Cheerios in My Sneakers

The Name of this Book is Secret

2012-01-27T23:42:00.001-05:00

The Name of this Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cute...sort of like Lemony Snickett and Mysterious Benedict kids.

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Finally, Some Peace at the Inn....Week in Review 1/23-1/27 12

2012-01-27T20:21:00.000-05:00

So, we finally had our first peaceful school day in ages. I swapped some things out for my 7(almost 8 year old...and WHAT a difference....
This week the boys were sick with a nasty cold which started last Friday. Cubby was pretty much out of commission Monday and Tuesday. Hammy was having sympathy pangs. This turned out to be the week where the proverbial poop hit the fan in our homeschool. My youngest is definitely an unschooler type. I, however, am not by any stretch of the imagination....but, as a war hardened mom, know when something has to give. You can not force feed knowledge. You can not force a child to learn. I can go over and over the material, insist, yell, work myself and him into a frenzy, but that is not productive and does neither one of us any favors.

When these events happen in our homeschool, which they inevitably do from time to time, I need to step back and evaluate our materials, my teaching method and what will be best for that particular child. My youngest needs lots of one on one, he likes to read materials for himself, he loves hands on manipulatives, he needs to see the point in the exercises or assignments he is given, he likes to focus on one skill at a time, and he is still working on getting his handwriting fluid, so too much writing tires him easily.

So, in case you are wondering.....I finally gave in and put CLE away for him....even though it makes me sad. It is such a good, rigorous, thorough program which has served me so well over the last few years...but, this kid was going to either have a nervous breakdown, or give me one!

He spent 45 minutes on Tuesday crying because he hated school, he hated his math, he hated his books and he hated ME for making me make him do school!! OY! Not what you want to hear when you work so hard to provide a good education, and when you love your kids and want them to love learning.

So, Wednesday....I took the day to really rethink WHAT would work for this boy. He is a bit quirky....very smart, able to think, but easily frustrated by curricula that is either too easy or too hard.

I did some soul searching, and as much as I love CLE, I can see that it is just NOT a good fit for this child at this time. Looking at our school day I can see where all of my CM leanings have been slowly pushed out and replaced by workbooks and me repeating ad nauseum to the kiddoes to get their work done.

I packed up his workbooks and cleared his slate. On Thursday, I had a trial run of how I thought we may make our day work.

When the boys wake up they usually like to sit on the couch and snuggle while I build up a fire in the wood stove, make their breakfast and the older kids bring in firewood, take care of the dogs etc. When they came down Thursday a.m., I handed each of them a book....MTH Vacation Under a Volcano for Hammy and Detectives in Togas for Cubby. We are studying Rome, so I thought these 2 would work well. Grace is reading D'Aulaire's Greek Myths. I told them they should each read a chapter and then come narrate to me when they were done.
That went beautifully!...it was a nice way for the kids to start their day and I felt like it was more productive than just sitting and staring into space until they were awake enough to function.

So, hammy's program now looks like this:
Math: Life of Fred Elementary Series. We have already completed Apples, so we went onto Butterflies. I ordered an A Beka Math book for extra practice, and will use few days a week...but, with me teaching using manipulatives.

Reading: Hammy has finished CLE 2nd grade reading, so we will spend the rest of the year reading living books. We did the CLE program orally, so it was fun and pain free...but, I would like him to be writing better before we move on to the 3rd grade. He is reading well, but I would also like to see him read more "real" books. I will draw from Sonlight, Veritas Press, Well trained Mind etc. Booklists. He will narrate daily. Once a week we will work on a written or drawn narration.

Language Arts/Writing. Hammy will be using WWE 1 to get the hang of copy work and narration. I will probably use his copy work to teach grammar concepts which are covered in the CLE program. I always taught my older kids this way...ala CM/Ruth Beechick, and it was very effective and less stressful on my little kids. Hammy too to it like a fish to water. He was so relieved and learned his lesson well. In his case, less is definitely more. For spelling, I will probably just use the spelling lists from my CLE TM....

Bible, History, Read Alouds, Poetry etc. Are done as a family. this year, I am using Sonlight Core W and it is going well dfor all of the kids...so I will stick with it. This week we covered the Golden Age of Greece, The Peloppenesian War and Socrates. CHOW Chap 27&28.
We finished reading the Book of Isaiah and moved onto the book of Jeremiah...
Our memory verse is 1 Peter 2:9
As a devotional, we are reading Grandfather's Box. this week we read Chapters 19-22
We dumped The Trojan War by Olivia Coolidge...it was awfully boring, and we already read Black Ships and Wanderings of Odysseus...no reason to torture us all.
We are using Archimedes and the Door of Science as a Read Aloud, rather than a reader as a re
Placement for The Trojan War. phew! That was a relief.

We also finished The Invention of Hugo Cabret. We all LOVED this book. I have Wonderstruck kicking around here...and can't wait to read it to the kids.

Cubby had a short week because he was so sick at the beginning of this one...but was able to finish his 4 th grade CLE reading. He will be reading living books and writing narrations for the rest of this school year.
He finished 3 math and 3 LA assignments. I also started him on WWE 3 and he did so well! He loved his first lesson, so I am encouraged.
He practiced his facts using Rocket Math and began reading detectives in Togas.

Had a long talknwith Grace about the level and amount of academic work which will be expected of her come fall. She will be entering her High School years, and we will begin planning her Course of Study in the next few weeks. I am planning to homeschool with a mix of home made, farmed out and online courses. She is a lazy student, and it is going to be a struggle to encourage her to excel. She is an average student, but is capable of so much more if she would put forth the effort. Her tendency is to do as little as possible to pass, and she is well aware of that. I am well aware of it too...and not afraid to call her on it.

This week we reviewed her progress for the year...and talked about where she is doing well, where she is excelling and where she needs to step it up. She has conveniently " forgotten" to do her Science lessons for the past 5 weeks. ....so, this weekend she will be catching up on some science. We have been VERY light on her science anyway because she is just not interested whatsoever. I made sure we covered many scientists and their discoveries all though out her elementary years....sneaking in science wherever I could, and that seems to have familiarized her with many scientific concepts. I think she will do fine next year with an introductory Biology class and I am now researching our options.

She will be ready for Algebra 1 in the fall....and is well ahead in English and history. This looks to be an interesting next few years.

So, here is my week or rather semester in review....
Update next week :-)

The History Boys

2012-01-17T23:31:00.001-05:00

The History Boys by Alan Bennett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ok.. I don't particularly like reading plays. I prefer to watch....sometimes with book in hand. Must see if YouTube has some footage.

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Our Schoolroom...re-done!!!

2012-01-16T21:24:00.000-05:00

Reading Chair

Curricula

Howard the Turtle

Caleb's workbox

All the kids' workboxes etc.

Sammy's Spelling...He is creative :-)

I feel like the Biggest Doofus Ever!

2012-01-16T16:17:00.001-05:00

My poor parents! Why didn't I ever know how hard parenting adult children was going to be?? Is it some sort of big fat universal secret?? When they are little and behave poorly, you can just handle it. But, when they are older, and technically adults....well...our options are minimal. We need to stand by and watch while terrible things can, and often do, happen to them.

No wonder my mother was a nervous wreck when I was pregnant after my first baby was an emergency c-section. No wonder my father often shook his head and sighed when my husband had a new business scheme....or before then, when I was dating someone less than desireable.

No wonder our hair turns gray and our skin wrinkles up!!!! As I watch my older children go off on their own, oh...the things I neglected to warn them about stand out glaringly at me. The ways of the world ...the things to be careful of...pitfalls....dangers...those things that can derail their future, steal their happiness, rob their health are everywhere I look.

Their futures hang on a thread...and it is out of my hands to help them. I have no choice, but to put them in the hands of the Lord and pray He keeps them safe. Is there such a thing as safety??

I raise our babies hoping I can do a good job. I feel happy when they reach High School, knowing they have gotten past those fragile baby years...and I hope and pray we can get through the "learning to drive" years without a serious accident, teen heartbreak, drugs etc. They got past those days. I was free and clear. Oh, no...my parenting skills are just being honed now.

Being the parent of an adult means:

You have to bite your tongue when your daughter's husband doesn't live up to your expectations.

Your child moves away and you no longer can make sure that he is eating well. sleeping enough, studying his course work.

Your child is in college and her room mate does not share the same principles and morals.

Your child discovers the "nightlife" and decides to join in ONE TIME and pays the consequence for the rest of his or her life

Your child gets sick...and you can not drive 100 miles to take them to the doctor because your younger child is also sick.

You can't say anything when you see the pitfalls, because you are so old fashioned and such a fuddy duddy....can't see eye to eye...don't understand the way things are now...

You see their immaturity, but can't point it out because that will alienate them and you know it is better to have open communications than NO communications...and adult kids are great at clamming up!

My children are good students. They have career paths. They work hard....my influence is now tempered by their decisions. My fear for them has multiplied. I thought my job was finished...it has really only, in a way, begun, but now my job is to pray...long and hard...for their lives and their souls. This is harder than making sure their schoolwork was finished and they knew their spelling words. This is much harder.
Yes, my kids were pretty easy teen agers...but not so great twenty-somethingers.

Think about it...they can drive...they own cars. They can drink legally. They can set up utilities, sign leases, get married, drop out of school, sign loan documents, date whoever they darn well please, have s*x, live with lunatic room mates who do drugs and bring home weird men...and they can't get them the heck out.....

They can pretty much make as many really bad choices as they want....they can eat cake for dinner, with a beer if they want to...They can go to Taco Bell and Wendy's instead of the supermarket and healthfood store. They can date the guy you hate and ditch the one you like. They think their friends and professors are smarter and more with it than you are...

So, Mom and Dad....I am sorry for all the gray hair and wrinkles, sleepless nights, worry, and bit tongues. I too have stepped in IT all too often...and must have caused my own parents plenty of anxiety.

I just never knew......

Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

2012-01-06T21:50:00.000-05:00

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book, especially just finishing reading the historical accounts of Richard III and the Cousins War. So much history....so much "Tonypandy".

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Holidays are over...Guests Have Gone Home

2012-01-04T18:44:00.000-05:00

We are exhausted. New Years Resolutions in place. House is wrecked. Must finish business work and get us paid up to year end. Must plan next semester of school. Must get laundry caught up....

Oh, I have a loooooong list of must dos.

Must teach kids to:

Know what an hour is....TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS!!!!
LIFE MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Those are the 2 areas that MUST be worked on with my children this semester...even to the exclusion of any other subjects.

This year, dh and I are focusing on nutrition and nutritional healing. I know God has put everything in us to be able to fight infection and heal ourselves. the Bible also says we are to use every herb as our medicine. Through my and dh's research, we have found how nutritionally depleted our foods are. Because of factory farming, food processing, weird non-foods posing as food, soil depletion, anti-biotics in meat etc., our bodies are not only barraged by chemicals, but we have no nutrients to heal on.

We are overweight AND starving! At the same time! We are a rich country full of fat and sick people because of our new methods of providing a full stomach but no nutritionally rich food.

This year I am going to help dh grow and juice wheat grass. We will make sure our kids eat raw and nutritionally dense foods. I believe this type of diet will help Carl fight Lyme disease, will help Mark fight diabetes and high blood pressure as well as lose weight, will help Hammy with his sensory integration issues and will help me with Hashimoto's, PCOS and fibromyalgia. I think it will help my healthy kids be even more healthy. My oldest is determined to beat Hashimoto's and Fibro as well...and Ding is fighting Hashimoto's too.....did I ever say Hashimoto's is genetic??

Anyway, this year I plan to focus this blog on our Nutritional Healing and our journey to better health.
So far, I started my newest...new journey a few weeks before Christmas, by going gluten free. So far, I have lost 6 lbs. and am in much less pain. My goal is 10 lbs. more, exercising daily at least 5 days a week...and being pain free. I also plan on learning yoga because the few times I have tried it...it made me feel so much better. I have yoga on the Wii....now to hook the Wii up!

~~Faithe

Son of Neptune....

2012-01-04T08:11:00.001-05:00

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book felt contrived. It was not up to Riordan's standards. I kept thinking all through the book, that he was just trying to get it out by deadline...and oh boy, does this book need a good edit! It was an ok story, but weirdly wordy....and not polished at all.

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Bossypants

2011-12-23T23:37:00.002-05:00

Bossypants by Tina Fey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Funny.

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2011-12-20T21:44:00.001-05:00

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A little bit history, a little bit magic. Love the way this story was woven.....love the story of Jacquetta....rarely told. Enticing.

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2011-12-20T21:40:00.001-05:00

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read these completely out of order reading the last one first...this one on the middle. I enjoyed them anyway, and I was able to follow the English monarchies easily enough. Interesting, but sad...so much bloodshed......

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2011-12-20T21:36:00.001-05:00

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am on a English History kick...Philippa Gregory brings this time period to life. Really enjoying this series of books about the "Cousin's War".

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The Art of Racing in the Rain

2011-12-20T21:32:00.001-05:00

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet. Life told from the perspective of a dog. Strangely insightful...full of life lessons.

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Mom of the Year: NOT

2011-12-19T19:39:00.000-05:00

I am not feeling like the Mom of the Year....in fact, I Amy not be in the running for quite a while.
Today, Elvis went in for his annual eye exam... 2 years past due....with a complaint that he could not focus well...and he was seeing in duplicate and quadruplicate( is that a word?). Doctor H gave him a good exam, knowing that Elvis had/has Lyme Disease.
His exam shows Neurological Palsy and optical nerve damage. Prognosis...?????
This was probably caused by Lyme...you know that disease...which isn't really real....which only needs some doxycycline and you become in the class known as "adequately treated".

So, I am sending his pediatrician...who decided he was " adequately treated", his report while I do some research and try and find a doctor who can REALLY adequately treat him.

So, here we are, almost 3 years into this battle....with some wins and other losses...
So far or wins are good....he is out of bed and doing something daily, he has gained some weight, he is not depressed anymore....

Our losses: he is still in pain in his joints ....especially his elbow and wrists....he is having sleep issues, wired but tired....he has no appetite.....he still can't study, and he has lost a good portion of what he already learned in high school.

So, the bad mom award goes to me...for not being aggressive enough in his treatment, for not being forceful enough to insist on IV antibiotic treatments earlier, for believing his body would fight to get well if I gave him enough good food and vitamins...for not listening to the little voice in my head that said we should treat more aggressively.

And now, We go on to the fight of our lives....to live Lyme Free and healthy....2012 is our year to get well....
Faithe

Carl's Quest: To Beat Lyme Disease

2011-12-17T13:08:00.000-05:00

I am serious about not being able to get ANYONE to treat ds further inside what insurance will allow. All other doctors are NOT covered, and unfortunately...who knows then who you are getting. It is like the insurance company is sending us back to charlatans.
Thank God my ds is getting better.....through vitamin and nutritional therapies I kind of designed myself through research. He was diagnosed 5 years after his first exposure. He spent 6 months in bed...not able to stay awake longer than 15 minutes at a pop. His doctor thought he was "depressed". I was livid! Depression does not make you run fever every day, it does not give you brochitis and pnemonia repeatedly, it does not make your elbows swell......I insisted on a Lyme test, which came back falsely negative.......then he got infected AGAIN!!!! He must be a tick magnet. He finally had a tell tale bullseye in his armpit. jerk doctor said he had chafing because he wasn't washing.
I asked him to humor me....and run a western blot. I had just read about them.....it came back with a romping active Lyme and the evidence of long term Lyme.
He gave him the Doxy for 21 days...I insisted on 28... Then on the zithromax.

I took him to the head of infectious diseases in Kingston....he said he was adequately treated ( that is the phrase they use to tell you it is all on your head and they are not treating you any further.). He gave him a long talk about aids....and sent him on his way.

Then I took him up to the head of pediatric infectious diseases at Albany med. After a 2 hour consultation...which happened the day of my mother's funeral.....she recited basically the same verbiage.....it seems like the doctors have been handed a script and damn well better recite it well.

Anyway.....that was a year ago. Since then he has had good days and bad days. He is having more good days ...these days. As I continue on my research, I am looking for alternatives to anti biotics, mostly because he thought he was going to die the whole time he was on them. He ended up with systemic yeast....and the fun that goes with that. He has outright refused to go the IV route....if I could find a doctor to do that for him.

You would think that with the number of Lyme patients in this area SOMEONE would be willing to treat...or research their heinie off, if for no other reason than financial gain.....but, as we know it seems the research is blocked off, the insurance companies are in
Cahoots with the research labs...and in the meantime...Lyme has become endemic.

I am incredibly frustrated.

Faithe

My blogging plans for 2012

2011-12-17T13:02:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking about what I want to blog about for the next year....and maybe try and be a bit consistent. A few things have been going on that definitely need a place for me to vent, and revisit....and maybe make some order out of chaos.

So, these are the topics at hand:

1: homeschooling during all of the following:
2: home business
3: Lyme disease
4: Hashimoto's and Auto-immune disease....but you don't look sick...
5: BOOKS
6: Marriage and family...keeping it all together and having some fun too
7: anything else that strikes my fancy .

So, in the midst of trying to keep everything moving...and everyone happy, I am going to try to use my blog as my working memory....because the one in my brain isn't working so hot.

~~Faithe

Climbing out of the Disorganization Hole...Homeschooling in Chaos.

2011-11-20T11:11:00.000-05:00

Today, on the WTM forums we have been talking about homeschooling when life is nutsy...and even coming back when things are calming down.

I have btdt...too often to say...except the unemployment thing, which I am sure adds tons of stress on top of it all.
My advice in a nutshell:

Burn the MOTH schedule....Burn anything that demands perfection and makes you feel like a failure. Having a failing attitude and constant reminder of how behind you are makes no one peaceful or happy.

Make a list of your own routine...and try to tweak as you go...be specific...but not chained.
I put EVERYTHING in there....and then put it in my cell phone until it became habit. My phone would ding.....and remind me that I needed to change gears. My kids got used to the singing...and would yell...Hey Mom...YOU DINGED!!!!!!

I put in wake up time for me...then the kids...
Breakfast...
Chores

School subjects...medications....sport schedule....extra class schedules...meals etc.
Everything I could think of...went into the phone....lol.

As I got into my new habits, my day began to have more flow. I didn't constantly have to check my schedule because it would ding...lol.

As far as school goes...if you still have babies and preschoolers....you will often hear "school while the babies nap.". Well, I was blessed with kids who never slept...so, schooling during naps never worked....

I lap schooled...lol. I always had a baby or toddler in my lap. I confined us all to one section of the house...and gated off the kitchen...so I didn't have to worry about kids climbing on chairs...counters...refrigerators etc. I also kept them out of the bathroom with potty breaks every half hour or so for the potty training crowd. Bigger kids could hop the gate when need be.

I would school my 11 year ....or my middle one first. I know some start with the oldest...some with the youngest....I found my 10-13 year olds easiest to work with. They were semi- independent, yet needed instruction and assistance. I try to use all open and go for skill subjects. Reading, Math and LA are workbook programs that we can just do the next thing in. If we finish the major 3, I feel we accomplished the meat of the day. Figure out your meat...make sure you get that done. I always schooled my teens in the evening AFTER babies, toddlers and little ones were in bed. It was quiet here and we could focus on Algebra, or formulas, or Dante:D. My teens seem more focused at night....I would give them their next day's assignments and when they got up in the morning, they could get busy on assignments.
My muddles would get up, eat and then have lessons....my littles would get up, have breakfast, and play....until middlies break time.

While my middle guys ate...and took a play break, I would do phonics or math with my little guys...then call everyone back for family reading time.

We would do Bible, Poetry, read aloud and History....then eat lunch. Then Middle kids would have assignments....teens would be finishing theirs from the previous day and doing chores...little guys would have math.

If I couldn't fit all our family read alouds into our morning ( which happened a lot). I would just save them for bedtime reading.

I made myself check lists for each kid...for each subject...rather than a daily schedule containing all subjects...this helped me see our progress....and feel like we were accomplishing something....lol. I also wrote a daily flow chart....using my lists as the guide. My whole planning took a weekend at the pool in the summer while the kids played. Over planning made me feel overwhelmed...and any changes made me feel like a failure.

Make your schooling as simplified as possible. Stay on one topic for Bible, History, Science, Poetry, Literature, or any other content subjects you can. Make use of videos and online resources for your older kids...especially your teens. If you can't afford online classes, use the free stuff on YouTube. A little research will go a long way. We used YouTube for so many subjects! We loved it especially for biology and Chemistry. Watching the experiment demonstrations and videos were so awesome and added so much to our teens studies. Kids can be on the same topic....for us right now, for example, we are doing a one year World History. I tried using 3 separate programs....I should have known better!! So, I dropped 2 of them....decided on Sonlight Core W...and just use 2 age appropriate textbooks for my 13 & 17 year olds. Everything else fits across the ages.

For science, we are all studying Life Science....using a topic a week from Lyrical Life Science...and age appropriate library books.

Basically, if we can stay on the same topic, we can have something to chat about...whether we are doing dishes together, riding in the car, stacking wood....etc.

As far as chores....I write them out on the dry erase board in my kitchen. We all work at them until they are all done....if I notice someone NOT doing their fair share....I assume they need some mommy instruction in that chore. That child becomes my partner...and learns to WORK. Seriously...in this way, being MY partner is not a desired position...lol.

~~~Post it notes are your friend.
Let me say it again....post it notes are your friend...
So is the yellow note feature in your phone..
Use them for everything. Don't nag....write it down and stick it on the kid. Write errands and stick them on the dashboard of your car....as you get them finished, stick them in your notebook to show you have finished your chore. Makes you feel accomplished. Same with kid assignments. Write them on post it's...stick them as place marks in your kids books with any extra assignment...or words to focus on...or essay prompt....etc. Hen they are finished...you get the post it and slap it in your plan book...instant record of work achieved.

Drop any outside activities which cause stress if you can....BUT don't drop everything. It is important to get out and have a change of scenery. I have instituted a chore day in town. We all look forward to it. It is the day we go into town, Do our shopping, get our supplies, go to the library, etc. In nice weather we pack a picnic and go to the playground. During the winter, I take them to either Panera Bread and buy them some soup...or to a pizza shop for a slice. Very inexpensive....but they love it and feel so special. I try to sign the kids up for short term obligation sports or outside classes...6 weeks is perfect! Swim team in the summer...soccer in the fall....looking for something in the winter.....and golf in the spring. Dd 13 does a 1 hour a week drama class which is inexpensive and nearby. The library also has lots of inexpensive, but interesting programs. We are going to try Awanas...it is free, and the kids need some social time...and it is after school hours.

Check out Flylady....I don't follow her plan to a tee...but I have gotten so many cool ideas...and encouragement from her site.
I have found minimal stuff helps keep peace. Too much junk makes me uncomfortable and stressed out. If in doubt, throw it out. If you don't love it...get rid of it. Toys can be packed into rubbermaid containers and stored to be used one at a time. A closet with a padlock is a moms best friend. Pretend you are moving. If you wouldn't take it with you...you really don't want it....out it goes.

Try to stay in the NOW. Don't worry about tomorrow's mess....or yesterday's mistakes. Give yourself to today and making it the best today you can.

Be kind to yourself. Be forgiving of yourself. Be an encouragement to yourself. If you can be those things to you....you become those things to your husband and children. I am not talking about syrupy, made up sweetness...but being the real person you want to be. Striving for a perfection which doesn't exist, is futile. Striving to love and nurture your family with peace in your heart, despite circumstances, can be attained....and enjoyed.

Our daily life is busy...crazy....I am often distracted by our business phones and some emergency that crops up....but, that is life. We move on.

Coming back from stressful situations is stressful in itself. Adding homeschooling, unemployment, sick parents, sick kids, chronic mommy illness, etc.....makes all those issues multiply....but...Through it all...My Lord and My savior walks with me...hand in hand....His strength shall be my strength....

~~~~Faithe

2011-11-20T08:51:00.001-05:00

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read the first 2 ...so had to read the sequel. I am funny like that. Not my favorite...but I kept reading anyway. Lots of Swedish politics....and I thought they were neutral......hmmmmmmmm.

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Week in review 11/13- 11/18

2011-11-18T23:57:00.001-05:00

We had a pretty good academic week this week. Now that we are moving into holiday season....we are finally hitting a groove.

Dropping HOD helped more than I could imagine. I didn't realize having 2 programs going at once would stretch me and stress me so much. Sonlight is working very well for all my kids...sticking with one core....simplicity.

This week we read:
Proverbs 3,5,7,8&9
Instead of the SL bible study, we are using Grandfather's Box from the HOD set...since my kids all really love it.
We finished 4 chapters

From CHOW and Usborne world History we covered the Assyrians, The Babylonians and the early Greeks. Gracie also read the corresponding chapters in Patterns of Civ.

We worked on our timelines and got them up to date.

The kids covered vascular plants in Lyrical Life Science

We also read from Olivia Coolidge's rendering of The Odyssey and the first few chapters of D'aulaire's Greek Myths. My kids LOVE these stories.

They all are moving along in their CLE Reading, Math and LA. All the kids did very well on their quizzes and all finished at least 4 lessons in each book.

Hammy is still very resistant to seat work, so I try not to overwhelm him too much, yet insist he does some...to get used to the routine. He did beautiful copy work this week. His handwriting in becoming lovely...and he is having less troubles with reversals.

Cubby is blossoming this year. He is choosing to read more on his own. He is enjoying the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and the How to Train your Dragon series. He has been reading one of each every week. Hammy is working his way through Nate the Great...and Mr. Putter and Tabby. Gracie is finishing up Hittite Warrior, which is a SL book, and the new Rick Riordan book. I wish she would hurry on that one...so I can get my grubby hands on it!!

I am finally pleased with our school work for this year....now to start planning our next....hahaha

~~Faithe

Week in review 11/7-11/11

2011-11-11T22:23:00.000-05:00

So...this week went weird. Hahha.
I finally decided...again...that it doesn't make for a happy homeschool to try to do more than one program with my kids. I know some people have time and energy for that...but I do NOT!

I decided to drop Heart of Dakota with my boys and fold them into dd's Sonlight Core W. They both use the same spine, so the switch was relatively seamless. The boys didn't even notice...lol.

We have been enjoying reading and narrating from these books. They give DD 13 a good easy intro to the topic of the week. This week we learned about the Greeks and the Spartans. We also learned bout the first Olympic games. I am teaching the boys to write simple 1 or 2 sentence narrations. I am also teaching the to write simple outlines using the Usborne book.

DD has been using Patterns of Civilization by Prentice Hall. It is an extremely readable and dare I say enjoyable textbook. My dd likes textbooks as research tools.

This book is adding depth to her studies and more age/grade appropriate. She is enjoying it and using it for info for her NaNoWriMo novel. She is writing, writing, writing. Her story is based in Ancient Greece...and she has already written about 150 pages!

My kids are moving along n their CLE studies. All the children have almost finished their years worth of Reading already. Grace and Cubby have 1 Light Unit left, so should be done by Christmas. Hammy has already finished both 2nd grade readers and is now in the 3rd grade reader. The kids all absolutely love this series of books and remember the stories years later. My dd always talks to the boys about he stor they are up to...and how much she loved them. Can't beat that!!!!

We are moving along in math. My boys have begun the new Life of Fred Elementary books. Hammy read through Apples in 2 days! He loved it! Cubby worked through Butterflies over a week.

Cubby has now moved into Cats and Hammy into Butterflies.
Gracie is using Pre- Algebra with Biology....and will move into Pre Algebra with Economics After Christmas. Math is not her strong subject....using LOF makes it fun. CLE gives lots of practice. Love the combination.

In science, we have begun using Lyrical Life Science volume 1. The kids find he songs catchy and dd is actually enjoying it. We have not had much luck finding science curricula that she enjoys...or will tolerate. After suffering through one program after another, she found this one on the shelf and asked to try it. I really didn't think she would like it, but of course didn't tell her that! Surprise! Surprise!!!! She loves it. The boys love the songs, so I have decided to just get books and other go-alongs for their age. She is usinng the text and the workbook. I won't require that from them, but have been adding other coloring pages and simple kids books from the library. HOORAY!!!!! Science is getting done. That makes me a happy Mom.

Soccer season is almost over. Boys loved it.
DD was cast in the play Footloose in her drama classes and is thrilled, even though it is just a backround part. She likes the idea that she will get some dance lessons as part of her involvement.

Anyway...it's been a busy, but productive weel...and thus ends our first quarter of the 2011-2012 school year.

~~FAITHE

2011-11-05T20:58:00.001-04:00

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Meh.

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Support System is Down.

2011-11-05T13:08:00.001-04:00

Dh and I have been doing this for 6 years. His business is growing....but, I should say our business. I am exhausted, grumpy, tired, used up, nasty feeling right now because...well, I am.

I need to step up ( which would mean my kids have to go to school)....or step down.... ( which dh does NOT want me to do).

I would love to be the support system that keeps the house, schools the kids, Looks sexy at night, Has great meals on the table....and he expects all that in addition to me working 40-50 hours a week in our business. He does not do any of the schooling, but does cook. He will do outdoor maintenance...and clean up after himself....but not help me with the kids stuff...laundry, dishes etc.

I am not trying to paint him as an ogre. I love him and he is my best friend. He means it all well. He works as hard as he expects us all to work. He is never on the couch watching tv and drinking a beer. He is a great provider and does not mandate over us.

That's the good and bad.

I hate our business. Hate it!! But, it is what dh does. It is a high liability, hard service industry. We deal with people when they are at their worst...when they have no heat or a/c or water....or their house is filled with soot etc. I am a terrible introvert...and I need to play an extrovert in my business role. I am usually a little high strung....but need to play the calm one on the phone. This business goes against every fiber of my being.....but it is what he knows....what he is an expert in.....what he makes money doing. It is honest work. It is grueling work. It is what we do.

So, before volunteering to help or support in your dh's business....ask yourself what your boundaries will be. Ask yourself what you are willing to give up to do this....ask yourself if you are willing to give up yourself. Ask yourself what your kids will have to give up...and what they will learn and gain from the experience of a family business. Weigh it all in....then make your decision.
Faithe.

2011-11-04T22:51:00.001-04:00

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was so sweet and so funny. I laughed out loud...a big belly laugh...just relating to this young boy...relating to his mom...and to old Mrs. Booker. I wonder how much of this book was based on the authors life.....love!

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So funny. So sweet. Gotta read it.

Apron Strings

2011-11-04T09:16:00.000-04:00

Today on the WTM forum, the moms were talking about being able to let go of our children. One woman was batting around a neighbor's comment....and another commented on how she wanted her child to have a longer childhood. As a mom of grown children....I have a bit of a different perspective to all of this.

I am actually looking at this in an opposite way. My kids are growing up faster...as in, they are not still children at 18 or 20 or 25. They are adults. They moved into the adult phase of their lives smoothly...without being jerks.....they found jobs, went to college and didn't party like mad and fail out. They didn't sit home on the couch playing video games instead of interacting with the real world.

I think our society has extended childhood well onto some people's 30's. I have friends whose 30 year olds still live at home, have no direction, or desire of direction...can not put in a full day of work....the parents are left with full grown toddlers.....right down to the hissy fits.

My kids were helping us in our family. Helping to build a house, carry in firewood, cook meals, volunteering to help others in need, building and running a business. My 13 yo dd is very capable in an office. She can answer calls, dispatch service technicians, take messages, file...etc. Her friends are trying out make up and how to look pretty to boys.....whatever.

My older kids also played hard....and still play hard. They can have fun because we always had fun. My adult boys will sit on the floor and play legos with their young brothers...teach them to shoot arrows, sled down the hills etc. But, they are men.....not little boys anymore. Even at 17, my son is a man....not a boy. He is intelligent, well spoken, well read, and leading a work crew of men twice his age.

So, Yes.....their childhood was an actual childhood.....and then they became adults. No teen bull cr@p. So far, no teen pregnancies, drug issues, etc. It seemed my kids stayed little kids until about 15 or 16.....and then, they were adult-like.

It became a bit of an awkward period for them because they had a hard time relating to their peers. They did seem a bit odd and out of place because of the seriousness of their character. They were not the usual ousted teen whose parents are sick of parenting...and on their own completely to fall into all kinds of sordid behavior, nor were they the over watched, over scheduled teens who were forced to fill every waking hour with study and other enrichment activities.

I didn't do a perfect job...no where near one. My children are human...and therefore fallen, as we all are, and in need of a savior, but being home schooled gave them a different sociological avenue of development that I did not expect...and quite frankly, it unnerved me a bit. I feared I failed them. I feared I failed to give the the "American teen experience". Then, I looked around and realized that teen thing had extended well into the twenties...and even into the thirties. The system has created an entire generation of children with Peter Pan syndrome...who are " entitled" to be cared for by free health care, free housing, free food....etc. What was meant as a helping hand is now becoming a way of life....because children need to be children...even when they are no longer children. Then, the stakes were raised, and now a high school diploma is basically useless, except as a ticket to the University...if younhave the money or grades to get in. Does anyone hear a giant sucking sound??

So, when I am hit with the " you need to cut the apron strings" line of nonsense....I can comfortably say, " No, I don't. I have given my children the scissor, and the ability to cut those strings. They are independent. They can make it. They have lived in a hard working family their entire lives. They have seen and helped their parents work. They have been in the trenches, not in a belled prison.....they have been watched and taught, discipled, loved, and raised....not handcuffed, lined up, and force fitted into a box not of their own making.

Mammas.....keep those apron strings. They are an important tool in raising our children. Don't let just anybody come by and cut those strings. You hand those scissors to your children....give them the tools they need...and watch as they grow into the incredible adults God meant them to be.

~~faithe

2011-10-18T21:36:00.001-04:00

The Widow's War by Sally Gunning

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lovely.

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Wow!! That week went fast....Week in review 9/30/11

2011-09-30T08:50:00.002-04:00

Homeschooling with chronic pain sucks. There....I said it! Homeschooling with chronic pain and a fullish time work from home job sucks more. Homeschooling with chronic pain, a full-timish job and other health issues and no household help sucks the biggest!

But here I am...and I pulled off another week....somehow.
Got the biggest boy to his class both nights....
Got the girlie to her drama group
Got the little guys to their soccer games
Was able to put in 2 or 3 walks for myself w/ df.
Picked up birthday present and got everyone to nephews surprise birthday party.
Took little guys for their prize at Toys R Us ( they finished their light units and deserved a prize)
Took everyone to the library and let them find some books
Got the food shopping done and dinner on the table almost ball week...with the exception of the night we had a frozen lasagna donated by our good friend who bought too many for a party he was throwing.

Caught up on the laundy....there are a few dishes here and there...but no great towers to speak of
Got the hairy dogs groomed.
Paid all the bills that were due
Made appointments for dentist...and took Big boy in to see the dentist
Made appointment for little girl to see the orthodontist
Spoke with a million clients....vendors...etc. To keep things moving in the field..AND did some collections work...successful collections work...YAY!

Oh....that's right...we are talking about school......

Little Girl:
She is still struggling with math. It is one subject that makes her brain hurt! We did manage to work through 3 full CLE lessons. I want her to finish up the 600 series before Christmas. We are also working through Life of Fred pre-algebra and she did a few sections in there and is now up to the first bridge. We will see if any of it sunk in.

She is moving along beautifully through CLE reading 8 and LA 700. She is doing 2 light unit tests today...and the Reading coming in a week early.
She also read Mara, Daughter of the Nile and began Hittite Warrior. She loves the Egyptian period in history! I need to pull out our SOTW AG and get some crafts out of there that she was too little to do last go round. She did end up writing a 5 page expository paper on the 3 Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt. Her LU in LA was on expository writing...so she used that as a guide.

Cubby: Getting him to focus on his school work is a challenge. He wants to....BUT.....oooh cows!
Anyway, this week he did get some book work done...how much? I have to check. He did work on his light units, and he has been reading Beverly Cleary this week. He just plowed through 3 or 4 Henry books and a couple of Ramona ones too. I just gave him a Clyde Robert Bulla book and he was glued into that one for a while. He is coming along in math....learning his times tables. Memorizing facts has not been easy, and I have not been very consistent with drills and flashcards or skip counting etc. We do them sometimes, but not daily, like we should. I do allow him a multiplication chart and if he needs it, he can use it. he uses it. Hopefully, at some point it will become easier to remember than look itnup all the time.

Hammy: finished the 2 nd grade CLE Reading....I did not use the workbooks with him because it is just too much writing. I used the TM and write out the vocabulary on the white board. I then went over the story questions with him orally....and that seemed to work very well for him. He is getting the meat of the program without having to battle his aching hand.

The boys are beginning week 4 in HOD Preparing Hearts. I think I hate the format. It is not a smooth transition from subject to subject. This weekend, I am going to put thebassignments into a regular schedule sheet and see how it goes that way. My kids also hate doing a tiny bit of a project day by day....we all hate taking everything out for 10 minute part of an art project and then putting it all back, only to be taken out the next day, so I have started doing the whole projects on Friday. That is working much better for us. My kids don't want to paint a background...put away....paint a rainbow.....put away.....paint a giraffe....put away.....they just want to paint! Sorry...too much putting away for our tastes...lol.

I do like their narration prompts and having the boys work on a summary together and then writing it down in their notebooks. I think it makes for good paragraph practice.

I do like the books that were chosen. We are finishing up Life in the Great Ice Age this week and One Small Square Arctic Tundra. We did not do all the science note booking. I got lazy on this one....oy. We just did the narrations orally. I will work in the written part over the year. My boys are still getting used to a much more handwriting heavy school schedule. I don't want to break them or anything:-)

We also didn't memorize all of psalm 1....only the first 2 verses. I plan on putting the cd on in their room at night and letting them listen to it while they fall asleep.

Everyone:
We are reading the Golden Goblet to coincide with our Egypt studies. We finished 11 chapters.

We are working through Latina Christiana 1 and we worked on Lesson 3 this week. We will probably work on it Monday and Tuesday next week as well and then go on to Lesson 4.

We did some cool cave paintings....they came out awesome.

Well, gotta be off....finish up Friday...
Cheers!

Week in Review 9/23/11

2011-09-23T20:20:00.001-04:00

This is my first WIR in a long time. It is our 3 rd week back after a long and fun summer. We usually do some fun schooly stuff over the summer, but this year we mostly played. We did take some cool vacations and field trips to the beach, aquariums, historic sites like Kitty Hawk and the Wright Bros. Museum. We did have a great summer and now we are settling back in to our homeschool routine using some oldies but goodies, and some new stuff too.

Elvis is now apprenticing with his dad learning HVAC and plumbing. He is already epa certified and passed his exams last summer. He is now taking a night class at a local Technical School on heat pumps and split system air conditioning. He loves working with his dad. He is also studying world history this year using Spielvogel's Western Civilization and living books. This week he is studying Egypt. He is reading Pharoah by Eloise Jarvis McGraw.

In addition, he is using ABeka's English Literature as a spine and reading many of the books which are excerpted in that book. This week he worked on Poetry.

We will be doing a half credit Art History course that he needs to fulfill his graduation requirements. We will be using Sister Wendy's Story of Painting, some of the Sister Wendy videos, reading artist biographies and studying works of art as we studybthrough our history text. I plan to start this course in October when his night class ends.

Dr. Kazam is using Sonlight Core W, CLE Reading, Math and Language Arts, Latina Christiana 1 & 2, God and the History of Art and Apologia General Science.

This week she read most of Mara, Daughter of the Nile, we are reading aloud The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw, and she is getting used to her new schedule. She finished up some sections in her CLE light units. We are a bit behind in Math, and we will need to work our butts off to bring her up to speed and ready to start Algebra next fall.
Dr. also started taking an acting class at a prestigious group near our home. She loves it. She is making new friends and having so much fun with the practice exercises and assignments she brings home. She will also be in a play in the spring. I am not sure which one as they just did auditions on Saturday and this school does 6 different plays....we are hoping with our fingers crossed that she gets into Winnie the Pooh.

Cubby and Hammy are working together this year (2nd and 4th grades). Using Heart of Dakota's Preparing Hearts for his Glory. I am learning how to use a teacher manual and how to follow what someone else is telling me to do with the kids. I think I am enjoying this so far!

This week we finished reading about Noah and the flood. we used a beautifully illustrated book about The Flood requiired by HOD. It came with a cd with the storybread...so, I read them the pages for the lesson, but they love listening to the cd and looking at the pictures over and over! We finished reading The Hobbit this week too! This was such a fun read. We were sorry when it ended.
We are reading Life in the Great Ice Age. We studied some cave paintings and cave art. We also studied ancient weapons and how arrow heads were made. We also prepared paper to make our own cave paintings. We will do these on Saturday.
We are reading One Small Square:Arctic Tundra. The boys are really enjoying this book. We paid special attention this week to arctic animals especially fox, hares and geese.

This year our poetry focus is on Robert Lewis Stevenson. We have covered 3 poems so far: The Swing, Bed in Summer and Rain. They memorized Rain.

The boys are also working on memorizing Psalm 1. They have the 1st 2 verses down.
They both are working on the CLE light units for Math, Language Arts and Reading. they completed 3 lessons in each book this week. Next week we will shoot for four. If we can complete 4 per week, I will feel that we have accomplished our goals. I love CLE. It is thorough, challenging, reviews plenty, and my kids like it well enough not to complain too much.

Both boys are playing soccer this season, so I guess I went from swim mom to soccer mom.

Today we took the day to clean...clean...clean. We packed up our summer gear and pulled out our sweat shirts and long pants. The kids read on their own, but I needed a home ec. Day.

I am going to try to get some schooling done with Dr. Kazam and Cubby tomorrow. They both need to do some extra math in order to catch up on grade level.

~~Faithe

2011-09-21T20:57:00.002-04:00

The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

This is my 3 rd time reading The Golden Goblet to my kids....I love this book for our Ancient Egypt studies.

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Winthrop Woman

2011-09-19T08:04:00.002-04:00

The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton

Anya Seton can tell the story, teach the history, and leave you wanting more...and more. Love!

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Any a Seton

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Katherine by Anya Seton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beautifully told.

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Dumbing us Down? The Hybrid Homeschool

2011-06-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

This week on the Well Trained Mind forum, we have been discussing homeschool curricula that has been dumbed down. The OP posed the question of whether or not homeschool curricula has been made easier over the years. My position, was yes indeed, much homeschool targeted curricula has been written to make things "easy" for us uneducated, plain old moms to administer to our less than enthusiastic students. As the homeschool market gets bigger and bigger, many mainstream companies as well as new independent companies targeted at the homeschool market are producing inferior products designed to entice homeschooling parents into an easy out.

I think as a homeschooler, we need to be aware of our goals and keep them firmly in sight. Some of us focus on academics, some on family closeness, some on family independence from the "system," some on spiritual development, some on bringing their sn kids along, some providing a challenging program for their gifted/talented kids, etc. Most of us a combination of these reasons.

I homeschool for academic pursuits and well as relational pursuit. When I started homeschooling...it meant being home, coming along side your children and teaching and discipling them. The "resources" were not as important as the goals.
Just to put this in perspective...when I started homeschooling, no one had a computer in their home and when my first graduated, there were NO online, real time courses. By the time my next dd graduated 3 years later, you could do your entire high school in front of a monitor...in a co-op....by message board...by curricula written directly to the student....no parent involvement.

It is almost like we need to apologize for simply homeschooling without all the bells and whistles, AP classes, CC classes, co- ops, online courses, etc...and the sooner the better....sigh. I do not want to hang my head and explain that we stay home to home school. That I am my kids primary, and only teacher and no, I am not worried about them going to college, because I am preparing them well for that endeavor.

And yes, homeschool curricula has been dumbed down. Much of it has been written to make it "easy" to teach and learn from, easy to box check, easy to fulfill a state requirement, easy to say you did it, when in fact you didn't. Some homeschool only curricula is just basically " here is what I did with my kid and he turned out ok, $100.00 bucks please.".

What turned me off to Sonlight, was Sarita Holzman's daughter went to Public High School...so here she is writing high school homeschool curriculum, but didn't trust herself enough to use it herself I will probably get bombed for that one, but that was my feeling about Sonlight high school courses for a really long time.

I love that small classical schools will now share their curricula with us mere homeschoolers...and continue to because of the dollars and cents involved...but they (Veritas Press) will tell you flat out that there is no way you can give your own kid a rigorous education unless you send them to a Classical School, but since you don't live near one, or you would( their assumption, not mine). We will let you use ours...and now, let us get fancy and offer online classes (which were sub par in my opinion) and online interactive lessons (haven't tried these.). Face it...we are a great market...we have $$$ and if made to feel particularly inept, we will buy pretty much anything , especially where our little scholars are involved.

The onslaught of homeschool curricula is fed by fear...fear that we won't measure up to Public and private schools, fear of failing our kids, fear of not keeping up with the Joneses, and the curricula marketers feed this fear, produce more and more inferior products that we can't possibly produce a well educated child without, or makes homeschooling so easy, anyone can do it and produce excellent results, without breaking a sweat.

Then, we have on the other hand.....leave'em alone, let them do what they want, as long as they are home, they are doing more than the public school nonsense. If Johnny doesn't want to do math today, or tomorrow, someday he will. Maybe, but not probably.

I am not for semantic purity...and I hybrid homeschool sometimes, especially in the upper grades, but it is what it is. I think educational choices are wonderful, and when I need to farm out a class, I have no problem doing it, especially if one is available. I could not teach my high schoolers everything they needed...we hybrid home schooled. My 16 year old is apprenticing under his dad right now and taking outside trade related classes. I could NOT teach him how to pass the EPA exams or how to service an oil boiler....

I could not teach my oldest how to use in-design or photo shop pro, or how to use oil paints. She took classes for those things.

I do not think classes in and of themselves are bad things, on the contrary, I like to have them in my arsenal.

I guess my problem lies in parents who do not want to send their kids to public or private school...but somehow try to farm out every dang subject, refuse to teach their own kids anything including plain old manners and discipline, get annoyed when there is homework involved, then claim they are homeschooling....ummmm, no, not so much.

It also gets my goat when curriculum developers write materials that us dumb moms can pass off to our kids to make our jobs easy. Homeschooling is not easy, it is hard! It takes precedence over every other interest. It consumes my time and energy. It causes me to ask myself very hard questions and then forces me to answer them. I don't want to purchase junk...and I don't want to hand junk off to my kid doe because the experts say it is "enough".

What I love are well written, sequential, clearly written manuals that can be tweaked and supplemented easily to personalize it for my children. That is why I love TWTM. It speaks to me.....I can move my children through the stages of learning without feeling constrained by an badly written curriculum.

I am ranting now...sorry.......
Faithe

Remediation?? Or, a different timeline...

2011-05-15T16:16:00.000-04:00

I often get frustrated by "grade level" materials because my kids seem so far "behind" what is expected of their peers in the early grades. It is frustrating because it makes me feel as if I need to push them way beyond their maturity and readiness levels to "keep up" with what would be expected of them in the public school arena. I do not teach essay writing until my children are adept at writing paragraphs. These paragraphs need to be well formed, well written withour grammatical or spelling errors. They can not be boring and their sentences must not only flow but show a varied structure. I do not teach paragraph writing until my kids are comfortable and adept at writing sentences, lots of sentences, strong, simple sentences and even stronger complex sentences. I do not teach writing sentences until my children are comfortable writing words. Their mechanics must be down. They must bve able to write copywork and take longer dictations. They must be able to narrate and orate.

All of these foundational skills take time. Some kids take to them like a fish to water...and others...not so fast.

I have to constatly remind myself that the Public School is not the standard I wish to emulate.

I constantly have to remind myself that the goal is to create lifelong independent learners who can think deeply and rightly.

I need to constantly remind myself of the failure of the system to produce learners and thinkers...and also remind myself not to rush...rush...rush.

Even the way the WTM levels are beyond my kids in the early years...however, it is funny that somehow they end up in the Rhetoric stage by 9th or 10th grade even though we do not begin many of the subjects as early as recommended. We do lots of reading and talking and asking and researching answers in the early years. We try to create many many pegs to hang info on as well and lay firm foundations in reading, math and writing mechanics...copywork...narration, summarizing, outlining, sentence analyzing, rewriting in our own words etc....bring us to that point of essay writing...precis writing, term paper writing, creative writing, poetry writing etc. If we barrel through the skill areas...through the school of hard knocks, I have learned the faulty foundation can not produce thoughtful worthwhile writers.

What disturbs me is these skills are not grade level, but skill level. And, skill levels vary at different ages and there can be growth spurts and then a leveling off...then another spurt. All of this is natural within a developing brain.

Homeschooling gives us the opportunity to be sensitive to the ebb and flow of material. It gives us the opportunity to build a firm foundation in both skill and content areas, while adjusting the pace for the particular student. Even siblings do not grow at the same rate. We must be careful not to weary in building those foundations, and we must not be afraid to back up and shore up a wobbly foundation when one is discovered.

Day 21..Travel Center????

2011-04-07T22:51:00.000-04:00

Set up a Travel Center today. Include travel lists, travel documents, travel accessories, frequent flyer information, travel destination files, and books on travel. Complete instructions follow. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 136)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Travel with carry-on luggage and skip the lines at the airport. Make a drop-dead short packing list and stick to it! Light travelers are free and independent. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 142)

For me...this is ridiculous. I don't travel, unless you consider a 45 minute ride to visit my daughters traveling....or a sprint to the grocery store etc. We take a family vacation once in a very blue moon...but not often enough to warrant going all out on setting up a travel center...so, I put my attention elsewhere...and set up an errand center. I do go on my weekly all emcompassing trip into town....and I hate forgetting anything that I might need for the week. So, I thought an errand center would make the most sense.
My errand center consists of a pad and pen on my desk....this is to write down what we need for the week. Everything goes on this list...from pet food, to school supplies, to decorating items, to groceries, prescriptions, library stuff...you name it, I write it down. I also make sure my cloth shopping bags are ready and in the trunk of my car. As the week goes by, I have a box in the trunk of my van...and anything that needs to come into town...returns, repairs etc.....into the box in the trunk. I store my cloth bags in the car....bags of used cloths that are for donations...into the trunk.

The night before errand day, I plan my route...and plan a nice lunch with the kiddoes. We also make sure we spend a nice time at the library. We treat errand day like a treasure hunt...the kids also bring some of their earned money for that little car they just have to have...or the new Owl City CD....or new colored pencils.

So, my errand center is set....and I like having that all simplified. :-)
Faithe

Day 20. Mindful of the Mundane.

2011-04-06T17:27:00.001-04:00

Today, practice living in the present---not in fast forward or reverse. Do one mundane job with your full attention. When you pay attention in your daily life, whatever you do becomes transformed. Step 1. Sit still for a few minutes before beginning the next activity on your To Do list. Focus on your breathing. When you feel calm, centered, and grounded, turn your attention to your task. Next, walk slowly to the site of your task. Step 2. Now do the job slowly and deliberately. Perform this act as if it were your last. Step 3. When mental and physical distraction arise, remind yourself to refocus. If the interruption is about something you must do later---such as calling the plumber---write it down and return to your chore. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 131)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Sign up for a week-long retreat that requires you to be silent. A week of silence will be one of the most renewing weeks of your life. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 135)

I like the mundane. I like the simple. I like putting myself into a mindless task and making it mindful. I like folding laundry and praying for every child as I fold their socks and undies and shirts and pants. I like cutting up veggies and fruit. I like washing the floor and making it shine when my back is in good order. I like the methodical work of weeding the garden. I like hanging clothes our on the line one piece at a time...clip by clip. I find it very spiritual to be engrossed in the simple activities of the day. Our culture is so rush ....rush...rush...get it done...NOW! In it's mentality. This is hard for me. The rush for production seem almost anti-productive. The more I try to go faster...the more my feet slip.

Being a homeschooling mom, there is always a long lists of needs.to.be.done. Academics, housework, spiritual and moral training, meals, yard work, laundry. There are books to be read...there are groceries to be bought...lessons to be planned meals to be cooked. There are emergencies to tend to..boo boos to kiss...swings to push and heinies to wipe. It is never ending....which is also a mantra in itself. Gott get it done.
When we embrace the day to day..the simple...the rote...it becomes meaningful and even enjoyable.
Today, I learned to sit still.....for 10 whole minutes...I sat. I closed my eyes and I breathed very deliberate, mindful breaths. I cleared my mind of the "gotta do-s." It was pleasant.

Off to mindfully cook dinner...lol

Day 19. Run Fewer Errands....

2011-04-06T16:51:00.001-04:00

Today, create a box for errands. You can use a great-looking basket, plastic tub, or shopping bag. Whatever works. Keep it by the door and fill it with film to be developed, shoes to be repaired, purchases to be returned, and papers to be taken to the copy center. On errand day, take the box in the car. When you come home, it will be empty. What a feeling! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 123)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Run errands just one day a week. Designate a particular day and write it on your calendar. Obviously, some errands are urgent and cannot wait for Errand Day. Learn to discern the difference between urgent and non-urgent errands. To run fewer errands, look for the underlying reasons behind your errands. Then eliminate the reasons! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 130)

When I began homeschooling, one of the first things I realized was that I had to be HOME if I wanted to homeschool. I also realized we had set ourselves up to live on one income...and back then, it was a rather meager one. So, I learned to try Nd make all my trips into town on e a week. As time went on, and my older kids were involved in more outside activities, I found myself on the road constantly. I put 26,000 miles on my car the first year I owned it!! Those were all driving kids back and forth to swim practices, art
Lessons, music lessons etc. This year our lives have taken a turn to the calmer (I hope) as the older kids are all in college or working in the field with daddy....and my younger kids are re-settling into a home lifestyle...which works better for me. I had run myself ragged and physically exhausted....I like being home.

Anyway, I keep 2 baskets by my front door. One is a collapsible cloth shopping basket...and another big wicker basket. Both have handles and are pretty to look at. The wicker ones hold gloves, hats and scarves in the winter, and sun caps, sunglasses and other stuff you grB Shen leaving the house. My shopping basket holds anything that needs to be given back to its rightful owner, toys other kids left here...their socks, sippy cups, books etc. I also keep su screen, a few dollars in the zipper pouch, my sunglasses, and anything else I need to grab on my way out. In the summer, I grab the whole basket on my way out. I pack it with sunscreen, goggles, towels and off to the pool we go....

I also have a cloth library bag that hangs from my coat rack. As we finish our library books they go in there. On my way out to the store, I grab the bag....

So, anyway....my older ds blew the engine in his car...and now the only days I have for errands are either Tuesdays or Thursdays...so Thursdays it is! All week long I have a pad and pen on my kitchen desk...and as we use up...I write it down. As I find a need ...I write it down. On Wednesday, I make up my itinerary for the next day. I try to include a trip to the library....and I also take my kids out for a light lunch. It breaks up the chore parts and we have time to chat. This week we have about 9 stops...so we will quickly do our Bible story and reading...then off into the world! I will try to make sure I get all that we need in that one trip.....anything else dh will have to pick up during the week....and that is always hit or miss.

I find being a list Akers makes it so much easier to get organized and be productive. ....

More later.

Day 18 results

2011-04-06T16:34:00.000-04:00

I did it!!! I really , really did it. I stopped procrastinating and opened a family company on my quickbooks program. I back entered all of our income and expenses from January 1, 2011 and even balanced the checkbook and credit card accounts!

Then, since dh brought home a lovely new to me 4 drawer file cabinet, I decided to attack the files too....so I emptied out my old broken and falling apart cabinet...cleared out all the old paperwork and made up new files for our 2011 expense receipts. I also made files for all of our car titles and maintenance, property deed, birth certificates, wills, social security cards....insurances etc. I also let my older kids know where everything was...so in an emergency, they would know where to look.

I then put all the older papers into expandable files...wrapped with a rubber band...and up in the attic they go. I have dated the file, so I will know when it is ok to toss. I also made a file for all of our appliances and electronic equipment with the software discs, extra cords etc. Wow!! It feels great!

Ok...off to look at day 19 & 20.

Faithe

Day 18....Financial Simplicity

2011-04-04T08:56:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday to you!
Day #18's task is:

To achieve financial freedom, first figure out what you have and then manage it well. Today, collect your documents that are associated with large assets---documents for your car, house, investments, and so on---and put them in one filing cabinet called Assets. For your house: file your deed, purchase contract, closing papers, title policy, and insurance papers. For your investments: file confirmations, year-end statements, and tax reporting forms. For cars: file ownership papers, registration documents, and insurance papers. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 116)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Don't use your credit card for three months. Be resolute. Or, every time you use your credit card, deduct the amount in your checkbook. Better yet, trade in your credit card for a debit card. It automatically withdraws the amount from the bank. You'll spend less.

Attacking the finances! I have been working on taming this beast for a while...and I am sort of getting it. If only I could reign in dh's spending.....he just doesn't always realize the impact on our general finances. He works so hard, so it is difficult to deny him anything he wants if we happen to have the money available...even if it is earmarked for something else....sigh.

So....my financial rules
1. Pay your savings account first...every week...no matter what. Decide what is a reasonable amount and set it aside. No cheating!

2. Christmas comes every year...no matter what...it comes...so, how much do you want to spend? Split that amount up by 40...and start putting that amount away weekly...no more credit card debt there.

3. Pay your credit cards in full every single month. If you can't afford it....don't buy it. If you have to pay down credit cards....pay off your smallest first, then put that amount towards your next card and so on until it is all paid off.

4. Pay extra principle on your mortgage...and your car payment every month...over time it adds up to much less interest you have to pay.

5. Re- use...recycle...do without. If I don't need it...I don't buy it. Period!

6. Watch those sneaky expenses...cash ones etc. Coffee....snacks...impulse buys.....give yourself an allowance each week for these kinds of things. We all need a treat...budgeting for them makes the cost not sneak up on you.

This year I had intended on putting all of our expenses into my quickbooks, but just never got to it.....maybe this is the incentive I need!

Days 13-17 Lent Simplification.

2011-04-01T22:11:00.000-04:00

This week I really focused on getting my kids back into their routines so I didn't have the time to blog daily...so I just figured I would give a quick overview of my progress. I did try to keep up on the challenges, and I plan to finish up some more this weekend. I also can not find my camera. I was taking pictures of the progress of the boys room renovation, put it down (big mistake!) and can't find it. UGH!!!

Day 13 Challenge:Today, examine all of the projects you have not completed. To locate them, look into files, inside drawers, in closets, and under the bed. As they surface, make a list of things you promised yourself, or others, to do. Divide the list into Big Projects and Small Projects. See how many you can come up with in 30 minutes. Then ask yourself, "Which projects can be jettisoned? Which are a burden? Which ones are totally unrealistic? Which ones am I willing to start today? Finally, drop one project from your life and box up all its paraphernalia. You know what we are talking about --- paint sets, knitting needles, unread magazines, and plans for building a dome-shaped doghouse. Finally, place the supplies to be recycled in the trunk of your car. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 81)

                                    OR for serious simplifiers only...

Collect all your unfinished and unstarted projects. Next, toss your projects and the paraphernalia that goes with them. Who knows what new interests you may discover if you free yourself of the deadweight of old business. Remember how good it felt when you finished final exams and could throw out your notes? (30 Days to a Simpler LIfe, p. 85)

I have already done this when I moved the kids rooms around last year, so this was not really a challenge for me.  I ended up saving my knitting needles and my crochet hooks....but I tossed EVERYTHING else...all scraps, wool, etc. I decided to start with a clean slate. I always felt guilty buying new stuff for my projects because I had something else at home...but THEN, I didn't want to DO any projects, because I didn't want to put time into a craft or project that wasn't going to come out how I wanted it. DILEMNA. So, by getting rid of it ALL, I can get what I need one project at a time......solved!

DAY 14:

Today, go around your house with a shopping bag and fill it with outdated magazines, catalogues, newsletters, newspapers, brochures, and books. Put the magazines and books in the trunk of your car to be taken to the library or your health club. Put the rest in your recycle bin. Finally, make a pile of newsletters and clipped magazine articles that you intend to read immediately.

(30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 86)

DONE! I put all the newspapers in the burn box, catalogs I am keeping in the magazine rack, and the rest...gone!

                                        OR for serious simplifiers only...

Go on a "Low-Information Diet." Say "No!" to extraneous information for one week. Just read what you must for your profession. Don't read irrevelant articles in magazines, newspapers, and newsletters. Avoid catalogues and self-improvement books. Shun the television. In your car, don't listen to radio shows or mind-bending tapes. Instead, play soothing music from tapes or CDs. Finally, dodge advertising where possible. Consume fewer info calories. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 92)

This one will be hard to do for me. Avoid Catalogues??????? Don't think I can do it!In the car, I put my radio station to the Christian Praise Music station....and I use my drive time for worship...nice.   Does Radical Homemakers count as a self improvement book????

DAY 15:
Today seek, sort, and organize the keys to everything in your life---cars, boats, bike locks, gates, sheds, houses, and offices. Purchase key labelers and rings and make duplicates, if needed. Finally, create a place just for keys. Install a rack or board with pegs or nails and label it so missing keys can be identified. This system works well for duplicate and seldom-used keys. For everyday keys, we have three suggestions: 1) Put a basket by the front door for family members to deposit their keys. 2) Hang a hook inside your entry door. 3) Provide each family member with his own complete set of keys.

(30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 93)

Okie Dokie....I think I can handle the household stuff...we are not really over run with keys. BUT, we need to come up with a better system than a "key" drawer for our clients keys. It has worked forever, but I would prefer a "prettier" system. Must talk to dh.....and work on this one over the weekend.

                                              OR for serious simplifiers only...
Systematize everything you do repeatedly. To find out what needs revamping, look for things you do randomly. Before you design a system, ask yourself, "Can I eliminate this routine completely?" Dropping a routine is the simplest system of all. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 100)

I am not really sure which routines this is talking about, but I have been working on our family's routines. I find my boys function so much better when they know "what comes next." Hmmmmm....I do wish I know which types of routines they were suggesting to drop.

DAY 16:
Today, declutter your desktop and surrounding counters. Spend at least an hour sorting and tossing. Make your work space the most efficient area in your life. Clutter is especially annoying when it is on your desk or in your office. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 100)

Office is decluttered....have one TO DO pile...my filing is caught up....and I even tossed all my dried up pens. I call that done! Now I have to set up my schooling desk...getting ready to REALLY write out lesson plans I also have to buy a new printer for the school room. I dont like the file system for planning, but I do use a modified workbox system that I love. As I set up my schoolroom, I must make sure I make my work area simple, usable, and effective.

                                     OR for serious simplifiers only...

Spend several hours ruthlessly editing your files. If you don't have a filing cabinet, but an inexpensive filing box to organize your important papers. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 110
I did this a few months ago...and it doesn't need re-doing...so I guess I don't have to worry about this one. YAY!

DAY 17:
To simplify your computer life, make three piles: pile one, manuals; pile two, floppy discs and CD-ROMs; and pile three, registration materials and bills of sales. Read on to discover how to handle these piles. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 111)

Actually, I keep these in my file cabinet. Whenever we buy a new computer or hardware, appliance etc, I file the manual, cd-rom and any other related paperwork with it...that way it is always easy to find.
                                      OR for serious simplifiers only...

Keep your computer free of superfluous stuff. Delete programs you rarely use. Don't get lulled into buying new fonts, games, graphics, and utilities that you won't use. Frivolous program slow down computers and create clutter --- more CDs, more manuals, and more information to manage.

Hmmmmmmm........I don't have many programs, but I have tons of homeschool downloads, pdf's, docs etc. I would probably be able to use them more efficiently if I filed them better.....I am not sure I really want to spend the time to do that though. LOL.

There is my week in simplifying! I would say it was sort of successful. Still didn't get to that school closet though!

Faithe

Week in Review 3/28- 4/1/11

2011-04-01T21:28:00.001-04:00

Well, the barfing is over!!! HOORAY!!! We had a pretty decent week of school, especially since we were pretty whiplashed from the week. That, and my df is having some serious health problems and she was in the hospital all week. I am hoping the doctors finally have a diagnosis (Lyme disease...UGH!) and she is on the mend.

On Tuesday, Hammy had a dentist appointment...no cavities, but probably orthodontic work...we shall see. We also had our first library trip in ages. The kids were so good, we even got in a good grocery shopping.

The room we are putting our schoolroom into has been emptied, but while we are renovated the little boys bedroom, they are sleeping in the schoolroom. I can not wait to move in there!!!! We have been schooling in the livingroom and kitchen for 10 years...and I can not stand the mess anymore. It is driving me nuts!!! I am hoping to paint this weekend and have the boys out of there and upstairs within 2 wweks. Please pray this job gets done QUICK!

So..on for our Academic week

Our Bible Theme: Gabriel Announces to Mary she will have a Baby:

I am using Veritas Press Gospels with Christian Liberty Press Book F (I think...It is the one on the Gospels...LOL)

I tied this weeks Art/ Picture study into our Bible stories...we studied Fra Angelico's "The Annunciation."

Notice the martyred monk in the backround.
In History, we studied the building of the Suez Canal. We all found it very interesting....We also studied the geography connected with this section of SOTW with the AG.

The kids all made progress in their Light Units in Math, LA and Reading.
Hammy began Singapore Math's Challenging Word Problems 1. He likes word problems, but these are ot too challenging...yet.

And Tallulah has begun Life of Fred Decimals and Percents in addition to her regular Light Units. We LOVE Fred!!!!

We also began a daily walk. I think this is really helpful for wiggly boys and tired crabby Mammas. Tallulah also walks the neighbors dog, who is looking quite chubby these days...so, it is good for them too. I try to take them out before lessons...sort of walking to school. I am hoping dh will take over this walk so I can get school set while they are out...hint...hint. It would also be so good for him and bringing his diabetes into control. We shall see....but in the meantime, I use the walk to enjoy their conversation...and drill them on their math facts, spelling words, history facts for the week, Bible verses etc. i need to make sure to bring my memory lists with me. They think it is fun to drill this way....I like stealth teaching! This time has also lead to some great nature study. As we live in a very wooded area, there is always something interesting to see. Today we saw a TURKEY BUZZARD! That thing was almost as big as Hammy...AND he was not budging from the middle of the road. he was eating a dead squirrel...and was truly enjoying his meal. We decided to turn back home rather than interrupt his feast....LOL

So, to go plan next week!

TTFN
Faithe

Week in Review: 3/25

2011-03-25T21:45:00.000-04:00

Well...this was a week of barf. Poor kiddoes.....this was possibly the worst stomach bug my kids have ever had.....yuck! We did manage to get some school in...lots of stories read....

We finished The Wind in the Willows. Hammy LOVED it....LOVED!!!!
Hammy finished his CLE Grade 2 Book 1 CLE Reader Helping Hands. He also learned how to add and carry the 10's! He is the first kid to just get it! I love CLE math...and the gentle gradual way they teach new concepts.

We read about "The Scramble for Africa." and I had an AHHA! Moment.

My moment: For as long as I have been homeschooling, I always begin our history lessons with the narrative part...and when I ask the kids for narrations, the kids look at me like a deer in the headlights. The night before our history day, I was reading through the Kingfisher Encyclopedia to learn about The Scramble...I had never read about it before...and then I realized, I needed the backround information in order to make the narrative make sense...(BIG HEADSLAP!) So, for our lesson, I read our Kingfisher to them first...went over the timeline and map stuff...and THEN read SOTW....The kids were able to answer EVERY SINGLE NARRATION question.....So, after 16 years...I am changing my method! LOL.

I am making my final decisions on next years curricula...and will be posting on that one it all comes in.

DD wants to do History Odyssey, but I am not sure about that. I am drooling over TOG...AGAIN...but I KNOW it doesn't work for me.

Oh...and I finally decided on Elemental Science...we shall see...LOL.

Faithe

Day 11. Minimalism

2011-03-24T09:13:00.000-04:00

Oh, how I wish I was allowed to be a minimalist! My family has so much CRAP!!! When you live in a house as small as ours with as many people, who are now turning into full sized people, it is hard to turn around without your behind knocking something over!

So, since we are now creating my schoolroom, I am going to plan to keep it simple...not overloaded with stuff or even closets unless I can get nice even, smooth lines. The clutter and mess around me, makes my mind cluttered and feel confused and messy. I think the same might be said of my students. We like things very simplistic. Even our curricula...not too many worksheets or extraneous nonsense.

So, today's challenge:

The day #11 challenge is:

Today, create a minimalist environment in one room. In that room, remove the wall art. (You might put it under your bed temporarily.) Next, remove everything except the lamps from tabletops, dressers, and counters. Most people live in rooms that are overfurnished and overstimulating. In these spaces, we are distracted from the present moment by too many objects from the past. This task will enable you to experience one extremely simplified room. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 69)

OR for serious simplifiers only---

Create a minimalist environment in every room of your house. What more can we say?
(30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 73)

I don't think I would be permitted to do every room in the house. They would run me out of town! But, ummmmmmm....maybe modified minimalism....lol.

Day #10. Knick-knack Paddy-whack throw away the crap.....

2011-03-23T16:11:00.000-04:00

Beware of overfurnished, overdecorated living spaces. Create feelings of comfort and serenity by living with less. Today, let go of at least ten knickknacks. There are three categories of knickknacks---meaningful, semimeaningful, and meaningless. Look for ones you have outgrown. If you can't part with ten, or any at all, put several in a cardboard box and store them out of sight, in an Ambivalence Center. Experience your home with few visual distractions. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 64)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Abide by this rule: When something new comes into your home, let go of something old. Everything has a life cycle. Embrace change. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 68)

Today's challenge is to get rid of it! Now, if it was me and only me in this house, there would be no Knick knacks! Where would I put all the rest of the books I want to buy if I had more tchatchkes as my mom called them? Now mom, she loved her stuff. Her apartment overfloweth...and can you believe when she passed away, I packed it all very carefully into boxes and stored it in our shed to be gone through by my brother and his wife, my daughters and sons when they have their own homes. I actually have her china closet here in my living room....and it is gorgeous...but is is mostly empty. I don' like too many things because with little kids in the house, they either get broken, and I get upset...or the ones I really couldn't care less for live on until I have to peel the dust off of them. I am sure however, that finding 10 dinky things to get out of here won't be too much trouble :-). Hmmmmm.....where to begin....and when do we get to toss all the odd cups and dishes...and Tupperware containers without lids and lids without containers? Now that will be a progress filled day!

A Week of BARF! What to do during those bad days.

2011-03-23T08:51:00.000-04:00

Ugh! If I need to wash one more bucket or blanket covered in puke, I may run screaming from my house....so if you see a crazy woman careening down the road...please don't look at me weird, just have some sympathy. 7 days of puke and poop is enough to try the best of a Mom's soul.

So....I have been pondering or homeschool....and trying to think of ways to start off afresh...as these seasonal breaks...which happen due to sickness and can't be planned open themselves to a fresh start and a new plan. I love many aspects of the curricula we are using, but I feel it is not the best fit for my very active boys without some serious tweaking. Since I am a natural tweaker, this hasn't been too much of a problem.

I am working on our schedule, re-reading the WTM, re-devouring the Ambleside Online site and enjoying the WTM forims more than ever....amybe too much. (But as I am trying to rest a lot and allow my body to get healthy again, I may as well exercise my mind!)

A post that struck me today was "what to do on a bad day....when the kids don't wanna...and quite frankly, you don't wanna...When there are tears, or harsh words, or down right obstinance. What about those days when you are sure that kid is dumb as dirt because he still can't remember that 2+3=5 or a noun is a person, place or thing...although you have been repeating everyday for the past 2 yars....sigh....

There were some good ideas.....One especially that I plan to incorporate into our daily schedule. We are going to walk to school from now on.
I love this idea! Thanks Hunter!

I really think this will help get us started fresh...get a little exercise and fresh air....help our minds get ready to begin our day.

I will post the new schedule in another post.

Here are things I do during those BAD days:

On bad days....I usually..
Organize something...anything...take a before and after picture to see your progress...feels so good!

Take a walk

blow off school and read good books to my kids

make everyone go to their room and play or read quietly

put on a movie for the kids while I read a book

send them outside with instructions not to come back in until I call them. (make sure there is a pitcher of water and cups on the deck, and they all went potty BEFORE going out. Only bloody booboos are a reason to break this rule.)

Give them the choice to sit down and get their work done or clean their room...whichever sounds more pleasant.

Make a list of things I need done...and set the little army to work. No griping or I may add to my list.

Get someone to take them for a few hours (I rather stay home) Grandpa, or an Aunt or older sibling, so I can either rest, or clean ..whichever is more needful.

Pray

Be nice to me....go to my room and rest, or read, or web search, or take a nice long shower.

A bath with a glass of wine and a good book...and a "do not disturb" mandate.

Go to the park and let them run it off

Call a friend and cry...let it all out and then get back to business.

When all else fails...I Love Lucy Re-runs and ice cream usually do the trick....for me anyway :-)

Faithe

Day 9 Organize Your Recipes

2011-03-22T11:00:00.003-04:00

Here is the challenge:

Day #9 is here. Today's task is:

Organize your recipes! Make a three-ring binder for Favorite Family Recipes and another for Recipes to Try. You will need two binders, two divider sets with tabs, a three-hole punch, and a few clear vinyl sheet protector pages.

Notebook #1. Favorite Family Recipes: Gather all of your recipe cards, recipes from magazines, and your favorite dog-eared recipes in cookbooks. On 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper, photocopy recipes you use frequently. Divide them into hors d'oeuvres, salads, entrees, and desserts. Place them in your notebook. This notebook will contain all those old favorites like Mom's Apple Crisp and Uncle Charlie's Chili. It will not contain untried recipes.

Notebook #2. Recipes to Try: Create another binder with dividers and add a top-loading clear sheet protector to each section. Recipes collected from magazines and friends are placed inside the sheet protectors. When you have several odd sizes collected, photocopy them onto 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper, punch, and put into the notebook. After you have tried a recipe from this notebook and know it is a keeper, transfer it to your Favorite Family Recipes notebook.

(30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 55)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Make a list of your top twenty simplest dinners. Select dinners with the fewest ingredients. Choose recipes with five or fewer ingredients. Post this list on your fridge and use it to plan dinners during the work week. (30 Days to a Simpler LIfe, p. 63)

This one is also a no brainer for me...LOL. My oldest dd copied our family recipes into a blank notebook holiday recipes including many from Dh's Grandma, who was a fabulous cook.

I have my standbys....Betty Crocker (Now on my 3rd Copy!)

For an education in whole foods prreparation, including combining vegetarian foods for whole protiens, none is better than this one::(Now on my 2nd copy)

And, for special meals, a great geography lesson, and still keeping in the whole foods...very yummy catergory, this one can't be beat!

Although we are not vegetarians, (excpet for Ding, who has been one since she was 3,) I find it very easy to add a meat dish or add meat to the main recipe.

These are the only recipes I keep. Everything else is either in my head, at http://www.cooks.com/ or http://www.allrecipes.com/ .

Easy menus:
Breakfast: must include 1 protien (usually some kind of eggs) and one carb (usually fresh fruit or whole grain toast. I also do muffins, granola bars (made with lots of ground nuts, or whole grain, hi-protien pancakes.

Lunch: PB&J, Grilled Cheese, leftovers, soup etc.

Dinners: 1 meat, 2 veggies, (one cooked, one raw) 1 grain. I very often stir fry, broil, or make a crockpot with all but the salad.

Now, I am going completely gluten free due to Hashimoto's and Fibromyalgia. I am a very simple cook...unless we have something special. I try not to bake too much.

Anyway, my recipe books are already pared down...maybe I live simpler than I thought.

Faithe

Day 8 Organizing the pantry

2011-03-21T15:21:00.002-04:00

Ummmm...did you ever feel like Old Mother Hubbard?? My kids (one or another) has been sick and barfing since last Tuesday....so I did not get to my usual shopping. That, and due to my health issues, I have decided to go gluten-free and lo-carb. I do keep a box of Cheerios on hand for Hammy along with natural peanut butter and not-so-natural jelly...but even those stores are running low.

I have plenty of dog food and cat food...so that will keep our furry family happy....

I am slowly ridding the cabinets of anything that has preservatives, artificial colors or sugars and buying our food as fresh as possible. The baking cabinet does have a bag of white sugar...but all the flours are whole grain, all the nuts non- processed bought in bulk....I am also getting rid of soy products because they seem to exacerbate auto-immune diseases...so I am changing from a soy based protien powder...to a pea based one made byt the same company....Peaceful Planet. ther protien powder is the best...and it comes completely unsweetened. I just add frozen strawberries, a T. of flax meal and a handful of spinach leaves....yummy Green Shake!

I hope this one is as good as their soy and whey based powders.

So, my pantry is clean, my baking cupboard is not too bad, my fridge is stocked with fresh meat, fruit, veggies, butter and milk, so no one ...even if someone feels like eating is going to starve.

...and NOW, I am going to take a nap....

Faithe

Week in review 3/14-3/18/11

2011-03-18T16:54:00.000-04:00

We entered into this week in winter and exited in spring!! Birds are chirping, colts foot and crocuses are popped. Snow is almost...almost all gone.

Monday was Yuggies 20th Birthday!!!! Where did the time go?? So, to celebrate...we had the traditional egg rolls!!! The story behind that is when i was in labor with him, it just was not progressing. Daddy was getting very antsy....and hungry...so I finally told him to go on down, find some place to eat and come back. Well, wouldn't you know it, as soon as he left, my labor kicked into full gear. Daddy almost missed Yuggie being born because he was eating chinese food down the street...so every year it has been a Father/ son tradition to have eggrolls on Yug's birthday. I usually make pies...because it is PI day!

OK....back to school stuff:

We had an on again off again week due to Hammy being sick....and our house being under renovation. I am also trying to de-junk as much as possible....AND, I am having another flare-up this week of fibromyalgia...I am in a lot of pain....

Ok...this week we covered
BIBLE: Memory Verse: With God nothing is impossible
Scripture: Luke 1:5-25 The Angel announces the birth of John the Baptist to Zecharias.

History/ Geography: The new Australian Commonwealth/ Bushrangers/ Ned Kelly

Science: We finally finished reading Pagoo!!!

Literature: Read Aloud. The Wind in the Willows. One of my all time favorite books...I love the language and the complexity of the sentence structure. My kids are mesmerized by the prose. LOVE.

I especially love this edition with the illustrations by Tash Tudor. Lovely.

Math, LA and Reading got done daily, but we only worked on 3 lessons in each this week. Hammy, Cubby & Tallulah are almostfinished with their CLE readers for this year. Thankfully, they love them!

Cubby has really taken to reading in just this past week. It is like a new world opened to him. He is reading This book on Louis Braille

After reading about him in his CLE Reader, he wanted to know more about this boy. I had this book on the shelf...and he is loving it.

I am hoping no one else gets the bug Hammy has. He has been barfing and pooping for 3 days. He finally looks a bit better today. OK...off to plan next week....

Faithe 3/18/11

Day 7. Tackling the Bathroom.

2011-03-18T12:18:00.002-04:00

Day 7' s challenge is to tackle the bathroom. Even with our large family, we only have 1 small full bath, and 1 half bath. The 1/2bath is tiny...and already cleared out. I tackled the bathroom drawers on messy drawer day, so that was done.

Now, I realize the shower curtain is ancient and dirty...and I have no toothbrush holders or soap dishes...or pretty much anything that makes the bathroom "serene.". So, even though I have my no purchase of 30 days challenge...I allotted myself $ 50 to make the bathroom pretty... Let's see how I can do.....

The Challenge:

Today, clear your bathroom counter of everything. Then add no more than three items. Good choices are a water glass, a soap dish, and a scented candle. Next, declutter your bathroom cabinets and drawers. Toss any product in a jar, tube, or bottle that you have not used for six months. Include prescription and over-the-counter drugs, dried up hand cream, and perfume bottles that are so old the insides are dark brown. Bathrooms need not be a haven for half-used, nearly empty, never-to-be-opened containers. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 45)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Think of the freedom you have when you travel with a makeup kit and a few toiletries. With that image in mind, remove everything from your bathroom counter, cabinets, and drawers. (Go for one brand of each item---you don't need three kinds of cold medicine.) After that, put back your essentials. Finally, hang plain-colored towels and eliminate excess wall art. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 49)

Here are my results for day 7:
Medicine Cabinet...check
Closet over toilet cleaned out...Check
Cleaners gone through and empties trashed....check.
Toilet, shower and floors cleaned....check!
New pretty shower curtain, shower liner, curtain holder ringy thingys, soap dish, tooth brush holder, tumbler, bath mat, lovely smelling candle that matches and new green hand towels and wash cloths AND a small green step out of the shower rug....Total price....KA Ching......$35.64!!!!

Gotta love those Family Dollar stores. !!

So, What does every Homeschool Mom Dream of??

2011-03-17T22:05:00.000-04:00

NEW SHELVES!!!!

Thank You to my wonderful, talented, gorgeous husband for not only making me more...and more...and more shelves...BUT, for teaching my talented, gorgeous, intelligent sons to make them too. You are a great Dad!

Day 6: Wardrobe...What Wardrobe???

2011-03-17T10:09:00.001-04:00

Spend at least an hour reviewing your wardrobe. Create a wardrobe without "strays" --- items that don't go with anything else. Identify your strays and hang them at one end of the closet. Plan to buy something to go with them or give them away. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 38)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

"Freeze your wardrobe", says Allison, an artist living in Boston. At first, we thought she was suggesting we put our clothes in cold storage. A shuddering thought! But she meant, "Don't buy any new clothes for a specified time period---freeze your wardrobe in its current state (and continue to cull out the clothes you rarely wear). When you feel compelled to buy something new, write it down on a list." (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 44)

Seriously? Well this is a no brainer because...well, I am so simplified, I barely have a wardrobe to speak of. I have 4 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of dress pants, (brown, black & burgundy), 2 dress tops, 2 little black dresses, one dress jacket, 8 short sleeved v-neck t-shirts, 4 long sleeve v-necked t-shirts, and 3 or 4 nice tops from Kohls to wear to Dr. appointments or if I need to be seen in public. That is all. I have sufficient underwear and socks that I get rid of and replace as necessary.

Now, what I really need to cull is my book shelves! THOSE are full to overflowing...and in every room, and closet in the house. That is where I really have a hard time culling. I love my books! Last year I purged a full overflowing car load... You would never know it!

Anyway, I think I am going to simplify my dishes today...instead of clothes....

Faithe

So, sseeing as I have no wardrobe to speak of, I decided to attack something that is a terror to all Mom's of large families. Can you guess what it is????

That's right. You guessed it! The sock basket!!!! Oh boy! So, I attacked with vengeance.

TAH DAH!!!!!...

All done & put away......

I also tackled my pots and pand closet.....I think it looks nice...I really pared down, got rid of lids that didn't match and pots without lids....It made cooking dinner tonight so easy. I could find my casserole dishes without an avalance!

Lent Challenge Day 5

2011-03-16T09:05:00.002-04:00

I love this challenge....the great closet clean out...LOL.

Design a highly organized closet immediately. To become inspired, visit closet companies and stores like Hold Everything and Stacks & Stacks. I will not be doing this part of the challenge because of the "don't buy anything non-perishable for 30 days challenge...and I still have 23 days to go. Instead, I will make myself a list of what I might need to be better organized or pieces of wardrobe that might need replacing for the spring/summer season.

Make your hangers one kind and one color. I already have enough hangers that do match and are durable. I am not he fancy hanger type, and I find myself frustrated by ones that don't match, so I will stick with the ones I have.

Next, radically pare down your wardrobe. Recycle at least half of your clothing and accessories. Put your clothes back into your closet using a simple arrangement. (See "Arrange your clothes inventively" above.) Finally, remove your shoes from the closet floor and restrict them to neutral colors. OK, so here is where it gets personal. I will TRY to weed through the shoes. Shoes are one luxury I allow myself to have. I love shoes! BUT, I will go through them just for the sake of the challenge, and any I haven't worn in a year will go to their new home..

MY RESULTS!

After seven days, review your closet and work out the bugs!

(30 Days to a Simpler LIfe, p. 37)

I actually do this one every season. I have very limited closet space, so I am always weeding out stuff that gets old or doesn't fit...or I bought and just don't like. I am usually careful about clothing purchases because of my limited space...and I really have no sentimental attachments to clothing or pretty much anything else. I am a tosser. My dh thinks it is because I make poor decisions and don't buy things that last, while the truth is, I use my things until I no longer have use for them and then...out they go.

Now, cleaning the school closet challenge...THAT will be a challenge indeed!!!

Faithe

So, I didn't clean the school closet, but I did organize the math and manipulative drawer.

Blurry in the pic, but it is nice and neat.

Lent Challenge Day 4

2011-03-15T17:32:00.002-04:00

Today's challenge was to make my bedroom a serene peaceful place....ummmmmmm......I am not sure if I can do that especially since yesterday's challenge challenged me not to buy anything non perishable for 30 days...lol...so, what to do...what to do...

Ok, I decided to simplify the best I could. I have an extremely small bedroom...so small we can not even fit dressers in there. We gave the master bedroom to our boys so they would have lots of room for playing, especially in the winter. So, I vacuumed, changed our sheets to a pretty mint green, fluffed our pillows and cleaned and straightened out our night tables (mine is really a book shelf.). I also de junked as I went...trash in the trash, etc. I also thinned my pile of books and set them in a shoe box which slides under my side of the bed like a drawer...nice and neat.

Maybe our room does not exactly look " serene". But it does look neat and comfy... Ready for 2 hard working tired parents to fall into .....I need a nap!

Faithe

LENT: 30 days to simplifying your Life. Days 1-3

2011-03-12T12:41:00.005-05:00

Fairytalemama posted this challenge for lent on the WTM board yesterday.

Day 1 challenge....Fill a shopping bag with things to donate. I was able to fill an entire black garbage bag with pass on stuff and 3 kitchen size bags with junk ton throw out. Dh is on board and is making new shelves!!! I LOVE shelves!

Day 2: tackle 5 drawers...junk drawers....love or lose it! ok....off to see what needs it most!

Will post my success later!

Faithe

Later: I did really great with this challenge. I started off with the bathroom and I cleaned out the 2 drawers in there. While I was at it, I went through the medicine cabinet and dumped all the expired bottles and empties the kids put back.

I then went into the kitchen, and cleaned out the 2 drawers, made them all spiffy...then since I was on a roll and I was all out of drawers, I straightened out my walk in closet. I do that often, so it wasn't too bad, but definitely in need of doing.

I am looking forward to the day 3 challenge....

DAY # 3

OK, so Day 3 looks very challenging to me...especially at this time of year.   This is the time of year where I begin to decide on next year's curriulum choices. Now, I know I have enough books and curricula in this house to get my kids through 12th grade and then some...but nothing is nicer to me than a new fresh curriculum. I love how it feels and how it smells. I love the excitment of trying it out...and then disappointment usually (but not always) follows.

I am also in the middle of a whole house renovation project...so these questions definitely come into play. I want my house to be simpler, cleaner, easier to work in so I don't have to work so hard at upkeep...and I will have more time to just be with my kids. We are in the process of building shelves and book cases so everything has a place to go...and in the process, I am being very brutal on what I decide to keep.

Create a checklist of questions that will help you decide what to buy and what to forgo. Below, we have listed examples of questions for your list. At the very top of the list, write down your major life goals in sound bites. For example, you might write "get fit", "travel more", or "study wildflowers." Put your list in your wallet so you can consult it when you go shopping. When it comes time to purchase something, determine whether your goals and the purchase are harmonious.

              OR for the serious simplifiers---

Take a month long sabbatical from buying anything but "perishables" --- items you use up quickly like gas, food, flowers, and toiletries. During the month, jot down the nonperishable things you think you need or want. At the end of the month, look at your list and cross off as many items as possible. In our society, most of our needs are wants. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 26)

Goals...WHAT are MY life's Goals??

1. To spend more FOCUSED time having fun with my kids and my husband
2. To spend more serious time on the Lord
3. To get physically fit and healthy
4. To get mentally and spiritually fit and healthy
5.  To totally de-junk....in all areas...
6. To earn a BA in American History
7. To continue to homeschool my kids through High School and to provide them an exemplary education       without crushing either their, or my, spirit.
8. To love deeply
9. To be open to the move of the Holy Spirit...to be still so I can hear His voice and follow His leading wherever it takes us as a family.

The example questions she mentions in the mission above that will help you decide what to buy or what to forgo are:

Will it enhance my goals?

Will it create more work?

Do I need it?

Is it truly a bargain?

Do I think it will make my life easier?

Do I want it because it's trendy?

Will it bring my family together or tear us apart?

Do I want it because it will make me feel better?

Will I have trouble getting rid of it in the future?

(30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 22-23)

I really like these questions and I plan to print them out and paste them on the inside cover of my wallet where I keep my credit card. I am also going to use these questions prior to buying any curricula for next season...adding these questions:

Is this easy to use without much preparation from me?

Will this curriculum help my kids to reach their personal goals?

Will this curriculum help us to reach our family goals?

Does this curriculum fit into the parameters of the goals I have listed for my own future?

I think a 30 day wait period is excellent....and I really like the questions as they pertain to nearly everything and anything I would possibly buy or consider buying.

30 days is not really that long to forgo non-perishables....but I guess I will need to break out that ol' library card. :-)

Faithe

Week in Review 3/7-3/11/11

2011-03-11T21:32:00.000-05:00

This week was a catch up week....LOL. I didn't plan much work and it is a GOOD thing I didn't. Turned out dh was home much of the week...which is very unusual! We had been talking about a big renovation, beginning with shifting the kids rooms around a bit...so...DH decided it was time to begin. We moved the big boys back into a small room....but decked it out with all their cool stuff! Best part of it...I GET MY SCHOOLROOM BACK!!!!! After having no schoolroom for the past 10 years ....TEN YEARS!!!! I can not wait! Designing it should be fun too! .....

Anyway this week we finished up our Light Units that we had been working on.

Hammy finished up reading 204, LA 108 and section 2 of math 108.
Cubby finished up reading 308, LA 210 and section 2 of Math 302
Tallulah (aka Dr. Kazam) finished up Reading 704, LA 703 and began Math 606...3 lessons.

This was a very light workbook week...but we went heavy on our read alouds! My absolutely favorite part of homeschooling is read aloud snuggle time...and no one is exempt!

We read tons this week. I also implemented SOYBAR (Sit on your Butt and READ) for 1/2 hour each afternoon. My boys laugh so hard when i say..."OK everyone...Grab your book and SOYBAR!!!" They have read so many books and magazines this week. My little boys love Usborne books....they do not read cover to cover, but love all the pictures and captions. They make me dizzy..

So, this week we finished the books we started last week...
Thomas Edison by Margeret Davidson (Landmark)
We were There at the Driving of the Golden Spike
and FINALLY finished Pagoo! We read this book very slowly...one or two chapters a week ala CM. The boys LOVE Holling C Holling and his books have inspired them.

We also went ice skating this week for the first time in years. The boys were so cute falling all over the place, but by the end of the session, they were actually skating and having fun.

I spent a good deal of time this week deciding what we were usig for school next year, which will determine what we finish up this year.

I think I decided we will spend an entire year onthe 20th century...that way Tallulah will begin a new 4 year cycle for 9th grade, Cubby will be in 5th for ancients and Hammy will be old enough to do ancients as well.

For my little guys, we will concentrate mostly on biographies of inventors and innovators, explorers, musicians and artists. We will cover the wars and political upheavals in as gentle a manner as possible. I will go deeper with Tallulah...she is not as sensitive as my older girls were at this age. We will also study missions and missionaries of the 20th century. As my plans become more concrete, I will post them.

Have a great week....
Faithe

Week in review 2/28-3/4 2011

2011-03-06T12:04:00.000-05:00

This week we tried to stay on task as much as possible.

Our Theme: The Transcontinental Railroad
VP Card : Transcontinental Railroad

Read Aloud: We Were There at the Driving of the Golden Spike Chapters 1-5. I love this series of books and have collected quite a few of them. Children are the main characters in very exciting situations. There is always a girl and a boy and they are always heroic. Love these!

Biography: Thomas Alva Edison By Margaret Cousins Chap. 1-5

I thought the boys would be bored by this one, but gave it a whirl anyway. They love it and beg for more. Whodda thunk-it?

We finished our Catherine Vos Bible Story Book and started our next Bible curriculum.

Veritas Press Gospels with The Narrated Bible.

Our Bible theme: God foretold the coming of Christ in the Old Testament. This is called "prophecy."

Our Bible memory verse: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

Math: Hammy: CLE Level 100 Lessons 131-135...
Cubby: ClE Level 300 LU 302 Lessons 6-10
Tallulah: CLE Level 600 LU 606 Lesons 1-3 (with extra work on fractions & decimals.

Writing Hammy: Copywork from his CLE unit. A report on Hummingbirds

Cubby: Wrote his first book report on Pompeii...Buried Alive using his CLE light unit 210 as a guide.

Here it is:

Pompeii, Buried Alive! By Edith Kunhardt

Pompeii...Buried Alive is a true story about a small town at the bottom of a mountain. The mountain was really a volcano, but the people did not know that. This story tells what happened to Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Pliny was a little boy when Vesuvius erupted. He lived across the bay and he saw the volcano erupt. He saw boats with people escaping. He saw black, smoky clouds and lave, hot ashes and pebbles exploding from the top of Vesuvius. When Pliny grew up he became a writer and wrote about Pompeii. A long time after scientists read Pliny's letters and dug up the buried city of Pompeii.

I enjoyed this entire book. It was exciting, interesting and I learned a lot. It reminded me of the ride at Busch Gardens called "Escape from Pompeii.". I think you should read this book to learn all about Pompeii.

Cubby dictated his report. I wrote it out and then we edited together. He copied his final draft onto looseleaf paper and it went into his finished file. I tried not to over edit. We stuck to editing only what he was working on in Grammar...capitalization, punctuation, and adjectives.

Tallulah (aka Dr. Kazam...LOL) wrote up an interview she conducted following instructions in CLE LU 703....and wrote up a newspaper article on the important even of Hammy's First Annual Birthday Bowl!

Birthday Bowling Blitz

A seven year old birthday

Is big hit to all who were

Invited.

By GRACE ANDERSON

_______________________________

SAM ANDERSON-a seven year old boy hosted his First Annual Birthday Bowl on the afternoon of February 10, 2011. He had a competition against

grandfather, Theodore Anderson. The Ball Busters vs. The Pin Heads. Sam’s team, The Ball Busters, won with a total of 295 points. Theodore says, “I didn’t mind losing. I enjoyed watching the kids more than anything else. I would definitely do it again.”

Sam and Theodore Anderson weren’t the only ones who had fun. “It was AWESOME!” Aaron Kosinski states. “At the end I liked how we got trophies!”

“I liked bowling. I also liked the cupcakes,” Jordan Kosinski said. His other brother Isaac said, “I thought it was very fun. I can’t wait to do it again.”

This is her first draft, completely unedited (obviously!) This week we will use this article as a jump off point for editing and revising.

We all had so much fun. Such a nice break from the cold winter!!!

All did well on their quizzes and all scored perfect 100 %'s on spelling tests!

Dh and I are now designing a school room. With our 1 girl married and living on her own and Ding living home only very part time, we can finally shuffle the kids around and have a place to have our school. We have been schooling in our kitchen and living room for years...and the mess is driving me crazy. I am looking forward to a cozy learning enviroment where the kids can be comfortable and encouraged to study.

Next week we will continue to study the effects of the Transcontinental Railroad on the expansion of the US.

Till then...ttfn.
Faithe

What is Narration?

2011-03-02T08:46:00.000-05:00

I have studied the CM idea of narration for years. In CMese, a narration is another word for "composition" whether it be oral, written or project based. A narration includes what the child takes away from the reading, and how he relates to that reading.

In the early years, that narration will be an oral retelling of the story or portion read. In retelling what he knows, he solidifies those thoughts in his brain. If he can tell it, he knows it.

After a child is able to write well, learned through copy work and dictation, a child will retell in words on paper. This can be a summary or a more detailed report.

Narrations can include: posters, travel brochures, writing poetry in the same meter as the poems being studied, acting out with legos a scene from the Bible, a story or Shakespeare. Narration assignments can be as simple or as creative as you like.

As we move into High School, narration becomes response essays. How I relate to this piece, how I feel about what the author said...etc. It can include literary analysis and then writing your own piece using the literary devices you have learned.

Narration is a small word that encompasses all composition skills.

HTH,
Faithe

Homeschooling through a Crisis

2011-01-29T11:22:00.000-05:00

I have been homeschooling for 16 years and have been through many, many crises throughout that time. Physical, psychological, financial, you name it. new babies, exhaustion, dying parents (mine and dh's) getting kids into college, finding materials that would "work", learning HOW to homeschool, starting a home based business, working full time, not losing myself in it all, dealing with tenn and adult kids along with little ones....like i said, you name it.

I am commited completely to finishing out this journey...whether by stubborness, or by the principle of the thing, it has never been my way of getting past a crisis by getting rid of it....

So, how to get past it...

1. Realize that homeschooling is a loooong and arduous journey full of ups and downs. It is not a sprint, it is a marathon.

2. realize that it is ok to shake things up, get off the treadmill, go off the history sequence or change grammar books...play a little, try out new things. No one will be ruined. It is an adventure where you discover new things...together

3. Realize that homeschooling is a joint effort on everyone in the family. Homeschooling is a lifestyle. It is family-centric. We work together, play together, worship together, laugh together, cry together.

4. It is ok to be tired. It is ok to take some time to yourself. it is ok to throw all the books in the closet and sit on the couch and read a long read-aloud, or break out the paints and create.

5. Realize there will be gaps in an education no matter where that kid goes to school. I know public schooled kids who have no idea what a noun is....They will learn it in English 101. Really, it happens. I know homeschooled kids who are behind their peers in one subject and eons ahead in others...that is ok too as long as Mom (or dad) is serious about the child's education.

6. Realize that one of the great benefits of homeschooling is you do not need to be on anyone else's time schedule. We can school in the even ing, we can school in the car, we can school on Saturday, we can school early in the morning, on vacation, in the summer, etc. We can make schooling a living thing, not bogged down with workbooks or assignments....but a truly living, breathing, enjoyable lifestyle.

7. Realize that crises come and go, and just because it really sucks right now, doesn't mean it will always suck.

8. Learn to never, ever, ever, ever , ever compare yourself to any other homeschool Mom. We are not all the same. our kids are not their kids. Mom's here usually post their strengths and their kids strengths. While some 11 year old may be flying through Calculus, I doubt he is reading Homer in his spare time. My 11 year olds do neither....they are still learning to do fractions and are reading Ramona the Pest....my 11 year olds are usually still little kids....so what? They grow up...and they are growing up in an academic environment with parents who love them and love to learn...so they love to learn...and get to be little kids too.

9. Sometimes we need to change our surroundings...put in extra lights, school in a different room, buy new pencils, whatever little thing will bring a spark back.

10. Once again, learn to love yourself and be proud of your accomplishments. Homeschooling is not easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it. It is hard, it is lonely, it is sacrificial, it is often a thankless job. It is also the most important thing I have ever done. It is also the most satisfying job I have. It is what makes me who I am and my kids who they are.

~~Faithe

Outside the Box not Outside Reality

2011-01-21T11:27:00.000-05:00

I do not think that "thinking outside the box" precludes setting up plans or allows a free for all attitude. Let's face it, this world is not a "free for all." Sometimes what my kids ARE learning is that they are to do the assignment BECAUSE I gave it to them. period...end of discussion. When they are in college no one is going to give a sh*t what they FEEL like doing or if they fail the class. Colleges are businesses and if you need to retake Chem 101 3 times...well, they get paid 3 times. Fine with them!

When I think of going outside a box, I do not leave out skills that are mandatory, nor do I allow my kids to tell me they aren't going to do an assignment because they don't feel like it. Honestly, I don't FEEL like hearing their complaints. I work very hard to offer them an exemplary education and I work hard to give them things of interest to work on and persue according to their bents BUT, sometimes we have to do the time in order to get to a place where we can persue our passions. And lets face it...middle school kids are basically lazy and will usually take the path of least resistance. They are moody and argumentative, which is normal at that age. They will test any boundary or border and will test you constantly to see how firm those boundaries are. It is a very tricky walk to not bend or cave in without ruining your relationship with your child. It is delicate to stand your ground, unflinching, without emotion coming into play when you have a 12 year old Moussolini screaming in your face that the world is not fair, you are mean and school work is dumb.

My dd wants to be a writer...That means she needs to spend MORE time on spelling, grammar, literature & history, BUT she still needs to put in time in her math, because intelligent, educated people can master a certain level of mathematics. She needs to study science, because intelligent, educated people can discuss scientific ideas. She can also put what she learns in her science classes to work in her novels.

Now, the number of courses she takes in math will not be the same as my other child who is mechanically, mathematically and scientifically geard...but then again, he is not excused from spelling, grammar, history or literature either...as scientists and engineers need to be able top communicate and discuss history, literature and politics. See what I mean?

My idea of thinking outside the box says, this kid loves this....I would like to help said kid persue this passion...said kid needs to trust that I have his best interest at heart and WANT to see him succeed.

There are only so many hours and days in our homeschool journey, which makes me very aware that I need to train these kids to go on with their lives in a very short period. It is my opinion that outside the box does not throw the baby out with the bathwater. It is not child-led, but child sensitive. It does not paint a picture that the world revolves around their wants and desires, but gets them ready to persue their God given gifts and paiions in the context of society to be a blessing to those around them and bring Glory to their Creator.

My kids have workbooks and textbooks, videos, games, shelves of reading material, art supplies, sports equipment etc. These are tools. Just as curriculum is a tool. It should help guide yuou...not drive your school. It is a nice suggestion on how to accomplish goals...but the goals have to be there...with a vision on how to proceed and where you and your child want to be in the next year, 5 years, 10 years etc. Of course things change, goals change, circumstances change, passions change, so we must prepare our kids for that as well.

Homeschooling gives us an advantage over private and public schools by allowing us quantity as well as quality time with our children. We can take them along side of us and teach them, cheer for them, guide them, pick up the pieces when we fail or fall short and move on showing them that life is full of ups, downs and all arounds, but we can still be there for eachother as a family and as friends.

Academically speaking, there are many ways to reach a goal. There are many roads that lead to an intelligent, educated person. The longer I homeschool, the more confidence I gain to think even more outside the standard fare, BUT I would never leave a childs education solely up to them. Encourage their passions...YES. Plan my lessons and schedules accordingly...YES. Excusing my kids from assignments they decided were not worth thier time, or excusing them from simple do it because I said so because I know you need to know this even though you don't think so...well...nope sorry, can't help ya there.

Cymbalta Journies.....

2011-01-19T08:38:00.001-05:00

I have been in horrible pain for years. My doctor prescribed Cymbalta to me...and said it would help with my pain, insomnia and the diabetic neuropathy. I am a little nervous about taking it...yet excited that I may atually get some relief.

Anyone dealing with the perpetual cr@p that has happened here over the past few years would be depressed...but somehow, I am not. I do have some bad anxiety especially hormonally (PMS) about a week before "truth" week. LOL. Dr. said it would help me with that AND my crazy insomnia...so i am almost giddy.

My dd takes cymbalta for fibro...which is where I got the idea to ask my dr. for it. She says she feels like a new woman...can sleep...and her pain has subsided greatly. I am hoping for similar results. The fibro even hurts my teeth!

I have always used exercise as my # 1 treatment...and it really was the only thing that helped...but I am now in so much pain, that I can't even THINK of begininng to exercise again. I stopped walking last March after walking every day 3 miles for 13 years....I was sick due to other autoimmune diseases (hashimoto's...my numbers were horrible! and PCOS/ Insulin Res....again...hypoglycemic problems.) Then, by not exercising, I had the worst fibro flare up in years. I am hoping the cymbalta will give me enough relief from the pain that I can get back on my exercise routine....then all the other stuff gets better as well...it is a nasty downward spiral....and after my mom died this fall....well...who felt like doing anything?

Day 1

Took the first dose last night and today, I am so dizzy and nauseus I can't get out of bed. eeeeewwwww.....

BUT a lot of the pain in my back feels so much better. My legs can actually move....but I can't move....because I am afraid I am going to throw up....

I did take it very easy today....and only had a minor snafu....I slipped my car off the road right outside my driveway...I wasn't going for a drive, just moving the van for the plow guy....ummmm....dh got my car out and put me back on the couch.....good thing we had an ice storm today and everyone was home.

I am not sure if I like this loopy feeling. I was really relieved from my pain today though....until I fell on my butt in the icy driveway....grrrrrrr.

My bones just feel better...really weird.

Day 2

Today, I still feel foggy, but not nearly like yesterday and not nauseaus. I just feel weird, like I am pretending to be here.....strange. The pain is very bearable...which is a marked improvement over usual when I wake up....I was able to get right up and walk, so that is definitely better. I am going to try and get in a good day of school today. We did pretty well yesterday...kids did math, reading, and LA...and we had lots of couch read-aloud time due to the ice storm. Kids made pies with dad...and we watched a movie that made my 6y/o cry (Letters to God.) It made me cry too.....

We are snowed in here today, so I won't even need to try and drive....

I am going to give this stuff 2 weeks...see how I feel, and then make a decision to continue or RUN! I just feel like I am on so many meds right now...and I am such a "natural" healing kinda girl....I am on thyroid meds, diabetes meds, pain meds and now this cr@p.....I can't help feeling a bit like I am being sucked into the medical industry vortex......

Day 3

So, yesterday, I had an all out panic attack. I never had one of those before....soooo, I kind of figured it must be the Cymbalta...
I also was helping Hammy with his math lesson...tried to write out a number line....and couldn't remember the # 9...it took a few seconds. As it got closer to the time to take it again, I started to painc again....so, I didn't take it.

I did take a pain killer last night...slept like a log and feel so much better today. Today, I call my doctor, tell her what happened...and see if she will just give me a script for Xanax or something temporary for those really bad days...otherwise, I feel great today! Back to me....BUT, now to try and deal with the issue of pain....sigh.....

Our Math Conundrum.....

2011-01-17T18:34:00.000-05:00

I have finally figured out why I HATE teaching math to my little crowd...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is because it is like the lima beans in the mixed veggies...you just can't sneak them in!!!

I can sneak in literature by reading them good books...I can sneak in phonics and grammar by READING THEM GOOD BOOKS!
I can sneak in art, by you guessed it....reading them good books..

History, science, ...yep...good books.
Music can be listened to in the car...in the house...at concerts...
Again, I can sneak it in so that it is just life as usual. I can sneak in science projects or lessons with my garden, or baking....or a great experimnt kit...

BUT MATH!!! UGH!!!! Oh the D-R-U-D-G-E-R-Y!!!!!

show me three...now two more...there ...that makes five....ad nauseum!

I do not know how to sneak math in...nor get my kids to memorize their facts....we could use living math books.....or games....or manipulatives until i get nuts...but they just KNOW it is math....and spit it out!

Oh boy! And well, math is important....like eating your veggies....

So, how can I sneak it in??? and still have them excel????

I have done pretty much all of them throughout the years...and it is not the program...it is not mastery vs. spiral....it is not conceptual verses fact memorization...it is just MATH.

My kids do not like it...It is not interesting or applicable to their little lives no matter WHAT I do, except pay them...LOL...and I do pay them ....sometimes...a penny a problem...a dime for a word problem!

I beg, cajole, whine, force, pretend to play with them, make all kinds of manipulatives, make up funny word problems....but no matter what I do...I can't disguise it. It reminds me of the story of the little boy who hated kreplach.

Once upon a time there was a little boy who hated kreplach. Every time he saw a piece of kreplach in the soup he screamed, "Aaaaah, kreplach!" So his mother decided to teach him not to be afraid of kreplach. She took him into the kitchen and rolled out some dough. "Just like a pancake," she said. "Just like a panckae," said the little boy. Then she took a piece of meat and rolled it into a ball. "Just like a meatball," she said. "Just like a meatball," said the little boy. Then she rolled up the meat in the dough and held it up. "Just like a dumpling," she said. "Just like a dumpling," said the little boy. Then she dropped it into the soup and put it in front of the little boy, and he screamed, "Aaaaah, kreplach!"

So, for my little boys...it is AAAAAAHHHH MATH!

Homeschool or School at Home: A Non:Traditional Approach

2011-01-08T09:58:00.000-05:00

We homeschool....we do not school at home...so what we do kinda NEVER looks like school. When someone asks my kids about school, until they are about 3rd gradish, they just give a blank stare and look at me....
I don't unschool either.....sigh....so I don't fit into that pattern either.

My life is very unpredictable due to our circumstances and dh's business....soooooo....we school when we can throughout the week...whether that is in the evening, in the morning, on the weekend etc. I have been known to teach a kid to read with foam letters on the bathtub wall or on the dust of a car in a parking lot. I drill my kids on spelling,Latin noun declensions, math facts, vocabulary words, parts of speech etc. as we go through our day. I never call what we do "school." I call it learning or lessons. What we do is not really school. It is learning and having lessons.

We will have lessons on the couch, in the kids rooms as they play legos or color, in the car, on walks etc. We spend inordinate amounts of time talking, looking things up in books, on Google, at the library. We watch all sorts of videos, listen to all sorts of music, make all kinds of food, craft, garden,study art, read Shakespeare, recite poetry, write notes to eachother in haiku for weeks. Now don't get me wrong, our life is not a pretty little Victorian picture with Mom all sweetened up wearing a gown and make-up with 3 little perfect darlings in frocks looking longingly up into her face as she reads them a story and the hazy lense on the camera. Life is lived here...hard and fast. We are not trust fund kids. We come from very poor people...and we strive to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps...nose to the grindstone....keeping ourselves far away from the public dole. I want to give my children high aspirations. College for them is the American Dream. It is their ticket out of the inheritance of poverty. Husband and I worked very hard to pull ourselves out from the burden of poverty, but these children will not have a trust fund to live off of...and they know it. They need to be self made, self taught and self motivated to achieve beyond what we can offer to them. The American Dream at work.

I have a sort of sequence that I like to follow and books I like my kids to have lessons from. I like SOTW, so we read out of there at least once a week. We find places on our wall map, color the pictures, discuss the events, narrate, draw. I try to find read alouds that go with the time period and those become bedtime reading, I like the Apologia series of science the upper levels) so my kids start those at 12ish. BUT, my dd spent 4 months on Module 1 because she wanted to read more about each scientist....so we read, and experimented, and read some more. I really like Christian Light Reading, Math and LA. This helps me to streamline my planning and gives me some goals to attain. We do most of it orally until levels 400 or 500 depending on the child.

I have a set of skills I would like my kids to possess before they go on to college. I want them to be able to diagram complex sentences....if anything, it WOWS! their English 101 teachers and they stop wondering if that homeschooled kid is educated.. I want me kids to be able to communicate well in writing. This includes spelling and grammar. I want my kids to be literate; to be able to discuss the Great books as well as contemporary best sellers. I want my kids to be able to discuss history, and current events....and understand the connections and repetitions. I want them to understand politics, economics, how to balance their checkbook, how to save money, how to invest and how to stay out of debt. I want my kids to love mathematics and see how it relates to them and the universe.

I want my children to be loving and kind, benevolent to each other and to those in need. I want them to love Jesus and follow in His ways, not man's interpretation of His ways.

I pulled my older kids OUT of the rat race, out of the public agenda, not to repeat it, not to remake it in my home, but to offer them more....to offer them a freedom to discover who God made them to be and not to be pushed into some artificial mold that was put there to keep them in line. Providing this has been a challenge throughout the years. I am constantly second guessing my methods and constantly researching educational theory, curriculum development, teaching strategies, etc. but in the meantime, the kids need to be cared for and the lessons taught. I learn and change, the kids learn and change, we evolve, mature, move into new interests, make new friends, develope new interests....life happens.

I want my children to think independently, to act in strength and honor, to do hard things, to work hard, play hard, love hard, live well, continue to study hard. I want them to be fulfilled adults that follow their dreams and make an impact on the world around them....even in small quiet ways.

Homeschooling has become a lifestyle for us. It is not an interim plan to get the kids up to snuff so they can enter the Public Schools (This is for us, if it is your goal to help your child re-enter the PS, then disregard this statement .) It is not my intention to keep my kids home because it is easy....this has been the hardest thing I have done in my life. It is not my intention to fill my kids with head knowledge without wisdom, nor is it my intention to have my kids filled with street smarts without book learning.

Homeschooling, a home based business, home prayer and worship, a home based lifestyle has been our journey so far. Some of my children are now adults and have gone out into the world to seek their own lives. They are really cool adults. They are not afraid of trying new things. They are comfortable in their own skins. They know how to defend themselves and those who may need defense. They are self-teachers. They had their ups and downs like all kids. They are not perfect humans who never felt discouraged or lost, or had their self-esteem crushed by the thoughtless actions of other people (or their own stupid choices.) BUT, they are well educated...despite my many major freak outs that they weren't on course or "where they should be."

Our days vary in the number of lessons or chapters we read, or pages we write. I try to keep us on a reasonable schedule because I find my little ones need a routine, but our routine is flexible. I don't allow outside commitments to get in the way of my commitment to my children, my husband or my home. Right now, I volunteered to raise these children that the Lord so graciously entrusted into my care. That is my priority. I have to work to help support our business, but I can be flexible there as well.

I can look at curricula, teaching methods, lesson plans, etc. and see how they will fit into our lives. if they make sense to US, then we fold them into our day. If not, no matter how good it looks to me, I know it won't work, so I just don't go there.

So all that to say, yes, I guess you could say that we homeschool in a non-traditional way.

Faithe

Week in review 1/7/11 Back to the Books....Ummmmm....sort of

2011-01-07T20:26:00.003-05:00

This was our first week back to school since my mother passed away. We did have some lessons here and there, but nothing formal or in depth. We read lots and cried lots and tried to pick up all our pieces...BUT, now is a New Year, and it is time to get back to a new normal. I am not sure if we are behind or ahead in our studies and I refuse to go there. we are where we are, and I think my children are making a nice progress forward.

We have had some setbacks this year. My mom passing on was a big one. Elvis also was battling the effects from a bad case of Lyme disease. Lyme really kicked his butt. School for him was put on hold per doctors orders. Swimming took a back seat, then he got back in the pool...within a week he received an injury that put him out for 2 more weeks. Thank goodness he is almost done with his High School requirements...so he has some play room. Dh has begun to take him to work and train him on HVAC equipment. Hubby is thrilled with how fast he catches on and how interested he is in all they do. Our customers LOVE him! Dr. Kazam is taking a year off of swimming to persue other interests and has joined an art class and a dance class. She is in LOVE with dance.

So, Now for our week in review.
Sunday, Daddy and the boys went up to our ski house (aka a little cabin in the woods) and built a set of steps going down into the man cave (aka ...the cellar) The boys have been working on changing the cellar into a man cave...no girls allowed except Moms and girls that bring snacks. So far, they have set up a lego table, my out door furniture works as a livingroom, one of our customers gave the boys an old style flat screen TV and a small fridge. Daddy stocked it food and drinks. The game box is set up...

and now....they have a set of stairs. Daddy taught Elvis how to make the stringers and the risers. Lots of angles and math. Elvis got to work and made them perfectly! In the meanwhile Daddy cut out the floor of the closet upstairs and moved the wall forward. Several hours later and a couple of tired boys....and stairs!!! The man cave can now be accessed without putting on our boots, trudging through the snow and climbing through the bilco's

Monday was book work day. let's just say it took ALL day! The boys just were not into the swing of doing what they were told. I showed them my badge and read them their rights....

In Bible this week we studied the early church, the conversion of Paul, The healing of Dorcas and the baptism of Cornelius.

This week we covered David Livingstone in SOTW 4. The kids were really fascinated by his adventures. We are also reading about Nathaniel Bowditch and I am fascinated by this autodidactic man. I am always fascinated by self taught people and desire to be like them. I desire my children to be like them.

Hammy started CLE Reading Level 200 and finished 3 stories. We use the light units, but we do them mostly orally...thus covering 2 lessons per day.

He also finished 3 math lessons (like pulling teeth!) and 3 LA lessons.

Cubby is continuing in CLE level 300 Reading and has completed LU 301 this week.

I am always amazed at how much my kids love these stories in these readers. I always steered clear of readers, but the stories in these are so sweet, character builing without being preachy or guilt inducing, and so age and maturity appropriate. the reading lessons go well beyond just plain comprehension and teach the children to think deeply about what they read. I think this reading program is as close to CM in a workbook as I can get....BUT, we do most of this orally and in conversation. I will many times write in their workbooks so they can see what the answers in the books should look like. I especially like the questions which lead to narrative answers The answers are so much more thoughtful and in depth than if I would have them write them out.

Cubbly also finished LU 208 in math and his LU in Language Arts. He needs to review his spelling words as this weeks were kind of difficult.

Dr. Kazam is plodding along in her subjects. She also finished LU 's this week. She finished LU 604 in math...needing a bit of help in finding percentages of numbers. She finished LU 701 in Language Arts which is now getting into some pretty serios diagramming. We also started Kilgallon's Sentence Composing for Elementary Grades.

We just dipped our toes in this one, and so far it is very easy....and I hate the way they use the word chunking...blah!

Today was a snow day....we finished 4 pretty full days of school...so today we allowed ourselves to play...outside...in the snow! It was fun!

And now to finish off the week with a good Wii Sports championship and a vodka and cranberry in my

Lucy Van Pelt coffee mug!

52 in 52 2011...Just a Little Note

2010-12-31T21:06:00.000-05:00

Since I already made my quota last year, I am using Pathfinder as my first book instead of my last book...LOL. I am also reading Carry On Mr. Bowditch to my boys, but since I am enjoying it way more than they are, I am counting that one as well....

Reviews to follow...next week.....

2011 Book Challenges

2010-12-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

This year I am going to try some new book challenges. I will be joining the Well Trained Mind 52 books in 52 weeks....AND within that challenge, I will add other challenges. So far, these are the ones I have found and linked to. I am not sure HOW to post an reciprocal link, so if anyone can explain that, I would be grateful!....

http://jamielovesya.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-young-adult-reading-challenge.html

Here is the e-book Challenge:

http://theladybugreads.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-e-book-reading-challenge.html

And of course.....

http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/

I am now going to try and set up some kind of list...ummmmmm.......maybe :-)

~~Faithe

52 Books in 52 Weeks Wrap-Up

2010-12-27T15:49:00.000-05:00

So, the challenge comes to an end...and I think I actually achieved my goal!!! YEAH!! Well, that is if I include all the books I read aloud to my littles (only the chapter ones over 150 pages) AND the YA fiction, because I am a firm believer in Brain Candy when it is necessary.

Did you reach the goal of 52 books?:

Why yes, I think I did!

What was the last book you read?:

The last book for this year is The Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card. He is one of my all time favorite authors...and I got to read this one on my new Sony E-Reader!! Thanks Honey! I love you!!!!

Did you read from a list and fly by the seat of your pants choosing a different book each week?:

I didn't read from a list...and I really did fly by the seat of my pants. I really wish I could have been more organized and purposeful in my reading, but this was not going to be the year for it. I got most of my ideas from the other readers on the WTM forum, Sonlight lists and Ambleside Online lists. I also got some ideas from my older kids ("MOM! You have GOT to read this!! That is how I came upon the Book Thief and The Heretic's Daughter.)Did you learn something new about yourself, an author, an topic?:
Well, YES! I didn;t think about it until now, but I found I really...R.E.A.L.L.Y. enjoy Dystopian Literature. i didn't even know that was a genre! I just thought i loved Sci-Fi without robots and with a political twist. I went on one of those reading jags...and got Elvis reading them as well. This included but was not limited to: Hunger Games trilogy, Orson Scott Card books,   1984, Brave New World, This Perfect Day, etc.

How many classics did you read?:

Well, i read a bunch of Children's Classics like Mary Poppins, The Wizard of Oz, Little House on the Prairie series (not really a classic,   but almost there...LOL)

Did you discover a new author or genre? Did you love them or hate them?

Yes, I really like Malcolm Gladwell and enjoyed his non- fiction statistical books especially Outlier. I love how chatty, but interesting they were.

Name your top ten favorite reads:

I'll try:

OK...Harry Potter...I never read these before and I am so happy I finally did. They were so much fun, I loved the whole series.

Hunger Games Trilogy

Far North

The Book Thief

I Am the Messenger

The Heretic's Daughter

Water for Elephants

Percy Jackson Olympians series
Name your bottom ten least favorite reads:
The Outlander by Gil Adamson (not the series of a similar title)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

The Time Traveller's Wife
Elegance of the Hedgehog (hated the end!)
The Element (yawn)
Knowing and Teaching Elementary Math (I am not so sure I liked her tone young lady.)
Life of Pi (loved and hated at the same time. Beautifully disturbing. It broke my heart.)

Name a book you simply could not finish:

Bill Bryson's book about Australia. I like him, but the book was a schnoozer for me. Ds loved it...go figure...

I remember throwing a few books across the room this year, but I have blocked them from my memory...sorry...sigh....

Name a book you expected to like but didn't:

The Time Traveller's Wife. After all the hip and hype...I kept waiting for something besides soft porn to happen. I really like time travel books, they fascinate me BUT this was like a poorly written made-for-tv but had too much skin, so let's make a movie book. I think the premise was interesting, but so poorly carried out...I kept waiting for the story. Didn't happen...blah!!!!

Name a book you expected to not like but did:

Harry Potter. After all the warnings and etc. I thought I would read it just to say I have and back up my choice not to include it in my children's reading lists. I was surprised how much i enjoyed these books.  I apologised to my older kids for believing and propagating the "Harry Potter is not ok for Christians" myth. They assured me it was OK and they actually all read and enjoyed the books too...rotten kids!

So, now I am looking forward to next years challenge. I am going to put together a list for myself....52 books long, but I have the right to be wishy-washy and not follow the plan. I am going to try to include 4 biographies, 4 non-fiction (not biographies) 4 Classics, 4 Christian Classics, 4 Travel Books, 4 science fiction, 4 girl books, 4 Teaching Theory Books, 4 Historical Fiction, 16 books from any category...

I plan on drawing heavily from Ambleside Online, The Well Educated Mind and other bloggers :-)

Come on Reading Challenge 2011!!

A WTM Question:

2010-12-24T10:43:00.001-05:00

This question was asked on the WTM today, and it really set me to reminiscing…..
For things like math and LA, do you use the same thing for younger kids as you did for their older siblings?

I don't use the same materials. With my older kids I used a lot of "homeschool only" curricula. The WTM wasn't out yet and I had lots of warm fuzzy ideas. Then I met Charlotte Mason and Susan Wise Bauer. I also gained more confidence in my teaching ability. I found out I hated Saxon math, because it was a bad fit and didn't help my kids to love or understand math. It just frustrated them and me. I should have know the first week I started home schooling with my borrowed copy of the 5/4 book which I promptly dropped on my foot and broke my toe!

I do use many of the same read alouds and readers.

I didn't know about Christian Light programs and when I did hear of them, I thought "Light" meant it was easy or for special needs. I started using them after a recommendation on the WTM for my struggling 4th grader. What a difference! Things I was trying to accomplish, in a workbook, easy-peasy to implement....sigh of relief!

When I started there was no SOTW, No Ambleside Online...heck, there was no ONLINE!, No TOG, Sonlight and Beautiful Feet were available.

Somehow when I started homeschooling, there was this weird underlying "feeling" that I can't put my finger on. There was a philosophical Holier than Thou spirit floating around these parts. I could never really get my mind wrapped around it, guess I am not spiritual enough. There were Marilyn Howshall and Lynda Coates and Robin Sampson (now Scarlata? or is it the other way?)

For the girls, there was Far Above Rubies. I researched through “The Principle Approach,” I flew caution to the wind and bought (used) all 4 volumes of the Weaver Curriculum, because I wanted to teach History in a chronological manner, I tried text books, A Beka and Bob Jones. I learned about Ruth Beechick and implemented her ideas into our LA. I used a version of the Phonics Road. I was like a teeny , tiny ship being tossed upon the waves of curricula and Home Learning. I read EVERYTHING I could get my hands on, and literally drove myself NUTS! My kids seem no worse for wear. My heart was in the right place and they knew we were on this crazy journey together. My first 2 had been in school, so they needed a bit of “detox’ing.” My younger guys were little…and loved being in on everything the girls were up to. Then came pregnancies, sicknesses, financial issues, aging and sick, dying parents, aging US…lol.

It was a weepy, surreal time. The Christian home schoolers I knew were ultra religious, and convinced Christians were oppressed by the wicked, evil, soul stealing public schools, and needed to protect our children from "Others." Problem was, I was OTHERS...and didn't want anyone to know that...LOL! I could never fit in. I tried...I switched to all dresses, went to church 3 times a week, taught Sunday School, had fellowship meetings in my home, tried to be legalistic etc. I almost went totally BONKERS!

I had to go through a period of soul searching, self examination to determine who I was and how I fit into life. It was really hard. I was depressed a lot of the time. I was physically ill, pregnant, nursing or both much of those early years. Then, I fell in love with Jesus, asked Him into my heart and to guide my paths. I yearned to know the real Jesus, not some made-up version, not some watered down, all is good, happy-happy, jooy-joy version or mean, ugly, nasty version. Not some version who didn't love us for who He made us to be, and then expected us to be someone else. I wanted to know the God of the Bible and I wanted my children to know Him as well.

More self reflection. I now had teens who were going off to college, tweens, kids and babies. I always pictured myself like the clown in the circus spinning plates and not letting any of them drop.

THEN , dh started his own business and I was expected to be ½ of it…..

Curricula needed to be simple. I didn’t have hours upon hours to sit on the couch and read to my babies. I was too busy driving them to swim meets and classes. I was too busy balancing books, answering phones, dealing with taxes and invoices and vendors. My Dad passed on and I became the sole care giver to my Mother. SOMETHING had to change!

As I said, when I started home schooling for us was intrinsically intertwined with religiosity. With that part of our lives over , I needed to reassess OUR OWN reasons for home schooling. One big reason was that God called us to this path. I had that calling and know it, without all the legalism or religious rules. It was pretty simple…Do This!
I am also very academically inclined. I think deeply, my husband thinks deeply and I want my kids to be thinkers as well. In came the Well Trained Mind. In came Charlotte Mason .

In came online classes, resources, message boards where there were like minded home schoolers. Some still made all their own bread from their own home ground flour…and all their 12 kids had matching outfits which Mom herself sewed from the woolen cloth she wove….think Teaching Home, Far Above Rubies, Crown of Silver….but there were also those home schooling for purely academic reasons, those home schooling for religious reasons, who weren’t Christians!!! I learned I could be ME and I could teach my kids in a manner that made US thrive. I could tailor their pursuits. I could LIKE my kids and not try to squish them into the mold of perfection that other people determined for them. I saw those results in their kids. NOT PRETTY!

Anyway, in answer to your question, as we home school , we grow. As we raise our kids, we too grow and change. As we home school, our children mature, as we mature. As we home school, we learn who we are. We change, our curriculum choices change, our teaching methods develop and change, our book choices change. As we home school we hone our children’s skills, we hone our own skills. I am no longer that twenty-something Mom with all young kids. I am a forty-something woman with adult children, teen-agers, tweeners and young kids. I am readying to be a grandmother at some point. Of course I am different! Of course my curricula is different. Homeschooling is a path which we walk, sometimes we stop and rest and then we go on. All of the methods, curricula, educational philosophies, teaching methods, etc. have melded together to look like something "new" and "different" in my homeschool. My school should not look like your school, and as you grow and mature, your homeschool will change as well. It is sort of like looking back at baby pictures and then pictures of you as a child, adolescent, teen and then an adult...young, middle and then older.

As Charlotte Mason said, “Education is a life.” I add, so is home schooling.

Have a Blessed Christmas!
Faithe

And Then There was Alfred

2010-05-28T19:50:00.000-04:00

So, in the midst of my spring breakdown....dh falls in love with a beautiful puppy and arranges to fly him from Nebraska through Hearts United for Animals.

Hearts United is a non-profit organization who rescues dogs from puppy mills. My dear friend Claudia adopted her beloved Flora from HUA, so when we found Alfred she gave them to good word on us...LOL.

This puppy is a joy! He is a LOVE. Dh feels like a new Papa and the kids are all over him.

So, what can I say?

Welcome home little one!

My last post was 2 weeks in review:

2010-04-24T10:26:00.000-04:00

This one seems to be covering an entire month!

It has been a busy month...our month off from swim practice. It took a lot of patience and explaining that the month off from swimming was MY vacation...not the kids vacation. It's funny how when you are in a routine and it is interrupted your entire schedule is topsy turvy.

So, we basically stayed focused on catching up our schoolwork, planning our garden, playing a bit in the beautiful weather...before the bug invasions of May, and figuring out how to get our seatwork finished by noon (just the younger ones) so we could have the afternoons for free time.

Passover Sedars, Easter dinners, Nanny's birthday....

Our highlight this month was a trip to West Point Military Academy for a free swim clinic. We all piled into my van...little guys in tow and had an awesome day. we had just finished learning about the Revolutionary War, so the cannons were a big hit!!! Cannons to the right of us! Cannons to the left of us!!! BANG!!! BANG>>>

The Hudson was so beautiful and the mountains were bursting with SPRING!

I took a ton of pictures on my phone, but getting them on my lappy is another story completely!

Of course April is an awesome month for Nature Study. Flowers are popping up all over the place (So, is my hayfever...aaaahhhhchooooo....)

Newts, salamanders and efts abound...the deer are eating my garden ALREADY!

So this week swim season (long course) begins...and Elvis comes down with a nasty cold! It seems the swim card is just going against him. He is discouraged...he lost yet another week of practice. I am discouraged for him.

This is the time of year when all my homeschooling buddies feel like they haven;t accomplished a thing ALL year and the public school starts looking
Are my kids all I had dreamed they would be...well...not yet..LOl...but I am not sure anyone could live up to those dreams. Somehow I thought (even though this thinking was very skewed) that homeschooling was going to be some kind of magic bullet. My kids would be protected from all the hurts and harms in the world. I could watch over their little heads and hearts and put only good things into them. (Very Buddah-like) The thing I didn't think of at the time, was that they were not perfect and I am not Jesus. I am sinful...have good days and bad days. I don't know it all...I can't carry the burden of perfection and therefore could not expect my kids to be somehow perfect as well. I made lots of mistakes in schooling that older crew....and I am sure I will make plenty schooling this younger bunch. BUT GIVE UP??? NEVER!!!!! I really...in my heart believe ...that homeschooling is better for MY kids than any other avenue of education.

My original ideas and reasons still hold true...even if my method and my realization that the is no silver bullet...have changed me.

1: God told me to do this....audibly....and I was not a Christian at the time. "Get those children and raise them separate and Holy unto Me. "

2: I wanted my children to love each other...to be best friends. The school system has a way of dividing and conquering the family unit. It remakes the unit....and then tears it apart and remakes it...over and over for 12 straight years.

3: I wanted my children to be able to discern right from wrong and choose to do the right thing...

4: I wanted my children to be educated whether they pursued degrees or became skilled technicians. For their own self and their own needs, I wanted their brains to be fully developed to love beauty of art, music, literature etc.

4: I wanted my children to find peace in their own relationship with God. I did not want them to have a shallow understanding of the Bible or who they are as God's children. I wanted them to love other people, respect other cultures, to walk with wisdom. I did not want them to be whitewashed tombs. I did not want them to be haughty in their belief.

5. I wanted to have a relationship with my kids...a real one...based on mutual admiration and respect. I wanted to know them for the people they are...not as little clones or cookie cutter kids. I wanted them to have the freedom to pursue their own personage, to be comfortable in their own skin, to love who God made them to be, to be strong and of good courage.

As you can see, most of my reasons were not academic. Academics are very important to us. I use much more rigorous curriculum than most of the homeschoolers in our area...but my reason for homeschooling were, and have remained, focused on so much more than just books and knowledge. It has been focused on raising independent, hard working, honest, loving, creative individuals who are someday going to go out and make a difference in this world.

It has been a bumpy road...and my road is still quite a long one to travel....but, lately, I have been feeling up to the challenge again. I am coming out of the burnout and indecision, overwhelmed feeling of the last few years...and triumph feels GOOD!

I found that I can only do my best and remember that I am going forward in love, choosing the best I can day by day....and hopefully walking in love with my children and husband toward a higher goal...making a little difference or impact for the future generations....and being loving and forgiving toward myself and my shortcomings...modeling to my kids that we can work hard and still fail an endeavor....and then pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and carry on, becoming stronger as we go.

WOW! That was a bit of a mind ramble...and I apologize....April has always been an introspective month for me.....Spring....and new beginnings and all.

Two Weeks in Review:

2010-03-27T08:21:00.000-04:00

WE'RE # 1

I has been so hectic here, well with Spring finally trying to arrive...and sunshine, warm winds, flowers beginning to pop...and tons of YARDWORK!!! Spring always melts the snow away to reveal beneath all the toys and stuff we never got to stash before the first early blizzard. In other words, it looked like a war zone out there!!!

We have all been so totally cabin crazy after this very LONNNNGG Winter.

Ok, Now for the 2 weeks in review:

SWIMMING: Swim season came to a Vitorious end for us this year. Elvis and Dr. Kazam both did best times and medaled in their events. The lovely Dr. swam a beautiful 50 yd butterfly in 32:40 putting her in 6th place overall at ESSL championships. Elvis swam his 100 free in 52:89 breaking his best time by over a second and giving him 6th place overall. Not bad seeing that he is at the very bottom of his age group. The team took FIRST PLACE OVERALL beating out 16 other teams.

LIFE SKILLS: Cubby Learned to ride a 2 wheeler. That is always a big deal around here! Hammy is learning to be the garbage man around here. The job of taking the garbage and taking care of recyclables always goes to our youngest when they turn 6. Our youngest youngest is now 6, so he better get good at his job!

Dr. Kazam is now getting more adept at kitchen chores and i am almost ready to put her in charge of making sure we have a clean kitchen at night. She is also the official pet feeder.

Elvis learned to tune up the truck this week. He has also been assissting Daddy with some plumbing and heating. He has been working one day a week with Dad.

Ding has decided to change majors as of next semester. She is not enjoying herself at all....she feels a lot of relief finally making a decision. I think she will be studying photographic journalism....Journalism? This is the girl who would not write even a paragraph until I forced her to in 11 th grade! She could not wrie a full page essay until the end of 11th. This same child, when in Community College, stayed up with me all night writing and editing and learning to write a fantastic paper in Eng. 101. I was pulled aside by her History Professor during an awards ceremony to be told that she was the one student in 20 years who wrote papers that were poignant, interesting and kept him riveted to his chair...HUH????? LOL! You just never know.

Yuggie found a JOB!!!! He has been working with his dad since he was 14 doing heating, plumbing etc. He is certified all over the place! He hates working with his dad....sigh....So, I really wanted him to have the experience of working for a job which he got on his own...pound the pavement etc. It is really important to be able to present yourself , ask for a job, fill out an application, interview etc. Well, at first, he went to different plumbing outfits...HUH? I asked him why would he want to do that and he answered "It is all I know how to do." HUH??? I asked him to take chances, to think what he WANTED to do. To go outside his comfort zone a bit. Really, I didn';t care if he ended up driving a delivery van or working at the grocery. But he went even better than that. He found out they needed swim instructors at the Y...and he applied...and he GOT THE JOB!!! he will be teaching swim lessons and the course they have on Swim Team prep...which is a 4 stroke and start and turn clinic! He is so excited! I am excited! The head of the swim program is excited!!!! WHOOOPPPPEEEE!!!! He is still in school full time, but this job is perfect for him, plus working for the Y is still considered a community service...looks great on scholarship applications. YAY YUGGIE!!!!

Ok: On the academic front:

Family School: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit sayeth the Lord of Hosts. This was our verse for this week.

Dr. Kazam, Elvis, Yuggie and I have all finished The Lightening Thief series...That was SO MUCH FUN!!!! We are now working on The Looking Glass Wars.

We have finished reading the Old Testament, which we began in September. We used the Vos Story Bible and we all loved it. We will read through the NT stories over the Spring and Summer. Over this week we will re-read the stories of Passover, The Last Supper and the Crucifixion, Resurrection as we prepare for our Sedar. Of course being as Non-traditional as I am, we will be having ours 2 days after Passover...LOL. The Lord commands us to tell our children of the Passover every year...and we do. But this year, i really wanted to do it on the Thursday before Good Friday and then bring us into Easter. i want this holiday to impact my children.

SOTW3. We covered the sections on Cathering the Great and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. We read about Eli Whitney and James Watt.

I am determined to finish this up this year. 3 years in SOTW3 will never do!

We also are enjoying a book aout John Adams written and illustrated by Cheryl Harness. It is a beautiful book!

Hammy: Well, We have been "doing school" or at least I have been at battle with Mr. Ham all year to sit down and get busy. Well, it seems I may have underestimated this little bugger. I gave him the tests fromCLE Learn to read and it seems that he has "Learned to Read!" He got a 100% on the test...rolled his eyes...told me it was boring and he didn't want to do it anymore. OY VEY!!!!! OK...so, Mr. Smarty Pants, what shall we do with baby? He is certainly NOT a workbook kid. Neither is Cubby, so back to the old drawing board...LOL. I should have know it was just too easy...sigh.....So, I am going back to the old CM path....LOL. I will be s\posting plans etc in the near future. My year of "doing school" instead of "homeschooling" has brought me a little break in planning and helped me to rekindle my love for teaching my kids and allowing my kids to teach themselves while I provide materials and feedback. I ahve put all of his workbooks away until Fall. Spring and summer are for nature study, out door play and reading in the tree house.

Cubby: See Hammy!!!! LOL! Dh tells me to school them together. OK....LOL. Workbooks have driven the love of learning out of this kid. HOW can I cover the same material and skip the drudgery? Use the CLE books as a guide. Limit the amount of writing in the workbooks, bring in living books and hands on games for math. I think I can do this.

Dr. Kazam: She is finishing up CLE level 500 Math. WOW!!! We are a level behind and I am not sure I am ok with that, but it is what it is. This girlie is just not mathy yet. She is now using Life of Fred to review fractions and solidify what she has learned. She loves LoF.

Elvis: Working on author project ala A Beka World Literature. He chose to write about Tolstoy. So far, that seems to be all he has. I asked for a thesis or statement of pupose to no avail....so once again...my lesson is: Kids need you to show them HOW! So, I will show him how and report on his progress next week.

He has finished Module 7&8 of Apologia Chem. I allow him to do the tests open book. He is really enjoying this book. I also borrowed the Teaching Company DVD's from the library. Yuggie is finding these really helpful with his CC Chem class and Elvis is enjoying them too.

Philosophy: Studied Spinoza using Smarr Phil and Sophies World with Intro to Philosophy :DK

We pretty much dropped grammar again...sigh. Still enjoying online Intro to Music through Memoria Press, although I have not seen a single assignment , quiz or anything with this class. (???)

Well, we are on a break from swim practice for the next 3 weeks....and I feel a bit rested up now, so...we are off onto another week...TALLY HO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week in Review 3/1/10- 3/5/10

2010-03-06T09:53:00.000-05:00

Journeys of Captain James Cook

We had some fun this week. Not anything big and exciting...but little funs that make those childhood memories. We played with cousins, we went ice skating, lots of swim practices for Elvis and Dr. Kazam.

We did some school work too!

This week we studied Captain James Cook. We learned about the early discoveries and explorations of Australia. We followed Captain Cook's journeys on our maps. Cubby and MMM learned their compass points. We also learned to 7 continents and 4 oceans.
We added Cook to our timeline to see that his explorations took place at the same time as the American revolution. We looked at portraits of Cook and saw that his clothes were very similar George Washington's clothes.

The kids thought it was so hysterical that explorers needed to bring artists with them on their travels because no one had a camera! LOL! Talk about being replaced by technology!

We looked up some Australian and looked at pictures of the flora and fauna.

Elvis finished Module 6 in his chemistry. Stoichiometry was a hard learn for him buthe got it!! He took his exam and got a 94%!!! YAY!!!
He also finished Chapter 9 in Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2. After struggling with Chalkdust in the begin ning of the year, we decided to go back to TT. That was a wonderful decision for us. He is back on track...and he is using the Larson book as back-up and review. We will also use Life of Fred as a review for Geometry over the summer before he takes the PSAT.

Elvis finished another unit in World Lit and continues reading in Dante's Inferno. he also read the Book Theif this week. He is plugging along in his Grammar. he is studying Spinoza in Philosophy.

This weekend we will be swimming in Silver Championships, so he is all tapered and shaved and ready to go!

Dr. Kazam finished CLE Reading 6. She loved the book! She learned so much from this program including literary devices and how to edit and correct her own work.

We added Life of Fred Fractions to her Maths. She is finishing up CLE level 500. Instead of rushing into 600, I want to use LOF to solidify wat she learned in 500. She is loving Fred!

Dr. Kazam is also all tapered and ready to swim at Silvers. I wish I had my replacement Camera!

The little boys did their lessons ok. As long as I sit there with them, they will get it done...otherwise OY VEY! The sun has finally appeared and the thermometer is above freezing, so my littlies spent so much time out doors. I gave them some chores this week and they took to them like ducks to water. They like bein helpful...now to teach them to clean up their toys. Their room is a lego explosion!

The little boys have learned to sit through and ENJOY read alouds! YAY!!! We have read so many books this week.

Now off to watch the new Phineas and Ferb!!!! Brand new episode!

Book Challenge: Week 9 Book 10

2010-03-06T09:44:00.000-05:00

Ok...I admit it. I read Harry Potter this week. After years of hearing the Christian Controversy surrounding this book....and not banning it from my kids...but NOT adding it to their reading lists, I decided to read it. My opinion...ummmmm...well it seemed to be a little like a watered down Roald Dahl, mixed with a bit of Lemony Snickett and not so well written. I still won't add it to my kids reading lists, but I really DO NOT GET why all the uproar. After reading some of the Ancient Great Books that are totally encouraged in any classical studies...including Christian Classical studies, this book is just so tame. It was cute. You like Harry. You like his little band of friends. It definitely had a good verses evil theme with good winning. Maybe if they were hobbits instead of wizards that would be ok? I think my 7 year old would probably really like this book...but my 11 year old would probably roll her eyes. She would rather read Grimms at this point. So, after years of avoiding Haryy, I find him harmless and somewhat cute.

Weekly Report: 2/22- 2/28 2010 SNOW...SNOW...AND MORE SNOW!!!

2010-02-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

This has been the week of the snowstorm. Funny thing is....we don't have any snow. All around us, everyone is buried in up to 2 feet of the white stuff. US.....we got slush! Slush was falling from the sky. We got rain...rain...and more rain....OH....we also got a BLACKOUT!!!

Now, I LOVE blackouts. I love the quiet. I love the dark. I love the humless house. I love readfing by candlelight. I love hearing my kids jumping out of closets and scaring the crud out of eachother and then laughing their collective butts off...the scarer and the scarees.

DH did hook up our tiny generator, so we could flush the toilet and we did have one flourescent light bulb going in the kitchen. Got the woodstove cranking and settled my young'uns down to reading and snuggling in their sleeping bags...campout...kitchen style! LOL.

OK...down to progress subjects:

Monday: Knew snowstorm was on its way. Promised the little buggers that if their seatwork was finished, we could go to the playground to play. Guess what? They finished by 12:30. Off to the playground. Cousins met us there and our yayas were all let out.

Last day of Karate. Our contract is complete. Kids love it. Pocket hates it. WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!!! Must find cheaper dojo for kids. They are good. They could compete. I can't afford this. LOL!

Tuesday...here comes the snow.... yay!! supposed to be deep....not sticking yet!

Wednesday: BLACKOUT!! shovel...shovel...shovel....

Thursday: shovel...shovel...splooosh....

Friday: Ummmmm...more snow...UGH!....more slush...UGH! UGH!!!!

Kids made progress in Math, Reading and Language arts. Mr. Mustache Man is reading very well for a newly 6 year old boy. Cubby has declared I am boring. I take that personally. I believe him. I am boring. Do your work...do your work...come'on...do your work! Ummmm...BORING!!!!! Decided it is time to really consider going back to my CM ways...in a more mature...boy kinda way. Talked to Cubby about what made things boring.....Basically, he is bored because there is too much written work and not enough hands on work. I need to incorporate more math type games, manipulatives and real life experience. He likes his reading program and I will continue to do the writing in the workbook for him. his reading comprehension is wonderful...even months later.

Dr. Kazam figured out she needs 80 more days to finish her assigned work. She is a list checker. She is a workbook kid.

She likes knowing exactly what is expected and self-teaching lessons. She is a learn on your own kinda girl. Git it done and I can go do what i really want to do...CREATE! PAINT! BUILD!

Elvis needs a total overhaul in my High School Plan for him. I am seriously considering holding him back a year and having him complete 10th grade again next year. He is very intelligent and always worked at least a year or 2 ahead of grade...BUT he has leveled out due to sickness and immaturity this year. I can not help but to meet him where he is at and move on from there. He is reading Dante mby choice, BUT his Lit program sits untouched for weeks....He is reading Yuggie's Chem book, but is only in Module 6 of his own....OK....So, he is learing...BUT, he is immature and nneds to learn to prioritize and complete subjects as assigned.

Ding is getting used to campus life

Yug is plodding along.

Sorry, No pics this week...again. Still no camers...sigh.

Week 8 Book 9 The Book Thief

2010-02-27T09:37:00.000-05:00

This book is going down as one of my top ten EVER books. Why? This book was totally different. It was different than any WWII book I have ever read. It was not gruesome, it was touching, it was captivating, it was "colorful." Told from the point of view of "Death" narrated in his person, we get a different view of Death's job, his weariness, even a bit of his caring. Death, whom we all must meet someday and his chagrin and fascination with the human soul knits this book into a masterpiece.

Week in Review.. 2/15-2/19

2010-02-21T09:27:00.000-05:00

There are no pictures this week because my camera shattered when I left it out in my car in very cold weather. The display just shattered...So now , my camera has been returned and I have credit for a new one, but no camera. I used my trusty phone to take some pics, but now have to figure out how to transfer them to my lappy...OY.

This week I reviewed some of my plans for the year and decided I needed to revamp some of the younger kids work.

Mr. Mustache Man needs more hands on and less workbook work. he is certainly capable, but capable does not necessarily mean it is good for him. My goal for him this year was to get him reading and to get him to be able to sit while he is read to....Mission accomplished on both goals.

In math....I need to research more games, and literature to go with his learning. He is ABLE to do the workbooks, but whether they are necessary...and whether the fight to get him to do them is worth it at 6 is another story. This week, I think I am going to peruse Living Math

http://www.livingmath.net/ is a fantastic resource. i am also going back to my CM roots...somehow...some way. The workbooks are easier on planning and easier for assessment...but I feel flat and totally uninspired. I am beginning to think that the workbooks are fine after 4th grade when the kids become independent and can read and follow directions.

Cubby also needs a re-vamp. The workbook thing is squashing his love of learning...but worse, it is setting up a battlefield between us. he does NOT want to sit and do these...What has worked and IS making him happy, is if I sit and do the writing for him. he is retaining more that way and enjoying the assignments. I think his ability to write well and comfortably is not at the level needed for him to concentrate on the actual lesson at hand. If I write FOR him, he can focus on the task needed to learn.

We have spent much time this week reading aloud...talking....reading some more...talking some more. I didn't get to check many boxes on my list....so maybe I need to change the list.

Dr. Kazam and Elvis....plugged away. The Dr. has been reading...LOTS! She just discovered the beauty of the bedtime read. This week, she is reading the Percy Jackson series now. She also finished Detectives in Togas and loved it.

Elvis is working his way through Dante's Divine Comedy. He has finished Inferno and Purgatorio. We haven't used any study materials or lit analysis with this book at all. He just wanted to read it. I think I will have him read it again...and use the WEM guidelines for studying his favorite section.

Ding is unhappy at school. The neighborhood the school is in is not the greatest and I think she is afraid. She feels like she is in a prison, so the school search goes on....

Yuggie had his girlfriend visiting from Tuesday - Thursday (she lives several hours away.) They went up to visit Ingrid at school and Ahha and EEyah who live close-by. They went ice skating and had fun. He needs to seriously hit the books now. SERIOUSLY!!!

Week 7 Book 8 Under the Dome by Stephen King

2010-02-21T09:19:00.000-05:00

This was a BIG book...1144 pages of typical Stephen King meets the Twilight Zone...Cast of 100 characters, Good vs. Evil...God vs. no God, Extra-terrestrial life meets Human earthling...predictable, engaging anyway...read faster and faster and faster....Hide in your room instead of clean the house...sit on the couch and read instead of homeschool the kiddies....Stephen King.

I finished this tome in one week....mostly Friday and Saturday this weekend. I would have liked to see less extra-terrestrial and more environmental issues addressed. Would have deepened the book and made it a work of art instead of a simple Simpson's episode gone awry.

The bad guys were bad...the good guys were good. The book was fun and the movie should be out in a year or so...LOL!

Another Friday...Another Week in Review 2/8-2/12

2010-02-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

What week are we in?? Well, I have been homeschooling for the past almost 15 years....14 years, 10 months2 weeks and 3 days to be almost exact...give a day or 2. This week was Ham's birthday. Wednesday to be exact...which means the anxiety of it coming meant he couldn't concentrate on his seat work...then the big day...well, who could ask a newly six year old to do seat work on his birthday....then of course no one else could do their seat work...and of course all the schools have a snow day....so why should anyone else do THEIR seat work?? Thursday and Friday, well, we already blew off Monday-Wednesday...so why should we bother on Thursday and Friday????

So, Here it is Friday and I think maybe, one lesson per subject has been completed by the kids this week....so Mama flips into un-schooler mode and asks, what DID WE DO THIS WEEK?? And strangely, I am happyLOL!!!!

Elvis: Yuggie's college Chemistry book arrived by mail on Monday. Elvis was curious and wanted to compare it to his Apologia Chem book. Conclusion: Elvis spent all of Monday reading Yug's Chem book. We have switched back to Teaching textbooks after a 1/1/2 year doomed trip with other Math programs....(Chalkdust/ Jacob's Geometry) becaue TT was deemed "NOT RIGOROUS" by the powers that be....YET, after TT Algebra 1 Elvis was one of the only kids in his Geometry class (online) that remembered and could explain the Algebra review....sigh.....I should have stuck with my gut. BUT, once again, I let the RIGOROUS POLICE take hold of my common sense....

Elvis and Daddy were supposed to go to a Well Pump School in Massachusettes on Tuesday...Highlight was to be a hotel stay and indoor go-carts. Life interfered....our well pump died on Monday night...Tuesday brought a pending blizzard. So, on Tuesday in stead of a 5 hour car-ride and go-carts.....Elvis actually helped pull and install a new well pump.
Ham and Cubby were close at hand "Helping" and lending a hand when needed.
Homeschool learning at it's best.

Elvis returned to Yuggie's Chem book and snuggled down to learn about balancing chemical equations and converting units of measure....

Dr. Kazam spent her week antagonizing brothers, making stuff out of construction paper, and painting GORGEOUS tops for her friends birthdays. Her talent is definitely NOT Math. She is a born artist...very creative. I could not believe she painted these shirts freehand...I am totally amazed! She also found my copy of Lightning Thief and is in the process of voraciously reading it. I told her I would not take her to see the movie if she didn't read the book first...so she is reading....and loving this book.

Cubby and Ham spent the week learning how to be friends...how to share...how to play nice and build snowmen, snow balls, snow forts. They learned to pitch in and shovel off the steps, take out the garbage, help empty the dishwasher etc.

I realized that I never taught these little ones to do jobs that the older ones could do by their ages.

I spent this week trying to review my goals in our home school and my educational philosophy. The plans I painstakingly created over the summer are almost useless from tweaks and changes in our curriculum. This happens every year. I lead those horses to water, but they insist on drinking in their own way. No one is excited about learning anymore. Our studies have become very stale...no fun...just nag...nag...nag and rebel...rebel...rebel....

My intial thought is we need a break...but reality is we do not need a break...we would have those breaks if the kids accomplished their assignments in a reasonable amount of time.

We have been progressing nicely overall. When I look at my "finished" folders, I am encouraged...but that TO_DO list kills me every time...sigh....

Week 6 Book 7

2010-02-08T20:14:00.000-05:00

NOTE TO SELF: NEVER EVER EVER give a kid a book I read as a teen without pre-reading. I read this when I was 18 or 19...soooooo many years ago.....I remembered the plot...I remembered the political motivation of the book.....I remembered the characters...I forgot how dirty it was!!!! EEEEEEEKKKK!!!!!!!!! OK...this book was sex with no boundaries or morals or conviction. It was another part of their society...but EGADS!!! My teens did not need to read this one...and there I go tossing it to my 15 y/o and saying..."Here...read this...you'll love it! " No wonder he stayed up all night reading...no wonder he looked at me really strange the next day and the day after that...until I picked up the book before this weekend's swim meet and threw it in my bag to re-read....AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! Ok....I still think it was a well written book...if you like Political Sci Fi porn....ok...maybe not porn, but gee, it got pretty close....
I suppose we will live...and I need to remember that some of those Ancient Great Books pale in comparison....but : MUST PRE_READ next time...

52 Books in 52 weeks Week 5 Book 6

2010-02-01T20:38:00.000-05:00

Water for Elephants. Poigniant. Written in the voice of a 90 (or is he 93?) year old veterinarian from his nursing home. The plight of the elderly intertwined with the adventure of a circus act during the Depression. The graphic sex scenes threw me for a bit of a loop...TMI! but, the overall book had mee cheering for the man in the wheelchair and crying for the man in the train.

Week in Review 1/31-2/6/10

2010-01-31T06:47:00.000-05:00

Backstroking : Just like my big brother!

Lining up for my next race

Won't let a bit of walking pneumonia hold me back.
YAY!!!!!!ELVIS!!!!! (He placed into finals!)

Dr. Kazam swims the 100 back-stroke finishing strong and taking 4 seconds off her best time.

Still exhausted from the weekend. Long Meets! Long Drives! Ding is back at school, visited Ahha and EEyah Sunday night. Daddy had a middle of the night service call and then the subsequent search for repair parts associated with commercial boilers in rural settings. UGH!

Ham managed to get Bible, Math, Phonics/ Reading and LA finished for the week. We only have seat work lessons 3 days a week for him as he is still 5. We will increase to 4 days a week the week after next when he turns 6

Cubby: Took 2 hours to give him a spelling test. 20 words....he spelled 19 correctly after lots of prompting. I am sure my 1rst grade teacher is rolling in her grave...OY! Other than that, he did a wonderful job of avoiding his school assignments. We managed to get a few done, but I think he needs a little academic seat work break. maybe we will do more orally, or maybe I will just tell him to suck it up and get busy. Not sure yet....

Dr. Kazam: She managed to do a math quiz, 3 LA lessons and 3Reading Lessons...all that after sleeping until 11 am pretty much all week Growth spurt, coupled with being sick and a weekend of competition did her in. Another weekend of competition this weekend coming...OY

History: We are STILL in SOTW 3!! This is Year 2....and we still have about 10 or 15 chapters to go. This week we covered the Constitutional Convention...George Washington, Ben Franklin etc. We covered the 3 branches of Government etc. My kids always have this deer in the headlights look. LOL. We read a few small books as go alongs: Shhhhh....We're Writing the Constitution, by Jean Fritz and A More Perfect Union by Maestro.

Elvis was holed up in his room most of the week. I guess I should check his progress, but he looks glum enough and I don't have a nice tone in my voice today...LOL. I know he caught up some work in his Literature and went back to Teaching Textbooks for Algebra 2. He took the test for Chapter 8 today and was able to get a 95%....YAY!!!! Math has been the bane of my homeschool existance and unfortunately ...his too. He also read This Perfect Day by Ira Levin. Great book!

Yuggie cracked the windshield in his car...Ding's is on its last leg....

We skipped Karate Monday....Skipped swim practice Monday AND Friday.....

Glad this week is now over! I need a new book for the 52 in 52 challenge....Going to go scout my shelves. I have 8 hours of bleacher time this weekend! Think I'll grab This Perfect Day from Elvis!

Ta-Ta

Week in review 1/25-1/29

2010-01-29T16:20:00.000-05:00

We actually finished all of our weeks work by Thursday this week ....and a good thig too, because Ding's car broke down last night on the NYS Thruway. So, we spent the day retrieving her poor car from the piratey tow truck drivers and over to our regular pirate....umnmmm....mechanic.

Elvis: Is still working at 1/2 pace after his bout of pneumonia. He is now taking another online class through Memoria Press entitled Understanding Music. This is a class in Music Theory. It is replacing my planned Geography class and he is really excited.

Dr Kazam (aka Smoosh) finished most of her book work, but was side tracked by some novels she "just had to finish." I was so happy she took the initiative to read, that I let her snuggle in the recliner and read to her hearts content. I didn't have the heart to tell her those were school books that were planned into her Spring semester...I'm no rat...LOL

Cubby and Ham are plugging away in their light units. We have also been reading The Little House series. We are now reading Little Town. I plan to put them aside after this one because they get too depressing. I think we will bein Alice In Wonderland. I need something a little more light and fun. It's nice that the 2 little hooligans are so intrigued by Pa and Laura...and that they have learned to sit for long periods of time while we do read alouds.

Post Homeschool Graduates and the Effect on Homeschool Families

Anyone else ever have that overwhelming feeling that something ain't right but you just can't put your finger on it? This week, I was going over some old photographs and I came across this one. Believe it or not, This was Ahha's first day of school...Ahha is my oldest one. Now when kids are little and you dress them up all pretty with their hair in ribbons and their new backpack, gym shoes and cardigan sweater and put them on that big yellow schoolbus, you recognize a big change coming. Your baby is growing up and your family will never be the same again. With homeschoolers, this changing of the guard is delayed and somewhat different. It is almost unidentifiable because the person leaving the nest is a full fledged (almost) adult and she is not going on the schoolbus, she has her own drivers license.

It took me 3 graduated homeschool students to realize that turning point in our lives (I am a slow bloomer.) It all goes back to that hot August day when Ahha got in that old Oldsmobile and drove to her first class. Our homeschool and our family has never truly been the same. There went my right hand, and my friend. There drove away years of hard work and sacrifice...down the road and into her own life...where she met her to-be husband and found a career that made her happy. Yes, I am still her Mama...but those days of lounging in bed reading stories or novels aloud...those days of us 3 girls Ahha, Mama and Ding baking or making a dinner for guests...changing baby diapers, cleaning up after our littlies, being entertained by little boy antics...those days are past. It took me 3 years to realize that our family was forever changed in that one day.

Something seems amiss and that thing is that our family which was one unit, is not unified any more. Those days are behind and now Dh and I need to figure out how all this parenting of adult children works...and again, they do not come with a guidebook. I miss my oldest dd and I miss Ding and Yuggie is now off to College as well...even though he is still living at home.

The older kids have become more like aunts and uncles to the youngers rather than friends and confidants. The little ones seem to have their own society, their own thing happening without the olders being a part of it.

I am not really sure what this post is truly about other than a little walk down memory lane and the sad spot in my heart that my family is not ONE as it used to be.

52 book Challenge Week 4 Book 5 The Outlander by Gil Adamson

2010-01-28T20:15:00.000-05:00

Read the Outllander this week by recommendation of some ladies of the WTM board. I enjoyed it well enough....it sort of reminded me of a well made "made for TV" movie. I was really tired and I have a bad cold, so this book was a good take me away read. I had heard there was a lot of graphic content in this book...and while I wouldn't have my 15 yo read it, it really wasn't too bad...Just like a "made for TV" movie. LOL!!!

Weekly Report 11/ 18 - 11/22/10

2010-01-22T19:15:00.000-05:00

Line them up, count them twice.
seven, carry the one, eight, carry the one...

Here's the pennies, Here's the nickels. can I keep them if I count them right?

Now, How do I reduce this fraction??

So...What do you do with a gingerbread house?? Why, you eat it, of course!!

Yum! Yum!!! Eat it up!!!!

Tried to get back into the swing of things this week. The younger kids all
manged to finish their assignments...but not without me feeling like to police
and being so completely worn out by Friday that I spent the whole day on the WTM
site debating whether or not kids should be sent back to school if the
government mandated it. It was an interesting conversation and a little
eye-opening for me as to the state of the new homeschool Mom generation. Somehow
I managed to move into an entire new generation without noticing it.

Ding is settling into dorm life. She loves her classes, classmates and room
mate. She hates the food. She has always (since she was 3) has been a
vegetarian. "Cats eat meat...but cats are meat" The cafeteria has slim pickin's
for one who is a vegetarian AND nutritionally conscious. We need to get her some
groceries this weekend!

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Week 4/ Book 4

2010-01-20T19:51:00.000-05:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe peel Society. Charming! I loved this book. Letters betweem an author, her publisher/friend, his sister and the residents of Guernsey after the Nazi Invasion of the British Islands. Farmers and fishermen turned literary critics....compassion and terror go hand in hand. Love that is deep, neighbors banding together to do the right thing. I can smell the salt of the sea and hear the combat boots of the soldiers. It is the story of picking up the pieces and moving on with life. Great read.

52 books in 52 weeks: Week 3 / Book 3

2010-01-17T20:43:00.000-05:00

This one took me a while to read as it was not a novel, hence the text was more dense. I truly enjoyed the authors persistance and his desire to get to the heart of the "American Story." As we are studying the foundations of our country in our history studies this year, I found this book timely and informative. The information gleaned will help with our upper level history and literature discussions. I intend to add this authors "Confederates in the Attic" to my reading list.

I have been reading Farmer Boy to my 3 younger children. They have been enjoying the Little House books so much, that I decided to add Almanzo's story earlier than I usually do, especially since i am reading to Cubby and Ham. The kids are having so much fun comparing Amanzo's childhood to Laura's and we are all enjoying the descriptions of FOOD that Laura adds into the story. Laura must have been drooling as she wrote this book. My children have still not decided who was the "richer" child.

Weekly Report 1/11-11/15/10

2010-01-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

Well, this has not been our most academic week.

The kids have been sick...especially Elvis. He spent days in bed with pneumonia.

We moved Ding into her dorm this week. Monday was a trip upstate to visit the campus. Friday was Transfer Orientation and Saturday we moved her in. We spent the day with her....Thank God Ahha and Spock live 10 minutes away.

The dorm was so empty and weird as most of the students weren't returning until today. (Sunday) Ding was lonely and I think a bit freaked out. I am not sure how she and her room mate will get along....that remains to be seen.

Ding fits right in at this school. It is so perfect for her. I can't wait for her classes to begin so she can get on with college life.

We did finally make our ginger bread house. It was fun. Dad showed off his Martha Stewart skills by out frosting me...He is so much better at these art projects. I, on the other hand, did a nifty job of baking all the pieces and cutting them out etc.

All the kids chipped in on the decorating....and Dad lent his skills in the construction aspect....Lots of double sided tape!

It did come out beautiful . And it was fun doing it.

That night before putting Hammy to bed, I was kissing his hands and his face and smooching him up. He grabbed my face in his two little hands and looked me in the eye and said, "Mama, you are much better at kissin' than you are at making stuff."

52 in 52 Week2

2010-01-10T12:16:00.000-05:00

Ok, I finished book 1, but not my intended book. I couldn't help myself. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey showed up in my library request bag...so I had to read it first. I love this series even though it is written for teens. So...much...fun....

I am still making headway in a Voyage Long and Strange. It is one of those books I rather read slowly....it helps to take it all in. I am learning so much about the Spanish influence and explorations into the Southern US, the landscapes, archeological evidence of Conquistadors and so many Native American tribes and civilizations that I had no idea ever existed.

Put aside Sunburnt Country for this week...until I am finished with Voyage. 2 Travel books tend to confuse me...LOL.

Hoping to finish Voyage tonight...then read the next Mysterious B. Soc. which is on my nightstand...and then Sunburnt.

I should have a bit of waiting room time this week...so...maybe.....

Weekly Report 1/4-1/9 2010....

2010-01-10T11:18:00.000-05:00

I am jumping into this one mid-year.

This has been a busy week...We started off with all good intentions and then the illness struck. 3 kids with bronchitis...UGH!!!

The oldest still being hs'ed (Elvis 15) was down for the count. Fever since Tuesday. So much for catching up on some overdue assignments...and now another week lost. Seems Elvis is having a tough time dodging germs this year. He did manage to write a sloppy copy of a 5 paragraph expository essay on Stoicism. He also read a bit this week...but a terrible headache and fever kept his focus low...that and he must have slept 20 out of each 24 hours. Poor Boy!

Somehow the 3 younger kids managed to get a good chunk of the work accomplished, finishing up strong...even though not feeling well.

We are finishing up Wisdom and The Millers tonight. We really enjoyed this very gentle, sweet study on the book of Proverbs and being flies on the wall at the Miller family's devotions. Our family is a far cry from the Millers, but we did enjoy a glimpse into their life.

We finished a few chapters of Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder and we were all amused at the description of all the food Almanzo eats. We are comparing his childhood to that of Laura's. How different they were! Laura must have taken so much pleasure in writing this book. Almanzo must have likewise been intrigued by Laura's pioneer background. Hammy just likes the idea of learning how to drive the oxen!

This week Daddy has been playing rounds and rounds of Mad Libs on his new ipod touch with Dr. Kazam, Cubby and Hammy. Cubby has a bit of trouble remembering which part of speech is which. Once the definition of "noun" is in his mind, "adjective" goes flying out...sigh.

Dr. Kazam finally finished her light unit in math and took the test...and PASSED!!!! Woohoo!!!! Now we are cooking!

This weekend is daddy's birthday...so all got busy making decorations and the bake-off began. I think we have watched too many shows on the Food Channel! I have some budding Iron Chefs and they mean business! The cakes were impressive! We had to call a tie as to who won. Dr. Kazam's cakes were very original, tasted great and were thoroughly enjoyed but the cake was from a mix. BIL EE-yah's pineapple upside down cake was made from scratch and he was definitely more daring to try such an involved process. it tasted really yummy too.

Dr. Kazam promises she will get you next time EEYAH!!!!

Next week will only be a 3 day-er as Ding is getting ready to go off to College. She was accepted to her first choice school, into the nutrition science program. She also received almost a full scholarship....We are so proud of her. She graduated from Community College in December with a 3.9 GPA! Never received a single grade under an A-!!!!! WOW!!!!!

This week will be busy getting her all ready and settled into Dorm Life. She is ready to be independent. I am praying she gets a decent roommate. We have a million things to accomplish before Friday, so the younger kiddoes can concentrate on getting healthy.

Due to illness, the kids missed their swim meet, missed karate, missed swim practices etc. I am hoping they feel well enough this week to get in a few workouts and are able to swim in the meets next weekend. It will be good to get back to "normal" LOL...whatever that is......

52 Books in 52 Weeks

2010-01-02T16:50:00.000-05:00

THE CHALLENGE!!!!

Week 1: Books 1 & 2

I have agreed to accept the challenge.
Starting off this year with 2 books...A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horowitz. Should be subtitled what really happened between the time of Columbus and the Landing of the Pilgrims: America's Lost 100 Years.
Interesting...I didn't realize the extent of exploration that Spain invested in the Americas. Intriguing.

I am also reading Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics by Liping Ma. This is supposed to be THE BOOK tom read on teaching Mathematics to children. I am drudging through it in the hopes that it will help me do a better job with Math with my younger set than I did with my older kids. We are not a particularly "mathy" family...we are more word oriented. I am hoping this book helps me mesh my understanding of mathematical concepts and teaching them in a way that opens the doors of understanding to my kiddoes.

My First Blog Post: Which is Sure to be BORING!

2007-11-04T12:52:00.000-05:00

I have been threatening my family and friends with writing a book about their antics for years...and now because of blogging, I can do even better than that. I will not have to rely on warm fuzzy memories. I can now record their craziness as it occurs.
In case you are wondering, the name of this blog is an actual quote...mine to be exact...which was exclaimed in a high pitched voice when my oldest daughter was 3 and was in fact our only child, so she couldn't lay the blame elsewhere. We have had many such "cheerios in my sneakers" moments since those long ago days and I am sure my two youngest hooligans will be adding to the list daily, (if not hourly.)

OK...Down to business...the reason I am starting this blog is basically because I have very little free time, and the free time I do have, I usually spend reading the message board on the Well Trained Mind site and following the links to all of your blogs. I enjoy drooling over your beautiful school rooms and schedules. I love reading your weekly reports and wondering how you all got it done. I am in awe of your accomplishments and endurance in the face of adversity. In fact, I am a great fan of you all and I would love to take part in this great conversation.

So, here I am with an empty blog...my kids are off at a swim meet (where <<>> my 13 y/o ds just swam 100 yd f/s in 58 seconds! YAY Elvis! ) my 2 little guys are actually playing and not trying to kill one another, and Dh is in his room watching old Frank Zappa concerts on DVD. I haven't sat on the couch this long since we bought it.

I guess it is protocol towrite a bit about how many years we have homeschooled, what curricula we have used, what books we are reading and all that other fun stuff I love to peruse on all the other blogs I read, but I think I will save all that for another day. I am going to sign off here and begin to build this blog one day at a time. I am really looking forward to haveing loads of fun with this.
Byes for now
~~Faithe