Back to school...we've been at it for more than six weeks.  Maybe that explains my lack of time for blogging.  However my dear friend, JenIg, says I need to update.  So here's what has occupied our life as of late...

Let's start with the unfortunate event of getting a puppy for my dearest daughter's 15th birthday only to have it die of parvo less than a week later.  Yep, you heard me.  We are trying to decide what to do next.  Let's just say we are very frightened of having to endure that hardship and heartbreak again.

She headed off to camp for the second time this summer and returned the day before her 15th birthday.  I was looking forward to the day so much, but my body had other ideas...I got sick!!!  Let's just say you can't be a very good host for the bathroom.  God bless wonderful friends who jump in and take over for you.  It hit me hard enough to lay me out for a good part of the week.  I got it together enough to start packing by the end of the week for our five days in Pismo beach. 

We knew we were escaping the So.CA heat for a few days, but we weren't prepared for weather below 60 degrees.  Let's just day we went shopping for more sweatshirts.  Who would have thought in the middle of August you would need more sweats.  It was a wonderful couple of days relaxing and doing much of nothing.  Can't wait to go back and enjoy fabulous fish and chips. 

What I or my hubby didn't count on was the event that took place while I was gone.  Let me explain that my hubby didn't go with me to the beach; it was a trip I took with my best friend and all our kids.  So, while I vacationed and my hubby was working back at home, someone took it on themselves to borrow my car, well not really borrow.  It was more like STEAL!!!!  Right out of the driveway.  Yep, my car was stolen.  My dear hubby didn't tell me because he was not going to ruin my vacation.  What a guy!  He told me about it the next night after the car had been found just a few miles away, missing things like front doors, the grill and other minor things.  What a violated feeling.  I certainly hope that we aren't repairing the car only to have them come back for it again.  I have to  tell you that it just makes me more and more convinced that we don't belong here and that we should move out of CA.  I still dream of our 25 acres of land.  I guess i would probably trade my suv for something far more practical. 

So for now, it's a rental car, and a dose of humility, you see I really like my car.  Maybe too much and this was an eye and heart opener. 

This week, I would be the most grateful to see my middle one healthy this week.  She has been fighting something for more than a week. Get well my dearest one!

Ok, that's all I have in me right now, and I promise this...I will not promise to be more consistent making entries....life is far too busy and unpredictable.

Blessings, Jennifer

Those are the days of July!  It has been quite a month thus far.  We quietly celebrated the 4th of July, especially since our oldest was off at Wildwood Camp at Hume Lake.  I I really missed her, but I knew and know that she had a fabulous time.  Wildwood is a discipleship camp where the campers are really challenged to examine their walk and hearts with the Lord. 

She returned home in time to see all of her mommy's efforts at the Patriotic Celebration Musical/Drama at church.  I have to say it did go quite well.  I am always so pleasantly surprised to see how all the months of effort come together for the performance.

This is me as Martha Jefferson.

From left to right would be, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and me again, Martha Jefferson.

With the performance behind me, we moved onto a few days of being at home before I headed to the CHEA Long Beach conference. 

 We did sneak down to Corona Del Mar for a day at the beach as a dear friend lent us the use of her family beach house.  It was a great day! We learned how to play our new favorite game: The Settlers of Catan.

My very cute little man digging away in the sand.

It really was a special day in that my best friend and I got to spend the whole day together and those days just don't happen as often as they used to. 

At CHEA, I  once again had the privilege of representing Lamplighter.  IF you dare you can watch the following video that was made by students at the conference.  Warning:  I am a giant dork, at least isn't that what everyone thinks when they watch themselves on video.  Should you follow through I come in at about 7minutes 15ish seconds. 

Right after coming home from the conference, helped my middle child by checking to make sure she had everything she needed to head off to her week of jr high camp in Ojai.  She had a blast.  We missed her, but I really do think she would have stayed longer if they would have let her.  She came home for her bed.  While she was gone, I took on the fun  the necessary job of painting the hallway.  I've been wanting to do this for a year, but put it off until we were off from school.  Part of my hesitancy had to do with the fact that when I knew I wold take it on, it meant that I would take down all the picture frames, pull out the photos and spray paint all the oak frames black.  Now that it is behind me, of course, I love it.  However, the swelling in my hands has just recently gone down (I am falling apart at 38yo.) Oh did I mention that my best friend helped me do all this painting the day before her birthday.  What a bum I am, rather than taking her for lunch and a pedicure like she did for me, I hand her a  paint brush and I feed her leftovers.  Now I ask you, is that a friend or what!

During this week our family came to a decison which I will share with you next week, assuming I am not too tired from the sleepless nights and all the  playing.

The following week, which brings us to this current week, we started our ninth year of homeschooling.  Yes, we are back in school!  It had to be done, like it or not.  Surprisingly it went very, very well.  I have to say though, the days are flying by.  It seems like I wake up...go, go, go...and then drop back into bed.  Our first week is a bit shorter than normal as I am witing this to you from my hotel room in Modesto, CA.  I am here along with my girls, my son is home with daddy, to work the Lamplighter booth here at the Valley Home Educators conference.  We left early this morning and arrived and got right to work!  We finshed getting the lovely booth all set up, and headed to a super yummy dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.  I have to say, JenIg, they have some pretty great chips and salsa.  I think you should have been here working a booth for Rosetta Stone.

I hope you are enjoying your summer days whether they are long and relaxinig or short and busy!

Who gave permission to June to go speeding past so quickly? I’d like to know. I am not ready to start school again in two weeks, please don’t make me! When I last left you I was headed to Portland , OR for the annual OCEANetwork Homeschoolers conference. They really do a very lovely job! Those who attended were treated to the pleasure of hearing Lamplighter’s very own , Mark Hamby, who along with Voddie Bauchman were the key-note speakers. If you missed the opportunity of hearing either of these men speak, I must implore you to change that quickly, and soon. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

While in Portland, Mark surprised Francis (Lamplighter Intern) and me to see the Multnomah Falls after we finished setting up for the conference. It was because of the generosity our host family who loaned us their car for the duration of the conference. Let’s just say, I will be going back and this time with a camera. I was in awe and amazement at the almost unbelievable beauty of the falls all while being sick to my stomach over not having my camera. Since it was somewhat of a pain in the butt to have to worry about my camera when I was in Orlando, I figured this time I would just leave it at home. Who would have known that I would be treated to all that beauty. So you have to look it up for yourself if you want to see pictures, better yet, plan your own trip to the breath-taking state of Oregon.

After returning home from Oregon, I had a day to unpack the suitcase and refill it for five days in Kernville, CA on the Kern River. Our family has been going for over 16 years. It really is a significant part of my children’s lives. We’ve patiently waited for the kids to get older so that we could take a rafting trip, and this was the year! To say we had fun is an understatement. We shared the trip down river with our dear friends who home school in the Central Valley of CA and my high school friend and her daughter.

We filled our days with playing games and swimming in the creeks and frogging and fishing.

Better yet, our nights with more games and smores!!!

Vacations never last long enough. I am home for a week and half and unlucky, I mean, lucky me is on jury duty. I will finish our last few days off with working the Lamplighter booth at the CHEA convention. I hope to meet new friends and reminisce with old ones. Make sure to come visit me if you attend so I can tell you all about the newest Lamplighter books, like my new favorite: Sir Malcolm and the Missing Prince!

Blessings, Jennifer

So to say it's been busy around our house is an understatement, but that is my new reality and I am actually adjusting.  I don't twitch nearly as much as I used to, really.  I have to say, I really pondfer how it is that some of the bloggers get on their sites daily to add new content, it is quite surprising since I am lucky to make it once a month and more than that feels like a miracle.  So what have I been doing....

I finished a wedding album, but it looks as though the clients will make some changes which is not only fine but expected.  I am dragging my feet on finishing designing the yearbook for our park group, but I promise to have it finished by the end of summer to deliver in September. 

Somewhere after the wedding album I boycotted just about everything else and freed my sewing machine from the closet and laid claim to the dining room table.  I had help in the takeover operation, my girls also joinied the seige.  Our mission:  to attack long abandoned fabric crying out to be the quilts that they were born to be or purses or aprons or pillows; also to litter the floor of our dining room with as many "sewing crumbs" as possible. (Sewing crumbs:  what my hubby calls threads and pieces of material).

My machine is somewhat lonely these last couple of days.  Monday found me driving my nephew and niece to Las Vegas (3 1/2 hour drive) to fly to see their dad (my brother) for the summer in South Dakota.  As minors they can't change planes and that happened to be the closest airport with a direct flight. Today offered more fun,  a trip to the dentist to repair and replace a filling, oh joy!  Just how I wanted to spend $200.  Do you know how much material I could buy with that kind of cash!  Tomorrow I will pack for Portland, OR.  I leave Thursday morning to work and enjoy the Oregon conference.  I look forward to meeting new homeschoolers.  I am posting pictures of all our projects and fun that have happened over the last week or so. 

Well, it was quite a trip!  But before I bore you and begin my rambling I have to tell you just how awesome our God is.  I had so many friends praying for me as I was quite nervous to fly across the country all by my lonesome.  But God is so good, and I got on the plane without the least bit of anxiety.  I was in awe!

Well my time in Florida started bright and early Wednesday morning with a flight out of Ontario at 6AM.  Mercy that is an ungodly time of day, well it is for a woman who sleeps in most mornings.  After a stop in the lovely Dallas/Ft. Worth airport, I safely landed in Orlando around 3PM est.  Are you east-coasters aware of the fact that you can chew your air? WOW! I was picked up by two other Lamplighter gals, Rosalie (my new best friend) and Francis.  We drove straight to the hotel and started working.

We found our boxes and began the fun of unpacking all the boxes and sorting all the books.  Are you aware that Lamplighter now has over 100 books in its Rare Collector's Series.  If you aren't reading them for yourself and your children ,you are truly missing out on a wonderful experience. 

Thursday afternoon afforded us a bit of time for a sight-seeing trip to Celebration City.  Rosalie drove me through this planned community with its picture perfect houses and streets.  It is quite something!  Come 5PM, we were in position and ready for all those FL conference attendees!  Wow, are there a lot of you or what?  I always thought our CA conferences were big, but you make us look like a street fair.  And what a gorgeous venue it is held at.  Do you know how wonderful it is to have carpet in the marketplace when you have to stand on your feet for ten hours or more?  Fabulous is what I say, fabulous.  This would also be the day that I would meet the infamous Ig-girls, you know: Jen and Coie Igarashi.  Yes, they are as fabulous in person as you imagine.  It was like meeting movie stars. 

After a full day on Friday, I was invited to have dinner with Jen, Coie and another new friend, Phyllis at their favorite restaurant, Chevy's.  As the slide show up above will attest, these girls love their salsa. I've honestly never witness a stronger passion for chips and salsa, hence the photo.  I thought they were kidding when they asked the waiter to bring 10, and apparently he realized they were kidding because he actually brought that many to the table.  Far too funny!  More fun happened later in the night when Phyllis and I were allowed to party crash with the Igs to Maggie Hogan's hospitality suite party.  What a fun, wild, and crazy group of gals over there at Bright Idea's Press.  And, I Babs, I mean, Jennifer do solemnly promise to never share or reveal the contents of the night, unless of course I am paid well to do so.  What happens in the hospitality suite, stays in the hospitality suite!  You all made my trip so special and memorable, thanks.  I means a lot to be so far from home, yet never feel alone.

What a joy it was to share my passion for the amazing and life-changing books that Lamplighter publishes each year.  I hope that the opportunity to enjoy and be apart of the FPEA convention happens next year as well.  Maybe we can turn it into a family vacation, mmm......

Well, somewhat unexpectedly I find myself winging away to the Florida Homeschoolers Conference in Orlando.  I have the pleasure of representing Lamplighter Publishing and they need one more rep in the booth and I was the lucky winner. 

I am turning over my fear of flying alone to the Lord knowing that my days are His to count.  Maybe a bit morbid, but I just don't relish the idea of going alone.  My oldest was asked to go with me, but she already had a commitment for the weekend.  I only wish that I was going with my family so that I could enjoy the sites.  This will be my first visit to the Sunshine State. 

So, if any bloggers are going, please come by and say hi to the short blonde in the Lamplighter booth.  I look forward to the opportunity of encouraging moms on the east coast, humbled that the Lord would choose to use me.  So back to ironing and packing my bags. 

Blessings, Jennifer

I sent a email to another mom here on Homeschool Blogger and I thought why not share it with everyone.

Well, a week of some refreshment and relaxing followed by a conference all of which went very well, now have me still trying to get back into the groove of our routine.  I trust I am not alone in the struggle to resume normal life after a reprieve from reality.  I think I prefer the reprieve.  I long to be sitting next to the camp fire and reading a novel.  I long to watch my kids running around getting dirty.  I already miss my friend and our time together, nothing like a friend you've had for almost 25 years! 

My heart gave way to a pang of longing to stay right where we were in Kernville along the river.  Duty called me farther north to the Northern California CHEA conference in Santa Clara.  I truly cherish the opportunity to partner in ministry with Lamplighter Publishing.  I enjoy the chance it gives me to share a passion for excellent literature and meet and talk with other homeschoolers. 

So...I will continue to tame the laundry pile and the work left undone in our absence.  I am looking towards the finish line of the end of May.  I don't wish it here a day sooner than it ought to be, as it has been a good school year and quite honestly, I desrie that the days would slow to a snail's pace so that my children won't grow up a day sooner than they have to.

Blessings,

Jennifer

I just finished a very powerful book this morning called, Safely Home by Randy Alcorn. 

I've read books that have stayed with me before, such as Ishmael and Self-Raised (Lamplighter Publishing).  However, this one has left me burdened and with a heavy heart, but for the right reasons.  I feel so pathetic worshipping freely and driving to church whenever I want and reading my Bible or listening to my Christian radio station.  All while I pretend not to know or sit in ignorance of those around the world that daily die for their faith in Jesus.  Randy Alcorn gives the reader an insight into the persecution the Christians in China face for the sake of Christ, and they suffer willing.  I had to examine how easy my Christian walk is here in America compared with those throughout the world.  We worry about offending someone or concerned about what someone might say if we share Jesus, big deal, they might laugh at us or think us weird.  Big deal!  We aren't dying for it. 

It is our complacency as believers that is hindering the move of God here in the States, yet where persecution reigns the word of God is spreading and changing lives just as it did for the Early Church. 

I just can't recommend this book enough!

Jennifer

She is taking on the Word of God and replacing it with the truth according to Oprah.  Take the time to watch, and then take the time to pray.  Please share the video with Bible-believing Christians, or others you know that are being brainwashed by this woman.  Christians by the hundreds and I believe thousands, are abandoning their faith in exchange for her lies.

Jennifer

So let me share a passion I have with you all.  Reading, but not just anything, reading some really great books.  Books that speak to the heart.  What are the?  None other than the wonderful Lamplighter Publishing Rare Collector's Series.

My story with Lamplighter started about nine years ago when I attended my first homeschool conference.  I bought three books that first year, Teddy's Button, Jessica's First Prayer, and Basket of Flowers.  I knew right away that I was holding and reading true treasures to my children.  Each year I would go back and buy a new stack of "friends".  I made a friend who worked as a rep. for Lamplighter, and as the years went by I would comment to her, "Beth, you be sure to tell Mark Hamby that if he needs more people back there selling books, that I  am ready."  I was already selling them by sharing with everyone how much I love them. 

Well, my friend Beth needed to stop working with Lamplighter, so she passed my name along.  Lucky me, they were willing to try me out.  And I love it!!!  I love the opportunity of telling others about books that can change lives.  So what I would like to do here every so often is share a favorite or make a suggestion for you and your children.

First please visit the website and make yourself familiar with the ministry.  What Lamplighter is doing is putting back into print stories that date back as far as the 1600's that are rich in character and the truth of scripture.  Biblical principles resonate throughout while the stories remain engaging with characters that you will remember for a lifetime.

So let me start with my favorite, make that favorites. That is because it has a sequel.  It is Ishmael and its sequel, Self-Raised.  Ishmael is a character that you will continue to remember long after you finish the books.  Ishmael is born with the circumstances of life stacked against him to every become anything, but what he accomplishes all while with Integrity as his motto will inspire anyone to be the very best they can no matter the odds.  I guarantee you will be talking about the book for years and years to come.  Should you order, tell them Jennifer from So. CA sent you!

Blessings, Jennifer

All the screaming, that's us here in So. CA.  It's because I won the give-away that Jen Igarashi had going on her blog for a free Rosetta Stone, new and improved.  To say we are excited is an understatement!  The kids are all picking out which language program they want.  I told them learning two was already enough, so I will probably get the new Spanish verison.  Our family is already Rosetta Stone users and in my ministry to other homeschoolers I acutally recommend Rosetta Stone for foreign language.  If you aren't yet familiar with the software, I highly recommend visiting the website and even requesting a demo cd.  Our family is currently using Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish and Russian. 

Thank you again so much, Jen!  I am hoping that as you and Coie make the rounds for conferences that we will have the opportunity to meet one another.  I am a rep. for Lamplighter Publishing, myself. 

On another note, it is a different kind of week for us, it is testing week.  We our getting up way to early each morning to arrive on time for the 8:45 start time.  How or why do mothers do that everyday?  I much prefer my jammies and tea.  The kids actually think it is a fun week, which helps.  I am just struggling to stay awake the rest of the day.

Blessings and a whole lot of rejoicing,

Jennifer

I certainly hope that my name makes it out of the hat!  Here are the details:

Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE! 

This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.

This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program.  Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking.  Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included!  For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports. 

To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these (blue) paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/  and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it.  And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it.  And good luck!  The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg.   And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win.   Yay for free stuff!

In the light of what is occurring here in California, we have reason to rejoice and give God the glory nonetheless. There have been some positive things said in the last few days including that the superintendent of schools has released a positive statement on homeschooling. In the midst of our struggles and trials, we must choose to praise our God as we are blessed.

I Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened."

We are under attack here in California!  Our legal right to homeschool is being called into question.  There is even talk that families could experience CPA knocking at their door saying that your children are being taken from you because they are considered truant.  HSLDA of course is helping in leading the charge.  But none of this should be attempted with the prayers of homeschoolers around the country.  Please visit their website HSLDA.org 

All California homeschoolers should be supporting HSLDA with your membership during this crucial time.  This organization helps insure our freedoms and we ought to consider putting our contributions behind them as they are fighting for each and everyone of us.  Consider also giving to Family Protection Ministries, as they also battle for the rights of families.

Again, Please join us in prayer to storm the gates of heaven and bow before the throne that God will have His hand on all homeschoolers and our freedom to do so.

SIncerely, Jennifer

Ok, so I've been busy.  Understatement if you want to know the truth.  I realize so are the rest of you.  Quite honestly, my August through the New Year was a blur.  I don't think I can think of a time I was busier. Praise the Lord for the strength and stamina He provided. 

I would like to share that God has given me a homeschool ministry to start and I will share how that came about in the days ahead.  I thought for my first day back that I would share an email I received today from a friend, and I am sure many of you have read it, and yet, it is worth a second read as it speaks to where so many of us are as homeschooling moms

 I'm Invisible. It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.  Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone,or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone! One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could  find that was clean. 

  My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.' In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:  No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.  The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.  
    A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'  I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'  At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime, because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.  When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself
  
    I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'  As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

 

Blessings to all the Invisible women!

Jennifer

I got my first blogger award:

A Rocking Girl Blogger from my friend socalval .  What a fun surprise!  I know I get the privlege of passing this on.  So as soon as my daughter helps me with the technical part of loading the image I will do so.  Thanks dear friend!  I feel special.

Jennifer

Do you dread it or does it give you a thrill? 

For me I think it depends on what it is.  New exercise program...total complete dread...not to mention pain.  New chocolate...bring it on! 

How about a new curriculum? 

I knew that I was needing to step it up when it came to having my kids write, ok I'll be honest, I needed to simply start!  I like writing, but teaching it, uuggghhh!  I'd looked into many things over my previous seven years of homeschooling.  I was convinced that using IEW would be great, but I had been considering the cost.  Well, while reading on  a homeschooling board I visit, a mom mentioned CQLA.  I had never heard of it. 

Off to the computer I went and started checking out their products and site.  Training for Triumph is a family owned and operated business with the kindest people.  Their Character Quality Language Arts program (CQLA) is the program we are using for the first time this year.  It is a compilation of the best products out there:  Easy Grammar, Editor In Chief, Spelling Power, IEW, and such all rolled into one! 

It will probably take us a few weeks to get used to and more familiar and comfortable with our new program, but I as well as the kids are excited about the change.  Since I had been using several different things to cover Language Arts, it is refreshingly pleasant to just be using one source. 

So how about you?  Are you using something new for the year?

Jennifer

Well as I sit and write this at 10PM on Sunday night, I am wrapping my brain around the fact that tomorrow is our first day!  Where did my summer go?  I am beginning to admit that taking too much time off isn't just bad for the kids, but bad for the momma, too.  I do think the fact that I have a sore throat and ear infections going on aren't helping matters.  I work as a professional photographer, and I have client orders and work on the computer hanging over me as well, and I would have liked to have a clean slate before starting school.  Oh well...

Maybe what amazes me the most is the fact that tomorrow begins our 8th year in our journey of homeschooling.  I can honestly say that I just don't know where the years went.  What happened to having a Kinder and 2nd grader with a toddler running under foot to having a sophmore, 7th and 5th grader.  What I do know is this...I did not make it this far, rather the Lord has brought me this far and it is only by His grace that I am able to continue. 

Happy First Day to all,
Jennifer

Well here is what our year holds:

My Sophmore:
Torrey Academy through Biola University which for this level will cover Bible, English, and Philsophy
Bible Study Fellowship: Matthew
Teaching Textbooks Algebra II
Apologia Chemistry
Continue with: Rosetta Stone for Spanish and Russian
                      God and the History of Art (How Great Thou Art)
                      Home Ec:  Charity project by making quilts.
                      Piano

My 7th grader:
Bible Study Fellowship: Matthew
Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
Character Quality Language Arts Level B, Volume 3
Apologia General Science
Geography: Around the World in 180 days
Continue with: Rosetta Stone for Spanish and Russian
                      Piano

My 5th grader:
Bible Study Fellowship: Matthew
Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
Character Quality Language Arts Level A, Volume 3
Apologia Botany and Zoology I
History: Studying Presidents and States (using notebooking pages from Hold That Thought)
Continue with:  Rosetta Stone for Spanish and Russian
                       Piano

They memorize poems from the book by Rod and Staff called Poems for Memorization. 

Jennifer