Let's Homeschool

Giving Children a Choice

2011-02-25T08:13:00.000-08:00

I am a mother hen. I think that I was given the intuition and know how to care for my children. This does not mean I am perfect but, in general, I think I do the best I know how.

Today there was an article that a mother was concerned because she wanted to homeschool her 8 year old daughter but the daughter didn't want to. To this mother, I would ask: What is your motivation? Is it the well being of the child? Why do you think you want to homeschool?

But more importantly, if in your heart and soul you know that it is the best thing for your child, it doesn't matter what an eight year old says to you. You are her mother, act like it.

This may sound harsh and I give my children a voice. However, I listen to them, validate them and empathize and then we have a discussion about why they have a parent. This is not me explaining my choices to them. There are times where this is fine but there are also times where you just say that you are doing something because you are the parent and have decided. Depends on the child and the age.

How do you deal with your children? Would you put any weight on an eight year olds choice of homeschooling or not?

Track

2010-09-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

This is a brag post - you have been warned.

My 13 year old son comes to me and says that he wants to run a 5k in a few weeks (this was several weeks ago). I told him I thought that was great but didn't want to make too much fuss because I didn't want him to feel any pressure from me. But the day of the race came and he was up at 6:30 am getting himself ready and fed for the event. He even wanted to walk the mile down to the starting point.

I took him to the 5k event and dropped him off. He finished! He was beaming. He managed to come in 61 out of about 80 runners. But the fact that he put his mind to it and finished was amazing and that made me so proud!

He was so sore the next few days but in a good way. He now says he is sure he wants to run track when he goes into public school next year. I am glad he has already found a niche with friends that are involved in the same thing and they are good kids. I am so lucky to have this boy who so far chooses to do good things with his time and energy and he seeks out good friends.

The Last Year

2010-09-13T15:33:00.001-07:00

This very well may be my last year homeschooling. Since my husband and I will soon finalize our divorce and he isn't here to help with the kids I will need to do real estate and for me to have some hours to do it I will have to put all four of these wonderful children in school. I think they will all love it and be excited. I hope I have done right by them and that they have learned what is needed to compete in the school system. They are so brilliant and ready for any learning you hand to them. Yes, they have their shortcomings but overall they are just great little learners. I am a bit biased.

My heart is sad for my own selfish sake. I will miss being here for each moment where they understand a new concept. Each moment they do something for the first time and I will miss this connection with them that has come so easily from homeschooling. I know I can still be connected but it will be hard work to keep it that way and being single with four will not make it easier as there are not a lot of avenues for help.

Here's to my kids and them having a successful last year of homeschooling.

I want summer!

2010-06-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

Well, we fell behind on our curriculum because of two different moves as well as huge life changes and ill health. But now the weather is glorious, and I have the itch to be in the yard or to go and do something fun! I get spring fever even at 35! It is as if the 3rd grader in me never died and I just look out of windows longingly for the time that I am free to go.

I guess that the best we can do to cure this for now is take our work outside, or to a park or a pretty location and get it done! Maybe one day we will have a traditional school year where summers are meant for vacation and travel or long lazy summer days! Ah, the daydreams!

Attendance Annoyance

2010-06-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

This is strictly a grip post so please forgive me.

I love using K12 curriculum and I love the fact that it is publicly funded more than words can say. However, there are pros and cons to everything. Right now I am not up to date with marking the attendance for one of three children. The state does not like this. They claim we have flexibility, freedom and that we are homeschooling but in this one area, no we aren't. I have to enter this tedious information instead of spending time with my children and I resent that. I get that it is the game you play to use the program and get it for free. It just gets under my skin. Other parents get to educate their children for free and don't even have to worry about anything but getting them dressed and out the door during the day. But us, with the load we carry, we have to be different or our tax dollars won't cover the education of our own children.

This may not be such a gripe with me if I hadn't paid a huge amount of state tax. I don't begrudge my taxes, I pay them willingly and I teach my children that we are lucky for the system that is in place. It just amazes me that my kids don't use a desk, take up space, use supplies at the school, use the library or need monitoring at a building but I pay the same as everyone else and I have to put more effort into it. All in all, it is worth the effort but today it is on my last nerve.

Thanks for letting me get that out! All better now! Better get marking the attendance.

The School of Life

2010-05-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

The kids are having a long weekend. Our actual school curriculum will run through summer this year as we got thrown for a few curve balls this year. Friday the kids went and helped their grandfather with some big time work and they loved it. They learned great things and were so satisfied after a day of heavy work.

We are doing family things the rest of the weekend as well before getting back to curriculum on Tuesday. In the meantime there are some very valuable lessons being learned at our house.

1. Homeschool families all must feel this at times: it is a challenge to get along when you are almost always together. While we all do our own thing from time to time even when at home, we are together more than the average family and it can be hard to not be overly irritable at those closest to you. The kids are more and more learning the value of respecting each other, talking kindly and being courteous to each other. With all the changes that have gone on in their lives this past year, they are valuing each other and the fact that they are the one constant for each other. Family truly is everything and should be treated as such.

2. Family should not have to pay you to have you help. The boys worked with their grandfather and were then paid for it. They were over paid actually at is was their own fault that they were. They both came home and even though they were satisfied from working hard all day there was tension in the air and they were not happy inside. We had a great talk and instead of forcing them to do anything I left the outcome up to them. I simply told them that if something doesn't feel right - fix it and do what it takes to become at peace inside. Today, one did so and another struggled deeply. These are wonderful learning experiences.

3. As I have stated before: the future wives of my sons owe me a thank you card. My boys today learned how to hang blinds. They did amazing and they worked together. On top of this, they did all the yard work once again and the younger son did a majority of the mowing for the first time. This made him feel very good about himself and he also has a new skill. So, girls, when you marry my boys or even date them, you can thank me for the things they know how to fix, do and make right for you. :)

These may seem like small things but to me they are the things that make life matter and that make us feel good inside. Not only do we homeschool but we are trying to find teaching moments in every moment.

Changing Grades

2010-05-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

In the current homeschooling program our oldest child only has one more year of publicly funded curriculum available through our local school district. We use the K12 virtual school and we have really liked it. I can't say that I love marking all the lessons, assessments and attendance but it doesn't hurt me either.

In my head I guess I have always seen my kids going to a public high school but I have come to realize that you should not set your mind in stone about many things because as people and needs change, so does your mindset. I'm not sure my oldest will be going to a public school in the 9th grade but if not I will most likely purchase a similar or same curriculum.

While taking the risk of boring you I have to say that I am amazed that we have been homeschooling for nine years now! I will not lie, there are days where it feels like nine years but then in the overall picture it seems like it goes by in the blink of an eye. I remember my oldest child so anxious to get to ride a school bus and struggling with the decision about whether or not to homeschool him. I recall how my heart broke when I had to tell him that he wouldn't be riding the bus, that we were doing school at home. Lucky for me, I think his wise little soul knew it was right for him even back then because he did not give me any grief.

So, as I have my kids going into 8th, 7th and 2nd grades (the youngest will be in preschool), I look back and have no regrets for having chosen this path. Yes, there were days, weeks and months that I could have done better but who does not have those feelings?

Testing

2010-05-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again where my kids just did the end of level testing. Some would know this as state standardized testing. I am not the biggest fan of testing mainly because I never test well but I know that in any given class I learn so much. The tests are never a true reflection of what I understand or how I know to utilize information in my life. It has always made me mad that so many things in life ride on a simple test when too many factors can sway results on any given day.

My children don't seem to mind doing the end of level testing. They always come out feeling like they did their best. And this year they felt particularly good. They have a great teacher with our online school who is always up beat and positive. She is like a ray of sunshine. She is also very resourceful and full of knowledge. She is such a great support and she is never bossy or condescending. I love that about her and we have been lucky enough to have her for several years now.

All in all, testing went well. We are good for several more months until we find out what testing comes with fall this year.

Making Your Home More Efficient - Great Science Project

2010-03-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

In our family we are always looking for ways to save money! We also love the idea of being energy efficient. Using our resources wisely is very important to us. Today I learned of a great site that will help us all and the best part about it is that it's free!!!

We went to Microsoft Hohm and learned about home energy. After entering the site I signed up for my free account which took all of a few seconds of my time. Then I was asked to enter some very general information about my home. Information like what kind of water heater, furnace and air conditioning as well as square footage, year built and how many levels the home is.

Energy saving tips come as soon as you fill out this information but they get even more specific if you enter your energy provider information. For our family certain tips were to use our programmable thermostat to it's fullest capacity. We live where it is very hot in the summer so just by programming the air conditioner by two degrees higher it shows us how much we can save! This was amazingly insightful and the kids loved learning the terms for the energy sources and seeing the data. It also made the kids more aware of just how much energy we were using in our own household. It was a shock to us all!

Our home appliances could be a bit better. It would be nice if the dryer and the oven were on natural gas and we would love to switch over as finances allow. Things in our home such as televisions and computer monitors take energy that we weren't even thinking about. One tip suggested lowering the computer display mode which is something we can do in just a few seconds but can really add up.

Everyone can benefit from saving money and the world benefits when we use our energy resources wisely. You should definitely visit Microsoft Hohm and take a few minutes to see what more you can do! This is a great family project!

Glass Vessel Sinks - WOW!

2010-02-17T23:24:00.000-08:00

We have been looking at rental apartments and homes. We have even been considering some of the more affordable homes to purchase lately since there are so many short sales and foreclosures on the market. Some of these homes need some love but if you get a home at the right price and have some vision you can have a lot of fun!

One great idea that I have been seeing a lot of in design magazines and on home improvement shows is to use fun and artistic sinks and fixtures in your bathroom and even your kitchen. For instance if you have a half bath that you only use for guests and you want to make it a little piece of heaven in your home that even you want to enjoy you could consider a glass sink.

One of my girlfriends does some interior decorator work and she helps some home builders pick out fixtures along with flooring and paint, etc. She just helped a client choose a glass vessel sink. These are so cool! I must say that they add an artistic flare to an area that is fun and can even be whimsical depending on the style. I was looking online and found that there are many of these sinks available at MR Direct.

MR Direct is a company that not only makes their own brand of products like glass sinks but also makes stainless steel sinks (some with the apron front) and more. They have fixtures and sinks galore and their products come with a limited lifetime guarantee. If you look you will see that this company has some of the best pricing available on these great items that make your house unique. What keeps the cost so low is that they not only make the product but they distribute it directly to you so there are no retail shops to mark up the price.

I can't wait to find out what kind of house we are moving into because I really do want to make a stunning guest bathroom or even a master bathroom so that it feels like a retreat and something special for me! These little affordable upgrades make you feel like you are really living a grand lifestyle but they don't break the bank!

Finding a New Apartment

2010-02-17T11:15:00.000-08:00

Since we are moving soon I am on the lookout for apartments across the country. My area of prospects is wide considering we have no idea where we are going yet but it is fun to get a general idea of what things cost in different areas of the country and to see what you get for the money.

We have all been there, you buy or rent a home or apartment only to find out that it doesn't truly fit all your needs. This can happen if you are in a rush or you only have a certain amount of money, and sometimes both of these factors come at the same time. I know with our rental history you only have 30 days from the time that you let one landlord or property manager know that you are moving and you need to lease something right away but cash can be tight until you get your deposit back.

In my searches online I have found many companies that promise to help you find the perfect apartment but I wish they would all be more like the University of Arizona Apartments. It is key to have information not just on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms but on the neighborhood, the facilities. People want to know if the fees they pay are for pool access or a fitness room, even a clubhouse. There are so many things that many sites leave out that would be very helpful.

I find that I don't even want to look at places for rent that won't include a specific address so that I can really hone in on the location to see where it is in relation to Army bases or other employment, shopping and activities. It's also nice to know if you are in a retirement community (in general) or a neighborhood of young families. We have done the routine of moving our school aged children to two different neighborhoods that appeared family friendly but ending up being the only "family" around. Not fun.

Here's hoping that we can find the perfect place and not have to settle for something less than wonderful. There are so many great deals to be had if you know where to look!

2010 Homebuyer Tax Credits- $6,500 Tax Credit!

2010-02-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

As I have prepared for my taxes I am wishing I was able to buy a home right now. The 2010 homebuyer tax credits are so wonderful that I wish I knew where I would be living so I could possibly take advantage.

My mother is in real estate and recently had a client who qualified for this amazing $6,500 Tax Credit! While he did have a home, he had not purchased a home in the past five years. He had also lived in the home as his primary residence for a minimum of five years. So he receives the tax credit for current homeowners which is $6,500. This is different than the first time homebuyer tax credit which is a greater credit (at $8,000).

First time homebuyers get an $8,000 homebuyer tax credit as long as they have not had interest in a principal residence in the past three years. This is how I know I could qualify for this. It has been three years since the sale of my home so I would actually qualify as a "first time homebuyer" in 2010.

Those wishing to take part in these credits need to be in a binding real estate purchase contract by April 30, 2010. You have until June 30, 2010 to close escrow on the property. This is great to have this extension.

There are income limits that apply to both of these tax credits. Here is a video that explains much more about what will qualify you and what just won't work. I hope for those interested you can take advantage of this since it is such a great credit!

Homeschooling On The Road

2010-02-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

This week my children and I have to travel to see family. We have a funeral to attend but because we are moving in a few weeks we want to take this time to spend a while with the family that we aren't sure when we will see next. Luckily a lot of our family is in one place.

When we travel I am always glad that we homeschool. While I know it isn't as easy as pulling a child from school and catching up homework later it does make it nice that education is portable. I am very glad for the K12 system of homeschooling when we are away. Even if I don't have an internet connection the majority of the school work can get done.

While I am the type of mom that needs a structured curriculum so I know what I am doing, it must be said that there are times when we have been on vacation that I feel the whole thing can be just as educational if the kids don't open a text or do a worksheet. Sometimes they learn more by talking, seeing and listening.

Country Living

2010-02-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

I would love to live in the country. I have this image in my head of a Norman Rockwell painting where everything in life is wonderful. Where things in life are more simple, move slower (yes, even me!), and everyone knows their neighbors!

Where this all takes place is in question. I used to dream about Vermont in the Autumn. I had this in my mind because of the movie Baby Boom which had me enchanted with small town life for the better part of my 20's. But then the reality of the cold weather has hit me and I'm thinking more like Virginia country or maybe even some parts of California or Oregon. I'm a coastal girl at heart but I want the life of the Hamptons!

Because we are moving soon but don't know where we are going my mind runs wild with the possibilities. There are a few things I know we can't live without. Friends for the children and of course friends for me. That is crucial because we homeschool. We also are part of a virtual homeschool academy so our curriculum is online and that is how we mark our attendance and do our assessments so we have to have Internet no matter how rural we get.

For these Internet needs I have discovered wild blue internet. After reading about their company I am pretty confident that no matter how remote we are, there are Internet solutions for us! This is reassuring considering that my children will want to Skype with the family and friends from where we currently live and they will be able to continue in their schoolwork. I will also enjoy the fact that my blogging can continue as well as what I do for a living from home!

Bingo for learning!

2010-02-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

Bingo is fun for kids of all ages and can be used in a number of ways for education. In our household we have children ages 3 to 13. This is a pretty broad range. Luckily we all love to play Bingo in any way possible. It is always fun and we are all competitive and like to win.

There are some great resources for Bingo sheets online that you can print out and color or just print on colored paper. My children love to do the coloring.

A great idea to mix things up with Bingo is to let different students be the one to call out the picture, number, letter or whatever it is you are doing. Little kids especially love this because they feel like they are doing something very grown up. This is a great way to bring little ones into your activity instead of having them be a distraction.

New Year of Curriculum Coming Our Way

2010-02-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

Finally we found and finished all of our curriculum for last year and have a new year's work coming. It has been shipped and now I am in a panic to get everything somewhat organized before more boxes of supplies arrive.

I love K12 because almost everything you need is included with your curriculum. Now I love them even more because they give you prepaid shipping labels to send your old non-consumable stuff back. In years past we have taken the supplies to the local school district office and it has been put in storage units. This makes me furious.

The reason behind the fury is that I have many friends and relatives who are teachers. They spend so much of their own money for science supplies and other things because the schools do not offer the goods anymore. When I find that there are great science supplies by the box fulls just sitting in a storage unit it makes me livid to think why they can't be in a classroom being used by students that would grow and learn from them. This would seem a much better alternative than using tax dollars for yet another storage unit. Still now, we have no clue if those supplies ever were dispersed for use. Seems a shame that no one is accountable for that.

Onward and upward, we are coming into the new school year late but we are motivated and refreshed at the prospect of a new start halfway through the school year. My kids will have a lot of work to continue doing for the summer but I think they will be okay with it. Where we live now it gets too hot to be outside in the late afternoon so it was a good time to do something structured and educational. I don't know where we will be living this summer but perhaps there will be a situation where a few hours a day need to be spent inside as well.

Scissors vs. Snizzers

2010-01-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

My three year old is a riot. Lately she has taken a liking to my other daughter's great scissors that cut paper but not fingers, clothes or hair! My favorite scissors ever! The funnest thing is that my three year old doesn't say "scissors", she says "snizzers". She asks for "snizzers" and says she is going to "snizzer" the "pepper". "Pepper" is her word for paper. For some reason none of us are concerned that she can't say these things properly we simply find it to be very hilarious.

Thanks to the snizzers, we have a new thing to distract the three year old while the rest of the kids do their homeschool work. The only problem now is that the whole time she is snizzering she has to talk or sing and it is NEVER quiet. I just heard from downstairs (via the baby monitor) the kids all in unison telling her to "shut up". I don't normally allow the words "shut up" but right now I feel their pain and if I don't let some of their angst out of their mouths they may pop one day and it may be towards me. I am trying to prevent this!

So my dear blog readers (if I have any), how do you get a child to be quiet at age 3. Somehow I am banking on the fact that she will magically stop yapping non-stop when she turns 4 in June. Chances are this is a dream but I have to have hope!

A Successful Day

2010-01-22T21:28:00.000-08:00

My oldest two children were able to go to their Technology Class that their virtual classroom teacher holds. She is a "go getter" and does so much to enrich the lives of the families she works with. I am in constant awe of her energy, talent, and her willingness to give her time for all of us. My children have benefited so much from her involvement in their education. We are so very lucky.

In class today the kids were grouped with another student and they went out to take digital photos of each other. They then went back and put together slide shows of themselves. One of mine did just pictures, the other did a story with his pictures and set some music in the background. Both were amazing and on top of it they made another friend.

Part of what I love about these activities is the social involvement. Not just that the students interact but that they take instruction from someone else and they see that other kids do homeschool just like they do and they come home feeling less isolated.

Another great thing that our online school does is that they set the kids up with e-pals from different areas. My boys are actually having a blast with their own GMail accounts so that they can send and receive messages with their e-pal. The e-pals are all students enrolled in the same online school but that the kids wouldn't meet at other functions unless we travelled. I should say that my children did not need their own email accounts to take part but that they have really felt "grown up" for having their own account. Of course, being the mom that I am, I set them up and have the password so I know what goes on. Lucky for me they email their teacher, me, other family and their e-pal - no one else. For ages 13 and 11 I think that is good enough.

I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude for teachers who take time and energy for students and for the fact that I get to homeschool but have the luxury of having help when I want it. It is truly the best of both worlds.

Wit's End - But We'll Make It!

2010-01-20T19:27:00.001-08:00

I must confess, toddlers are cute and fun and full of wonder, they just aren't my thing. With each of my four children I have wished that this phase would pass just a little more quickly. While I know that it is bad to wish away time or youth it is just a difficult phase for me. I'm not a fan of potty training and hate the messes that come with it so I put it off as long as possible.

The hardest part of my youngest child and last toddler is that she is so smart, so capable and so thirsty for anything you give her. Right now she loves to play color & shape bingo, draw, paint, play with PlayDough, build with blocks and make believe. The one thing she isn't into is playing alone. She always wants attention from someone and she wants to always be interacting and entertained. This worries me and it is a huge frustration for everyone in the family.

This week one of my goals is to do some reading on how to get my toddler to be more self entertaining. She does good for a while when you give her paints or something but to be honest this is going to challenge me. My other three children were always so good to just go play when they were told to. We have plenty of toys and they have all been very independent and creative. They also play very well with each other but when my fourth child comes into the mix there is almost always drama. It just gets to be too much. On days like yesterday it has me worn out by 10 a.m.

Homeschooling with a toddler is hard enough but I know that I need to make changes in what I do that will make this little one easier to handle. I do believe that all change in our children starts with what we do in the home and how we handle things. It is a tall order to always set the tone in your home.

Student Discounts! Have to share these great savings!

2010-01-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

Came across a great site the other day that offers amazing discounts to students, parents, and teachers! With the New Year upon us I figured that many people were like me and were trying to save as much money as possible. Why spend more on things than you have to! The site I found has so many discounts from travel to text books and more you will be amazed.

Student discounts include airfare, vacation packages, computers, text books, software, hotels and more. These are not on "no name" company deals and weird items. These are name brands. You will have savings on major airlines, train trips and bus fares, hotels, laptops, text books and more. The savings are just astounding! I found a Toshiba laptop for $399 today and was very impressed with the quality for the money. This was around a savings of $100. It just doesn't get any better.

My goal this year is to bring you a lot of information on ways to save money. We all need all the help we can get. One of the best things about this student discount site is that you can read reviews by students and other users and the discounts include students, parents and teachers!

There are more student discounts on various shopping items as well as vitamins and supplements. They even offer discounts for homeschool students!

New Year, New Goals!

2010-01-05T08:25:00.001-08:00

I am like every other person that sets goals for themselves during the New Year. What I usually fail to do is to write them down, talk to others about them and ultimately I fail to follow through. I can't ever remember a time where I actually did what I set out to do and really stick with it. This is a chronic problem for me and this year the top of my list includes a goal on making realistic goals and doing things in a different way.

Beyond goal setting I have goals to blog more often about topics that will really help and inspire those readers that may come around here. I want to keep my kids progressing in their school work, Scouting efforts, their music lessons and to keep them as emotionally healthy as possible (this will be a toughy to break down into smaller goals but I think it is possible). I also want to eat more healthfully and exercise three times a week no matter what. This really has nothing to do with vanity or weight. I suffer from bad migraine headaches and I know that exercise and diet are huge factors and I want to eat to feel good. I really just want to live to feel good and so that I have as few moments with my children taken from me as possible. For anyone who suffers from ongoing problems you know what I mean. When things get bad everyone around you pays. It is unfair and I want my kids to know that I am willing to do whatever is in my power to make it easier on all of us.

As I reflect and analyze these goals I will think about posting the details. Perhaps some of you are great goal setters that can offer your help in that area (of staying realistic and breaking things into smaller goals). I figure the more people thinking on your behalf the better.

Happy New Year to all of you! May you be healthy and happy and achieve what your heart desires!

Socialization

2009-08-11T16:50:00.001-07:00

We've all heard it before: the big debate about homeschooling and socialization. Every homeschool parent has been confronted numerous times with this argument. I thought that as we start a new year in school we could talk about ways to actually help your children along socially.

Most homeschool families don't need to worry too much about this as my experience has been that homeschool families are generally very community minded and active in church groups.

Here are just a few things we can do to help our children:

Organized sports such as Little League
Community groups
Church groups
Scouting
Homeschool groups
Play groups
Music lessons

Homeschooling can be a luxury if you look at it from the stand point that you get to choose where and when and with whom your children socializes with. We can offer a variety of people and experiences for our children to enjoy!

Homeschool Readiness

2009-08-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

There are some great articles right now online, in magazines and the daily papers regarding back to school topics. Some give you tips on staying close to your kids, being active in the education process, homeschool vs. private or public school, staying organized, helping with homework and more.

We found a site that has some great new articles on getting started if you homeschool. Even seasoned homeschool families may be looking for new ideas or solutions to certain aspects of their experience.

Another helpful article talks about homeschool supplies for students. Sometimes we may think that we, as homeschcool parents, may be off the hook for back to school shopping. In a lot of ways, we are. However, it helps a day of homeschooling go so much better if we have what we need in the way of school supplies and if we are organized about it. Nothing interrupts the learning experience quite like a trip to the store when a little planning could have gone a long way.

End of the year?

2009-05-29T14:54:00.001-07:00

Let me just start by saying that I am rarely on "schedule" with my homeschooling. I start the year in the fall so well with new curriculum and excited little minds. Then this time of year comes when everyone else is finishing up and we are still plugging away. I must not mind it so much or I wouldn't repeat the ritual year after year.

This year it is bugging me a little more. I am having some concerns. My soon to be 7th grader is going to start taking some electives at the junior high. This means less time with him. Slowly he will integrate into a full time high school schedule (that's the plan for now anyway). I am already having withdrawals. :)

Second, I wonder how long I can keep homeschooling and keep my sanity. For so many years I never took a break for myself other than the occasional dinner with a family member or one of my few close friends. While I appreciate these short breaks I have found that they are not enough for me now. I need some space and in a big way. I love my children, I love that we have homeschooled but I still have a two year old (soon to be three) and the thought of continuing on for all of the years involved puts me into a slight depression of sorts.

Perhaps I will make more scheduled breaks. The problem is that for that to happen someone has to take care of the kids so I have to impose on someone and that means someone has to miss work. It also seems to take a lot of money to take "breaks". I just came back from a trip and realized that most cities even charge for parking no matter where you are. It was an eye opener and made me realize how little I actually get out.

My solution is to save my pennies, get coupon happy, manage my time wisely and find small ways each day to have little breaks while building up for the real rejuvenating breaks that I seem to need. When the realization that these breaks were needed came to my attention I felt guilt and shame and really I felt selfish. Then I realized that it is a mid-life crisis of sorts because for 15 years other people and things have come first. Big mistake. That was unwise on my part. For now, instead of completely freaking out I will just choose to make little changes here and there in hopes that the overall picture will improve with homeschooling. What I know for sure is that my kids are better off for having been homeschooled thus far.

For anyone who reads this, forgive me for thinking out loud. Blogging is great therapy! lol

Homeschooling in Summer?

2009-05-13T04:51:00.000-07:00

As the end of the traditional school year approaches I have wondered how many families continue on with homeschooling during the summer months. As for our home, we continue our learning all year. We take breaks when we see fit and have that luxury because there is no set time frame. We are lucky to use a curriculum that allows us 12 full months to complete what is needed. I like knowing what milestones are expected at what times so that I know they are getting what they need each year.

My worst fear is that something would happen to our family that would cause our children to have to suddenly be put in public or pivate schools and not be fully prepared or feel inferior to their classmates. I think that parents who think they know better are at risk of having children who could be put in this situation and feel less than, as if they don't measure up. Why would you want that for your child. If you know the expected milestones, that is just one stepping stone and then you can add upon that to reach your families personal educational goals.

Keep in mind that this is just my opinion but I don't believe that learning is limited between the months of September and May or June. I think that it is crucial for the brain to be in on an ongoing quest for knowledge. This prevents the three months of review that we all suffered from as public education children in a traditional school year. I am not anti public school in any way, I just don't think that they have all the answers. And I certainly don't believe that education is one size fits all.

So to all, I hope you have a wonderful summer of learning and excitement. When the days get too hot to be out having fun, please consider reading with your children or doing a science project before putting them in front of video games or a television show (yes, I'm guilty of it too, I never claimed to be perfect!).

Falling behind and trying to keep up.

2008-11-17T21:12:00.000-08:00

Most things in my life have fallen a bit behind in the last 10 days. I think that perhaps I have taken on more than I should have but I am not ready to throw in the towel. I am hoping that the things I have chosen to take on will become easier to juggle and manage with time. Hopefully not much more time.

The kids are having a blast in school. They are having such a great level of success with their math curriculum that it warms my heart. They are also gaining increasing skill on the keyboard. They love history and science and they are great at reading. English and spelling are the challenges in our house. I am still trying to get creative there.

Hopefully we can keep juggling all the different aspects of life and not let education suffer. It will be interesting to see where things take us in the next month. I had someone e-mail me a wonderful quote today:

"Nothing is easier then being busy, and nothing is more difficult than being effective." I have no idea who the author of this quote is but isn't it the best reminder?

A day of games.

2008-11-09T00:03:00.000-08:00

Due to most of our family being ill for the past few days we have decided to ditch church tomorrow and have a family day of relaxation and games. We are all very excited to take a minute out of homeschooling rejuvenate for the new week. We have a lot to accomplish this coming week so it will be nice to have a day that is fun and relaxing instead of sick and relaxing.

Fall Harvest Activity

2008-11-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

Today after the kids had technology class we drove north a bit for a homeschool group activity. It was a fall harvest activity and fit went great. Sloppy Joe's and drinks were provided and we were all asked to bring salads and desserts.

After we ate the kids were put into four groups. Two groups did different activities on the lawn (we were at a park), one group made cute turkeys out of pine cones, feathers and pipe cleaners, and the other group went on horse drawn wagon rides.

The weather was wonderful and it was great for the kids to be with all the other homeschool kids again. The more we go, the more familiar the faces become and we are more comfortable. Next week they are lucky to have chess club. I am hoping that at least a few come out and join us for that. In the meantime, I need to hurry up and learn how to play chess so I can lead the group!

So many ideas, so little time.

2008-11-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

There are such benefits to homeschooling. One main benefit is that we get to add whatever we choose to our curriculum.

Right now I am wanting to implement so many things that I am going to have to scale things down a big and stop being overly ambitious. Among other things these are a few of the things that we are trying (not always successfully, don't be fooled) to fit in:

Our usual subjects: math, literature, language arts (spelling, grammar, vocabulary, writing), history, Earth science, Spanish.

Daily devotionals: we are religious and like to study scriptures each morning, or read and study something from the leaders of our church.

Etiquette lessons: my newest endeavor. We will see how this goes. I am starting this Sunday, trying to make it a day with an etiquette dinner. We will use our china and silver and try to make it more than an ordinary meal. Could be a fun new tradition just to have a special meal each week regardless of what is served, the atmosphere can be different.

Chess club: we are starting our chess club in one week. Boy, time flies, I better get ready!

School activities: we are trying to hit as many of these as possible. We have our homeschool group and want to support them, make new friends and have new experiences.

Fun & Fitness: this is a program that the kids are attending once per week and love it. They play games and get active. I love it!

Piano lessons for all: I teach piano lessons and have neglected my own children in this area. We are now going to do it. For financial reasons we had to put the guitar lessons they were taking on hold and I promised them piano instead. Lucky for me, they were all thrilled.

Technology class: my two oldest go to a technology class a few times a month. They are learning so much.

Keyboarding: we have made keyboarding part of the daily routine for 20 minutes. It has been wonderful.

This is just a taste of what we would ideally like to do as a whole. We are not perfect so some days are more productive than others but in general, we are doing pretty good. The greatest thing is that the kids till get to go out and play with friends each afternoon and really be kids. It isn't all about structure and staying on task.

Halloween Fun and more

2008-11-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

We had the best Halloween ever! The kids got creative with the costume box and all I really had to pick up was something for the baby and some make up. We did get my husband a costume and for the first time in 13 years of marriage he stayed dressed in his costume all day long. It was so much fun and the kids really loved having him dress up and be a part of it.

Spelling Made Simple, Could It Be?

2008-10-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

My children have always struggled with spelling. My second child is a bit better because it seems that he has a much better understanding of phonics as a whole. My first child, who was the homeschool guinea pig, seriously makes me ache. He just can't spell the most simple of words.

So, after switching curriculum and picking the brains of multiple professional educators I finally found the solution on my own. The name of it is Spelling Made Simple . It has made all the difference. I would highly recommend this for anyone having trouble with spelling! It is like magic and it is anything but boring!

Life Skills 101

2008-10-24T23:53:00.000-07:00

This coming week I need to come up with a systematic way to re-teach my children some simple things. These things include: manners, language (like no potty mouth stuff), teeth brushing, why we don't take clothes out of the dryer wet and fold and put them away. Yikes, it will be a challenge but we have got to get back to basics around here.

Games and learning

2008-10-23T22:17:00.001-07:00

As we moved and packed up our games and learning tools and then unpacked them it occurred to me that I was not using these great devices to their full potential. My kids love to play Monopoly or Life. They all love the Memory Game and all card games like Uno, Phase 10 and more. These are great learning opportunities as well as family time. I don't know why I get so hung up on what I perceive to be the rigidity of our curriculum to spend time doing these fun learning things with my children.

Perhaps I could get creative and turn pictures of historical places printed out into a memory game of our own. Maybe we could implement other things into our other games. I think that with some creativity this could be a spectacular learning tool!

Holy cow! Have we learned anything?

2008-10-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

My son just took an assessment for his literature course. His score was 68%. I just about died over this. I couldn't even contain my disappointment. Yes, I should have, but no, I didn't.

What gets me is that he couldn't tell the difference between a metaphor and a simile despite all of his lessons on the topic. He also didn't know what alliteration was!

Thanks to the kindness of websites that offer free worksheets I was able to find some to print off for him to review these topics. 68%!!!!! Yikes!

One of those days

2008-10-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

This was a homeschool day full of math, typing, vocabulary, handwriting and not much more. So sad! We didn't even get to our reading. I'm not exactly sure what happened but I know that we are now approaching 7 pm and it just seems like the day got sucked away from us. These are not my favorite days but they are the days that keep me working on my level of guilt as a mother ( a homeschool mother no less).

Ahhhhh, a new week!

2008-10-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

I always love to start a new week. It's like having a clean slate to work with. Even though I am behind on laundry and other housework, I am anxious for the chance to get on top of things this week.

For school, I am hoping to not only do our regular lessons but to include a few extra things. Monday I am taking (or I should say, hoping to take) the kids to a fitness thing at a local elementary school. The school is within walking distance so I am hoping the whether is good and my energy is up to just walk there and enjoy the season. My kids are quite active but I figure that all kids can be more active. I also want to be a better example to my children in this area.

Another thing that I am hoping to do is a lot of extra science fun. My father happened upon a lot of really cool science kits that luckily included instructions as well as all you need to do different projects and experiments. They are really geared for middle school or high school but I know that my older two are up for it and I am hoping to let them have some fun with this! I do have an ulterior motive here, I don't want to store the stuff anymore so I want them to use it and then we can give it to another family to use or to a thrift store.

We are also going to find out if our community has any more recycling centers. In the past I know that we only have a metal recycling place to take aluminum cans and certain other metals. I am hoping that our community has a place to recycle paper and plastic now. I feel so guilty every time I though a stack of paper away or milk jugs. It's insane the amount of garbage our family has.

As always I struggle with keeping my home school and other goals reachable. This is something I have struggled with all of my life and from what my girlfriends tell me, we all do it! I want to feel like this week was a success.

Fun day watching jets do "touch and go".

2008-10-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

My father lives on a hill where our local airport is located. Today some jets which aren't usually seen at our airport were flying by. Some would touch down and then take off again immediately but some would just fly low over the airport but not stop. It was fascinating. My kids were glued to it and so were the adults. It was a blast. The kids loved talking with the adults about the types of planes and speculating what the different types of planes were.

The kids also had a fun day using remote control cars that my dad and his wife bought for the kids to use in the basketball court. This was a huge fit.

It's fun to see that the simplest things make kids the happiest. Tonight at bedtime the kids just kept saying how much fun it was to be at Grandpa's house.

I'm loving it!

2008-10-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

The other day there was an electronic field trip on a local educational channel (KUED) and we recorded it. The link above will take you to the website so that you can find out how to participate. We will definitely watch the next one live. This was such a great hour that I spent with my children. Possibly one of the most worth while hours of our school year.

The electronic field trip was about the election of 1800. Some of the questions that children and classrooms asked were things like:

Were there debates as we know them today?
How long did it take to get election results?
Why was the country founded on two political parties?
Was there negativity in the campaigns as there is today?

I don't have the word for word questions but you get the idea. My eleven year old was totally glued. It was so relevant and covered so many of his questions about the current election!

For those of you who have never participated in one of these you will love it. Children and classrooms can call, video (I think like Skype) or e-mail questions in while the show is live and for one hour after it is over. They address your question right on the show. My kids loved hearing, seeing and hearing from other children from all over the United States. It was truly like being in the best classroom ever.

The next one is on November 13th and will teach about Yorktown.

Let's Celebrate Halloween!

2008-10-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of things that we like to do during homeschool time and as a family to help celebrate Halloween:

Make our costumes! We love to paint faces and figure out how to make each person look like the picture they have in their minds for their costume.
Make lots of pumpkin goodies! We love pumpkin cookies. This link is to an iced pumpkin cookie recipe, I don't ice them and they are great.
Carving the pumpkins of course. We just bought our pumpkins but we will not carve them until this coming week so that they don't get yucky. We have some weird kids that wander around the neighborhood at night so they have to stay in. Yuck!
Halloween coloring pages that you print off of the Internet.
Making and decorating Halloween treats for neighbors, friends and families. this year we have made cupcakes with bat and pumpkin sprinkles for our neighbors. For other treats we are going to do Rice Krispie Treats with orange and brown sprinkles. I realize that this isn't fancy but the kids love them and they are low cost, low mess and simple.
Fall Harvest field trip. Our online school group provides a fall harvest activity with wagon rides and games along with wonderful food and great company.
School Halloween party. Our OLS also has a party for Halloween where they let the children where their costumes and socialize as well as play games.
Trunk or Treat. This is the highlight. My kids love going to the local Trunk or Treat (usually our church has one but some small townships have them as well). We love this safe environment where we can decorate our trunk and get dressed up. The kids love it because it means less walking and knocking, and more candy. I don't mind the less walking and knocking either.

Preparing for Halloween

2008-10-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

This year with money being tight and trying to teach the principle of "re-purposing" things we are having our children dive into their costume boxes and closets and get creative for Halloween. Traditionally I have been the mom who takes the kids and gets them a new costume. I am not crafty and I don't sew so really I just tried to handle it and try to keep the prices affordable. I was prepared for the kids to be bummed but they are convinced that this will be the best Halloween ever. They are great sports.

What are you making or buying for Halloween? What are the traditions that your children love?

While we can learn some of the history of Halloween while homeschooling we can't really spend a lot of time with it. I generally print off a lot of coloring pages for the kids to have for a week or two to get in the spirit of things. We also like to make treats and use orange and black sprinklers or other items to make them fun.

Columbus Day fun!

2008-10-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

There are so many exciting things that can be done with children to celebrate Columbus Day! The possibilities are endless. My children love the crafts and things at Enchanted Learning as well as Apples 4 the Teacher.

What do you do with your children to make sure that they understand, celebrate and have fun on a holiday such as Columbus Day?

New week, fresh start.

2008-10-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

I love a new week. I always have high hopes that things are going to go so well.

This past week I bought a little day planner thing that I am hoping will help me keep everyone's schedules straight. I am hoping to partake of at least some of the extra curricular things that the kids are hoping to get into. I also want to have them attend some things that they might otherwise not be interested in just so that they have the experience and become more well rounded.

My main goals this week are to stay organized, get a lot of Science and History caught up, work on some Grammar and do lots of Kindergarten curriculum with my five year old. We have been slacking on the Kindergarten.

All in all, we are excited for another great week and hope to make it all that it can be!

I love homeschooling, but let's leave that out of this.

2008-10-12T02:19:00.000-07:00

No matter how much I ever complain, never doubt that I love homeschooling my kids. It is like all other choices in life, it has it's ups and downs. This week, we did quite a bit of school (did not get all that I wanted done but what is new). This made me very happy and the children were involved with several extra activities that made me very happy for them. I love seeing them enjoy the things that are offered to them. It does not take much to make my kids very happy.

However, this week I had high hopes of helping my mother clean one of her homes that she rents out and her last tenant left the house a pig sty. It was just disgusting. The house smells so strong of cigarette smoke that I'm not sure that it will ever recover. I know that you can buy certain paint primers that help to lock the smell into the drywall, creating a barrier. I believe that one of these is called KILZ. She will definitely need something of the kind. Her carpets are completely trashed. The last tenants actually used duct take to lay a wire across the floor and tape it down. Imagine that. Then they had a huge dog that was not house trained so the messes are all over the floor along with tons of cigarette ash and burns.

I want to help my mother because she helps me so much with no question. She is always ready to jump to the rescue. She is a lifesaver. So, I am trying to line up all that I will need to try to make this house less of a stress for her and hopefully it will help.

A cleaning lady came and cleaned the home that I just moved into for about 12 hours and it was interesting to see the products that she used that saved her time. She used Krud Kutter which I believe can only be found at Lowe's but I could be wrong. She also had certain tools to make a job less stressful. It was quite the education.

Here is hoping that in spite of homeschooling and caring for four children and a husband, I can somehow manage to give back to my mother in some small way.

Family means well but can be funny.

2008-10-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

Today I got in a jam and had an appointment that required me taking my oldest child so that I had to find someone to sit with the younger ones while I was away. I just don't think I should be leaving my 10 year old with a five year old and a two year old just yet.

Anyway, my in-laws were coming for lunch anyway so I asked them if they could possibly come earlier to help me out. I never ask them to babysit or anything so I didn't feel too imposing. I was sad that it was such short notice. Anyway, they were wonderful and willing and came right on time.

Upon returning I found that they had been doing their version of what the kid's school work. This didn't involve their curriculum but just things the grandparents decided on them. I didn't ask them to do anything as I don't expect anyone else to school the children or to place that burden on someone else. Anyway, it's fun to see what everyone tries to teach and what they think is important. While it cracked me up I was also grateful that they took an interest and wanted to spend time doing something hands on with the children that really is part of their daily life. These particular grandparents are not around often so it was nice that they didn't have their own agenda. Most of all, it benefits kids to have someone else explain things and to teach them new things. I am huge on the whole "it takes a village to raise a child" concept and believe that to be true in educating children as well. Lucky me that my children have family members so willing to step up and help.

Why are the days so short!?!

2008-10-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Where do the hours go? First thing in the morning we get started on school and it just seems that no matter how hard we try, we come up short. This week I need to re-evaluate what we are doing and what our goals are. Hopefully I can adjust our goals so that each day does not seem to be a failure. I also hope to find some time management skills so that we can make better use of our time while we are schooling.

I try to make it so that the children are done with school by the time the neighbor kids get home from school. This allows them the freedom to go play after school which is important to all of us. We do linger a bit too long during the mornings so hopefully we can get more structure going in the morning hours to provide for more productive school time.

15 WPM and counting!

2008-10-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

My children are keyboarding and learning at quite a quick pace. Their technology teacher is having them do some composition lessons on Word so that they will learn some of the basics. Ultimately this will lead to adding photos and doing a Power Point Presentation. I am thrilled for them and jealous that they will have the ability that I do not have.

Fitness Class

2008-10-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

Our online school is starting a fitness class for the kids that will happen each week. I am excited about this program. I know that they started it last year and I was glad to see it continue on for this year. While my children are quite active and do not have weight related issues at this time I do find that in all the homeschooling entails it is easy to forget about physical education. It is great that someone sees the need for these kids to get together and do something physical and has bothered to put together a program.

New School Room! Happy Homeschooler!

2008-10-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today we finally got our loft set up as our official school room. It is a wonderful space. I don't know why but it feels so good in that room. I will have to post pictures as soon as I unpack my digital camera. We have absolutely nothing that makes it fancy or extravagant but we have a place for everything and it is organized. Organized is beautiful to me! YEAH! I think that the kids may even be a little excited to do school there tomorrow. We will see.

How to make money online, free blog web hosting and where to find hosting for your blog!

2008-09-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

I love to blog. That's the long and the short of it. I am always looking for free blog web hosting. If any of you are looking for hosting for your blog you know that it can be hard to find a good quality product with all the features you like but still have minimal if zero cost!

The growing trend in blogs is for people to use their pages to earn some money. How to make money online is a top search engine phrase. Everyone wants more money. Especially with the economy as unstable as it is.

I know for me, I love blogging about our homeschool experience and family life. I love all that it has added to our lives. We have met some great families, gained some wonderful insight and been inspired countless times.

Another reason to be glad we homeschool.

2008-09-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

Have you seen statistics about childhood depression? They can be terrifying. I am so glad to have my children home with me where they are not bullied, made to feel stupid or simply allowed to fly under any radar. So many times it seems that parents miss all the signs and really in hindsight they were all there. It is a sad story that is all too common.

One main goal that I have is that if my child suffers from childhood depression I will have the ability to identify the signs and the strength to get them the help that they know. Some wisdom on how to handle it wouldn't be too bad either. Sounds familiar?

We interrupt normal schooling for.........

2008-09-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

Moving! That's right! We are at a total stand still because of our move and I am finally coming to terms with the fact that school will be out of session for a week here.

The good news is that the children are reading so much, it warms my heart. The 10 year old is writing a novel. His first chapter was two typed pages. Cracks me up but I love that he is trying.

My two year old is imitating my DH's sneeze (which is no small thing). She is a hoot! And last but not least my five year old simulated CPR on DH tonight. No lip touching, she just hovered and exhaled in his face, the poor guy! We have no idea where she is learning this but she did quite well. Now we just need to have that discussion of when you do CPR so that she puts it into action when needed. Kids are amazing!

The depressing thing, but not so depressing thing, is that with no formal schooling happening I think the children are actually learning more applicable life skills than they do when we are right on target doing formal box curriculum each day. Just goes to show that there are benefits to all kinds of schooling and that almost anything can be considered educational.

Homeschool "Notebooks"

2008-09-22T22:20:00.001-07:00

I was reading a blog on Wordpress today that was talking about notebooking our children's homeschool work. This made me fear that someone was scrapbooking everydays schoolwork!

I'm really practical and down to Earth with no frills. I do scrap book but I do it digitally because I can't stand all the clutter and cr** that goes with scrapbooking. Besides all my photos are digital now anyway. It just seems more efficient and eco friendly.

When my children are little and they color their first realistic self portrait or something, I do save it and I have a keepsake box for each one where those items are deposited. The thought of notebooking all their work makes me wonder how much time some people have on their hands and where are they buying the time? I want some. I don't want to use it to "notebook" but I want some more time.

For those of you who do "notebook" I am not saying you are crazy or weird. I just personally don't get it. Please don't be offended. I'm sure that it is one way of making memories for your children and you of your school days together. I'm all for memories. Please don't hate me!

Schooling while moving.

2008-09-21T21:35:00.001-07:00

Today we packed all of our extra school materials and only left out what we should need for the next five days. Here is hoping we don't need glue! It would be a nightmare.

I'm hoping that I can find the discipline in the mayhem to have the children continue in their progress. They are going along so nicely right now and they are so excited about their progress. I love it when they are excited about education and "getting smarter".

Homeschool & Exercise

2008-09-20T00:15:00.000-07:00

My aunt who teaches public education asked me a great question one day. Mind you, she is very pro-homeschool for the right families. She is one of those excellent educators who just wants the best for the child, very rare! But I digress. Her question was "Do you have a P.E. class time?" My answer was "no" and I felt sheepish for it. As childhood obesity is on the rise and children are having issues like heart disease I am a huge fan of childhood exercise programs.

In my defense, until the last six months, my children lived in an area and had a yard that beckoned them to climbing trees, playing tag, playing games, having a catch, playing basketball and riding bikes. This seemed to be all that they wanted to do when they were not doing school. I took that for granted and now that we are in a different kind of neighborhood, they do not usually choose to do these things. Not to mention that 100 degree heat squashes your will to go out and play.

So, I am going to get a routine about making sure that we as a family get this exercise in everyday. I bought Dance Dance Revolution for our XBox and we love it. For some time, I have forgotten that we had it but it's time to bring it out and get busy. I also love yoga and think that this kind of exercise is great for children because it takes focus, stillness and inward reflection. Children are so rarely left with their own thoughts just to meditate. This will be hard to implement for my children but I want it for them so I will try.

What do you do to make sure that you and your family get your exercise in each day?

Fun snack ideas.

2008-09-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

This is really no joke. It has occurred to me to call the school office of the school that my children would normal attend and tell them that I will be dropping my children off for the lunch hour. Could you imagine getting to do school all day and not having to deal with cooking and cleaning! Besides, there is no tax break for homeschooling so it only seems fair that we can use the cafeteria at the public school buildings! LOL

Anyway, it got me thinking about recipes that are quick and easy. I hope to post some that are great meal recipes but also some great and easy snacks.

Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
-
1/4 cup butter or margarine
-
1 cup brown sugar
-
1/2 cup light corn syrup
-
1/2 15 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (2/3 C)
-
1/2 tsp. vanilla
-
5 quarts popped corn

Instructions
1)

In saucepan, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Stir well and bring to boiling over med. heat. Stir in condensed milk; simmer, stirring constantly, till mixture comes to soft ball stage (234 to 238 degrees). Stir in vanilla (it's good without the vanilla as well). Pour over popped corn and stir to coat.
2)

This can be made into balls about 3 inches in diameter.
We leave it in a bowl and just eat out of it, it doesn't last long but if you have some left over just cover it with Saran Wrap and it is great the next day!

I'm becoming my mother! Not that it's all bad!

2008-09-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

This morning I relied way to heavily on my children to do certain tasks. Tasks that were really innately mine but I decided to delegate. This was such a big mistake. When the children (mainly the oldest) did not do as I had asked, took too long doing it or forgot to do it, I lost it completely. I was mad at the lack of ability to follow instructions that were so simple. I was mad at the fact that things get forgotten or that what I ask takes a back seat to Sponge Bob Square Pants.

Then I came to my room and sat down to try to cool off. Believe me, I had to count much higher than 10. I didn't calm down until it occurred to me that I was more frustrated with me than anyone else. I was frustrated at myself because I didn't do my job.

This brings me to my mother. She is a wonderful person but growing up my perception is that at around 12 years old I cooked, cleaned and babysat so much that I thought I would die. I felt a lot of pressure. I remember hearing how wonderful my older brother was (and he was, I'll give him that) because he worked in our family business. I remember my two younger brothers being doted on by grandparents because they were the babies and they were so darn cute (and they really were). In one clear memory I had walked home from school and was tending my brothers and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I literally had the conscience thought that it would make my mom and dad happy to come home to my handiwork. Then my father did come home and he ripped everything to shreds by going off about how filthy and untidy the house was (those were not his words, this is a PG blog).

I cried my eyes out and ended up telling him to his face that he didn't see how hard I had worked and how I didn't want to try to do anything nice for him ever again. I remember that for the first time I felt resentment toward my mother because I was doing what I considered to be her job in our family.

Now, I am a stay at home mom unlike my mother but I have delegated the same tasks that she did all the same. I am not proud. She was not a bad mother and I am not a bad mother but we both have taken our children for granted. I want to do better. I want them to learn how to work but not feel like slaves. I don't want to take their childhood away from them.

For anyone who knows me please don't think ill of me, this is just one memory. My memories as a whole of my childhood are wonderful ones. I love both my parents and just because I can see one or two of their faults does not take away from the love and appreciation I have for them. I think that all parents make mistakes unknowingly or might not realize the depth of the wound they are inflicting. I know that as a mother I do this and I hate myself for it when I realize what I have done. Still, if I know that I am doing something like my mother that was negative, I feel that it is my responsibility to break the chain and find a better way. After all, that is what she really wanted me to become was a good person and mother and to try harder.

School vouchers.

2008-09-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

With an election on the horizon it is interesting to go issue by issue and compare the candidates. In my opinion (please don't send me nasty grams, this is my blog and my right to express my opinions) no matter who we choose, we are settling for second best. Who is the best? I don't know but it feels like we are only voting for the lesser of two evils.

As for school vouchers. Barack Obama is for them, if research proves that they work. John McCain is naturally against them. I wonder if McCain is against them because he really thinks they are bad or just because he wants to be contrary.

Again, my opinion, I think that schools need competition. Education is not one size fits all and it would be good if they were somewhat like other industries by being open to competition. It would make teachers strive harder, especially if somehow we could make their salary attached to their success instead of a flat babysitting fee. I know, there are some wonderful public educators out there. But, for every good one there is one that only decided to teach for good hours, steady income and decent benefits. I had too many teachers growing up that didn't seem like they were very happy to be at a school all day. Money and reputations motivate most people.

I am not an expert on this subject but my gut tells me that vouchers are a great idea and that the countries that use them have a great rate of success. Why do we as Americans think that we have to know better than everyone else. Can't we try something that someone else has tested?

It, its and it's. YIKES!

2008-09-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

It could just be our house but none of our children are getting grammar into their brains. I swear, it is a daily battle around here daily. We've gotten over our tears for math and now we have English tears! How joyous!

On of the most confusing things for children (in my opinion) and something that I see widely missed used is "its" and "it's". Please tell me you know the difference. If you do, please tell me how to get it through to my children!

So I challenge everyone to think hard about its vs. it's. Click on the link to go to a great grammar lesson about this topic!

Police equipment reviews

2008-09-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

Totally irrelevant to the topic of homeschooling there is a new site at Police Equipment Reviews. This is a great place for anyone in the law enforcement profession to read up on different types of equipment. The site is full of information!

The site was put together by a Southern California police officer who has put a lot of time and energy into researching different equipment.

The weather, oh the wonderful weather!

2008-09-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

As the weather becomes beautiful instead of the scalding heat that has been summer, I am reminded of years past in homeschooling. In particular, I remember a year where my boys were studying weather patterns. It was such a fun time. For a month or maybe two (it's been a few years now) the boys had to keep a weather journal. They had to take the high temperature, the low temperature, sunrise time, sunset time, and other information regarding shadows and things. It was all very elementary and yet so fun and fascinating to my little guys!

I found the boy's enthusiasm for the weather intoxicating and couldn't help but get wrapped up in it. Now every year when the seasons start changing from summer to fall I get swept up in that old emotion. It is so wonderful. How sad that they were probably so small that they don't remember. It will be fun now to have another child enter those lower elementary grades and get to experience her joy over the same things. The greatest part is that she will see it through her own eyes and I will gain something more from a unit on the weather. I swear, homeschool moms are the luckiest people!

Keyboarding is cool. Who knew?

2008-09-12T22:10:00.000-07:00

Our homeschool group offers a keyboarding class that they separate into different levels. I have recently decided that my two oldest should go and learn some new skills. The teacher advised me that before the first class the kids should brush up on their keyboarding skills. So I was directed to the state department of education that had recommended software that was a free download online. The kids are in heaven!

According to the teacher that we deal with, sixth grade students nationwide type 35 words per minute on average. I thought that was pretty good. After just a few days of practice my kids are making great progress.

I am so excited for them. They will not only learn typing and word processing but they will learn Power Point and other software that I would not have thought or had the time to teach them.

ADHD/ADD thoughts.

2008-09-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

I have a few blogs and if you are one of the people that read all of them you are probably sick of me and this topic by now. Instead of repeating my previous posts I will just refer you to my blogs and one information site. One blog is Homeschool Playground where I discuss some activities for ADHD children. The other blog is Kadiddle where I discuss the terminology used with these disorders as well as the debate with medication for ADHD kids.

Please check back for more thoughts on this subject. I believe that it is a huge issue for so many families and it rarely gets the discussion that is needed to raise awareness and understanding

Homeschool Curriculum

2008-09-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

So many parents starting out on their homeschool journey ask me about curriculum choices. At times, even seasoned homeschool parents are looking for a change in their curriculum and want some input.

While I have not used every kind of curriculum, I have taken a fair amount of time studying several different methods of homeschooling and homeschool curriculum.

What I would encourage parents to do is to do their homework. You need to study up on the different ways to homeschool and then go with your intuition as to what is good for your child. Don't underestimate yourself as a parent in your ability and know how in choosing for your child. I hope that the above links help you with your decision.

How can I make moving and landscaping educational

2008-09-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

We are off to move at the end of this month and somehow I have to do full school days along with a lot of packing. Luckily we didn't completely unpack but there is still too much to do. So, I am trying to get creative about how to make this event educational for the kids.

The home we are moving to is not landscaped. Or shall I say, it was at one point and the old tenant let it die for the past five years. It's a cherry! :) I am excited to have time with the kids and have them be industrious and productive. The owner is putting in full landscaping but it will take a while and in the meantime I don't want to live in squalor (I just had to look up how to spell that, how sad). The landscaping can be made very educational if my husband is the one doing the teaching. I am too impatient and unkind to try to take the classroom to the weeds.

The biggest education these kids are getting is how to adapt to 19 different neighborhoods before you reach high school. LOL! I am sorry for them but I can't change what has been done at this point. I can only hope to make the future better!

Another grade level in math!

2008-09-09T04:36:00.000-07:00

My dear 11 year old boy passed off a grade level in math yesterday! We had one of our cupcake celebrations and tried to make a big deal out of it. I am just stupefied that the kids had made such progress in math in so little time and I can pull up reports to see how many concepts they are learning per day and how effective their work time is. It's so astounding. By the way, if you are new to this blog or my others, we use www.aleks.com for math.

Yesterday afternoon it dawned on my just how lucky we have been to be in a schooling program (K12 Virtual Academy) that is part of the public school system but not stunted because of it. My children still work at their own pace and get the best quality of education. The difference in this program from others is that I have a local teacher who supports me, challenges me and the children and is always there for us. She is the one who told us about www.aleks.com.

Our teacher told us of a lady who runs a private school here in town that uses that curriculum and we enrolled in it through her which saved me $160 per year.

How wonderful is it to have public and private certified teachers helping a home school mom find solutions for her children! Shouldn't this be what all educators and parents want, the betterment of the education for the children, not just to think that their way is the only right way? I hope that the whole world (especially the U.S.) sees more of this happening. We all know that one size does not fit all. Homeschool isn't for everyone but either is public education. We are so lucky to have options and to be able to do what is right for our families!

Becoming introverted.

2008-09-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

My 11 year old is a great kid. He is sweet, kind, responsible, honest and a wonderful kid to be around. He used to go out into the neighborhood everyday and play with other children. He loved that part of his day when school was done and he had his freedom to explore the world.

In the past 18 months something has happened and my angel has no interest in going out and making friends or doing things with friends for that matter. He would prefer to just keep in a book or be left with his thoughts or play his guitar.

While I know that there are all types of personalities, I am worried that this boy has lost some of his joy and I know all too well, that I am to blame. I have made horrible mistakes that have caused our family a bit of instability and the children always pay. Don't get me wrong we are a happy family and our home is a happy place, we just don't have the stability that some families enjoy from staying in one place and planting roots.

I feel a panic for this boy of mine because I think that if we don't break him out of his own head in the next few months, we may be left with a very isolated teen and I do not think that is healthy. This I believe can be one downside of homeschooling. All this time, I could have been making things different for him but because of my own fears and laziness, it just hasn't happened.

So, time to get off the duff and get down to business. We are progressing so well in our school work and some other areas that we need to pick up the pace on the social aspect of things and allow this boy some room and opportunities to blossom.

A day of math and music.

2008-09-04T23:25:00.000-07:00

Some may say that a lot of "formal" schooling didn't happen at our house today but I beg to differ. Not on the formal part but for the schooling part. My children wrote letters to a relative that we have that is in rehab for prescription drug use. They all did their math and practiced their music lessons. On top of that, my dad came and picked DH, me, and the two oldest children to go to dinner and a concert tonight. The concert was a trio of men who do old country classics and they have a 12 year old girl who plays Chet Atkins style guitar appear with them on certain numbers. They were all so phenomenal. It was wonderful! The kids were so impressed and inspired. The best part was that the band members were open to conversations and mingling so that my kids got to really talk with them about their guitars, amps and music. It was like a dream come true.

I'm not sure that you can have a day with much more in it. The inspiration is enough alone to satisfy me. So much "education" provides data and know how but little or no inspiration to deal with daily things or to spark a drive for something in a child.

Possibly one of our best school days yet!

Son #2 moves up a grade in math!

2008-09-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

Home school successes sometimes come in small packages and when you least expect it! The other day my 10 year old son moved a grade level up in math. This is not to imply that he is ahead in any way because he is actually behind grade level at this time. However, he is on the move. It's like a horse race and he is coming up strong to the lead! I love it! We had cupcakes to celebrate and to his sweet little heart it was a great party! What a kid!

Now comes the real race. My 12 year old son is in the grade level of math that the 10 year old just moved in to. So the competition takes off. I know instinctively that my 12 year old will charge ahead strictly to maintain his status as the older brother who is ahead of the little brother. Kids are funny that way. Growing up I never felt any competition with any of my siblings but my husband felt some with his brother. Maybe it's a brother thing?

Socializing within the family unit.

2008-09-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

I have so many people come to me asking about the socialization of my children. Frankly, my children get a lot of socialization from church, community, school and family. We are lucky to have a strong homeschool group here in our town. We have strong church and scout ties and our family is as tight as any other.

What got me thinking is that what great training just having to keep your cool with your own family can be. Sometimes we give the least to those who matter most. When we are all home for days at a time alone together you learn that you better treat these dear people as you would anyone that you would show kindness and compassion to.

It's harder to always remain kind to your family. Harder to stay patient. What a great training ground for children than to know that not only is family your family but they are your friends, colleagues, and more. Which means, you better keep the peace, play fair and be nice.

Tired Schooling.

2008-08-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

I have had an epidemic of non-sleeping nights since we officially started school. This is nothing new for me, I suppose, but I expect better of my body. Granted, I don't do much exercise and I don't always eat right. I also drink way too much diet Pepsi. Yet, I still have wishes of good night's sleep.

Where the problem lies is that we then have a tired teacher for a day of school. We manage to get the stuff out and the kids without fail do their literature, math and history but when I have not slept, I do not have the energy or patience to tackle the grammar side of things or the science end of things.

Grammar is a problem because my kids are not up to speed and they just don't seem to get it. Where did I go wrong? I always loved English in school, at one time it was my college major! I have no patience to sit down with someone uninterested and try to get them to understand abbreviations or when to use a comma!

Science is always an issue for us whether tired or not. Although, I love to blame it on the "no sleep" factor. I do not like science. I consider it brain clutter for me. Not for everyone, just for me. My kids love science. This I find completely annoying and don't know why. I love their enthusiasm and I know that science is important, I just wish that we could send them somewhere just for science!

Bottom line, I'm sure that if I were sleeping more, we could do better and be more productive. Maybe even get more science done with a better attitude! Who knows?

Schooling three different ages. . .

2008-08-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

Is there a homeschool mother out there who hasn't found it difficult to homeschool a variety of ages and grade levels consecutively? I have a kindergartner, a 5th grader and a 6th grader. If anyone out there is wondering if they are the only ones struggling, please know that you are not alone.

What I have found that helps is that I usually only do kindergarten with my 5 year old two or three days a week. Most of the curriculum is stuff that she already knows so I try to skip over any unnecessary "busy" work. Then on the days that we do have her "do school" I get as many lessons done as possible. For example, last week we had one day of school where she got three days worth the work done. This allows her to have more free discovery and play time and yet she is learning what she should be.

Another wonderful thing that we have done is that my 5th and 6th graders do the same science, history and foreign language. This enables us to spend time together as a family doing these lessons. We even include the younger two children and the exposure to these things is wonderful for them.

If anyone has any helpful hints on how to school more than one grade at a time, please share them. We could all use all the help we can get.

Some days are amazing!

2008-08-26T21:09:00.001-07:00

Today was a complete scheduling nightmare and yet, somehow, it all went fine. It's one of those wonders of the homeschooling phenomenon! We got a full day of school done and I managed to cook all day, have a happy toddler (for the most part)! I even went shopping, twice!

How is it that some days in homeschool go perfectly well and then others are a total joke. I'm sure that the kids get something out of it regardless but I still manage to feel like I have wasted a day.

Lucky for me, this particular day went great! Here's hoping that the rest of the week follows suit! YEAH!

Free School Stuff

2008-08-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

This isn't one of those "too good to be true things", it is actually free and very useful!

I can't take credit for finding it on my own as another blogger had it on her page but she does not own the info on it so I am going to share it!

Free this week from the CurrClick store:
DOWLOAD LINK
Benefits of using index card flashcards:
You only print the ones you need.
It is very inexpensive to replace lost or torn cards.
They are portable in an index card binder, “O” ring or file box.
They are great for smaller hands.
Toss them in your purse or bag and you can practice math facts on the go!
You will also have the files saved for future use!

Wow! Someone is reading!

2008-08-25T09:29:00.001-07:00

I recently got nominated for this award from Marsha at Sufficient Grace for Surrering Saints. She is a doll. So here is hoping I do this right.

The rules of the top award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

The rules for the bottom award are:

Here are the rules:

1. The recipient must link back to the awards creator (it's right on the award)

2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.

3. You must choose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself.

4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award (see below.)

5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.

6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.

7. You must thank your giver.Characteristics for the Smile

Award:1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times--we are all human).

2. Must love one another.

3. Must make mistakes.

4. Must learn from others.

5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world.

6. Must love life.

7. Must love kids.

So, I am going to nominate seven people for this award and hope I'm doing this right. I am always so impressed by most blogs I find. I absolutely love hearing other people's stories, so to all of you who blog, thank you!

And the awards go to:

Keep The Car Running

Tis a Gift to Be Free

Our Homeschooling Journey

What a weekend.

2008-08-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Please read this post at http://kadiddle.blogspot.com. I was too lazy to write anything different for this blog and the other page won't let me copy and paste it! Thanks!

Yahooligans!

2008-08-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Found a fun site for kids today while doing our curriculum. It was actually listed as a place to go for our kids so that they could learn about impeachment. I feel lucky to have a curriculum that uses all means of technology to help our children learn. So, the site is www.yahooligans.com and my two oldest went online today to visit the site. Not only did they learn about impeachment, mainly the impeachment of Pres. Clinton, but they learned some hilarious family friendly jokes. They had me laughing out loud and they loved every minute of their learning time. I'm not sure they realized they were learning! That's the best kind of fun!

Not my finest day, but happy nontheless.

2008-08-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

I guess you could say that no education formally took place in our home. That is if you are only convinced that sitting at a desk for hours doing worksheets is the only way to become educated.

My children spent two hours this morning taking care of their two year old sister. They are charms and handle her beautifully which says a lot for them!

Before they helped with the baby (she's two but still my baby) they made themselves breakfast. They scramble eggs, make toast and cut up fruit. The oldest three work together and they love the sense of accomplishment that they get from that! How many 11 year old boys do you know that would head up a kitchen of little helpers and come out with a great meal?

My nine year old spent the afternoon writing a song to play on his guitar. He even put it to paper and marked the verses and the chorus. It was so cute.

My five year old learned a few hard lessons about not whining. To me, this is more priceless than reading!

The two year old learn about 25 words every ten minutes so she is just blooming and the kids love to egg her on. It is fun to hear.

So, no worksheets were done but there was happiness and lessons learned. The wonders and luxuries of homeschool.

Slow start.

2008-08-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

It is already noon and my children have yet to start school. Oddly, I am not stressed. It seems that someone hit a switch with me this year and school just doesn't stress me out. It could be because we have been making such great progress and I know that whether we start at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m. it will get done. What matters is that right now my children are laughing and enjoying their day.

What I wish is that I had found this comfort and security level about six years ago! I can't believe that we have been homeschooling for over six years! Seems amazing to me. When my DH and I got married almost 14 years ago it never entered my mind that we would homeschool and yet here we are!

Later today I hope to post some information on some useful sites I have found so check back later.

Homeschool on 2 hours of sleep.

2008-08-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so proud. Usually when I lack sleep, I am no better than my toddler at handling things. But so far today (on just two hours of sleep) things are running smoothly. Yes, it is just barely lunch time but I'll take what sanity I can get.

The children are busy with school, the toddler is sleeping and the house is tidy. My DH left a note for the children this morning asking them to be helpful and they rose to the occasion perfectly. What a sweet clan I have!

Field Trip Ideas

2008-08-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

This morning we were out house hunting and I called it a "field trip". I also tried to convince my children that the 1960's circa house that we saw with salmon colored walls was like time traveling! It was a blast. So, really anything can be a field trip, even a trip to the bank or grocery store.

Through the years we have done some fun things for field trips. We have visited pet stores because we don't have a local zoo. We have a lot of historical sites in our area so we try to visit them as often as possible. It's amazing how soon kids can forget when they are young so it's fun to re-visit these every two or three years if not more. We are surrounded by state and national parks so that is always fun, especially if you have yearly park passes to help with the cost.

Another thing that takes some planning for the expense of it is that we have a lot of local theatre. My children love to see a live concert or production and I think it is so good for them to know that there are talented people on all levels, not just television, film and radio. This makes them think that they could perform too!

These are just a few ideas I was mulling over this morning. I'm sure that you have many more and we would love to hear them so please post in our comments section!

Homeschool Kids and Drugs!

2008-08-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

When I think of my kids and drugs I must admit that I have an air of confidence like there will never be a problem. Deep in my heart is a prayer that there won't be a problem. While everyone is always ranting out how homeschool children aren't socialized, it is partly due to the world's drug problems that makes me want to homeschool and give my kids (hopefully) a better chance.

I recently came in contact with a family member who has had a continual drug problem in my life and had to watch the destruction. My thoughts turned to what her mother could possible do to help her at this point. I came up with two useful links. One is for Drug Treatment and the other is a wonderful site that helps you find a rehabilitation center anywhere in the United States. It is 4 Drug Rehab.

I hope that somehow these links can help someone out there.

Couldn't we have accomplished more?

2008-08-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

I guess that you could say that the only schooling, technically, that went on in our home today was that they children colored and have watched some Olympics, including some history on the Olympics. I consider that educational.

I am most likely like a lot like a lot of mother's out there who have high hopes of being weekend high achievers. Sometimes we achieve a lot and other times we don't even take a medal!

Come Monday we are going to rock this house with education and be proud of ourselves.

"Reward" works!

2008-08-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, I officially don't care if you call it a reward or bribery, it works. My children loved the Star Wars movie last night. They said it was really funny and not like most other Star Wars stuff but they loved it the same. They were excited to get started doing what they were supposed to this morning. We don't do any kind of weekly incentive or anything like that. I personally think it is more fun to have an unexpected reward than something you can bank on and is so predictable all the time. So, if they keep up the good work I will shock them with something fun!

As for you Star Wars fans, the theatre wasn't even packed on opening night. Is this a sign that the whole craze is going out?

Bribery or reward, is there a difference?

2008-08-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

As many know by now, the new Star Wars animated film has been released today. While I am sure that millions of people are happy about this, I quite frankly would rather chew on nails than have to sit through any Star Wars movie. Please don't hate me. The acting is so awful and so cheesy. Do you remember one of the newer ones where Ewen McGregor (is that his name?) says "we'll be sitting ducks"? Can you imagine out of all the Star Wars monsters, robots and made up garbage, that they could possibly have an ordinary duck? It just kills me. But I digress.

In our home ratings of movies are held firm, except with Star Wars. My children have seen them all (at least he older two have). So, when my 10 year old got excited about the release of this movie I told him that if they did all of their lessons for the week that they could go alone with their father (yes, he is wonderful) to the new movie. So, today is the day. The kids are doing amazingly well in school so I feel that they deserve it. My husband, who is a die hard Star Wars fan, also deserves to go to this movie without the negativity of his wife. He did, after all, just go to my family reunion and play the part of the perfect husband and father. He doesn't really have to act, but still, he is deserving.

So I pose this question, was this a bribe or a reward for my children? Does it matter? Is there a difference? Teachers in other school settings give "rewards" but aren't they really bribing good behavior or test results out of the kids?

Change

2008-08-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

We have to move yet again. This will be our families 7th move in 11 years. My poor children! Things have not been easy and yet we are so glad that we homeschool as it makes the changes in moving to a minimum. The children always have to start in a new church and new scouting program but our belongings, family members and schooling remain the same. What a blessing!

What I do know is that I can't change the way things are right now and I can't change the fact that we are moving. Nor did I do anything to cause us to have to move again. It is what it is. We just have to deal with it and try to make lemonade out of our lemons. Here's hoping I have that attitude on our actual moving day. Moving isn't easy with four children. The hardest part is the two year old. Can anyone get anything done with their two year old running around? I feel like the worst parent in the world because this lovely child disables me completely when she is awake. YIKES!

Enough about the two year old. Back to moving. I hope we can find a spot where we can garden and have a clothes line. With gas prices, anything we can do to save money would be wonderful. I wouldn't even mind an older home with a swamp cooler instead of a/c so that it could help the power bill. I say that now but I may not be so happy with a swamp cooler when the temperature is 106 here!

Anyway, to anyone reading that is having to move, I am sorry! Just hang in there! And if you homeschool, be glad that you have one less change for your child(ren).

After vacation.

2008-08-12T15:05:00.001-07:00

I don't want to do school. How awful am I?

Yesterday before we left California we took the children to the beach. We all had so much fun and it was such the definition of summer that my mental state back tracked and I went back to summer mode. All I want to do is go back to that beach for the next month! Couldn't we just do marine biology for a month and count it as curriculum?

Weird day, heroes, immunizations and math.

2008-08-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

We are having a weird day. I was out late to a lecture last night and didn't have the energy to get today's school stuff out for the kids. So here we are at 11 a.m. and all we have done is read and learn about Jane Addams. I'm proud that we've gotten that far.

I learned yesterday that we can't leave our dog at the pet resort during our trip unless we get his shots up to date. So, I am going to try within 24 hours to find a vet who will give him his immunizations. Lucky me!

The only other thing that will definitely take place today is math. My oldest boys are behind grade level and we are going to get up to speed if it kills me (us). They have already improved half a grade in two weeks so I know that if we keep going we can get there. I am so proud of them thus far!

This is how homeschooling goes some days, I suppose. Maybe there is someone out there who is perfect everyday and everything goes great all the time. That would not be the case with me. I think that if nothing else I am flexible to a fault.

Happy Day!

We Conquered!

2008-08-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

We did it! Another full day of full school work accomplished! I know, it shouldn't be a big deal but I say that if 180 days of school are required by law then we should get to have 180 parties. One for each day that we complete. I don't take one day for granted.

After our day of school I let the kids watch the Eric Clapton Crossroads concert. I know, not the most wonderful activity but they are all obsessed with the guitar! They now love B.B. King and Willie Nelson! Cracks me up. These are the same kids that worship Coldplay! I love it!

Tonight I am going to listen to a child psychiatrist who is speaking at a local school. I'll take great notes and report back tomorrow.

Home's Cool!

2008-08-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

Today I ran across another blog in another blog land and they had the title "Home's Cool". My kids loved it so much! Why hadn't I thought of that cute little take on homeschool!?!

I'm going to a family reunion this coming weekend and I am gearing myself up for all the inquiries about being a homeschool family. People are always curious which always amazes me because millions of families each year homeschool and the number continues to grow. We are no longer a total minority in educational ways! Still, I really don't have a response to tell anyone anymore. It's hard to explain a gut feeling to people. Also, our school program is publicly funded through our local school district so really they are doing public school work at home. It just doesn't seem that hard to understand to me.

I did have one aunt who has been an educator in the public school system for over 30 years ask me what sports my kids did this year. This was the first spring that they didn't play little league and a lot of it was because we moved and didn't know where to go to sign up and I wasn't on the ball. When I admitted this to her you would have thought that I had abused my children.

Who is it that dictates that all of our children have to be over scheduled and worn to a frazzle. It must be those same parents who would rather work another job to fund the many extra curricular activities that their children go to. While they say it is for the child's well being I start to wonder if it is just a way of avoiding having to actually interact with you child. That's a whole other blog excerpt waiting to happen!

Anyway, reunion here we come and I will be ready for everyone's inquiries! As someone told me when I first started, the children speak for themselves. Homeschool children are kind and sweet and smart as all get out! Even if their mother's don't always sound quite so educated! I am still convinced that we are doing the right thing for our children and in the long run that is all that matters!

It's been a while, like 3 years!

2008-08-03T00:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that I have let this blog go. I have had some good response in a lot of ways and then a lot of garbage posts as all bloggers get!

Anyway, I found a few great sites with really useful homeschool information that I am really excited about. The are:

http://ohiohighschools.org/ and http://homeschoolingprogram.org/ and http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kadiddle.

These sites are full of insights, articles, statistics and more. I had so much fun going through all of them and gathering information and inspiration!

I will post here regularly once again! Thanks for all of you who have kept visiting!

Kids for Saving Earth

2005-04-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone has heard of this but there is a great program called "Kids for Saving Earth". I just got the whole package for my family for about $12 (usd). It came with a whole years worth the activities, posters and certificates. My children are in heaven. I would encourage this for everyone. The website is kidsforsavingearth.org. Check it out!

Also, if you know of any other programs like this that your family has enjoyed please let us know!

What is working for you?

2005-04-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

Please let us know your style, your method and your schedule. The more ideas we all share, the more we can take the best of everyone's ideas to create the best homeschool experience for our own children.

Let's Homeschool

2004-08-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

We are getting ready for another school year. We are anxious to hear everyone's ideas for curriculum, books, educational software, record keeping and anything else. Please post here and visit http://www.letshomeschool.com