Oh my goodness.
I love the summer and the heat, but- not without air conditioning. My house is an oven!!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
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).
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).
Sunday, June 8, 2008
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.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
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?
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?
Thursday, May 29, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
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*
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*
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