Question....

Okay, first let me say this. We do not homeschool for religious reasons. That actually had nothing to do with why we homeschool. I originally thought about homeschool because I worried about negative influences, bullying, drugs, violence and because I wasn't ready to let go, but I did.

When we finally started homeschooling 6 or 7 years later, it was because something terrible happened to my son at school. We don't know what, he still won't talk to us about it, but it was bad enough that when you mention him going to that school for just a few hours for a test, he has a panic attack. So we pulled him out and now DD has joined us and it's wonderful.

Don't get me wrong, our religion and beliefs are often brought up in our homeschooling but that was not the "purpose". I love that as we read ancient history, the kids will say, "Hey! That's in the Bible!" or "Hey! We have a story like that in our Bible!" when we are talking about other people's legends or myths. They probably would have noticed this in public school too but wouldn't have had a Bible handy to go and find it and reread it there too. I think that is very neat. And of course our values are always being covered one way or another but they were before we started homeschooling.

So it does influence our homeschooling a lot but that's not "WHY" we started and it's "WHY" we continue either. It's an added bonus.

That being said, has anyone tried the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach? I'm very curious about it. I wish I could check out the book from the library but they don't have it. Anyone want to loan me theirs??? ;o)

My only thing is that I want the kids to get to see all sides of things and issues. Yes, I will show them evolution and they already know what the Bible says too. I want them to be exposed to it and other things too so that they can be educated enough to make their own conclusions based on the Bible, science, history, and all of it.

So that being said, I can't decide if the Heart of Wisdom is for me. But it seems very interesting and seems to be a wonderful way to teach. So... has anyone tried it? Is anyone using it? What can you tell me about it? What do you think?

Butter

Well, we made butter the other day for our Pioneer unit. It was lots of fun and the kids loved it! I have to tell you about it though.

We took some heavy cream and put it in a jar. Then we shook it and shook it and shook it some more. They had so much fun. DD came to me after a while and said that it wasn't making any noise any more. So we opened it and it was nice and thick and had an interesting texture. There was only one thing wrong, where was the buttermilk? We really didn't care because we had some nice whipped butter that tasted wonderful! We used it on our toast, pancakes, potatoes and so on and it was Divine!!

Today, we sadly ran out so the kids asked to make more. We did. But this time we must of shook harder or longer or something because we had butter milk and the texture of the butter was more like butter.

Very sad. We liked it the other way AND it made more the other way. I know we are crazy. I guess what we made the first time was more of a "whipped cream" with no sugar. The other way was soooo wonderful!!

I even fried an egg in the first "butter" and oh my goodness, was it wonderful! I mean, it was one of the best eggs ever!! It was sunny side up with all the white done and the yolk had a beautiful white color on the outside but was just absolutely runny on the inside. DELICIOUS!

Anyway, it was fun and the kids know that now when they go to make our butter they want to stop when the "noise" stops.

I'm still here....

were you wondering?? Did you think I go lost? Well, no, we just had a nice long weekend with DH. We were very lazy and will pay for it now but sometimes you need to be lazy.

Thursday, the kids and I went to see "The Red Badge of Courage" at the Roxy Theater. It was really good. DD was a little bored at first but she got into it eventually. I knew it would be a push for her but DS wanted to go and what was I going to do with her??? It was nice.

Friday- Monday was our long weekend with DH. He ended up feeling sickly but before that we went out to Chuck E. Cheese for some fun and pizza. We did that on Friday morning. Then we kind of went downhill from there.

Anyway, that was our weekend. Now it's Tuesday and we are back at school. We were up early eating breakfast and then they got busy on their work while I visited with DH after PT. When DH left for work we went for a nice walk. It is so nice outside. It's cloudy and we are expecting rain but the temperature is in the 50's!! SPRING FEVER!!

I think the kids are tiring of the Pioneers. I was taking it slow for them because they weren't retaining any of it but now, I'm slightly regretting that. I may just cut it a little short and we will go over it again in a year or two and cover the rushed part more in depth and what we studied in depth this time a little less. We'll see.

We all have spring fever. I want to plant a garden this year. We never have before and I definitely DO NOT have a green thumb but I think it would be fun and the kids would learn a lot. We have a couple of dilemmas.

1. We don't have a lot of extra money to spend on it.
2. Our yard is not fenced and we get a lot of deer and rabbits who could and probably would eat our veggies!
3. We want to grow everything!!

So, if anyone has any suggestions please give them!!! I think this is where will be heading on our unit studies. It seems like a natural flow from the pioneers.

A Valentine....

This morning I got up and made a special breakfast of pull apart bread or monkey bread depending what you call it. It was wonderful. We all had a nice breakfast together.

As I was finishing putting it all on the table, we passed out our homemade valentine's. It was so fun! The kids enjoyed it much more this way and what they enjoyed most was the giving part!! They were so excited to see each of us open the card the had made. DH said, "Wow, wasn't this SO MUCH better than spending a ton of money on junk?" Everyone said, "YES!"

For school today the kids did their math and now they are doing some copy work of Love scripture. Then we will talk about Valentine's Day and bake some cookies. We will probably have some read a loud time too. DD has some more valentine's to work on I have a few other things up my sleeve as well.


So....

Happy Valentine's Day, dear cyber friends.

Hope your day is filled with lots of love.

Homeschool...

Fun! That's what it is! The kids got right on their work this morning and they did all the work that they do on their own and then we went on to do some of our together work. When all our work was done for the day, I let DD turn on movie she had checked out of the library that she had been wanting me to watch with her. It was called "Rigoletto" and it was a very good family movie with a wonderful story and lesson.

I have several quilts that need mending so I pulled one out to work on as we watched the movie. DD asked for a needle and I gave her one as I kept on working. After a while I looked over and she was sewing little "boas" for her Barbies! How cute is that! She took some scrap fabric and some old lace I had and voila! She was very proud of her little creations. Me too!!

She is a cutie patootie.

Friday...

Well, it was definitely a Friday here. A slow one at that.

We were up and busy at work by 8:30! DH had somewhere he had to be this morning so he was out early. They got busy with their math and language arts right off. Then they moved on to making some pages for their notebooking. We watched a science video yesterday and so they made their pages for that. They did great! The are really getting into it.

We are going to see "The Red Badge of Courage" at our local theater next week so we read the book a few days ago and today we watched the movie while we ate lunch. They really enjoyed it. We watched the one with Audie Murphy. They are very excited about seeing it on stage.

After that I let them go outside for a bit but it was really too cold. DD came in and worked some more on her Valentine's.

Most everything they did today was stuff they could do on their own so i was able to straighten up the house a little and do a little laundry. I even got to spend some writing!

I feel like we need to have days here and there to take more slowly. You know to relax. Most of the time we are rushing in this book or that and well, it can be too much so, today, slow is good.

Lately...

Well, we have been busy. We are going to start "really" notebooking. We've been doing it a little with our unit studies but I think I've been kind of controlling it too much and it hasn't been much fun for them.

I've been reading a little about it and listening to an audio by Cindy Rushton about it and I've been inspired. I've told the kids to just kind of go at it. To make it fun. They do have to write but they can draw, make collages, use photos from the Internet or make copies of pics from books. Anything goes and they have fallen in love.

Yesterday, we bought some cheap notebooks and some page protectors. Science is a subject we really neglect. I don't like it and DS doesn't either. DD does but she forgets it too. So, I told them that there is Science everywhere and that when they see it, either in nature or on TV, or in the kitchen wherever, they should do a page (however they want) and put it in a notebook. I told them it could be fun!

Well, yesterday they both did a couple of pages and then DD said she wanted to do Science first today. We did a little experiment and now they are both over working hard on their pages. DS is drawing (he loves to draw, or excuse me "sketch") and DD is painting. I just hope they learned something from it.

Last year, DS and I bought a book on doing Science through literature and so we are kind of using it to get ideas. Yesterday we read the book "Sarah Plain and Tall" and we have talked about farms and maps and now today we are doing weather. We made a cloud in glass. They got so excited to see it. It was fun. I hope we can keep it up.

We are still doing our Pioneer unit. We are enjoying it. They are retaining so much more information now that we are going so slow. It's supposed to be done in a month but we are going much slower. We are doing a lot of reading together. We've read "My Side of the Mountain", "On to Oregon", "Sarah Plain and Tall", DD and I read "Little House in the Big Woods", they read books on different Pioneers on their own and write about it in their Pioneer journals. We are going to read "Sign of the Beaver", and "Jimmy Spoon and the Pony Express" as well. They love read alouds.

We are going to be able to mix in science with our Pioneer unit now that I'm trying harder to do so. We can do weather and terrain.

Their math is going well. I bought them both a couple of workbooks to do a little review and move on. I'm waiting until the fall to get new books. They are doing well in both. They do a lot of writing that count as language arts and they get vocabulary in the unit too. They have some quotes with the unit for their copy work and they both have workbooks to do some fill in as well.

We are going strong! We are having to slow down a little our extra stuff because we just don't have time to get everything in but they are doing well and we are having fun.

Today...

Today, we went grocery shopping and looked for the best deals. They were both very helpful and we had a good time. The first of the month grocery shopping is always so much because you have those items you only buy once a month or so. I always cringe at the check out counter and wonder how we will ever make it to the end of the month.

Then we spent the afternoon making homemade Valentine's. They had fun and were quite creative. DD even made little gifts. She even opened a necklace of her's to get beads off for a gift. How sweet is that!!!

I need to work on DS a little and make him do a little more but his cards are precious. He quickly ran off with them to hide them until the 14th.

DD isn't feeling all that well. Her ear is bothering her and her head hurts off and on. Poor baby. She's been taking it really slow but she has been getting a lot done.

DS has finally finished his Math book and now we will be testing to see what book he needs next.

That's about it here for now. Love to hear from anyone!!

Nature

This morning after DH left for work, the kids and I bundled up and went for a nature walk out at our local fairgrounds.

DD just kept saying isn't it beautiful! Too cute. DS just kept talking about how he wants us to buy some property and build a house on it. He wants "about 50 acres but 22 will do". He's so funny. I wish I could do it for him. I would in a heartbeat if we had the money and some property to buy!

We saw a couple of different types of birds and we watched the water move along wondering what was underneath that we couldn't see. We walked for quite a ways. We looked at the different trees. Did I mention that our Fairgrounds is an arboretum? Well, it is and they had some wonderful trees. The magnolias were the only green trees and then there were a couple of American Holly bushes that were green. They were all lovely. Some of the other trees had little buds on them still tightly closed. There was one tree (not marked with a name) that had these furry little buds all over it.

I only wish I had remembered to take the camera!! The pictures would have been great! They love going on these walks. We had been doing weekly but some how got out of the habit. I need to get back into it!

Today...

Good morning dear friends. I hope you all are doing well this morning. I've got the kids started on their morning chores and such and thought I'd just jot a few notes here.

Yesterday, the kids put some of their art work in our little online store to sell. They are prints of their originals and they are very good. DD's would be cute framed in a little girl's room and DS's would look very nice in a music room or framed on a piano. I'm very proud of them both.

We've had a difficult month, so we decided to try to help out a little with our little store. We have some used books and what not in it.

Today we are have a little catching up to do, but it shouldn't be a problem. We're only behind if we think we are so.... We'll be doing more on our Pioneers. We finished reading "My Side of the Mountain" last week. We loved it!! We have started another book now called "On to Oregon!" by Honore Morrow. We've only read the first chapter. We are hoping to read several more today. We'll see how our other work goes. My reading aloud to them is treat for when they finish their other work.

Well, I best get to work. I have some dishes I need to put away before I start breakfast. Have a glorious day and stay warm!

Let's see...

Well, last Friday we went to the Roxy Regional Theater to see a play of Beatrix Potter's stories. It was really cute. Of course it was too young for DS but I heard him laugh a few times. DD loved it. They both came home and made scrapbook pages. We printed off some pictures of some of her characters from online and then they wrote a little about it. They did a great job on them.

This week are moving on with our pioneers. Yesterday we talked about Jedidiah Smith. Interesting fact, he was a Methodist! So are we!! Anyway, they both wrote very nice little paragraphs (DS's was several) on him. Today we will start down the Oregon Trail. I think they are enjoying it and I think it going much better taking it slow. We are doing what the unit calls a week in about two. They just really need to spend more time on each subject in order to retain it.

We just got home from doing our church work and the library. They are now getting busy with their core subjects, and begging for an early lunch. I guess I will go and find them something. Have a wonderful day!

This week

This week has been rather slow. DH was home on Monday so we spent the day with him. It was very nice and we all enjoyed it.

Then Tuesday we did our "community" work. We filled the Fuel Bags at our church and then we filled the children's folders for Sunday morning. Afterward, we went to the library and checked out the books we need for the next week or two in our Pioneer Study.

Wednesday we worked hard on our lessons. DS has started doing some more structured grammar and a little geography and science along with his math. Of course our history is the Pioneer study. I think they are enjoying it. We've been learning about Sacagawea, Conestoga Wagons and the Monroe Doctrine. DD and I are reading "Little House in the Big Woods" and she is loving it. We are all almost finished with "My Side of the Mountain" which we all love. It's a great story.

Today has been more of the same as yesterday. Tomorrow we are going to the Theater to see "Mittens, Tom Kitten and Moppet: More tales of Beatrix Potter ". It's a little young for DS but I think Live theater is good for everyone.

We are busy busy busy. I need to do some more planning and such but I think we are doing pretty well.

Have a wonderful day dear friends and let me hear from you!

Field trip!!

That's what we did yesterday! We had a wonderful time! We went to the Meriwether Lewis Site on the Natchez Trace Parkway. We are talking about Lewis and Clark and their expedition so this was really neat.

This cabin is where the old Grinder Inn was located, which is where Lewis died. They had a nice exhibit in there talking about the expedition and about Lewis mostly. The kids really enjoyed it. There was a "Pioneer Cemetery" . This is where Lewis was buried. It was too cute because since it was called a Pioneer Cemetery, DD thought that all the pioneers we had read about should be there so she was looking for Daniel Boone. We had to explain that one to her. They were very excited to be there.

After we looked at all this, we went for a picnic. We found a table right by the river. It was beautiful! The kids said they didn't even mind the cold! It was in the mid to low 40s.

After lunch we went hiking. The kids had a great time. Me too! The trip was better than I imagined. It was about a 2 hour drive down there and we didn't mind it a bit. We visited and visited this whole way. DS talked and talked and DD pointed out every horse, cow, chicken and goat like she had never seen them before. Now they can't wait for it to warm up so that we can camping out there. They think it is the neatest place ever for camping. They loved the river. That was their favorite thing. I'll post some more pictures. Enjoy!

I'm still down on my back but wanted to say that we are really enjoying our Pioneers unit. If you are interested here is a link to it and there are lots of great resources here too! Go check it out!

Pioneers Unit Study

Mommy is down on her back...

Yes, I am. We got through most of our school day but then out of no where the pain was unbearable! We didn't get any of the fun stuff done today but they did get their core work done.

Then because it was easy we watched a thing on History International on the French Revolution. DD left after about 30 minutes. She watched more than I thought she would! DS and I watched all 2 hours of it. I had DVRed it a while back so we could fast forward through the commercials.

Now we are having a home living class. DS is helping to cook dinner. He's really doing it all. I keep getting up to show him how to do something or to add that motherly touch but he's doing most of it. He's fixing Green Enchiladas. He just finished. He did a great job. We were just getting it ready so that later all we have to do is put it into the oven.

Now, I'm back to my couch for a while. Send all the healing thoughts you can!

Pioneers day 1

Today we have done all the regulars and then some. The regulars are math, language, science and so on...

For our Pioneer study we made a beanbag target game. They loved that and we took it outside to play in the driveway until started raining. They fussed because they didn't want to stop playing.

They copied their quote into their Pioneer journals, "I have never been lost but I will admit to being confused for several weeks." Daniel Boone

They did their words of wisdom. DS - homestead and challenge. DD - home and trail

DS wrote a short paragraph on Daniel Boone and what he did that was important to the Pioneers. (Finding the Cumberland Gap.)

They both read books about Daniel Boone and we read one yesterday that really chronicled his life quite well.

Tomorrow we will go on an Internet field trip along the Wilderness Trail.

Should be fun!

Unit Studies

That's what we are trying for now. We did the Veterans Day one and then the Thanksgiving one. We are now starting a Pioneer one. I'm really looking forward to it. So are the kids.

I am kind of revising it though. Well, not exactly. I'm just going to do it my way. I tried doing our own unit for Christmas but it didn't really go to well. I need the the structure already done for me for now but I'm going to take this one and make it ours.

Last year, when DS and I first started we would pick a book to read together and then we study the time in which it took place. We really enjoyed doing that. (Not sure if picked the book first or the time.) That was a wonderful time when we both loved doing our homeschooling. It was fun but then I started worrying about if we doing it right or enough and decided to change things. Well, I think that was a HUGE mistake.

So for our Pioneer study, we have chosen a book to read together again in the same manner. I'm also going to go much slower than the unit study is set up for but I think we need more time for each subject. This unit pretty much does a person a day and I don't feel like the kids get enough or able to retain as much that way so we are going more slowly. It will be more fun I think too.

I've also checked out some books that have crafts and projects for us to do to see how the pioneers lived and what they did. I hope it will be lots of fun.

We will also be doing math and language arts and some science.

Well, best get back to my wonderful children. DS is taking a little test for practice. He's getting ready for the state standardized test in the next few months. DD is busy doing math, fractions!!

Have a wonderful day!

Veteran's Day!

I know, I'm a few days behind. We did a unit study on Veteran's Day last week and I thought I'd share a little with you guys.

I asked the kids to write about their favorite Veteran or American Patriot. It didn't have to be one of the specific ones we talked about during their study, it could anyone as long as they are a Veteran. Here's what they wrote:

Son.... "Dear Dad (he put the name but we try to remain anonymous) is an American Patriot. I think he is an American Patriot because he served honorably in the Su.S. Army. He is a Veteran of three wars, Korea, O.E.F, and O.I.F. He cureently just got back from Iraq. Not only is he a war vet, he's my dad."

Daughter... "My favorite veteran is my dad. He's an American Patriot because he's in the army. He's very special because he does his part in America and he serves American by leaving his country."

Okay, let me explain the leaving.... she mean leaving his family to serve his country but when she wrote it down she got a little confused. She is only 7.

DS hates to write so that he wrote even that little bit is amazing. He prefers to do it all orally in discussions. But doing these unit studies has really helped his handwriting a lot! Maybe he'll writing more before long.

During our unit we talked about Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower, Colin Powell, and George C. Marshall. We also listened to music by John Phillip Sousa.

It was neat unit. If you like unit studies you might check out Amanda Bennett's.

Oh my... Homeschooling. I can never seem to stay with any thing for long. It seems that I get scared and have to switch every so many months!! This is terrible because I can't afford to switch this often!! I'm driving myself crazy.

I really about DS. He's the oldest and he's the one that has to take the standardized test this year. I worry that I'm holding him back and not teaching what he really needs. Oh how I worry!

We've been rather eclectic. I pick and chose here and there what I want to use. I had decided on the Latin Centered Curriculum this year. Well, I'm really not sure this is working for us. Wait, I should say for me. I'm having a harder time with it than they are but I'm the one that is supposed to be teaching it! Plus, I'm not sure that DS is learning all the grammar he needs at this level. It would be different if we were starting at the beginning but we aren't. He's in the 7th grade!

There needs to be more help on how to start in the middle! Most everything out there to read about homeschooling assumes you are starting at the beginning. It's rather frustrating.

Okay, I'm frustrated and worried. It will be okay though. I know it will.

Well, it's been awhile. Sorry. My DH is home safe and sound from the desert and so we have been enjoying his return. You can read about it over at Musings by Mommy . This week he has been home a lot so we are having a really laid back homeschool week. They are getting a little work done here and there. They usually do math and Latin everyday but not always right now.

Today, DD did Latin and then decided to start her own business with a newsletter so she's been typing and collecting money.

DS has been reading a book on Aztecs and the Spaniards. Now he is in typing on the computer working on a newsletter himself.

This week, we've been on nature walks, have learned about hanging things on the walls. We've been shopping with the kids figuring out the best buys and totals. We've cleaned the garage and basement and the kids have played together a lot. We've cooked a bit and watched some discovery channel. I know learning is going on, it's just not very structured right now but you know what? I think that's okay! Being with Dad is what is important right now and so that's what we are doing the most of for now.

Also, I switched to the new beta blogger so if you are unable to post a comment please come over to Mommy's Musings and post a comment there. When I realized that the beta was going to cause such problems I started a new blog there. Come visit me there.

Have a great day!

Oh, what a day we've day had. It was so nice and cool this morning that we jumped out of bed and went on a nice walk through the neighborhood very first thing. It was wonderful!

When we got home to had a nice breakfast and cleaned up the dishes and read our Bible story. Then I declared it a day with school outside!

When we got out to the deck I realized we needed to do a little housekeeping out here so we cleaned up the deck. Everyone working together. We swept it up and watered the plants, put the furniture back in order and hung the table cloth out to air.

Then we noticed the front flowerbed. YUCK!! I had been wanting to get cleaned up for sometime but it's been too hot. But not today! So we got busy and we got dirty! It was fun and everyone worked really hard. While DS blew the little pieces off the driveway, DD and washed our hands and got down to math. When DS finished he washed up and came out with his science. Everyone just kind of moved through their work today. No particular order or time. Just when you finished with one you moved on to the next. It was a very slow day but much more relaxing than it had been being.

It was really a nice day. I think everyone got a lot done. We may not have covered every subject but we were learning and that's what counts. Like I said, it's been a very slow day. Here it is after 4 p.m. and the kids are just now really finished but you know, I don't think they mind at all. It was all on their own time, in their own time.

Yesterday, I was thinking, you know after almost 5 weeks of this, I feel like I really need about a week off! We work so very hard. The sad part is that I always feel like we aren't doing enough! It's crazy. But after today and how easy it has been and the work we got done around the house too, I feel like we are doing okay.

Well, I am being summoned! They are having a backyard adventure and then NEED to show me something. Have a great night!!

Typical Day???

I'm always wondering about homeschoolers' typical day. Well, I realize that there is no typical day but I'm always curious about what others do and how they do it. So, I've decided to see if I can post a typical day for us. Here it goes...

Times vary for us so I'm not going to give time of day. Just a reminder, my kids are 11 and 7, a 7th grader and a second grader.

We get up and everyone dresses and gets to their chores. I fix breakfast and we eat together. Then we try to have a little devotional.

Now, we clean up the breakfast dishes. Well, the kids really do. It's DS's job and DD is supposed to help.

Next, we all move on to the actual "school" work.

We do Math and Latin daily.

We do history and science most days.

DD does copywork most everyday and handwriting.

DS is using Classical Writing this year.

We read a lot. They have free reading during the day and for an hour at night before bed (DD is jut 30mins at night). We also are doing some read alouds, which they love.

We do a lot of volunteer work for our church on an almost weekly basis.

Friday, we try to have a bit of a fun day. We go somewhere, to a park or something and enjoy nature.

We throw art and music in there a lot too.

Well, I don't know if it's typical or not and I don't know if it's enough either but now it's what we are doing. What is your typical day like?

Homeschool Meme
Athena over at Athena in a Minivan tagged me with this one. This one is not easy for me.

1) ONE HOMESCHOOLING BOOK YOU HAVE ENJOYED Latin Centered Curriculum and Whe Well-Trained Mind

2) TWO RESOURCEs YOU WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT The internet and our library

3) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH YOU HAD NEVER BOUGHTT 6th Grade Rod and Staff We hated it but I know others really like. Just not for us.

4) ONE RESOURCE YOU ENJOYED LAST We really loved reading some of the books on the reading lists in "The Well Trained Mind".

5) ONE RESOURCE YOU WILL BE USING NEXT YEARAmblesideOnline.com for the book lists and also Virtual Homeschool International for our science

6) ONE RESOURCE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY I don't know. Hmm. Lots of books!!

7) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH EXISTED Something to tell me exactly what do with each child for each subject. But I doubt I would really like that. I don't really like being told what to do. HA

8) ONE HOMESCHOOLING CATALOGUE YOU ENJOY READING Memoria Press

9) ONE HOMESCHOOLING WEBSITE YOU USE REGULARLY Ambleside Online and Virtual Homeschool International

10) TAG FIVE OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS I honestly don't know 5 other homeschoolers! So... if you are reading here and you homeschool consider yourself tagged!

Good Sunday afternoon! I just wanted to share a website again. I found it about this time last year and I used it a little but forgot about it. I've found it again and plan on using it a lot more this year. They have some interesting textbooks and some great links for teaching.

Virtual Homeschool International

It's $20 for a year for a family but there is lots of great resources.

Have a great week!

We are working but it almost seems too easy. That worries me.

DD is loving it. You should see her during the days. She is so funny and active. She almost runs from one lesson to the next and wants to read every time in between! She is doing great. It's almost too easy.

DS is doing great too. He takes forever to do his math and complains a lot but is doing much better than he was just a couple of weeks ago.

They both want to read, read, and read. We do a lot of it. I've started reading a book to them. It's a little easy for DS but it's perfect for DD. I figure that we can rotate the level of books for them. They both just love it and they enjoy a read-a-loud. They both do a lot of reading on their own too.

I feel like we need to more, since it's been seeming so easy. I worry we aren't doing enough or covering enough. I hope we are and I just have to trust we are.

Good morning friends,

It's been a while since I last posted here. Sorry about that. We been pretty busy with the homeschooling. Having them both home is ... hmmm... not harder .... but much more time consuming. I run from child to child all day. Helping here and there.

DD needs much more instruction than DS. She is just a second grader. She loves to read though and is always quick to say, "I need to do my free reading!" Too funny.

DS is struggling a little with math. Not that it is too hard, he just does not like math so he won't stay focused on it.

With DS we are trying some new stuff. He's using the "Classical Writing" program. I started him with Aesop B. Some of it is too easy but other parts are really good. And you know what, he had his first writing assignment and really enjoyed doing it. It was easy but I have a hard time getting him to do any writing! He did type it but hey, at least he was writing!! He has a wonderful imagination too.

DD is doing great. She loves homeschooling. Some of the math is a little too easy but it's review for now, it will get harder and then because of the review, it won't be hard.

I want us to read more. I am going to make a list of books to take with me to the library and we are going to try to have family reading more often. I have a hard time finding time to fit in everything. I need to work on that. I've been listening to the children talk and listening when we play games to see what they seem to be missing and I think reading some "good books" as a family should help with most of it.

We are loving Latin but I'm afraid they are passing me by. I'm going to have to take more time alone to learn it better myself. Because of the Latin, we are studying Rome too. We are reading "Famous Men of Rome". I think they are enjoying it. It is different.

I've been thinking of looking back at Ambleside Online again. It just seemed so hard to start in the middle with DS but I may just try to use it for the book lists and then you never know. I'm not good at making my own lessons either so that was another factor. But anyway....

We are doing well and enjoying it. Tell us about what you are doing. Maybe could learn from each other.

Have a wonderful day,
Your blogland friend.

First week back...

It was our first week back at our school work. It went pretty well. DD really enjoyed it and really only had one or two bad moments. DS did too but had a few more bad moments. I think it is called growing pains.

We love Latin! Who'd a thunk?? (hehehe) They both just blow me away. I'm having to do a little extra studying at night after they go to bed to stay on top of it though. The boy is awesome! He can conjugate like crazy and only needs to hear it once or twice and he's got it! He just rattles it off like it's his native tongue! Me? I have to think about it and say it much slower but I do have it. DD's is much simpler. She is doing extremely well too I love that the English grammar is built into it. Multitasking. It can be awesome!

The rest is going well too. DD loves math and is loves what she is doing. DS? Well, let's just say it's not his favorite subject. If he could just read for math he'd be good.

We all love history and literature so that is easy. We do it with out even thinking! Science we have been finding in everyday things and they enjoy that.

I guess that's our week in nutshell. I hope it continues to go well. Mom didn't have much if any free time this week but hopefully as we get settled into our routine I'll have a little more.

Whew! What a day we had. It went pretty well. We have almost all new curriculum so it is a little overwhelming for the teacher but I think kids enjoyed it all. Once I get used to the new stuff and how it all works it will be fine I'm sure.

We also went visiting to one of our shut-ins. It was fun and we really enjoyed it. This man is retired military and so it is fun for us to talk and compare experiences (we don't have nearly as many as him but...) and the kids really enjoyed it too.

We also went to the bookstore this evening. That's always a fun trip. We all love to go and browse. DD got 2 new "Magic Tree House" books. She is really enjoying them. She just finished the first one and tonight started the second one. Some of the words are a little hard for her and silly kid just tried to read it by skipping over them. I told her not to do that anymore. She needs to either ask for help or go get the dictionary!

DS is reading a book too and is really enjoying. I can't think of the name of it at the very second.

ME??? I'm just reading all the curriculum so that I know what to do each day!!! I'll get down to a science soon and we will be good.

Well, tomorrow will be our first day of this school year. I'm hoping that we are ready. DD is very excited, DS is not as much so but I did catch him looking through his new books today.

I worked today to get an area set up for us. Last year, I used a box but it didn't work too well for us. It was was too messy. Now we have a cabinet for our books and notebooks and supplies and it is located right by the kitchen table which is usually our work area so there will never be an excuse not to get things put a way. Everything has a place.

I got a new program for the computer that will hopefully help keep me better organized. I've planned the first two days. I want wait to see how we work before I plan more than a few days at a time. That may sound dumb but this year is going to be so different having them both home. I'm not really sure how we will get it all done. With them being so far apart in age I'll be having to work with them a lot separately and DD will need a lot of one on one. DS will too at first because we are using some new curriculum so until he gets used to it... so I'm not sure how it will go so we are just going to go a couple days at a time for now.

Well, I need to go do some reading for tomorrow... nothing like waiting till the last minute! Wish us luck!

Christmas???

It feels like it at my house! I got my swap last week and now the homeschool curriculum is coming in all the time! It's wonderful! I love mail and packages are even better.

The kids are even getting excited about it all. DD got her Math stuff today. She is beside herself! Even DS came running out saying, "I want to see her math!! What's it look like?" Then he was slightly disappointed because he thinks hers looks neater than his. I told him it was the age difference but still. hehe

We are expecting 5 more packages I think. I think they excited about it!!

We are going to start school on Monday. I know that when DH gets back there will be some days we won't get a lot done so I figure we will get started a little early.

We've actually already started. I've added in a little here and there and they haven't really seemed to notice. To funny. Not full days or anything like that but enough that it is school. Yesterday DD had science and DS participated but not as thoroughly. We found a beautiful locust next a newly discarded shell. It was really neat and DD thought it awesome!! She drew a picture of it. Maybe I'll start scanning some of their work and put it on here. Who knows.

Anyway, DS then proceeded to catch it in a jar so that they could observe it. Later in the day they let it go. DD also had some reading.

They played games yesterday, that in my opinion count as math and logic. Then today we've had music and will have some reading here in a bit. They are actually having fun. It's great. Schooling is found in most everything you do. Just look for it.

Now if only the lawnmower kid would come!! Have a great day!

Life at my house lately...

It's been busy and different. Somewhat stressful at times and then again exciting.

DH's time overseas is coming to a close. YEA!!! Not too much longer and then we will finally be together again. This is the cause for the excitement and the stress. I'll be so glad to have him home.

Things have a changed around here a bit though in last year and I worry about that. For the most part, I like the changes that have occurred here. But I worry about how DH will take to it. Also, I've been a single parent for a year and it will be hard in some ways to relinquish some of that... what's the word... authority? I'm not sure if that's the word I'm looking for or not but that will be hard in some ways but great in others.

Don't get me wrong. I'm so very ready for my husband to come back home to us. I need him in such a bad way. I want him here to take some of the weight off my shoulders. You know so that we can be a couple again, a team. I'm really excited about it but there are the fears...

We usually do pretty good about the "reintegration" (that's what the army calls it). But for some reason I think we've already started having some little, minor problems with it and he's not even home yet!! Maybe it's good that it is starting now. Maybe this way we can get it out of the way and then when he gets home it will be over with, well, at least some of it.

Well, that's that part of our house... the other is the buying of the homeschool curriculum. Boy, can I go over board. I've spent around $300 so far. I'm hoping that I don't have much more to buy and then it won't be so bad. I will have to buy DS a new math book around Christmas time but hopefully that's it.

It's been both a fun and scary process. You know, you hate to ruin your kids! This homeschooling thing puts everything right on you and you can't blame anyone if things don't go well. Hence the scary part. But I love looking at all that's out there. I'm a book junkie and so I can really get caught up with the literature purchases. But for now I think I'm done.

Well, this is where we are and what we've been up to. So much to take in and experience. How are all of you? Is there anyone out there?

I woke up a earlier in the week to the realization that my baby boy is no longer. It is now a nice young MAN! He's almost a teenager. It made me very sad. I miss my baby boy. Don't get me wrong. It's wonderful to see him grow into a young man but... it's still sad to see the baby go.

DD and I had a wonderful week together. She shopped her little heart out as well as my bank account! She bought all the stuff for manicures and pedicures and we even had face masks! She had so much fun! She played with my hair and helped plan menus. She went to church meetings with me. It was great!

Now, I need to make up for too much fun and get my house straightened back up again. I also need some rest! I'm so tired.

We had a VTC with DH yesterday. It was wonderful to see him. I'm missing him. (Nothing new I know.) We don't seem to hearing from him as often. That's okay because we are fortunate that I hear from as often as I do but I sure do love hearing from him!

Well, I guess you are all updated for now. Let me know what's going on with all of you!

I'm still here dear friends! Just busy enjoying my family. I'll return soon, when things slow down a bit. I have much to blog about.

In the mean time... what's going on with all of you?

Dreams of the country???

Crazy, I know. But I have always had dreams of living in the country.

When I was little we had a farm. We didn't live on it. There was a trailer on the property where we stayed sometimes on the weekends and during the summer.

I loved it there. We had chickens, cows and pigs. We had a garden too. I remember riding my bicycle all over the place. My brother had a paper route and we kept the extra papers. I took them out there and made myself my own route. You know, the garden, the chickens, the pigs and then the cows. I loved it.

I loved the garden. But I remember that I didn't like snakes and I still don't! I remember coming out one day and seeing a huge snake skin hanging from the telephone pole near the garden. It scared me to death!

I don't like little critters either. You know, mice. I once went to feed the the chickens and when I pulled the bucket out of the grain barrel, there was a mouse sitting on top!!! I remember screaming and I had a terrible time feeding the chickens from that moment on.

I loved fresh eggs but I was scared of the chickens and I would throw the feed out to them and shoo them out to eat and run into the coop and gather the eggs as fast as I could. They didn't want me to have them and when they realized what I was doing they would come back in and it scared me!!

Did I mention I was only like 7 years old? I'm not sure about the age but I know I was in the first or second grade so...

Anyway, I dream often of living out in the country. I'd love for my kids to experience it. I think it would be soooo good for them. Fun too. I know, it would be a lot of hard work but rewarding too, don't you think?

I dream of this often. Not sure DH shares this dream with me but I'm holding out hope that someday we might have a couple of acres that we can all play on and learn on.... to expand ourselves.

Dreams of the country.....

Curly top!

I love my little curly top! She slept in sponge rollers last night for the first time. She looked so cute! She loved making them bouce when she walked. We know this because as she walked down the aisle at church this morning coming back from the children's sermon, there was a definite bounce in her step.



My Princess
notice the curtsy... she did that just as I snapped the picture!
Too cute!




What a beauty!

more pictures...

What a ham!!!




Gorgeous, darling....

Happy Birthday, DH!

We love you!

late night chatting

It's late and I'm tired but I thought I send a quick hello out into cyberspace.

We've been busy but not too busy. I've been exercising when I can.

DD is feeling poorly so I've made her a Dr. Appointment for tomorrow. She's been feeling icky for about a week now. Poor baby. It's the kind of icky that just lingers. Hopefully, we will get that taken care of and she can be feeling better soon.

DS is goofy as usual. No, he's been wonderful. He is so protective and is all male! He doesn't want to be as protective and pretends not to be but then when he needs to be he is to the bone!

It's neat to see it develop. He worries about me a lot. He's not as bad as he was when DH first left but it's still there. If he hears me scream or yell at all he comes running full force! Sometimes it's funny because I'm not really screaming but laughing loudly but he worries.

He tends to want to stay near me when we are out with certain people that he thinks might even just hurt my feelings. People don't really understand it but you know, he is the man of the house right now even though I try really hard not to put that on his shoulders, he's at the age where he puts it there himself. He's not like this at church but if we are out, boy howdy! You better be nice to his momma! It's cute.

I really haven't seen this in him too much about his sister. I mean if were to see someone hurting her he would quickly put a stop to it, but he doesn't really try hard to look out for her like he does me. Well, at least not usually.

We went to eat tonight and I left them at the table for a second to go get them some milkshakes for dessert and she came to me when he wasn't looking. I was just coming around the corner but I saw the panic in his eyes when he thought someone had taken his sister. It only took him a second to see her but the panic was real. He even got on to her but walking away without telling him. I did too. I'm really quite proud of him.

Wow, for just a quick hello this has really gone on! I'm just proud of my babies. I'll have to tell you how protective the dog is later. I'm tired right now and off to dreamland. Sweet dreams dear friends!

Such a lucky girl*...

I received a very loving email from my wonderful DH and then I even got an unexpected phone call from him! He can be the sweetest when he tries and I love it when he is. It just makes my heart swell.

I know that I am very fortunate that I hear from my DH as often as I do but when I have to 2 or 3 days without hearing anything I start to ... not exactly worry, well yes, but.... well, honestly I just get cranky! Miraculously I was not really in my cranky mode yet but I could tell I was headed that way! DH saved me, or more importantly the kids, from it.

Anyway, just had to share my wonderful mood and shout to the world that my DH is AWESOME!

*I will forever consider myself a girl, I'll be 105 and still refer to myself as girl. Sorry, but it's true.

Still reading...

I just can't seem to stop! I have to break myself away to do anything. Even eat! Hey this could be a good diet for me!! Except the kids come in hungry and force me up to feed them and then I eat too.

Anyway, I'm in love with my book. Anyone else reading anything? Share, if you will, what you are reading and how you are enjoying it. Have a good night!

Getting lost in books...

Yes, I'm back to my reading... well I talked about reading on my other blog... Anyway, I love to read, to get lost in books. I frequently get lost and get so absorbed I can't do anything but read. That's kind of where I am right now.

I call it my escapism. Is that a word? I'll find out when I do spell check... anyway, it's my escape from life without DH. It's how I cope. Last time he was gone, spent close to $1000 on books. I didn't realize it until much later of course (I'd never have spent so much knowingly). I've been a lot better this time. I've been occupied reading homeschooling books and websites and lots of blogs. But I did get a good deal on some books a while back and went crazy buying them but then never got to reading them!! Crazy! But this week I've been making up for lost time!

I've also been busy writing lots of letters to DH. I love letter writing and stationary and all that goes with it. I'm not really all that eloquent but... I think it is important that DH get letters from me regularly even though we talk often and email. A handwritten letter means so much more. Well, it does to me anyway.

Then, I've also been writing in my journal. Just after Christmas, I decided to really start keeping a journal of the time while DH is away. Something he can read and maybe see some of what we experienced while he was away. Who knows if he'll ever read it but it's therapy for me.

So, I guess the point of all is that I've been keeping busy, reading and writing. So, if I'm missing for a day or two, don't worry, I'm just lost in a book.

It's HOT here!

Is it hot there? I've got a headache and think it's the heat and allergies. It's terrible. I want to take a nap but DD has other ideas. She is learning to "sew" and keeps losing her thread and so I have to re-thread her needle for her. She is so funny about it.

DS is doing ... I don't know what and he's not offering any information. We are just hanging out today. It's too hot for anything else.

Just thought I'd check in and say hello. My head hurts too much for much writing. Sorry. Maybe later.

So sad...

The news today is very distressing. I'm so sad to hear the fate of the two missing soldiers. I've thought a lot of them and their families over the last few days and I cried for them today as I heard about them. I can't imagine. It is so frightening.

But then I hear people say things about how WE don't treat people that way and maybe we should and I get so angry at them! I heard that comment today and my reply was, "You know, we are supposedly a Christian country and so hopefully as Christians we do the right thing and the treat people the way we should." The person who said it was somewhat speechless. As they should have been! It just blows my mind.

Anyway, I'm so very sad about all this and hope that everyone will keep these soldiers and their families in your prayers. Please keep all the military and their families in your prayers.


*** note: I'm not sure if this all made sense but bear with me. Hopefully anyone reading here will know what I mean to say.

Monday Morning....

I typed the title and then thought, "It's barely morning!" Oh well...

I got up this morning and exercised for about 30 minutes. YEA ME!! I hate exercise but it is necessary. Then I got the kids up and we busied ourselves with morning chores and then breakfast.

They quickly got to their Latin lessons and then some math.

Now DD and I just put the makings of some bread in the bread machine and DS is up in his room. He said to clean but I figure he's building with Lego's.

I love homemade bread. YUM!! I actually like to make it myself but it takes so much time and heats up the kitchen. So I bought myself a new bread machine for Mother's day and it's not been working out too well for me. I've thrown out 3 loaves so far. They just aren't mixing well. I can't decide if it's the recipes or the machine. The mixing is probably the machine but I've had one turn out okay but the taste was horrible! That's the recipe.

For me the whole purpose of the bread machine, is that I just throw in the ingredients and then move on to other things, but with this one I'm having to really sit and watch it. I keep having to add water as it is kneading. I never had this trouble with my last bread machine but it was really having problems at the end (it was 9 years old), that's why I got the new one. I wonder now if it is the climate here and that the old machine was fine. (I kept the old one though because it also makes butter! Love it!) Hmmmm.... Since we've lived here my bread in the machine has not turned out at all.

When you do it all by hand you can feel what needs to be done and don't really think about it so maybe that is it. The climate. But I don't really think the climate here is that different from the last place we lived. Maybe it's altitude... I don't know the altitude here or our last place we lived though so I'll never know. Any ideas?

It is cloudy here and it's making me feel tired. Clouds always bring out the worst in me. On cloudy days, I need to be alone with my thoughts or a good book. Not an easy task though. I'm afraid DS takes after me here. Poor kid. He's been cranky this morning too so the two of us together have not been fun to be around. POOR DD!!

Well, she is wanting to try the needle (she got a Sewing Kid Kit for her bday) so I'm off to help with that. What happened to alone with a book??? This will be fun though. Until next time...

Waiting...

Well, we called my Daddy and DH's dad this today and wished them both a Happy Father's Day. Now we are just waiting for DH to call so that we can wish him a Happy Father's Day but probably by the time he calls (if he calls) it will the day after there. Oh well, it's the best we can do. We sent him cards and an email and they all arrived in time so he knows we are thinking of him.

Today at church, the kids sang their VBS songs and we watched a video of the week. It was cute. Then we had a special video of fathers talking about being fathers and kids talking about their fathers. It was really nice. I got a copy to send to DH.

It is raining cats and dogs here. DD wants to go sit out on the deck and listen to it. I guess I should go and join her. That's part of the reason we covered it. So we could sit out and watch the rain. The problem is when the wind blows! Hopefully it's not blowing to hard now. Have a good day!

The finished product!

Here is the finished product. Sorry it took so long to post them. Been busy enjoying it!! Sorry they seem dark. It was 9:30 pm before I got to see the finished product myself.

It really changed the look of our home. We love it.

Last night we spent the evening out there enjoying the breeze. DS brought his Lego's out and built and DD chased fireflies, while I read a book. It was wonderful. It was very relaxing.

I out early this morning again, reading. Now I really do have a porch to share (reference to other blog talk about porch). Come share a cup of tea or soda or lemonade and sit and chat for a while!

The Process

Well, we are having a cover put on our deck today. I hope it is going to look nice. We have no shade on the deck so we can't really enjoy it until late afternoon. That will all be changed soon!! In just a few more hours to be exact! I can't quit going out to look at the work. They laugh and say just a couple more minutes. I told them I'm worse than any kid!!

Here are some pictures of the process...

If it's not one thing, it's another...

I'm telling you! Really!! Got up this morning to get ready, to take DS to his golf lessons and the car wouldn't start!! I guess the battery is dead. Don't know how that happened. I guess maybe someone left a light on, but I can't tell because there are no lights on now! So now I have to see if I can get someone to come over and hook it up to our charger. Yes, I'm one of those helpless females. Sorry girls. I've just had a man to take care of me too long, I guess.

Thankfully we have 2 vehicles, so I got DS to his lesson. DD and I went to our church which is near his lesson and practiced on the piano for a bit and then practiced her handwriting.

I'm appalled at the lack of handwriting instruction in school these days. I guess they just put the letters in front of the kids and let them figure out how to form them by themselves. And it's not just my kids either. I helped at VBS last night and watched how other children wrote and was very surprised that they don't know how to properly form their letters either.

I really believe that there is a right and a wrong way to start each letter. You should do things in a certain order and way. It makes things easier in the long run. I mean really! No wonder my kids handwriting is so messy.

So we worked on that and she didn't enjoy it but we joked about it and that made it a little better. I'll get off my soap box now...

At this moment, we are cleaning their rooms. Yes, we are still working on them. I went and bought some really pretty decorative boxes for DD's room to help her and then I bought some very masculine ones for DS's room. I get so angry when I go into their rooms. I have cleaned both their rooms spotlessly, so that everything has a place (several times!!) but they just can not pick up after themselves for anything!! Drives me crazy.

Today I bought a Flip book for them on cleaning their rooms. I hope it helps them. I ordered it online through Free Homeschool Stuff and got it free, just had to pay shipping. I've got several things through them and it works well for us. If you homeschool and you haven't ever checked them out you really should. Even if you don't homeschool, they have some really neat stuff; computer games, science kits and so on.

Well, my break is over. Have a great day!

It is a nice morning here. There is a gentle breeze that feels wonderful. It's over cast which makes me sleepy.

I'm doing okay this morning. The kids and I did our Latin lesson and then they moved into a short math lesson. Now they are working on cleaning their rooms.

Their rooms are really out of control. DS is afraid that I will come up there and "help" and he hates that so he is working a plan and told me to stay away. We'll see...

The Plan... they help each other. She is helping him now and then (supposedly) he'll help her. I told them I'm talking spotless!! I want all the corners, closets and under the bed done too! I need to run up and tell them all surfaces too!

I guess while they are doing that I can straighten up my own room and the finish going through the piles on my kitchen counters. I also need to do some laundry.

That said.... I'll guess I'll go get to it! Have a great day!

BLAH....

I'm having a bad time today. I started to say that I'm having a bad day but the day is fine. It's me.

I'm having a hard time getting over my missing DH. Not that I really get over it but I had gotten used to the feeling ~ the lonely feeling, the missing him feeling. I was used to it and could work around it but I'm feeling overwhelmed by it and am having to get used to it all over again! He was only home 2 weeks. You wouldn't think it would be too hard but it is.

I feel so sad when I wake up in the mornings, when I go to bed at night, and every time I go to cook a meal. I'm having a hard time cooking because I just get so sad. Now, I know why we had been eating out so much before he came home.

Now, he's gone again and I have to start over from the beginning. Don't get me wrong. It was wonderful to have him here to see him and be in his arms again. Wouldn't trade that, just wish it was easier to get back into my swing of being used to him being gone. (Never thought I'd say that!)

DD is having the same trouble. She was so sad at church this morning. When it came time for Sunday school she started crying. Poor baby. It took everything in me not to cry with her. She ended up staying with me for Sunday School. We have VBS tonight and I'm hoping she will be strong so she can go and have fun.

DS has just totally zoned out with technology so that he's not really given himself time to think about it. He does usually come in around bedtime and tell me he misses his dad. Tomorrow we are backing way off of technology so we'll see how he does then.

I guess that's really it. It's just BLAH here and a little sad. It will get better eventually.

Up early this morning....

I don't really know why but for some reason I was wide awake at about 5:45 am this morning!!

I got up and took the the dog out and it was such beautiful morning. The birds were chirping and singing, the squirrels were hopping from tree to tree and scurrying from here to there. It was just wonderful.

I came back in and, of course, got back in bed and played with the dog for minute and then I picked up a book.

I finally received "The Latin Centered Curriculum" by Andrew A. Campbell. It is very interesting and I'm very interested but it hasn't really talked about how to start in the middle (yet I've not finished the book). With DS being in the 7th grade that is for sure in the middle and even DD isn't at the beginning since she in the 2nd grade. So I'm not sure where exactly to start but we'll figure it out soon. I think it's what I want to do with our family so we will figure a way to make it work.

We are going to try to start our Latin this summer, on Monday to be exact. The kids are very excited. I'm a little intimidated and scared but again, we will make it work.

DD is about to bust with the excitement of her starting to homeschool. She wants to start NOW!! I've been trying to show her that we are learning in everyday things but she is in a "school" mindset so she's not sure she believes me. She is so cute and willing to learn.

DS? Well, he enjoys it but is having a love affair with the computer lately. He runs up the stairs saying, "I'm going to do history now!" Meaning that he is going to play "Civilization III" on the computer. I will admit that he is learning quite a bit from it but I wish he wasn't on the computer quite so much. I told him starting Monday, he'll be on it much less.

Our summer plans include, Latin, typing, some math and lots of reading, both family reading and reading on their own. I'm looking forward to it and I think they are too, for the most part. I'm not talking spending hours of their summer days this way just enough that we don't lose what we had (ds mostly) and move to far from our routine, so that DD can start to get used to it.

Well, I'm still trying to help the house recover from DH's visit. We've almost got it all done this morning but I do have some paperwork that is piling up that needs to be filed or shredded and just put away. I guess I best get to it so that in an hour or so we can go out and swim in the kids pool.

Have a great weekend!!!

Happy Friday!

We have a busy one planned. We've already been out to sign DS up for free golf lessons. I think he is excited about it. The lessons are just down the street from our church so I think on those days DD and I will go over there and use the piano for some lessons. We just have a keyboard so it will be good for her to use a real piano some.

We are getting ready now to mail some things at the post office. DH left sftuf behind that we are mailing him and then I have got to get DS's attendance form mailed in before I forget. I read some where that you should send a SASE and an extra copy of stuff you send in for them send back stamped filed so that you have proof and to also mail it certified with return receipt. Sounds excessive but I guess better safe than sorry so I'll be doing both. Do any of you do all this? If not what do you do?

DD has a birthday party tonight and I have a thing at the church for me and DS. He doesn't want to go but I just can't leave him at home at night. It wasn't well announced so maybe no one will come. Is that awful? I love doing stuff with the church and all but some times I just want to be at home. Especially after telling DH bye. I need that time alone, you know? This was on the calendar before DH came home and I'm supposed to be one of the people in charge. So... we'll go and I'm sure we will have a great time.

Well, that's about it here. How is everyone out there?

Hello dear cyber friends!

Well, DH was home for R&R the last two weeks. We took him back to the airport this morning. It was very hard to let him go again. We had a great time and really enjoyed being together again.

We did so much. DD had her dance recital and that was great. Then we had her birthday party a few days later. She had a great time.

We also had a fun trip to the zoo, and to a science center nearby. We did some shopping and some window shopping. We went to the movies. We scheduled some home improvements and just spent time playing and talking.

He's only been gone a few hours and I miss him so very much already. The kids are really having a hard time but in a day or two we will settle back down into our routine again and we will be fine.

DD is very excited about homeschooling and keeps asking when it's going to start counting for her days of homeschool. It's so funny!! We were playing a kind of game and they were laughing and having such a great time. I told DD, "Hey! Can you believe that we having this much fun homeschooling?" She giggled and smiled. It's great!

Well, I guess I've really updated you for now. I hope all is well with all my dear cyber friends. Until next time....

Good Saturday morning, dear cyber friends.

Well, public schools here are now out for summer vacation! Yea!! DD is home now. We are very excited.

We've decided to try our hand at Latin so I've ordered a program and we will start it this summer. It will probably be a little too easy for DS but DD wants to do it too so... I figure that DS can work through it faster if he wants. I just didn't want it to be too much and us give up on it, so I think this is the best option for us. Check back later though and I might tell a different story. hehehe

We are spending the day cleaning house. I want to start our summer out right and see if I can get them on a routine of chores. I'm terrible about this myself so any suggestions would be great.

I best get back to work. Have a fantabulous weekend!

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These are great books for homeschooling! We use and like them a lot. The 10 Terrific Weeks that they offer are pretty neat too. I hope you will come check it out!

Neglect...

I know. I've really neglected this blog. I'm sorry. No excuse really. I've been trying to get some things done around here. Not very successfully, I might add.

We've been slowing down and trying to make things more relaxed. I'm not sure that is the right way to put it but for now... it will do.

I'm looking into the Latin-centered curriculum. DS is very interested in learning Latin AND Greek. It is very interesting and I'm trying to learn what I can about it but I'm not sure where to start since he is older. I seem to be having that problem with what ever curriculum I look at these days. I guess I should say style not curriculum. There are so many styles out there. Many of them have cross overs so you can incorporate several of them together. I just need to learn how to do that!

I'm thinking of ordering Prima Latina. I know that it is a little young for DS but I thought I'd use it for both DS and DD (she's homeschooling soon too!!). I thought we might start this summer and just do a little each day. DS might move more quickly through it than DD and that's okay. I just thought since it was aimed at the younger grades it might be a good summer time program. You know not too hard that it would make him lose interest.

I don't know. I still can't decide about history next year. We are going to move into the Middle Ages. We really enjoyed it when I just found things for us to do and read but I worry if I'm showing him everything, or leaving something out. We were thinking about SOTW. It says that it can be used with older children but I don't want him to be bored. I may use it as an outline to follow and then still do our own thing. The History Odyssey was just more than he wants. He gets bored after being on one subject for too long or when it makes him move on before he's ready so... Plus he hates some the activities.

We'll be sticking with our Saxon math. It seems to work pretty well for us. Science? Not sure again. But we will figure that out.

So... I guess we are where we always are. Still trying to figure things out for us. That may be a never ending process...