Might I just say I've had nothing but trouble since the big change here.  I've had to have a password emailed to me half a dozen times, & even then it wouldn't always work.  I don't much like the whole new set up to read my friends' blogs.  If I wanted to view their profile, I would.  If I want to read their blogs, I don't want to have to go thru their profile.  Ugh!  It's not as user friendly as it was before.  I may actually not post here very much b/c of all this......

For some reason, I always lose track of days on this blog.  I post to my other blog just about every single day, but I forget about writing here.

School has been going pretty well.....  Taryn (5yo) is beginning to teach herself to read, recognizing words when she sees them, & learning to spell w/ the aid of her Little People ABC Treehouse.  Camryn (10) has been really focused on origami since her birthday.  She got a really neat kit that also include kirigami & she's been making all kinds of things.  She's also been reading an awful lot!

Kiernan (12) is still more interested in games (Adventure Quest, Aveyond, PS2 games) but they are teaching him to think, use logic, make decisions, etc. so I guess that's okay.  He does his schoolwork quickly so he can get to the "good" stuff.

Casey (15) has just completed his first week (of 2) in Driver's Ed.  He's had his first official drive time (5 more to go) & he's driven w/ me a couple of times.  He is also more interested in the above listed games, but has decided to move more to the "book" side of education.  He's doing Saxon Algebra, Apologia Biology, then adding in Greek & Latin roots, geography & other fun stuff.

Caitlin (17) is really working doubly hard so she can graduate this spring.  She doesn't take our "scheduled" days off, but goes ahead & does her work.  She's been very disciplined in her choice of studies.  (Lots to do w/ anatomy & physiology - it seems.)  She's kind of been taking a break from her art studies.  She has 3 lessons done that need to be sent in for grading, but the first of those 3 is a painting project that she just keeps putting off.  It's drawn & the base coat is painted, but it's the details, I think, that she's procrastinating on.  I keep telling her to get it finished so it's not hanging over her head & she can get back to the enjoyment of drawing.

Darci (18 - graduated '06) quit her job back in Aug. so she's been playing "kid" since then.  She's really been focusing on her photography & is doing very well w/ it.  She takes a lot of landscape & artsy type pics & edits them.  She's got quite an interesting collection.  Her dream job would be to travel & take photos for a magazine or something.  She's just about decided it's time to look for another job - maybe working 3rd shift (since that's when she seems to function best).

Tahni (3) isn't in school, but she's learning all the time.  She can sing her ABC's, knows most all her colors, body parts, etc.  She's Taryn's little copycat, too.

Anyway, that's what's going on around here....

Ciao!

I didn't realize it had been quite so long since I'd updated here....

Things have been.....busy.  Seems like there's been tons of appointments to get to, practices to taxi the kids to, old house stuff to finish up, football games, business trips for John, etc. & so forth.

School has been.... well, not exactly like what I was envisioning, but I've not really had time to do anything differently.  Kiernan has taken it upon himself to start learning algebra, though!    I've had to study up on some of that myself (or ask John) b/c I didn't know how to do something!  We've been doing some word search puzzles using different vocabulary words (something the kids absolutely love to do!)  I'd really like to get them on a more.... uh..... schedule to follow.  We got some new schoolbookish type Student Handbooks over the summer.  I'd like them to get those out & work their way thru them.  One or 2 of them actually have AP courses lined out.  (Of course, that's more along the lines of "teaching to the test", but at least they'd get some of that info.)  I just need to feel like I have time to breathe, let alone figure all this other stuff out.

I still like the whole unschooling philosophy b/c I can see how much happier the entire family is, following that approach.  However, I'd also like to see a titch more structure to our day.  Sometimes, I look at the clock & wonder what in the world happened to this day?    It seems like, after 18 ish years of homeschooling, I'd be an expert, but I keep learning every day, too.  Maybe by the time Tahni is in high school, I'll have it all perfected.  I've got another 12 years or so before that happens....

Guess I'll go.... got a little one who's dying for some attention.  Happy Anniversary to us! 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be here for much of it.  It's a good thing the kids are capable of doing it on their own!  I had to meet Jason (my BIL & our realtor) at the old house to go over what needs to be done, as well as put out signs & the lock box.  When we got done w/ all that, I had to run a couple of DVD's back to the rental store & I wasn't sure where it was.  Then I had to pick up a prescription for Darci.  By the time I got home, it was almost 2:00.  I had time to eat lunch, move a bookcase back in the schoolroom, try to get a cabinet in there as well (didn't work), & I had to take Casey to meet John for a football after-game meeting.  I got home from there around 6:15.  Aargh!!!!!

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better school day.....

Guess I should start thinking about school again, huh?  Here it is, July 20th, & we will probably start school officially around Aug. 21.  I need to sit down & figure out the dates we wanna take off & when Memorial Day is, & make sure I get our 180 days scheduled.

It's really going to seem strange to be down to 4 official homeschoolers.  I'm not sure what Darci will be doing in the fall.  (Maybe I can talk her into working w/ Taryn on reading?!?!)  She'd be a great teacher's helper! 

I think, once we get moved & somewhat settled, I'll start printing off worksheets for Taryn's "Preschool Book" since she loves to do them.  I just really need to get my mind in gear for the whole thing & think about things to do w/ everyone.  I can't believe how quickly the summer has gone!  Lots of things happening that I certainly didn't expect.....

I'll be back again .... someday!

Ciao!

1.  Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4 and write what it says.

"God sent His Son, Jesus, to save us."  (One of Taryn's books...)

2.  Stretch your left arm out as far as you can.  What can you touch? 

My file cabinet

3.  What is the last thing you watched on tv?

Let's see.... right now, "Yes, Dear" is on.  I  personally watched?  I don't remember, unless it was "So You Think You Can Dance."

4.  Without looking, guess what time it is?   5:10 p.m.

5.  Now look at the clock.  What is the actual time?   5:30 p.m.  (Story of my life... Time just keeps getting away from me...)

6.  With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?  Someone is laughing, the TV is playing, Tahni is being goofy, Camryn is playing the computer next to me...

7.  When did you last step outside?  What were you doing?  4:55 p.m.  I came home from dropping Darci & Taryn off at the gym.

8.  Before you started this survey, what did you look at?  updated blogs & my email

9.  What are you wearing?  Capri jeans, T-shirt, sandals......

10.  Did you dream last night?  yeah, but I don't remember what it was...

11.  When did you last laugh?  Last night when I went out w/ the big girls to see Stick It! & eat at Dairy Queen.

12.  What is on the walls of the room you are in?   3 bulletin boards, clock, picture, Darci's 2 senior picture story boards, family calendar, growth chart, "Parking for Colts Fans Only" sign...

13.  Seen anything weird lately?  If you discount the family, not that I can remember...

14.  What do you think of this quiz?  Interesting....

15.  What is the last film you saw?   Stick It! last night, Superman Returns last Friday, & Ice Age: The Meltdown on Saturday. 

16.  If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy?  Plane tickets to California to pay off Aunt Lou & Uncle Carl, then LAND & lots of it!

17.  Tell me something about you that I don't know?  I have all different colors in my hair naturally:  blonde, red, black, brown, a couple silver.... John has always called me Calico.

18.  If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?    Make it easier to raise your kids that way you believe is right.

19.  Do you like to dance?  No, not really

20.  Comment to George Bush:  Do you pray about ALL your decisions?

21.  Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?  Darci Lynn

22.  Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?  I don't recall having a boy's name picked out for Darci, but our first boy is John Casey.

23.  Would you ever consider living abroad?   Umm.... no.

24.  What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gate? 

Well done, thou good & faithful servant.

25.  3 people who you would like to do this quiz in their blog:

Peakmore_Academy

SlackerMom

Grace

Lotsa things going on.... 

• Caitlin was hit by a semi last Tuesday.... she's okay, the car is drivable... just really scared her.
• We found lice on Camryn - I don't know if she picked it up at the gym or a friend's house.
• Darci swerved to miss a dog on her way to work on Friday & her car flipped.  We spent 8 1/2 hours in the ER, getting X-rays, saline solution, glass picked out of her hand... but she's okay.
• Since she crawled out of the car & walked home (she couldn't find her cell phone to call me..) she crawled thru poison ivy or something similar & has a rash all over her arms & legs.
• John & I spent all day Saturday & Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway volunteering at the Formula One race to earn credit/money for Camryn's gymnastics fees.
• We also found out on Wed. (6/28) that our offer was accepted on a new house that's more than double the size of ours now.  (We hadn't even considered moving until just a couple of weeks before.)

See why I haven't been back in a while?

The graduation open house went very well... lotsa people showed up, some that we didn't really expect to, had plenty of food (waayyy more than enough), & it was actually really fun.  I think Darci enjoyed it too.  Sounds like we may be doing it again next year.... Caitlin wants to go ahead & graduate early, too.

Well, I must be off.... Nothing much is getting accomplished today.  Ciao!