Springtime

This year we had wanted to do things a little differently. We don't celebrate a secular "easter" but once again, want to keep everything focused on Christ. On the other hand, we hate to have the kids miss out on some of the fun secular activities. We took Shannons idea this year and while we intended to make it bigger, life's unfortunate circumstances got in the way for at least the next couple days. Hopefully I will be able to get more organized that way we can do more "springtime" activities this coming weekend (after all the nasty rain!) At any rate, here is a pic coloring some of their "springtime" eggs :)

For other neat ideas check out Shannon at http://www.rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/

Short funny...

Thanks to Myfriendconnie for this one!

1. Go to Google
2. Type in "find chuck norris" (Without the quotes)
3. Click on "I'm feeling lucky"

Spdk-Spdk- huh?

Today we had a pitch in at our congregation (I needed that fellowship time!). We brought in a whole big plate of Baked Ziti....in Maddies terms...it was just "funny spaghetti." Tonight I went to serve it up for dinner...and the kids could eat as soon as they picked up their toys. Noah was eating (surprise lol), Katharine was eating, and then along comes Maddie...she asked me"Can I have something to eat?" I said "Sure! G ask your dad to fix a plate of spaghetti for you." She walks over to Kyle and says "can I have some Spdk-......Spdk-....sdpk...sdpk....ummm ..........Pasta?" LOL Gatta love that kid!

Please remember us in prayer

Over the last week or so we have had some extremely serious decisions to make over a situation involving someone in our family. As we have been praying for this decision Satan has really hit us hard and is hitting us where he knows it could effect us. The past 4 days have been tears on and off but today has been especially hard. Please keep Kyle and myself in your prayers.

It's YOUR life!

My best friend Lori has asked "What do you do in the course of your day?" Well hum...now that depends on the day. Right now we are on break so our day consists of sleeping in except when we have therapies to go to and errands to run. However, I am trying to get a new schedule together for our group being as we will be starting a new school year in another month. Here is what things will look like....

Being as Kyle will of started his new job before our new school year, his hours will be different. This will be a huge blessing to us! I always try to make sure the kids schooling is completed and the house does not look like a tornado ran through it , doesn't look like I sat on the couch and ate bons bons all day, doesn't resemble anything like the houses you see on "How Clean is Your House" um...looks clean. So now Kyle will be leaving at 7:30 instead of 6:30, and be home at 4:45 instead of 3:45. I will be up at 6:30 to get in an hour of Bible study before getting the kids up at 7:30. They will have from 7:30-8:30 to get their chores done. At 8:30 we will have breakfast. At 9 the kiddos will be doing their after breakfast chores, brushing teeth, doing hair etc. At 9:30 we will sit down for Bible and memory work. From 10-11 is math time. I am not sure how this will work as I will have 3 doing Math U see next year. Hopefully an hour will give me enough time to get everyone started and working on their own...well except Maddie :) One good things about the kids getting older is that they are able to take more control over their schooling i.e. they don't have to wait for me to give them instructions as they can now read what to do on their own. From 11-12 will be Language Arts time. Once again, Katharine is getting pretty independent so While she is working on hers ( Learning Language Arts Through Literature Yellow Book )and I am asking her questions she will be able to move pretty quickly...or at least more independently. Noah's work will be pretty repetitive ( we will be using Rod and Staff 1st)so I am sure that I will be able to work with him and sis at the same time. At noon I will work with Maddie 3 days a week (probably about 30 minutes). The other 2 days a week we will be working on "Mystery of History." After this will be my work out time (from 12:30-1:15). After that is lunch and reading time. I like to have about an hour after lunch (say from 2-3) where we can sit and have some quiet time. From 3-4 we will be working on Konos.....hopefully there will be many days where the schedule will just fly and that it wont take nearly that long lol. And lets not forget that we have days with speech therapy from 8-8:30 (gross) and Occupational Therapy from Whatever day and time we can get in to whatever day and time we can get in. In these cases throw out the schedule completely and hope that we can all survive an interruption in schedule.



If we aren't doing school, then we are meeting with the church (at least 3 times a week, sometimes 4-6 depending on Bible studies). I don't know what I would do without my church family. They are such a pillar of encouragement for us!



The kids are also involved in several activities....if its not the three of them involved in dance, it is Noah in football or wrestling, or Katharine in girl scouts. Before long we are going to be looking at 2 of them in baseball, one in soccer, and swimming lessons! *whew* can anyone help me to remember all that???? Actually, I wouldn't have it any other way...except for to maybe split me into 3 people so I can actually manage to get all of that done! I am certainly not looking forward to a fall schedule where *someone* in our family (not me- I would be performing in Fantasia....you know...the hippos with pink Tu Tu's??) is wanting to dance in The Nutcracker.



Sometime between all of this Laundry is somehow getting done as well as the house cleaning...hence the reason I tend to break all kinds of Child Labor Laws.....

Free time...um yeah....well In my free time I love talking on the phone with Lori ,reading all I can about Sensory issues, absorbing books by Elizabeth George, and um...paying bills?? lol

Actually I can add on that I too love to take photos....especially of my family. I have taken a few of Kyle, Katharine, Noah, and Maddie.....

What happens at your house to the 1st one to go to sleep???

This is what happens at ours

Note the look of evil on my oldest daughters face.....

Oh kyle, you are so beautiful....those barrettes are just your color...

Kefir update

Well here it is...the Kefir update. My Kefir is growing nicely and I have already made 3 batches....1 was made into sour cream, the next was made for drinking/smoothies, and the last will be made into a yummy type of cream cheese tomorrow. For those of you who have never tried it....the best way for me to describe it is like "buttermilk." Of course, thats not exactly what it is, but as far as taste is concerned...thats about as close as I can describe it. I thought ug....the kids are NOT going to drink this at all...I could barely get a spoonful down (alone at least...I am NOT a fan of just drinking buttermilk). So after the kids tasted it the other day in the sour cream I made, I offered them a taste and they LOVED IT. My oldest has started asking for it! She had a glass tonight as a matter of fact before she got in the shower......ok then there is me........I tried...I really did......but drinking it by itself was just not going to fly lol. So I got out the old Cranberry/Grape juice and mixed it 1/2 and 1/2. You know what?? It was pretty good! It was almost like a thick grape juice. So maybe that is the new definition of a "purple cow" LOL. I am on the lookout for other ways to hide the kefir from myself (yeah and I thought I would have a hard time getting the kids to drink it!). But as I said before, I was able to put it in baking items and boy did it give them a wonderful flavor. Tomorrow we are going to try some smoothies with the Kefir, strawberries, blueberries, and a bit of stevia. If I had some pineapple I would add that too as it sounds delicious! Oh well....until next time :)

Call me Bettie.......Bettie Crocker

Yep...things are turning out to be like "Suzie homemaker" over here. Guess what I got this past weekend???? Yep...my Kefir grains! I came right home on Saturday and tossed in some milk and let them sit for about 24 hours.....then I separated the whey, used the whey to make some yummy biscuits and then you know what was left??? After letting it sit for a couple hours we have sour cream. Yummy!

The interview is set!

Kyle got his call yesterday for an interview! He will go in Tuesday at 10:30 am (so be praying!)He has the last interview of the day and his brother has said that is a good thing!
p>

Since Lori Asked........

Lori asked...what do you watch on tv? So we thought we would share.....some of my kids favorites are :

Little House on the Prairie-Katharine and Maddie absolutely adore Laura. When Katharine was in K we did an entire unit study on Laura and plan to do one when Katharine reaches 5th grade...all 3 kiddos will be able to do it then! Although Katharine has read through almost all of the little house books (She is only in 2nd grade..watch me beam :p).

The kids don't exactly have THAT much time to watch TV, we usually turn on Little house around 4 ish, but with school in the am, rest time, then its time for dinner, off to the evening activity, and then hopefully be in bed by 8:30-9-that doesn't exactly give them that much "viewing time." However, when we are able to go on break the kids (especially Katharine) absolutely LOVE "I Love Lucy."

It's raining, It's pouring........

yep it's a raining....and a pouring....and a flooding....We have a creek behind our property (we have close to 2 acres) that runs beyond a a small settling of trees. We normally can not see the creek from our house, but today we sure can. The creek is running so high and hard it is not staying within the creek bed...it is running in our backyard too! The only thing I can say is at least this is not like the flood we had back in 1997! Check out some pics and story about that here.

He did it!!!!!

Well......we have one kiddo who will pull her tooth out at the first sign of it being loose. She floors us by walking out of her bed at night, all nasty and bloody, tooth in hand. She just can't stand having that loose tooth inside her mouth! Then there is Noah.......This is the kid who refuses to touch a loose tooth. He refuses to wiggle it, touch it, think about it etc. As a matter of fact, when his bottom teeth were loose they "firmed up" after a while and the grown up teeth grew in giving him 4 teeth on the bottom! I was begging him to not let that happen this time. So, we did anything a rational parent would do....we bribed him. Yep you read that right....we bribed him with a Transformer. This transformer has been sitting on top of our fridge for about 6 weeks now. At first he was wiggling all the time....then it died off a bit. I told him that if he didn't get to work on that tooth then the transformer would have to go back *sigh*....

Then suddenly.............................................we are on our way home from therapy when I hear moaning a groaning from the back seat...I said "what are ya'll doin?????" Katharine (the future gruesome anatomy professor) says "He is pulling his tooth out!!!!!!" To which I replied with a "cool!!!!" I look in my rear view mirror and the boy has let go of his tooth but it is sitting in that hanging-by- a- thread-help-I-am-sideways position. Katharine goes "Ugh Noah just pull it out of there!" (she gets her lack of tact from my side of the family). Before you know it...

POP! I was out of there and the little mad was admiring his tooth. I heard him giggle a bit from the back seat and say "Boy, I am so proud of myself" LOL I am too little bud I am too.... So yes..my WFMW is to bribe your children :) It works for me so maybe it will work for you :) For other WFMW check out shannons blog...

No Kefir grains :(...and I'm a dorkfish

I was really excited to get started making some kefir this week. A friend of mine was supposed to bring them to the homeschool meeting last night and she forgot:( Oh well....gives me more time to do some research.



Homeschool meeting went well last night, although I realize I am not cut out for that job in leadership. I can sit back, do all the behind the scenes work (i.e. making copies, set up play dates, presentations, coming up with idea) but verbally LEADING a meeting is just not my cup of tea...when nothing is being said I HATE being the one that everyone stares at....I know I saw tumbleweeds float across the room a couple times last night. I even opened with prayer and it did even make sense!!!! Has that ever happened to you???? I was so nervous it was like I forgot how to pray! lol I am SUCH a DORK(fish).



The topic for last night was keeping school/life fun. So the one who is LEADING the meeting should have ideas right? NOTHING! I have NOTHING! "Yeah well, I came here tonight to hear everyone else's idea cause we are the most boring people in the world." Yeah ok..that's about how it went. ...

Our weekend was great!

Every year our Ladies weekend gets better and better and better. This was the 8th annual Ladies advance put on by the Bellevue Church of Christ and I have been able to go to every single one of them! The teaching was wonderful, and I can't wait to get a copy of the lessons so I can go over them, and over them, and over them.


Then lets add on that not only are the lessons great, but so are the friends :) I know that when I head into this event that sleep is basically non existent. For the most part, the majority of these ladies I see in person maybe twice a year. After the kiddos are put to bed, it is our time to talk and get to know one another, and of course just get absolutely silly :). I was able to meet and get to know several new women whose stories inspire me. Then as we were looking for friends from the past, we were discovering that some of them are no longer part of the church...too sad....


One person I ALWAYS look forward to meeting up with is Iana Smith. We get to talk quite a bit on IM and occasionally by phone, but it is always such a blessing to see each other. The last couple years I have been honored to sign a song while she sings it (and boy does she have a VOICE!) This year we did the song "East to West" by Casting Crowns. Here is a pic.....(in the voice of the wizard from the wizard of Oz) *Pay no attention to the weight of the woman on the left* lol (ok seeing these pics is reminding me just how bad I need to get back on track)

I also has the blessing of signing a song with my girl Katharine...I was so excited...I was just *busting* with tears of joy (yes literally) when she was finished :) We signed the song "Everlasting God" By Lincoln Brewster. I stood with her for most of the song but at the end there is a scripture reading by a child. This was Katharine's part to do all by herself. I had to walk off stage to kneel in front and "mirror" sign it in case she was signing and got lost. This way she would have someone to look at to try and figure out what she is supposed to be signing. I am so proud of her, I don't even think she looked at me once! Here is a pic of her on stage all by her lonesome:). Needless to say my daughter got a standing ovation. I don't think she knew what to do lol

All in all it was a great weekend.....now I have the rest of the week to catch up on sleep LOL

Last post for a while.....

Well we all have a pretty big weekend ahead of us! Tomorrow myself and the girls along with my sister, niece, and friend Jean are all heading up to Angola for a Ladies Advance. This is a special thing for all of us every year, and the girls and I get especially excited to spend some "girl time" together and interact with Christians our own age, that have kids the same age (not something we have at our local congregation....we have one other family with kids ). It is going to be a 4 hour drive up tomorrow and then back early Sunday morning. We have a guest speaker at our congregation this weekend so we are trying to come back and hear at least 1/2 of what he has to say. The girls will be thrown in the car around 6 on Sunday to drive back and hopefully be back by 10:30. If we aren't, I am not too worried as Dick will preach for at least an hour lol. I am sure I will get to hear at least part of it:)



On the flip side, this is the "boys" weekend out too. Every year Kyle takes the day off on Friday and takes Noah somewhere. In the past they have visited the Children's museum in Indy, the Science center in Louisville, and this year it looks like they are headed to The Newport Aquarium. Noah doesn't yet know where they are going, and we have been torturing him with it:) He is going to be so excited when his pap finally tells him where they are going!



I am going to miss my boys terribly :( I know they are going to have a great time though :)



Pray for all of us as we will ALL be traveling on the roads tomorrow, and also pray as Katharine and I are signing a song together......pray that when she gets up on stage she does not FREAK OUT at being in front of so many people....When she told her therapist about it today Julie approached me and told me to make sure just before she performs to go out and do some extra exercises to help keep her focused! OK...now I am nervous........

Pray!!!!

Kyle's father worked for years (until retirement) at the Madison State Hospital as Foreman (plumbing/Welding???). Just after Kyle's father retired they hired someone new and Kyle has said to his brother (who is an electrical Foreman I believe) at the state hospital "If this guy ever leaves let me know as I am interested in the job." This has been a year and 1/2 and my BIL called Tuesday to say this guy was fired and that they will be looking to fill the position. My BIL has been really talking Kyle up for the past 1 1/2 years "just in case." As a matter of fact, Kyles father was VERY well liked, and VERY well respected for the person that he is and the job that he does. BIL has told everyone that Kyle is a replica of his dad and if you are wanting someone good, he would be perfect for the position. Needless to say the people on the hiring board are well are of the family, and Kyle and what his capabilities are.



When Kyle came home the other day after talking with his brother, he told me that it is only a 37 1/2 hour work week instead of a 40. One thing we can NOT do is cut back on our income. Right now there is NO possible way that we can cut anything back. All of the income of state jobs are posted on the net so we got to searching.....we knew what Kyle makes at Meese with no overtime (overtime is rare anyway, nothing you can count on) and there was no possible way we could go less than that...make it a 37 1/2 hour work week instead of a 40 and we could be cut back by quite a bit every month. We finally found the site and they didn't post hourly wage, but a yearly.....did you know the yearly wage was EXACTLY the same as what kyle makes in a year with no OT??? And that was the MINIMUM! There is always hope for a little more being as he has experience out the wazoo.



The benefits are MUCH better...the ins is the same, but they have the added benefit of dental/orthodontic (we currently have none). Not to mention since it is a state job, if the president gets a wort on his butt they call it a national holiday-off with pay :)



You have to fill out your application online and he did it last night.....it took an hour and 1/2......



His brother has said that all he really had to do was apply as a "formality".... I just pray that is comes through! This would be so much less stress for him (still stressful but his work environment would be different and that is exactly what he needs).

If I was an Israelite, I would need a chart....

Every time I read about the tabernacle, I just wonder how they remembered all of these rules. I seriously would need a chart. Bulls, goats, male female, sprinkle here, sprinkle there, remove fat...the list goes on and on. "Ok today is Monday and I broke out the old bronze idol last night....stupid stupid me. Ok Look down the list.....look down the list..........I am still looking....Ok here we are......now is this intentional or unintentional??? Ok I admit..intentional....let me find that on this chart. OK found it....looks like today is goat! YES! Not quite as big as the bull...but um now male or female..." Ok you all realize I could go on and on. Every time I go through this my mind SPINS at how it had to be built and how everything had to be facing a certain way, set up a certain way, and by certain people. My mind SWIMS by reading it....I couldn't even imagine trying to implement any of it. Then lets talk about the blood shall we???? Can you imagine how busy this place would of been???? Then to read about the slaughter, removing organs, removing fat, sprinkling blood in certain places etc...I know I would NEVER get it right..

Another homeschool article...

Criminalizing Home Schoolers

By KRISTIN KLOBERDANZ/MODESTO Sat Mar 8, 9:45 AM ET
Parents of the approximately 200,000 home-schooled children in California are reeling from the possibility that they may have to shutter their classrooms - and go back to school themselves - if they want to continue teaching their own kids. On Feb. 28, Judge H. Walter Croskey of the Second District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles ruled that children ages six to 18 may be taught only by credentialed teachers in public or private schools - or at home by Mom and Dad, but only if they have a teaching degree. Citing state law that goes back to the early 1950s, Croskey declared that "California courts have held that under provisions in the Education Code, parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children." Furthermore, the judge wrote, if instructors teach without credentials they will be subject to criminal action.
This news raised a furor among home schooling advocates, including government officials. "Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement today. "Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will." "It's kind of scary," says Julie Beth Lamb, an Oakdale, California, parent who, with no teaching credentials, has taught her four children for 15 years. "If that ruling is held up, this would make us one of the most restrictive states in the nation."
The debacle originated with a suit over child abuse. One of the eight children of Philip and Mary Long, a Los Angeles couple, had filed a complaint of abuse and neglect with the L.A. Department of Children and Family Services. The agency determined that the Long children were being home schooled, taught by their uncredentialed mother while officially enrolled in independent study at Sunland Christian School. The DCFS then turned to the courts to mandate that the children attend public school so that teachers might spot evidence of abuse (a charge the parents deny). A juvenile court, however, determined that the Longs had a constitutional right to home school their children. The DCFS appealed and the case landed in Croskey's appellate court.
For years, the state of California has allowed parents to home school as long as they file papers to create a private school and hire a tutor with credentials or if their child participates in an independent study program through a credentialed school. In evaluating the Long case, however, Judge Croskey found that state law forbade any home schooling that was not taught by a credentialed teacher and that what California had been allowing was, in his judicial opinion, illegal. In 1953, another appellate court ruled against home-schooling parents who didn't want to adhere to California's compulsory education laws, which require kids between six and 18 to attend a credentialed school. The current case is most likely to be appealed to California's Supreme Court.
"We weren't trying to change the law on home schooling," says Leslie Heimov of the Children's Law Center, which represents the Long children involved in the case. "The law is accurate - it hasn't changed since the 1950s." She says the Center does not even have an opinion on home schooling. They just wanted to do what was best for the children represented in the case.
The fact that this sweeping ruling has sprung from such an individualized case is what has most outraged home schooling advocates. "Public schools are not a solution to the problem of child abuse," says Leslie Buchanan, president of the HomeSchool Association of California. Jack O'Connell, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction - the equivalent of a department of education - now faces the potential crisis of dealing with tens of thousands of truants. Does he know what will happen next? "I honestly don't know," O'Connell says, adding that his department is reviewing the case. "There is some angst in the field." View this article on Time.com

Works for me Wednesday-Want to eat organic but can't afford it?

Ah...this is the issue we have been struggling with lately. I am trying to keep to a $50 weekly grocery budget for our family of 5...I have been on a wonderful health food site that is very encouraging. I have found some information that I would love to share with all of those who would love to eat more organically but have to pic and choose what they can afford to purchase.

Twelve "cleanest non-organic foods"
• Asparagus

• Avocados

• Bananas

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Corn (sweet) AVOID: Probably Genetically Modified

• Kiwi

• Mangos

• Onions

• Papaya

• Pineapples

• Peas (sweet)

We don't recommend basing your diet solely on this list, but it's a good healthy start towards meals that won't kill your appetite.Since the EWG reports that more than half of our total dietary risk from pesticides comes from just 12 foods:

Twelve "RISKIEST foods
• Apples

• Bell Peppers

• Celery

• Cherries

• Imported Grapes

• Nectarines

• Peaches

• Pears

• Potatoes

• Red Raspberries

• Spinach

• Strawberries

avoiding these foods for the most part, substituting from the clean list above, and eating organic and/or homegrown produce whenever possible can substantially cut down on your exposure to pesticides. When choosing foods from the above list, however, keep in mind that corn and sweet potatoes are among those foods most likely to have been genetically modified. When it comes to these two types of produce, consumers concerned about GM foods as well will definitely want to seek out organic alternatives to assure themselves of further safety.Sources: http://www.living-foods.com/articles/twelvelist.htmlhttp://www.ewg.org/

For more great tips check out Shannons blog!

Free makeup!! AGAIN!

If you have not heard of this deal yet from Walgreen's yet...GET IN GEAR!!!!! This week Walgreen's has their Jane brand of mineral makeup on sale BOGO. MOST of their products are $3.99. Top your BOGO with $2/1 coupons and you can really make out! Your deal should look like this...

Buy 2 items at $3.99
Since they are BOGO your total is $3.99 for both
use 2 $2/1 coupons ($4 total)
This makes them FREE!!!


For more great Deals check out Crystal and Money Saving Mom

To the movies we went!

We hardly ever take the kids to "the big theater" anymore as it is just WAY out of our budget, but we figure we can try maybe once or twice a year if there is something that they REALLY want to see...... well today was one of those days! The kids have been begging forever to see The Spiderwick Chronicles. We all loved it! I am so ready to read the book now....yeah I am funny like that...I do NOT want to read the book before I see the movie....the book is always better and the movie is just ruined lol. This way at least I can enjoy the movie and then read something that is even better!

Here we sit.....

in about 14 inches of snow.......We were in a state of emergency all morning so no one was allowed out on the roads except emergency vehicles. That really put a bummer in Kyles plans today as he and his dad were headed down to a swap meet (place to buy parts for old cars). He was really dissapointed as they were supposed to leave at around 8 am...but with the state of emergency it was "iffy" all day as to whether or not he could go. Today was also the only day he could go as this is something that travels so it was only going to be in Louisville for today and tomorrow. It closes at 3 on Sunday and being as we have church until aroun noon, then add on an hour drive there is NO way he would of had any time to look around and get what he needs (this thing is HUGE). Around noon he was finally able to head out so I am hoping that he can get what he needs. I know he would of been dissapointed if he couldnt of gone.

As for me on the other hand....I woke up in the middle of the night with a migraine..I HATE middle of the night headaches more than anything else...it seems as though they never want to go away. Kyle heard me crying in my sleep so he got me some pain meds and I went and laid on the couch and slept for a few more hours. I woke up and still had a little bit of a headache but by 10 am it was back in full swing so I was downing more pain meds. So after laying on the couch all day.........and trying (note TRYING) to nap this after noon I think I may be feeling a little bit better, although it wouldnt surprise me if I slept with the Lortab bottle next to my bed...UG IT is now almost 5 an I am finally feeling well enough for a shower...and I know the whole blogging world is shuddering at the thought of what I might look like right now.....

Parental rights under fire!

*this is important to all parents, not only homeschoolers. This is one step closer for the gov't to make decisions on what is best for YOUR children*


From HSLDA website:

Please Sign this Petition to Support Homeschool Freedom in California.

87,065 signatures so far! A California Court of Appeal recently decided that homeschooling is illegal in California unless a parent is a certified teacher.The case arose in a confidential juvenile court proceeding. The family was represented by court-appointed attorneys and HSLDA did not become aware of the case until the Court of Appeal case was published on February 28, 2008. The Court could have restricted its decision to the facts before it, but instead, it issued a broad ruling that effectively outlaws home education in California. The Court also certified its decision for publication, which means that the decision can now be cited as legal authority by all other courts in California.The family and their California counsel are planning to appeal to the Supreme Court of California, which could result in reversal. Another option to keep homeschooling free in California is to petition the Supreme Court of California to "depublish" the opinion. If the opinion is "depublished" then it cannot be used by other California courts and this threat to homeschool freedom will be neutralized for other California homeschoolers. HSLDA will be formally petitioning the California Supreme Court to depublish the opinion. We would like to show that many other people, both in California and across the country, care deeply about homeschool freedom in California.



Please show your support for this effort by signing the petition today. https://www2.hslda.org/Registrations/DepublishingCaliforniaCourtDecision/?RedirectCompleted=true

Ugg- I hate these conversations.....

*Updated*

Our Kitty Kitty (claira) got out this morning and was hit by a car. Kyle saw it and "took care of it" before the kids get up but now I have to tell the kids what happened. They were REALLY attached to this cat....they would dress her up and play baby with her...she was a "snuggler" of a kitty and actually preferred to be around the kids more than around us lol. I am so not looking forward to this.......any suggestions????? When Kyle gets home tonight we are going to go bury her so maybe the kids can at least feel like they can tell her good by.....


*So it is now the afternoon and I had the conversation with the kiddos this am. Katharine and Maddie bawled and bawled. Noah just kind of sat there real quit and didn't ask any questions. They have all been pretty sad today but we went out and buried her a little while ago so hopefully everyone is on the mend and we will soon be our regular obnoxious selves lol*

My son, the genius

Yes you read that correctly, my son is a super genius (hehe). When we started K with him last year, I started him in a k/1st grade program. He really hadn't had any prior knowledge of reading besides a few lessons in teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons (and sitting there Doing "A" Allie alligator "B" bubba bear in Sanites year of preschool lol). I figured it was a 36 week program and it was a combo of K and 1st so I would do 18 weeks worth of the program this year, then the rest next year. Before I knew what was happening, we passed week 18 before Christmas and I have not been able to catch up with him since! For this next school year (Which our present school year ends this month) I am planning on using Rod and Staff with him (1st grade) as that is what I used with Katharine. Rod & Staff 1st grade is broken into 5 different Units. A couple days ago I got out the book from Unit one, turned to the last story, and do you know that my son read it PERFECTLY???? Including words such as PUNISHMENT and REMEMBERED????? My jaw hit the floor. So I turned to the every back of the book which had a list of all the words learned in that unit...he read them all...with PERFECTION! Needless to say my genius son is going to be skipping the whole 1st unit of 1st grade :) I didn't try to see if he could read any of the 2nd unit as that is when they get pretty heavy duty into some Phonics rules and I really don't want him to miss those, even if he can read the words.

Then yesterday we drive to Indianapolis to meet with my friend Lori and we get to our meeting place a few minutes early. Right next to where we were to meet was a Barnes and Noble. There was a book I was interested in anyway so I thought I would get each one of the kids a book to read on the 2 hour drive home. My son picked out the Spiderman book pictured above. Do you know he read it in it's entirety a minimum of 3 times??? I am so proud of him I could just *burst* :)

Menu planning Monday- the belated version

Breakfast

Baked Oatmeal (twice)

Cinnamon French toast

Whole wheat pancakes

Banana Splits

Bagels and cream cheese

Cereal

Lunch

Egg Burritos (a copy of the Mcdonalds Mc Skillet burritos-hash browns, eggs, cheese, peppers, and sausage)

Peanut butter and Jelly with carrot sticks

Bologna and cheese with apples (I did not pick that one)

Veggie pita's with cottage cheese

Lunchmeat on crackers (once again-not my pick)

tuna fish and tomatos

Dinner

hot dog pizza's and minute pickles (Katharines night to cook)

Pork chops and veggies

Grilled cheese and tomato soup

BBQ chicken and veggies

Homemade pizza

Hungarian goulash (Katharines night to cook)

I've been tagged again!

RULES:1) link to the person that tagged you

2) post the rules on your blog

3) share 6 non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself

4) tag 6 random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs

5) let each random person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their website

6) have fun!

1. Do not ever.....I mean ever.....heat water in the microwave in our house.....if I am making tea then get out the kettle! I can't stand microwave heated water!

2. I write out an entire weeks worth of menu's......breakfast....lunch...dinner....snacks......seriously...if it is time you had better eat it because that is what is written on the schedule and YOU CAN'T VEAR OFF OF THE SCHEDULE!!!!

3. I can be a bit anal retentive about things....see #2

4. I wear socks everywhere...Lori prefers shoes...but I even sleep in my socks. Can't stand to be without them.

5. I HATE being late......I always am.....but seriously...I hate it

6. I can not stand gum smacking...it drives me nuts....I have made the kids spit their gum out the window for smacking gum......but yet I am the leader of the gum smacking pack LOL

I now tag:

Michele

Terri

Melissa

Amanda

Cheryl