Yes, you can use with out the notebooks. I tried using the notebooks the first year we used Apologia and we used very little of them and have not used since.
Instead what we use are spiral notebooks I found that the upper 1/2 is blank and the lower 1/2 is lined. The kids can draw, and I can write what they tell me about their drawing. As they got older they start writing their own information. My kids really like this option! I found them at Miller Pads and they have different lines depending on the grade/ability for writing.
They are called “Picture Story Book” if you look at Miller Pads and Paper online. There is also a “Note Sketch Book”