Treasure Adventure board game - phonetics Candy Land  - counting, colors Go Fish by Playchest Games - memory Wild Craft - my daughter loves this game! - plants and their healing benefits. Battleship - strategy Almighty Heroes Adventure - bible Checkers - the jumbo version - strategy. Yahtzee - strategy/chance

I got a very cute little book from the library yesterday. Today, Jon and I snuggled on our oversized chair after we had done school for a relaxed book reading. The book starts out with a little girl who is going to see her Grandpa. She wanted to take him a gift, so off she goes with "a beautiful bunch of bananas". Along the way she meets all kinds of obstacles. The first sweeps the bananas right out of her arms and into the water. She has 4 other mishaps on the short trip to her Grandpa's house that cause her to lose her gift for her Grandpa. During this whole time, she never complains, sits down and cries or gives up. She continues on her journey regardless of the obstacles knowing that she is soon going to reach her destination; her Grandfather's house. While reading through this book it reminded me of the Christian life. Obstacles will always come; and generally when we least expect them. They will sometimes throw us for a whirl, while stretching our fa...

What a gem! I went to pick up some books today that I planned on purchasing from a fellow homeschooler. She said she had a book she thought we might be able to use and she'd throw it in for free. THe book is called Natural Wonders by Jan Thurman-Veith. I've been homeschooling for over 7 years now, so it takes something for me to get excited. I've pretty much seen it, done that, etc... Well, I have not seen this book till today and it's amazing! Very easy to use, great concepts, lots of fun for the kiddos, etc... The first page got me hooked. Now of course the whole book isn't about mushy feelings. However, being a mushy mom, I loved this! Here's what it says. Animal Affections Each child chooses an animal to be and then shows the affection the animal might give. Bear Hug - wrap arms around someone and give the biggest, strongest, tightest hug bearable. Butterfly Kisses - Flutter eyelashes on someone's neck Caterpillar Squeeze - Wrap someone tig...

How many times have we heard that one; or even said them ourselves? It's true, it really is the little things in life that make my day. Hand picked wild flowers from the kids, someone doing the dishes, a song sang to me or written about me, etc... Those are the things I treasure. Now, thinking about your kids, do you do those little things for them? Sometimes it's easy for me to think about doing those things for my hubby but overlooking them for my children. I'm around my children 24/7 almost 365 days a year. Sometimes it's easy to over look those small things that my children need as well. What are some little things that would just make your child's day? Here's some ideas from my kids. Lyshie age 11: getting her a game for her gameboy as a surprise picking her flowers taking her out for a special treat special movie night (even at home) with either her brother or mom lego time with daddy Jon age 4: making him mac n cheese cruisin'...

I can hear it already. Did your thoughts go something like this? "I'd love to cook with my kids but it's so much easier if I just do it myself" "Are you kidding? My kids aren't interested in spending time with me in the kitchen!" "Oh the mess. That's the only time I have alone during the day. I'd like to keep it that way." I'm sure there are other hindrances out there. All the points above I admit are somewhat valid. Think on this; as a parent, you are responsible for raising a healthy, productive adult. That includes an adult that can find their way around the kitchen. Here's some things we've learned while letting our kids pull up a chair and help us in the kitchen. 1. When allowed to make up one meal per week or every two weeks, the kids really get excited about not only cooking but shopping for the food as well. 2. Kids tend to eat more since they helped prepare the food. I don't know what it...

I hope your Mother's Day was a wonderful as mine. I felt so much love from my family yesterday. I don't want you to think that I don't every day; however, yesterday they made sure to do all the things that make me feel extra special. Matt stayed up very late the night before to make me some very yummy cheesecake. He was up till almost 3am! When we got up he made me a breakfast of farm fresh sausage and (store bought) eggs. Unfortunately, my egg was spoiled. We didn't know that till I took my 3rd bite and realized it just was not right. I told him people will ask what I got for Mother's Day and I'll say "food poisoning", rofl! In the midst of there somewhere, Jon had given me his gifts. It was 2 cookie sheets! I have needed these for so long! My only cookie sheet had gotten ruined. What a huge blessing! What a perfect gift coming from our little cook. We headed off to church, everyone exhausted, but we made it. :) Good service and ni...

I happened across this delightful book at our local library. It is so neat! I encourage you to check it out or purchase it for your little one. My almost 4 year old loved it! I of course had to paraphrase, however the illustrations are amazing! What better book to read than something about spring! As far as the illustrations, when it talks about planting seeds, there are pictures of seeds on the edges of the pages. When it talks about the bugs in the garden, there are pictures of the different kinds of bugs you might find in a garden on the edges of those pages. So neat!

I remember awhile back when I was first married I dove into the book,  The Five Love Languages. This helped me learn much more about my spouse and how he communicates with his love language. What a difference that has made. Taking that a step further, I have been looking for the love languages in my children. They too need to be loved in a way they understand. I have not yet read the book that was made for children but I believe the concept is probably the same. What have I found out? Lyshie's main love language is gift giving. That is followed up by words of affirmation. Let me give you an example. Lyshie loves to purchase and make gifts for everyone around her. To her, that is the way she shows them love. In turn, the way you show Allysha love is by getting/making her gifts. The same thing rings true with words of affirmation. She needs to know she's doing a great job in her chores and school, etc... That is also the way she shows love - by telling others h...