Meet 2 Future Timberdoodle Families

Laura S. of Tennessee

Our family consists of Mom, Dad--who’s an engineer, and 3 kids:

• the karate chopper
• the horse rider
• the butterfly

We also have 2 dogs and 2 cats.

Mom of 2 of Madison, Mississippi

• Girly #1 is an athlete who loves the sport of tennis.
• Girly #2 enjoys story time, play, and singing.
• Mom and dad who enjoy their girls.
• 3 dogs: Tinks, Bossy, and Poppy
• 2 fish: Goldie and Polka Dot
• a turtle: Snappy

How do you Timberdoodle?

Laura: I have never bought anything from Timberdoodle but I look at the curriculum kits every year to get ideas.

Mom of 2: We have not started Timberdoodle yet but crossing fingers to win a curriculum to get started! I know these girls would love it!

Tell us about a typical school day at your house.

Laura: We start school about 9:00 a.m. If we need to sleep in, then we do. We work on school until lunch time and then take a break for 30-45 minutes. School is done by afternoon and we head off to horse riding or piano some days, others we go straght to chores. We like school and chores to be done by dinner time but with activities sometimes they aren’t. Dinner is at 5:30 because that is when Dad gets home.

Mom of 2: We don’t have a set schedule. The girls start after breakfast, break for lunch, about 15-20 minutes of play, then finish up anything we haven’t finish for the day. Chores done through day at different times.

If we peeked inside your home on a random Wednesday afternoon, what would we see?

Laura: Nobody at home! Horse riding lessons are Wednesday afternoon.

Mom of 2: Wednesday is their free day so you’d probably see the girls playing or we may be running errands and not be home.

If you could take your family anywhere you wanted for vacation where would you go?

Laura: To the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Mom of 2: To the beach at Destin, Florida.

What books have you read over and over?

Laura:

• Where the Red Fern Grows
• Old Yeller
• Little House

Mom of 2: A prayer book for children.

What dietary challenges does your family face?

Laura: Allergies to gluten, dairy and eggs. We don’t eat out often because it’s hard to find foods without those foods. We also spend more on groceries than some families.

Mom of 2: Always have fruit available!

What tips do you have for surviving a hard day?

Laura: Coffee and fresh air. Go outside and just walk around the yard if that’s all you can manage. And exercise daily.

Mom of 2: Yoga.

What's something your child has done that thrilled your soul?

Mom of 2: I love when Girly #1 writes me little letters and Girly #2 draws me pictures.

How does your family celebrate birthdays?

Laura: The birthday kid picks what’s for dinner, we eat cake and the birthday kid picks an activity to do, like go to a movie, bowling, trampoline park.

Mom of 2: We celebrate with a party filled with family and friends.

What have you done recently for the first time?

Laura: Cooked a steak.

What’s your favorite school day lunch?

Laura: Cheese quesadillas with fruit and cut up raw veggies.

Mom of 2: Sandwiches.

How would you manage if you had to homeschool without the internet?

Laura: I don’t think we would. Internet is crucial to our learning.

Mom of 2: Probably do a lot of reading and spend a lot of time at the library.

What tips do you have for other families?

Laura: Homeschool is a marathon not a sprint.

Mom of 2: Enjoy one another!

What is something you appreciate about each of your kids?

Laura: They’re all so different I could never get bored. They keep me on my toes.

Mom of 2: 

• Girly #1. I appreciate her kindness and thoughtfulness.
• Girly # 2. I appreciate her humor and toughness.

What song is currently in your head?

Laura: Lauren Daigle (all her songs). My daughter listens to it while she does school...so it is played outside of my head at the moment.

Tell us about your family’s favorite games.

Laura: We love Clue!

Mom of 2:

• Girly #1. Shut the Box.
• Girly #2. Alphabet Island.
• Mom and Dad. Scrabble.

What is your exercise routine and how often do you do it?

Laura: 5 days a week a mix of cardio and weights on Beachbody OnDemand.

Mom of 2: Yoga at least once a day. Both girls, trampoline and tennis.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in your homeschool that you called a “science experiment”?

Laura: Looking at moldy bread we found in the back of the pantry.

What hard thing are you planning to do this year?

Laura: Teaching biology has been pretty hard. I planned to do it, but didn’t plan for it being this hard.

Mom of 2: Having the girls involved in the remodeling of our house.

What did you do just for fun with your kids recently?

Laura: Hiking at a nearby state park.

Mom of 2: Go to the movies.

What would you name your boat if you had one?

Laura: The Lounge.

Mom of 2: Lovely.

If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?

Laura: To ride horses in events like jumping.

Mom of 2: Painting.

What’s the last recipe you looked up?

Laura: Earth Milk.

Mom of 2: Chicken noodle soup.

What apps do you use the most?

Laura:

• Facebook
• local weather app
• YouTube

Mom of 2:

• email app
• ABC mouse

If you could sum up your homeschool style or philosophy in one phrase what would it be?

Laura: Individualized.

What do your kids want to be when they grow up?

Laura:

• Kid 1: mechanic
• Kid 2: meteorologist
• Kid 3: zoo keeper

Mom of 2:

• Girly #1: tennis player
• Girly #2: doctor

What extracurricular activities is your family involved in?

Laura:

• horse riding
• piano
• taekwondo
• basketball

Mom of 2:

• dance
• tennis

If you have a moment to yourself what do you like to do?

Laura: Drink coffee.

Mom of 2: Read.

What’s your favorite school day breakfast?

Laura: Cereal.

Mom of 2: Bacon and grits.

What’s the best homeschool field trip you’ve ever been on?

Laura: Jamestown (as a family but it was for school).

Mom of 2: Pumpkin patch/farm.

The grocery store cashier asks, “But what about socialization?” What do you say?

Laura: Never been asked that. I guess my kids appear socialized.

Mom of 2: "Our kids are involved in co-ops that allow them interact with other children."

What’s the funniest thing one of your kids ever said?

Laura: Too many to list. Latest one is my teenager turning RNA translation into a Star Wars scene to remember it.

Mom of 2: Girly #2 explaining volcanoes and said, “It burmpt the ground.”

What do you do for fun as a family?

Laura:

• pontoon boating
• hiking
• cooking
• movies

Mom of 2: Watch shows together.

How do you continue to educate yourself?

Laura: Reading.

Mom of 2: Read.

What are favorite healthy snacks at your house?

Laura: Carrots dipped in hummus.

Mom of 2: Apples.

What's the best museum you've ever gone to?

Mom of 2: Art museum.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in homeschooling?

Laura: Trying to do things like our love school. When I let that go a weight was lifted.

Mom of 2: Finding a curriculum that’s right for my family and having my kids love to learn

What is your favorite thing about having kids?

Mom of 2: They bring laughter and joy.

What’s the best vacation you have ever taken as a family?

Laura: The beach.

Mom of 2: Destin, Florida.

What’s your favorite in-a-pinch dinner option?

Laura: Cheese quesadilla.

Mom of 2: Burgers.

What’s the strangest place you’ve done school?

Laura: Mammogram office.

Mom of 2: Outside on a picnic.

Share a favorite organizational tip.

Laura: Use clear plastic bins for each kid for school work.

Mom of 2: Binders!

What special gifts or talents do your kids have?

Mom of 2: 

• Girly #1. Tennis.
• Girly #2. Singing.

Tell us something unique or unusual about your family.

Laura: We’ve moved quite a bit and aren’t afraid to do it again. Moving somewhere brand new can be fun.

What’s making you laugh these days?

Laura: My very fat cat that beats up my German Shepherd.

Mom of 2: My kids.

What do you do for P.E. in your homeschool?

Laura:

• play outside
• taekwondo
• basketball

Mom of 2: Tennis.

What’s your best time of day to homeschool?

Laura: Late morning.

Mom of 2: Morning.

Tell us something interesting about your local area.

Laura: There’s lots of amazing waterfalls.

Mom of 2: Nice trails.

What dream for your family has come true?

Mom of 2: Homeschooling our kids.

What’s the most useless talent you have?

Laura: Catching grapes thrown at my mouth.