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!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, January 4, 2008
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