Finishing Well, OR, I'm Behind Before I Even Get Started!!

Well, crap. That's the way to be positive, isn't it? I went to a Finish Well conference over the weekend. I took the big girl and we both had several friends that attended. (Yet another thing I adore about homeschooling. I know all the parents of my kids' friends and they are friends of mine.) It is a conference on how to homeschool through high school. It was very enlightening. There were so many speakers and workshops and I wish I could have gone to every one of them. The main thing I did find out was that I should have gone last year, before the big girl started high school. I am already behind the 8 ball.

All of that to say that we are on track with what I had planned this year. The glorious thing about homeschooling in our state is that NOBODY tells us what curriculum to use or how much to use or what to do. Not even in high school. We have plowed our way through year after year, loving some things, ditching others. Over all, though, my kids have had a great education. The things I am behind on are those things that my kids would need in high school to earn what we call a Bright Futures Scholarship. That is a state sponsored scholarship (that is decreasing faster and faster every year and may not be there by the time she graduates anyway). It requires hoop jumping because we homeschool. I despise jumping through hoops. It tends to make me a little snarky. So here's what we have to do to catch up. Or get started. Or finish halfway. Or whatever!

• 2 years of a foreign language: We aren't really behind on this. She still has 3 more years to take 2 years of a foreign language. I have the Latin program we are going to start next year. Except for foreign languages, as Bright Futures wants it, cannot be taught at home. It doesn't matter how good or bad your program, it has to be taught by a teacher. It doesn't matter that the program we are using is taught by a Latin teacher. It doesn't matter that it's one of the most highly recommended curriculums for teaching Latin. What matters is that she would be learning it at home. Ready for the kicker? She can take it online through the public school as a homeschooler and it will count. Say what? She could go to school and take the class and come home after the class is over. She could take a class at the local junior college. She just can't take the class at home using a homeschool curriculum that is also used in many private schools. Now I have an extra workbook. Which is not an issue in the grand scheme of things, it just makes me snarky.
• She should have been writing: Apparently one of the things that BF likes is language arts with lots of writing. We're talking term papers, research projects, and fun things like that. There was a research paper that she could have done through her science curriculum and writing opportunities at the end of her language arts stories. I didn't have her do any of those. Her language arts last year was creative writing. She did a bang up job and I am extremely proud of the work she did. Yeah, it's a new dawn. It's a new day. I am not feeling fine. I was trying to give her a break from the constant writing. Apparently, she gets to make up for that next year.
• More grammar, more problems: There is only so long you can teach grammar. A noun is a noun is a noun. Do you think that's going to change? I don't know, but I have 2 words for you- new math. There was nothing wrong with the old math, but I am not the one making the rules. I am the one making sure my kids get a great education, not starting something that parents can't help their kids with because they've never had to do it. But I digress. Again. Duh. I have a grammar curriculum that my other two kids have been using and guess who gets to start there? That would be the big girl. She hasn't done grammar in probably 3 years. And now it's time for a refresher course.

I am thankful that there really isn't that much that we lack. There may be 1 more area, but I need to do some research before I commit. I need to plot and plan the next three years before this one is over to make sure that she has what she needs for a BFS. She hasn't expressed an interest in college much, but that could change. If it changes, I want to know that we have done everything we can to help her achieve her goals. There is a crack down on dual enrolling because of the money it's costing the state and the schools. There may not be a Bright Futures program in 3 years. All I can say is, we start over so we can finish well. And we're not really starting over, we're just going to readjust some things to make it fit the hoops. I don't hate the players, I hate the game. Scrabble is one of my favorites and that may be what this becomes before it's over. All that complaining about how busy we are? It may get worse before it gets better. At least from a big girl.

Have a great day.      

Planning

I have a plan. Well, for now. I am a planner. I like to know where we're going and how to get there. From there, I fly by the seat of my pants. It's about the journey, what can I say? So here are some plans.

• We have all of our curriculum for next year. I've sorted through my curriculum cabinet and taken out everything that I am absolutely not using. I put all of our stuff in that we'll be using now and later. I've made a list of the things I will need to complete sets. I've boxed all the stuff I'm getting rid of. Now I just need to get it posted and sell it. That would clear a spot in my living room I'd like to have back. With Mabel in the living room, there isn't much open space.
• I am thinking of starting a biology co-op for next year. Biology is my favorite science. I haven't decided when, but I may hold the class at our church. The only thing that may get in the way is the storage of our dissecting specimens. I think it would help the big girl to have someone else to study with and I have friends that are terrified of higher level science. I even have a couple of biology projects planned. Eek!!
• I have thought about some co-op classes in different subjects for the big girl. Some things to consider are timing, driving, and money. I'm just not sure if it would be right for her. It might give her the opportunity to get a little more one on one help since I have her brother and sister to teach. She would have to be responsible to someone other than me. I think that would be good for her. Just don't know. Yet.
• I am attending a Finish Well conference. They walk you through how to homeschool through high school. I love that question, by the way. Are you going to homeschool all the way through? Yes. Yes I am. I am excited about the possibilities and the opportunity to get some fresh ideas. I am excited about getting some guidelines (there's that planning thing again. I'll probably show my butt).
• I have gone through all my freebies and picked out some fun things for the boy and the baby to use for science. We are going to start with weather and go from there. I downloaded a ton of freebies from my favorite lapbook company, In the Hands of a Child. I even downloaded a unit study of mythical creatures. That was for fun, but it looked really cool. 

I know we haven't finished this year yet. I know we still have 3 1/2 months of school left. That's a lot of time and then there's summer break. There's dance and piano and girls club and co-op and field trips and so many things to think about and plan. I know where the path is leading, though. Now to play adventurer and see what the journey holds!

Have a great day.
       

More Pics

Just some random stuff.

This was the family that was in town for my mom's funeral. We went and ate Mexican food, which was one of her favorites. Margaritas have never been so good...

My sweet nieces, the baby, and my crazy boy! We were walking to the park to hang out and play. Love spending time with them!

Turn your back on the big girl for half a second and what happens? She makes herself comfortable and starts reading. Wonder where she gets that from? Oh, yeah...

I love the fact that all the people in the background of this pic are family. I call that crowd control.

The babies!!What happens when you get 2 divas in a room? Lots of laughing and trying to out queen each other. But they're so pretty, how can you help but laugh (and put them in time out when they've gone too far!)

Have a great day.

Books

I have always loved books. My mom always had a book in her hand. I have read through 2 children's libraries. I spent more time at the school library my third grade year than I spent in the classroom. I was so far ahead in the work schedule that there was talk of moving me up a grade. I would spend all day at the library on base while visiting my dad for the summer. It was that or sit home all day and watch TV. I have a Kindle app on my phone for when I can't have a book in my hands, but I am a flip the pages kind of gal. That leads me to my two vices when it comes to books: the library and curriculum.

The new curriculum is here! The new curriculum is here! I have fed it, watered it, walked it, and named it George. Hello, my name is Cristy and I am addicted to curriculum. I have a ton of freebies that I download from the internet, but there is nothing like having the mail man knock on your door and hand you a great big box of books! Don't judge. Just accept. I am excited for next year and we're just half way through this year. I keep digging stuff out of the box. I keep flipping through the teacher's guide. My. Precious.

We have been horrible library patrons lately. We have racked up fine after fine after fine. I think when they expand they should name a reading cove after us since we probably paid for it. We are slowly but surely paying for our own wing. It's not going to get any better since the next couple of weeks are pretty much 3 day work weeks for us. Sounds great, but there's lots of school left to do. All that busy means I have to be extra vigilant when it comes to the library books so we don't lose one. Yeah, who am I kidding? I can't be extra vigilant about anything most days, so library books get forgotten in the shuffle some times. There have been two examples in the last couple of weeks where I printed the coupon from Books a Million because I thought I was going to have to use it. Buying a book. To replace the one we lost. That I found. Whew! But what great books I've been getting.

I have gotten some oldies but goodies that I like to go back and reread sometimes. I have also gotten some new to me goodies. I have a full waiting list at the library so I can't request books until something comes in. I'm not much of a biography reader, but I'm waiting for Carol Burnett's book. We picked up books the other day and the boy got more than anyone. We get excited when the library calls and says we have books waiting for us (The library has gone to an automated call system. I can't stand it.) My girls are voracious readers. And they both like to read about fairies. Of course, the baby's fairies are TinkerBell and her crew. The big girl's are not. I like 'em both.

The next couple of weeks are going to be busy. Good thing I always have something to keep me company. A good book. Now keeping me out of trouble? That is something else entirely!

Have a great day.

I Was Thinking...

Which means we are all in trouble now. It's that time of year when I start planning curriculum for next year. I have my wish list and my list of things we must have. I also have a tub full of curriculum I'm going to post on a couple of sites and see what I can get rid of. Everything else goes to the thrift store. I finally have a plan. I'm not sure it's going to work, but I have a plan. Want to hear it? Of course you do or you wouldn't be here.  ;)

Bible: I have so much stuff I have downloaded. We are working our way through a great curriculum that I downloaded for free I don't remember where from. I also have three age levels of Quest curriculum I bought a couple of years ago that turned out to not be quite what I was looking for then. I can always pull that out because I think the kids would do it now. I also have lapbooks galore and access to more for free. We are set.

Math: The big girl will be using Prentice Hall Geometry. I have looked and looked, but this is one that has everything I need without costing an arm and a leg. I just wish it had a solutions manual. It has answers but sometimes how they got there is a nice thing to know. I'm actually pretty excited about geometry. The big girl, not so much. The boy is going to use Landmark Freedom Baptist math. It's the same one I used for the big girl when she was in 7th grade. It is not fancy at all, and that's ok. The baby is going to do one more year of LIFEPACS. I think that's the right thing for her for now. I am looking into something else for her for 5th grade. These fit her and our schedule best. It gives her a feeling of confidence when she finishes one of the workbooks.

Science: The big girl will be using A Beka Biology. Yea for biology!! I am thinking of ordering 3 disecction kits. I want her to do an earthworm, a frog, and maybe a fetal pig. That was my favorite thing about 2nd year biology. The boy and the baby are going to have science together again this year. We are going to study weather and the seasons and a bunch of other stuff I have. We may even finally start the history of hot dog lap book I have. There has got to be some kind of science in a hot dog. Maybe not good science, but still science.

History: Ah, glorious history. The big girl will be using Bob Jones American History for Christian Schools. We'll supplement with a little America: The Story of Us and some books from the different time periods. I adore American history. The boy and the baby (and me) are going to study the states. We have studies for Texas, Florida, and New York. I also have some state unit studies and notebook pages that are sort of fill in the blank. It gives you an outline and you research the state and fill in the blanks. I'm also thinking about eating our way around the country. Find a signature dish from each state and have that for dinner. We'll see how we do.

Language Arts: Here's where it gets complicated. Lots to do, lots to do. The big girl will be using the world literature part of A Beka language arts. I'm thinking about having her do a couple of literature studies as well, but I haven't decided about that. With the extra history reading and everything else, I'm not sure when she would get to it. She will also be working on her vocabulary with Wordly Wise 3000. She has used that previously, but that was 5th or 6th grade. I think the series is fantastic. The boy will be using a couple of Progeny Press study guides. One of them is The Magician's Nephew and the other is either Island of the Blue Dolphins or The Secret Garden. He is also going to finish his grammar from this year. There is no way we'll be done by the end of this school year since we started so late. Then I have a grammar workbook for him to keep his skills in his brain. The baby will be using the reading portion of A Beka 4th grade language arts. She will also be using Worldy Wise. She will start the same grammar her brother will be finishing. That won't be confusing at all!
 
Foreign Language: We are going to start Latin. I'm getting ready to order it and need to fit it into our day. The kids are more than ready and so am I. I was going to have them do 2 different levels. The baby learning one and the boy and the big girl another. I've waited long enough that now I only have to buy 1 level and 2 extra workbooks. It is supposed to incorporate grammar so we'll see how much of their other grammar they'll really have to do.

I am getting 2 different lesson plan books. I think it would be easier to separate the big girl's stuff from the boy's and the baby's. Dance and piano and field trips and co-op will fit in there somewhere. That's our plan for next year. I'm not sure how much of it will actually get done, but at least we have options. Putting it in writing helps me see it. Getting it done is something else.

Have a great day. 


        

 

Daybookish...

Outside my window: It's a little gray, but the sun should be out soon. It's going to be cold tonight and the next couple of days, but hopefully, it will get back to the 80's. Soon!

Around the house: Holy smokes, will someone please get the Christmas stuff into the tubs and put away?!?!?! I have it all together, it's just getting the rest done. Meanwhile, all that stuff just sits in my kitchen, taking up space. It could sprout legs and help itself just any second now...

From the garden: I am this close to having rabbit for dinner! Stinkers ate our garden. We had taken some cabbage out of the tower and planted it. It was beautiful! It's gone. Brussel sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, broccoli and carrots are all gone. Gonna clean a rabbit it happens again! We cleaned out the tower to get it ready for "planting". We are plotting our square foots. And we are planning a fence! Grrrrrr...

From the schoolroom: We are taking the day off. I had work scheduled, but it's the boy's birthday. Hubby has to work Saturday, so we're gonna school then instead. I am trying to get the big girl to schedule her time better. Some days she can get it all done. Some days it's like pulling teeth to get anything finished. On a bright note, I have some curriculum planned for next year already. See how I am.

I am reading: Alas, Babylon. I know it should be a good book, but I haven't had the time to devote to it. I'm hoping to sit and read today and see if it gets any better. If not, it goes back and gets replaced by one of the 5 books I get to pick up from the library today. We finished Mark of Athena as our after dinner book, and are reading Shatterproof, which is a 39 Clues book. We have 3 series we're reading and they keep coming out with new books! Somewhere in there, I manage to throw in some classics and just some fun stuff.

From the kitchen: Smoothie heaven!! We are loving the Ninja! My favorite so far is kiwi, apple, spinach, cucumber, and coconut water. It is refreshing and cool and so stinking good! Hubby and I are rededicating ourselves to not going to restaurants. There are a couple of new vegetarian cooking websites that I like. I'm looking forward to trying some of the recipes. And adding meat to a couple.
 
From the dance floor: Love, love, love, the kids new class! They are all taking a spins, leaps, and jumps class. After the spins, you should see the baby! Too funny. She's working on her spotting, but doesn't have it quite down yet. Recital dances are being learned. It is going to be crazy for us this year with 2 dances for each kid. I don't know how the kids with 4 and 5 classes or more do it. Eeeekkkk!

That's about it. I'm going to enjoy the quiet a little longer and do some reading.

Have a great day.

Fall Festival(s)

We only made one this year. We had plans to make several, but somebody was being a fuddy duddy (you can insert either hubby or me depending on the day). The one we did make, however, was a ton of fun.

 

As far as I'm concerned, a blow up obstacle course is worth every penny. My kids went on this one probably 20 times. I am not kidding.

 

This is the big girl with her friend K. Love those girls. They went on the obstacle course over and over and over...

 



Joy! That's what I love to see on my kids' faces!

 

 

This is the baby getting hooked up to climb the rock wall. The boy had gone earlier, but those pics are on hubby's phone and I haven't downloaded those yet.

 



Huby is always up a little wall climbing. He's like SpiderMan, only not so webby.

 



 

And she's off...

 

 

Hubby had to wait his turn.

 

 

But he caught up quick. He's also 3 times her height, but he'll take whatever advantage he can get.

 

 

The baby didn't quite make it, but she was almost there. Hubby encouraged her all the way up, but she just ran out of gas. Hubby, on the other hand, rang the bell. That's my man!!

 

 

I would have bet you money that the big girl would have avoided this like the plague. I would have lost.

 

 

And there she goes...

 

 

around and around and around. No, thank you!

 

  

My sweet baby kitty

 

 

We had a great time. It was at a friend's church and they had a ton of stuff to do. They had hay rides, face painting, rides, games, food, and lots of fun. It was definitely a great time!

 

Have a great day.