Yes, the title is my poor attempt at humor.   It is spelling bee time again.  My 8th grade dd has been sooo excited.  She has already been studying "How to Spell like a Champ" for the last two months.   So when the letter came telling us to call the Scripps National Spelling Bee to register, I did right away.     Last year we were able to register as a homeschooling family for only $10.   This year we have a problem or a mountain so to speak.   They told us that if we belonged to a homeschool group or association we had to join with them for $99.   They then assume that the homeschool group will hold their own bee and send only the best on to the local regional bees.   I tried to explain that yes, my name is on a "local" (one hour away) homeschool groups roster.....yes I paid dues.  BUT, they DO NOT want to participate.  I emailed the whole group trying to get even 4 other families involved.   The group itself offered to pay half IF I could get even 4 more families interested.....but to no avail.   No one responded.  So it is just us.   Scripps was very adimit that is this years rule, and therefore my daughter cannot participate this year unless we pay the $99 fee by next Wednesday!      That is a lot of money no matter what, but especially if she doesn't go on to the next bee.   I don't want to put that kind of pressure on her.   Sigh.   It is also hard to say "sorry, dear.  I know this is the last year that you are eligible for this.....and that you are the only one in our family who can spell....but they changed the rules and now you can't do it because we don't have the money :("  The public school suggested that we call the local Optimist club, etc and try to get sponsors.....surprisingly the public school actually has been very helpful through out this whole thing.   But I guess I am whimping out.   I just can't believe that it is such an ordeal to get my daughter into this nationally recognized and often won by homeschoolers event!       Sigh, again.   

So, here is a mountain you can pray for God to move!  It is just a little one....but I am sure that there are other homeschool families out there facing this same little mountain.

Carylee

Just a quick "plug" for an awesome rescource for all your writing and art supply needs.   Check out millerpadsandpaper.com     They sell high quality handwriting paper (for cheap!), picture/story paper (half handwriting and half blank for drawing), construction paper, drawing books and almost any art supply you can think of.   PLUS  the family that owns the business homeschooled their children(now grown).  They understand the homeschool world. 

Carylee

Well....we have taken a step of faith.  The For Sale sign is in our front yard.   You see, a house in the country that we have had our eye on is coming available for sheriff's auction really soon.  We don't know if we are going to get it until the day of the sale.  BUT we have to have our house sold to qualify.  So....here we go!   We really feel God leading us to do this even though many others think it is impossible for us to get the house for the price we need it at.  BUT my God is a God of miracles.  So we are praying for one now!   I really don't want this house to sell....and not get the other one.  I don't like living in a tent in WI winter!   I also don't want it not to sell and keep us from getting the new house.  sigh.

If you know anyone who wants a nice house in a small town in Wisconsin....4-5 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths.....all new windows, roof.....for only $82, 500......send them to the Tim Slack Auction and Reality website.   In the meanwhile.....my children are already dreaming of moving to the country in the near future.....and mom is panicking about another move in the middle of the school year!

Speaking of school.....week 1 using My Father's World K, ECC, and High School Ancients is done.  It went well.....except for the 1  1/2 yr old who is NOT happy that mommy is so busy!  She has been very hard to keep occupied.  Overall we like the curriculum so far.  I just have to adjust things here or there....ie my ds 7 and 11 DON't like coloring....so we skipped coloring the children of the world pictures.  It was too much like torture for them!   :)

God bless.

Carylee

Finally!!!  Here is a picture of book 3 in the Draw and Write Through History series.  Again, it covers the Vikings and the Middle Ages and even touches on the Renaissance.  Book 4 is in the works and will be done by spring 2009.  You can order them at our website: drawandwrite.com

If you have ever used Sonlight or My Father's World, or something similar than you know what this means.  I am using My Father's World this fall for my K, and ECC (Exploring Countries and Cultures) for my 2nd and 6th grader, and their highschool Ancients for my 8th/9th grader.  Well, today my 8th/9th grader got her box!  It was soooooo big.  It was funny as inside it was tons of paper (okay it didn't weigh a ton....but it filled my living room floor!) and another box filled with books.  I was ooohhing over the books....my children decided to have a paper fight (something like a pillow fight) with the paper.  They also thought it was cool to try to tangle it on the ceiling fan....ugh.  Anyways....my daughter took her books to her room to wait for Aug or Sept.  I can hardley wait!  I wish I could read them all....but that is part of what I like about MFW....their high school is meant to be independent. 

Believe it or not....my older high school ds (age 16) begged me to go back to Abeka dvd school!  It goes against every bone in MY body.....but it is his style.  So.....we signed him up.  He really wants accountability and he wants a "real" diploma.  Funny, his younger sister begged me NOT to put her into dvd school.  She wanted MFW and ACE for math.  She likes to get her school done as quick as possible so she can intern at a local veternarians office 2 times a week.  God really makes them all so different!   Righ nowmy oldes  is starting to take drivers ed online through our technical college!  Yikes. 

Carylee

I stayed up WAYYYYYYY to late last night, but I made some decisions about our homeschool curriculum.  Just a reminder.....I have 7 dc ages 9months, 3,5,6,10,13,and 15.  I have the hardest time sticking with any curriculum.  We travel to many homeschool conferences with my husband's job....and I see to many options.  Anyways,I have finally decided to give My Father's World a try.  I ordered their K and ECC (Exploring Countries and Cultures).  I might do their highschool stuff too for my two oldest.  I don't need the stuff until fall....but I wanted to order it before the tax return money disappeared!  I am so excited.  I can't wait to use it!  This year we used ACE paces.  Now before you groan.....they really were a blessing this year.  With a new baby and all.....I just really needed a year where the dc didn't need much help from me.  And it worked for most of them.  In fact, the older two would rather keep doing the PACES.  BUT I don't think that they are learning much on the higher thinking/reasoning end of things.  So....I am hoping to work on that next year!  

My brilliant little 6 year old finished his 2nd grade math PACES last week and has been begging for more math.  I ordered Singapore math for him last night.  We will give it a try!

Well....off to bed.  I have been sick for 33 days now!  This cough and sinus junk just won't go away.  I think it is lack of sleep!

Check back soon.  Tomorrow I will announce the winner of my book!

Yesterday was the monthly homeschool meeting.  It takes us an hour to get to the group.  We don't get to go very often as it costs too much time and money to load up our crew into the 15 passenger van and drive the hour at 8miles to the gallon! 

Well this time we had to go....we had clean-up duty.  A friend of mine took 2 of my children with her, and my husband drove the blue whale (the van) to work so that we could drive a less gass guzzling car the distance!  Anyways, we got there and discovered that they were doing something different.  It was so neat!  There are a couple families in our homeschool group going through a very rough time.  So our leader decided that we would make them baskets of food.  We got in groups of two and started cooking in the church kitchen.  When we were done, we had 3 wonderful looking baskets to deliver.  It was really fun.  And we still managed to get our talking in!

I suppose the title makes you think that I am going to talk about how we use recipes in math at our house.....but it isn't. 

I am struggling with math decisions at our house.  My oldest ds is in 10th grade.  We have used Abeka, Mathusee and now ACE.  We like Abeka, but I don't feel that I can teach the highschool levels, nor do I have the money to rent their dvds (tried that one year...ouch!).  Mathusee is great....but again, not independent enough for highschool and I don't have time to figure it all out.  So on to ACE.  It is working for oldest DS.  He is doing their geometry PACES with the dvds.  Great.  BUT next years Algebra 2 with DVDS will cost us over $250.  Yes we can keep the dvds....so at least I can pass them on....but still.  So we are leaning towards Saxon with DIVE.  We watched the sample cd and he thought it looked good. 

Dd age 13....loves her ACE....probably won't change unless I decide to switch all to Saxon with DIVE.

Ds 10 is struggling.  Gets great grades but is only one fourth of the way through his 5th grade PACES.  And he says he really isn't understanding it.  Did great last year in MathUsee.....maybe we need to go back.  He also thought the DIVE cd was understandable. Hmmmm....just not sure what to do.  The PACES are easier for us to take with when we travel in the spring.  Ugh.  Do we start a new program now?  We start traveling in 2 months.  Or do we keep plugging along?  It is mostly fractions/decimals that he struggles with.  But it is also that he thinks he needs me to answer everything!  I really think I should put him back into mathusee...but then we will switch again come Algebra! 

Any advice welcome.....

Ds 6 is almost done with 2nd grade.  He wants to keep going....but mom isn't sure that I have the $ to order more books!

Now...on to recipes.......I promised someone to post our favorite easy recipes.  Here is what we did for dinner tonight:

Noodles with a white sauce. (serves 8-10) So you can half butter for a smaller amount.

1 stick butter (melt in large saucepan or dutch oven)

Press cloves of garlic (or add minced garlic)....as many as you want . We LOVE garlic....I also add some whole cloves.

Saute garlic in butter. 

Add 1/2 cup of flour to butter.  Stir to get out lumps.

Keep heat on medium so as not to burn.  Slowly add milk.  Stir as you add it.  It will thicken as it cooks.  Keep stirring so it doesn't burn!  I have never measured how much milk.  We just keep adding.  Stopping once and awhile to let it thicken.

I usually add garlic salt too.....or at least salt.  Like I said, we LOVE garlic.

You can add chunks of cooked chicken breast if you like.

Serve over noodles....any kind!

Great with salad and garlic bread.  Or broccoli!

Well, even though we are really tight financially, we are taking a step of faith.  We sent in our loan app. to see what we qualify for.  We looked at a house in town here, last week that is at least twice as big as ours.  The payments are twice as big too, though!  So...it seems foolish, humanly speaking....but we feel led to procede.  At least at this point.  My books have been selling well.  So maybe God will work a bigger house out for us soon.   I can't imagine keeping my house organized and clean enough to "show" it, though!  Not on top of homeschooling and working on book 3. 

I have really been trying to give things to God.  Especially in the areas of schooling and finances.  I like to have control in these areas, so it is hard.  Especially when things don't look good.  Like.....that "new" car's brakes just went out!  

I have been trying to figure out next years homeschool curriculum....only because our busy season is on its way and I like to have it figured out before than.   We are considering Father's World for K for my soon to be 4 and 5 (who will be almost 6 by then).  They don't reccomend starting early....but these two insist on doing things together.  Also, the 4 year old can color better than the older one, and in essence is at the same level.   I am also considering Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures for my 3rd and 6th grader next year.   We just did Sonlight's version of this last year with my 7th grader.  We love Sonlight's books....but their manual just isn't organized enough for me.  I like everything that I am suppose to do on one or two pages for the week.  I didn't like constantly flipping through the huge Instructor's guide.    Also, that particular Sonlight wouldn't really allow me to combine these two boys....and I feel that they need a year of working together on something.  They fight so much.  Probably because my 6 year old is so smart...and knows it ( he is almost done with 2nd grade, and just tested into 3rd grade spelling), And my 10 year old struggles.  

We will be making math decisions too.  We are using ACE PACES right now.  Everyone likes them except the 10 yr old....who doesn't like any school except for projects and science experiments!  BUt, my 10th graders math and science are costing between $260- 300 each year with the dvds.  He needs the dvds, at least for math because I need it to be as independant as possible.  We tried mathusee....not independant enough (but an excellent math program).  Well I did see a sale on Saxon with the DIVE that would put Algebra 2 at only $$96.   That is considerably less than what we will spend next year on ACE with the dvds.....so I have to pray.  I have been hearing + and - about Saxon.  I just don't know if he can do it independantly. ( without ANY or hardly any of my help).  It isn't that I don't want to help, or even that I can't understand it....I just don't have time to review enough to help.  

Plus...we are planning on him using college plus to help him get his computer science or computer programing degree early.  If you haven't heard of this program, it is really cool.  They can help your highschool student get their BA at the same time as they graduate from highschool.  It is legit.  It was started by a homeschooler and is supported by Vision Forum.j

Well....on to dinner.  Parmesian Chicken, onion potatoes, and home frozen (but now cooked :) corn.

Funny, I just realized that I never really introduced myself.....just my books.   

So for the fun of it....in a nutshell....

We live in the midwest   in a small town.  We have been married 17 years.   We have 7 wonderful children....though I didn't feel so a few minutes ago when I was fussing over the fact that they wouldn't get to bed!  Our dc are ages 15, 13, 10, 6, 5, 3, and almost 9 months.  We have 4 boys and 3 girls.  We have homeschooled since the begining.  Every spring/summer my family takes of traveling for my husbands job.  He works for a homeschooling company..  So we travel from homeschool conference to homeschool conference to sell their  supplies and curriculum...and to serve you, our fellow homeschoolers.  This is both fun and a lot of work with our size family.   Our 6 year old on up have been in almost all of the 50 states except for Alaska and Hawaii.  It makes our school year short....at least the bookwork end.   We have found the dynamics of 9 of us traveling together is not conducive to getting schoolwork done.  But each year we try to visit some historical sites on our trips. 

As far as curriculum, we have used almost everything in search of that perfect curriculum.  Every time I think that I have found it.....I realize that it doesn't work for my next child.  But now we are planning on using My Father's world next fall.

I dream of a larger home in the country.  I enjoy sewing, cooking and scrapbooking.....but the only one that I get to do is cooking!  

Thats it for now.....the baby is still not going to bed!

This has been an exciting year.  In May 2006 God allowed me to publish my first book: Draw and Write Through History: Creation Through Jonah. This book was put together by listening to what other homeschoolers and customers were asking for as we traveled to different homeschool conferences for my husband's job. It would not have been possible if God had not put all the pieces together, especially the finding of a very talented artist!

      I have homeschooled for 10 years, and as a mom to six, soon to be seven, I know how hard it is to fit everything into our school day.  The Draw and Write Through History series helps you combine art with history and cursive handwriting practice.  It is chronological, including Biblical history.  It is aimed at ages 8+, but adaptable for younger students.  Each drawing is broken down into steps, and each step is done in color.  

     Whether you use classical, Charlotte Mason, or traditional text-book method, your students will retain more of what they have learned by drawing and writing about each time period. Your students will learn through more than 20 step-by step drawings done by a pastor's wife who was a former graphics design artist for Reiman Publications (Country Woman). The drawings in this first book include a plant, dinosaur, Adam and Eve, Noah's ark, a wooly mammoth, the Tower of Babel,a pyramid, a mummy, a sphinx, a silkworm moth, a giant panda (China), Joseph, Moses, frogs, locusts, the Trojan horse,David, sheep, a Phoenecian ship, and more!  Book 2 will include Greece, Rome, the life of Christ, and the Middle Ages!  It should be available by April 2007.

     You can get a hold of this book by contacting any one of several homeschool suppliers including: Miller Pads and Paper, The Book Peddler, Rainbow Resources, and CBD.