Charlie thinks he's Super Man

My dog Charlie has a death wish, or perhaps he thinks he is invincible. As of today, he has taken no less than 4 emergency trips to the vet because of something he ate. My husband is at the vet as I write to have his stomach pumped. And, let me tell you, it's not cheap either. I have no idea what that dog finds to eat in the back yard, but it's getting pretty darn expensive to keep this dog alive!!

Our 10th Anniversary

Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary. I can honestly say that our marriage is a happy one with mutual love and respect. He is everything I always knew I wanted and everything I didn't even know I needed.

Last night, over a very romantic dinner, we decided that we have such a great marriage because we are both lazy and neither of us wants to lead the other on anything, so there is no animosity or power struggle. We just live in blissful laziness where nothing gets done and no one blames the other.
We both love the idea of adventure, but we are too lazy to go about the task of finding it. We like to try new things, but can't ever make up our minds about what to try when the opportunity arises. So we stick to what we know.

But that's not what I am here to tell you.

What I wanted to tell you is that he gave me a new laptop for my gift (I feel really bad because all I got him is a panini press). The excitement about the laptop is due to the fact that it has Windows Vista. I have never been allowed to have Windows on my computer because of the animosity my husband harbors in his breast towards Microsoft. I believe I have written a post about that very subject a while ago.

He darkly warned me that I will suffer the consequences of Windows and he would be glad to relieve me of such a burden when I felt the time had come. He is poised and realy to sweep my new laptop clean of Microsoft and install the so-very-holy Linux (or whatever open source operating system he chooses). Rest assured I will guard my new computer carefully and will suspiciously question him any time he hovers around it for any length of time.

(My desire for Windows arises from the fact that all homeschool software and educational games for the kids need Windows to run- I have suffered many make-shift solutions that my husband has contrived for my benefit. They never work like he thinks they will.)

The 7 Deadly Mistakes of Homeschooling

Recently, I was at a homeschool support meeting, and the speaker (Lorrie Flem- TEACH Magazine ) was a homeschool mom with 8 children. In her talk, she gave us a list 7 deadly homeschool mistakes, and I wanted to share them with you.
If you want to ensure the failure of your homeschool, do one or more of the following:

1. Do public school at home
2. Make sure you have no vision (make no goals and do not look ahead to the
future)
3.Do not commit yourself to homeschooling
4. Lack support (do not look for it, or join in supporting others)
5. Think that you have already arrived and do not need to aquire any more knowledge.
6. Organize your homeschool around everything else you do in your life (don't make it THE priority of you days).
7. Fail to recognise what homeschooling is. (Homeschooling is sucessful if you make your children a little more like Jesus every day.)

I was "tagged"

My dear friends Terri and Bree tagged me. But, since I only read political blogs, (besides theirs), I will not be tagging 7 others. Somehow, I don't think anyone at Power Line wants to be tagged ;-)

First, the rules:
Link the tagger and these rules on your blog. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a message on their blog.

Ok, here is 7 random facts about me that you might not already know.

1. I have not cried in more than 3 years. Not even when I moved away from Virginia Beach. I have a very cold heart, I know... My husband has only seen me cry 2 times in our whole 12 year relationship.

2. Since June, I have read 37 novels by Georgette Heyer, 3 by Jane Austen, and a few other non-fiction books.

3. I have lost and regained 20-30 lbs three times in the last several years.

4. I read the last 2 pages of a book before I read the rest.

5. I dislike scary or suspenseful movies. I also refuse to watch a movie in which animals or children are hurt or abused. (Particularly animals).

6. I have watched all 5 seasons of Alias three times. Yes, I own it.

7. I can't go to sleep unless the sheets are tucked into the foot of the bed and the covers are straight and smooth.

Here are the links to my 2 dear friends blogs: Bree Terri

Homeschooling

We are into our third week of school and I have to say, I am surprised at how well we are getting on! Please don't let that lead you to suspect that I had any dreadful ideas of how things were going to be. I am just happy that we have fallen into such a comfortable schedule and do not have to many pressing obligations.

Here is the worst of it:
The 4th grader has forgotten just about everything I so carefully taught him last year. It seems that there was a leak in his brain that I discovered to late, and I can only be thankful that things are not worse. He still remembers how to read and print letters. The same cannot be said for spelling words, or adding or multiplying sums (to name a few offenses). This discovery came with a bit of frustration but I have been able to recover tolerably well. I immediately launched a full scale assault with a battle strategy that is guaranteed to succeed. Simply put- we don't move on until we have recovered lost data. It so happened that we had not quite finished some of our books from last year- namely math and grammar. So we have spent the past 3 weeks picking up where we left off, but with a slight regression in math. We have now come to the point where we are ready to proceed to the 4th grade level books. Yay!

This is a post in which I ramble about homeschool software and my husband's Microsoft predjuice

This year, instead of using a regular lesson plan book, I am trying out a free online planner. Here is the link. It takes awhile to set everything up, but the initial time investment is worth it.

I never plan out more than 2 weeks at a time- it overwhelms me and leaves no room for my impulsive nature. But, to have the subjects in front of me every day keeps me accountable and on track.

My brilliant husband found the website when I told him I wanted to use homeschool planning software this year. He devoted hours and hours to finding me just what I wanted- but since he can't bring himself to let me have Windows on my computer (we are a Lenix -open source- family) all available software is out of the question-- it all runs on Windows. He complained loudly about this and even threatned to write an application for me to use. I find it amusing and ironic that all of my friends' husbands work for Microsoft- that evil empire. They laugh at me because of my husband's predjuice. JP is forced to use Microsoft at work, but no earthly powers can prevail on him to bring it into his house.

He convinced me that an online application is better anyways- my computer is old and prone to crashes. I will lose everything if it dies. Plus, I am getting a Mac next, and wouldn't be able to move the software over (don't get me started on those virtual Windows boxes).

Subjects for next year.

I tried talking the kids into cutting their summer short and starting school early this year. Imagine my surprise when this was met with choking and gasping noises.

I couldn't even win them over to my point of view when I explained that the earlier we started, the earlier we could stop. Oh Well. As of now, we will start September 1st. They don't know that I shaved off a week of summer (we were going to start on the 8th). Please don't tell them.

Next week I will commence planning lessons and plotting courses. I would love to hear your ideas and plans.

Here are the subjects we will cover this year:


4th Grade Son:

Bible- Read children's version of Bible
Latin- Latina Christiana
Grammar- God's Gift of Language A (Abeka)
Writing- Writing Strands level 3-4
Spelling- Spelling Workout
Penmanship- copywork, dictation
Reading- 60 minutes a day (30 history related, 30 fiction)
History- Story of the World, vol 3
Math- Math U See (Delta level)
Science (physics)- Science in a Nutshell kits
Art- I Can Do All Things (How Great Thou Art)
Music- Continue second year of piano lessons, study classical composers and their music.
Memory Work- Various poems, scriptures, speeches (determined by our history study.)




1st Grade Daughter:

Bible- Children's version of Bible
Latin- Prima Latina
Grammar- First Language Lessons
Phonics/Spelling- Phonics Pathways, Explode the Code
Penmanship- Handwriting Without Tears
Math- Math U See (Alpha level)
Art- I Can Do All Things (How Great Thou Art)
Music- Piano lessons and study of classical composers and music
History- A Child's History of the World (Calvert School)
Memory Work- Poems, Scriptures, other stuff...

It's official- I am homeschooling this year. I just mailed in my Declaration of Intent to Provide Home Based Instruction.

I am becoming mildly excited about the upcoming school year. All of our curriculum is tucked away, but when I am ready to get it out and start planning, I will become unbearable. Look out!

This year we will only be doing piano lessons- both kids will be taking piano. And perhaps a sport. We need to be academically focused this year, so no co-ops and MOPS groups.

My intended start date is Sept. 8, although I haven't nailed that down yet.

It's early, I know. But my favorite part of homeschooling is the planning!

So the other night, we are playing a golf game on the Wii with the kids. My 9 year old son was busy giving directions to the rest of us, (even though he has the lower score). It was my husband's turn, and he was practicing his swing.

All of a sudden my son yelled, "Come on Dad! Spank it like it lied to you!"

I laughed so hard that I cried, and it has become a catch-phrase in our house.

He may be mad, but there's method in his madness. There nearly always is method in madness. It's what drives men mad, being methodical.
- GK Chesterton

I am so hot!! (No, I mean literally- hot)

Oh my goodness.
I love the summer and the heat, but- not without air conditioning. My house is an oven!!

Great resources!

Last weekend I went to the home school convention, and some of the speakers I heard were Susan Wise Bauer (The Well Trained Mind) and Andrew Pudewa (Institute for Excellence in Writing). They were both amazing speakers and were a source of motivation and inspiration for all who attended their workshops.
I noticed, upon exploring Mr. Pudewa's website that he has downloads available that cover the same topics that I heard him speak on. The downloads are only $3 and are very much worth it. The ones I heard
(I have not listened to the downloads yet) were the following:
Freedomship Education Paradigm Audio Download

Nurturing Competent Communicators Audio Download

Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day Audio Download

There was one other workship called "The Four Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing. This may be the same thing:

Teaching and Evaluating Writing Audio Download



If you only choose one, I reccomend the Freedomship one (the first one linked).

10 Ways to survive dull sermons...

This will make Sunday more interesting

1. Pass a note to the worship leader asking whether he or she plays requests.

2. Move to as many different seats as possible, without being too obvious.

3. Raise your hand and ask for permission to go to the bathroom.

4. Scratch you arm and shoulder and see how many other people you can make itch.

5. Stare at the preacher with your eyes wide open.

6. See if a yawn really is contagious.

7. Slap your neighbor and see if they turn the other cheek. If not, raise your hand and tell the usher.

8. Signal to the minister that his fly is undone.

9. Draw your arms up into your sleeves and turn your shirt around backwards.

10. Start from the back of the church and try to crawl all the way to the front, under the pews, without being noticed.

Yay! The 2007-2008 school year is over!

I am trying to decide if I am happy or sad. Today was the last day of the kid's scouting program that we go to on Wed. nights. Tuesday was the last MOPS meeting, and we also finished our homeschool co-op today.

It has been such a busy year, and now that it's over, (even though I'm relieved)
I feel the urge to go and fill up our schedule again!

I already have the kids signed up for a couple of Vacation Bible Schools in our area. I have scheduled playdates and decided to keep the little girl in gymnastics for the summer.
I have the kids signed up for 2 summer reading programs, scheduled "movie playdates" with friends ( we are going to see the free ones at Regal), and have a variety of house projects in mind.

I just can't stop! I have a compulsive urge to be busy- even though I get overwhelmed! What's wrong with me?

My Battle With My Bulge...

A friend of a friend started an 8 week weight loss contest- which I happily joined. I don't really expect to win ( the pot is $650 for first place!) but I like the motivation.

The problem is that I am not as motivated now as I was that first week (this is week 3). In fact, I GAINED last week. I attribute my weight gain to stress and hormones, but the truth is- I Just Don't Wanna Do It!! I want to eat the chips and pizza. I don't want to get my butt off the couch to exercise. I am a stubborn and lazy lady!

I lost a bunch of lbs. with Weight Watchers- and that works out well for me, but I have hit a plateau, and I am finding it difficult to rally my mind and body to finish this thing. I ended my membership to W.W to save money, and I also canceled my gym membership- both of those were necessary for me to lose the weight in the first place, and now I am floundering.

My family and I are in a season of sacrifice, and I know this is what God has called us to. But I feel like a complete failure because I am dependent on those memberships to lose weight. I also feel like my focus is split 100 different ways and I just can't get my attention trained on one thing.

Maybe this is a season of maintenance ( as in NOT GAINING, but not losing) and I should wait for the season of losing to return.

What ever it is, I take comfort in the fact that God will let me into heaven whether I weigh 100 or 1000 lbs. He loves me just the same.

End-of-year celebrations!

May I make one humble suggestion to my homeschool friends? Actually, this could quite easily apply to public and private schoolers too. (If you haven't thought of this already.)

Don't let your school year come to an end with a fizzle. What I mean is don't just let the days of schoolwork fade into days of summer. Go out with a bang! Figure out an official day to end the school year and do something big to commemorate all your child's hard work. Have a party with friends, have a special dinner, buy them a gift---- just do something.

I think kids need closure just as much as we do. We can give them that by some type of fun event that they can remember.

Last year, my family and I went to the Oregon coast for the weekend to celebrate the end of the school year. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to go away on vacation after a hard school year! On the drive down, we praised each child for all their accomplishments that year and informed them that they were now moving on to the next grade. They were so proud and very thrilled!

Another year we had a party with other homeschooled friends to celebrate the end of the school year. That was lots of fun, too.

One year we bought the kids special gifts as "graduation" presents and took them out to dinner.

It's not the event that matters so much- it's the observation of the child's hard work through out the year and the initiation into the higher level of schooling.

Ever had a day like that?

I'm in the shower this morning, enjoying a few minutes of peace before the storm of the day begins.

Knock, Knock!

(*sigh)
"Who is it?"

It's my son- "Mom, can I have some gum?"

"No! Please close the door and let me finish my shower."

Knock, Knock!

(*exasperated sigh)

9 year old son again, " Mom, I thought I had more gold coins than this" He sticks his hand in the door and shakes a bag of plastic coins. "Do you know where the rest are?"

"Close the door and let me finish my shower!!"

Knock, Knock!

(*no longer sighing, but whimpering a little)

Son, "Mom, may I play on the Wii?"

"If you don't leave me alone...(followed by threats)"

I get out of the shower, and open the door. There is my son, sitting on my bed- waiting for me. And that was just the beginning of my day.

My 5 year old daughter repeated a similar ritual at bed time:
"Can I have a drink?"

"No, go to sleep."

"That light is too bright, will you turn it off?"

"Go to sleep."

"What are you eating in there? My foot hurts. I need to go potty"...

*sigh*

From my 9 year old, when asked to use his spelling word "station" in a sentence:

"My train of thought is still boarding at the station."

:-)

New blog address

I have decided to move my blog over to blogspot because I have become tired of pestering my poor husband every time I needed something fixed on the old blog. Muddy Pause continues, with a new web address. Hopefully you will find it easier to post comments and give feedback.

Testing

My dear son took his standardized test on Friday. He did really well!

I am relieved to have that over with. Next time, I will have him assessed and forget about the SAT thing. We did the assessment with a teacher last year and, to be honest, I feel like I got better feed-back. The teacher will tell you what grade level they are at for each test area. The standardized test will only give you scores compared to the rest of the kids in the country (percentile rank and stanine score).

So, forward and ahead! We are moving on.
Our school year ends on May 30. We have 3 weeks to finish up some curriculum.