Well, Zachary's glasses came in. He's very happy about how much better he can see while wearing them. But, he did NOT want his picture taken.  Maybe when he gets older he can wear contacts.

By now ya'll know that I speak my mind.  I try to be nice about it, but sometimes, especially when I'm shocked, things fly out of my mouth in less than tactful ways.  That happened recently...

We were recently told by some very good friends that, we've known for a very, very, very long time,  that they have been having Parents as Teachers into their home to help with their not even 2 year old boy.  In case you don't know what that is, here's the link. Basically, it's a program designed to indoctrinate parents into "needing" the government to help you care for your child from birth whoops, just read on their website they actually start this before birth.  They come into your home to do this. 

So, when we heard this I spewed forth something about NEVER letting the gov't into my home for that.   I did not mean to offend her, but I was in total and absolute shock that they would do this.  We've known this family for a VERY long time... Shane grew up with this guy.  They have talked about homeschooling their children for a long time and I was so shocked that I spoke before my brain had time to think.

My stomach churns everytime I think about this whole situation!!! More than it churns when I think about Obama being our next president and that thought turns it upside down!

Not to mention the bigger picture.  See what this couple doesn't understand (nevermind how corrupt the whole gov't system is) is that they are endangering my RIGHT to homeschool!  Sorry, that's the way I see it.  Again, we have "homeschoolers" taking government support.  Basically they are telling the gov't that they don't think they are qualified to teach their children without the gov't's help.  People like this give the government a reason to think that no parent is qualified to teach their child at home.  And the even worse part is that my children or yours could end up fighting the same (only worse) battle that my in-laws and others fought 20+ years ago.

So here's my word for those of you that think you can do both-- DON'T!  Either poo or get off the pot.  But DON'T mess up my right to educate my children in the way I am convicted.  (Yes, this is an area where we obey God rather than men, and if I am schooling my children when this reversal of our rights takes place I WILL break man's law and continue in what is my God given authority. )  There is a plethora of support groups (that are NOT government ran).  These support groups have homeschool veterans willing and able to help you on this homeschooling journey.  And if you are inclined that the socialization argument actually has merit, (that's a soapbox for another day) then find one of the 100's if not 1000's of homeschool organizations doing theater, sports, debate or other things so your children can socialize with children their age.   You do not need the government helping you!!!  If you are unsure of yourself (as we all are in the beginning, middle and end of this homeschooling journey) find someone that can encourage you in this journey.  

And if you are allowing the government to "help" you with your children, meaning if you are involved in a government run satelite program or Parents as Teachers, please, please PLEEEEEEEEEEASE do not tell people that YOU are a homeschooler-- because quite frankly--- you are decieved and you are NOT a"home" schooler!

We had some friends over for a weenie roast last night (our very good friends from CA are getting ready to go back and this was kind of their farewell party until next year).  Anyway, one of the ladies was telling us about her 13 y/o daughter bringing up how different they are... yup! "K" I feel your pain.  Different and alone among family and long known friends. 

"Do Hard Things.” That’s the title of a book by Alex and Brett Harris, twin brothers of Josh Harris of “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” fame.  

If you haven’t read the book, I think you’d find it worth your while. While the book is aimed at teens, it has some real lessons for everyone. I know I stepped away from it reflecting on its lessons for me.

The premise of the book is that society sets expectations for teens ridiculously low, that teens are capable of excellence in their spiritual and material lives, and that the revolution – or as the twins like to say, rebelution -- is already underway.

The book outlines ways for teens to identify their weaknesses and overcome them and ways they can maximize their strengths. It’s packed with real life examples. Above all, it’s a cheerleader in print – a “you can do it” book.

You won’t mistake “Do Hard Things” for C.S. Lewis or Chesterton or any of the deep thinkers of Christianity. It’s more along the lines of the ever popular motivational books that sell by the millions today – but with the twist of simple spiritual substance where many of those books lack it.

I think that if my children were still teens and I wanted them to read “Do Hard Things,” I’d want to make it a discussion book, one that all of us would read and talk about. On the other hand, teens in the throes of rebellion or lacking a good relationship with their parents would benefit from a read-alone approach.

The book would make a very good gift for public school students who long for something more challenging and meaningful in their lives.

Finally, if you read the book yourself, look for the lessons that can apply to our job as parents. Homeschooling can sometimes be one of the very big “hard things” we do in life, and you’ll find help in mustering the courage and tenacity to stick with it as well good examples of what it means to not give up when the going gets tough.

Tammy Drennan homeschooled her sons from 1985 through 2003. She now works as a writer and tutor and maintains several web sites and blogs, including www.educationconversation.wordpress.com and www.homeschoolstarter.com

I was in JoAnn’s this week picking up supplies for a couple of homeschool co-op classes I am teaching and found that my educator discount card was expired!  I sure was glad that I had my teacher ID card with me so they would issue me a new discount card.   

Did you know that you can print a free teacher ID card and ID cards for your kids online?  Here is the site where you will find them. All you need to do is fill out the form on their website and they produce the card and email it to you in pdf format. From there you can print it out or even have it laminated.  

There are A LOT of places that offer a discount for teachers, so be sure to ask wherever you purchase things for your school.  Some of the places I have discount cards are Barnes and Noble, Borders, and JoAnn’s. 

Happy Homeschooling,

Jamin

Happy Show and Tell Friday.  I am feeling under the weather but I wanted Show and Tell Friday to continue on.  I want to wish you a early Happy Canadian Thanksgiving. ( It is celebrated on Monday)  The history is different up here than in the U.S.A.  To find out the history please follow these links.

HERE and HERE

Now....

*** Remember in Show and Tell Friday ...the best way to get a comment is to give a comment. ***

If you want to join us

just...

~Make a Show and Tell Post and make sure it is wholesome.   It can be pretty much what ever you want to share.  It could be about you ...or your family ....or what is going on in your homeschooling.

~Some how link me ( Canadagirl ) so others will know where to go to join S&T.

~Come back to me and  let me know you posted your S&T by using Mr. Linky. ( I need you  to tell me each week that you want to participate  , okay ? )

~If you want the S&T button to put on your blog go HERE

~Then , please go visit other gals wonderful Show and Tells !

Our week using the schedule I made has been great! Today we ran a little bit behind here & there but we still finished at 3:00 p.m. thank goodness.

If you would like to read how other's weeks have gone please visit Mrs. Cuddles by clicking on the graphic below. She host a weekly Homeschool Report.

The kids have accomplished a lot. Here is what we did. Our read alouds for this week:

1. Autumn with the Moody's
2. The Toothpaste Millionaire
3. Grandfather's Box (working slowly through this book ;)
4. And picture books from our at-home library for the little ones. Dr. Seuss, Winnie the Phoo, Curious George etc.

Joshua has been busy. When I list his subjects as two lessons per week, it may not sound like a lot but when you add them up with all of his subjects it's a lot. Especially considering that after every every lesson there are comprehension questions.

Joshua 5th grade:

1. Bible he did 1 lesson. I was going to originally have him complete 2 lessons per day but it takes more than a half hour to do a lesson, so Joshua is going to break one lesson up and do a little bit every day. I want him to really learn about the Bible and if it's to difficult and he is not getting it than what would be the point of doing it? I don't want it to look good in his "Class Lesson Planner" meaning showing he completed all these chapters if  he is not really applying and learning it. I would rather him take it slower and learn.
2. Reading he did Lessons 4 & 5. This consist of reading a chapter in his "A Time to Plant" and answering some comprehension questions and sometimes looking up some verses.
3. Spelling; Lessons 16, 17, 18 & 19. Thanks so our new schedule we have been fitting in spelling.
4. Grammar: Chapter Review, Test which he passed & a worksheet.
5. Handwriting he completed  pgs. 5, 6 & 7
6. History/Geography he completed Lesson 3 and a Review lesson
7. Science he completed lessons 3 & 4. Tomorrow we are going to make two cakes. one with honey & the other with sugar and compare the texture & taste. This is one of the experiments suggested in his Science book.
8. Math: Rod & Staff he completed lessons 16, 17 & 18. Math-U-See lessons 24B & 24D.
9. Joshua also read The Toothpaste Millionaire.

Annette 3rd grade:

1. Bible: She memorized a whole Discovery section in her AWANA handbook as well as studying God's Word in her reading program and her Bible time.
2. Reading: she completed lessons 6 & 7. She reads a chapter in her Bible Reader and answers vocabulary, sequencing and comprehension questions in her workbook. I only grade the comprehension questions though. The questions that pertain to some grammar, vocabulary etc. are for extra practice. I still need to talk to my Dear Husband about and see what he thinks.
3. Spelling lessons completed were 16, 17, 18 & 19.
4. Grammar she completed two lesson in her First Language Lessons 3 and 3 lessons in Climbing to Good English
5. Social Studies she took a test and continued on to the next chapter and completed Lesson 6 which consist of reading the lesson and answering questions from that lesson as well as some review lessons.
6. Science she completed Lesson 8 and took a test.
7. Singapore Math she completed Exercises 14, 15, 16, & 17. MUSee she completed 24A. She is learning how to multiply with double digits but is having a hard time understanding it, so that is why she only has one lesson done with MUSee.
8. Vocabulary, Annette learned four new words.

She is doing great with her school work. She likes all of her subjects and really enjoys her Social Studies.

Caleb 2nd grade:

 With our new schedule, Caleb has really accomplished a lot.

1. Bible is AWANA. He learns two pgs. of verses. We go over the meaning of the verses and discuss how we can apply them.
2. Reading: he has completed 10 pgs from The Reading Lesson & 8pgs from his Abeka Reader.
3. Explode the Code: because I have added in Phonics from R&S I only require that Caleb finish 1pg per day from his Explode the Code 3 or 3 1/2 books. If he has lots of free time I'll add in another ;) He completed pgs. 25, 26, 27, 28 & 29 from Book 3 and pgs. 1 & 6 from Book 3 1/2.
4. Climbing to Good English he calls it his Biff book because the dog on the cover is named Biff. LOL. he completed pgs. 49, 50 & 51.
5. Rod & Staff Phonics 1 Unit 1 he completed lessons 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18.
6. Social Studies he completed lesson 3
7. Science he completed lesson 4
8. Singapore Math he completed Exercises 17, 18, 19, 21 & 22. He also did 4 pgs from his MUS Beta book but I haven't put it in his "Class Lesson Planner" yet because they weren't scheduled. He wanted to start MUS Beta. I was actually going to have him start in Jan.
9. Writing With Ease he started this week. He completed Week 1 Days 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Brent 1st Grade:

1.  My Father's World First Grade. He completed Days 14, 15, 16 & 17 which consist of copywork. He copied a verse, does dictation, worksheets and is currently making a book called "Animal Tales" he copies a line from his workbook a day and illustrates it.
2. Explode the Code 2 & 2 1/2 he completes between 2 to 3 pgs a day
3. Math-U-See he completed 3pgs and 3 pgs from another math book.

Here are some pictures of Brent's work this week.

Ethan Kindergarten:

• He is learning the sight words I, the & have.
• Pre Explode the Code he did 3pgs.
• Rod & Staff Counting With Numbers he did one page.
• Math-U-See Primer he will do a few pgs. over the weekend.

Lance Pre-K:

• Played with MFW Pre-school toys
• play dough
• picture books

I'll add pictures tomorrow if I get a chance. I love pictures and I know my sister's enjoy when I post them. I am writing everything out Thursday night because I am babysitting tomorrow and I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to blog about our week.

Hope these post don't sound to boring.

Blessings,

Linda<><

 Email me at Homeschooling6[At]hotmail[Dot]com.

Happenings Here On The Farm

Very busy is the words that best describe the way things have been around the farm. My garden is producing its last few veggies of the growing season. We still have fresh garden tomatoes to enjoy. My sweet pepper plants are bending over due to its laden branches. We have 4 rows of fall lettuce up as well as a row of spinach. All of it should be ready for harvest by next weekend.

Apples are still plentiful. So plentiful in fact that alot of them are going to the cows. We are trying to eat as many as we possibly can. We are saving the best ones to eat on. There has been plenty of applesauce and apple pies eaten. All of us have put up applesauce in the freezer or have canned quarts full. My mother and grandmother have made apple pies to put in the freezer. My father has given I don't know how many 5 gallon buckets full away. Last year, the apple crop was a total loss due to a late frost. This year's crop has made up for it. I hate the thought of wasting any of them, but at they are going to good use feeding the cows. 

The persimmon trees are also full of fruit. My grandmother is harvesting them. Persimmons are a required taste. I have never aquired the taste. People of my grandmother's generation learned to eat what they could growing up on a farm and during the Great Depression. I told my grandmother I wasn't desperate enough right now to eat persimmons. One day it may come to that.

With all of these trees overflowing with God's bounty, I feel guilty that I am not harvesting more. Especially, since I have felt the need to put up as much food as possible this summer, like many of you have. That foresight has proven to be good thing in light of the economy at this time. I think of of the moral tale of the grasshopper and the ants. These verses in Proverbs also come to mind, Proverbs 6:6-8 "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." Should I be doing more than I am? I don't know, maybe, but I do have plenty put up and will depend on the Lord to provide for us as He always does.

Here is a list of the bounty provided by God stored in our cabinets and freezer:

• 21 pints of applesauce in the freezer
• 15 pints of peaches in the freezer
• 10 pints of crowder peas in the freezer ( may get more from my parents)
• 15 pint bags of corn-on-the-cob in the freezer
• 5 quart bags & a gallon bag of sweet peppers in the freezer (with more to come)
• 33 pints of tomatoe juice in the cabinet
• 15 pints of green beans in the cabinet (canned by my wonderful MIL)

That may not sound like much to those of you with large families, but it will provide for us well over the winter and fall. With the other staples I have stored in our cabinets, we should be okay if things get worse. Our ultimate provision is depending and trusting in the good Lord for our needs and well-being. He provides all we need.

Living Without Modern Conveniences

As the economy news gets worse and worse, people are looking at ways to cut down on their expenses. One way, we all could save some money is looking at all the modern conveniences we could live without. There are so many of them. 

My family does live quite well without most of the modern gadgets the majority of people have to have. We don't live like the Old Order Amish, but we do without.  By reducing our reliance on these modern gadgets, we can save money and live a simpler, less hectic life. Also by reducing our want for modern conveniences, we are removing ourselves from the world's obession with materialism. We are told in Romans12:2 "...be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, ..." By looking at these gadgets differently, we can free ourselves from the world's influence on our lives.

With so many modern gadgets to choose from, where do I start with?  How about the TV? Is TV something that we followers of Christ should be investing our time in? If we do watch TV, how do we judge what we watch on it? The TV and the content on it  can definitely have an influence our way of life and our way of thinking.

The TV has been an essential part of most American households since its invention. I am almost embrassed to say that it has been that for a long time in our home.  However, we are slowly trying to wean ourselves off of it. One of the biggest reasons is that there really isn't much on it worth watching. We have considered getting cable or a dish, but that is an expense we don't need. Especially, since, there isn't anything better on those options to watch either.

Along with the TV, we also own its cousins, the VCR & DVR player. We make good use of them. We own movies, we watch over and over again. We are slowly starting a collection of TV shows on DVD that we grew up watching; like "LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE", & "THE WALTONS". DD is also starting her own collection, with us giving her our approval on each purchase. These DVDs has become our main source of TV viewing in recent months.  

Like most modern conveniences, the TV does have its good points. It keeps us informed. It helps to entertain. But, like modern conveniences-when it comes right down to it-we could live without it. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we only turn it on when we are bored anyway.

In recent years, DH has hesitated at starting to watch a new show. He says we can get more accomplished if we don't watch as much. That is so true. So much of Americans' time is wasted sitting in front of the TV. Time that could be better spent doing so many other things.

Although we haven't invested time in new shows, there are 4 shows we do watch and keep up with; "NCIS", "THE UNIT", "CSI", and "ER". There are other worthwhile shows and programs on TV. We enjoy watching history programs, military programs, sports, etc. When we do have the opportunity to watch cable or a dish, we enjoy watching the old TV shows from the early days of TV or the shows from our childhood.  Alot of the time, we end watching whatever is on, because there isn't anything else on to watch.

Therein lies the crux of the matter. If there is nothing on to watch, why do we watch it? How do we determine if a show we like to watch is worthwhile for a follower of Christ  to watch? The advice offered in Philippians 4:8 is a good place to start, "Finally, brethen, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there is any viture, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Based on this advice, I know there are some shows that I watch during the day are shows I shouldn't be watching. These show would not reflect  well on the godly life I am trying to lead. Slowly these shows are fading into the background. The urge not to miss them is slowly going away. I still have work to do. My eyes are wide open and I am always watching for what is true, honest, just, pure, and lovely.

Will we ever get rid of our TV? Most unlikely, for it is somewhat like an old friend. A friend who is ther when we are bored, when we are sick, and even when we want to relax. A friend who brings new ideas into our home, but also brings the comfort of other old friends. A friend who influence needs to be monitored,checked, and slowly, lessened. I'm afraid it will remain for a long while, maybe not used as much in its old age, but called on occasionally to entertain us.

I was outside yesterday with the kids and took lots of photos and I thought I would share some of them.  I figure it was time to get some before the snow comes this weekend.    If we do actually get snow, I'll take some pictures of that to share too.