Well, this week we are doing our "Founding Fathers" project.  I never liked to do projects when I was in school.  My Robert does not like to do projects either.  He would rather draw a picture about whatever it is and write a sentence.  Well, I am being the mean mom this week.  He has to write a formal paper about his man-Nathaniel Greene.  He is NOT happy one bit!! 

I am a firm believer in the statement, "Sometimes you have to do things you do not want to do."  Both of my children can tell you I make that statement at least once each day.  I have to get up early each morning, cook breakfast, clean up the homestead, cook lunch, clean up some more, do laundry, cook dinner, clean up yet again, bathe children, read bedtime stories, run around for about an hour begging the two angels to go to bed, and finally I get to do something I want to do-Sudoku.  Yes, I remind them of the list above daily as well.  Robert is learning many lessons this week that are not in the planner.  He is having to learn independence in studying, patience, penmanship (to my standards), and the biggy-time management. 

If you have fifth graders who are project lovers, I applaud you!  If you are in my boat, fire the flame rockets, we are going down!!:-)

Well, today is Saturday.  I usually work sixteen hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday.  Today, I came home a little early.  I received an email from my dad.  (It amazes me that my dad is comfortable with a computer.  I however, know very little about all of our 'cyber world.')  My kids are fortunate enough to live fairly close to my parents and not that far away from my husband's parent.  They spend every other weekend with my parents due to our work schedule.  (Another reason I am glad we moved back to SC.)  This weekend our kids are home with my husband.  My boys would rather be at MawMaw and Granddaddy's house.

Don't get me wrong.  I am glad that they have grandparents to spend time with.  My Granny was a wonderful, caring woman who was probably the sweetest lady on Earth!  Everytime I see Tops Snuff I get teary eyed.  She has been in heaven many years but I still miss her.  I often wonder what she would say about her great-grandsons.  Would she think I was doing a fine job raising them in this day and time?  What advice would she give me?  Those memories just never go away.  I always hoped that my children would have a relationship like that with their grandparents-on both sides. 

We lived in the same town with my husband's parents for over ten years.  My kids were rotten from so much attention!  My parents lived too far away at that time.  Now, my kids see both grandparents and are twice as rotten as before!!  My children now talk about their grandparents the same way my sister and I used to talk about Granny.  Aside from parents, I feel grandparents are very important to development for all children. 

Grandparents are fun.  They are no where near as strict as parents.  You get all kinds of special food and treats there.  If you see something at Walmart you want, grandparents will usually get it for you.  They are truely WONDERFUL people!!!

So, my challenge to you tonight is to call your grands and tell them THANKS.  THANKS for the love, attention, treats, and yes, all of the spoiling. 

If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with a great Christian radio station, you are lucky!  Our family moved from NC two years ago and away from K-LOVE, by far the best radio station EVER!!  My kids would sit in the van and sing the commercials they missed them so much.  In our area, we do not have good reception of any station that plays the same music.  So, we listen to CDs or Country.  Now that we have internet again, K-LOVE plays again in our house!!

I turned the computer on after the guys came an installed our connection.  The first website I plugged in:  www.klove.com.  The boys cheered.  I was thrilled I could listen to familiar voices.  (I have to admit, even though I am from SC, I really miss NC and my husband's family.  I really love my in-laws and miss them terribly-especially my sister-in-law Kristin.)  (The last sentence is correct-I do love my in-laws.)  It was a good day.

Now, everyday while we plug away at 5th grade cirriculum, we sing and smile because K-LOVE is on.  Sometimes the simplest things mean so much.

As I awoke this morning (to get my husband off to work-and yes, I do this every morning), I wanted to be anyone but me.  I just wanted to snuggle down in my soft, warm bed and sleep.  However, I made coffee, unloaded the dishwasher, packed his lunch and cleaned the counters.  I then started the computer to look up information about my son's upcoming project, check email, and just goof off.  See, I can do all of this now, uninterrupted because both of my sons are asleep.  You know-once they are up, your day is all about them. 

I stopped to have coffee when I realized something profound and disturbing-I REALLY NEED MY PEACEFUL MORNINGS!!!  I do not like getting up at 0500.  No one I know likes that!  Alas, I should start to enjoy awaking before everyone else because this is the only part of my day that is just that-MY part of the day.  I can do 20 different things at one time because no one is there to confuse or stop my train of thought or ask me to do something different.  I can just do what I need or want to do without giving to someone else.  Let's face it, we give to others ALL day long (and all night too) and we all neglect ourselves in the process.  I look nothing like I did ten years ago.  I had beautiful hair, georgous nails, looked half way decent in a bathing suit, wore makeup-you get the picture!  Now, I am doing great if I get a shower before 9am, hair is always up in a ponytail or clip, NO makeup, and it truely takes alot to get me in a bathing suit outside of the YMCA. 

The moral of this story is that sometimes you have to do things you do not want to do.  God's plan for me this morning was if I got out of bed, I would have wonderful moments for the two of us-just us-and no one else.  Now, I am glad I got up at 0500 before everyone else.  What a wonderful day!!!

Hello!  I am new to this, so let me introduce myself.  My name is Genie and I am a full time nurse who works weekends.  This is my first year homeschooling my son who is in the fifth grade.  I have a younger son that will start K in the fall.  My husband is a police officer that works every shift known to man and then some.  We are new to the area and have family 90 minutes away.  Nevertheless, we have accepted this huge task of homeschooling. 

Yesterday, our family did our first session for homeschoolers at the Riverbakns Zoo.  We had such a blast!  I also connected with a mom that I went to highschool with (long time ago) that also homeschools.  This was a great experience that I recommend to anyone who can!  This was also a great lesson to my husband (who went with us)-I am not the only mom who does this.  He is concerned that our kids will never see other children, play sports, or get the "real life experience."  I don't know about you, but I am really trying to expose my kids to everything I can, within reason.  I just feel overwhelmed with everything that is available and there are things I don't even know about yet!  I need help from you.  What are the MUST SEES?  What conferences should I go to?  Are there groups of people-like us-that get together and let our kids hang out/learn together/field trips as a group?

I would greatly appreciate any and all comments on any of the above.  I really want to do a good job and be a source of info for the many moms that ask me constantly, "How do you homeschool?"