Knights Becoming and a Lady in Waiting

The World Through the Alphabet: D

Here was our "D" week.

D

Country:        Denmark

Character:    Determination

Theme:         Dinosaurs

Denmark

How very sad!  The Assembly of God missionary office said that country taxes made it literally impossible for a missionary to stay in Denmark.  I don't know if that's the same for all denominations (AoG was the site that came up when I was Googling (tm) Denmark missionaries), but that has to make it very difficult to get a missionary in.

Instead of praying for a specific missionary family, we prayed for the country as a whole and that missionaries would be more easily allowed to minister there.

Meet the Kids: Denmark

http://media.denmark.dk/kids/

Learn all about life in Denmark as a kid.

Cybersleuth Kids: Denmark

http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Geography/Europe/Denmark/index.htm

Internet research resources about Denmark for kids.

Danish food:

• Fish stew
• Creamed kale
• Browned potatoes
• Pumperknickle bread with "Fruits of the Forest" spread
• Kugel
• Black licorice salty fish

The fish stew was yummy and has been added to our permanent recipes.  The kale was good, but I think I'd've preferred it with some other green.  The browned potatoes were sweet-- they went fast.  Pumperknickle bread not so much a favorite, but kugel was very good.

Do not buy black licorice salty fish! :)  Hubby likes black licorice; I like salty.  We both really disliked these.  The kids wouldn't even eat them.

Determination

Verse:       Philippians 1:6

Plants Grown Up pages 261-262-- we chose three from B, C, D, F, G, or K

Dinosaurs

Oh, how my boys love this topic, and how careful we have to be when we study it.  Fortunately, I already have my oldest child indoctrinated and anytime a video or book says "millions of years", he automatically corrects it with "thousands of years".

Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs (Usborne books)- watch for evolutionary teaching

Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House) by Mary Pope Osborne

Dinosaurs Before Dark Companion Guide by Mary Pope Osborne

Patrick's Dinosaurs by Carol Carrick

Patrick's Dinosaurs on the Internet by Carol Carrick

Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff

What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs? by John Morris and Ken Ham-- Prince Berryboy was thrilled to find Biblical dinosaur teaching

When Dragons Were Good by Buddy Davis-- I was disappointed that my library couldn't find their copy of this book "that teaches children the true version of early earth history".  CBD has it for only $9.99, so I may indulge for a Christmas present

Kid's Draw Dinosaurs by Christopher Hart

DLTK's Dinosaurs for Kids

http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/dinosaurs.htm

Fun, easy activities for the younger set.

Zoom Dinosaurs at Enchanted Learning

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/

We have a membership here, but even without it this is a great resource.  Watch for evolution content.

Kid Explorers

http://www.christiananswers.net/kids/clr-indx.html

There are coloring pages, lesson plans, and more, from a Christian worldview.

Dinosaur Questions and Answers from Answers in Genesis

http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/dinosaurs.asp

Creation Science for Kids (links)

http://www.nwcreation.net/kids.html

[Copyright 2006]

The World Through the Alphabet: C

Here was our "C" week.  I got a little behind posting. :)

[Please consider the usual copyright disclaimers; feel free to use for personal use.]

TAG: What's One Thing...

I actually got tagged by name (thanks, Angela!).  Here are my answers:

1) ONE HOMESCHOOLING BOOK YOU HAVE ENJOYED
Just one... this is tough because I'm a curriculum junkie (ex-addict, in recovery *laugh*). 

2) ONE RESOURCE YOU WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT
God (when I am without Him, it's not a pretty sight!). 

Beyond that, my library card.  My children love to read (or be read to) and they learn far more just from reading everything they can get their hands on than I could ever try to teach them.

3) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH YOU HAD NEVER BOUGHT
The Story of the World.  I like all the Well-Trained Mind stuff... except that.  I couldn't make my son do it; I yawned through it.  (The activity book wasn't bad, though.)

4) ONE RESOURCE YOU ENJOYED LAST YEAR
 Actually, I'm going to echo Angela on this one.  HSB has been a huge resource.  One of my first posts here was to announce I was quitting and sending my rambunctious six-year-old to PS.  I was talked out of it by more than one person (the start of many a good friendship!)  I continue to treasure the insight, resources, and inspiration I get from everyone here.

5) ONE RESOURCE YOU WILL BE USING THIS YEAR
I'm going back to using my brain, combined with the vast resources of the Internet, to create half of our studies.  I haven't grown brave enough yet to try math or science on my own, but everything else is working out, bit by bit.

6) ONE RESOURCE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY
A piano.  But I'm learning to be thankful for our keyboard!

7) ONE RESOURCE YOU WISH EXISTED
A no-no alarm, so that every time I get wooed by the "ultimate curriculum," a "wonderful enrichment activity" or the next "big thing in homeschooling," I would just say no.  No.  NO.

8) ONE HOMESCHOOLING CATALOGUE YOU ENJOY READING
I love Vision Forum.  I adore it.  I... well, you get the idea.  I'm saving up for it, but I'm not allowed to read the catalogue right now  (see #7).

9) ONE HOMESCHOOLING WEBSITE YOU USE REGULARLY
Just one??   I  love Starfall.com.  I will recommend it to anyone with a pre- or emergent reader as the best reading resource ever. :)

10) TAG FIVE OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS

(If you've already done it, you're off the hook... but so am I *laugh*)

* Eyecorn: I love reading your ideas

* TC: I'm not so much interested in what you writes, as how you write it. ;)

* Trish (tallenmomof5): After all, if we're just reading each other's minds...

* JennLovesJesus: I haven't read much new from you lately

* Someone who random blogs in here and has never posted to me before

You're it!

Fighting Curriculum Envy

Okay, we all do it.  I do it all the time.  You've probably done it.  My poor friend Trish is currently agonizing over it:  curriculum envy.

Now let's take a step back and define this sucker.  I'm not talking about when you have something that is definitely not working (like Saxon math didn't work for my oldest son) and you go looking for something that works better (in this case, Singapore math).  That's just looking for your niche in homeschooling.

No, this is when you've found something that works perfectly fine for your family, but you're browsing through a catalog (or reading someone's blog) and you hear about something that sounds so much better.  This happened to me at my last (and only, so far) homeschool convention.  I've been pretty happy with how we do most of our social sciences and overall themes.  I have fun with them, truth be told.  But when I got to the vendor hall... *swoon!*.  There was My Father's World.  There was Mystery of History.  There was Sonlight.  There was Tapestry of Grace.  The list went on... and on... and on.  Not only were they all wonderful, but they were all so obviously more complete than what I was doing.  What if I missed something?!  What if my children couldn't perfectly parse a Latin verb by the ripe age of nine?  What if we only learned one foreign language in the house and art was more squiggles and crayons than Impressionism and watercolors?  What if... what if... what if...?!!

Okay, stop right there.  Just stop.  Seriously, I want you to consider NOT reading any homeschooling magazines or catalogues until you've prayed first.  Not because they are inherently evil (Gena might expel me or something if I started saying that!).  Not because the materials they sell are of poor quality (although occasionally there might be something that's not as good of quality as others).  Not because anything in there is necessarily contrary to the Bible (although some of that exists, too).  Stop and pray because you are entering the covet-zone.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and I heard a story about how companies went into third-world nations and hired workers because they were much cheaper than people in their own country.  Work went well; the workers worked very hard.  Then pay day came.  The next day, NO ONE showed up for work.  Second day, no one.  Third day... you got it... no one showed up.

The manager for the company went to the tribal leader and asked what was going on.  Turns out when all those people got their $500 checks, they had enough to live on for a year.  They could provide food, clothing, and basic necessities.  So they stopped working.

The company was in a quandry.  They needed their cheap labor, but the laborers didn't need them.

Someone in marketing came up with a great idea.  They distributed mail-order catalogues to everyone in the village.

The next day... they had a full labor force.  The villagers had suddenly discovered all the things they "needed" and had to have more money for, so they went back to work.

I think a lot of times we homeschoolers do that.  We're doing just fine with what we're using, but we see "latest" or "best" or hear a glowing review and think we must be missing out on something.

31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:31-33

So the next time you're going to look at a homeschooling catalogue, read a homeschooling magazine, or come across a review in a homeschooling blog, STOP.  Pray first, then read on with discernment.  Is something wrong in your homeschool?  If not... do not worry.  God is looking out for you, even in homeschooling.

17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (emphasis mine)

Exodus 20:17

The World Through the Alphabet: B

Here's what we are doing for the two "B" weeks.

• Country-  Burma (Myanmar)
• Missionaries-  The Fish family (from Burma AND serving there-- Lazarus went to seminary right here in my part of the state!)
• "Hero"-  Adoniram & Ann Judson (served in Burma)
• Character trait- bravery (verses: 1 Cornithians 16:13 and 2 Timothy 1:7;  Plants Grown Up p 111 (do any three over the two weeks)
• Science: boats/ water

Here are some useful links/books for the above themes.

Boats/ Water

BoatSafe Kids

http://www.boatsafe.com/kids/

I love this site... very fun and informative.

Artists Helping Children: Boat Crafts

http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/transportationartscraftstvehiclescarstrucksboatstrainskids.html

Some of these look like a lot of fun; we haven't tried YET

USGS Water Science for Schools

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/

EPA Water Science

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/KidsStuff/

Let's Try It Out in the Water by Seymour Simon

Water Wonders (Better Homes and Gardens)

Burma/ Myanmar

The country is actually called Myanmar now, but it was Burma when the Judsons were there and there's a lot of political "stuff" surrounding the name.  Poor country.  The capital is either Yangon or Rangoon, depending on which version you're talking about.  Most of the books we found were pretty dry. :(

Adoniram & Ann Judson

• Imprisoned in the Golden City (Jackson, Dave & Neta)
• Hero Tales (Jackson, Dave & Neta)

The Fish family

The Fish family (we have not heard back from them yet, but only sent our email this morning). 

[Disclaimer/ Legal/ blah:  You are welcome to use the information here in any way you like.  Print it, share it, use it.  I do ask that you do not get any money off this-- hey, I worked hard! *laughter*-- and that you do not claim it as your own work.  If you want to link back to my blog, feel free, but you don't have to.  Thanks!!]

Chelo

Ger-Dominoes!

Okay, okay, hokey title. 

I was trying to remember how to play dominoes and Mexican train dominoes (hey, my Mexican brother-in-law plays it by that name, so don't shoot me).  I'm going to walk through the Mexican train first, because I can't remember how to start regular dominoes. (Help)

First, you randomize the dominoes (you can't really shuffle them!) on the table and everyone takes their own hand.  How many varies, depending on the number of people playing and the number of tiles being played with (ie, through double-six or through double-twelve).  You can play around with the number yourself.  You should have enough that everyone gets to play a bit (at least five), but not so many that there aren't any left to draw from (no more than ten).

The person who has the highest double in play (we'll use double sixes as the example) puts it out on the board.  (There's no points to keep as you go in this version of dominoes, which makes it easier for kids to learn, but less of an educational experience).  Play progresses around the board with EACH person starting their own "train" of dominoes. 

For example, Alan plays the double 6.  Beth plays the 6-3 combination (with the 6 toward the double6).  Carl plays the 6-1 combination.  Uh oh.  Denise doesn't have a 6.  She has to draw one tile AND put a penny (or whatever marker you're using) on her train.  The marker means anyone can play on her train.  (Establish the rule ahead of time: do they have to have started their train first or can they just play off other trains the whole game.)  Alan starts his train with 6-0.  Beth is feeling generous and plays the 6-4 for Denise.  Carl takes advantage of the opportunity to play 4-4 on Denise's 6-4 and then, because it's a double, he plays a second tile.  For the sake of simplicity to start, he plays the 4-1, leaving Denise with a 1 to play on.  Denise plays the 1-5 and takes the penny off her train-- now she's the only one who can play on it.

Now that everyone has their train started, Alan plays the 6-2 to start the "Mexican train".  Basically, this is just a spare train that anyone can play on at any time.  So even without a penny on anyone else's train, everyone has two places they can play.

Following so far?  Here's the one last interesting twist.

When you play a double (ie, 4-4, 2-2, etc), you have to satisfy it.  This means you have to immediately play somewhere.  Let's say Carl plays his 4-4 up there, but does NOT play the 4-1.  Instead, he plays a 1-4 on his own train, leaving the double there.  Denise MUST play on the 4-4 or draw.  Even if there's another place she can play, she HAS to play on the double.  We'll say Denise can't.  She draws and her penny stays on her train (since it was already there).  Alan also can't play on the 4-4 and draws... and he has to put HIS penny on.  Beth has the 4-5 and plays it, keeping her train free.

Game is over when one person runs out of tiles.  Everyone else adds up the points left in their hand for their score.  Lowest score wins.  Set a limit (first to 100) and you have a game. :)

The World Through the Alphabet: A

Because I have a lot of little (11 months, nearly 3, and 4 1/2) and just one "school age" (nearly 7), we're doing this year with an alphabet theme.  Most letters get two weeks (a few like "x" get only one).  Here's what we did for the two "A" weeks.

• Country-  Australia
• Missionaries-  The Shead family (from Australia, working on going to Chile)
• "Hero"-  Dr. Graham Staines (also from Australia)
• Character trait- assisting others (verses: Luke 22:26 and Acts 20:35a;  Plants Grown Up p 405-406 (do any two) and p 383-384 (do any two)
• Science: astronomy

We're reading our way through the Bible (storybook style) and memorizing the books of the Bible (week one was Genesis to Deuteronomy; week two was Genesis to Ruth).  Prince Berryboy (1DS6) supplements with art (about to start I Can Do All Things), Grammar (First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind), Handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears), Math (Singapore) and Spelling (Spelling Workout).  I'm planning to use a lot fewer purchased curriculum next year (no grammar or spelling curriculum; still debating math), but I'm still nursing, so not having to spend ALL my downtime in planning is a lifesaver.

Here are some useful links for the above themes.

Astronomy

• A solar system coloring book
• Astronomy for Kids
• EasyFunSchool's Astronomy unit study
• Eyes on the Sky (Hands-on Astronomy for Kids)
• Kids Astronomy (has NEAT course for kids aged 8-18 with a free certificate of completion)
• NASA for Kids
• The Nine Planets (a multimedia tour)
• Starry Skies
• Day 4: Astronomy from a Christian Perspective

The last two sites (and EasyFunSchool) are the only ones with a Christian perspective, so use the others at your discretion.

Australia

• Kids Down Under
• Australia for Kids
• Australian Children's Books
• Australian Kids' Songs
• Australia for Kids2
• Kids at the National Museum of Australia (see the Play and Behind the Scenes sections)
• Google Maps for Australia (use the hybrid or satellite option and scan way in... see if you can find the Sydney Opera House!)
• Enchanted Learning and their Country Report Organizer

Dr. Graham Staines

I couldn't find anything for kids on this gentleman.  Instead, I read (to myself) this article and then told it to them in my own words.  The fact that the younger son was the same age as 1DS6 had quite an effect on the listening factor of my children.

The Shead family

If you would also like to pray for the Shead family, you can visit the CMS informational site.  The family kindly responded to our email and has a newsletter with their prayer requests.  They happen to have three boys very close in age to my three boys.

Prince Derryboy (2DS4) is also doing worksheets on the letter of the week and a few other things.  You can also go to Letter of the Week for more letter-themed ideas.

[Disclaimer/ Legal/ blah:  You are welcome to use the information here in any way you like.  Print it, share it, use it.  I do ask that you do not get any money off this-- hey, I worked hard! *laughter*-- and that you do not claim it as your own work.  If you want to link back to my blog, feel free, but you don't have to.  Thanks!!]

Chelo

Stress Test

Wow.  I don't do second-hand recommendations often, but this one is too good to pass up.

Kendra (Preschoolers and Peace) pointed me at Copperswife.  She has an amazing article on stress and homeschooling that should be required reading for every homeschooler.  Seriously, it's that good.

Just to make absolutely sure you can get to it, I'm even listing the URL out.  Go.  Now.  And then follow step #5 and stop reading blogs for the rest of the day! ;)

http://www.xanga.com/copperswife/517942363/thinking-homeschool---stressed-out--tired.html

Share and Tell: Curriculum for 2006-2007

As per Amy's entry, I thought I'd try to put next year's curriculum choices into print.  (Maybe then I'll finally stop stressing over them, even though I've been done since the APACHE conference back in April?)

For the most part, Prince Berryboy (my-then-7yo 2nd grader) and Prince Derryboy (my then-4 1/2 yo wants-to-do-school-even-though-Mommy-doesn't-believe-in-preschool) will be doing the same things and Prince Dannyboy (my then 3yo "me too") will do some of what Prince Derryboy does.  Lost yet?  See why I'm confused? *laugh*

ART

Prince Berryboy has a few entries in Joseph the Canada Goose left to do, then he starts the three-year program for I Can Do All Things.  He loves art and he loves this publisher (How Great Thou Art), so this is an easy one.  The two littler ones will still get coloring pages and lots of paper to draw with.

BIBLE/ HEART

• I finally got Plants Grown Up from Doorposts and I'm still figuring out how I should use it.  I figure we'll work on one section at a time at an easy pace, just doing the verses (one per week) and one or two easy projects.
• We read one Bible story each day from The Children's Bible in 365 Stories and discuss what we've read.  Once or twice a week, we'll look up the story in the Bible and read the REAL version, too.
• We memorized the Old Testament books last year, so this year we'll start on the New Testament, while still reviewing the old (we start with Genesis and just go with it).
• Once we've finished memorizing all the books, we'll work on actually finding Scripture together.  No Bible Swords yet; speed will come later.
• Study one missionary a month based on the country we're studying (see Geography) and pray daily for that missionary.

COMPOSITION

We do random writing assignments at random times.  Prince Berryboy also has a blog (although he hasn't been faithful lately) and a journal (he likes that a lot more because he can write faster than he can type).

GEOGRAPHY

We have a few geography resources we're working through to learn general geography, plus we're doing one alphabet country (with the exception of X-- there is no X country!) with each letter we're learning for the younger boys (see "Preschool").  We're doing the missionary thing for the country (see Bible) and just going to have a lot of fun with it.

HANDWRITING

We love, love, love, love Handwriting Without Tears and will continue using that for Berryboy this year.  If he finishes the book early, we may start cursive.  His writing has improved so very much!

MATH

We're trying Singapore Math this year with Prince B.  We did Saxon last year and he hated the repetition.  Prince Derryboy has a workbook for when he wants workbooks (he likes 'em), but otherwise we'll do hands-on stuff with beads, blocks, tangrams, clocks and such.

MUSIC

Our local group has a great music teacher who is now going to be teaching all the way down to three-year-olds.  Since music is very important to DH and I, we will at least put both Berryboy and Derryboy in the class.  Dannyboy is up in the air.  We're holding off on piano for one more year for Berryboy.

P.E.

We're doing swimming over the summer and I want to do some serious running with Berryboy this fall.  Not sure what to do with Derryboy, as he really loves (and is good at) sports, but is much smaller than most his age.  Guess we'll play it by ear.  Lots of outside play and gardening help, too.

"PRESCHOOL"

I'm really not into preschool, but the littles want to be like big brother, so we do a bit.  We have some workbooks that they pick out (just your garden variety) and we do Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready when I remember to *cough*.  We also do one letter/ number/ color/ shape a week altogether.  Although I usually make up my own themes, on weeks when I'm frazzled, I use the ones at LetterOfTheWeek.com.  Dannyboy will get to do Funshop (a parent-child program) for the fall, just like his big brothers got to do the fall of their three-year-old year.

READING

We just read... and read... and read.  Both Berryboy and Derryboy have taught themselves to read (although DB is still working on it), so we do phonics AS we read, rather than using a separate program.  We use fun books, "leveled books", non-fiction books, and books-on-tape.  We also listen to harder books together in the car as we drive and try to do one "literature" book together each month.

REAL LIFE

This is the part we want to work on the most after Bible.  We're working on chores (cats are currently their "learning" area) and manners (introductions for now). 

SCIENCE

I bought a curriculum, but I think we're just going to do science as it interests us again this year and save the curriculum for when we actually have two "in school".  Lots of biology and "yucky" science. :)

SCOUTING

We're still flip-flopping on this.  I want my kids in Scouts, but the local CUB Scouts are pretty lame :( so we might wait until Boy Scouts.  Still debating.

SPELLING

Berryboy is doing well with Spelling Workout, so we'll keep going.  He's in B right now, but we've got C ready for when he finishes (well before next year is over).

KNIGHTHOOD

The littles are too young, but when Berryboy turns seven, we'll have a ceremony for him to become a page.  He'll get to design his own shield and choose one "apprenticeship" to work on, one "weapon" skill, and one "courtly" skill.  (Okay, I'm still working on this).

It sounds like a lot when I put it all out like that, but we don't try to do all of it at the same time.  Bible, math, handwriting and reading are everyday.   A lot is weekly.  Science, knighthood, and writing are random.

Whew.  I'm exhausted just typing it all in.  I still have a lot of work to do, since I try to use only a little bit of "pre-made" curriculum and a lot of sweat equity. :)  Ah, well.  They will learn in spite of me. :D

ThanksUSA Treasure Hunt

ThanksUSA is a non-profit organization that has set up scholarships as a  way to say "thanks" to our troops.  According to the site, creators Rachel (age 10) and Kelsi (age 8):

"wanted to find a way for the country to say thanks to all the brave men and women in our armed forces and especially to help their families. Since both of us like treasure hunts, we had this 'brain blast' to create a national treasure hunt focused on American history with lots of cool prizes for kids and grown-ups too. By joining our hunt, you have the chance to win something fabulous, learn more about America's history and make a lasting difference in the lives of our troops and their families."

How can you participate?

First, you need to register and that will take only a minute or two. Next, you can either access all of the clues with just one click or pick and choose among the twelve stages to work in any order you like.

How does the treasure hunt help fund scholarships?

They are hoping that those participating in the treasure hunt will give a donation or host fundraising parties, although this is NOT a requirement.

I've already downloaded my clue book and it looks like it is not only educational (which I expected), but fun!  What a great way to learn U.S. history, have fun, help a cause, and have a chance to win prizes. 

Oh, I hadn't mentioned prizes?  Go here for a list of prizes you can win.  Then sign up and may the best person win.

Ooh, I Get It!

I'm working on what we'll be studying next year.  Technically, I'll still only have Prince Berryboy (1DS6) doing schooling, but Prince Derryboy (2DS4) has started reading and doing basic math and he sooo badly wants to "do school" that we'll do something informal.  That means we have to include Prince Dannyboy (3DS2) in some of it.  Whee!

I've been trying to figure out why The Well-Trained Mind, Story of the World, and First Language Lessons don't work very well for our family.  They are great curricula... but they don't work for our family.  I took a test with my oldest on learning styles and it's now very clear: we are both kinesthetic, then reading/ writing, then visual.  We have almost NO auditory learning skill at all.

Well, duh!  All those lovely curricula are dependant on an auditory learning style!

I am so... relieved.  Okay, I'm a little bummed to have spent money on these books and to not be able to use the latter two... but I'm glad I did it now and we're done with it.

I could just DANCE, even though I'll have to figure out a better way to do grammar next year without spending more money (we've decided to do geography for a year with no history, so that's at least no biggie). 

I think I will dance... thunk, clunk... SMASH!!  (Okay, I'm not that kind of kinesthetic!)

Your Momma (or You)

What kind of mother are you?  I couldn't resist this fun quiz when I saw it on Trish's blog.  I believe this is based on the Kinsey thing.

I'm one of two (I flip-flop on the S/N part):

1)

Your type is: istj  —The “Responsibility” Mother

“I have a serious love affair with to-do lists. I could sit for hours reading, organizing, and rearranging my weekly calendar.”

• The ISTJ mother has a highly developed sense of responsibility: for work, home, family ... particularly her children. Whether she’s overseeing daily baths or insisting on a 10 p.m. curfew, her efforts are largely focused on providing her children with order and routine. She wants them, regardless of age, to be able to count on her and the structure she provides.
• In carrying out her commitment to her responsibilities, the ISTJ mother is organized, industrious, and detail-oriented. Because her focus is the day-to-day realities of life, her children are likely to feel secure and well provided for.
• The ISTJ mother also sets a good example and provides her children with practical guidance on being a productive, responsible individual. Still, with all her seriousness, she may delight family members with her quick wit and observations about the details of life.

AND....

• Individualistic and independent, the INTJ mother is both a role model and teacher of how to be an individual and live life with integrity. She is introspective, defining her own success from within, and generally confident in her decisions. She is unlikely to be persuaded by her children saying, “But all the other mothers are doing it.”
• The INTJ is competent in providing for her children’s basic needs, but she is likely more focused on developing their self-esteem and confidence. Observant and insightful, she puts great importance on independent thinking and self-sufficiency, yet she is comfortable providing protection and boundaries.
• Self-motivated and intense, the INTJ works hard and takes life seriously. As a mother, she lives for those moments when she can impart knowledge and offer her children perspectives on life and important issues.

Both are actually true for me, so I'd guess it's fairly accurate.  Now y'all know more about me than I might want you to. ;)

She's Got the Look

I'm finally getting around to trying something with my blog.  How do I get rid of the title, though?  I've played and played and can't figure out that part.  It has to be possible; I'm sure I've seen other blogs without titles over their pics.  Help?

I'm enjoying family in town, even though Princess Moo has had a fever (Saturday/ Sunday) and then decided to try throw-up target practice on me last night.  She seems to be fine today, other than having her six-month doctor appointment this morning and practicing her screech.

More later. :)

Geocaching Revisited

Because I was, apparently, a little vague on the whole Geocaching thing, I thought I'd walk you through what a "typical" (okay, it's never typical with my crew...) hunting trip is like for us.

First, I usually go on the computer the night before to find a cache or (if I'm really feeling ambitious) caches.  I log into www.geocaching.com and usually just search for caches near my home coordinates.  If you don't want to log in and/ or you don't have a GPS-receiver, you can search by zip code from the home page as well.

Now I go through the list of caches in my area.  We're not very good at this yet, so I usually look for a 1/1 to 1.5/1.5 cache.  The first number is the difficulty level of the cache.  This is subjective, so it's better to not get too ambitious to start out.  The second number is the terrain of the cache.  Alone, I'm not too nervous about levels 2-4, but with four kidlets under the age of seven, I generally try to stick to those with little bushwacking.

So, now I've selected a cache.  I open it up and read it over to make sure there are no notes that say "Don't try this during April" or "Don't bring the kids."   I then print out the cache page to take with me, as many of them have little clues or hints that make finding the cache much easier.  Sometimes I'll "cheat" a bit and print out a map to get me close to the cache location.  I pack up my bag with a few items for trading, my GPS-receiver, extra batteries, a pair of gloves (I'm not fond of sticking my hands into places I can't see), a flashlight, and at least one writing utensil.

The next morning, we head out.  We drive to roughly the location of the cache, park, and start the hunt.  We follow the GPS-r until it says we are very close to the cache, then the actual work starts.  We have to find it.

Caches come in four "basic" sizes: micro (usually film cannister size), small (think smaller tupperware containers), regular (roughly cake pan or so sized), and large (could be anything).  You should keep the size in mind while you're looking.  Likewise, some people are very creative and your cache could be hidden in something that blends in with the environment a LOT better.  I've had two that were just plain old inspired.  The more you do it, the better you get at figuring out things that might work as containers. (Level 1 caches are usually not as hard to figure out).

So, now we're searching.  We'll say this time we're looking for a medium cache, 1/1 difficulty, in a park that is currently deserted (busy locations add a whole new dimension to the sport).  We all spread out and look under rocks, in stumps, in nooks in trees, etc.  Eventually one of the boys finds a well-camoflaged container under a large fallen branch.  We carefully remove it from its spot and open it.

Inside, usually inside plastic bags to provide extra protection against dampness, will always be a log.  This is where you sign that you found the cache.  For the sake of our example, though, we'll say this cache has quite a bit of stuff.  McDonald's toys, some interesting coins or post cards, a few "theme" items (that go along with the theme of the cache), maybe even a travel bug (which is a subject for a whole different post).

We sign the log, first, using our Geo-names (ChathamMommy, the Three Princes, and Princess Moo... or CM, 3P & PM), date it, and be sure to note whether we took anything and what we left.  If you don't take or leave anything, you can shorthand with TNLN (took nothing, left nothing).  If you do take something, you should always try to leave something of equal or better value.  Don't leave a McD toy for a pocket pedometer!  Finally, we put TFTC at the bottom-- thanks for this cache.

Everything gets sealed back up and we carefully put the container back where it was, trying to remove all signs of us having been in the vicinity.  Voila!  We have a cache under our belts!

When I'm home later that night (or several nights later, if I'm having a hectic week), I'll log our finds on the computer and add them to our list.  With a few keystrokes, I can let the cache owner know that someone has been there and appreciated his handiwork.  I can also make note of any situations, such as the log book being out of paper or the cache being wet (happens a lot).

And that's it in a nutshell.  There's more to it, of course, but "them's the basics."  If nothing else, this is a great way to get outdoors and get a little exercise in.

Hope this helped. :D

Geo-what?

I have to tell you what I did with my kids today (with the gracious help of another homeschooling mom and her cool 12-year-old daughter).  We went Geocaching.

I'm not, strictly speaking, a Geo-neo.  We did some caches before Princess Moo (6mo) came along.  But this is the first time I tried to do the sport with three boys (6, 4, 2) and one baby.  Whew!  Talk about taking a little extra effort. *laughter*

For those who don't know what Geocaching is, you go on the Geocaching website, you find a cache near you, you put in the coordinates, and you go find "hidden treasure."  Sounds simple, right?  Well, GPS-r's (receivers) are not perfect; they're usually off, at best, by 30 feet or more.  Caches aren't always large items; film cannister-sized caches are pretty common.  So, imagine trying to find a film cannister in a space roughly 60 feet by 60 feet.  (Quick!  One of you with older children ask them how many square feet that is!  I've only relearned my additions tables at this point.)

Maggie Hogan lists Geocaching as a great tool for helping your kids with geography.  After all, it uses latitude and longitude, can be used with elevation, and can take you into some pretty neat environments.  I'll admit, I do it as much for the sheer frustration factor as anything else.  I am NOT a good hide'n'seeker-- at least, not a seeker.  I may be a good hider, but I haven't tried to put my own cache out, yet.

Anyway, for those of you who are interested in Geocaching, here are a few sites to get you started:

• Geocaching Kids at www.geocachingkids.com is a great site for learning how to Geocache with the little ones (or not so little) in tow.  While there is a little bit of self-advertisement on the page, it's worth the information.
• Geocaching U at www.geocacher-u.com is the perfect place to learn the basics.  Take the Geocaching 101 course (free, online) or learn about basic caches.  There's plenty here to get you started.
• When you decide to get started, go to the Groundspeak Forums at forums.groundspeak.com to find out the best GPS-receiver to buy, how to get started, or even ways to use a GPS in education.

If you do go caching, drop me a line.  :)

Lesson Planning

Does anyone else obsess over lesson planning?

I do.  Before we started our school year, I had the entire year roughly planned out.  By roughly, I mean something like this:

Bible: read xx

           character trait of xx

           memorize verse xx

           memorize books Genesis to xx

Art: read xx

       do xx

History (we were using SotW at the time):

       theme of xx

       read xx

       do review on page xx

       narrate from page xx

      do projects xx

You get the idea.  I'm not going to make you sit through a whole week's plan.  For those who are random abstract thinkers, it would probably make you foam at the mouth.  Those who are sequential concrete probably have a list just like it at home. ;)

I was listening to the workshop tape for Linda Hobar's "Dateless Lesson Planner" in the car the other day and it hit me.  It's not the planning that does me in.  Planning actually helps me immensely, because it gives me a framework to work from that does not require me to reinvent the wheel every single week.  When I don't plan, I often don't do.

However, the way I was planning before left me stressed.  After all, it's week 24 of the school year and we are supposed to be doing xx, but we're really doing xx, from week 22.  Ahhh!  We have to do more!  We have to do longer!  We have to do better!

At this point, of course, my dear children start to bear a strong resemblance to mules, camels, and other animals quite capable of digging their heels in and settling in.

They refuse more.  I push harder.  They refuse more.  We get further behind.  It escalates, tensions rise, Mommy screams, children cry, and the day falls apart.  We don't do any work.  The day is shot.  We are now 2 weeks and one day behind, rather than just 2 weeks.

If lesson plans are undated, though, then we're never behind.  We just haven't left that lesson yet.

DH said he'd mentioned something similar to me before (he is very random sequential, so of course it would occur to him).  He made a few more suggestions that I'm going to put into motion for next year's school.  (I just don't have the energy to start doing it right now.)

I'm rethinking a lot of concepts; I suspect I'll do that on a regular basis for at least the next eighteen years.  Homeschooling is a blessing that way.

I Can Do It

We went to the Decatur Children's Museum today.  The three younger ones stayed with me, but Prince Berryboy went to a class with the rest of our homeschooling group.  I had to laugh, smile, and feel just a bit wistful when one of the other moms told me how well he did.

"I asked if he needed help with the craft, and he kept saying, 'I can do it.  I'll catch up to everyone eventually.'"

How often do I prevent my children from enjoying the joy of doing it themselves because I don't want to wait for them to "catch up to everyone eventually"?

Daniel 2:21  "He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.  He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning."

All of it is in His hands.  Why do I try to be the one in control when I can't even make the temperature stay a nice, temperate 72F for a few days straight?

Why do I not appreciate the individuality of my children and their need to do things themselves, in their own time, in their own way.

They'll catch up to everyone eventually.

Advice for First-Time Conference Attendees

It may seem a little bit presumptuous of me to give advice when I've only attended one conference, but I figure I'll never be in a better position to know exactly what it's like to be a first-time attendee.  That said, here are my top tips for attending a conference the first time:

1. Do your homework.  If at all possible, find out who is coming, what they sell, and get a rough idea what their wares would cost you over the Internet (other other methods of purchase).  I had a pretty good idea which booths I was the most interested in and would've been able to get what I came for even if I hadn't had all the extra time.
2. Make a list.  Or two.  What do you think you'll need for next year?  If you've already been homeschooling, figure out what curriculum you like (that you might need new workbooks for, perhaps) and what curriculum just didn't work for you.  Make a note to check out alternatives to the not-working stuff.  Get a rough idea of what you want before you ever get there, because once you get there, you will be overwhelmed if you just jump in there and start buying.  Either you'll buy too much or you'll just throw your hands up and not buy a thing.
3. Try to go with a friend, if possible.  It's not necessary to hang out all the time together (we didn't), but it's nice to have someone to bump into occasionally and know that someone would miss you if that stack of Saxon Math books fell over and buried you.
4. Plan, intentionally, to miss a workshop session.  Yep, you heard me.  Use the time to get the exhibitor hall practically to yourself.  You'll be able to assimilate a lot more about the products and you won't be overwhelmed with yet one more speaker's information stuffed in your head.  You can buy a tape if you really just can't miss anything.
5. Never buy the first time around.  Walk away (politely!) and wait.  If you can make the time (and you should!), sit somewhere relatively quiet and pray over your purchasing decisions.  At the very least, walking away can prevent a few impulse buys that you might regret later.
6. Pack a lunch/ dinner.  Yes, you could leave the conference and go out to eat, but you're wasting your time in the getting there.  You can also save a lot of money buy bringing food from home.  (Do make sure this is allowed).  If you have to, you can eat in your car.
7. Get out of the building at least once during the day.  Get some air.  Re-acquaint yourself with the sun.  Realize there is life beyond books, gadgets, credit cards, and booths.
8. Don't be afraid to ask questions.  There are no stupid questions and all the vendors I encountered were more than happy to share their knowledge with me.  (I have to wonder if most people just don't bother to ask!)  Of course, this goes really well with Tip #4; if you miss a workshop session, you'll have less competition for the vendor's attention while you're doing the questioning.  Do try to remember to buy from the vendors who are nice enough to answer you, though.
9. Remember that the vendors are PEOPLE.  Find out what you have in common if they seem open to doing so.  Some are exceptionally friendly.  Some are a little quiet.  Most are passionate about their product(s), however, and enjoy having someone appreciate that.
10. Finally, HAVE FUN.  It's not life and death if you miss the best deal on next year's science curriculum.  You won't burn in eternal bad-homeschool-mom hell for choosing a slightly more expensive workbook from this vendor because you didn't realize it was at that vendor, too.  The world will not spin off its axis if you don't get in to hear your favorite speaker.  If you start dwelling on everything that goes wrong, though, you won't enjoy a minute of the conference.  That would be a waste.  HAVE FUN. 

Hope someone who is going to be a first-timer finds this useful. :)

No Longer a Conference Newbie!

It is done.  I am no longer a conference newbie.  As of Friday, I entered the ranks of the initiated... and what an initiation it was!

First, I went with a friend who had volunteered some time, so we had to be certain places at certain times.  Not a bad thing, but one that made logistics interesting on occasion.

Second, I took a nursing infant who had just started trying out the world of solid foods.  Whee.

Third, I didn't sleep much the night before, so I was already a bit short on the z's before I left.

We left at 10:30(ish) on Friday and drove straight to Peoria.  My friend is originally from Peoria, but they've changed things so much that she got a bit... misplaced.  Mind you, I took it all in stride because I always get misplaced, but it did start the day off with a little bit of adventure.

When we got to the conference center, said friend had to run off to do her duties, so I had the whole place to myself (well, figuratively speaking).  Everything had just opened up, so I got a good opportunity to peruse the whole place and figure out what was where and who was what and... well, okay, I never did quite get it all straight. 

Side note: Special thanks to Barbara Frank of the Imperfect Homeschooler for her little newsletter that prepped me for the conference.  I followed it... and it worked!

Okay, so it's time for the first workshop.  Or not.  Just before it starts, we are informed that Todd Wilson isn't going to be able to make it and someone else is in his place.  I am a planner-type, so I figure if I'm not getting the one I signed up for, I'll just take a little more time to look at all the *drooool* curriculum.  (Todd's wife had a baby that night at 9:30-ish p.m., by the way.  Congratulations, Todd, if you ever read this!)

Here's a fun thing.  If you're an introvert, or just a little bit shy, take an outgoing, personable baby to a conference and put her in a front pack.  I got into conversation with, oh, 75% of the vendors because of Princess Moo and her adorable smile.  Since there weren't too many people around (most were in workshops, you know), I got to ask lots of questions and just talk to people like, well, people. 

Okay, so I've used up the 1.5 hours of workshop time and the following 30 minutes of shopping time (I spent that using the restroom and changing a diaper).  It's time for the second workshop.  I am prepared (see above), so I go straight to the room that my workshop is supposed to be in.  I walk in to find there are no chairs left in the back, where nursing mothers have been asked to sit.  Okay, not a problem.  I can stand.  This lasts exactly as long as it takes the speaker to get through her introduction.  (Sorry, Betsy Ray!  That's my daughter squalling at the beginning of your workshop on "Spiritual Disciplines."  It's on the tape I bought, preserved for all posterity.)  Embarassed, I back out and go get some air, fighting tears.  Isn't this what I came for?  I was supposed to be renewed and refreshed by these workshops, not embarassed and ousted (not that anyone but my own internal voice said anything).

I had a brief talk with my mom on the cell phone and another brief talk with God (minus the cell) and decided I'd go back to vendor chatting.  After a while, I started to realize the blessing of not being in the workshops.  I could buy a tape with the workshops on it.  It wouldn't quite be the same, but it would do.  I couldn't buy a chance to handle all the curriculum without other people jostling in to get theirs.  I couldn't purchase one-on-one time with vendors without others waiting as patiently as they could (in the 30 minute shopping periods) to ask their questions.  I couldn't have gotten to know all these people as people, rather than vendors, if I'd been in those rooms with everyone else.

I did, eventually, attend 30 minutes of one workshop (while Princess Moo was dozing) and nearly all of one of the Keynote Speakers as Princess Moo played happily on the floor with an eight-month-old.  I bought the curriculum I wanted, invested in a few things I hadn't intended to buy, and didn't buy a few things I really wanted to buy that weren't in the budget.  I had fun and, although I was very tired by the end (hey, a baby in a front pack for a good part of the day is exhausting!), I don't think my brain felt as overstuffed as it would've otherwise.

Next year, maybe I'll get in to the workshops.  But I think I'll try to find one session I can live without seeing live and miss it, just so I can go talk to the vendors and get to know them (or renew old acquaintances!).  I can always buy a tape. :)

Meltdown

I'm due a meltdown.  The kids are driving me up the walls.  I'm working on the "Clean Heart, Clean Home" challenge (and slowly getting behind?).  There are a half-dozen blogs I want to comment on and I am getting exactly five minutes (or less) before the baby starts her next nursing session (a growth spurt??).  Aaaaaaahhhhh!

Okay, not a problem.  I get to go to my first-ever HS conference on Friday.  I am AWAY FROM HOME for a whole two days (mostly).  That means overnight.  Okay, I'll have the baby, but I won't have a single dish to wash, bed to make, or load of laundry to fold.  Oh, and I get to listen to whichever speakers Princess Moo will sit through, wander vendor halls in bliss until my eyes glaze over, and be refreshed in my HSing journey.

If I can just hold out two more days.