Fall has arrived.

We are going full speed ahead in the Fields' House. With the speed comes little time to re-group & re-create. There are several things in my life that I feel I can never complete: laundry, dishes, floors, closets, bathrooms...etc. I often think about how important it is to me, and my family, that our house "feel" like a home: a place of grace and rest...not chaos and confusion. Now, that does not mean that ours is clutter free, quiet and never out of order. In fact- it's the complete opposite of this. If you were to walk in to my house today you would find piles of sorted laundry that need to be put away, drawers of worksheets that have quickly been shuffled from the Tuesday Folder to the Catch All Center. One thing that I have discovered about my family is that we live life hard. We wear things out faster than most. We stain things and seem to exhaust the resources faster than we can replenish them. This is a difficult way to live. We do not have the luxury of donating last falls boots because there is another child that needs them this fall. We have had to learn to overlook carpet stains, worn fabric on a chairs, and a house litterd with rock collections, broken crayons and shoe laces being used as leashes on stuffed puppies. I must admit- this can wear on my soul. It is truly a battle at times. However, it is not near as taxing as it used to be. I guess it has become an issue of survival...and at times finding joy in suffering. Many would not define this as suffering. However, if anyone has ever had to engage in mind battle to talk yourself through the stress you feel "when you just cleaned the house yesterday and it's already a mess" then you understand the toll that this can take on you. I think that I have really had to learn to let certain things go and set realistic expectations. I feel if I can get my entire house cleaned, and by cleaned I mean, everything in its place, the floors swept, the bedrooms vaccumed and the bathrooms cleaned, ONCE a week- then I am ok. The rest of the time I try to keep the front two rooms orderly. That way if someone drops in I'm not freaking out the whole time. Also, I hate for the main living areas to feel cluttery when the girls come home from school. I think they feel better when the come home to a more peaceful, orderly environment. I have often thought that you can tell the "type" of life a person lives by looking at their house. As much as I would like for my home to be featured in Cottage Living, the reality is that we are better qualified for an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. Someones house can be really orderly because it is not "lived in". So, all things considered, my livable house will have to do. For now I am praying that it will serve as salve for my weary body and not an irritant.
In the words of the modern sage, Kenny Chesney, "So I've been trying to slow down. I've been trying to take it easy- in this here today gone tomorrow world we're living in. Don't blink- just like that your six years old and you take a nap...you wake up and your 25 and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife. Don't blink- you just might miss your babies growing like mine did; turning into moms & dads, next thing you know your Better Half of 50 years is there in bed and your praying God takes you instead...Don't Blink....life goes faster than you think!"

I can't believe it's been 4 years...

Happy Birthday Lucy Grace. I love YOU!

Happy 9th Birthday, Abby!

I love you.

The First Day of Non-Home School

Well, Ellie's first day of First Grade and school outside the home is in less than 8 hours. Abby will begin 3rd grade and I will experience my first day with my two older girls gone.






Ellie assured me on several occasions today that she would "think about me alot". Then she gave me a crooked & excited smile that let me know for sure that I would not cross her mind even once in the eight hours that she would be gone.
Abby reported to me in the van today that "at the park in the tunnel crawl space the worst word in cussing history is written there." Then she laughed and said, "That's pretty funny, huh, 'cussing history'." She was so proud of herself for that phrase. Like mother, like daughter....
I think they'll be fine.

I have been thinking...

a lot about contentment. I tend to think about "the next thing." I was recalling a friend of mine who constantly fussed about his context. The city was too hot, the people were all fake, the student life style was not satisfying, working on a PhD is so time consuming...etc. The next place they moved for their life to finally "begin" ended two months later with the spouses announcement that she was "done with the marriage". I have often wondered, "What if the next place turns out to be worse and all the while I've not enjoyed where I am because I was in a hurry to get somewhere I didn't want to be."
This morning is Saturday. All across the world people are relaxing in their pj's, drinking coffee and preparing for tomorrow. What if we decided to stop preparing. Really. Just for one day. I have a pile of laundry in my laundry room and one in my bathroom. There are two walls left to paint in my living room and two that still need to be cut in. There is dinner to think about and a lesson to be reviewed. When I think about all of that- I really can feel my blood pressure rise. I want to plan my escape. However, I could just let it ride.
Summer has come and gone, Ellie is about to lose her first tooth and school starts on Wednesday. I need to go back to Weight Watchers, get my hair cut and mop. My cell phone won't hold a charge, the back light has gone out on the screen and I have to call people back. The bananas are bad, the dishes need to be put up and I have no idea what I am going to wear.
I think I will lay back down for an hour.

Only a month to go...

and summer '08 will be a thing of the past. This is the first summer that we have been able to "breath" since having all 4 children. I have been able to take them swimming on a consistent basis by myself, take them on a road trip, spend the night away from our home with them and everyone did great! I think that Zoe will be completely potty trained by September, when she turns 3. Lu can now swim with out floaties and she will be 4 in September. For the most part, they are "self loaders" when we have to go somewhere, and they all know when they are disobeying and when they are obeying.

Today we stayed home. Lu and Ellie and I made cookies and then had a "lemonlade" (as Lucy says) Tea Party. I am lemonade-"water logged". I never want another glass. Now, at 3:45 p.m. Zoe and Lucy are in the shower screaming at each other over 2 cups that are exactly the same. My 6 year old is in recovery from the tea party and my 8 year old is in recovery from spending the night at a friends.

I feel like this is the way things are suppose to be. Like this is the "norm". The chaos, the busyness, the constant multi-tasking, the quick "interactions" between the management of the "house" & the errand running. I have noticed that the older my kids get and the more interactions that we have with other families their age, I find myself asking, "Is this the way other families are?"

The approaching school year will be "new" for me. Abby will be in 3rd grade and Ellie will be in 1st. Both of my big girls will be attending a school rather than being home schooled. Lu will be attending pre-school somewhere and Zoe will be with me. I feel like I will be able to rest more than I have in 9 years. I do plan to take advantage of this.

As for the next 20 days...I want to weave great memories for my girls and our family. I want to rest when they are in school and celebrate when they are at home. I want to be intentional in making myself present for all of the things they love- swimming, getting sno cones, staying up late, painting their rooms and catching fire flies.

Black In America

PLEASE go to iTunes and download FREE "Black in America". It is 33 minutes long and it is a "must see". (Go to the Store, Click on TV shows & search "Black In America" in the tool bar, located at the top right hand side.) I am a little "challenged" when it comes to "linking". :) sorry!

13 years ago today...

Greg asked me to marry him! Greg, Me, My Mom & Dad went to see Apollo 13 in Mesquite. Greg asked Woody in the popcorn line what he thought about the idea of him asking me to marry him. Woody said, "That sounds like a good idea to me." We left from the theater after the movie, went to Town East and bought my ring.

We live in a society...

that hates kids. I honestly believe this. Since I am traveling by myself with the kids this week I am keenly aware of the looks on peoples faces when I walk into a business with my four daughters. I am not going into places that are designed for adults, i.e. antiques, valuables, collectibles...and for the record, I am very aware of my kid's behaviour, volume and interactions with their surroundings. All of that said, I needed to pick up a book while we were out because Abby has two books that have to be read before the beginning of the school year. I pulled the van over, got the Yellow Pages that I had borrowed from my in-laws, and looked up Books. I called the bookstore and inquired about the two books. The "Children's Specialist", as she identified herself, urged me to come in. "I have four children with me - is you're store set up in such a way to fascilitate our visit." (Yes - that is how I asked the question.) "Definitely." she replied. "If you come right now we are not busy at all."

That was the begginning of our "Worst Store Experience" ever.

What I feel like I am starting to process through is the idea that our society finds it desireable for twenty and thirty somethings to act like fifteen and eighteen year olds -but they want three and four year olds to act like twenty and thirty somethings.

It is amazing to me that no one wants to tolerate even child "sounds". No one was even willing, when seeing my struggle with the kids in the store, to somewhat "pacify" me or empathize with my situation. Long story short, after "The Specialist" staring at me, while talking about "losing her debit card" with another customer, the "Other Department Specialist" not helping me , and Lu getting hit in the eye with a Barbie Mariposa book and crying way too loud for all of the other patrons - who were apparantly very "rushed" and unconcerned, we left. Unhelped and "feeling" embarrassed.

Now, I do not want my children to be a burden to anyone - however, I am not asking you to like them. I am asking the world to please let me and my family of 6, be who we are, too. You probably do not remember that you were a child once. Things that adults said to you and did to you greatly impacted you. I am nice to people that I do not especially agree with, or even like, everyday. I may think that they have made bad life-style choices, they may smell bad, are self-consumed, arrogant or ugly...however, if I am in a situation, especially where I am providing them with a service, I help them. I must say that I was completely shocked when I heard the story out of New Hampsire where the 70 year old man was hit by a car and no one helped him or even approached him to offer comfort. After today - I am not. God has every right to send us all to Hell.

Vacation.

So...I haven't posted in awhile! I am planning on starting again after vacation. I, for the first time, took all four girls on the road...by myself. We are having a blast. We are at Greg's Mom & Dad's right now, taking lots of pictures with them & cousins, McKadan & Major. So- keep checking...I've got alot on my mind! ;)

Memorial Day

This Memorial Day was great. A friend of mine that I have not seen in 18 years had lunch with us. In this picture is Brian, who I have known since my Sophomore year in high school, Me & Corey, who I have not seen since we graduated in 1990. He and Greg, my husband, had never met. We had such a great time talking, laughing and reminiscing. It is so cool to me how you can not see someone for so long and still connect.

The last day of school...

I barely remember the last day of 2nd grade...which seems odd to me when I think of how "aware" I feel that Abby is. I very rarely think, "Man, I have hardly any concrete memories of the time that she is in now." or I guess I should say "distinct memories". I had a good childhood...i wish that each year could be remembered like a file folder, separate, distinct and organized. I do however, have very rich, multi-colored memories of 3rd grade. I remember Mrs. Underwood, who I still see from time to time. I have vivid recollections of my best friend, Kim, who still lives here and whose number is programmed in my cell phone. I remember writing notes, playing hand clap games in the hall and the smell of the hall. I remember our school custodian's name. Third grade was the year Capri Sun came out and OP was big. We wore Kanga-Roos (tennis shoes with pockets) and friendship bracelets were right around the bend. This next year will probably be the year that will "define, mark, memorialize" Abby's childhood. This will probably be what she will "look back" on and tell stories about. One day her child will probably say to her, "Tell me a story about you...when you were little."

I want to be deliberate without being controlling.
I want to be pro-active without being mechanical.
I want to teach her thoughtfully, enjoy her and love her passionately, and "paint her past" with great memories to reflect upon.

The Truth About Adoption...

When I think back over the past several years about how the Lord chose to grow our family through adoption I can hardly believe it! I remember driving home from Tennessee and Greg and I making the decision to begin "the process". Our biggest concern was the time commitment. We were going to have to start foster licensing classes, CPR/First Aid certification, Fire inspection, a Home Study...and a long complicated "wait".

After about 7 months we got a phone call about a little girl that was 6 months old - we were to be her third foster home. I will never in , my whole life, forget the first time that I met her. Our case worker called me to meet her at the hospital. It was about 40 degrees outside. When I saw her, she was wearing only a t-shirt and a diaper...she was wrapped in a Pittsburgh Steelers blanket. I remember thinking that her head was perfectly round and that she looked Samoan. I remembered making a conscious note, "She could be your daughter so make this moment 'count'." She was laying on the hospital bed in the emergency room, two case workers were setting there. I leaned over her, thinking that she didn't look anything like I had expected and said, "Hi baby, I love you...it's going to be ok." She was very sick and we stayed in the hospital over Easter weekend getting her well.

The emotion that accompanied the foster to adopt process is something that is difficult to put into words. I usually compare this time to what it must feel like if your child to has a terminal illness. I felt as if I were always waiting for her to be snatched away and all of the "investment" was to be lost. However, that was not the case.

I can still smell the courtroom. On the day of our mediation- this is when you, the foster parent, meets with birth parents, grandparents, etc., to say basically, "If you will voluntarily terminate your parental rights- we will do these things...i.e., send pictures twice a year, let you see them once with in the next year...whatever you feel comfortable with - which lasted most of the morning... we were "spent". We had lunch with the case workers and then "finished up" in the juvenile court. Leaving the court room that day made it all seem o.k. We drove to the house, my mother in law had cooked dinner for us, we ate and I went directly to bed. I was so tired - from the last 8 months.

The fostering aspect revealed alot to me about myself. The fact that I would view my "investment" as a loss if she were not to be raised by us. The fact that I really didn't care about her birth parents "wishes" for her until we had reached the mediation process revealed the "superior" view I had of myself concerning them. They were young, and "products" of their environments.

I can not remember a time when I have been so aware of myself and of everyone around me as the day that our third daughter became a "Fields". It was very "real" and almost tangible. A legal change, a gavel hit, a pronouncement made...and generations, families and futures were forever altered.

This has been one of the most difficult, invigorating, tiring, and messy endeavors that our family has ever been a part of. There are days when I look at my children, the ones who are made of someone else's DNA, have different mannerisms and foreign expressions, and I feel like I am trying to communicate with a stranger who lives in my house. There are days that I feel like I will never break through the fog that seems to rest over the deep black eyes of my little girl. There are hugs that seem distant and looks that I'm sure some relative would recognize.

But then there is another day. There are little feet that run to me in the early morning hours and faint voices saying, "Mommy, I'm scared." There are prayers that I know would have never been prayed and songs that would've never been sung. There are two big sisters who would've never known the joy of having two little sisters. There are tickles that would've died and clean towels that would not have been used. There are grandma's that would've never known the love of these two little bundles and lots of chocolate milk sippy cups never made. My heart seems to grow wider and deeper when I hear them sing , "Jesus loves me this I know."

As one friend said, "Adoption is not for the weak." It is messy...but it is also beautiful. I would not change a thing.

I hate to do this to you...

but i'm transitioning to wordpress. it's not complete yet...and i do not have my "links" up yet...but go ahead and change my address on you blog roll PLEASE...

traceyfields.wordpress.com

THANKS!!!

Coming Soon...

"The Truth About Adoption"

See our photos...

(READ THE WHOLE POST)
After you click HERE...click on BLOG and scroll down to "Adoption Sunday" ...our family pics are after "Ben's". If you have adopted or you are grown and are adopted please consider being a part of this project. Your family will be photographed and used in a coffee table book that will be released in 2009. If you are interested let me know and i will get Mandy's info to you. If you have adopted...please take part! We had a great experience. All of the families are diverse...the one thing that links them is adoption. Thanks to Jen at Sugar Photography, and Mandy, the masterminds of the project!!! We had a great time and we are building such a great friendship with their families.

The best day of my life...

I have been trying lately to keep my mind focused. I noticed a couple of weeks ago, that I was having a very difficult time concentrating, due to what I have been feeling. It is, honestly, the first time in my life that I have empathized with someone who struggles with A.D.D...however, I know that my distractions will cease once my medicine is straitened out.

I got up this morning feeling good. The Prednisone has been a great relief and help for the here and now. We got Abby and Lucy Grace dressed, fed, prayed for, loved on & out the door and then I started on Zoe. She left at 9 to go to M.D.O. .

Ellie and I stood looking at each other over a cup of half-empty, cold coffee.

All of the sudden, I wasn't feeling so good. I was exhausted. My feet felt like they would explode. My heart was racing from the medicine and my fingers were screaming.

"Mommy, can we go to Starbucks to do school?" School?...I forgot that I still have a Kindergartner that will test on the 12th of May for her big "entrance" into 1st grade.

Sight words, numbers, time, Go, Dog Go!

"Sure...get your bag."

By the time we got there...it's so bad, that it is almost comical...I could've laid in the entry way and slept while customers stepped over me. Thank God, and I mean that, for caffeine.

We sat across from each other, in the far left corner "booth" by the windows. It was a little cool and the sun was just beginning to shine on us. The good kind of shinning..like early summer - it warms you just enough to remind you of a good memory that you can't believe you've forgotten.

We did math & sight words...and took a break. During "break" the most amazing thing happened. The greatest moment took place. I was watching Ellie draw a ladybug.

"Mommy, will you color her with me?"

"Definitely."

Then it happened...

Dido came over the speaker. That's right, Dido.

I was soaking it up...I was reminded...of how BIG life is...and how good it is...And how much I love her...and how I could've stayed right there forever.

"...and all I see is you
And even if my house falls down,
I wouldn't have a clue
Because you're near me and

I want to thank you
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you
is having the best day of my life."

At the bottom of the picture she wrote , "The Best Day".

The Altar of Prosperity

"The greatest obstacle to multi-generational faithfulness is prosperity."
-Dr. Voddie Baucham

from www.gracefamilybaptist.net (podcast - "Getting Your House in Order" 12/26/07)

Chapter 3 - Escape

"The barn was very large. It was very old. It smelled of hay and it smelled of manure. It smelled of the perspiration of tired horses and the wonderful sweet breath of patient cows. It often had a sort of peaceful smell- as though nothing bad could happen ever again in the world."
-Charlotte's Web

"It's not the way I wanted it to end..."

Many of you do not know that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. A quick definition of this is : "Rheumatoid Arthritis causes inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium. This type of arthritis can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness. The affected joint may also lose its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement. RA can affect other parts of the body as well, including the blood, the lungs, and the heart. Rheumatoid Arthritis is 2 to 3 times more common in women than in men, and generally affects people between the ages of 20 and 50. However, young children can develop a form of RA called juvenile RA."

I was diagnosed about 3 1/2 years ago. It hit me pretty hard in the beginning...after about a year my medicines seemed to stabilize my condition. By this, I mean that my fatigue was manageable, I was able to walk without pain, my body didn't feel "flu-like" unless I was getting sick and I didn't wake up feeling bruised all over. However, about 6 months into the medication treatment I began to experience side effects that you really don't want to hear about, as well as constant nausea. I never had hair loss. I did develop "nodules" off and on...but mostly the nausea and symptoms that often accompany nausea, were persistent. Just a quick note- There are some people who have RA who run marathons, lift weights and exercise consistently...their bodies may react differently to the disease or the meds than others. My "journey", for lack of a better word, has felt uphill all the way. This could be because I am trying to manage my disease with 4 little ones beside me. As a result of my sensitivity to the medication, I was taken off of it this past year. "GREAT!" you say. The problem is that it is a very effective disease modifying drug. That means that it slows down the progression of the disease. Also, due to my insurance and the cost of the injections (even with insurance they average $400.00 a month) my "therapy" has been interrupted. This is just a quick overview of "what can be involved" in managing a relatively "manageable" illness. (And do not get me started on the issue of national health care - I am completely against it, unapologeticly, because I am experiencing it...and it cannot work. That's a post for another day.) I am now in the process of going to a new Rhuematologist (4-23) & starting new drugs. Right now I am on nothing for RA and I am having a very difficult time.
So, all of this does relate to Homeschooling. We began homeschooling for several reasons. One reason was because of the schedule. I was at a point where I was finding it more stressful, for our family, to "manage" my child according to the school's schedule. Having everyone dressed, all the papers signed, lunches packed, etc. by 7:45 a.m.. I found that aspect more physically "taxing" than teaching my child daily. Until recently, that has been the case...

This past week, after about two weeks of intense pain & fatigue, my sweet husband and I had a long talk. We decided that the girls needed to go back to school. This was a very emotional decision for me. We have only home schooled for a year and half...so I felt like I was just starting to "get it". Besides the fact that I have great kids, I really enjoy being with them and watching them learn. We took Abby on Wednesday to be tested (a standardized placement exam) and she did great. She is back with the same group of kids that she was with before, at the same school. She has loved being back - and that has helped me to adjust. Ellie will begin in the fall.

We told Abby that she was going to go back to school about two hours before we took her to be tested. She was cautiously excited. She, Ellie and I sat down around our bar to pray, read and sing before heading out for the day. When Abby prayed for me she began to weep...then I began to cry. Greg walked in and saw us all crying and asked, "Are we okay?" I stated that we were...just a little "mixed" in our emotions. I told the girls that we had to "Trust the Lord in this decision the same way that we had to trust Him in home schooling...one did not require anymore faith or trust than the other." God has been good to us.

So, as I laid in bed that night, I thought, "It's not the way I wanted it to end." I did not want this illness to decide anything for me. But it did. I haven't had to "give in to it" very much so far...but for now, I am. Who knows what the future holds? I do not...and I am ok with that. For now, I find rest in knowing that my life will take many turns and stops along the way. I am along for the ride. I can either choose to become pouty and bitter or thankful and humble. I want to be the latter.

Good Times

Last night We had the privilege of getting together with Craig. I have kept up with Craig, however, Jason had not seen him in about 10 years. We had such a great time eating, laughing and being together. Thanks Craig for stopping by on your way through.

Pic : My husband, Greg, Amanda & her husband, Jason, & Craig.

What I'm Reading...

Great Blog from Doug Wilson

Speaking for Idaho, We Don't Mind
Topic: Education

Well, it looks as though the state of California has, for all intents and purposes, outlawed homeschooling. I was reading the comments for a post on this over at Justin Taylor's blog, and it appears that some commenters want to deny the obvious -- saying, for example, that this only disallows homeschooling when the parents don't have teaching certificates. Right.

Others say that some homeschoolers don't do an adequate job, and so it is in the state's interests to ensure that they do. Let me first grant the initial point, which is that some homeschoolers don't do an adequate job. How is that an argument for bringing in "quality control" from the king of all educational inadequate jobs -- the state? And having granted the initial point, let me propose a little contest -- let us compare SAT scores of all homeschooled California seniors and government school California seniors. Whoever loses has to be regulated by the other entity. If the homeschoolers lose, then the new law stands. If the government school loses, then we turn over the California Department of Education to a select committee of homeschooling moms. Ask them to fix it, or throw it away if it is beyond repair.

Having said this, let me make a comment on what this measure actually means. This is not really about the future of education in California, or even about the future of a lack of education in California. What this is is a government-mandated relocation program. California has determined that they have not yet gotten their massive drain of brains, industry, and thrift up to acceptable levels, and they want to do everything they can to get the kind of family most likely to be affected by this -- patriotic, committed to family, hard-working, and so on -- to think seriously about moving to another state. What oppressive taxation couldn't do, what massive, uncontrolled immigration didn't do, we will now accomplish by means of education harassment. Speaking for the Christians of Idaho, we don't mind. Over the years, we have already gotten more than our share of this kind of family moving here to contribute to our church and school. Reasons for moving? "I had to get my family the heck out of California."

TEXANS...

GET OUT AND VOTE!!!

On a lighter note...this was Zoe's first time to get to play in the "snow"...not much if you live in Colorado or Tennessee...but for Texas - well, it's a big deal!

I love this!

My brother told me about this and I love it.

Ellie turns 6.

Ellie & Lillie at Ellie's February Luau.

I am still here.

I am thinking. I have had no time to blog recently. I have been trying to stay on top of homeschooling, cleaning out and organizing my house and writing a little. I have been trying to spend a lot more time with the girls reading. I have been researching new floors for our house, we are adding a bath tub and shower to our half bath...in a while...so i have been looking into that...and I have been traveling.

When I say "traveling" I am not referring to Cabo or Maine...just a quick trip to St. Louise. I, my friend Lee Ann, and my friend Diane, all flew up on Monday and returned on Tuesday. Our friend's father passed away this past week end and we went to attend the wake and the funeral. I am so thankful that we got to be there and be a part of this important time. (For the record, I am glad that we made it home alive...because our flight home was traumatic.) Life is fragile. There is a very real sense in which "growing up means saying goodbye". It is a sad, sad "thing" to have to do. I will never get over it. Her dad died of lung cancer. He was a strong man, artistic, athletic and outgoing. He had very real interactions with people. His mail man showed up at the wake with his arms full of pizzas for the family. Many people stood in line to share words of praise, gratitude and sweet memories with the family. It made me want to live more thoughtfully. I left wanting to really listen to people and truly interact with them more...not just have a pacifying conversation. Death interrupts everything. It re-orients the lives of those who are still living. It demands your attention.

I was so glad to touch my family again, give them hugs & kisses and hear them argue with one another. After Greg picked me up from the airport, we ended our evening by wrestling with the 4 kiddos at On The Border. I was not pre-occupied with all of the things that I needed to get done, or bothered by the busyness that always accompanies us to the dinner table. It was sweet and I was thankful for life.

Thank You Dr. King

Preparing for next year.

It is a little difficult to start preparing for next year when we are just beginning this semester. However, the time has come. My friend, Kristen, who is in San Francisco, has decided to home school Judah. She has introduced me to some resources over the past couple of days that I am going to use next year...and I am beginning to use some of them tomorrow.

She told me about this book and I have loved it. I am really into other people's experiences. This book takes an inventory of 21 homeschooling families and their reasons for home educating. It is really interesting and helpful. Each family gives their curriculum choices, their best & worst advice and their daily schedule. I got this for $ .69 on Amazon.com. It is great and really fun to read.

This is a book that I looked at before I started homeschooling. It has been a great help this year. The thing that has really helped though is this : www.coreknowledge.org. Kristen told me about this TODAY and I have told three people about it in an hour. All of his (Hirsch) teaching resources are available and free to download and use on this site. I AM IN LOVE. This will be a great resource.

I also found this. These lessons are free and easy to download. They link you to Amazon where I bought 4 of the books for a penny each.


I think that I am switching to Saxon Math this next year. (1st and 3rd) I have not been pleased with my current Math choice. I am not very good at Math so I really need a scripted teaching guide. Maybe I'll learn at the same time. (I know that calmed everyone's fear concerning my ability to home educate my children!) I have heard good things and bad things about this curriculum. We'll see.

I hope to post this week on our schedule, the best & worst advice that I have been given and my favorites concerning homeschooling.

P.S. - On a personal note, if any of my friends, whose children attend a school, have a problem with being "out of school for MLK Jr. Day"...please, PLEASE, do not say something like this to me: "I can't believe that they get out for that and not for Veteran's Day...I mean, Veteran's Day effects everyone." Please...don't say that.

The holidays are done !