and I've been updating our family blog more at www.LaMere6.wordpress.com

Comment alez vous? I'm fine, I have just finished my french, so I'm sorta just saying random things in french. I know, I know, I haven't written in a month! Si I guess I will pick up where I left off and leave out the boring and umiportant stuff. So the rest of my ballet classes at CPYB were pretty much the same. We also went to chocolate world and I got a few yorks. And then we went home and school started up again and I have more subjects than EVER!  Algebra, French, english, history, science, Human anatomy, government, and piano! But now mommy is away so I won't be quite able to do much piano.

Mommy is away because my baby cousin, Christopher, has some neck problems. So he was in the hospital, but now he is home and my mom is helping take care of the house. Well, I know its been a while since I wrote, but I have to go now. Aur-revoir!

Fall is here and school is slow. We are so the type of un-schoolers even though we aren't. Does that make any sense?

We just love being outside and enjoying the cooler weather. We also love to be busy with home making things that we get side track.  This is not good. I mean it is great that my daughters want to learn everything that they can with me in the kitchen and such. But this will not help to get to graduation.

We are already trying to come up with things to make for Christmas gifts. We know for sure that we will be making candles. We always have baked goods and home-made candies. But we want to make something else that is different then before............I will keep thinking on this.

The picture above in this post is my hubby. He just loves riding the tractor and I just love watching him. So I thought that I would share this from this past week-end.

Well I have on my "To-Do" list to get some baking done. I have to get some bread made but I also want to make some oatmeal cookies and a pumpkin pie or two.

I have the desire to make Apple Butter but so far I got my apples ready and placed them in the freezer. I also did this with my pears.

How is your school year going? I need some feedback on this.

Come Back soon for a visit.

 Happy October everybody!!

I wanted to thank everyone who has left comments on my blog. I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you all enjoy reading what I have to say. I wish I could thank you individually (aka - on your blog or over the phone) but seeing as how I've even been forgetting to reply to emails lately, I don't think that's going to happen. So, thank you.

 I'm almost halfway through the semester - WOOOOHOOOOO!!!  I'm so relieved to have made it this far - and one of my classes actually ends next week. So that means I'll have more time to do homeschool schoolwork. Not exactly a fun observation, but I'm hoping to get as much of that done this semester as I can. Only 7 more months of being in High School... then I graduate! (scary, I know)  

 History class is going the same... I have to write a paper this weekend (actually... I should be doing it now...) about ancient Chinese gender relations. Way fun. Not. I'm not too fond of writing about things that I don't know anything about. I never really studied ancient China before... I had absolutely no interest. However, I'm finding that in 'regular' school, interest in your subject is optional.  

 I have another monologue to do in acting class. I got to pick this one out from any play I wanted, and I picked a monologue from the play Our Town. Now while I really, really, really, do NOT like this play, I wanted to find a character different from the ones that I usually play. I usually try to play a happy, peppy, funny and occasionally silly character - to break up the dramatic-ness of the characters that other people usually pick. But the purpose of an acting class is to stretch the actor, and I need to try something different. In this monologue, the character is dead, and she's saying goodbye to the world. It's got lots of emotion. And the fact that it's short was also a selling point!! Lots of emotion to play with, but a minimum of memorization - what more could an actor ask for?

Mom took some picture of us girls with Rosie and Johnny the other night. Yes we are in our pajamas... which explains Rachel's look.

hehe

My kitty...

And again!

Rosie and I have a standoff over her bone -

Rosie injured her tail a few weeks ago, and we're all happy to see her back to her sweet, howling self again!!

Johnny again, with Rebekah -

 And here we have some of the older stuffed animals... I don't know how many of you know, but my sister Rachel runs a retirement center for older stuffed animals. They have lots of fun, and apparently they have all-day poker games. Being a retirement center and all, they're not allowed to play for money, but they can play for food. Or toothpicks. Both Edward Bear and Bunny seem to have their poker faces on... I wouldn't want to play with them!!! (I think Bunny's winning though)

 Cheers to all, and have a good weekend!!

  Sarah Beth

Hi y'all. Guess what I did today? Yu guessed it, Caring for Creatures. Thankfully, Mom remembered to take her camera. So, I got some pictures for you! The one on top is sooooooooo cute, don't you think!

Here is the adorable kitten that just got moved into the kitten room. Kittens really young stay with there mothers in cages, and then they move to the kitten room where they see they big world and make friends.

Here are some curious kittens.

Here is me trying to pet everyone at once

Here is one of the kittens giving me a look that says; ' "Why on earth did you bring these tiny loudmouths into my nice room?" '

Here is little sweetie nibling on my finger

This is little sweetie's brother, Panther. Look at his claws!Two twins both trying to get attentionWhoops! Some one got in the way of the camera

This one has a look that says;"Watcha dooooooooi'n?

Look at that sad little face!

Here are the little ones-still in their cage with their Mama

Here is heir Mother, Willow, looking stressed.

This one is trying to jump

Well! Thats all the kittens for today. You will see the cats tomorrow. Bye y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                     Rachel

I was reading the Usborne Time Traveler book Pharaohs and Pyramids to the children today and I had to get up to help my oldest son in another room.  They just couldn't wait for me so I walked back in to see this and had to get a photo.   They are both really enjoying learning about Ancient Egypt.

I so wish I could say this is what my kitchen looks like, lol ..... I just love this picture.

We are in full swing of the school year now and boy, I could use a Fall break already. Please do not tell my girls that, they may take advantage of me.

We are doing so-so with the school year. I believe we all might be getting bored with the text books, but what do you do when you have been homeschooling for over 11 years, you pretty much have all the text books you need for each level of school and because of the state of the nation, nobody is really buying used school books the way it use to be. I can not justify buying new things, spending money that is not really available for that, and not be able to sell what we have. Don't get me wrong, we love the whole Abeka text book program. They are great books, we beleive in them and they are easy to buy, when needed. But we are just bored with the same thing every day, day in and day out.

I do have a few unit studies, small ones, that I can slip in here and there for a change, but I am not sure that I want to include my oldest one with it. She is just starting high school and unless I have a "full program" laid out with it, I do not want to take the chance of messing up her credit earning. That is very important to consider when chosing what to use with hs students. I would never want someone to come in, deem her not ready to graduate, because I used the wrong thing, or not enough hours for a credit.

Fall is setting up around here and we should be in full swing around here soon. I am looking forward to it. I am ready to turn the a/c off for good and pull out the quilts. I am ready to plan my menu around soups, stews and comforting food for the cooler weather.

I hope to sharing some recipes here with you as I come up with new things to make. If you some thing to share, please leave me a link to your post and I will come by and get your recipe.

Have a good day at your home !!

September 25, 2008

Act Now to Stop Costly Federal Early Education Spending Bill

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

Action is needed now to stop a harmful early education bill, H.R. 2343, the Education Begins at Home Act. Despite the bill’s seemingly homeschool-friendly title, the legislation is actually yet another “big government” encroachment into the sphere of education.

H.R. 2343 seeks to expand the Head Start Early Home Visitation program to supposedly “educate” parents of children from infants to 5-year-olds on parenting strategies. If passed, this bill would literally open the door for government employees to enter private homes to impose unelected officials’ educational agendas, which may prove offensive and contrary to many families’ moral and religious beliefs. Although at this point enrollment in the home visitation program is voluntary, government programs almost always grow beyond their original scope when bills are amended.

This intrusive and unnecessary legislation comes at a whopping starting cost of more than $190 million—a burden that will be incurred by already struggling American taxpayers.

Action Requested

Please call your U.S. representative today and urge him or her to oppose H.R. 2343, the Education Begins at Home Act. It is not necessary to identify yourself as a homeschooler. You can say something as simple as the following:

You can reach your U.S. representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or by using our Legislative Toolbox.

This bill has been placed on the House calendar and could come up for a vote anytime this week, or even during the weekend as Congress rushes to finish legislative priorities before they adjourn.

Background

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President