Soldiers in Need

I have a little request of all you dear cyber friends out there. My husband is again deployed, this time to Afghanistan.

Several soldiers, including my own, are having trouble sleeping because of the mattresses being hard as rocks and then some. They are so bad that many of them are trying to get a cot instead. I'm sure some of you think they are complaining over nothing but in the last 4 days my dh has gotten 10 hours of sleep while working 12 hours shifts. I'm sure that there are many soldiers worse off but I can help those that I know. I know that whatever I do for any of them will be passed on to others later as most soldiers are very good a paying it forward.

My request to you are donations for us to purchase 11 mattress pads for his section. They are $20 a piece so I'd like to raise $220. We'll take care of the postage. Please if you would like donate comment here and I will send you information on how to do so. Thank you so much for you help.

The end of another week...

This week we tried a new to us Homeschool group. It was nice. Poor DS still didn't really have anyone but I think he still enjoyed it. We planted flowers and DD loved that!! We met some really nice people and they seemed a little more like us as far as our style of education goes and even in other areas as well. Less conservative than a lot that I've met and in case you've not picked up on that yet, I'm not very conservative.

DS helped in the basement again and I think he really enjoys that kind of thing ~ working with his hands. He also worked hard on our yard work which I greatly appreciate. He has really been stepping up around here and I'm very proud of him.

DD worked in the garden with me and she did a great job. She had lots of other stuff to do this week too. BUSY! She will be singing a solo soon at church and she is very excited. Her dance recital in around a month away and she is very excited about that as well.

Well, that's pretty much it here for now. I just wanted to post a quick update. Have a beautiful weekend!

Feeling better...

Well, I'm feeling a little better. DS is pleased that I've been trying so hard to find something for him. We still haven't found much but I think just that fact that I'm trying helped him.

We had Gym and Swim yesterday and I think he had a lot of fun. It was the FIRST time that he actually said he had FUN when I asked him. I think he is opening up a little to other homeschoolers now. He's funny in that he worries that some homeschoolers are kind of weird (please don't be offended) and so I think he often distances himself but he seems to really be trying more and I'm so glad. He will be much happier this way.

Mom is trying more too. I had some of the same feelings myself but I'm also very shy so I have to really make myself reach out to people but I have definitely been trying. I have to say that some of the first homeschoolers we met did kind of turn us off because they did seem... hmm... not really sure how to put it weird is really the only word I think of for now. Sorry. But they aren't really, I mean really we are ALL weird in our way. I have a friend who is often talking about how weird homeschool families are and at first I was kind of with her but now we have been one for 3 years and you know, they really aren't any different from anyone else. They, we are friendly and kind and very inclusive. My friend has been kind of making me feel insulted lately and I'm not really sure what to do about it.

Oh well... DS is feeling a little better. I did find us a group that we are going to try next week that I hope they enjoy. There is only one child in it my son's age but... we'll see. DD is very excited about it. She loves getting together with others plus they will be planting flowers so she will be even more excited.

This week was kind of laid back because I was busy researching but next week are back at it hard.

Have a wonderful weekend dear cyber and homeschooling friends.

Feeling so frustrated

DS wants more oh, I don't know, interaction? I just don't know what to do. That I know of there aren't any groups in our area just for high schoolers. He wants to be with his age more and well, we just don't know many older homeschoolers. He'll be starting high school in the fall. He loves the homeschooling but misses some of the classroom environment, learning with others. I'm not really sure what to do. I've thought sending out an email to see if anyone else is interested in a high school homeschool group but then I'd kind of be starting it and I'm not really sure I have that kind of time. I've spent the last few days online trying to find other high schoolers locally but they seem to not be where I can find them easily.

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel helpless. I really don't want DS to go back to school but I'm not going to stop him if it's what he really wants. I really don't think it's what he wants, he's just feeling lonely. Poor guy.

I did find out a little about some local drama classes. We will sign up for the summer playhouse for starters and hopefully he will have a ball. Then someone told me that they have a Saturday Youth Workshop during the school year that we will try to get into also. I'm really hoping this will make him happy and then my worries will be over but until then.... I'll keep trying to find all I can.

Again... all ideas, suggestions and encouragements are welcome!

Good morning.

So much to say but not sure how to say it all. DS loves drama but that I know of there is nothing for homeschoolers in this area. I've posted a question about it at our local email group so maybe there is something available I just don't know about yet.

DS is wanting more interaction with kids his age. Not sure what to do there either. We already are really active in our church youth group where he meets with them twice on Sundays and on Wednesday nights and the we also do gym and swim once a week. Not sure how we could fit in more but I'm willing to try. Just again, not sure what is out there for him. When I mention things like the bowling group he's not interested. So.... HELP!!!

IDEAS WELCOME!!!

Getting ready....

For next year that is. I spent most of last week looking at new curriculum for next year. I think we are pretty decided and it is going to cost us pretty penny but with DS starting High School so I want really good stuff.

So, we will be using TRISMS for our main curriculum for DS and I'll incorporate DD into it. Then we are looking at using Teaching Textbooks for Geometry and High School Physical Science in your Home. We will probably use an online French course as well. We are also going to try incorporate some Waldorf methods in as well. For DD we will get a 4th grade Waldorf syllabus but still try to incorporate her into some of DS's work on her level for some subjects.

I'm really looking forward to it all a lot. I always look forward to a new year.

Anyone out there use the Waldorf method and TRISMS? I'd love to hear from you.

So much going on...

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. DH left for Afghanistan last week and so we were very busy trying to get in as much family time as possible before hand.

We did have a lot of good times and also some sad ones as we told him good bye.

We took last week off from school to be with him as much as possible but we are back at it this week. I have found a new site that is kind neat. It's called Free World U . We've been using the science for both kids and I think they picking up on it well. Science is our weak spot. I don't care much for it and neither does DS. Poor DD is missing out and I really need to work on this but for now this is going pretty good. DD has been rotating it and reading a little science book.

We've been taking some little practice tests to see where we are and where standardized tests think we should be. We have them scheduled in May so...

Well, that's it for now. Please keep my DH in your prayers and our little family too. The kids took his deployment pretty hard this time.

Update

Well, we are doing good. The kids are progressing well. DS took an Algebra test today and did great. DD is feeling poorly today but she is doing well in at her school work. They both make me so proud every day.

DD, 8, came in the other day and said, "Mom, I really don't understand all this primary stuff. Could we please work on that? I think I need to know what's going on. I also need to more know more about the people running. I can't make a very good decision now. I just know the names you say and I should know for myself."

HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!!

DS, 13, has been watching the debates and is very opinionated about it all also. And I'm proud to say that he has formed his own opinions about the candidates.

Needless to say, I have purchased a unit study on the election process. I have to that sound good so I've purchased one for the now and then I will get the other for the fall.

Well, I feel like this is a nice little update. I'd love to hear how anyone is doing.

Doing Great!

The first few days "back at school" have been going great!! They have been working so hard and getting everything done in such a timely manner. I'm so very proud of them!! We have even been able to get History and Science done before lunch!! Very unusual for us. We've been having fun too.

I told them that if they continue to get everything done in such a timely manner that we can add some more subjects that are fun stuff to our day and they are all for that. I hope they keep this up!

Well, just wanted to do a quick update. Have a great Wednesday!

Good Morning, dear Homeschooling friends! Well, we are back at school this week. I think everyone enjoyed their time off but were ready to get back to it. How wonderful is that???

DH will be deploying shortly and so we took off from school while he was on leave for the last month or so. It was wonderful. The kids both had some wonderful quality time with their dad which was very important, especially for DS. I'm so glad that they had the time together with out having to worry about school work or anything. It was very nice. And yes, I too had some wonderful quality time with DH and the kids too.

This morning we started the kids on their Financial Peace plan and they are really excited! Me too. It was so fun to see them planning and wanting to do right with their money.

They are both busy now on their language arts and math. DD just jumped right in this morning. She was excited to get back to her language arts. DS is feeling a little puny with a cold so he's moving a little more slowly but I think he too is ready to be back at it.

We are heading into the Revolutionary War soon so we are finishing up with Colonial America. We did a lot of that last year so we are touching on it here and there. We are using Learning Through History Magazine and I'm excited to get started with it.

We have got to move on with our Science but it will probably start tomorrow. I need to see what I have planned (or plan it).

It's good to be back at it. I hope you all are doing well too. I'll try to be better at up dating here.

Happy New Year!!

Hope you are having a wonderful start to your New Year! We are probably going to take one more week off as DH is still home on leave but will be deploying soon. I feel like spending this time with him is really important for us. We can make up our schooling on weekends or in the summer is necessary.

So... Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish you all in blogland a Very Merry Christmas! Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Cherish every minute of your blessed time together!

Merry Christmas!!

Still busy

Yes we are! The kids are doing great. DS is having to work a little harder on his math this year but he is doing pretty good.

Currently we are reading a book called, "The Story of Rolph and the Viking's Bow". They are really enjoying it. This is for history as we are studying American History and are now with the Vikings.

Science we are in the midst of the universe and stars and moving right along to planet Earth. We did get up the other night and lay a blanket out in the drive way and watch the meteor shower. That was neat and kids enjoyed it.

They are both doing great with their language arts. I've been very pleased with DS's writing. It has improved so much over the last 2 years. I'm amazed. DD's spelling is already improving since we started having a spelling list every week. (Last year she kept a dictionary of words she had a hard time with but knowing there will be a test she is doing GREAT!)

Well, that's about it for now. I've started a new blog over at http://www.homesteadblogger.com/mommy22ss you are welcome over there anytime.

Cruising along...

That's what we've been doing. The kids are doing great on their work. They get right to it and get it done without much fussing. I'm really proud of them. We've been having fun. They like doing their history and science together. We all gather around the book, or computer or whatever we happen to be using that day and do it together and they enjoy it. Me too.

How is your school year getting started?

Tomorrow is the day!

We will start our official homeschooling. We spent about week last month working a little but didn't have everything we needed so we put it off. But now we are ready to start. We are going to start this week with just language arts and math. We'll start out slowly as we have a lot of extra stuff going on this week so this will be perfect for us.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Well, I have purchased just about everything we need. I just need to wait on it all to arrive and then we are ready for the year!

I'm really rather excited about it. We are really only going to Science and History together this year and I've been really planning them out. I think we are going to have a lot of fun and learn a lot.

They will be each be using a LLATL in their grade for language arts and then their own math. DS is going to do Algebra this year. What a wonderful challenge. I'm even looking forward to it!

I hope everyone's planning is going well.

Purchasing curriculum

Well, this weekend I've been ebaying like crazy and I think I have got a few good items pretty inexpensively too. I'll tell you more after I get them and look them over. We are trying to go a little simpler this year. So far I've only spent about $30 but I know that DS's math will be more expensive but since I've saved on the other's that's okay.

I hope you are all finding you need too!

Well, we may go ahead and start up school after this next week. The kids are so bored and are starting to watch toooo much tv. We'll probably just do a little and work slowly back up to it.

DH is leaving town for a while and so it will be the perfect time to start working. I still have to order some... well most of our curriculum but I have a few things right now that we can start with slowly.

How are your plans coming??

Busyness

I read a devotional about this this morning. It was called Busy, Busy, Busy and it made me think of several my friends. Lately I've been hearing a lot of them talk about how busy they are and how tired and even sad it makes them. They are rushing their children here and there trying to keep them active.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against this at all if it's what you want great, but I have to say, it's not for us. My kids don't like being too busy or having things to do all the time. They like having home time~ family time. The friends I'm thinking of don't homeschool so they also have to contend with school and homework on top of the extra. They tell me how nice it must be to not be so busy but they don't want to let go of anything. They are tired and burned out. I feel bad for them.

But I even see lots of homeschoolers in this same predicament. Sometimes it's even worse for them because they feel like they have to make up for NOT being in a "real" school so they are constantly running to this homeschool group or that or this lesson or that and so on and so on.

I have to say that I love how simple our life is. We don't keep our kids from joining things but our kids don't want to join EVERYTHING either. They enjoy being at home. I guess what I'm saying is you can do TOO much, and it's a lot of pressure on everyone, the whole family. We enjoy a slow life and I like it.

DS

Well, DS has found a new hobby. He is enjoying archery. We got him a nice recurve and a couple of hay bales and he is having a ball. We even have him in lessons! He loves it is always outside with it. I imagine that it won't be long before DH will have one too! He loves it too.